One of the most satisfying parts of this gig is sharing delicious vino with others who share the same passion for imbibing liquids that make your heart race!
Today we have the special wines of three makers to offer you, lovers of Nebbiolo and previous buyers of these wines.
Please request as much as you want. Call it a wishlist!
After the dust has settled I’ll share these out as best I can.
You’ll receive confirmation of your allocation along with an invoice.
Wines will only be secured once payment has been received.
Critic reviews are limited to the Cappellanos and are not scored at Cappellano’s request. I ripped the lid of a 2021 Cappellano Barolo ‘Rupestris’ … it’s one of THOSE wines! Notes below.
The track record of these producers speaks for themselves!
The wines have hit the warehouse & will ship immediately following allocation.
Shout out if you have any questions.
Cappellano
Cappellano sits with the greats of Barolo along with Giuseppe Rinaldi, Bartolo Mascarello and Giacomo Conterno.
Luca Carrudo of Vietti considers Baldo a second father.
A couple of years ago I was blessed to attend a dinner with a double vertical of Cappellano wines, the Rupestris and Piè Franco. These names refer to rootstock of the vines. Rupestris vines being grafted onto American rootstock, resistant to phylloxera, Piè Franco or French foot vines being ungrafted, on their own roots, and thus susceptible to attack from phylloxera!
The two wines although from the same vineyard and made in the same way are remarkably different. Typically the Rupestris has much more generosity of fruit a richness and certain power. The Piè Franco is lythe, elegant, and sophisticated. It’s going to be fascinating to see what happens in the Yarra Valley, where, as of the last 5 years or so, replanting from old vines on their own roots to grafted vines on large scale to combat the ingress of phylloxera has commenced. Will we see the same powering up of the wines? Only time will tell.
The vineyards in Gabutti in Serralunga d’Alba are unanimously regarded as one of the most prestigious ‘crus’ of the Barolo-producing area. Everyone now knows all about Sordo’s Gabutti. Given the naming of Cappellano’s wines many don’t realise they come from the same patch of land!
After Teobaldo passed away unexpectedly in 2009, Augusto took over and despite the pressure on him, He went in his very own way in both vineyard and cellar with undeniable success. Cappellano releases his Pie’ Rupestris & Pie’ Franco one year after most of other Barolos; when Teobaldo used to prefer the extra year to be in barrel, Augusto opted for bottle ageing instead, aiming for more fragrancy and precision.
The 2021 Vintage @ Cappellano
The 2021 Cappellano Barolos are among the most impressive wines of the year. Deep, layered and wonderfully expressive, the 2021s dazzle from start to finish. As always, Rupestris is the more immediate of the wines, while the Piè Franco offers a touch more nuance and understatement. These remain some of the most translucent, classically expressive wines in Barolo. Sadly, production of the Piè Franco continues to decline, putting it on the endangered species list.
Antonio Galloni, Vinous
The Wines
Cappellano Chinato 500ml
$108ea, $103ea in any 3+, $98ea in any 6+
Cappellano is widely acknowledged as the creator and ultimate master of the style.
This is a fine iteration. The Barolo used here is from 2021. A little less bitter than previous versions I’ve had. The balance is impressive, finishing clean with the grip from the spice & herb extractions playing nicely with the sugar. Wonderful harmony and layering. The seamless nature makes for a drink that evolves in the glass. You’ll keep finding different aromas & flavours. It’s important to remember that lightly fortified wines bottled at this point in their life will continue to develop in bottle. It can be drunk over several weeks particularly when young. You’ll see it evolve through a fascinating journey if you have the patience!
Paul Kaan, Wine Decoded Sept 2026
Drinking Cappellano’s Chinato
- Cellar temperature with chocolate.
- 50:50 with soda.
- In a Negroni – Augusto’s loves drink it in a Negroni.
It was the closing of 1870 when Giuseppe Cappellano, pharmacist of Serralunga d’Alba with a shop in Turin, perfected the original recipe of Barolo Chinato marketing as “medicinal and anti-malaric liniment” what would shortly after become one of the classics of Italian oenology.
We talk of recipe and not of formula because this great aromatic wine for meditation is born out of artisanal wisdom, handed down in our family generation after generation, which has much in common with the knowledge of the land and countryside culture.
The preparation is well-known ‒ the extract of china calissaia mixed with other aromatic herbs, sugar, and alcohol is added to the aged Barolo ‒ whereas the list of spices used for the aroma is secret. The equilibrium of contrasts, the gusto-olfactive complexity, and an endless persistence constitute the charm of a wine which is seductive as few others, capable of sustaining the nigh-impossible match with dark chocolate.
The Birth
Peoples have been adding aromas to wine since the dawn of time. The Egyptians typically mixed it with curative herbs, the Persians with spices and sometimes with cannabis or poppy seeds. The Romans loved their wine with resin from pine trees or mastic, or with myrrh, occasionally with honey and rose or violet petals. How to forget the Vermut, first made in Turin in the late eighteenth century, and likely to have inspired the creation of Barolo Chinato.
After all, the originality of my great-great uncle Giuseppe Cappellano, the pharmacist, was not so much the idea of adding aromas to wine; rather of blending together a particular and well-balanced mix of spices (called “drugs” in the early twentieth century) and an extraordinary wine, Barolo. Why exactly a pharmacist? In the late nineteenth century, pharmacology made extensive use of herbal medicine and the pharmacist had complete knowledge of the therapeutic and organoleptic properties of each spice. Barolo Chinato was born as a medicine, and aromatic wines featured on the suppliers’ catalogues of pharmaceutical companies.
The combined effect of all the spices brings about the most interesting benefits: the synergy of the elements extracted via maceration in alcohol develops bitter-flavoured active principles which help the digestion by the stimulation of the secretion of saliva and gastric juices.
The Secret
The secret of Barolo Chinato rests in its recipe but even more so in the technique handed down to me by my father: the smart moves, the devices, the precise times dictated by the long training of the senses and which are not found in any book. Moments of great intimacy, and each time I feel again the sense of bewilderment and fascination of the first times when I, as a young kid, followed with my eyes the expertise and wisdom of my father while he performed what seemed to me as a kind of magic. The tools are still the same, and pride of place in the ritual is for the cast iron mortar and pestle, in which I grind the spices separately and with infinite patience.
Once the right grinding is obtained the spices are macerated in alcohol for about a month, respecting a precise order and the extraction times; at the end of the month the aromatic alcohol is mixed with sugar and with aged DOCG Barolo. Then a resting period begins during which all the elements blend together until they reach a harmonious whole. Time is a fundamental ally because the spices soften up and fuse together without cancelling each other out. At the end of this period, during which Barolo Chinato sediments the powder of the species still in suspension, we proceed to non-filtered bottling in order to preserve the wine’s complexity.
The Pleasure
We typically reply to congratulations and thanks with the words “it has been a pleasure” or “my pleasure”. When it comes to Barolo Chinato which is first and foremost made for the pleasure of those who drink it, these words really go beyond the formalities and become reality.
With Barolo Chinato, my pleasure lies in feeling surrounded by aromas while I grind the spices with the pestle; it lies in following a rite which belongs to my personal history as well as to the history of those before me; it lies in the trials and experiments while keeping faithful to the gestures and to the recipe, and finally including all this in each individual bottle. With Barolo Chinato, my pleasure lies in reading off the surprise on the faces of those who come to the cellars and taste it for the first time; it lies in opening my grandfather’s bottles and tasting how our aromatic wine evolves in elegance as years go by while preserving its kaleidoscopic sensations. I owe this joy to the small production which we have resolutely maintained, and which enabled us to remained proud artisans. I have only one, only too human a sorrow… that I cannot taste my bottles in fifty years, and see what it is like. But we are working on it.
2021 Cappellano Barbera
$125ea, $120ea in any 3+, $115ea in any 6+
Augusto Cappellano has a friend in Roero who owns vines and had joked for years, “These grapes would taste so much better made in your cellar”–so, beginning in 2021, they finally made it happen. Augusto produces roughly 4,000 bottles per vintage from his friend’s vineyard, from Barbera planted in the zone’s characteristic white, sandy soils. Vinified and aged in a combination of cement and steel, it offers bright, clean acidity and soft tannins which are significantly more polite than those found in Augusto’s home turf of Serralunga. It nonetheless possesses a density, sappiness, and overall sense of equilibrium that is very Cappellano.
The 2021 Barbera d’Alba marries juicy dark fruit with quite a bit of supporting structure. Black cherry, gravel, menthol, licorice, spice and mocha build nicely. The 2021 is deep and mysterious, but also a bit rustic in its contours, with less finesse than is typical of the estate Barbera here. Drink 2023-2038
Antonio Galloni – NR as per request from Cappellano
2021 Cappellano Barbera Gabutti
$195ea, $188ea in any 3+, $181ea in any 6+
The 2021 Barbera d’Alba marries juicy dark fruit with quite a bit of supporting structure. Black cherry, gravel, menthol, licorice, spice and mocha build nicely. The 2021 is deep and mysterious, but also a bit rustic in its contours, with less finesse than is typical of the estate Barbera here. Drink 2023-2038
Antonio Galloni – NR as per request from Cappellano
2021 Cappellano Barolo ‘Rupestris’
$415ea, $400ea in any 3+, $385ea in any 6+
Magnums – $850ea, $830ea in any 3+, $810ea in any 6+
Well colour me Nebbiolo! This is one of THOSE wines! Complete, poised, flowing, filled with personality, an acid-tannin complex that gives vitality & is perfectly weighted against layered fruit of considerable length. The tannins are ripe, nutty & present with a proper level of Barolo grip. It draws you in whispering drink me. A pleasure to devour in its youth. Time in bottle will only see this wine elevated to another echelon of pleasure.
Paul Kaan, Wine Decoded Sept 2026
The 2021 Barolo Rupestris is a total knockout. Dark, ample and beautifully layered, the 2021 dazzles from start to finish, showing excellent depth and tons of persistence. The 2021 is one of my favorite recent vintages because of its superb balance. Although obviously a young Barolo, opening this with minimal cellaring won’t be an issue. It’s a pretty big wine from Cappellano. Drink 2028-2046
Antonio Galloni – NR as per request from Cappellano
2021 Cappellano Barolo ‘Piè Franco’
$1,150ea
Magnums $2,650ea
Sadly the decline of the vineyard will see Cappellano’s Barolo ‘Piè Franco’ & Barbera Gabutti become extinct in the near future. For now the yields have reduced to the point that we are fortunate to get just a few bottles. The quality remain. The natural lifecycle of this ungrafted vineyard sees its life coming to an inevitable end.
Aromatic, silky and pure, the 2021 Barolo Piè Francois is sublime. Crushed rose petal, mint, orange peel, spice, dried flowers and exotic herbs soar from the glass. Here, too, the 2021 will be next to impossible to resist in its youth. What a wine. Drink 2027-2046
Antonio Galloni – NR as per request from Cappellano
MUSEUM RELEASE
Cappellano Barbera ‘Gabutti’
2018 $205ea, $200ea in any 3+, $195ea in any 6+
2017 $210ea, $205ea in any 3+, $200ea in any 6+
2015 $220ea, $215ea in any 3+, $210ea in any 6+
Cappellano Barolo ‘Rupestris’
2020 $485ea, $465ea in any 3+, $445ea in any 6+
2020 MAGNUM $930ea, $910ea in any 3+, $890ea in any 6+
2019 $525ea, $510ea in any 3+, $495ea in any 6+
2019 MAGNUM $1,190ea, $1,170ea in any 3+, $1,150ea in any 6+
2012 $810ea, $790ea in any 3+, $770ea in any 6+
Cappellano Barolo ‘Piè Franco’
2017 MAGNUM $2,690ea
Giovanni Canonica
Wines like these are so rare that it is impossible to try them before they land in the country and they invariably sell out before you get to!
Giovanni Canonica is a hidden legend in the town of Barolo. He and his family run a small agriturismo where, in the cellars below, he makes his wines. He has only 1.5 hectares of vines in the Paiagallo vineyard directly on the hill above Barolo. The only other proprietors in this vineyard site are Marchesi de Gresy and Fontanafredda, neither of whom does a mono-vineyard bottling from it.
Giovanni proves, in the right hands, that doing so merits consideration. His holdings are also separated from the conventional vineyard work of the other producers in a way that keeps as much integrity to Canonica’s vines as possible. The vineyard is planted in Nebbiolo in the best spots and Barbera in the less interesting plots. Everything is traditional in the vineyard and cellar: no herbicides, pesticides or fertilizers, only sulfur and copper treatments, de-stemming, maceration for 30-40 days using only indigenous yeasts, vertical hand press, then into cement and slavonian oak for aging. A small number of bottles are made, mostly sold at the cellar.
The Wines
2023 Giovanni Canonica Langhe Nebbiolo
$139ea, $134ea in any 3+, $129ea in any 6+
2022 Giovanni Canonica Barolo ‘Grinzane Cavour’
$208ea, $198ea in any 3+, $188ea in any 6+
2022 Giovanni Canonica Barolo ‘Paiagallo’
$208ea, $198ea in any 3+, $188ea in any 6+
MUSEUM RELEASE
Giovanni Canonica Barolo ‘Paiagallo’
2021 $223ea, $213ea in any 3+, $203ea in any 6+
2020 $233ea, $223ea in any 3+, $213ea in any 6+
Giovanni Canonica Barolo ‘Grinzane Cavour’
2020 $233ea, $223ea in any 3+, $213ea in any 6+
Olek Bondonio
Olek Bondonio is certainly not your typical Italian winemaker!
He loves surfing, snowboarding and has a penchant bordering on the obsessive for Vegemite. After studying oenology he embarked on a few years of travel where he traversed the globe doing as many vintages as he could. This exposure to different soil types, various traditions and diverse approaches in both the cellar and vineyard resulted in his fascination with a sense of place and a drive to best express that through his wines. His production epitomizes the saying that great wine is made in the vineyard, where he works tirelessly to grow healthy fruit without synthetic additions or chemical input. He continues to cultivate grapes that have long been planted in that zone such as Barbera, Pelaverga, Dolcetto and Nebbiolo.
Olek has been making wines under his own label since 2004, his farm, La Berchialla, has been in the family for over 200 years and is a remarkable property sitting atop the hill of Cru Roncagliette (which incidentally is the same vineyard of Gaja Sori Tildin).
Olek has incredible touch. The man understands textures and tannins, creates wines with insane perfumes and layer after layer of diving flavours. I can’t wait to hook into these when they hit the warehouse!
The Wines
2023 Olek Bondonio Barbaresco ‘Roncagliette’
$198ea, $191ea in any 3+, $184ea in any 6+
Roncagliette (which incidentally is the same vineyard of Gaja Sori Tildin) is part of a cluster of epic vineyards including Roncaglie and Roccalini. Olek’s Roncagliette has become one of those wines you just buy every year! Every release I’ve tried since the first, 2015, have been divine. A testament to Olek’s skills in both the vineyard and the winery.
You’ll find wines from Vietti, Fletcher and Poderi Colla from this cluster of vineyards.
2021 Olek Bondonio Barbaresco ‘Starderi’
$198ea, $191ea in any 3+, $184ea in any 6+
Starderi is in the center north in the commune of Nieve, Barbaresco. Francesco Versio make delicious blended iteration.
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