2018 Marengo Barolo Bricco delle Viole

2018 Marengo Barolo Bricco delle Viole

2018 Marengo Barolo Bricco delle Viole, Ruby red with orange reflections, the Barolo Bricco delle Viole has a very fine, ethereal and rich nose with notes of liqueur cherry and sweet spices. On the palate, it is elegant, full-bodied, quite soft, fresh, balanced and sweet with well-integrated tannins. Pairs well with grilled red meat and seasoned cheeses.

Responsible for some of the most elegant and age-worthy wines in the world, Nebbiolo, named for the ubiquitous autumnal fog (called nebbia in Italian), is the star variety of northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Grown throughout the area, as well as in the neighboring Valle d’Aosta and Valtellina, it reaches its highest potential in the Piedmontese villages of Barolo, Barbaresco and Roero. Outside of Italy, growers are still very much in the experimentation stage but some success has been achieved in parts of California. Somm Secret—If you’re new to Nebbiolo, start with a charming, wallet-friendly, early-drinking Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d’Alba.

The center of the production of the world’s most exclusive and age-worthy red wines made from Nebbiolo, the Barolo wine region includes five core townships: La Morra, Monforte d’Alba, Serralunga d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto and the Barolo village itself, as well as a few outlying villages. The landscape of Barolo, characterized by prominent and castle-topped hills, is full of history and romance centered on the Nebbiolo grape. Its wines, with the signature “tar and roses” aromas, have a deceptively light garnet color but full presence on the palate and plenty of tannins and acidity.

Marengo is one of the smallest estates in La Morra, but Marco Marengo has no inferiority complex. Marengo is privileged to be among the many more famous names who own vineyards in the “Brunate” cru, an immaculately positioned parcel of land that is considered to be one of the grand crus of the Langhe. The estate makes tiny quantities of modern-style Barolo from old vines in their tiny cellar on La Morra’s main street; in great years, these particularly well-balanced, ample, intense, tannic wines hint at truffles; they are perfectly rich and complete Baroli.