The Great Red Reds of the Langhe: Barolo and Barbaresco
Get your glasses ready: we are going to talk about two of our most beautiful and inclusive packages, those packages that stimulate all five senses and you wish they would never end: the Barolo Langhe tour and the Barbaresco tour, or the great reds Barolo and Barbaresco with lunch and tastings included.
Let’s start by talking about these two wines, as famous as they are good. Not many wines are named after the commune of origin, and in fact, they can be counted on the fingers of one hand: Barolo, Barbaresco, Soave, and Bardolino. This rare characteristic, however, underscores the solid and deep adherence these wines have to their territory of origin.
Barolo
Barolo, also known as ” the king of wines and wine of kings,” is a fine wine of very ancient origins; the regulations require that it be made only from 100% Nebbiolo grapes and aged for at least three years including 18 months in large wooden barrels; after five years of aging, it becomes Barolo Riserva. Barolo remains one of Piedmont’s finest wines, challenging to mistake as it has almost unique characteristics.
The color, for example, is a transparent ruby red that turns to orange as it ages; Barolo boasts an unmistakable bouquet, rich in small red fruits such as raspberries and black currants, cherries, dried flowers but also spices such as cinnamon, tobacco, and vanilla. In the bouquet, the vital link that the wine has with the territory emerges; in fact, it is possible to recognize the scents of typical Langhe products, such as hazelnuts and truffles. On the palate, you can immediately perceive a robust tannic structure typical of the limestone-clay soils of the Langhe; a remarkable persistence will envelop the mouth already after the first sip.
There are 11 communes that can produce Barolo: Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Cherasco, Diano d’Alba, Grinzane Cavour, La Morra, Monforte d’Alba, Novello, Serralunga d’Alba and Verduno.
Barolo wineries
The Langhe region is best known for its superb red wines. Probably the best-known red wine is Barolo, a wine made from Nebbiolo grapes from the charming town of Barolo, located southwest of Alba in the Apennine Mountains.
Although it is not nearly the most commonly produced (red) wine in Piedmont, it is the most famous in the region.
Suppose you want to discover the best Barolo winery. In that case, we at Slowdays offer visits to small, family-run Barolo wineries where you can taste at least four wines, including Barolo. Thus, Barolo winery visits could be the must-do start of any self-respecting Piedmont wine tour.
Barbaresco
Barbaresco, another all-Langarola wonder. Just like Barolo, Barbaresco can be made only from Nebbiolo grapes and must age 62 months, 18 of which in wooden barrels. The peak of Barbaresco Riserva, however, aging is 50 months, 9 of which are in the wood.
The color is The main characteristics of this wine are its essential structure and great capacity to evolve over the years. Garnet red with reflections toward orange; Barbaresco boasts an ethereal and pleasant bouquet with strong hints of violet or rose. AbringOn the palate, there is a dry, full, robust but velvety and harmonious wine; very persistent and with a remarkable tannic structure. Aging brings more complex hints of earth, herbs, truffle, and licorice, typical of the Langhe hills.
Barbaresco can be produced in only three communes: Barbaresco, Neive, Treiso, and a hamlet of San Rocco bordering the town of Alba.
Barbaresco Wineries
Another renowned red wine produced from Nebbiolo grapes in the Piedmont Langhe is Barbaresco. This distinctive type of wine comes from, you guessed it, the town of Barbaresco, which is located northeast of Alba, also in the beautiful mountainous area.
Barbaresco wineries are among the best wineries to visit in Piedmont because of their unique variety of Nebbiolo red wine.
Barolo and Barbaresco are cornerstones of the Langhe wine industry, promoters of its worldwide fame and notoriety. Yet, surprisingly, they account for just 3 percent of the region’s total wine production. The fact that these little reds are so famous is a testament to their extraordinary quality.
Barolo Barbaresco and gastronomy
