Verduno - A rarely seen slice of Barolo

Barolo has taken a little while to catch on. While long considered Italy’s king of wines, it has certainly been a slow burn getting Australian palates on board the Barolo train in a big way. The local market, and one very famous wine writer, have always been much more partial to the refined tannins of Bordeaux and Burgundy. But the times are a changing as the charms and value of great Barolo are now impossible to ignore

The Barolo appellation is a complex beast. Unlike the Cote d’Or with its long and relatively consistent golden slope, Barolo is full of twists and turns. It is a complex mix of hillsides and valleys where not only the soil but also the aspect is constantly changing. There are few definitive rules with each cru in every village having a distinctive personality. Serious fans of Barolo, and Barbaresco, should not do without a copy of Alessandro Masnaghetti’s definitive books that dive deep into the crus assisted by stunning three dimensional maps.

Aspect, and exposure to the sun, is the most important element in the various crus and radiates from every resulting wine. Steep southerly slopes, such as the vineyards of Cannubi and Brunate, are responsible for Barolo’s most tannic and brooding expressions - wines that need a minimum of a decade to hit their straps. Alternatively west facing slopes are often more open-knit, the afternoon sun helping to soften tannins.

Confusingly Barolo is not a small appellation, and is made of a number of large towns, including Barolo itself as well as the likes of Castiglione Falletto, Monforte d’Alba, Serralunga d’Alba and La Morra, and plenty more small villages. These are the bases for the various communes.

At the top of Barolo is the small commune of Verduno made up of only 11 Crus, including Monvigliero, now widely regarded as a Grand Cru. The town of Verduno sits on top of the hill at 360m with the leading vineyards dropping down around it, most having a south to south easterly aspect. To the north of the town, the cool north facing hillsides are unsuitable for production of fine wine and are excluded from the Barolo appellation. The crus of Verduno offer the perfect introduction to serious Barolo offering compelling beauty although in an approachable package with a more measured structure than the wines from communes such as Monforte and Serralunga.

A great example is the recently arrived 2019 Ascheri Barolo 'Pisapola'. Wines from the Pisapola cru are rarely seen in Australia. The vineyards sit high in the appellation and back onto the town before dropping rapidly to the southeast, which provides early exposure to morning light. Pisapola also avoids the hot afternoon sunlight providing a beautifully perfumed and moderately structured Barolo expression. 2019 is a classic vintage which has turned out a superb wine with at least a decade, if not two of cellaring potential.

- Angus Hughson