Once entirely limited to the confines of Europe and the lips of locals, San Fereolo’s outstanding biodynamic reds are now proudly displayed on the global scene, and the fanfare has become deafening despite a nonexistent marketing budget and modest annual production. The reason is the mastermind behind it all, Nicoletta Bocca, a humble Piedmontese champion of natural farming and absurdly long cellar-aging regimens. While her entire lineup is extraordinary, those who truly want to understand what Nicoletta is accomplishing here must look to her eight-year-aged flagship wine: today’s Dogliani Superiore.
This powerful, earthy, and robust Dolcetto radiates with old-vine muscle and Piedmontese elegance. It is, without question, her most important, cherished, and costly cuvée (for her, not you!). I’ve been involved in the wine business for nearly two decades now and have tasted nearly every style of wine, from just about every wine-making country, but there’s nothing like a mature Dolcetto from San Fereolo. If you haven’t tried it yet, there’s no better place to start than today’s just-released 2013. If you’re seeking stuffy, elitist wine, this is not it—in fact, I imagine Nicoletta would happily forfeit the sale and kindly point you in a different direction. Up to six bottles per person while it lasts.
The tale of today’s brilliant wine begins with its equally brilliant creator, Nicoletta Bocca. In 1992—at a time when female winemakers were rare in Piedmont—Nicoletta assembled the San Fereolo property from a collection of ancient vineyards whose owners were too old to farm any longer. Keep in mind that the parcels that produce today’s wine were most recently replanted in 1936 and even the estate’s “young vines” are four decades old! In the 24 years following the property’s inception, Nicoletta has honed her skills and earned a reputation as a winemaking icon and one of the most brilliant and consistent organic/biodynamic producers in the world. Through Nicoletta’s skill, wisdom, and dogged insistence on cellar aging her wines for many years prior to release, San Fereolo has become synonymous with world-class wine.
Of course, it’s impossible to discuss a great wine without also diving into its place of origin. Nicoletta organically and biodynamically farms a small collection of ancient 1,400 ft+ limestone vineyards that cling to the hillside above the Piedmontese village of Dogliani. If you have traveled the great wine regions of northern Italy, you may already be familiar with Dogliani as the final village one drives through before entering Barolo from the south. In addition to its close proximity to Barolo, Dogliani is arguably the most famous location for growing Dolcetto on the planet, and one of only a small handful of appellations wherein this grape variety earns the coveted DOCG status. This is because the finest examples of Dolcetto from Dogliani are unlike any other Dolcettos in Italy. In the rare instances when you encounter a mature bottle of Dogliani from a top estate and great vintage, it is clear that this appellation transcends mere varietal typicity. Top-quality, cellar-aged Dogliani possesses shocking power, length, and texture that deserves elevated standing alongside Barolo, Barbaresco, and the other elite villages of Piedmont.
Because of the time-tested location and the chemical-free nature of her farming, Nicoletta’s fruit possesses exceptional personality and energy. In the cellar, Nicoletta takes pains to preserve and never mask this unique character. Fruit is de-stemmed, crushed, and then fermented in large neutral Slavonian oak vats. There is no temperature control, the old wood imparts very little in the way of oaky aroma or flavor, and no additives or commercial yeasts are added—the wine is largely left untouched. The final, and perhaps most important step in Nicoletta’s process is time. She has a cavernous aging cellar in which this wine spent at least three years in barrel and over four in bottle before leaving her estate. One cannot overstate the cost and deferred income here, and it’s equally impossible to deny the astounding depth and complexity born from numerous years of cellar aging before release.
Those who are privy to San Fereolo’s gorgeous yet underappreciated gems have certainly discovered an obvious through-line between Nicoletta’s estate and the iconic appellations right down the road. In the glass, the wine is unmistakably Piedmontese, but there are plenty of analogs to Bordeaux too—especially Bordeaux with this 2013 vintage. This release is darker and more brooding than the last, with a savory component that adds another dimension of depth and complexity. You’ll uncover black cherry, cassis, violet, and plum smeared across black rock, as well as pencil lead, cedar, and dried herbs. The palate is medium-plus bodied and a touch rustic although soft tannins and lifted acidity keep the core of dark fruit juicy and buoyant. It’s ready to enjoy now but please do squirrel a few away. These wines have been known to age 15 years with ease!
