The Ultimate Barolo Masterclass - Wine tasting guide to Alba, Barolo

by Amanda

Intro:

Given the intense nature of the intricate details of Barolo, I have decided to give readers the option of the amount of depth they wish to seek out.

Where there is more information on this post, you will find at the end of the initial explanations to help every reader get the most out of the Barolo area for every level of interest.

The big B. Barolo

Barolo a small wine region just to the west of the town of Alba. This area is made up of 11 villages and takes its name after the Barolo village, located in the heart of the Barolo appellation. While the soil structure of Barolo area is quite complex they can be broken down into 5 distinct types of soils that are associated with their villages and sub-zones.

The 5 main districts: 

• Serralunga 

• Castiglione Falletto and Grinzane Cavour

• Barolo and Novello

• La Morra and Verduno

• Monforte 

the soil structures of Barolo defined by color.

Origins of soil from rocks: 3 types of rocks are the base of each soil structure making each wine region so unique. 

Here is a breakdown of rocks with examples. 

igneous rocks 

cooled magma (examples granite)
e.g. granite, basalt, dolerite, gabbro, syenite, porphyry

sedimentary rocks - what we find in Barolo, Barbaresco, Langhe

layers of consolidated and cemented sediments, mostly formed in bodies of water (examples limestone, sandstone, conglomerate)

e.g. limestone, sandstone, mudstone, shale, conglomerate

metamorphic rocks 

formed by the alteration of existing rocks due to heat from igneous intrusions (examples marble, quartzite) or pressure due to the crustal movement (examples slate, schist).

In the Langhe and specifically in Barolo the soil falls under the Sedimentary rocks, within this category of rocks you will find 3 prehistoric Miocene epoch of soils Serravalliano | Tortonian | Messiniano (and combinations)

Serravalliano - Formazione di Lequio

Tortonian -

1. Arenarie di Diano

2. Marne di S. Agata Fossili Sabbiose

      3. Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche

        4. Marne di S. Agata Fossile laminate

Messiniano - 1. Conlomerati di La Morra

          2. Formazione di Cassano Spinola sabbiosa

          3. Formazione di Cassano Spinola marnose

        4. Formazione della Vena del gesso 

Zancleano - Marne Plioceniche    

What does all this mean?? To go into depth a bit about the soils and what they do here we go. 

The Langhe wine region which encompasses both Barbaresco and Barolo are composed of sedimentary rock. This formation was thanks to the Padano sea which engulfed a large part of the Lower Piedmont region. The sediments eroded from the surrounding areas that were gradually accumulating on the seabed, which in turn buried the older strata. It wasn’t until 12 million years ago did this sea start to reseed and from its movement out left the Langhe with complex soil of the Lequio Formation, Diano Sandstones, and Saint Agata Fossile Marls. 

The Lequio Formation: This soilsstructure can be found in the Southern part of Serralunga d’Alba and a part of Monforte d’Alba on the eastern ridge. This formation is the oldest section, marked by light-colored marl, with layers or veins of well-cemented sand. 

Diano Sandstone: This soil structure can be found in the highest part of Monforte d’Alba as well as in some areas of La Morra. This soil structure is well noted for its high resistance to erosion because of the well cemented sands. 

Sant’Agata Fossil Marl: This complex soil structure changes quite quickly and is the major soil structure throughout all of the Barolo area. These soils comprise mainly fine, silt, and clay sediments making the Barolo area perfect for grape cultivation. There is however some variability to be found, with areas rich in thin veins of sand and others with mainly silt layers.

Barolo Classifications

The best way to think about Barolo now is kind of like the structure of Burgundy. Here in Barolo, we have 4 ways to classify your Barolo.

To become Barolo you need to follow these easy steps:

The vineyards must be located in the boundary of the Barolo wine-producing area. Nebbiolo is the only permitted varietal allowed to be used in Barolo wine and these vines must not be planted on a Northern facing slope. East, West, and South are accepted. The Nebbiolo vines must not exceed 6,000 vines per hectare and the most amount harvested per hectare cannot exceed 56 hL/ha. The minimum aging requirement for Barolo in wood is 18 months, and the wine cannot be released until the 4th January after the harvest. So around 38 months the wine must stay in the cellar before release. 

After the 4th January, you must submit your wine for controls, those will consist of analysis to make sure the acidity, Ph, alcohol, and other chemical components are all right. From there, the wine will then also need to pass a sensory analysis, where other producers will get together to test the wine to make sure it is a good example of the region’s best. 

From there you then have the classifications system. 

1. Barolo “Classico” - the word “classico” is not a legal term to be used on the label but is used amongst producers and wine enthusiasts to mention a generalization of the Barolo wine. This wine is coming from any of the designated Barolo vineyards and can be a mix of them. 

2. Barolo “Comune” - the village wine. This wine will be coming from the vineyards only located in the specific town which is mentioned on the label. For example Barolo Comune di Serralunga d’Alba, these grapes can only be coming from the town of Serralunga d’Alba. 

3. Barolo “Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva” - Barolo with a geographical mention. This wine is coming from one small piece of land. For example Barolo Cannubi or Barolo Bussia. From these two names, you know that Barolo is coming from that plot of land. 

4. Barolo “Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva, Vigna” - Barolo with a geographical mention but a specific plot is being mentioned. Many producers have a special plot in a vineyard that they over the years of cultivation have noticed that there is something special about this area. With that said they decided to vinify and age separately from the rest of that vineyard. When the producer does this you will see a mention of Vigna. For example Barolo Sarmassa Vigna Merenda or Barolo Ginestra Vigna Sorì Ginestra.  With this mention of Vigna, the producer must reduce the yield by another 10% in that vineyard to increase even more the quality of the wine. 

We should even take the time to talk about Riserva wines. With a Barolo Riserva, all the laws are the same as the Barolo except that you cannot release the wine until the 6th January after the harvest. So it must stay 62 months in the cellar before release.  MORE BAROLO WINEMAKING

Cru or Specific Vineyard Sights called Menzione Geografica Aggiuntiva (MGA)

I could go on all day about this chapter as there are 170 single vineyards that make up Barolo. With that I have decided to use the Renato Ratti cru map, I feel as though he took the time to really think about what could be the best possible vineyards for Barolo. He was quite correct in many ways, as many of these vineyards we are going to highlight here are some of the most talked about vineyards in Barolo. They are: Monprivato, Villero, Rocche di Castiglione, Gabutti - Parafada, Lazzarito, Marenca-Rivette, Cannubi, Cerequio, Brunate, and Rocche di Annunziata for the 1st crus. MORE CRUS HERE

Monprivato - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose

Villero - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche 

Rocche di Castiglione - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose & Tortoniano Arenarie di Diano

Gabbutti-Parafada - Serravalliano Formazione di Lequio

Lazzarito - Serravalliano Formazione di Lequio

Marenca-Rivette - Serravalliano Formazione di Lequio

Cannubi - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche & Tortoniano Arenarie di Diano

Cerequio - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili laminate

Brunate - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili laminate

Rocche di Annunziata - Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili laminate & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili sabbiose & Tortoniano Marne di S. Agata Fossili tipiche

Typical Piedmont Cuisine - the Best Italian Dishes

by: Amanda

Home of the Slow Food Movement, Piemonte is the place to sit down, relax, grab your self a glass of wine and mangia!

Don’t chicken out on these dishes, you must give them a go because as they say “when in Rome, do like the Romans.” “We say when in Langhe do like the Langhette.”

Here is my easy guide of these northern Italian dishes, to help you figure out what those menu’s really mean.

Don’t ask for the English menu, here you have the perfect cheat sheet to show off your foodie Italian skills. 

Remember this is the real Piedmont Italian food, there are no spaghetti and meatballs on these menu’s. 

For Starters = Antipasti pronounced (an-ti-pah-stee)

Carne Cruda

pronounced car-neh cru-dah

This is a typical dish like a beef tartar but instead of lots of flavors to cover the delicate meat flavor, they will just add EVOO and salt. If you want to look like a local, this is eaten with a grissini (breadstick) in hand to give some crunch. The way the people in Alba enjoy their Carne Cruda is thin slices, the way the people in Monferrato enjoy their Carne Cruda is chopped with a knife (batutta con cotello)

Vitello Tonnato

pronounced vi-tell-oh toh-nat-toh

This dish everyone must try, because once you start you can’t stop! A real traditional Piedmontese recipe.

You have roast beef thinly sliced with a tuna, caper, and mayo sauce. Absolutely delicious, trust me. 

Insalata Russa

pronounced in-sa-la-ta rue-ssah

This is Italy’s example of Potato Salad with some peas and carrots to make it healthy. There is sometimes tuna or hard boiled eggs added to this dish.

If you would like to make this easy dish at home you can find the recipe here.

Tonno di Coniglio

pronounced ton-no D co-nig-li-oh 

A wonderful light dish made with rabbit that has been slow cooked to look like canned tuna. There is no tuna in this dish but the rabbit sure does look like one. 

Bagna Cauda

pronounced ban-ya caou-dah

This one is for the brave, a traditional Piedmontese recipe. A fondue served warm made with EVOO, lots and lots of garlic, and anchovy. You will take this and dip your veggies here and must have a glass of Barbera to help clean your pallet. 

For the First Course = Primi pronounced (pree-me)

Tajarin

pronounced thai-ya-reeen 

This is what Piedmont is famous for, our typical egg pasta, like spaghetti, but yellow from all the egg yolks they put inside. This dish when the White Truffles of Alba are in season can be grated on top for extra flavor. Otherwise you will find it typically served with a ragù (rah-ghu) or salsiccia (sal-see-cha) or fassone (fas-on-neh).

If you would like to make this wonderful dish at home please check out how to here.

Agnolotti del Plin

pronounced ag-know-lo-tea del pleen

This is our small but big flavored ravioli. Typically stuffed with meat and vegetables, but can also me made in the magro (ma-grow) version and will then be stuffed with ricotta (re-coat-ta) and spinach.

If you would like the whole story about these wonderful ravioli and how to make them at home you can find this here.

Gnocchi

pronounced ño-key

This wonderful potato dumplings are light and fluffy and will typically be served with Castelmagno (cast-al-mag-know) cheese, which is a wonderful cows milk cheese coming from the Alps. Or you will find it al pomodoro (pom-oh-door-row) a tomato sauce. 

Here is a great recipe of Gnocchi made with Ricotta and Stinging Nettles, here.

Risotto

pronounced riz-aught-toh 

This is our rice, but made differently than the white rice you might find in an Asian or Indian restaurant. We cook ours with a vegetable broth adding a little bit at a time until the rice has reach the perfect texture. Then we will add either cheese, or seasonal vegetables. 

Risotto cooked in wine recipe here.

Risotto with asparagus recipe here.

Main Course = Secondi (say-con-D)

Tagliata

pronounced tag-lee-ah-tah

this is the under filet of Fasone (fa-so-neh). Fasone is the breed of cow we have here in Piemonte, which is white, and very lean and so thus the meat should be enjoyed as rare as possible. Because if you cook it too much then it is better to braised to make it tender again. 

Brasato

pronounced brah-za-toe

This is braised beef cooked in wine. Sometimes with Barolo wine, sometimes with Barbaresco wine, and sometimes with Nebbiolo wine. Slow cooked and so tender that can be cut with a spoon. 

Bollito Misto

pronounced bowl-eat-toe miss-toe

This is a wintertime favorite of all kinds of boiled meat. Typically coming from the cow, and will be all kinds of different cuts. This is also served with two typical salsas that are Verde (ver-day) made with parsley, garlic, and EVOO or Rosso (roe-so) made with red peppers, and EVOO. The sauces are crucial to give the meat some extra flavor. 

Fritto Misto

pronounced free-toe me-stow

The literal translation is a mixture of fried things. Yum! With this you must be prepared for a typical Piedmontese meal of 25 courses of fried stuff. You must be brave as they fry everything from sausage, veggies, brains, heart, to cookies and apples, for the lighter side of things. 

Dessert = Dolce (dole-chay)

Bunet

pronounced boo-net

This is like a chocolate custard made with chocolate, almond cookies, eggs, and rum. It is quite decadent and perfect after a meal if a little bit of red wine is still in the glass.  

Semifreddo

pronounced semy-fray-dough

As is sounds it is an almost frozen dessert. Typically made with Torrone (tore-rone-nay) an egg white nougat with honey and hazelnuts. Or they will make it with Chinato (key-nat-toe) a red grape fortified wine with and infusion of quinine, herbs and spices.

 The Slow Food Movement

A few words about the Slow Food Movement that was started in Piemonte. It stated by Carlo Petrini in the 1990’s as the story goes; when McDonalds was trying to get the ok to be able to open up a food store in Piemonte or Rome (I am not quite sure which of the two), Carlo Petrini along with a group of friends and maybe some politicians started a protest, stating that Italy does not need any fast food stores.

What Italy needs is to practice the Slow Food traditions that are becoming more and more rare. That phrase Slow Food was the start of a movement, and organization to help preserve the traditional recipes and methods of the Italian regional cooking. With this list that I have given to you are some of these dishes that we need to keep in our traditions.

Please come to Piedmont with an open mind and to embrace the traditional foods that have shaped this area.

What we say in Sommelier school is: “wine from the area, food from the area.” As these are the two things that really go the best together.

You will also notice that when enjoying the wines and the food together that they make a perfect match. 

At the end of this story, thanks to the Slow Food they have put some pretty interesting laws in place for McDonalds and any other fast food chains.

That for their food stores they must place on each menu products coming from that area.

So what does this mean?

No outside foods, no processed meat or (pink slime) as they call it. It must be made from the farms surrounding.

So when you are in Piemont and they have a burger with Tuma cheese, now you know why. 

Thinking of Touring Alba? Here are some places not to pass up.

by: Amanda

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When taking a minute to drive the hillside roads of the Langhe coming in to the town of Alba Italy, you can see from many vistas along the way, many of the medieval towers that are still standing today. The city of Alba once known as the City of a hundred medieval Towers.  These Towers were built in the 14th and 15th centuries and many of them have been ruined in wars and one in particular was during the attacks of the Barbarians after the fall of the Western Empire.  The city of Alba is now a part of the UNESCO world Heritage and is considered to be the center for the Barolo and Barbaresco vineyards making it the central meeting point for many wonderful things.   Here in Alba you will find the famous White Truffle and once a year during the month of October they host a festival for all things truffle and Alba related.  During this gastronomic festival you can take place at the White truffle auction where the largest White truffle that has been found around the Langhe area will be auctioned off and normally at a very high price.  One other thing not to miss at this festival is the Palio. This race had originated in Medieval times in Siena and has since then made its way to the Asti area. In Asti this race takes place on the third Sunday in September. Alba does things a bit different and uses some Piemontese humor while doing so.  The difference is in Alba they don't have horses they have Donkeys.  Not an animal uncommon to the Langa, but makes a whole lot of fun seeing these guys in a race.

Another wonderful thing about Alba is this is the birthplace of Nutella, the creamy chocolate and hazelnut spread that has made so many childhood memories.  Could also be a nice little treat for adults, too. I know there is always a jar of Nutella in my cabinets at home.  Here in Alba is the Ferrero factory where over 10.000 employees work around the clock to make sure those wonderful little chocolate hazelnut treats get shipped all over the world.  What is wonderful about having the Ferrero factory located in the center of Alba is that about 4 times a week they toast chocolate and that they have to toast so much of it that walking around Alba center you are engulfed with this wonderful chocolaty smell.  It tends to make me a bit hungry.

On Saturday mornings in Alba (Ferrero will be toasting away lots of chocolate) and in the center of the City there will be their weekly farmers market.  This market takes place on the two main streets Via Maestra and Via Cavour and will also be located in a few different Piazzas: Piazza Savona, Piazza Duomo, Piazza San Giovanni, and the Piazza  where the market is located more frequently throughout the week (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday) is Piazze Senatore Ovaldo Cagnasso. On Saturday the Piazza where I recommend not missing is the Piazza Pertinace: here they have the Mercato di Terra where there are many wonderful local, organic producers from this area and whom have the best quality products by far. Need some hazelnuts, I recommend going there.

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Now we will shift gears to some other fun things to see and do in Alba.

Places to eat!

Piazza Duomo This is a 3 Michelin starred restaurant and is well deserved. In 2016 Chef Enrico Crippa received from the guide The Word’s 50 Best Restaurants received number 17. Not too bad, if I do say so myself. I highly recommend making a reservation for this restaurant if you wish to visit. You can contact them for either lunch or dinner bookings from their website.

Osteria dell’Arco is one of the sister restaurants a part of Slow Food. Here you will eat very good typical Piemontese food. Things not to miss are the Carne Cruda, and the Tajarin with 40 egg yolks. They are typically closed on Sunday and I recommend making a reservation. You can contact them from their website.

Gusto Madre If pizza is what you are craving then I recommend taking a stop here. It is not your everyday pizza experience when you eat at Gusto Madre. Here I recommend getting one of their tasting menu’s so you can try their different takes on their pizza’s. Take not that is not easy to get a reservation here as they are super booked but with some advanced planning it can be made possible. They are closed on Sunday lunch and all day Tuesday, for booking please see their website.

Bove’s here is where the American comes out in me. If you are having a withdrawal from a great Hamburger don’t worry I’ve got you covered. Boves started as a butcher in it’s first life then realized that they understand meat probably more than the average person and decided to reinvent themselves with hip cocktails and a meat based menu. Another place I reccemend making a reservation here’s the link.

Osteria del Vicoletto is a nice quite traditional place that won’t break the bank. The kitchen is simple and delicious. They are located on Via Barter 6 - Alba, Italy and are only open for dinner. You can make a reservation by phone at +39 (0)173 363196.

Things to do and see:

A walk down Via Maestra - Alba, a pedestrian street only where there are many wonderful caffe’s, gelataria, and specialty stores. If you would like to get some local products or a special bottle of wine you will be able to pretty much find everything Piemontese you are looking for.

Duomo di Alba, Cattedrale di San Lorenzo the original structure was to been built in the 5th century and then rebuilt a few times after in the following centuries. When you visit this Catthedrial you can see the layers of history of the several different constructions.

Underground Alba, to visit the original Alba, the Alba Pompeia. You are able to visit the Underground Alba on Saturday and Sunday by reservation only. Typically it is a tour offered in Italian. You can arrive to Alba Underground at Piazza Risorgimento 2 in front of the Tourist office. Tel:+39 339 7349949

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Sitting at a café having a coffee or an aperitivo and watching the people walk by is something to pass some time and is very relaxing.