Barolo & Barbaresco---Made From the Same Grape

Barolo is one of the world’s greatest red wines---it’s made in Italy’s northern Piedmont district in the village of Barolo.  Barbaresco, another magnificent red wine, is made from grapes grown <10 miles away in the village of Barbaresco.  Both of these world-class wines are made 100% from the nebbiolo grape.

Often referred to as the “King of wines,” Barolo is a complex powerhouse chocked full of nuances of ripe strawberries, roses, chocolate, spices and occasionally even white truffles.   Barbaresco, has shades of the same aeromatic and flavor profile, however, it is usually a little less full bodied and less tannic than Barolo.  If Barolo is the King, then Barbaresco is the Queen. 

Nebbiolo ripens later than most other grapes, thus the Wine-Knows tour in October is perfectly timed for the harvest of this grape.  We’ll be visiting the small town of Barolo (with its medieval castle that has now been turned into a wine bar), as well as the vineyard-draped Barbaresco village.  By the end of the trip, folks will know if they prefer the King or the Queen.   

Next BLOG posting:  Piedmont’s other red grape---BARBERA