Today’s offer is not strictly about price: $35 is an incredible price for a proper Barolo wine, but if you looked hard enough, you could probably find something “cheaper.” In terms of value, on the other hand, you will not find better. It can’t be done.
To top it all off, this is a wine of real heritage and a deep connection to its place, crafted by a cooperative winery that counts some 300 small growers in the Barolo region as members. Terre del Barolo was founded in 1958 by a local mayor, Arnaldo Rivera, who set up a
cantina sociale (cooperative) in the village of Castiglione Falletto and began recruiting local “smallholders.” Co-ops were a big part of Italian viticulture in the Post-WWII era, as many small farmers didn’t have the means to build their own wineries—nor did they have many people to work at them, since so many locals decamped for cities like Milan and Turin to work in factories. Pooling their viticultural resources, then vinifying wines in a single, centralized facility, was a lifeline at first, but over time, Terre del Barolo has become a force: member vineyards stretch over 650 hectares of prime Barolo territory, with most now Certified Organic, and there’s a level of purity and detail in today’s 2015 that is guaranteed to impress. If I were to pour a Barolo for someone who’s never had one before, this would be a perfect choice—the tannins of the Nebbiolo grape are a little gentler than usual thanks to the ’15 vintage, but the perfumed aromas and palate persistence are lights-out perfect. Then there’s simply the luxury of being able to drink an elite red like Barolo at this price—what else can I say but sign me up!
“Vinum Vita Est” (“wine is life”) was the founding motto of Terre del Barolo back in 1958, which, for those of you who follow Italian wine, is sort of a Barolo counterpart to the famed Produttori del Barbaresco, in Barolo’s “sister” wine zone, Barbaresco (both co-ops were founded in the same year!). Lovers of Italian wine recognize Produttori del Barbaresco as a benchmark producer of authentic, long-aging Nebbiolo from the greatest vineyards in the region, at prices that make them some of the best values in Italian wine. Over in Barolo, Terre del Barolo is doing the same thing.
Although the Terre del Barolo winery itself is headquartered in Castiglione Falletto, the vineyard sources are spread throughout the 11 communes that comprise the Barolo DOCG zone. In “traditional” Barolo fashion, the wine is aged in large oak casks (25-50 hectoliters) for at least 18 months, followed by a minimum period in bottle before release.
This 2015 is a finessed style of Barolo, with generous fruit underpinned by Nebbiolo’s characteristically spicy, woodsy savory character. In the glass, it’s a medium garnet-red moving to pink and orange at the rim, with textbook Nebbiolo aromas of red cherry, wild strawberry, blood orange, leather, tobacco, and underbrush. On the Barolo style spectrum, it is medium-bodied, with modest alcohol, soft tannins, and tangy, enlivening freshness. Put this next to a French Bourgogne Rouge from a top producer and you’ll see the kinship these two great wine regions share, and don’t wait to start pulling corks: After just 30 minutes or so in a decanter, this wine blossoms nicely, and should continue to offer delicious drinking over the next 5-7 years. Serve it in Burgundy stems at 60-65 degrees and pair it with some fresh tagliatelle tossed with sautéed morel mushrooms. Man, is that good. Enjoy!
