Giacomo Fenocchio Barolo Castellero DOCG 2019 0

This fabulous Italian red is old school Barolo with a modern twist; clean, bright and fresh with savoury, earthy flavour notes and a truffly overtone that says Piemonte and Nebbiolo in every lingering sip.

Castellero is a 0.4 hectare vineyard, situated between Bussia and Cannubi, which produces wine full of earthy freshness and flavours of roasted mushrooms, porcini supported by a firm backbone of refreshing floral notes and firm acidity, which provides this wine with its long finish. 

The winemaking is considered traditional. Long macerations of up to 40 days see the wine go through a natural fermentation without added yeast in steel tanks. It was then aged for 30 months in Slavonian oak barrels. It’s old school with a modern twist; clean, bright and fresh with savoury, earthy flavour notes and a truffly overtone that says Piemonte and Nebbiolo in every lingering sip.

What the critics say

Wine Enthusiast – 94 points

“Rose, wild berry, baking-spice aromas mingle with whiffs of menthol. Linear and structured, the vibrant palate delivers raspberry, orange zest, cinnamon and tobacco set against tightly knit, refined tannins while bright acidity keeps it balanced and energized. Drink 2024?2036.”

Vinious Media – 93+ points

“The 2016 Barolo Castellero captures so much of what makes this site special. Mint, lavender, blood orange, raspberry and chalk notes give he 2016 striking aromatic brightness to play off its translucent, mid-weight feel. A wine of tremendous fascinating complexity, the Castellero will delight readers who enjoy classically-built Barolos. The Castellero is perhaps not quite as deep as the most complete wines in this lineup, but that is really splitting hairs at this level.”

James Suckling – 93 points

“Aromas of strawberries and spices and hints of wet earth follow through to a medium body with firm, silky tannins and a long, driven finish, Better after 2022.”

Giacomo Fenocchio’s winemaking philosophy

Giacomo Fenocchio is regarded as one of the best Barolo producers today. Here’s a piece that sums up why he is so highly respected and what makes his wines an authentic expression of Piemonte as a wine region.

“Claudio Fenocchio took over from his father Giacomo in 1989 ? probably the moment of greatest pressure to follow the ?modern? winemaking path of short fermentations and aging in new barriques. In fact, it?s difficult now to understand how much pressure was exerted ? from peers and neighbors, old and young, from the press, importers, customers, and that mysterious thing called ?the market?. It took a strong will to resist, and a strong devotion to tradition. Lucky for us that Claudio stuck with the best of tradition ? organic farming, long fermentations, and aging in large Slavonian oak casks. Easy for us too, since we get to drink his wines. Here?s a rare group of Fenocchio bottles spanning the generations, and ending with the beautiful 2016s.”

From Chalmers Street Wine