Barolo Riserva 'Briccolina' Enrico Serafino 2016

The Barolo Riserva 'Briccolina' is one of the most prestigious labels from Enrico Serafino's cellar. Although the winery is located in Canale d'Alba, in the lands of the Roero, as it has been producing Barolo for more than 140 years, it has acquired the historic right to make wine also outside the appellation area. The Briccolina Cru of Serralunga d'Alba has always been famous for expressing great wines, intense, structured, elegant and very long-lived, which in the Riserva version reach qualitative peaks of absolute level. It is a great Barolo, reserved for the finest connoisseurs and to be enjoyed on a special occasion, paired with braised meats, stews or stewed game.

'Briccolina' is the Barolo Riserva from a winery that owns highly prized plots in the famous appellation. Enrico Serafino's estate manages a number of vineyards in Serralunga d'Alba, Monforte and La Morra under sustainable agriculture. Its wines are a faithful reflection of tradition and are made in a classic style. The vineyard located in the cru Briccolina is 80 years old and enjoys a sunny south, south-west exposure. The soils are composed of limestone-clay marls. After manual harvesting, the bunches are further sorted in the cellar on the vibrating table and cooled with carbonic snow in order to avert the danger of undesirable oxidation. The grapes are then destemmed and a second selection is made. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks and in truncated conical wooden vats with temperature control and about one month's maceration on the skins with periodic délestage. The wine matures for 28 months in medium-sized oak barrels.

Enrico Serafino's Riserva Barolo 'Briccolina' is a great red, which brings out the best characteristics of the Nebbiolo of Serralunga d'Alba. To the eye, it is a luminous ruby red with garnet-coloured reflections. The bouquet is intense and elegant, with aromas of morello cherry, redcurrant, floral hints of violets and dried flowers, notes of medicinal herbs, undergrowth, liquorice root, blond tobacco and delicate spices. With a good structure, it displays a dense and ripe tannic texture, well integrated with an aromatic facet of great finesse and depth of flavour. The finish is very long, fresh and harmonious.