Giovanni Rosso Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba 2021

The Rosso family has farmed in Serralunga d'Alba, in Piedmont's Barolo zone, for over a century, and Davide Rosso now leads the estate. This is a Barolo DOCG made entirely from Nebbiolo, the noble red grape of the region. Serralunga is known for pale, chalky, limestone-rich soils that give some of Barolo's most structured and long-lived wines, well suited to extended ageing in barrel. The local climate, with warm days and cool nights through a long ripening season, holds Nebbiolo's high acidity and firm tannin while developing its aromatics. The wine is organically farmed and aged for 18 months in large oak foudres, a traditional choice that allows slow, gentle oxygen exchange to round the tannin while adding little overt oak flavour, preserving the grape's transparency. Nebbiolo is light in colour but powerful in structure, so expect a pale garnet wine with a nose of red cherry, rose, tar and dried herbs over leather and tobacco. The palate is full and firmly tannic, with bright acidity and a long, savoury finish that reflects the chalky site. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees and decant for an hour or more. It is made for rich, savoury meats.