Power + Elegance

Product information

Cavallotto Barolo Riserva ‘Vignolo’ 2013

Nebbiolo from Piedmont, Italy, Castiglione Falletto, Barolo

$350

$335ea in any 3+
$320ea in any 6+
Closure: Cork
Cavallotto's Riserva 'Vignolo' is such a delicious wine, poised, fragrant, such incredible layers of flavour & the rare seamless harmony only the greats seem to manage.

Description

Cavallotto are making beautiful wines of great presence, harmony and detail. The Riserva Vignolo is always a little bolder than the Riserva Vigna San Guiseppe. They both have that hallmark Castiglione tannin layered, supple and of line and length.

Underbrush, tilled soil, blue flower, pipe tobacco and wild berry aromas mingle together with leather and menthol. Firmly structured and enveloping, the delicious palate doles out raspberry compote, dried cherry, baking spice and star anise, while tightly woven but fine-grained tannins provide support. It’s nicely balanced, with bright acidity. It’s already tempting, but hold for even more complexity. Drink 2023–2043.

O’Keefe

In stock

Check out all of the wines by Cavallotto

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

A few years ago we had a Barolo Magnum festa. There were some seriously big names amongst the mix. The top 3 wines in no particular order 1999 Bartolo Mascarello, 1999 Giacomo Conterno Cascina Francia, and, 2001 Cavallotto ‘Bricco Boschis’ Riserva made from the ‘Vigna San Giuseppe’ parcel within Cavallotto’s Monopole ‘Bricco Boscis’.

That is some serious company to play with.

When you unearth the history of Cavallotto, all the elements are there, great sites, high planting density, balanced healthy vineyards with moderate crops, now farmed organically.

Two additional elements take their wines to the next level, vine age, continuity of farmers with the retention of wisdom it offers! This is, and, has always been a family business, knowledge built on, and, passed from generation to generation.

Common threads run through Cavallotto’s wines, from their Dolcetto, to their Barbera, and, Nebbiolo’s, Langhe, Barolo Bricco Boschis, and, Barolo Riserva from Vigna San Guiseppe and Vigna Vignolo.

They are focused on purity of fruit, without the interference of oak, complexity, and, are one of the best examples off carefully considered élévage on the market. All of this results in wines of great expression and vibrancy.

Earlier this week I tasted, read, drank, 12 x 2010 Baroli. Reflecting on the mix, there was a distinction between modern and traditional styles, perhaps less obvious than you would have seen 10 years ago, none the less it was there. The most modern of styles tended to have darker colour, less complexity, more new oak, look slightly more clinical and clean, not having the personality of the more traditional wines which tended to have great harmony, complexity, and, more intrigue. Unfortunately 2 of the more traditional wines clearly lacked cellar hygiene and were spoiled by Brettanomyces.

Cavallotto’s wines clearly sit on the classic, traditional, Barolo side of the ledger.

About Cavallotto

In the Vineyard

The following 3 videos show the process of cane pruning.

1. Select the cane to use for next years growth.

A specific number of buds, the lumps along the cane will be counted and the extras will be cut off. Each bud will be capable of producing one shoot, and, each shoot 1-2 bunches. This is the first step in achieving balance for the vine between fruit growth and vegetation (leaf and shoot) growth, along with setting a baseline for overall yield. Effectively, a one year old shoot will produce the new shoots for the following season.

2. Remove the excess wood

All of the excess wood (last years growth) is removed from the trellis so that the next years growth can use the space.

3. Canes are tied down

The selected canes that have been trimmed to size are tied down to the main ‘cordon’ wire. This gives them stability and positions them so that the new shoots next season can spread evenly across the trellis and share exposure to the sun and keep the canopy open so that air circulation can help keep humidity and potential disease within the canopy under control.

Cavallotto’s Wine Making

As you’d expect from wines made in a more classical style, there’s longer maceration, time on skins, which often softens tannins, and, layers in complexity, think perfume and truffles. Oak is old and large Botte 2,000-10,000L in volume. Not only do these keep the wine fresher during maturation, but, impart no oak tannins, aroma or flavour. Maturation is longer, than, many in both Botte and then bottle, the very reason you’re just seeing the 2012 Barolo now when many have released 2013’s.

They make such beautiful, expressive wines!

Where in the World is Cavallotto?

Cavallotto is yet another example of knowing your producers, and, their vineyards. In the heart of Castiglione Falletto, Cavallotto holds the monopole (single owner) vineyard Bricco Boschis, only a stones through away from another famed Barolo monopole, Monprivato. Although I don’t like comparing the two, Monprivato, produces some of the most Burgundian, Nebbiolo I’ve ever had.

You can see the Barbera in the light green on the map is planted on the ‘Bricco Boschis’, it’s just going to be good. Just like Vietti’s Langhe Nebbiolo, Cavallotto’s is sourced from vineyards that are effectively declassified Barolo vineyard.

Surrounding the Bricco Boschis, within 500m are the remainder of their holdings. Including the Vigna Vignolo, consistently the source of their Riserva.

All the vines have serious age, with Dolcetto planting near 40 years old, Barbera 55 years, and, Nebbiolo 45 to 55 years old.

Click to Enlarge🔍

If you have a Barolo MGA 360º subscription check out the Vignolo Cru.

Click to go to the Vignolo Cru on Barolo MGA 360º
97 Points

Underbrush, tilled soil, blue flower, pipe tobacco and wild berry aromas mingle together with leather and menthol. Firmly structured and enveloping, the delicious palate doles out raspberry compote, dried cherry, baking spice and star anise, while tightly woven but fine-grained tannins provide support. It's nicely balanced, with bright acidity. It's already tempting, but hold for even more complexity. Drink 2023–2043.

Kerin O'Keefe

95 Points

The 2013 Barolo Riserva Vignolo surprises for the sheer darkness and saturation of its color. Upfront and without too much bother, the wine offers immediate richness and concentration with dark berry fruit, plum and dried cherry. There is a lot of intensity here, but the wine is more horizontal and broad in character than it is vertical per se. In other words, it shows a heavy center of gravity, and its very character is focused on richness and power. This wine ages in 20- and 100-hectoliter Slavonian oak botti for up to five years before its commercial release. Production is exactly 6,666 bottles.

Monica Larner, The Wine Advocate

94 Points

A big, dense wine the 2013 Barolo Riserva Vignolo is going to need quite a bit of time to be at its best. Today, it is decidedly dark and brooding. Black cherry, smoke, licorice, iron, leather and spice add to that impression. Time in the glass brings out a super-classic profile of rose petal and tar, but the 2013 remains quite imposing. I can't remember a Vignolo with this much sheer brawn. Readers will have to be patient , but there is certainly plenty to look forward to. The 2013 saw 36-38 days on the skins followed by five years in cask, with a preference for larger and more neutral oak that allows for a more gradual pace of aging in the cellar than smaller casks.

Antonio Galloni, Vinous

Where in the world does the magic happen?

Fratelli Cavallotto – Tenuta vitivinicola Bricco Boschis, Castiglione Falletto, Province of Cuneo, Italy

Barolo
Castiglione Falletto
Piedmont
Italy