Barolo: the wine of kings

If there is an Italian wine with a history and prestige to match the best French wines, it is Barolo. This long-lasting, charismatic red wine made from the nebbiolo grape was held in high regard as far back as the 19 century. Today, numerous winemakers in the Langhe hills are working to sustain the Barolo legacy. Known as the king of Italian wines, the Barolo is a very high-quality, complex wine with an extremely long storage life. Barolo wines are said to be the best red wines in the world. The unique taste of Barolo is especially appealing and impressive. The wine has a certain fullness that is combined in a wonderful way with an incomparable elegance, balance and complexity. This is what makes it so special.

The name “Barolo” is first mentioned in 1730, in correspondence of the House of Savoy with a merchant. Today’s Barolo, however, originated in the nineteenth century. The modernisation of viticulture and the introduction of new cellar production methods eventually led to the creation of a new type of wine that became the preferred drink of the Piedmontese royal family. Hence Barolo’s honorary title, “the wine of kings and the king of wines”. Barolo has been a DOCG wine since 1980.

The Barolo production area lies south of the town of Alba, well known for its hilly landscape. The vineyards lie between 300 and 450 metres above sea level. Soils in the production zones vary from calcareous marl soils around La Morra and Barolo to those with higher sandstone content around Monforte, Serralunga and Castiglione. 

The production area extends south of the town of Alba in Cuneo Province. At present, around 1827 hectares in the 11 municipalities of the production zone are under vine for Barolo. Production runs to approximately 11 million bottles. 

Only wine made exclusively from nebbiolo grapes from the 11 municipalities south-west of Alba and aged for at least 38 months, including 18 in barrel, may be labelled Barolo DOCG. After an ageing period of 62 months (including 18 in barrel), it may bear the additional «Riserva» designation.

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