King of Wines and Wine of Kings

It is often said that making great wine is an art. And when it comes to a wine like Barolo, that is not hyperbole. In fact, as one of the noblest wines of Italy — a land of great art and great wine — Barolo is a masterpiece.

Barolo is a dry red wine with rich and intensely spicy characteristics. Intriguingly, while many great wines are made by blending several varieties of grapes, Barolo is made from only a single variety: Nebbiolo. In a sense, that gives a minimalist quality to this example of winemaking as art; a winemaker producing Barolo is using only one variety of grape but creating a wine as deep and complex as any renowned blend. At the same time, the flavors of Barolo are anything but minimalist. This wine is full-bodied and full-flavored.

Barolo hails from the Langhe district in the region of Piedmont in northwestern Italy. The name Piedmont comes from a Latin phrase meaning “at the foot of the mountains,” and, indeed, Piedmont borders France and Switzerland. You can think about the landscape of Piedmont this way: If you are traveling north, it’s the last place that you’re going to find olive trees; but you will also find hazelnut trees, and with the help of a specially trained hound, you might be able to dig up some white truffles.