Cascina Fontana Castiglione Falletto Barolo 2021

Cascina Fontana farms in Castiglione Falletto, one of the central villages of the DOCG Barolo in Piedmont, where the Fontana family has vinified for six generations under Mario Fontana. The vineyards sit on the blue-grey calcareous marl of the commune, soils that lend Barolo its aromatic lift and tight structure. Nebbiolo here is a late ripener with naturally high tannin and acidity, and Cascina Fontana follows a traditional path, with a long maceration on the skins to draw colour and phenolics, then extended ageing in large old casks. That slow contact with air rounds the tannin and develops tertiary character while leaving the fruit clear, since the old wood adds little flavour of its own. The colour is garnet turning brick at the rim. The nose moves through red cherry, dried rose, tar, tobacco and forest floor, and the palate is full and firmly tannic, framed by high acidity that carries a long savoury finish of liquorice and leather. This is a wine to cellar, or to decant well ahead. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees with braised beef, game or truffle dishes.