A vintage of depth and energy
Fratelli Alessandria have been on the scene since 1830, essentially since Barolo emerged as a recognised wine style. The cantina makes polished, authentic Barolos from coveted crus both in their home village of Verduno, and further afield. Under the stewardship of fifth-generation Vittore Alessandria, the wine has never been better: Fratelli Alessandria is, in the words of Antonio Galloni, 'an estate that has joined the ranks of the elite'.
Nebbiolo is a slow-ripening variety that likes a long growing season, and the slow 2019 season gave it exactly that. Vittore describes 2019 as 'a vintage of depth and energy'. Tasting his 2019s alongside the warm and open-knit 2018s, the structure of the 2019s is clear; they have a sense of freshness, tension and complexity.
Vittore is keen to emphasize he has no plans to grow the estate. Instead, he says he wants to work on the details, bring out the 'territorio' in the wine. In an era when more producers are experimenting with using stalks in their fermentations, Vittore is happy to show off his new 'dream machine' destalker, which removes stalks but leaves grapes intact. It's all about maximising terroir expression in his wine, something he is very proud of. Galloni noted it too when he was tasting Vittore's 2019s: 'What I appreciate most about these classically built Barolos are their deep expression of site'. /NT
Offered subject to remaining unsold; available Winter 2023
