About this wine
Vineyard and terroir
The wine comes from a 0.7 ha estate-owned vineyard on the Cannubi hill in Barolo, beginning at 300 m above sea level and facing south to southwest. Cannubi combines Tortonian and Helvetian geological formations, with a substantial sandy component that contributes to the wine’s harmonious character. The 2010 technical sheet identifies the soil more specifically as calcareous-sandy Sant’Agata Fossili marls of Tertiary–Miocene origin.
Vineyard work includes short winter pruning, tying and spring shoot thinning. Production is reduced by removing excess bunches after fruit set, followed by strict selection and sorting at harvest. These operations are performed manually. The estate entered organic conversion in 2011.
Grapes
Nebbiolo, specifically the Michet and Lampia subvarieties, grown in the Cannubi vineyard.
Vinification
For the 2010 vintage, alcoholic fermentation took place with a floating cap in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks. Frequent pump-overs and punch-downs were used during fermentation. Vinification was carried out in the estate’s cellars in Barolo.
Ageing
The standard élevage comprises at least two years in oak followed by approximately one year in bottle. The 2010 matured in lightly toasted 2,000-litre French oak vessels, 30% of them new, and received one year of bottle ageing. It was bottled on 19 September 2013. The estate applied the same vinification and maturation approach to its three Barolos so that their different vineyard and climatic identities would remain clearly expressed.
Technical data
For the 2010 vintage:
- Alcohol: 14.79% vol.
- Total acidity: 6.10 g/L
- pH: 3.63
- Dry extract: 30.1 g/L
- Total sulfur dioxide: 73 mg/L
- Production: 3,700 bottles of 750 ml and 150 magnums of 1.5 L
Tasting profile
Clear, lively garnet red. The nose is ethereal and persistent, combining floral and fruit notes. The broader Cannubi profile includes ripe cherry and plum, sweet spices, mint and eucalyptus. The palate is dry, savory and harmonious: warm and powerful yet elegant, full-bodied, softly textured but austere, with firm yet supple tannins and a long, tannin-driven finish.
Serving and pairing
Pair with feathered or furred game, braised meat, jugged hare, mature cheeses and truffle-based dishes. It can also be enjoyed on its own as a contemplative wine.
Vintage notes
The 2010 growing season began with a particularly long winter, delaying budbreak and the subsequent phenological stages. Abundant rain increased fungal-disease pressure and slowed ripening, requiring close monitoring, timely vineyard work and crop thinning. Harvest timing was selected to secure fully mature fruit.
September began with summer-like weather, followed by temperatures as low as 4.5°C and rain late in the month; 23–24 September were notably hot and dry. Harvest in Cannubi began on 30 September. Warm, nearly summery conditions returned at the beginning of October, and the harvested grapes were judged to be in excellent condition.