Alberto Voerzio La Serra 2010 Barolo DOCG, Italy

Alberto Voerzio La Serra 2010.

Wine review

5 of 5 stars

An outstanding wine

In most cases, Nebbiolo’s colour shows fading relatively early. However, allowing long traditional maceration results in an abundance of colour extraction, which is here reflected by an intensely deep ruby colour. What follows is a pronounced flowery bouquet. Elegant rose and violet perfume is supported by slight vanilla and toast aromas from modernist use of new French oak. Layers of dark cherry, herbal, dried fruit and cedar aromas complete the fascinating, etherial and bold nose and invite to explore this La Serra cru Barolo further.

For a Barolo this young you would expect to be greeted by somewhat tight tannins. Although they are very abundant and mouth-filling, there is pleasantness to the tannins already. High acidity balances the high alcohol of this structured and concentrated wine. There is plenty of fruit and, already now, a complex aromatic profile. The aromas of cherries, dark berries, roses and cedar form an enjoyable perfumatic lightness that is beautifully supported by the muscularity of the acid structure. A long and nuanced cherry finish hints towards truffles and tar.

Optimally, I would give this wine plenty more years (or decades) to age as it has a wonderful aging potential due to its structure and fruit. Still, its wonders are evident already now, in case you are in a hurry to get in touch with a heavenly Nebbiolo.

Should you enjoy this superb wine at the dinner table, the optimal pairing would resemble its aromatic profile and elegant, yet powerful style. Piemontese cuisine gives you an idea: game, mushrooms, truffles and hard cheeses. Sipping to this wine by itself vino da meditazione style would be at least an equally gratifying approach.

A powerful, yet elegant and complex wine reflecting of its terroir. Highly recommended.

Info in a nutshell

Price examples:

DKK 349 (EUR 50) webshop Piemontevine.dk

(Ships worldwide, please enquiry via email first)
DKK 900 at restaurant Fiskebaren, Copenhagen, Denmark

Country and region: La Serra, La Morra, Barolo DOCG, Italy

Grape: Nebbiolo 100%

Alc vol: 14,5%

Producer: Alberto Voerzio

Background

When looking for value in Barolo, your strategy is to turn away from the names that have become brands. Instead, I suggest you approach skilled and small - often young - producers that are now becoming rising stars. Amongst them is Alberto Voerzio, a young winemaker from La Morra whose organic vineyard farming and combination of modern and traditional Barolo winemaking techniques are influenced by his famous Barolo superstar cousin Roberto Voerzio. The secrets behind Alberto’s characterful Barolos are very low yields, long traditional fermentations with tight temperature control and two year aging in 25% new French oak, the rest 75% of the barriques being used up to the third passage. Tending to the vineyards as well as the vinification process are completely organic. No commercial yeasts, enzymes or activators are added and only minimum amount of sulphur is used. The wines are bottled unfiltered.

The vintage of 2010 was exceptional for Barolo. Optimal weather conditions allowed to produce wines with fine acid structure, plenty of fruit and complexity of aromas. Alberto Voerzio’s La Serra is a brilliant example of the high potential of this particular vintage.

Borgogno No Name 2011, Piemonte, Italy

Borgogno No Name 2011.

Wine review

4 of 5 stars

Very good wine

As typical of Nebbiolo, the colour of this wine has started to turn lighter already. Now the clear ruby colour has medium intensity with a transparent rim. Expressiveness of this wine is evident on the medium intensity nose - there is an abundance of roses, liquorice and red cherries. After a while layers of smokiness and leather appear. 

On the palate, the first strike is dominated by astringent tannin. However, plentiful fruit and acidity balance the tannins to a great extent. The aromas on the nose cand be tasted – especially the roses, cherries and liquorice reoccur in the mid palate. A long and pleasant after taste is full of cherries. The tannins leave dryness in the mouth. On the whole, this is an interesting, very high quality wine, that is quite well in balance still drifting slightly to the tannic side.

Being admittedly a great friend of Barolos and other pronouncedly tannic wines, I have to say that this Nebbiolo of 2011 is still very young at this stage. To be fully appreciated it would definitely benefit from some more years of bottle age. Possessing the fruitiness, complex aromas and acid structure required for successful aging – why not?

Info in a nutshell

Price examples:

EUR 23,90  per bottle at Weinseller.de webshop

DKK 125 (EUR 15) per glass at wine bar Falernum, Copenhagen, Denmark

CAD 36,50 per bottle at SAQ outlets in Canada

Country and region: Italia, Piemonte

Grape: Nebbiolo 100%

Alc vol: 15%

Producer: Borgogno

Background

Borgogno winery stands in the middle of Barolo in Piemonte. They have produced wine since 1761, and nowadays make appreciated Barolo DOCG classified wines. Borgogno harvests No Name’s Nebbiolo grapes from vineyards of Cannubi, Liste and Fossatti that lie in Barolo’s Barolo and La Morra. How come it is called ”No Name” and has no Barolo DOCG stamped on the label? The story I was told was originally heard from the Danish importer and goes along these lines. Borgogno’s owner had these small patches of vineyard growing Nebbiolo grapes that were only used to make wine for their family and the villagers. They realised, however, that these grapes made even better ”barolo” than those used to make DOCG Barolo. Yet, getting the classification proved to be a challenge (I was not informed of the details, so don’t ask). As a quiet protest, Borgogno decided to give up altogether and call this wine ”No Name”. It receives reviews of 90 points and beyond vintage after vintage. Not surprisingly, Borgogno also produces wines called ”Maybe”, ”Le Theorie” (vino da meditazione - wine for meditation) and ”Resistenza”.