My wife and I went to Italy this month for our 10th anniversary trip. Neither of us had been before, but we fully embraced the vita lenta lifestyle while we were here (kinda hard for us given our personalities and lines of work). After flying from St. Louis to Milan, with a connection through O’Hare, we took the train to Florence where we spent a few days seeing some of the key attractions. I won’t bore you with the details of the trips to the Piazza del Duomo, Boboli Gardens, Uffizi Galleries, or Galleria dell’Academia (or my shopping for Italian leather shoes). These days in the city were spectacular, full of good food and wine. We loved Enoteca Pitti Gola e Cantina across from the Palazzo Pitti, and though there was a very tempting bottle list at excellent pricing I enjoyed their BTG offerings.
I saved most of my wine (and food) energy for our three days in Piemonte. Clearly this is not enough time, and we are already thinking of when we may return (we didn’t get to taste in several important communes, including Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga, or spend any time in Barbaresco). But being in this bucolic setting in the middle of white truffle season (and after many winemakers finished harvest) the area was full of life. We stayed in La Morra at Uve Rooms & Wine Bar (I highly recommend). The impression I got on the 2025 vintage so far was that the winemakers I spoke to were pleased with the high quality of the grapes, though it was a smaller harvest than usual.
Thursday 10/16:
Poderi Oddero
Our first visit in the town of Santa Maria in La Morra was Poderi Oddero. We were greeted by Massimo, one of the employees at the estate, who gave us a tour through the cellar followed by a tasting alongside a couple industry people (one was a winemaker who works at Zephyr in NZ and was doing harvest at a neighboring property).
The Oddero family has been in the region going back at least to the 18th century, now with Pietro and Isabella (cousins) involved in the winery as the 7th generation. They farm 35 hectares, of which roughly half is nebbiolo vines. Many of their prized vineyard holdings were acquired from purchases by Giacomo Oddero after WWII (Pietro and Isabella’s grandfather, who passed away at age 98 this year).
All the nebbiolo, barbera, and dolcetto are organically certified, with their riesling and moscato being sustainably grown. They also have timorasso, which with the 2023 vintage is the first release in which they owned the vines rather than buying grapes. They use a combination of large format Slavonian, Austrian (Stockinger), and French oak casks.
2023 Oddero Monlia Derthona – 100% timorasso from vineyards near the village of Moneale (hence the name). This is the first vintage in which they owned the vines for farming rather than just purchase grapes. About 1/3 goes into Stockinger barrels for a year and 2/3 goes into stainless steel for aging, before being released about 4 months after bottling. This has a nice gravel minerality on the nose almost reminiscent of a sylvaner to me, with some undertones of lemon pith and grapefruit. Medium-bodied. The palate is energetic and saline with some underlying herbaceousness as well.
2023 Oddero Langhe Riesling – Aged in 100% stainless steel for 2 years. Pretty florals on the nose, with refined and nuanced tropical aromas of guava and star fruit that didn’t put me in the mindset of riesling. More broad on the palate, with decent acidity and length.
2023 Oddero Langhe Nebbiolo – A blend from vineyards in La Morra, Santa Maria, and Serralunga. They make about 50k bottles/year of this, vs. 50k bottles/year of all their Barolo production combined. Roughly 2 weeks of fermentation/maceration, then aged in Austrian and French oak casks for about 9-12 months before bottling. Sweet and perfumed red fruits and florals on the nose, with a nice core of licorice and amaro aromas. Sour cherries, anise, and baking spices fill the mouth, though I find the fruit notes fall off early leaving a spicy finish with a light tannic grip.
2021 Oddero Barbaresco Gallina – Now we’re talking. Aged for 24 months in oak (I didn’t catch which) followed by another 6 months of bottle age before release. Complex and nuanced aromas of dried cherries, pomegranate, potpourri, and leather. There’s a nice underlying hint of blood orange/orange citrus on both the nose and palate complementing the red fruit notes nicely and lingering over a long finish, easily covering the leather and dried earth tones. Elegant and finessed, yet standing firm from its youthful tannic structure. I can see this being in the zone with another 8-10 years of bottle age.
2020 Oddero Barolo – Blend of grapes from Capalot, FIasc, and Bricco Chiesa vineyards, aged for 30 months in a combination of Austrian and Slavonian oak. Elegant sour cherry, lavender, and other dried floral aromas with subtle baking spice notes. On the palate this initially showcases the finesse and elegance of the red fruit and florals, but I found the grip from the tannins to dominate. Less approachable than other 2020 Barolo normale wines I’ve had recently.
2021 Oddero Barolo Villero - Full south exposure, right below Fiasc. They use submerged cap with this Barolo in particular. Pleasant spiciness on the nose, with some subtle black cherries and rose petals in the background. On the palate this is rich in dried Morello cherries and plums, but not too ripe or raisiny. I love the complexity of the minerality on the palate, a core of iron with waves of dried earth, tart, and a touch of truffle that support but don’t overwhelm the fruit. Very persistent finish with excellent balance.
2019 Oddero Barolo Riserva Bussia Mondoca - Nicely perfumed with black fruit, hazelnut, anise and tar. Powerful, expansive, and deeply penetrating on the palate, but pretty unyielding at the moment in terms of its fruit character. Definitely needs time.
Fratelli Barale
After a delightful lunch at Osteria Veglio in Annunziata (the veal-filled agnolotti was ridiculously good), we drove to Barolo for an afternoon visit and tasting at Fratelli Barale. Sisters Eleonora and Gloria are the 5th generation at the estate and have taken over much of the operations at this point (their father Sergio is now 70, but still spends as much time in the vineyards as he can). Eleonora was our guide and described their winemaking philosophy as traditional winemaking, focused on organic practices and terroir, but doesn’t shy away from using modern technology. They do a light press with frequent pump-overs for gentle extraction in large oak casks or steel tanks, then held briefly in concrete tanks before moving to used French oak barrique for aging (for their Barolos, 3 years in oak followed by 12 months aging in bottle before release).
Their wines are elegant, harmonious, and full of character, and in a style I generally love. Despite the use of French oak in the cellar it is well judged and I didn’t find the oak influence to be pronounced or detract from the Nebbiolo character. Another WBer who recommended Barale to me said that these wines speak quietly when in comparative tastings with other Barolo producers, and I can see why.
2019 Sergio Barale Spumante – Traditional method sparkling wine, this is a blend of pinot noir and chardonnay that sits on the lees for 36 months before disgorgement and is then kept in bottle for 24 months before release. Lots of carbonation though the mousse quickly dissipates. Some yellow citrus and chalk on the nose. The palate has nice linear minerality that opens up more broadly to delicate yellow apple and pear fruit notes on the finish. Refreshing and enjoyable.
2024 Barale Langhe Arneis – Didn’t take detailed notes. Fresh with a nice herbal quality to balance its white peach and golden apple fruit notes.
2022 Barale Barbera d’Alba Superiore La Preda – From grapes planted in the Preda vineyard on the ridge of Castellero and picked late to achieve optimal ripeness. This is bright, elegant, and fruity in the nicest way. Lots of cherry, raspberry, and a touch of amaro on the nose and palate. More prominent spice and dried herbs on the back end of the palate to balance the ripe fruit. Juicy acidity and tannins are nicely integrated. Easygoing and a great food wine (would avoid with red sauces), with enough complexity to appeal to both the wine novice and enthusiast alike.
2021 Barale Barolo del Comune di Barolo – Prior to the 2018 vintage, this was labeled as their Barolo normale without the commune designation. Grapes blended from the Castellero, Preda, and Coste di Rose vineyards. This is fresh and fragrant with immediately enticing aromas of black cherry, raspberry, pomegranate, red florals, and a touch of black pepper and licorice. On the palate this has structure but is quite inviting in its youth. It is graceful, supported by its fine ripe tannins and juicy acidity, with no perceptible heat on the back end from the alcohol. The gently polished red fruit glides effortlessly across the palate, full of finesse, and transitions into a long finish of black cherry, plum, red/purple florals, and spice notes. More pleasurable and complex than many other Barolo normale I’ve had on release, I’d really like to see how this wine evolves with bottle age.
2020 Barale Barolo Bussia – One of the most singular Barolo I had during this trip that takes a light stroll on the wild side, which Eleonora attributes to the limestone in the vineyard subsoil. Heady nose of plum, tobacco, tar, balsam, and violets with an underlying meaty/gamey edge. Full-bodied, mouthcoating, and expansive on the palate but not at all heavy. This has fresh acidity that provides lift to the black cherry, plum, pigeon, and dried earth notes on the palate and is supported by gentle, powdery tannins. Perhaps a little too easy to go back for sip after sip and may be characteristic of the vintage. Really enjoyed this, and can’t wait to see the 2021 vintage hit the market.
After our visit we went back to La Morra to explore for the rest of the afternoon before we had dinner at Il Centro in Priocca, which carries a Michelin star. I should’ve planned the itinerary better, as the restaurant was nearly 30 minutes from our hotel and driving to/from there on narrow roads with switchbacks in the dark was a bit harrowing. The 7-course tasting menu was creative and tasty, but the food at other restaurants we went to during our trip was similar or excelled in quality. Their bottle list (really, a tome) is impressive, though I went with their Barbaresco and Barolo by-the-glass offerings that night.
2020 Piero Benevelli Barolo Le Coste di Monforte – The sommelier told me this producer is one of the best QPR in the Monforte commune and is a favorite among the locals, and I can see why. Honest, traditional winemaking that exemplifies what nebbiolo is all about. Gentle aromas of black cherry, rose petals, tar, and violets, with some hazelnut and black licorice on the backend. Brooding minerality that dominates the palate, with only faint wisps of black cherry and plum fruit. Perhaps a little less complex than the other Barolo normale I tasted on the trip, but this is still easy to drink Barolo in its youth and enjoyable
2021 La Ca’ Nova Barbaresco – Sexy and suave on the nose with crushed black cherries, perfume, saddle leather, and a touch of anise. Mouthcoating and powerful, with excellent concentration on the palate, this is a showy Barbaresco that’s auditioning for Barolo stature. It has bright, refined acidity providing lift to a medley of black fruit flavors, covering a core of iron minerality that carries over a lengthy finish. La Ca’ Nova really knocked the Barbaresco normale out of the park this vintage, I can’t imagine what the single vineyard crus are like.
Friday 10/17:
Fratelli Alessandria
Located in Verduno, Fratelli Alessandria is one of the oldest family-run estates in Barolo that is now in its 8th (?) generation, with Vittore at the helm. They have been making wine since 1870 under the Fratelli Alessandria estate label (previously known as Fratelli Dabbene, which had its first commercial release in 1830). They practice organic farming methods (not certified at the moment) and employ traditional winemaking practices to produce wines full of elegance and finesse, representative of the Verduno commune. Destemmed, native yeasts, temperature-controlled fermentation/maceration of up to about 25-30 days for the Barolos. They use a combination of different oak formats (Slavonian, Austrian, French) across their range of wines. New 500L French oak barrels are only used for their Langhe nebbiolo and Langhe rosso; after two uses they may be incorporated as part of the oak regimen for the Barolos. The Barolos are aged in oak for 36 months, followed by 2 months in stainless steel and then 2 months in bottle before release.
We had a large group tour and tasting led by one of their employees from their Speziale Agriturismo Wine Resort, though Vittore made a guest appearance during the tasting to answer any questions.
2024 Fratelli Alessandria Langhe Favorita – The favorita grape is native to the region, similar to Vermentino in profile from what I was told. It got its name from being the “favorite” of the Queen Margherita of Savoy. Fermented in stainless steel and aged for 3-4 months in tank before bottling. Didn’t take many notes, but this was fresh and savory with a nice balance of orchard fruit, yellow citrus, and minerality.
2024 Fratelli Alessandria Pelaverga Speziale – Pelaverga is native to the Verduno commune. Fermented in stainless steel and aged in steel tank for 6 months. This was very spicy and floral on the nose. On the palate this is bright and juicy with black cherry pit and plum fruit notes, but the blanket of black pepper covering the fruit was off-putting for me.
2024 Fratelli Alessandria Barbera d’Alba – This is aged in stainless steel/cement tanks for 5-6 months after fermentation, unlike their Superiore “Priora” bottling which is a selection from two vineyards and aged in a combination of Slavonian and French oak for 12-14 months before release. Soft, ripe, and pretty nose of red cherries and pomegranate. On the palate there is more red fruit and red floral undertones. Juicy, though I was expecting more acidity from this.
2021 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo del Comune di Verduno – A blend of five vineyards (Campasso, Pisapola, Boscatto, Riva Rocca, and Rocche dell’Olmo) which all have east or southeast exposures. Black cherry, raspberry, and rose florals with hints of balsam, winter holiday spices, and black pepper. Graceful on the palate, with a nice balance of ripe red/black fruit and black pepper spices that expand broadly on the palate. Such a pleasant structure with subtle power from the ripe, fine tannins and refreshing acidity that livens up the fruit and carries it over the long finish. I was quite impressed by this Barolo normale.
2021 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo Monvigliero – This was truly emblematic of its grand cru status. Complex and fragrant nose of pomegranate, black cherry, cranberry, rose petals, and tar. Super elegant, with silky tannins and refined acidity framing the palate. There is great concentration of high-toned red fruits and blood orange on the palate, bright yet full of depth, complemented by a mellow core of iron minerality, black pepper, balsam, and dried herbs that go on and on with the finish. This is harmonious and showing beautifully in its youth now, but its best years are ahead.
We had lunch at l’Argaj in Castiglione Falletto after our visit, a casual spot that has an incredible view from their terrace facing the vineyards of La Morra. The Fassona beef tartare with white truffle and ravioli with foie gras, nduja, and pepper reduction, and agnolotti with porcini mushroom and red onion were heavenly.
We had an appointment that afternoon at Elio Sandri that got cancelled on short notice due to illness. To make up for it, we ordered a bottle at dinner that evening at More e Macine in La Morra.
2019 Elio Sandri Barolo Perno Riserva – Cool and pretty on the nose and palate, with a mélange of red berries, spearmint, leather, and anise. Approachable in its youth, this shows a quiet and understated power framed by ripe powdery tannins and excellent acidity. I particularly enjoy the precision and depth of its iron minerality, which intensifies over a long finish but leaves room for the mixed berry fruit and minty herbal tones to come through. This needs a lot of time but no harm in trying a bottle now if you have multiples.
The day before our flight home we went to the Alba farmer’s market, which dwarfs any farmer’s market I’ve ever seen in the U.S. Numerous stalls for cheeses, salumi, seafood, produce, etc. You name it, they have it. While in Alba I paid a visit to Enoteca Grandi Vini which has an incredible wine cellar, including many older gems in excellent condition.
That’s all for now. Time to get through this jet lag.
