Tasted: Burlotto Monvigliero 2018

Tasted, November 2022 by Nadien de Visser

I've never tasted such a refined Barolo. I think it was only with this Barolo that I truly grasped the essence of Nebbiolo. In November, I visited Burlotto and was given a tour by Fabio Alessandria, the fifth-generation winery owner, who, along with his father, is responsible for the wines. The winery exudes tradition. Upon entering, we saw the enormous wooden barrels. "This is where we ferment," Fabio explains. The grapes are harvested by hand. The vineyard in Monvigliero covers 2.02 hectares and was planted at five different times (between 1958 and 2015). It enjoys a southerly exposure with a maximum altitude of 300 meters. Burlotto harvests later here than many others on the Monvigliero cru, but they do harvest the grapes earlier than those from the Cannubi cru (slightly cooler).

After whole-bunch fermentation, including 60 days of skin maceration, the wine is even crushed by foot (this applies to this Barolo, not all wines). The wine then ages for three years in 35- to 50-liter Slavonian and Allier oak barrels. The bottle is bottled and cellared for another nine months before release.

Hand-harvesting, 60 days of skin maceration, and fermentation in large open vats, foot-crushed—it doesn't get much more traditional than that, does it? I've always associated this traditional winemaking method with rustic wines and wines that require extended bottle aging to reach their full potential. This wine is anything but rustic.

It will undoubtedly become even better after bottle aging, but it is already so refined now - we tasted 2018.

• Producer: Comm GM Burlotto
• Origin: Barolo
• Vintage: 2018
• Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo

Tasting note Comm GM Burlotto, Barolo Monvigliero, 2018

Smell

You can keep sniffing this. What intensity! Refined aromas of currants, raspberries, and cherries, that fantastic scent of roses, rosehips too, and subtle spiciness: cardamom, nutmeg, anise, cinnamon. A hint of orange/grapefruit peel gives the wine even more tension and energy.

Taste

Incredibly seductive and layered. Well-integrated, fine tannins, and high acidity, as befits Nebbiolo. Ripe and rich, with a subtle hint of sweet spice. A wine you can't get enough of.

Wine and food

Truffles, what else?

Available at Odile Hemmen and Eck en Maurick in very limited editions.