Classic. Paradigmatic. Textbook. Any of these words would describe today’s stellar 2015 Barolo from Schiavenza. “Spot-on” was the term I used—or, rather, exclaimed—when I tasted it. There is no doubt, from the first sip, that this is traditionally crafted, age-worthy Nebbiolo from Barolo—and more specifically, Barolo from the village of Serralunga d’Alba, one of the most celebrated communes in this historic appellation.
Located on the eastern side of the Barolo zone, Serralunga is known for its “older,” more sandstone-rich soils, and its powerful, brooding styles of wine. And, since Barolo appellation laws were adjusted to allow for labeling of wines by commune (i.e., “…del commune di Serralunga d’Alba”), lovers of these wines get a clearer sense of the subtle terroir differences from town to town. Just as Burgundy fanatics parse the differences between Gevrey-Chambertin and Chambolle-Musigny, so might Barolo groupies consider how Serralunga compares to La Morra. But maybe that’s a little too geeky: What you really need to know about this wine is that it’s an evocative, beautifully articulated old-school Barolo, one that’ll still be going strong 20+ years from now, for just $42. That’s not a combination you see very often, so don’t pass it up!
There’s a lot of unique history behind Schiavenza to recommend it, too: It was once a part of the Opera Pia Barolo, a charitable institution somewhat like Burgundy’s Hospice de Beaune. The vineyards were managed by sharecroppers (
schiavenze in the local dialect) before brothers Vittorio and Ugo Alessandria took control of a portion in the mid-1950s. Situated right beneath the 14th-century
Castello di Serralunga d’Alba, the estate today is run by second-generation sisters Enrica and Maura Alessandria, along with their husbands, Luciano Pira and Walter Anselma. Their vineyards, farmed organically, cover around 9 hectares in Serralunga (including parcels in the acclaimed
crus “Prapò,” “Cerretta,” and “Broglio”) and another hectare in neighboring Monforte d’Alba, and everything they do in the winery is ultra-traditional: The wines are fermented on ambient yeasts in old concrete vats, followed by three years of aging in large Slavonian oak
botti (2,000- to 4,000-liter capacity).
For anyone who loves classic Barolo, putting your nose in a glass of this wine is like coming home—more specifically, coming home from a late-autumn truffle hunt in the woods to a fire crackling in the hearth. It’s a deeply perfumed, full-immersion glass of wine, needing time in a decanter and some healthy swirls in the glass to shed its young-Nebbiolo reticence. It’s got the light garnet-red color typical of Barolo, with a slight hint of brick-orange at the rim, and a tangle of perfumed aromas: dried cherry, cranberry, red currant, blood orange, leather, wild herbs, and a full dose of textbook “tar and roses” savor. It is full-bodied and firmly tannic—a wine clearly built for the long haul—so if you are enjoying a bottle now, be sure to give it a good hour of air before serving at 60-65 degrees in large Burgundy stems. Food, too, is a necessity if you’re pulling the cork on this soon: This is the kind of wine they invented
Brasato al Barolo for, so look no further than the attached recipe. It doesn’t get any more cozy and satisfying than this, so enjoy it—and be sure to lay some down, because it is unquestionably built to last!
