Castello di Verduno Barolo | 2019

Owned by Gabriella Burlotto of the Burlotto winery and Franco Bianco of Barbaresco farmers, Castello di Verduno’s secret weapon is winemaker, Mario Andrion whose skills seems to do the impossible in Barolo — master elegance over rusticity without using any shortcuts in the cellar. In short, Verduno’s wines are staunchly traditional, favoring long macerations, large older barrels, native yeasts, and minimal SO2. Their entry-level Barolo bottling is from unique Verduno soils called the Marne di Sant’Agata, composed of silts, sands, clay, and limestone. Sourced from two vineyards planted over thirty years ago and aged for 32 months in Slavonian casks, the current release soars from the glass with a rainbow of reds currants, raspberries, and wild strawberries. On the palate, it’s more soft than tough, but still Nebbiolo to-the-bone with its mystery of sandalwood, cardamom, and rosy cold stones. Bottled without fining or filtration, this is Barolo acoustic, pitch-perfect and all. ~Allegra A