2015 Principiano Ferdinando Barolo Serralunga

A particularly tricky grape, Nebbiolo thrives in few locations in the world but has garnered great fame and success in Barolo. It has been used to make Italian wines since the 13th century and is often compared to the wines of Bordeaux for their great complexity and longevity and referred to as the 'Wine of Kings'. Barolo also has several subregions referred to as crus used to denote the best vineyard sites that allow the full development of this slow ripening varietal. Serralunga is considered one of the top five crus and is where Ferdinando Principiano's 3.5 hectars of 25-year-old Nebbiolo vines are cultivated using entirely organic farming practices.

Located just half a mile away from the legendary producer, Giacomo Conterno, whose Barolos can retail for over $1,000 a bottle. Ferdinando's style of winemaking is completely natural while still showcasing exceptional elegance and the classic terroir of Barolo. Serralunga is located in eastern Barolo, the soils are rich in limestone and marl, which gives the wines depth, structure, and minerality. Handpicked whole-clusters are pressed by foot and fermented without sulfur to give suppleness to the fruit. Spontaneous fermentation, with maceration on skins for 25-30 days is essential to the classic, bold tannic style Barolo is famous for. These wines need at least 7-8 years before they're ready to drink but can benefit even further from up to 15-20 years in the bottle.

The 2015 vintage in Barolo received a rating of 95 points from Wine Spectator. James Suckling singled out the wines from 2015 Barolo for their combination of power and elegance and described them as an absolute thrill to taste. 

Aging: 24 Months in Slavonian oak