The 2018 vintage gives us a soft rose-tinted lens, through which one can explore the details of this ancient landscape. This vintage is not one of extremes, but we find that each village – and even producers within the same village – had different experiences of the growing year. This underscores how complex this *terroir* is, and Nebbiolo’s talent to express its fine details. The ’18 release gives us a transparent view into the character of the village, the role of vineyards within multi-vineyard and village blends, and an insight into the monolithic expressions of single *crus*. This year, in particular, has seen clear-cut distinctions between site and villages styles. The Langhe is home to some of the oldest soils on the planet, pushed to the surface as the African and Euroasian tectonic plates collided together, creating the Alps. Over millennia, the Piedmontese Ligurian Tertiary Basin began to sink back towards the sea, pushing even older soils to the earth’s surface. The oldest soils in the region are located in the east of the region, dating back to the Helvetian period. Here, we find the ancient white soil and marls of Serralunga, Monforte and Castiglione Falletto. We also find some of the region’s youngest soils – some 5 million years old – in the west, in La Morra and Verduno. These date back to the Tortonian age; they are rich with sand and clay, with mineral blue marl. A general rule when observing the wines of Barolo is that the older soils give more finesse, with finer, but firmer, tannins and minerality; whilst the younger dark soils give greater fruit volume and thicker tannin structure. But there are many exceptions. Different stratas which have been exposed over time – such as Diano sandstone and limestone-rich Sant’Agata marl – play an important role all over the region. This is a common factor in many of the best vineyards. Altitude, too, plays an important role – principally, for climatic reasons, but it also provides a vital key to understanding the region’s complex geology. Hillsides exfoliate over time, exposing a variety of soils at different elevations. Generally, there is a connecting thread in each of the villages, linking styles and character based on soil type, altitudes, exposures and microclimates. We are lucky to work with a strong pedigree of producers who make wines so illustrative of their village personality – and of Barolo as a whole. ### La Morra La Morra is the largest of all the Barolo vineyard areas, and the furthest west. As with our three La Morra-based Barolisti, producer philosophies vary here, as does the range of aspects and altitudes. The top vineyards are grown on calcareous Sant’Agata marl, the best of which are on the eastern flank of La Morra’s ridge. There are many naturally south and south-east-facing amphitheatres carved into the hillside below the town’s terracotta clocktower, above Marcarini’s *cantina*. Grand *Cru*-worthy Rocche dell’Annunziata is a jewel in the village’s crown, known for the elegance, depth and quality of tannin it gives. But nearby Brunate, which means “roasted” in the local dialect, gives wines of broader structure, earthy complexity and power.

A guide to the Barolo villages

Written by

Share this article: