Barolo Chinato is a fortified wine which was traditionally drunk for medicinal purposes to guard against fevers and stomach upsets, but also gifted as a sign of hospitality. Today it is more commonly used as a digestif and is a wonderful way to round off a meal, as well as being unbeatable with dark chocolate. Cocchi's Barolo Chinato still follows the traditional recipe: Barolo DOCG wine (100% Nebbiolo) is infused with the bark of the Calissaja Quinine tree, rhubarb roots and cardamom seeds as well as a secret blend of herbs and spices before being laid down for lengthy maturation. The first thing you notice is the complexity, your nose picking up bitter and honeyed characteristics at the same time. Roasted orange peel, cloves, cherries, eucalyptus and dried figs are all present. These flavors evolve on the palate into a battle of bitter versus sweet characters that coat your tongue; rhubarb, date, sultana, cloves, Five Spice and orange bitters are all present to give a lovely warm mouthfeel. An incredibly long, intense finish that is both dry and sweet and will leave your mouth watering for more. 50cl, ABV 16,5% Serving Temperature 16-18? Source: www.cocchi.it

This Langhe Nebbiolo offers a great opportunity to get up close and personal with one of the world's great (and one of the trickiest) red grapes. Concentration of flavour and fresh acidity with earthy darkness and flavour interest all make this wine a winner - and, we think, one that offers stunning value for money as a great introduction what the superlative Nebbiolo grape is all about.

Claudio Fenocchio is the fifth generation of winemakers in the family and succeeded his father Giacomo in running the family business in 1989, triggering debate about modernist versus traditionalists in Barolo. Claudio's approach is different yet again; radical traditionalism. His aim is to make wines that are approachable in youth rather than austere but can also age impressively with time in the bottle.

Delicate but powerful full bodied red made from Nebbiolo grown in the mountains in north west Italy. This is a stunning wine made in small volumes and imported in even lower volumes. 

If you love Italian wines, this is a must buy.

Rabaja is located at the junction of the two main ridges that form the Barbaresco village, where two different soil types collide; one is calcium poor and yet more fertile, the other is calcium rich. It is the meeting of these two soil types and the site’s warmth due to its south/west exposure that results in the richness and complexity the wine is famous for.

We have just 12 bottles of this outstanding and long awaited Barbaresco from Rabaja, one of the great vineyards dedicated entirely to the Nebbiolo grape, a 3.7 hectare, south west facing slice of calcareous limestone land, with sandy veins. 

Hand picked grapes are fermented at 30°C, given 28 days of skin contact time and malolactic prior to aging for 36 months in large oak barrels followed by 12 months in bottle before release. 

This wine can age for 20 years from the vintage.

The Rabaja vineyards owners are Antona, Arossa, Bianco, Casetta, Lembo, Lignana, Manzone, Vacca, and Vezza. 

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. 

A lovely wine crafted mainly from Barbera but also with Dolcetto and Nebbiolo. Made with temperature controlled fermentation with indigenous yeasts and 10 to 15 days maceration exclusively in stainless steel tanks. Each component is vinified separately and then blended before bottling, based on the vintage.

This is an elegant medium to light bodied wine with a a fruit forward core balanced by lovely savoury elements and racy acidity.

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

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. 

A classically modern rendition of Barolo - arguably Italy's most famous wine. Orange hued cherry colour, complex wine with tar, cherry, earth, red currants and leather, bold ripe tannins, good structure.

Casa Vinicola Abbazia winery is located in Santo Stefano Belbo, a small town between Langhe Monferrato and Roero in Piedmont, North-western Italy. The winery was established in 1848, adjacent to an ancient Abbey built in 1028, in honour of Saint Gaudentius, the hermit saint who, around the 6th century, retired to the surrounding mountains to live a life of silence and prayer.

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 matu

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

Paje 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. 

Pora is located in a warm and fertile site on a beautiful hillside with west and south exposures nearer to the valley floor. The resulting style is generous with ripe velvety tannins and a certain smoothness.

We have secured small volumes of this age worthy, complex Barbaresco, which comes from the Pora Vineyard, one of nine single vineyard cru Barbarescos made only the best vintages by Produttori del Barbaresco. This wine is full bodied, bone dry and super concentrated with earthy, mushroom aromas tempered by rose petals and delicate red floral aromas. It's produced by one of Italy's and the world's highest quality minded wine cooperatives, which has 51 members who collectively own approximately 100 of the nearly 700 hectares in this appellation in Piemonte, north west Italy.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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.

What the critics say

"Woodland-berry, new leather, camphor and fragrant blue-flower aromas align in the glass. Showing youthful tension and depth, the palate is still immaturely austere but delivers juicy cherry, raspberry and licorice alongside firm, refined tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it well balanced. Drink 2024–2041." 

96 points
Wine Enthusiast

"The Villero cru is quickly gaining in prestige and celebrity. The 2016 Barolo Villero raises the bar on this group of new releases from Giacomo Fenocchio. If some of the other Baroli are slightly muddled in aromas, this wine shows a greater degree of focus and precision. You are aware of clear aromas of black fruit, plum, spice, leather and cured tobacco. The tannins are textured but integrated into the rich fiber of this vintage."  

92 points
Robert Parker Wine Advocate

Giacomo Fenocchio's winemaking philosophy

"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 Chambers Street Wines