20 June 2023
Michele Chiarlo presents Riserva di Barolo Cannubi, an admittedly ambitious wine, whose dream is to capture the soul of perfection
Cannubi is undoubtedly the most famous vineyard in Barolo, a cru coveted by many, dreamed by others and cultivated by very few lucky ones. Everyone recognizes it as the epitome of the souls of Barolo, the place where it finds its most complete and harmonious expression. It is certainly the most historic vineyard of the denomination: the first vintage documented dates back to 1792, the only one of its kind in Langhe.
To honor this extraordinary vocation and the venerable history of this vineyard, Michele Chiarlo has chosen to produce Barolo DOCG Cannubi Riserva, with its first vintage dating 2016.
AN AMBITIOUS BAROLO
The vineyards of Michele Chiarlo extend in the central part of Cannubi, on a steep slope that has been terraced with grassed ridges: a meticulous operation that cannot be seen anywhere else in Langhe and promotes exposure and phenolic ripeness of the grapes. Even the soils express harmony: we are where the Tortonian limestone marl meet the Helvetian, rich in sand and microelements such as iron and magnesium.
Michele Chiarlo’s Cannubi Riserva is a brazenly bold wine that strives to capture the soul of perfection, starting from the vintages. The wine is exclusively vinified during the best seasons, when climate and weather conditions have allowed the slow and balanced polyphenolic ripening of the grapes. Only the great vintages – those with regular and utterly classic trends – can aspire to become Cannubi Riserva.
LONGEVITY AND ELEGANCE
In the cellar, the production philosophy fully strengthens longevity. Slow fermentation in contact with the skins in vats (lasting for 30-40 days) facilitates an important, noble and balanced extraction. But refinement is what endows the wine with its majestic quality: 6 years of aging prior release to the market, of which 3 years are spent in large barrels and another 3 in the bottle.
The result is a sumptuous wine that reaches the glass at the heart of its evolution but can safely stand the test of time for another 15 years. An incredibly magnetic and austere Barolo that, together with the wine’s primary and secondary notes, has already developed tertiary aromas typical of aging in wood: dried rose petals, licorice, rhubarb and gentian enrich a sweet and very fine spiciness.
This Barolo magnifies the extraordinarily classic strength of the Cannubi vineyard and stands at the top of Michele Chiarlo’s production, with an extremely limited edition of 2,000 bottles dedicated to true wine lovers.
