Schiavenza Barolo “Riserva Broglio”
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Broglio is a single vineyard located in Serralunga d’Alba, with an elevation between 330 and 370 m asl.
- It has a Southeast exposure and has loamy soil that is deeply calcareous.
- The age of the vines is 20-40 years, depending on the parcel.
Varietal Composition: 100% Nebbiolo
Elaboration: The Guyot growing system is used on these vines. The harvest is handpicked. Fermentation and mecaration takes place in 3 – 5 ton cement tanks for approximately 15 to 20 days at a temperature varying between 27-30° C.
Two pumping-over session each day to aerate the must during fermentation, and breaking up of the cap. After frequent racking in steel tanks, the wine is placed in Slavonian oak to age for at least 18-30 months, followed by cellaring in bottles for a minimum of 6 months in a cool and dry place before release.
Tasting Notes: Barolo docg Riserva Broglio 2016 is a robust and very intense wine, elegant and traditional.An apparent nose of roses, sweet jams and spices. Very deep, full-bodied, powerful, with imposing structure and tannins.
PRESS
2016 – 95 Wine Advocate | 93 Wine Spectator
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.