I know I’ve been saying this a lot lately, but 2015 is one fantastic Barolo vintage. And because Barolo is one of the few wine regions left in the world with sometimes-significant variations from one year to the next, the arrival of the ’15s in the market was met with celebration.
Today’s wine from Fratelli Alessandria not only captures the character of the vintage—ripe and generous, but impeccably balanced—but of its home village of Verduno as well. Of the 11 townships that comprise the Barolo DOCG production zone, Verduno may produce the most elegant wines of the bunch, and for me, Alessandria is one of the standard-bearers of the Verduno style—their wines showcase the gentler, more perfumed side of Barolo’s Nebbiolo grape, which has a reputation for being tannic and standoffish in its youth. Alessandria’s ’15 is not only a pitch-perfect combination of vintage, village, and producer but exactly the kind of wine I’d put in front of someone who’s never had Barolo before. Whereas some young Barolos are ferocious, this one is friendly, ready to be enjoyed now and over the next 10+ years. Whether you’re an old hand or a new convert, there’s no resisting this!
In previous Alessandria offers—and we’ve offered just about everything they make—I’ve compared their Barolos, and those of Verduno in general, to red Burgundies from Chambolle-Musigny. Like Burgundy, Barolo is such a well-developed, carefully mapped wine zone that specific villages are identified with certain styles of wine. Burgundy aficionados identify Chambolle-Musigny, for example, for the most perfumed and silky Pinot Noirs; Gevrey-Chambertin for a deeper, more ‘masculine’ take; and so on. Barolo devotees look to Serralunga for more brooding, mineral intensity; Monforte for sheer depth; and La Morra and Verduno for the most finessed and fragrant takes on the Nebbiolo grape.
Verduno has actually been enjoying a renaissance lately, not only due to great Barolos from the likes of Alessandria, Burlotto, and Castello di Verduno, but to the rampant popularity of a spicy local red called Pelaverga—a wine-geek cause célèbre found on hip by-the-glass lists. Essentially an ‘extension’ of the La Morra vineyard area, with similar eastern (and sometimes northern) exposures, Verduno’s vineyards include at least one bona-fide “grand cru”—a site called “Monvigliero”—which Fratelli Alessandria counts among its diverse holdings. Spanning a total of about 12 hectares of vines, most of them in Verduno, the estate has been in the Alessandria family since 1870; these days it’s Gian Battista Alessandria running the show, with help from his wife, Flavia, brother, Alessandro, and son, Vittore.
Theirs is a ‘traditional’ approach to Barolo, with the aging of the wines occurring in large, Slavonian oak casks. This 2012 is the family’s ‘base’ Barolo, sourced from a diverse assortment of Verduno vineyards along with one (the well-known “Gramolere” cru) in Monforte d’Alba. This wine spent 3 years in cask followed by another six months in bottle before release, and even at this “young” age (by Barolo standards), it shows seamless integration of its oak and tannins.
In the glass, the 2015 Barolo from Alessandria is a deep garnet-red with slight hints of orange and pink at the rim. The aromas show off Nebbiolo’s inimitable array of fruity and savory notes: black cherry, red currant, raspberry, blood orange, fennel, leather, dried rose petals, sandalwood, and a truffle-y, forest-floor earthiness. Medium-plus in body, its tannins are perfectly integrated, especially after 30-60 minutes in a decanter—it is spicy and savory, but also refined and drinkable, with a long and aromatic finish. It’s a fairly “forward” vintage, but I wouldn’t hesitate to age it for 10+ years if you’re so inclined—it is floral, complex, and truly spot-on in every way. Serve this in your best Burgundy stems at 60-65 degrees and sip it slowly alongside the attached veal recipe, which incorporates black truffles (easier to find than Piedmont’s famous white ones). This wine and that pan sauce were meant for each other. Enjoy!
