Check the Best Barolo Wines
Barolo is a red wine produced in the northern Italian region of Piedmont. It’s one of Italy’s most renowned wines, and it can be recognized by its characteristic cherry-red color and balsamic notes.
As such, it is one of the most internationally recognized Italian wines thanks to its unmistakable taste and excellent organoleptic characteristics that render it robust and long-lived. Its production is limited, and it is a costly wine.
What makes Barolo unique?
Barolo is Piedmont’s best-known wine appellation because it encompasses one of Italy’s most famous wines: a red wine made exclusively from Nebbiolo grapes that have been aged in oak barrels called “botti.” Its particular character stems from the land where it is produced and from a relatively unique grape variety, giving its distinctive aroma, taste, and color.
Best Barolo Wines
1. Giuseppe Rinaldi 2017 Brunate (Barolo)
Price – $256
Points – 91
Giuseppe Rinaldi 2017 Brunate DOCG is a Nebbiolo produced from our vineyards at the farm in San Rocco Seno d’Elvio, in Barolo commune. Aged in steel tanks for a few months and in large oak casks for around 18 months, it has an intense ruby red color with violet reflections and aromas of fresh fruit notes accompanied by quinine and soft spices. The palate is full-bodied with ripe tannins providing good aging potential, giving quality wines that can be drunk the next 7 to 10 years.
Taste
Nuances of violets and subtle spices accompany intense red fruit, plum, and cherry aromas. The palate is full-bodied with ripe tannins providing good aging potential.
2. Gianni Gagliardo 2016 Serra dei Turchi (Barolo) DOCG
Price – $20
Points – 98
A blend of Nebbiolo at 50%, Barbera 40 %, Croatina 10%. Aged in oak barriques for 18 months, 30% new.
Gianni Gagliardo 2016 Serra dei Turchi is a 100% DOCG wine produced from our Serra dei Turchi vineyards at the farm in San Rocco Seno d’Elvio, in Barolo commune. Dark cherry red with brick reflections and shades of violet has an intense aroma of ripe fruit notes accompanied by soft spices and subtle notes of rose petals. The palate is full-bodied with round tannins providing good aging potential.
Taste
Subtle spices accompany intense aromas of ripe fruit, wild cherries, and blackberries. The palate is full-bodied with round tannins providing good aging potential.
3. Gianni Gagliardo 2016 Pajana (Barolo) DOCG
Price – $205
Points – 98
A blend of Nebbiolo at 50%, Barbera 40 %, Croatina 10%. Aged in oak barriques for 18 months, 30% new.
Gianni Gagliardo 2016 Pajana is a 100% DOCG wine produced from our Serra dei Turchi vineyards at the farm in San Rocco Seno d’Elvio, in Barolo commune. The wine is aged 12 months in steel tanks and 6 months in oak barriques. A ruby red with brick reflections has an intense aroma of ripe fruit notes, soft spices, and subtle rose petals. The palate is full-bodied with round tannins providing good aging potential.
Taste
Subtle spices accompany intense aromas of ripe fruit, wild cherries, and blackberries. The palate is full-bodied with round tannins providing good aging potential.
4. Roberto Conterno Castiglione DOCG (Barolo)
Price – $256
Points – 97
A blend of Nebbiolo at 65%, Barbera 25%, Croatina 10%. It was aged for 36 months in oak barrels, 20% new.
Roberto Conterno Castiglione DOCG is a 100% Nebbiolo wine produced from our vineyards at the farm in Monforte d’Alba and Santa Maria La Palma, in Barolo commune. An intense cherry red color with brick reflections, a complex aroma of ripe fruit notes, soft spices, and subtle rose petals. The palate is full-bodied with round tannins providing good aging potential.
Taste
Rich and well-balanced on the palate, its flavors reveal notes of plums and cherries together with those types of roses and violets. Good potential for aging with a long finish.
5. Ceretto 2015 “Bricco Rocche” Barolo DOCG
Price – $305
Points – 99
Ceretto’s Bricco Rocche is a 100% Nebbiolo wine produced from vineyards at the farm in Perno, in Monforte d’Alba commune. Grown on stony-gravel soils, it was fermented and aged for 36 months, 20% new in oak barrels. An intense ruby red color with brick reflections, it has complex aromas of ripe fruit notes accompanied by soft spices and subtle notes of rose petals. The palate is full-bodied, with round tannins providing good aging potential. Ceretto’s Bricco Rocche is a wine that can be enjoyed now or kept for many years.
Taste
Subtle spices accompany intense aromas of red fruit, wild cherries, and blackberries. The palate is full-bodied with round tannins providing good aging potential.
First of all, the reader should approach this article not as a wine guide but as an opportunity to understand better what is truly behind a wine label. In fact, I tried to understand how it is possible that prices on Barolo wines are so high and why they represent an attractive target for counterfeiters.
More about Barolo Wines
DOCG status
Barolo wine has been awarded prestigious DOCG status (Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita), an assurance that each bottle still contains 100% pure grapes without adding alcohol or other substances.
And for a good reason, recently, it has also been awarded the status of Italian Cultural and Environmental Heritage by UNESCO.
Grapes
The grape variety for Barolo wine is Nebbiolo, known locally as Spanna, which grows exclusively in this appellation.
From late September until early October, Barolo wine grapes must be harvested by hand from these hillside vines. This period corresponds to when there’s no more rain or frost threat, but before winter starts.
Generally, Barolo wine grape clusters are smallish and conical because of the abundant “tear-droplets” of grape juice left on the berries’ surface.
Flavor
The flavor of young Barolo is often robust with a strong influence of new oak used during fermentation and aging, together with ripe fruit aromas such as plums and cherries. Maturation in wood casks usually lasts for 24 months until bottling.
In general, full-bodied red wines will complement dishes based on red meats, game, and mature cheeses. Sweet dishes will be perfectly completed by Barolo wine served slightly cool (10-12°C) with desserts such as ice cream or fruit tarts.
Taste
The soil in this area has a high percentage of limestone, which gives the wine a dry, mineral flavor as well as making it very acidic, so there are some interesting tricks you can play with winemakers to present their wines an extra edge: the acidity level can be increased or decreased depending on different factors such as climate conditions, vineyard altitude and exposure to sunlight.
Barolo wines have an unmistakable acidity that sets them apart from other wines – even those made from Nebbiolo grapes – due to the amount of tartaric acid they contain.
Food pairing
Barolo wine’s intense and robust character stands out for its entire body and delicate aroma. It can be drunk as an aperitif or with red meat dishes such as a roasted game but is also well suited to more robust fare such as roasts and stews.
Its acidity makes it particularly suitable for cheese – Piedmont is the home of some of the world’s most pleasing cheeses – and it goes exceptionally well with truffles.
But there’s no need to limit yourself: this noble product is delicious when enjoyed on its own and will delight even the most sophisticated palate at any time of day.
The best way to store Barolo wines
Barolo must be stored upright away from direct light or heat at 15°C. At this temperature, the wine will keep very well for decades. Never chill Barolos as they lack acidity to balance the tannin structure and will be unpleasant to drink.
The best Barolo wine is not easy to find. But we’ve done the hard work for you, and have compiled a list of our favorite wines that exemplify everything this variety has to offer.
Final words
From the list of best Barolo wines, you can see that there are many different types to choose from. If it seems like your wine preferences aren’t on any lists, don’t worry! There is a wide range of types and prices available for all tastes. You should be able to find something perfect for you in no time. Share this post with friends if they’re looking for a new type of wine as well!
