About this wine
Vinification
Made from dry red Barolo wine flavoured with cinchona bark, cardamom seeds, rhubarb and gentian root. The herbs, roots, seeds and bark are macerated slowly in high-proof alcohol at room temperature to extract their aromas and flavours.
Ageing
Matured for almost one year in oak barrels.
Tasting profile
Balanced bittersweet taste.
Label / history
An aromatized wine that originated in Piedmont in the last century. Giulio Cocchi invented this original recipe and played a leading role in popularising Barolo "Chinato". Its bittersweet balance and the reputation of Barolo helped it spread around the world and earn a higher standing than similar drinks made with cinchona bark.
In Italy the wine was once considered therapeutic because of the medicinal effects associated with quinine. A cinchona bark infusion was a traditional Piedmontese remedy for minor ailments, particularly colds. Warmed red wine with cinchona was lively and invigorating, and was believed to reduce fever and aid digestion. Serving warm red wine at the end of a meal became an important tradition of generous hospitality among Piedmontese farmers. The way the wine is enjoyed has changed over time, and with renewed interest in tradition and natural products it has been rediscovered in new styles.
