Schiavenza Barolo Perno
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Perno is a single vineyard located in Monforte d’Alba, with an elevation between 360 and 400 m asl.
- The vineyard has a southeast/west exposure and the soil is loamy.
- The vine age is between 20-25 years.
Varietal Composition: 100% Nebbiolo
Elaboration: The Guyot system is used, and vines are hand-picked. Fermentation occurs in 3 to 5 ton cement tanks for 15 to 20 days at 27-30°C, with two daily pumping-over sessions. After racking in steel tanks, the wine ages in Slavonian oak for 18 months, then bottles for at least 6 months before release.
Tasting Notes: ““Mint, orange and medicinal herb aromas and flavors define this succulent red, with accents of red berry fruit and earth lurking in the background. Starts out fluid but tightens up, with a broad swath of tannins gripping the finish.” – Wine Spectator
PRESS
2019 – 94 Wine Spectator | 94 James Suckling
2020 – 93 James Suckling
2021 – 95 Wine Spectator | 95 James Suckling
2022 – 94 James Suckling!
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
The Alessandria family has been farming this Serralunga property since 1956.
The estate and surrounding area were formerly part of the Opera Pia Barolo (a castle that is similar to Burgundy’s Hospice du Beaune – Part educational institution and part hospital), whose vineyards were worked by sharecroppers. The local dialect for sharecropper is “schiavenza,” hence the origin on the estate name.
A name like Schiavenza should give one a clue as to the style here; this is no modern “barrique” aged Barolo estate – Wines here are fermented with native yeast in cement cisterns and then aged in traditional Slovenian botti.Vineyard holdings have expanded over time, and the estate is made up of 8 hectares split between Serralunga and Monforte. These include the heralded crus Prapò, Bricco Cerretta, and Broglio. No pesticides or herbicides are used, and all field work is coordinated with the cycles of the moon.