Cavallotto "Vignolo" Barolo Riserva DOCG, Italy 2017

Producer: Cavallotto

Grape: Nebbiolo

Where: Barolo, Piemonte

Country: Italy

Taste: From this cru come wines of excellent structure with tannins that are soft from early in its life.. The perfume is typically intense and open, evolving into an intense spiced fruit. The volume of fruit is turned up in this red, revealing macerated cherry, raspberry and plum notes, with menthol, iron and tar elements adding depth. Solidly built, with fine tension and a complex, detailed aftertaste.The initial perfumes are fruity and then followed by floral aspects, then spices, all open and intense. Generally excellent cellaring potential, though the wine is very enjoyable at an early age.

Vibes with: The wine is best with main courses of red meat in general, but also grilled fish, shellfish or white meats, or with hard and aged cheeses. Desserts with dark chocolate are also a good match, or it can be enjoyed as a “vino da meditazione” (a wine for meditiation) by iteslf.

.

Additional Info:

The village of Castiglione Falletto is rich with superstars—Giuseppe Mascarello, Brovia, Vietti, Scavino—and Cavallotto stands easily with the best of them. Of this elite group, Cavallotto's wines stand out for their deep fruit, brooding structure, rose petal aromatics, and incredible longevity.

Most of Cavallotto's grapes come from a hill called Bricco Boschis. Cavallotto owns all of it. Thanks to a mostly southern exposure at high altitude and a complex mix of limestone and clay, it's considered one of the top crus of a village known for many great crus. Cavallotto's San Giuseppe Riserva is made from the best grapes from the vineyard's oldest vines, mid-slope.

Cavallotto's other Riserva comes from Vignolo. It is next door to Bricco Boschis and just a little lower down the slope. The wine tends to be less powerful and more floral, and is perfect for drinking on a slightly earlier timescale than the San Giuseppe.

The Vignolo vineyard, faces south and south-west, were planted in two years: 1948 and 1966 on soils that are full of chalk and clay. After nearly a month-long maceration of the grapes in steel, the wine is transferred to the traditional Slavonian oak where it is left to mature for about 4-5 years. Finally, it spends up to a year continuing to mature in the bottle before it is released.