Castello di Verduno is an historic Piemontese estate that makes classic Barolo and Barbaresco from prime vineyard sites in both appellations. The winery is located in Verduno, the northernmost commune of Barolo.

For their Barbarescos and Barolos, winemaker Mario Andrion prefers 30 to 40 day macerations and extended aging in large Slavonian botti. Their varietal wines see mostly stainless steel aging, with some large botti.

This wine is 100% Nebbiolo grown on Marne di Sant'Agata, which is a combination of sand, clay and limestone. Hand harvested grapes were fermented in stainless steel for 20 days with periodic punching down of the cap, prior to 18 months in large traditional Slavonian oak with three months resting in stainless steel and another 14 months ageing before release. 

Ovello is one of the great red wines of Italy and is made entirely from the great structured red grape, Nebbiolo; exceptional in taste, complexity and its ability to age for at least a decade, evolving into a silky delicious wine over this time. It's made by the Produttori del Barbaresco. This highly respected winery cooperative was founded in 1958 and now has 51 members who collectively own approximately 100 hectares of the entire appellation, which means they own approximately a seventh of the appellation. The single vineyard wines, such as this one, are only made in highly rated vintages (all of the grapes go into a blend in other years) and released after four years maturation in the riserva programme. 

All single vineyard cru wines from Produttori del Barbaresco are fermented at 30°C and given 32 days of skin contact time before being pressed in large oak barrels for 36 months of maturation in wood followed by a further nine months aging in bottle, prior to release. 

* The 2017 cru Produttori del Barbarescos are extremely collectible because there were no 2018 cru wines made, which means the blend will be of higher quality than usual – and there will be more of it. 

The 2018 Produttori del Barbaresco blend is not yet available in New Zealand. ETA is late 2022.

Fast facts on Barbaresco

Barbaresco as an appellation was created in 1894

Barbaresco was given DOCG status in 1980

This is a small wine production area with approximately 700 hectares of vineyards registered to make Barbaresco – which must be 100% Nebbiolo and made within the same sub region in which the grapes are grown. 

Big but elegant, red fruited but powerful Nebbiolo made in small volumes every year from the Albesani vineyard in Neive, situated 230 metres above sea level on two hectares with average vine age of 50 years. This wine was first made in 2019 with long fermentation and maceration in oak at 30°C followed by ageing in large Slavonian oak barrels for up to 18 months with another 24 months ageing in bottle, pre release. 

Highly complex, open and fruity aromas with red fruit flavours and complex tastes of hay, spices and earth all providing great depth and fullness. Drinking well now and capable of long term ageing. 

A firm full bodied blend of Nebbiolo grapes with all the elegance, red fruit and silkiness of a great Barolo; it's a blend of mostly cru vineyards offering a complex red now and for ageing. 

Made by one of Piedmonte's great wineries. A wine with superb elegance, depth, complexity and aromatic length. Drink now or cellar.

Designation: Barolo D.O.C.G.

Grape Variety: Nebbiolo (100%)

Vineyard: The grapes for this wine are sourced from the single vineyard Lazzarito in Serralunga d’Alba. Lazzarito is a wonderful natural amphitheater facing southwest, at an altitude of 260 – 390 meters a.s.l., with a clayey and calcareous soil. Vietti’s property in this vineyard stretches for about 2 hectares. The grapevines have an average age of 40 years. They are planted using the Guyot trellis system with about 4,500 plants per hectare.

Winemaking: Hand-picked on September 29th, 2018, the grapes have been destemmed and gently crushed before bringing them into stainless steel tanks for the alcoholic fermentation. They have spent about four weeks in contact with their skins. This time includes the pre- and post-fermentation maceration, using the traditional submerged cap method. Malolactic fermentation takes place in wood.

Ageing: The wine has been aged for 30 months in large oak casks and, only a small amount, in barriques. It was bottled without filtration.

Description: Deep ruby red colour with garnet nuances. Fascinating and deep on the nose. Notes of hay, cut grass, tobacco, white pepper and a hint of mint. Robust, muscular on the palate, with a taut and mineral finish. The tannins are typical of Serralunga: angular, austere and very deep. Appealing long lingering sweetness on the finish.

Food pairings: Game, red meats, seasoned cheeses.

Produttori del Barbaresco was founded in 1958 and now has 51 members who collectively own approximately 100 hectares of the entire appellation (itself nearly 700 hectares). This wine is a blend from various vineyards in the Barbaresco DOCG's limestone and clay soils, which are rich in calcium with sandy veins. 

95/100 Wine Enthusiast, Kerin O'Keefe

"Underbrush, camphor, cedar and mature dark-skinned fruit aromas come to the forefront along with spicy notes. Full-bodied and firmly structured but also boasting a surprising weightlessness, the palate features dried cherry, steeped prune, licorice and tobacco set against a firm backbone of tightly knit, close-grained tannins. It's still youthfully austere so give it time to fully develop. Drink 2027–2037. " Drink 2027 - 2037

94+/100 Parker's wine Advocate, Monica Larner

"Considering the untimely passing of Renato Vacca in March of 2020, there is a lot of emotion coming back to this wine: It has always been an expression of Barbaresco nostalgia and romanticism, even when its creator was alive and well, working in these vines located directly under his family house. The Cantina del Pino 2017 Barbaresco Ovello bears his winemaking imprint with balance and elegance that never misses a beat. This vintage offers more density and concentration for sure, and the positioning of the Ovello cru overlooking the Tanaro River Valley sets the wine up for open-knit characteristics and suave softness. Those impressions are amplified in this vintage but are not overblown. Some 6,000 bottles were released and you get terrific value in this bottle. The wine is set to hit the market in September 2021." Drink 2023 - 2038

94/100 Vinous, Antonio Galloni

"The 2017 Barbaresco Ovello is a superb effort for the year. Bright, aromatic and effusive, the 2017 is so expressive right out of the bottle. It has the vintage 2017 power found in all the wines here, but also the cut and verve that make Ovello one of the most distinctive sites in all of Barbaresco. It is such a gorgeous wine." Drink 2025 - 2037

"Amazing wine of power," we wrote in our notes after tasting this maverick blend of Nebbiolo, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon from the great Gaja family in Barbaresco, in Piemonte, north west Italy. This wine is produced along biodynamic guidelines and is named after the site of Moresco, hence Sito Moresco; a reference to the previous owner of the vineyard, to whom Angelo Gaja and his daughter, Gaia Gaja both want to pay tribute. 

On the face of things, it can sometimes seem at odds with the strong personalities of both Cabernet Sauvignon and Nebbiolo to blend them both together, but it works in this wine because both get to express themselves, with Merlot adding juicy ripe flavours.

100% Nebbiolo from the commune of Castiglione Falletto where the vines have an average age of between 35 to 50 years and grow at an altitude of 250 to 300 metres on calcareous marl soils facing south west. Vinification is in stainless steel and aging in traditional oak casks. 

Dolcetto is a one of the hidden treasures of Piemonte with its smooth rounded mouthfeel and impressive body and drinkability. This is a deliciously complex example from Dogliani in the region. 

Plantings of this grape declined in the 1990?s in favour of the more expensive, easier to market Barolo and Barberescos. It came down to money, not quality and quietly the wine world mourned. Luckily a few faithful enclaves remained faithful to the grape like in Dogliani just south of Alba.

The wine is jet black in colour with a sumptuous nose of blackberries dusted with exotic spices - fruity with great length and structure.

This fabulous Italian red is old school Barolo with a modern twist; clean, bright and fresh with savoury, earthy flavour notes and a truffly overtone that says Piemonte and Nebbiolo in every lingering sip.

Castellero is a 0.4 hectare vineyard, situated between Bussia and Cannubi, which produces wine full of earthy freshness and flavours of roasted mushrooms, porcini supported by a firm backbone of refreshing floral notes and firm acidity, which provides this wine with its long finish. 

The winemaking is considered traditional. Long macerations of up to 40 days see the wine go through a natural fermentation without added yeast in steel tanks. It was then aged for 30 months in Slavonian oak barrels. It's old school with a modern twist; clean, bright and fresh with savoury, earthy flavour notes and a truffly overtone that says Piemonte and Nebbiolo in every lingering sip.

What the critics say

Wine Enthusiast - 94 points

"Rose, wild berry, baking-spice aromas mingle with whiffs of menthol. Linear and structured, the vibrant palate delivers raspberry, orange zest, cinnamon and tobacco set against tightly knit, refined tannins while bright acidity keeps it balanced and energized. Drink 2024–2036."

Vinious Media - 93+ points

"The 2016 Barolo Castellero captures so much of what makes this site special. Mint, lavender, blood orange, raspberry and chalk notes give he 2016 striking aromatic brightness to play off its translucent, mid-weight feel. A wine of tremendous fascinating complexity, the Castellero will delight readers who enjoy classically-built Barolos. The Castellero is perhaps not quite as deep as the most complete wines in this lineup, but that is really splitting hairs at this level."

James Suckling - 93 points

"Aromas of strawberries and spices and hints of wet earth follow through to a medium body with firm, silky tannins and a long, driven finish, Better after 2022."

Giacomo Fenocchio's winemaking philosophy

Giacomo Fenocchio is regarded as one of the best Barolo producers today. Here's a piece that sums up why he is so highly respected and what makes his wines an authentic expression of Piemonte as a wine region.

"Claudio Fenocchio took over from his father Giacomo in 1989 – probably the moment of greatest pressure to follow the ‘modern’ winemaking path of short fermentations and aging in new barriques. In fact, it’s difficult now to understand how much pressure was exerted – from peers and neighbors, old and young, from the press, importers, customers, and that mysterious thing called “the market”. It took a strong will to resist, and a strong devotion to tradition. Lucky for us that Claudio stuck with the best of tradition – organic farming, long fermentations, and aging in large Slavonian oak casks. Easy for us too, since we get to drink his wines. Here’s a rare group of Fenocchio bottles spanning the generations, and ending with the beautiful 2016s."

From Chalmers Street Wine

Montefico is one of the richer of the Cru wines from Produttori coming from a warm clay soil site. A deep and lush wine that is more forward in its youth but that will still profit from long cellar ageing.

Made entirely from the highly structured, exceptionally age worthy Nebbiolo grape in the small and outstanding wine area of Barbaresco by Produttori del Barbaresco. This highly respected winery cooperative was founded in 1958 and now has 51 members who collectively own approximately 100 hectares of the entire appellation, which means they own approximately a seventh of the appellation. The single vineyard wines, such as this one, are only made in highly rated vintages (all of the grapes go into a blend in other years) and released after four years maturation in the riserva programme. 

All single vineyard cru wines from Produttori del Barbaresco are fermented at 30°C and given 32 days of skin contact time before being pressed in large oak barrels for 36 months of maturation in wood followed by a further nine months aging in bottle, prior to release. 

Fast facts on Barbaresco

Barbaresco as an appellation was created in 1894

Barbaresco was given DOCG status in 1980

This is a small wine production area with approximately 700 hectares of vineyards registered to make Barbaresco – which must be 100% Nebbiolo and made within the same sub region in which the grapes are grown. 

The Ovello site has more clay, and the resulting wines are plump and fruit forward meaning they often drink earlier, as well as being super age worthy too. Classic ripe cherry notes that develop autumnal qualities and  more of the tar and spice that Barbaresco is famous for with age.

Ovello is one of the great red wines of Italy and is made entirely from the great structured red grape, Nebbiolo; exceptional in taste, complexity and its ability to age for at least a decade, evolving into a silky delicious wine over this time. It's made by the Produttori del Barbaresco. This highly respected winery cooperative was founded in 1958 and now has 51 members who collectively own approximately 100 hectares of the entire appellation, which means they own approximately a seventh of the appellation. The single vineyard wines, such as this one, are only made in highly rated vintages (all of the grapes go into a blend in other years) and released after four years maturation in the riserva programme. 

All single vineyard cru wines from Produttori del Barbaresco are fermented at 30°C and given 32 days of skin contact time before being pressed in large oak barrels for 36 months of maturation in wood followed by a further nine months aging in bottle, prior to release. 

Fast facts on Barbaresco

Barbaresco as an appellation was created in 1894

Barbaresco was given DOCG status in 1980

This is a small wine production area with approximately 700 hectares of vineyards registered to make Barbaresco – which must be 100% Nebbiolo and made within the same sub region in which the grapes are grown. 

Rio Sordo is famous for its noble rusticity and silky quality in the mouth thanks to lower calcium levels in the soils of this vineyard. The wine develops gamey mushroom qualities over time that scream out for it to be served with a decent roast beast.

Rio Sordo is one of the great red wines of Italy and is made entirely from the great structured red grape, Nebbiolo; exceptional in taste, complexity and its ability to age for at least a decade, evolving into a silky delicious wine over this time. It's made by the Produttori del Barbaresco. This highly respected winery cooperative was founded in 1958 and now has 51 members who collectively own approximately 100 hectares of the entire appellation, which means they own approximately a seventh of the appellation. The single vineyard wines, such as this one, are only made in highly rated vintages (all of the grapes go into a blend in other years) and released after four years maturation in the riserva programme. 

All single vineyard cru wines from Produttori del Barbaresco are fermented at 30°C and given 32 days of skin contact time before being pressed in large oak barrels for 36 months of maturation in wood followed by a further nine months aging in bottle, prior to release. 

Fast facts on Barbaresco

Barbaresco as an appellation was created in 1894

Barbaresco was given DOCG status in 1980

This is a small wine production area with approximately 700 hectares of vineyards registered to make Barbaresco – which must be 100% Nebbiolo and made within the same sub region in which the grapes are grown.