Barolo: A Wine of Global Renown

There is a reason why Barolo is called the "Wine of Kings - King of Wines." For one, King Victor Emmanuel II (1820-1878) loved Barolo so much that he offered his hunting lodge, Fontanafredda, in the Serralunga d'Alba mountains for the oenological experiments of Louis Oudart. His son, Prince Emanuele Alberto (1851-1894), then provided the necessary vineyards for the French oenologist.

However, it was actually Giulietta Falletti, the Marquise of Barolo (1785-1864), who invited Oudart to the wine-growing region in northern Italy’s Piedmont. She had a clear mission: the oenologist was to eliminate the high residual sweetness from Barolo wines. At that time, the fermentation of the very late-ripening Nebbiolo grapes would often begin only in November or even December. This fermentation was frequently interrupted by the cold winter temperatures, resulting in a wine with significant residual sugar. It was only Louis Oudart who managed to modify the vinification process, allowing for the production of the first dry Barolo wine in 1850.

Barolo: Good to Know

History of Barolo Wine

Nevertheless, the low residual sugar still did not give the wine from the Barolo region the prestigious reputation it has today. Hardly had the wine become dry when the phylloxera pest first hit Piedmont, followed by two World Wars. The economic decline of the post-war years also led to a massive rural exodus. The entire Langhe region was, until the mid-20th century, a very impoverished area. It was only in 1966, when Barolo received its DOC status, that wine once again became a major economic factor. In 1980, it was further upgraded to DOCG status.

However, the methanol scandal of 1986 nearly destroyed everything. At that time, the annual production of Barolo wines was almost halved—from 7.26 million to 3.71 million bottles. The real Barolo boom that began in the early 1990s was mainly due to winemakers with extremely high quality standards. Fortunately, good fortune also played a part, with several very good vintages in a row. Before we dive into the different Barolo wine styles, let’s take a closer look at the growing region.

Barolo: Geography and Climate

Barolo Villages at a Glance

• Barolo
• Castiglione Falletto
• Serralunga d'Alba
• Cherasco
• Diano d'Alba
• Grinzane Cavour
• La Morra
• Monforte d'Alba
• Novello
• Roddi
• Verduno

Barolo: Wines in detail

Barolo wine styles

First the regulations: Only one grape variety is permitted for Barolo wines. Namely the red Nebbiolo grape. In general, the grapes may come from the entire growing region. Unless a location is specified. In this case, the grapes come exclusively from this area. A Barolo must mature for at least 38 months - 18 of which must be in wood - before it can be put on the market. For the Barolo Riserva, it is 62 months - also 18 of them in wood. A minimum alcohol content of 12.5% by volume applies to both.

In general, there are two styles of Barolo: the more “masculine” wines from the Serralunga Valley in the east are very austere and powerful and require a long ageing period. They should definitely be aged for 12 to 15 years before drinking. The central valley in the west, on the other hand, produces “feminine” Barolo wines that are silkier and more fragrant and have less tannin. These are already drinkable after eight to ten years. Wines from individual vineyards have also been allowed to be bottled since the 1960s. If your customers would like to delve deeper into the subject of Barolo, then the various crus with their different characteristics are the ideal starting point.

Barolo: Wine as an economic factor

It is not as if the Barolo region is not crisis-tested. At least the past has shown that, with rural exodus, impoverishment and wine scandals. The wine-growing region has not only recovered from all these crises. It has emerged stronger. However, the winegrowers do not reinvent Barolo every few years, but work exclusively on improving the already high quality. For example, the Consorzio di tutela Barolo Barbaresco Alba Langhe e Dogliani recently worked out a limit for the bottling area, supported the exchange in winemaking and bottling with the Barbaresco region and ensured that Nebbiolo vines can now also be planted on north-facing slopes in order to respond to climate change. In addition, modified cellar techniques mean that Barolo wines can be drunk earlier. And they can still mature for a very long time. This is a great advantage in a wine world in which consumers prefer young wines.

While Bordeaux wines, to which Barolo wines are often compared, seem to be in a sales crisis, there is very little evidence of this in Piedmont. This is not least due to the fact that people here began decades ago to focus on the enjoyment of the wines rather than their prestige. This has been and continues to be a side effect. In addition, pricing in the Barolo region is much more homogeneous than in Bordeaux. Well, it is consistently high, which means that only certain target groups can be addressed. However, these solvent people remain consistently loyal to Barolo. This is a great advantage for the specialist wine trade.

Your sales arguments for Barolo wines

• Very high reputation
• Wines are almost self-explanatory
• Ideal for advanced wine lovers
• Fantastic food companions
• Long shelf life