2017 Barolo, Diego e Damiano Barale, Piedmont, Italy
Critics reviews
Grapes come from the Monrobiolo di Bussia, Cannubi and San Giovanni crus.
Lustrous mid ruby. Gorgeous nose of spice and cherry. Great depth of fruit on the palate with chewy tannins. Succulent finish with bite. Great balance and style, hedonistic and ageworthy too. Great effort for this torrid vintage.
Drink 2021 - 2030
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com (Jan 2021)
About this WINE
Diego e Damiano Barale
Situated in the village of Barolo, Barale is one of the great winemaking names of Piedmont, with a winemaking legacy dating back to the 17th century. Brothers Diego and Damiano Barale are the latest and most exciting new branch of this impressive lineage. The brothers took the helm in 2012, following in the footsteps of their late father Carlo, and are committed to producing incredible vintage-specific wines from select parcels across Barolo and Monforte.
The brothers practice organic viticulture to best articulate their terroir, although you won't find certification on the label. Vinification is very traditional, slow and natural, taking place in steel tanks. The crus are co-fermented for Barolo – this historical technique is gaining favour once more, as it builds complexity and balance in the wines from their inception. The wines are then aged in French tonneaux, in the ancient, vaulted cellar of the cantina.
Nebbiolo
Nebbiolo is the grape behind the Barolo and Barbaresco wines and is hardly ever seen outside the confines of Piedmont. It takes its name from "nebbia" which is Italian for fog, a frequent phenomenon in the region.
A notoriously pernickety grape, it requires sheltered south-facing sites and performs best on the well-drained calcareous marls to the north and south of Alba in the DOCG zones of Barbaresco and Barolo.
Langhe Nebbiolo is effectively the ‘second wine’ of Piedmont’s great Barolo & Barbarescos. This DOC is the only way Langhe producers can declassify their Barolo or Barbaresco fruit or wines to make an early-drinking style. Unlike Nebbiolo d’Alba, Langhe Nebbiolo can be cut with 15% other red indigenous varieties, such as Barbera or Dolcetto.
Nebbiolo flowers early and ripens late, so a long hang time, producing high levels of sugar, acidity and tannins; the challenge being to harvest the fruit with these three elements ripe and in balance. The best Barolos and Barbarescos are perfumed with aromas of tar, rose, mint, chocolate, liquorice and truffles. They age brilliantly and the very best need ten years to show at their best.
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Description
Grapes come from the Monrobiolo di Bussia, Cannubi and San Giovanni crus.
Lustrous mid ruby. Gorgeous nose of spice and cherry. Great depth of fruit on the palate with chewy tannins. Succulent finish with bite. Great balance and style, hedonistic and ageworthy too. Great effort for this torrid vintage.
Drink 2021 - 2030
Walter Speller, jancisrobinson.com (Jan 2021)
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