Vietti "Rocche di Castiglione" Barolo DOCG 2019 (1x75cl)

Barolo comes only from Nebbiolo, and it has to sit for a set minimum time in the cellar before anyone is allowed to sell it. What makes this one specific is the name next to the appellation: Rocche di Castiglione is a named cru in the commune of Castiglione Falletto, and printing a single site on the label is a way of saying the wine came from one patch of hillside rather than a blend of many.

A cru Barolo is a long-game bottle. If you are opening the 2019 soon, give it a decant and a couple of hours; if you are not in a hurry, it is the kind of thing that rewards being forgotten at the back of the rack. Either way it carries weight as a client gift or a bottle you bring to a serious dinner.

Tasting notes

Nebbiolo is usually pale and almost translucent in the glass, which tricks people, because the tannin is typically firm and the acidity high. Expect the usual Barolo register of red cherry, dried rose and something earthy underneath, with a grip that wants fatty meat, braises or aged cheese next to it.