The 1996 vintage in Barolo has long been spoken of in awed tones. It not only kicked off an unbroken string (1996-2001) of excellence in a region historically known for three great years in ten, it produced some of the longest-lived Barolo wines ever made. Today, you have the chance to see what all the fuss was about (hint: it was justified) and it won’t cost you anywhere near what it probably should for a wine of such importance and perfect provenance.
Fontanafredda is Barolo’s largest wine estate and one of the first commercial producers of Barolo as we know it today. It is one of the few estates in the region capable of maintaining an extensive back-vintage library, but we were nevertheless stunned silent upon tasting today’s ’96 from Fontanafredda’s “Vigna La Villa.” Given its still-vibrant color and still-powerful structure, I assumed it had been re-conditioned and/or re-corked before its release (a perfectly acceptable practice employed by many), but nope—this is a perfectly stored ’96 on its original cork, showing off its still-youthful physique like Joe Biden on his bicycle. And the price? It’s unbelievable. It’s a gift to all of us who love well-aged, well-preserved wine that is right in its sweet spot. And it’s a testament to the greatness of ’96 that “La Villa” still has a lot more left in the tank; this is an amazing opportunity to enjoy all the fascinating complexities of an aged Barolo without the kind of time and money it usually requires. Do not—I repeat, do not—miss this!
For me, 1996 Barolo is a major touchstone: I was an editor at Wine & Spirits magazine in New York when the wines were first released in the US, so it was the first time I was afforded a wide-angle view of an “important” vintage. Fontanafredda’s “La Rosa,” a sibling of “La Villa,” was probably the first age-worthy red I ever bought and held, but seeing as my “cellar” was a small metal rack in a cramped New York apartment, I didn’t hold it anywhere near long enough. In the ensuing years, encountering countless ’96s in restaurants, I wondered if these incredibly powerful, tannic wines would ever settle into a softer, silkier old age. We’re now well past the two-decade mark and many wines have yet to do so, but “La Villa” has begun to turn the corner. All manner of earthy, savory, perfumed ‘secondary’ aromas have crept into the picture. The tannins are still firm but far from forbidding, and quite malleable as the wine takes on air. It is a deep, long, soul-stirring red wine.
And while brushing up on Fontanafredda for the purposes of this offer, I learned a new word: morganatic. It’s an archaic word, describing a marriage between people of different social classes. The Fontanafredda estate, which is based in Serralunga d’Alba and covers some 300 acres of land (247 of which are vineyards), was originally purchased in 1858 by Vittorio Emanuele II, the first King of unified Italy. It was a country retreat for his mistress, a “commoner” named Rosa Vercellana, whom he eventually married (and made a countess, in a departure from morganatic tradition). One of their sons, Count Emanuele Alberto, was the one to develop the winemaking operation and make Fontanafredda a commercial venture.
Nearly a century-and-a-half later, the vast Fontanafredda property was acquired by visionary businessman (and Eataly founder) Oscar Farinetti, who has brought it to a new level of prominence. Farinetti is Piedmontese by birth and a passionate advocate for organic farming, having created association called Vino Libero, which is focused on sustainability in vineyards and cellars alike. Among the elements of the expansive Vino Libero “discipline” are the stated desire to eliminate all chemical fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides, while also reducing sulfur additions to levels well below what’s allowed by law.
“Vigna La Villa” is one of several prized single vineyards farmed by Fontanafredda. It is part of the larger cru called “Paiagallo,” in the village of Barolo, which, like most Barolo crus, has an east/southeast orientation—exposing it to gentler morning sun and producing slightly softer wines than those from vineyards in the estate’s home base in Serralunga, for example. But again, this is ’96 we’re talking about, and when you take your first sip of this wine you’ll immediately project backwards and imagine what a beast it must have been when first released. It was aged first in small barriques, then larger casks, for two years, followed by a year in bottle before its initial release—but in the case of this library release, it enjoyed decades of undisturbed rest in Fontanafredda’s dark, cool cellars. Both the bottles we opened had corks that were in excellent condition, but be careful when opening your bottle(s) nonetheless, and don’t be afraid to decant the wine before service, watching out for sediment (which is minimal). This wine, unlike so many wines of this age, does not fall apart once opened—in fact, mine was still singing on day two!
In the glass, the ’96 La Villa still shows a deep garnet core moving to brick-orange at the rim. It is perfumed and powerful, with scents of black cherry, plum, red and black currant, blood orange peel, and licorice meeting up with an incredibly dark and savory mix of warm spices, bay leaf, tar, oiled leather, ground coffee, clove, and cured wood. There’s still a brooding quality to it all these years later, although the tannins have softened considerably, softening and broadening the full-bodied palate. This is a true sensory overload of a wine, deep and soulful and extremely long on the finish, with no drop-off in intensity over its time open. I could see it lasting another 10 years in your cellar should you choose to lay some down (you should), but be sure to check out at least one as soon as possible. It is special, and richly deserving of a special meal to accompany it. Serve it at 60-65 degrees in Burgundy stems with a beautiful osso buco and raise a toast to one of the greatest fine wine values any of us has ever seen! Cheers!
