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Renato Ratti - Barolo

Barolo DOCG Marcenasco | Barolo DOCG Conca Marcenasco | Barolo DOCG Rocche Marcenasco

D.O.C.G. Barolo wine
Read the Regulations for Barolo

Barolo is made from the Nebbiolo vine
Nebbiolo is one of the world’s finest vines and is grown almost exclusively in Piedmont, where it originated. Its name comes from the Italian word for mist, “nebbia”, owing to the fact that the Nebbiolo grape variety ripens rather late, when the hills are already shrouded in the first autumn mist. Another reason for this name is that the grapes, covered with bloom, get a silver-grey hue very similar to mist. The earliest historical reference to the Nebbiolo vine dates back to the end of the 13th century when Pier dè Crescenzi, in his famous agricultural treatise, talked about it as a vine found in the Asti area. In that same period Nebbiolo was mentioned in a few documents from Canale, Chieri, Moncalieri, and Rivoli. In the Charter of La Morra, it was recorded (“nebiolium”) together with the pine-kernel in 1431. Nowadays the Nebbiolo vine is grown in few privileged areas accounting for only 3% of Piedmont’s wine output. There are slightly more than five thousand hectares planted with the Nebbiolo vine: they are half of the ones planted with the Dolcetto vine and about a tenth of the ones planted with the Barbera vine.

The leaf is medium to large, featuring 3 to 5 lobes rather open. The bunch is medium-sized, a winged, long pyramid in shape with a medium stalk, usually green. The grapes are medium to small, round with a tendency to ellipsoid. The pulp is juicy, sweet and astringent. The skin is pruinose (misty), thin, of good consistency and tannic. It is dark purple in color with a silver-grey hue due to bloom. The grapes ripen belatedly, in mid October onwards and is the last Piedmontese grape variety to be harvested.

Ripening
The Nebbiolo grapes ripen belatedly: the harvest usually occurs towards the middle of October. However, in particularly hot and dry years, grapes may be harvested early in the month. The Nebbiolo vineyards lie on the best part of hillsides, with good exposure to the sun, facing south, from south-east to south-west, at altitudes between 150 and 400 metres. The vine thrives in a poor soil made of calcareous marls and in a peculiar microclimate: these elements, both present in the area where Barolo and Barbaresco wines are produce, give longevity to the wine, as well as harmonious taste and deep bouquet. In the Langhe and Roero areas the Nebbiolo vine gives origins to the following wines: Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, Nebbiolo d’Alba, Langhe Nebbiolo. Also it is employed, together with Barbera, in the production of wines made up by assemblage and having the Langhe denomination.

Subvarieties or clones of Nebbiolo
Lampia, Michet, and Rose are three subvarieties of the Nebbiolo vine. The Rose subvariety, whose wines are particularly light, has become almost entirely extinct. The Michet variety is rather rare too and, according to recent research, it originates from a virosis of the main variety. Its yield is poor yet high quality. In the vineyards of the Langhe hills, Lampia is the most widespread subvariety
Yield of the Nebbiolo grapes

The maximum yield must not exceed 80 quintals of grapes per hectare. The maximum yield of wine from grapes must not exceed 70% at the first racking and 65% after the obligatory ageing period.

Barolo wine production area
Barolo is a wine produced exclusively from Nebbiolo grapes grown in the municipal territories of Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d’Alba and partly in the municipal territories of La Morra, Monforte d’Alba, Novello, Verduno, Grinzane Cavour, Diano d’Alba, Roddi, and Cherasco. Vineyards cover a surface area of about 1250 hectares and the annual production is about seven million six hundred thousand bottles (wine-growing land register 1998). La Morra, with its nearly 400 hectares, accounts for over 30% of wine output.

When can a wine be called Barolo?
The wine must be aged for no less than three years, two of which must be in oak barrels. The kind of oak and the size of the barrels depend on the producer’s choice, according to his own experience: Barolo ages in both large traditional barrels and medium-sized barrels, and even in 225 litre casks. Ageing starts from 1st January following the year of grapes production. Example: vintage 1996 can be released for marketing only from 1st January 2000. When Barolo wine is aged for 5 years it can bear the additional label “riserva” (i.e. reserve). In order to get a better wine, producers are allowed to add some younger Barolo to the older Barolo and vice versa (maximum addition: 15%) provided that they are identical. The preponderant millesimal must be market on the label. Before being released for marketing Barolo must get through a tasting test carried out by a special commission appointed by Ministry of Agriculture. Getting through the test allows a wine to be labeled DOCG.

The Labels

The Barolo label instead, bears the symbol of the ancient castle built towards the end of the first millennium, where years later, the Abbey of San Martino of Marcenasco was erected. It's a gilt shield with a black crow bearing the Latin motto: "Probasti me et chognuisti me" (You tried me and you knew me).

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