As Barolo prices climb steadily upwards, the top wines of neighboring Roero look better and better. I don’t mean to suggest that you only buy Roero wines when you don’t want to spring for a Barolo—that would be an insult to a region that produces wines that are every bit as evocative and age-worthy as their more-famous neighbors. What I’m saying is that Roero reds are better than ever and make more sense than ever, as exemplified by this sensibly priced flagship from the great Malvirà estate.
One of the things about tasting a lot of wine in a short period of time, as we do for this site (and as most sommeliers do in restaurants), is that some wines need a little time to show their best—which they don’t always get. Malvirà’s 2017 Roero, their flagship, may have suffered that fate had we not known them to be an elite producer. On first pour, the wine was mesmerizing aromatically but a little stiff and reticent on the palate. But, seeing that it was Nebbiolo (a tannic variety), and Malvirà, we set it aside to revisit later. After a few hours—and especially the next day—BOOM. It went from reticent to resplendent, seemingly magically. As I eagerly went back for more, I wondered how many wines like this we may have passed over in the past, in our sometimes-crowded tastings. But hey—we got this one, so grab a decanter, a nice balloon stem, and prepare yourself for a $29 Roero Nebbiolo primed to take on much more expensive competition.
Similarities between Roero and Barolo abound, but there are subtle differences between the two appellations, both of which are classified as DOCGs (the “g” for “guaranteed” denomination of origin, a designation reserved for Italy’s most historic and highly regarded terroirs). They sit on opposite sides of the Tànaro River in similar clay/limestone marls, but Roero’s overall contain a higher percentage of sand. Roero requires a minimum of 95% Nebbiolo for a wine to carry the name, while Barolo, of course, is 100%. Roero’s minimum aging requirements, including the minimum time a wine must be aged in barrels, are shorter as well.
The Damonte family established the Malvirà estate in the 1950s, and, operating out of the village of Canale, have expanded their vineyard holdings to an impressive 42 hectares (a good size for this part of the world). Brothers Massimo and Roberto Damonte run the property with the help of their wives and children, and with a restaurant and boutique
hotel on the property, they’ve become the “destination winery” of the Roero zone. In addition to pitch-perfect Nebbiolo, their two most prized vineyards, “Trinità” and “Renesio,” are also well-known for some of the best examples of Roero’s native white, Arneis.
Today’s wine is a great example of classic Roero—it is 100% Nebbiolo, and 100% true to the variety, but while it compares very favorably to Barolo it isn’t trying to be Barolo: For one thing, it spends a little less time in wood compared to Barolo (20 months in used, 450-liter casks), and the sandier soil composition in Roero seems to help take a little edge off the tannins. Nevertheless, give this taut, high-toned red a rough decant a good 60 minutes before serving for best results. In the glass, it’s a bright cranberry red with hints of pink and orange, with a Springtime basket-full of fruit and floral aromas: raspberries, cherries, blood oranges, rose petals, pu-ehr tea, sandalwood, pink peppercorns, and crushed rocks. It is medium-bodied on the palate, with mouth-watering acidity for pairing with food: Go with pork or leaner beef dishes with this one, and keep it on the cooler side of 60-65 degrees. And while few people do it with $29 bottles of wine, I would love to see what this wine does after a few years more in bottle—based on my experience so far, it should be a major payoff. Enjoy!
