Barolo (2017)

About this wine

The 2017 Barolo from Marchesi di Barolo is made from 100 percent Nebbiolo and shows a deep garnet color with ruby reflections. On the nose it opens to rose and wild red berry, followed by baking spice, tobacco and toasted hazelnut. The palate is full and structured with firm but refined tannins and a savory core of marasca cherry, raspberry compote and a touch of anise. Oak aging contributes subtle vanilla and cocoa notes while leaving the wine balanced and long. The wine is bottled at about 14 percent alcohol and is produced from hillside vineyards in the Barolo zone, a DOCG wine from a historic Piedmont estate.

About the grape

Nebbiolo is the sole grape of Barolo, an ancient Piedmontese variety that likely originated in the Langhe and is prized for late ripening and thick skins, which require long hang time and careful canopy work. In Marchisio wines Nebbiolo is grown on calcareous marl and sandy alluvial soils, with vineyards Guyot trained at roughly 280 metres in nearby Castellinaldo and other Langhe sites to manage vigour and promote even ripening. The estate uses organic and biodynamic practices and treats parcels separately so Nebbiolo from different exposures and soils can be blended for balance or bottled with single cru designation. For the 2017 bottling this focus on site selection and traditional training allowed the Nebbiolo to provide structure and ageing potential typical of Barolo production.

Quick facts

• 🍷 Barolo Marchisio 2017 is a true 100% Nebbiolo Barolo, made to the strict DOCG rule so every bottle is pure Nebbiolo expression.
• 🏡 Marchisio is a family estate from Castellinaldo d’Alba in the Roero hills, so this Barolo comes from a producer better known for Roero wines rather than being a long-established Barolo house.
• 🫙 The Marchisio team uses amphora and large neutral vessels across their range, a surprising ancient-clay touch that some of their Nebbiolo wines (and winemaking style) reflect.
• ☀️ The 2017 vintage was notably hot and early across Piedmont, yet this Barolo year is praised for producing ripe concentrated fruit while keeping an unexpected freshness and vivid aromatics.
• 🌱 The Marchisio family helped revive native Piedmont varieties elsewhere — they were early adopters of Arneis in 1977 — a quirky historical footnote that shows their commitment to local grape heritage behind wines like this Barolo.

Palate profile

Producer

Cascina del Pozzo, located in Castellinaldo d'Alba, Italy, has been a family-run winery for over a century. Founded in the early 1900s by Giacomo Marchisio, the estate has been passed down through five generations, each contributing to its growth and reputation. In 1983, the winery moved to its current location, known as the 'well vineyard,' where it continues to produce quality wines. Today, the Marchisio family manages 22 hectares of vineyards, emphasizing respect for nature and tradition in their winemaking process.