Barolo and Barbaresco

Barolo and Barbaresco
The King and Queen of Italian Wine

Following on the success of her books on Brunello di Montalcino, renowned author and wine critic Kerin O’Keefe takes readers on a historic and in-depth journey to discover Barolo and Barbaresco, two of Italy’s most fascinating and storied wines. In this groundbreaking new book, O’Keefe gives a comprehensive overview of the stunning side-by-side growing areas of these two world-class wines that are separated only by the city of Alba and profiles a number of the fiercely individualistic winemakers who create structured yet elegant and complex wines of remarkable depth from Italy’s most noble grape, Nebbiolo.

A masterful narrator of the aristocratic origins of winemaking in this region, O’Keefe gives readers a clear picture of why Barolo is called both the King of Wines and the Wine of Kings. Profiles of key Barolo and Barbaresco villages include fascinating stories of the families, wine producers, and idiosyncratic personalities that have shaped the area and its wines and helped ignite the Quality Wine Revolution that eventually swept through all of Italy.

The book also considers practical factors impacting winemaking in this region, including climate change, destructive use of harsh chemicals in the vineyards versus the gentler treatments used for centuries, the various schools of thought regarding vinification and aging, and expansion and zoning of vineyard areas. Readers will also appreciate a helpful vintage guide to Barolo and Barbaresco and a glossary of useful Italian wine terms.

Contents

List of Illustrations
Preface
Introduction: Barolo and Barbaresco, the Pride of Piedmont
PART ONE
THE PLACE, THE GRAPE, THE HISTORY, AND THE WINE
1 The Ancient Origins of the Langhe Hills
2 Noble Nebbiolo
3 The King of Wines, the Wine of Kings
4 The Barolo Wars and Their Effect on Both Denominations
5 Expansion, Subzones, and the Future of Barolo and Barbaresco
PART TWO
PROFILES OF KEY BAROLO PRODUCERS BY VILLAGE
6 Barolo and Novello
7 Castiglione Falletto
8 Serralunga d’Alba
9 La Morra and Cherasco
10 Monforte d’Alba
11 Verduno, Grinzane Cavour, Roddi, and Diano d’Alba
PART THREE
PROFILES OF KEY BARBARESCO PRODUCERS BY VILLAGE
12 Barbaresco: From Domizio Cavazza to Subzones
13 (Village of) Barbaresco
14 Neive
15 Treiso and San Rocco Seno d’Elvio
16 Wineries in Alba and outside of Barolo/Barbaresco Villages
Appendix A. Vintage Guide to Barolo and Barbaresco
Appendix B. Barolo and Barbaresco at a Glance
Notes
Acknowledgments
Glossary
Bibliography
Index