The first thing to know about today’s wine is what a huge impression it made on our tasting panel. Ian Cauble was downright astonished, proclaiming it “may be the best sub-$50 Barolo [he’s] ever tasted,” and I’m inclined to concur: This has more aromatic clarity and depth than countless more-expensive competitors. It also marks the second time in as many months that I’ve seen a Barolo appended with the name of its village of origin; in this case, it’s “…del comune di La Morra,” or, “from the commune of La Morra.”
And I like that! Just as the assorted towns of Burgundy’s Côte d’Or are associated with certain styles of wine—Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet are neighboring towns, and grow the same grapes, but produce markedly different wines—so too are the villages that make up the Barolo appellation. The same grape (Nebbiolo) performs differently in the town of La Morra than it does in, say, Serralunga, so when I see a label like today's, it’s meaningful. The Barolo region made such commune-specific labeling “official” in 2010, with the creation of Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive (additional geographic mentions), and if I were to pick a wine that epitomized what La Morra Barolo is all about, today’s 2014 from Crissante Alessandria would be at the top of my list. What is La Morra Barolo about, you might ask? It’s about a more ‘feminine,’ less aggressively tannic expression of Nebbiolo, grown in vineyards oriented more toward the morning sun, in soils with a touch more clay than those farther east in Serralunga or Monforte. This is “village” Barolo that captures perfectly the classic character of its village. If Crissante Alessandria is a new name to you (as it was to me), be advised that it is one you will remember. These guys are the genuine article!
Based in the La Morra hamlet of Santa Maria, atop the cru vineyard called “Roggeri” (where they farm three hectares), the estate was founded in 1958 when Crissante Alessandria decided to begin bottling some of his own wines from vineyards that had been in his family for generations. Centered on the Capalot and Roggeri vineyards, the family-run property has remained small and focused, and today totals about six hectares—all within the commune of La Morra, which neighbors the town of Barolo to the north. Eighth-generation vignaiolo Alberto Alessandria joined the family business in 2007, and since then the family has made significant investments in both the winery and vineyards (including converting to organic viticulture, for which they expect certification in 2019) to increase their profile.
The Alessandrias are the best-known producers of Barolo from the “Capalot” vineyard, which itself is best known for supplying part of Roberto Voerzio’s legendary “Riserva Vecchie Viti dei Capalot e delle Brunate” bottling (which is no longer made). They typically produce single-vineyard bottlings from their ‘home’ cru, “Roggeri,” as well. Today’s wine is the first vintage of their “del Comune di La Morra” bottling, which is sourced primarily from the clay-rich, east-facing Roggeri vineyard (60%), with the remained coming from the neighboring “San Biagio” (20%) and “Bettolotti” crus, both of which feature slightly sandier soils and more southern-facing aspects. Fruit from the different crus was fermented separately, after which the individual lots were blended the following Spring and aged 24 months in mostly large oak ‘botti grandi’ (large vats of Slavonian oak).
True to its village citation, today’s 2014 is the kind of elegant, perfumed, pretty Barolo La Morra is known for—a ‘textbook’ expression across the board. In the glass, it’s a deep, reflective garnet red moving to pink and orange at the rim, with quintessential aromas of wild strawberries, preserved black cherries, dried orange peel, wild flowers, dried rose petals, fresh tea leaves, and warm spices. Its La Morra tannins are firm but relatively smooth (remember this is Nebbiolo we’re talking about), and with time (30-60 minutes) in a decanter/glass the wine does provide lots of pleasure now. That said, I’ll be waiting impatiently to see what this beautiful, well-proportioned wine becomes starting around 2020 and extending for many years after. Whereas other parts of the Barolo DOCG produce more resolutely savory, mineral-driven styles (Serralunga especially), this wine has enough fruit to merit comparisons to great red Burgundy. Whenever you choose to dip into your stash, serve this in Burgundy stems at 60-65 degrees with something that captures both its cherry-fruited charm and its profound connection to the earth. The attached stuffing recipe need not be limited to Thanksgiving season—it will work anytime! Enjoy!
