Barolo vs Barbaresco
- Textured, savoury
- Various
It’s not a battle between two adversaries, but rather a playful tussle between brothers. Barolo and Barbaresco are like fraternal twins, sharing so much in common yet expressive in quite different ways. Generally speaking, Barolo is more tightly wound in its youth with the fruit standing back behind spice and tannin. It needs time to open up and fully express itself. Barbaresco on the other hand shows its brightness earlier, behaving gently in its earlier days. With both, you’ll find all the complexity and nuance associated with world class nebbiolo, so you really can’t go wrong. But everyone has a preference, don’t they? What’s yours?
Each case contains ONE bottle of the following:
Red
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- Nebbiolo
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- Piemonte
- Nebbiolo
- Piemonte
There’s Barolo, and then there’s Barolo. You can find bottles from the right village or subregion, with all the acid and tannin you could want, that cost an arm and a leg - and yet somehow they don’t have that x-factor that makes drinking good Barolo something of an epiphany moment. With the absolute plethora of producers in the region, it can be really hard to know what’s good and what’s great. So how do you know what’s worth buying? I could prattle on about the merits of this wine for ages, but really Decanter said it best. In a few words, they called it “Barolo at its best! A masterpiece.” Their words sit alongside a massive 97 point score. That’s how you know. Don’t let this slip between your fingers, mofos.
Red
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- Nebbiolo
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- Barolo DOCG
- Nebbiolo
- Barolo DOCG
Here’s a new one for us, a wine boasting a gaudy score of 99 points from Luca Gardini. The fruit is sourced from vineyards in Valentin, Piantà and Ornato, some with vines up to 50 years old. It then sees two years in a selection of large format botti before bottling. This is on the richer, more generous side of Barolo with a luminous ruby colour and complex nose of leather, exotic spices, autumn leaves, licorice and cocoa powder. The palate is lively with bright notes of cherry and tea leaves accompanied by vibrant acid and chalky tannins. It’s drinking quite well now, but as with any quality Barolo, this’ll age beautifully for another decade.
Red
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- Nebbiolo
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- Barolo DOCG
- Nebbiolo
- Barolo DOCG
The 2017 vintage was not without its challenges for Barolo. But the top producers were able to craft incredible wines and this comes across so clearly in Ettore Germano’s Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba. In the glass, the colour is a bright ruby garnet. The nose opens up quickly with strawberry, cherry, pomegranate and rose petals. After the few years it already has had in bottle, hints of leather and tobacco have integrated with the dark fruits evident on the palate. The tannins are fine, readily present and elegant. Ettore Germano is one of the most exciting Italian producers we’ve imported to date. If you are into Barolo, this is certainly a must have.
Red
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- Nebbiolo
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- Piemonte
- Nebbiolo
- Piemonte
Barbaresco takes its time. If you drink one too young, the tannin just overpowers. But wait almost a decade and the wine really starts to sing. This beauty from Vite Colte has nine years of age, putting it right in that sweet spot. The fruit, expressing strawberry and black cherry, is still bright and lifted. And the pepper, cloves, leather and tea leaf behind it are perfectly in balance. This one’s ready to go, so no need to age it in the cellar (although you certainly could).
Red
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- Nebbiolo
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- Barolo DOCG
- Nebbiolo
- Barolo DOCG
Vite Colte’s Essenze Barolo earned a lofty 95 points from James Suckling. Not too shabby! It’s made in a generous style with a nose of violets, vanilla and tobacco. The palate is quite structured, but certainly not shy with cherry, raspberry and even a hint of aged balsamic.
Red
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- Nebbiolo
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- Piemonte
- Nebbiolo
- Piemonte
Barbaresco is widely regarded as more approachable than its brash, ballsy sibling, Barolo. There’s still acid and tannin to spare here, but it’s softly aromatic and harmoniously put together. The complexity and depth of flavour is second to none, with heady aromas of roses and violets, alongside sweet, exotic spices and sprinkling of dusty cocoa. It’s that bit more versatile than Barolo, I find, and equally suited to a big, rich stew as it is to more delicate game and truffle dishes. It’ll age miraculously well, though there’s no need for Barolo’s 20-odd years before opening. This one is absolutely delightful now after a spin in the decanter, but will sit happily in the cellar for well over a decade.