2021 Langhe Nebbiolo, Angelo, Mauro Veglio, Piedmont, Italy
About this WINE
Mauro Veglio
Mauro Veglio is situated in the hamlet of Cascina Nuova, near the road that winds down from La Morra. It was founded in the 1960s, when Angelo Veglio bought his first vines in Gattera. In ’79, the family moved to Cascina Nuova, which came with five hectares of vines including holdings in the crus Arborina and Rocche dell’Annunziata. In ’86, Angelo’s son Mauro took over. His marriage in ’87 added holdings in Castelletto, Monforte, to the estate. In 2017, a family alliance with Mauro’s nephew Alessandro – already running his own winery – brought a further five hectares in Gattera and Paiagallo. Today, the estate spans nearly 30 hectares. Leading modernist Elio Altare’s winery is across the yard; he was a strong influence in Mauro’s early days. But under Alessandro’s vision, there is greater flexibility: less accent on extraction and more ageing in larger barrels, although barriques are still used judiciously.
This is Alessandro’s first vintage for his Serralunga project, which enhances both his Classico blend and introduces his Commune di Serralunga. Now, he has Barolo offerings from four of the region’s communes. He has also acquired three hectares of the white Timorasso grape in Tortona, as well as a little more land in Paiagallo from 2023, making his ambition evident. The clear yet defined tannic structure of the 2019 vintage has encouraged him to further reduce the percentage of new oak in the crus where it is used, and botte are again more to the fore. It was also interesting to note that the wines aged in barriques appeared more open, compared to addresses where the wines had been slower to evolve in botte..
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.
When is a wine ready to drink?
We provide drinking windows for all our wines. Alongside the drinking windows there is a bottle icon and a maturity stage. Bear in mind that the best time to drink a wine does also depend on your taste.
Not ready
These wines are very young. Whilst they're likely to have lots of intense flavours, their acidity or tannins may make them feel austere. Although it isn't "wrong" to drink these wines now, you are likely to miss out on a lot of complexity by not waiting for them to mature.
Ready - youthful
These wines are likely to have plenty of fruit flavours still and, for red wines, the tannins may well be quite noticeable. For those who prefer younger, fruitier wines, or if serving alongside a robust meal, these will be very enjoyable. If you choose to hold onto these wines, the fruit flavours will evolve into more savoury complexity.
Ready - at best
These wines are likely to have a beautiful balance of fruit, spice and savoury flavours. The acidity and tannins will have softened somewhat, and the wines will show plenty of complexity. For many, this is seen as the ideal time to drink and enjoy these wines. If you choose to hold onto these wines, they will become more savoury but not necessarily more complex.
Ready - mature
These wines are likely to have plenty of complexity, but the fruit flavours will have been almost completely replaced by savoury and spice notes. These wines may have a beautiful texture at this stage of maturity. There is lots to enjoy when drinking wines at this stage. Most of these wines will hold in this window for a few years, though at the very end of this drinking window, wines start to lose complexity and decline.
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Description
Mauro Veglio’s Langhe Nebbiolo is named “Angelo” in homage to Alessandro’s grandfather, who founded the domaine. The style of this wine has evolved over recent vintages, and the wine is now aged only in old barriques and tonneau for six months. Half the fruit comes from rented vines in Roero.
The balance comes from young vines in Barolo, including Gattera, and some vines on north-facing slopes not used for Barolo. This has an appealing sturdiness, and quite an impressive tannic structure. There is a very assured typicity and a bright, sweet core of fruit.
Drink 2024 - 2030
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