Appellation: Barolo

Piedmont's "king of wines": powerful, tannic, long-lived Nebbiolo from the hills south of Alba.

Barolo is made entirely from Nebbiolo, a grape as demanding as it is rewarding. Grown on the calcareous marl hills of the Langhe in Piedmont, it ripens late and produces wines that are pale in color but formidable in structure — high in both tannin and acidity, and famously slow to reveal themselves.

The classic profile is a paradox of delicacy and power: aromas of tar and roses, dried cherry, truffle, and licorice wrapped around a firm tannic frame. Traditionally these wines demanded a decade of patience before they softened; modern winemaking has made some more approachable young, but the greatest Barolos still reward long cellaring.