Vietti Barolo Villero Riserva 2009 750ml

In a word, the 2009 Barolo Riserva Villero is magic. I’m not sure I understand how Luca Currado does it. With his wizard’s wand, he achieves a level of purity and intensity that I have rarely ever seen in Barolo or any other Italian appellation for that matter. The wine is centered and balanced at its core, but its aromas and flavors are absolutely explosive at the same time. The bouquet delivers dark fruit, tobacco, white truffle, balsam herb and grilled rosemary. The tannins are structured with a vein of supple sweetness. This wine undergoes malolactic fermentation in large barrel and is left to develop on the fine lees without racking. It is largely made in reduction to establish that crunchy and firm quality you feel in the mouth. This special Riserva was not made in 2008. However, it was produced in 2007, 2006, 2004, 2001, 1997, 1996, 1990, 1989 and 1982. Luca is planning to make it in 2013, and that’s great news for all.

• Country: Italy
• Region: Piedmont
• Appellation: Barolo
• Size: 750ml
• Color: Red

Varietal

Nebbiolo

The Nebbiolo grape varietal is widely understood to be the fruit responsible for Italy’s finest aged wines. However, its popularity and reliability as a grape which gives out outstanding flavors and aromas has led it to be planted in many countries around the world, with much success. These purple grapes are distinguishable by the fact that they take on a milky dust as they begin to reach maturity, leading many to claim that this is the reason for their unusual name, which means ‘fog’ in Italian. Nebbiolo grapes produce wines which have a wide range of beautiful and fascinating flavors, the most common of which are rich, dark and complex, such as violet, truffle, tobacco and prunes. They are generally aged for many years to balance out their characteristics, as their natural tannin levels tend to be very high.