Product information

Fratelli Alessandria Barolo 2016

Nebbiolo from Verduno, Piedmont, Monforte d'Alba, Italy, Barolo

$130

$125ea in any 3+
$120ea in any 6+
Closure: Cork

Description

Standard practice at Wine Decoded is to grab a bottle and try before we load up on anything. Particularly, when we haven’t tried wines from the producer. We do a bit of research and check for continuity at the winery, avoiding potential earthquakes from changes in ownership and vigneron.

With this in mind I had a bottle of 2015 Barolo sent down to try. Well, it took all of 10 seconds of tasting for me to sling an order in for the 2016’s.

I finally got to wrap my laughing gear around a 2016. Chucked it in a decanter, and, yep it was tight! Had a quick taste and opened something else that was ready to go. Next day, starting to open, the expression, the flowers and flow were building, still a bit tight. Day 3 and it lept out of the gate. The time had helped it harmonise beautifully and all those elements of the 2015 were there. The flowers and plush tannins of Verduno against the dark structure of Monforte. Again adding a tick on the side of blending not only throughout a commune, but, through the entire region of Barolo.

The line and length, sophistication and purity are really something. This will undoubtedly be all class with a little more time in bottle!

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Check out all of the wines by Fratelli Alessandria

Why is this Wine so Yummy?

Vittore Alessandria has a stunning set of 2016s on his hands. The wines are positively brilliant. Harvest for the single vineyards started with San Lorenzo, on October 12 and finished with Gramolere on October 19. Yields were pretty much in line with historical averages. As is the custom here, Alessandria gave the 2016s around 28 days on the skins, which is just a touch bit longer than the norm. Alessandria prefers to gently keep the cap moist and does not do submerged cap fermentation. The malolactic fermentation was done in steel, after which the wines were racked into cask, where they spent around 32 months prior to being bottled.

Antonio Galloni

About Fratelli Alessandria

In the Vineyard

In the Winery

The usual winemaking info is available. The 2 most important elements that shine through for me.

First they use big old wood, no trees to chew through.

Second, the wines look great in the glass. They are beautifully balanced, have wonderful personalities, and, have that freshness with development that is so crucial for any decent drink.

The 2016 Vintage at Fratelli Alessandria

2016 has come at just the right time. We have a number of winemakers with incredible experience and wine wisdom. The vineyards in Barolo are in the best condition they’ve been in with incredible detail going into their care.

Combined we have a situation where vignerons are in the best possible position to make the most of the great fruit yielded by the 2016 harvest!

When you compare the 2015 & 2016 vintages you see the difference between a warmer vintage with a shorter ripening period and a cooler one with the longest ripening period in memory.

Nebbiolo responds beautifully to a cooler longer ripening. Once it reaches sugar level high enough to make a wine around 14-14.5% alcohol the sugar levels stop increasing, it tends to hold its acid and the tannins so important to the insane mouthfeel of Nebbiolo ripen and increase in depth.

Such vintages tend to offer wines with more perfume, energy, and, vitality.

Where in the World is Fratelli Alessandria?

Fratelli Alessandria is based in Verduno, home to its most famous Cru, Monvigliero. The boys have additional holdings in Monforte.

Click to Enlarge🔍

This 3D flyover is Epic covering each of the communes you can see just how varied and extreme the aspect of each vineyard is and how in the space of a few metres just how dramatically the change.

92-93 Points

The 2016 Barolo is a fabulous wine in its peer group - in any peer group, actually. Bright, floral and light on its feet, the 2016 impresses with its total sense of finesse and grace. Crushed flowers, sweet red berries, mint, white pepper and anise are all very nicely lifted in a precise, gracious Barolo that hits all the right notes. The 2016 is just flat-out delicious - that's all there is to it.

Antonio Gallonio

94 Points

Rose, violet, forest-berry and wild herb aromas fill the glass on this fragrant red. Firmly structured yet loaded with finesse, the linear palate shows strawberry, red cherry, star anise and menthol set against assertive fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. It's still youthfully austere but balanced. Drink 2024–2036.

Kerin O'Keefe

Where in the world does the magic happen?

Fratelli Alessandria, Via Beato Valfrè, Verduno, Province of Cuneo, Italy

Barolo
Verduno
Monforte d'Alba
Piedmont
Italy

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