Barolo ‘San Lorenzo di Verduno’

HISTORY  At the northern edge of the Barolo zone, the sun-bleached, sandstone homes in the village of Verduno glow in the soft morning light. A cool breeze from the river Tanaro rustles the leaves of oak trees that border south-facing vineyards, soaking up the sun’s early rays.

 

The Alessandria family since the mid-19th century has called this gentle landscape home. In 1870, when the family first established their farm, calling it Fratelli Alessandria, Verduno was the center of Barolo winemaking—it was here where families first crafted dry Nebbiolo wines in the style we know today, and also bottled wines individually instead of shipping in cask. Because of this, the village was internationally recognized as the face of Barolo and sought out by collectors across the European continent.

Today Verduno is experiencing a renaissance, and it is the “brothers” Alessandria who are guiding the wines of Verduno back to the heights they once held. It is of course a family affair—the brothers Gian Battista and Alessandro, and Alessandro’s son, Vittore, are the stewards of this generations-old estate.

What Verduno gives is exactly what we crave in our Barolo wines: complexity without heaviness, structure with finesse. The Alessandria family provides a “mirror to the landscape,” Vittore says, respecting the history of their forefathers yet “looking ahead” to ensure that what’s in each bottle reflects the true essence of Barolo from Verduno.

 

VINEYARDS & WINEMAKING  The family’s 30 acres of vineyards are located in Verduno and Monforte d’Alba, with a focus on Nebbiolo; other grape varieties include Dolcetto, Barbera and the rare Pelaverga, a grape native to Verduno and grown only in the region. White grape varieties include Favorita and Chardonnay.

 

Local soils are called “marne di Sant’Agata,” a mix of sand and clay with a high proportion of limestone, unique to Verduno. Vineyards are farmed according to organic practices, but the estate is not certified.

Grapes are harvested by hand, are destemmed and fermented on indigenous yeasts in temperature-controlled, stainless steel tanks. Wines are aged in the family’s 19th-century underground cellar, which maintains a constant temperature of 52-62 degrees Fahrenheit and 80% humidity, in older Slavonian and French oak casks (20-40HL).

‘San Lorenzo’ is located in Verduno, facing south at a slightly lower altitude, between 720 and 880 feet above sea level. Here the mineral influence of the “marne di Sant’Agata” comes through, with more precise floral aromas and a more linear, yet deeply elegant, profile.

Aromas of dark cherries, red plums, red roses, wildflowers.  Supple and silky; tannins are fine-grained.