Fiorenzo Dogliani of Beni di Batasiolo and his "Cru" vineyard Barolos

Just whisper “Barolo” and it conjures up visions of terraced vineyards in the fog-shrouded hills of Piedmont, where the red Nebbiolo wine produced here casts a spell upon those lucky enough to taste one at its prime.  Perhaps Italy’s most iconic wine, it is known as the “wine of kings and the king of wines”, a nod to its historical roots and elegant palate.  Full-bodied, with high acidity and powerful tannins, its transparent ruby garnet color reveals a deeply complex wine.  Only produced in the Langhe area, within 11 villages, Barolo is a mesmerizing wine that requires time for its beauty to unfurl.  For those who produce it, it necessitates patience, a deep bond to the land, and an understanding of the myriad factors of a vintage year that make Barolo wines mystical and enchanting.

Batasiolo winery and cellar, Courtesy of Beni di Batasiolo

The Dogliani family has spent three generations farming these lands, and refining their Barolo wine offerings, originally under the Fratelli dei Dogliani banner.  But in 1978, the family wine business acquired more vineyard land, the historic Kiola Winery and Batasiolo Hills, and renamed the winery as “Batasiolo”, referring to the hill behind the estate cellar and winery.  Today, Fiorenzo Dogliani runs Beni di Batasiolo, “beni” translating to estates, of which they have nine in the Langhe.  Over 320 acres of vineyards, encompassing five Barolo “Cru” vineyards, yield a fascinating portfolio of wine.

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Fiorenzo Dogliani and the wines of Batasiolo, Courtesy of Beni di Batasiolo

Dogliani has channeled his love of viticulture into a powerhouse of vino, one that has received many accolades.  Since the age of 8, Dogliani has worked in every aspect of winegrowing and winemaking, eventually becoming Barolo’s fiercest champion.  For decades, he promoted their Barolo wines to restaurants within Italy and later travelled the world as an ambassador for Barolo and Italian wines.  Dogliani has made Batasiolo into one of Piedmont’s most renowned wineries, producing over 4 million bottles each year.  Today, Batasiolo has achieved world-wide recognition, and is sold in over 72 countries.  Quite an accomplishment for Dogliani, considering that in the 1970’s, farmers in the Langhe left because they didn’t want to farm, there was no reward, but Dogliani stayed, it became his passion and his destiny.

Briccolina cru vineyard, Courtesy of Beni di Batasiolo

Brunate cru vineyard, Courtesy of Beni di Batasiolo

Bussia Bofani cru vineyard, Courtesy of Beni di Batasiolo

Cerequio cru vineyard, Courtesy of Beni di Batasiolo

Batasiolo is blessed with five Barolo cru vineyards, Boscareto, Brunate, Bussia Bofani, Cerequio, and Briccolina.  Prized for their excellence, their essence comes from the two distinct soils of Barolo, which imparts very different styles.  The younger Tortonian soils found in La Morra and Barolo, comprised of clay, chalk and limestone, and magnesium and manganese deposits, yield a softer style, perfumed, richer, less tannic, lighter and more accessible,.  The older Serravalliano/Helvetian soils in Serralunga d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto and Monforte d’Alba, composed of chalk, limestone, and sand, with iron and phosphorous in the mix, produce more powerful and intense wines, austere yet elegant with more color, body and structure, simply a bolder style.

Batasiolo cellar, Courtesy of Beni di Batasiolo

Batasiolo blends the traditional and modern approach to their winemaking.  Seeking out the best technology and innovation, all of their Barolo wines are produced in the same fashion, the grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed and fermented on their skins for 10-12 days, with periodic pumpovers.  Then the juice is aged in large 10,000L Slavonian oak casks for at least two years, then another year in stainless steel, while the aging continues in bottle until the wines are released.

And what is it about Barolo that is so beguiling and bewitching?  Barolo, distinctive in its complex expression of the Nebbiolo grape, haunts your sense memory with its elegant floral and anise aromas and extreme structure.  Robust in its acidity, alcohol and tannins, it’s often described as “tar and roses”, with aromas and flavors that embrace raspberry, red cherry, roses, licorice, allspice, potpourri, truffles, and cocoa.  Yet the pale garnet color of Barolo is deceptive, for the tannins are intense, requiring time to soften and integrate.  Because of this structure, Barolo is best appreciated with food, and should be savored with rich dishes such as meat and game, truffle pastas, risotto and strong cheeses

Fiorenzo Dogliani and his wife, Export Manager Paola Marrai

Continuing his mission of spreading the word about the joy of Nebbiolo, Dogliani recently came to Los Angeles, sharing Batasiolo’s wines and story with wine writers at Angelini Osteria.  He was accompanied by his wife, Paola Marrai, Export Manager, and Ricardo March, Vice President of North America Imports.  Marrai is passionate about the wines and the region, so much so that she became a sommelier, focusing on the wines of Alba.  She is a fitting partner to Dogliani’s drive, continually on message with the evolution of Barolo today.

Vice President of North America Imports Ricardo March and Fiorenzo Dogliani

Over eight wines and a family-style lunch, the 2013 vintage was explored in detail, over the five cru Barolos, with comparison to the 2012 Riserva and mature 1996 vintage.  Dogliani chose 2013, as it was a late harvest for Nebbiolo that year, with warm weather allowing the phenolic profile to fully develop, which perfectly showed off the differences in the single vineyard wines.  He feels that 2013 will age beautifully, expecting a very long life for these wines, up to thirty years and maybe beyond.

​The tasting began with the Batasiolo Gavi del Commune di Gavi Granée DOCG 2021, a bright, vibrant white wine perfect for appetizers and fish.  Refreshing with notes of citrus fruit and white flowers, it has a bit of roundness due to lees aging, with bitter almond on the finish, a great way to start a meal.

Next up, the dance of the Barolos, with a comparison of the first three crus poured, paired with a Pizza Bianca, topped with shaved white truffles, a classic of the region and their signature ingredient.  As explained by March, the white truffle is rare and as special as an excellent Barolo Cru wine.  Conditions have to be just right for both to reach their peak, but they are not in sync.  Truffles are found attached to the roots of oak trees in the forests, and need lots of rain to grow, whereas too much rain is not good for the Nebbiolo vines, and making wine.  The essence of white truffles lasts only 12 days from harvest, but Barolo requires years of slow aging to reach its peak.  Yet, when the two come together in a meal, it’s magical.

First, the Batasiolo Barolo DOCG Bussia Vigneto Bofani 2013, grown in Monforte d’Alba.  An intensely aromatic wine, with aromas of berries, flowers, spice, nuts and jam, its full body is alive with balanced acidity and tannins, and a licorice note on the finish.  Second, the Batasiolo Barolo DOCG Brunate 2013, grown in La Morra.  Another intense wine, with aromas of roses and spice, supple with flavors of stewed prunes and nuts, ending with a long finish.  Third, the Batasiolo Barolo DOCG Cerequio 2013, grown in La Morra.  This was my very favorite, so aromatically complex, flowers, spice, licorice, and eucalyptus notes, and beautifully integrated, a powerful wine that is ethereal in nature, yet lighter in style, perfumed and velvety.

​Pouring the next set of wines, the Batasiolo Barolo DOCG Riserva 2012 is a blend of Barolo and Serralunga d’Alba fruit.  Truly the nectar of the gods, it has a stunningly beautiful melded profile, mature notes of dried fruit, flowers, and jam, definitely the acidity and tannins are in harmony, the angels sing!  Next, the Batasiolo Barolo DOCG Boscareto 2013, grown in Serralunga d’Alba.  According to March, this is the most traditional version of Barolo they produce, bold and structured, with fruit, dried flowers, rose, spice and leather, ending on a more austere note.  Then, the Batasiolo Barolo DOCG Briccolina 2013, grown in Serralunga d’Alba.  Powerful and elegant, with intense aromas of ripe fruit, flowers, spice and wood, this wine is aged in French oak barriques instead of the larger Slavonian oak casks.  Another beautiful Barolo!  Finally, a glimpse of the future of these wines, a chance to taste a fully mature Barolo, the Batasiolo Barolo DOCG Vigneto Corda della Briccolina 1996, still powerful and alive, its smoother and more subtle, an example of the exceptionally long life of Briccolina wines.

​If you’ve ever tasted a wine that grips your imagination and colors your palate for the rest of your life, you’ve experienced an epiphany, a wine that makes you understand what all the hype is about.  Barolo is one of those wines, distinctive in its complex expression of the Nebbiolo grape, an enigma that is not easy to define but so very alluring.  For US consumers, we are beginning to appreciate what Nebbiolo can bring to the table, and Barolo seems to be the gold standard.  Batasiolo and its impressive collection of single vineyard Barolo wines will captivate wine lovers, as their elegance, evolution and long life truly earns their nickname, the "King of Wines".