Today’s Story: Vietti
Vietti was established in the late 1800s by Carlo Vietti in Castiglione Falletto, a small village within the Piedmont region of Italy. Throughout its history, Vietti passed from generation to generation and today its guides Luca Currado Vietti and his wife Elena make up the family’s fourth of winemaking. Though Krause Holdings acquired the Vietti estate in 2016, Luca and Elena maintain their familial approach to winemaking and the acquisition allowed them to expand vineyard holdings with a number of prized crus. I would be remiss, however, to skip the 1960s-1970s when discussing Vietti since the estate entered somewhat of a turning point under Luca’s parents Luciana Vietti and winemaker/art connoisseur Alfredo Currado. Alfredo’s contributions include one of the first Barolo crus (Rocche di Castiglione in 1961), single varietal vinification of Arneis in 1967, and the Artist Labels in 1974. The idea for Vietti Artist Labels spawned from an evening and bottle of wine Alfred shared with a group of friends (some of whom were artists) who declared that spectacular wines like the Barolo Rocche they were drinking deserved unique labels designed by artists. Since that evening, certain wine bottlings are adorned with original works of lithographs, xylographies, etchings, silkscreens, and linocuts inspired by a particular wine in a particular vintage and are only used once. Since the 1982 Barolo Villero, all Artist Labels are dedicated to wines exclusively grown in that vineyard.
Today’s Wine: 2015 Barolo Castiglione
100% Nebbiolo; 14.5% ABV
The 2015 Castiglione is pale to medium garnet in color and moderately transparent. I double-decanted this and then let it open up for about an hour, and this needs every bit of air in its youth. The nose showcases aromas of baked cherry, dried strawberry, orange zest, licorice, mint, scorched earth, truffle, tar, and oak. There’s also a bit of heat that will blow off with air or further aging. On the palate, I get notes of bing cherry, black raspberry, stemmy wild strawberry, earthy mushroom, tobacco, rocky soil, bitter dark chocolate, dried green underbrush, and charred oak. This wine is medium- to full-bodied with high acidity, high tannins, and a long finish. Give this 5 more years of bottle age and drink it over the following decade.
Price: $48. This is an outstanding value for well-made, textbook Barolo. If you buy this now give it plenty of air, though this is a great addition for your cellar at an everyday price-point. Pair this with venison steak, bistecca alla fiorentina, white Alba truffles, or assorted cheeses and charcuterie.
JB's Wine Talk 