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Wine Anorak: Azienda Agricola Giovanni Rosso is a family-owned 12 hectare estate located in Serralunga d'Alba, in the eastern side of Barolo. The family have owned their vineyards since the end of the 19th century, but have only been making wines under their own label since 1995.
Talented young-ish winegrower Davide Rosso is at the helm. He has experience working in Burgundy with the likes of Domaine Jean Grivot and Denis Mortet, and takes a refreshingly natural approach is taken in both the vineyard and winery. Although there is no certification, the seven parcels of vines are managed organically with no pesticides or herbicides. They cover some special terroirs, including the limestone-rich La Serra and clay-rich Cerreta.
Traditional winemaking practices bring out the best of these terroirs. Fermentation is with wild yeasts, and takes place in cement tanks without temperature control. The élévage is in large botte (big 5000 litre barrels) although these are made of French oak rather than the traditional Slavonian.
While this isn’t one of the best known Barolo estates, it is one of the best, and I really appreciate this traditional style, allowing the beauty of the Nebbiolo grape to express a real sense of place. I was particularly impressed by the less expensive Serralunga bottling, which combines grapes from five separate crus, vinified separately and blended together.
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