Barolo and merlot

In relation to another discussion: do some barolo producers sometimes soup up their wines by adding merlot on the sly?

My immediate thought was that the suggestion was outrageous.

From Wiki

According to DOCG regulations, Barolos are to be composed of 100% Nebbiolo. Historically producers would blend other grapes such as a Barbera and today there is speculation that modern Barolo producers may be blending in Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah but there has been no conclusive proof of this practice. In the 1990s producers in the Barolo zone petitioned that the required Nebbiolo content be lowered from 100% to 90% but this petition was eventually defeated.

Any thoughts?

There have been many suggestions over the years that this was the case. I don’t ever recall anyone being busted, but with DNA testing, I think it would be possible to verify it now.

It’s pretty clear to me from tasting that a few producers were juicing their wines in the '90s, but it would seem to be much rarer now. I drank a '96 from one of the best-known modernist producers this year that was oddly dark in color and tasted nothing like Nebbiolo…

Oliver
Would you think that merlot would add to the appeal?

For me, I could just see merlot softening, yet muting a nebbiolo-led wine. I just can’t see that equation coming out in favour of the merlot. Perhaps for a raw-edged nebbiolo d’alba or langhe nebbiolo might benefit, but any Barolo needing merlot would be best not bottled IMO.

I think I’ve tried one Langhe blend with it in, and could believe it was also present in a Voerzio Vignaserra (but apparently only Cab Sauv and Barbera with nebbiolo in that blend). Neither wine had any appeal, but that may have been as much about the styling/oak treatment than the grapes (which ended up pretty anonymous).

regards
Ian

How close is Gaja’s cabernet vineyard to his neb?

I think adding exotic varieties to Nebbiolo is morally wrong, like stealing. Plus the examples I’ve tasted were much less attractive than the authentic wines in the first place.

What would people say if someone was adding Grenache or Merlot to Chambolle-Musigny?

IIRC, beefing up Burgundy has been attempted before.

Ian, you are not the target audience for these sort of wines.

Sanjay
That’s a fair comment.
regards
Ian

Of course, but no-one condones it.

When I was on Mt. Etna earlier this year I asked someone where all the wine was going during the decades that Etna had no sales of its own as bottled wine; I was told that it was typically shipped in bulk to either Marseilles or Genoa…

I believe it is still happening, rarely but consistently.

Gaja might be the guy to talk to about blending. Most blends in Piedmont fail. Some good ones exist- see Bricco Manzoni and La Torraza but it is rare. Nebbiolo just doesn’t like company. Not going to say no one does it, but I have a hard time believing people like Giuseppe Vajra and Luca Currado are going to put Merlot in their Barolo. And the only thing I might want in my Pinot Noir is a little Gamay. And that is pretty rare also.

Gregory,

would you care to put some names on the table to substantiate your arguments ? Otherwise I may start telling that in Burgundy people mix Gamay and Grand Cru grapes or in Bordeaux that some Syrah is added…

At least one producer which is regularly mixing other grapes got his wines out of the DOCG regulation…

Regards

F.

Chateau Palmer released a wine in 2004 blended with 15% Syrah…an ‘historique’ 19th century blend…pretty awkward wine.

No Filippo I would not.

I said that I believe this is happening. I do not have any proof and am not going to go about possibly slandering people. That doesn’t change my belief, based on tasting wines and observing vineyards.

You can start telling people whatever you want.

I wish I could remember the name, but I had a number of bottles once of a Nebbiolo blend (I jokingly referred to it as a Super Piedmontan), which was I think 50% Nebbiolo, 25% Barbera and I can’t remember the other 25% – merlot or dolcetto? It was around $30-35. I can picture the label, but I don’t remember the name. I bought it at Wine Exchange.

Anyway, it was a very nice wine, with unmistakeable Piedmont character. Lighter in color and style than the majority of the Barolos you drink, spicy red fruit, food friendly, no oakiness.

Was it a revelation? No, but it was a good Piedmont red at its price. I’d buy it again, and I’d guess that many WBers, even with their obsession about traditional over modern in Piedmont, would admire the wine (at least if tried blind).

I also have had that, probably the same thing, it was mostly nebbiolo and barbera, I think it was dolcetto rather than merlot. It wasn’t bad, but hell I like Barbera

Ca’ Marcanda (Gaja) - Promis? Have a couple of bottlesbut haven’t opened any yet. Sounds like it’s ready to go.

Scavino has a Langhe/Alba blend with nebbiolo, barbera and cab sauv. (I think). Don’t like it.

No, that’s a Tuscan sangiovese blend. And a pretty dark, modern wine. It’s usually pretty good, though. I think it needs a few years of bottle age for the oak and tannin to work out, but it’s not a long aging wine.