David Ridge, Neb-Head, responsible for bringing the likes of Bartolo Mascarello, Giacomo Conterno and Bruno Giacosa to Australia shared his incredible depth of knowledge of all things Barolo in a session at Wine Decoded HQ. David spent a couple of hours with us tasting through all 8 Cru’s made by Sordo. Yes, that is right, 8 Cru’s from one producer!
There is so much gold in David’s insights, you’re going to need to watch or listen a couple of times … preferably with a glass in hand.
Prior to trying the wines, I asked myself, will this result in confusion and seeing a jack of all trades and master of none. After smelling the Langhe Neb, Barbaresco and Barolo Normale I realised the reality, was going to be the complete opposite. All of the wines were superb individual and delicious! Given the geographic and varietal spread we work with in Australia, it was a silly thought really. Here’s a family working with one variety over an area that is 10km wide and 15km long (excluding the Roero and Barbaresco fruit). Compared to some of my past winemaking experience working across multiple regions hundreds of km’s apart, spanning a dozen varietals, they have some serious focus!
We recorded the session, and, now, share it with the Wine Decoded community. We introduce you to Nebbiolo, take you through the geology of Barolo and its impact on the wines, 5 of the 11 Communes that make up the Barolo region, and, 8 special Cru’s including some of the rarest and most sought after in the world!
Get in touch with us before you next head to Barolo and we’ll get you connected to the Sorodo Crew!
This is an exceptional opportunity to grab a set of wines, break it down into brackets of 2 or 3 and try them along with the film we recorded below! It’s like a masterclass in your own home. Grab some wine loving friends and listen to the Nebbiolo wisdom of Neb-Head David Ridge & Wine Decoded’s very own Paul Kaan who combined have devoured 1,000’s of Nebbiolo’s!
Watch 🎥to get the full experience with flyover maps of the communes and more. Listen 🎧 if the NBN is annoying you! Unfortunately, we lost the footage for the intro and exploration of the 2017 Langhe Neb, 2016 Barbaresco & 2015 Barolo. We saved the Audio, it’s not as good as usual, sorry. Listen and enjoy!
The 4 brackets
All of the wines were beautifully made, expressive, showing great balance and harmony. The élévage was excellent. Loads of energy through the line-up. It really was a case of celebrating the differences. Some of the wines are drinking beautifully now (and have plenty of legs on them) others were still tightly coiled needing time. All had the right bits in the right places and were full of personality.
TOP TIP – If you want to try them in brackets like we did or over time grab a Coravin and use it to save the wines.
Bracket 1 – The Perfect Intro: 2017 Langhe Neb, 2016 Barbaresco, 2015 Barolo
The Langhe Neb is from the Valmaggiore region of Roero. It’s a stunner, rating alongside Vajra’s + Rivetto’s 2017 and Voerzio’s 2016 as my favourites at the mo. A beautiful perfume, with fine dusty tannins, and, what I’ve discovered is Sordo’s hallmark, excellent élévage. Great drinking and the perfect intro to the range. Lythe, elegant, refreshing.
The Barbaresco a blend from Treiso, Barbaresco and Nieve with exceptional energy and vitality. Lively, balanced acidity. Vibrant juicy cherry fruit, excellent mouthfeel. Incredibly transparency. Wicked complexity so much going on. Layered. Showing just how good 2016 Barbaresco is. Such a refreshing wine.
The Barolo savoury, earthy, rich, plush tannins, plenty going on. A great intro into Sordo Barolo. Dark and generous showing the dominance of La Morra in the blend. Beautiful élévage. Great drinking.
Bracket 2 – The Playful Ones: 2015 Ravera + Monvigliero
You could happily drink both of these with a decant and time in the glass now. They have plenty of time in them too!
Ravera generosity with playful front mid-palate tannin, that Sordo élévage, so much fun.
Monvigliero Opening with juby cherry fruit that resolved beautifully in the glass, a slight lift in the structural tannins, remaining plush and again fun.
Bracket 3 – The Super Stars: 2015 Villero + Rocche di Castiglione + Monprivato
Wow just wow. Incredibly different and complete wines. I could just spend hours smelling these 3.
Villero Incredible perfume, so much intrigue. Felt like I was drinking and exceptional Chambolle-Musigny. Line and length of tannin and acid. Such harmony, beautiful fruit. Layers of tannin and flavour, great complexity. I love this!
Rocche di Castiglione Brooding and dark, bold structure, while still being supple. There’s a trick! Tightly coiled it progressively opened. This will be a special wine in time. So much going on.
Monprivato Earthy and savoury with great depth and length. Incredible core of fruit. So many layers of flavour and tannin, just so much to get from this wine. Such purity, detail, so fine, it draws you in.
Bracket 4 – The Bold Ones: 2015 Parussi + Perno + Gabutti
Here we find the structure, bold tannins, exceptional tannins, will need time to uncoil and build secondary characters and resolve.
Parussi a different expression to that of Massolino, perhaps, bolder, with common traits. Like the other wines in the bracket, it took time in the glass to pop. Hours later it was drinking beautifully. Showing tannins of Castiglione Falletto, even and long. Darker and brooding. This is going to a cracker in time.
Perno took the second longest to reveal more of itself. Like the other wines in the bracket is demanding time in the bottle. Perfume combined with secondary complexity the name of the game here. Along with the Gabutti, chewy tannins of quality, with loads of attack. Peter Godden described the 2013 as old school in terms of structure, I’d concur.
Gabutti the most tightly coiled and brooding of all of the wines. Chewy old school tannins like the Perno. You can see this building into a fascinating wine as it resolves. If the 2008 Gabutti Riserva I had is anything to go by this will be a cracker given 5+ years in bottle to resolve, build generosity and express its full complexity.
About Giovanni Sordi
Sordo HQ is nestled in the corner of Castiglione Falletto comune on the last stretch of the Alba-Barolo road before it takes that left fork up to Barolo village. You take this track (Frazione Garbelletto) just to the left for Paolo Scavino and Azelia, or right another 100 metres to the entrance of the Sordo family’s quite spectacular and beautiful new cellar.
While the sheer impact and architectural quality of this new facility is eye-catching, it’s the wines that demand even more attention. For sheer consistent excellence of this number of wines made in an essentially traditional and unforced style, it is impossible not to take note of the wines of A A Giovanni Sordo . These wines have been described as ‘transparent’ and they are made by people who want their wines to speak of where they come from.
The Winemaking
One of the really fascinating themes to a Sordo tasting is that all the Baroli are made as identically as is realistic. Vinification is in controlled temperature (to 30o) steel & cuve with submerged caps for up to 50 days. A further 2-4 months in steel, is followed by 24 months in large Slavonian botti. Giorgio Sordo likes the wines to have a further 4-6 months in steel, to “freshen them up” before bottling. Aha, so these are the secrets to transparency?
The 2015 Vintage
2015 began with high levels of snow providing good water reserves. Combined with mild spring temperatures and various rainfalls, bud break and flowering were early, followed by an excellent fruit set. From the second half of June throughout July, there was no rain and temperatures stabilized to above-average maximums. Fortunately, the vineyards were not stressed thanks to the plentiful water reserves. In terms of quantity, production was average allowing for careful, targeted green harvesting with special care taken to ensure foliage was managed to provide good protection for the clusters. There was no disease pressure so preventative measures were not required. The white varieties were harvested between the end of August and mid-September and the excellent sugars were matched by wonderful acidity. The Dolcetto harvest began around the second week in September and the wines were aromatic, softer and deeply coloured. Barbera is the variety which perhaps most benefited from the 2015 season with the usually high acidity tempered by excellent ripe tannins, dense colours and richly flavoured fruit and body. Nebbiolo ripened perfectly, though slightly earlier than the last few years. The excellent quality of the tannins balanced by perfect acidity will certainly ensure elegant, long-lasting wines with good structure.
Where in Barolo are Sordo’s 8 Cru’s?
While they release 8 Cru’s, Sordo own of 17 parcels of Barolo cru
And what places these wines come from! Since the very early 20th century, generations of the Sordo family have been quietly collecting parcels of the finest Nebbiolo-growing dirt in the Langhe. They now have numerous plots of vines in Roero, Barbaresco and particularly Barolo – where they actually own 17 pieces of cru classified vineyard and release an unprecedented 8 labelled (Barolo) cru wines from these, so far.
These are a cavalcade of Barolo’s most famous names – many of them appearing in any list of Barolo’s Top 10 cru; Ravera, Monvigliero, Parussi, Perno and Gabutti and the revered Castiglione Falletto trio of Villero, Rocche di Castiglione and the elusive Monprivato; the one most thought was Giuseppe Mascarello’s monopole, isn’t quite. Sordo started making theirs from 2012. Prior to that, it’s been going into the normale.
Sordo’s Released Cru’s
The map below shows the boundaries of each of the 11 communes of the region of Barolo and the location of each of Sordo’s Cru’s within the communes.
The map below shows a very rough divide of soil types across Barolo. The MGA soil map shows these in great detail. It’s only a rule of thumb but a reasonably good one.
The map below shows details of all of the Cru’s in Barolo say you can see how big or tiny each one is and which vineyards surround the Sordo’s Cru’s. Barolo is roughly 10km wide and 15km long.
About the Wines
The Beginning
2017 Nebbiol d'Alba - Roero
The Langhe Neb is from the Valmaggiore region of Roero. It’s a stunner, rating alongside Vajra’s + Rivetto’s 2017 and Voerzio’s 2016 as my favourites at the mo. A beautiful perfume, with fine dusty tannins, and, what I’ve discovered is Sordo’s hallmark, excellent élévage. Great drinking and the perfect intro to the range. Lythe, elegant, refreshing.
2016 Barbaresco
The Barbaresco a blend from Treiso, Barbaresco and Nieve with exceptional energy and vitality. Lively, balanced acidity. Vibrant juicy cherry fruit, excellent mouthfeel. Incredibly transparency. Wicked complexity so much going on. Layered. Showing just how good 2016 Barbaresco is. Such a refreshing wine.
2015 Barolo
The Barolo savoury, earthy, rich, plush tannins, plenty going on. A great intro into Sordo Barolo. Dark and generous showing the dominance of La Morra in the blend. Beautiful élévage. Great drinking.
The 8 Cru's of Sordo - The Playful Ones
2015 Barolo ‘Ravera’ – Novello
‘Ravishing red’ as usual, a wave of roses and red cherry. Quite lush, but holds its shape as all that red rolls to the pinpoint, tingling finish. It’s no wonder Ravera has risen so much in people’s estimation over recent years. Serious Barolo of a distinct style.
Super fresh, vibrant and fragrant nose with roses and herbs, as well as lighter red cherries. The palate has a deliciously zesty, taut texture with fine, tight tannins holding a long, powerful yet elegant finish. Try from 2023.
From Novello. Typical earthy, iron-filings nebbiolo aromas, "rusty bucket", and quite complex. Typical Barolo. A slightly chunky shape. Ample tannins, firm and gently gripping, but balanced and very pleasing. Good fruit sweetness in the centre. Drink: 2019 to 2030; Alcohol: 14.5%
2015 Barolo ‘Monvigliero’ – Verduno
The star cru of an otherwise workmanlike comune, this is exactly why Monvigliero is so widely appreciated. It has the range of generous Barolo things; cherry and strawberry notes now, probably in youthful mode, but with the usual cherry-skin, raisin and smoky elements just apparent. Overall such an ambassador for Barolo, just this side of generous and more approachable, but with correct shape and grip.
Bright strawberry, fresh-herb and leafy notes and a hint of wood in the background. The palate is very pure and succulent with acidity leading it along. A fine, chalky edge to the finish. Another classically styled Barolo from Sordo with good aging potential. Try from 2023.
Dried rose petals, licorice and graphite. The wine is very full-bodied and firmly-structured. Smoke and graphite. A deep and very structural wine, dense and powerful. Very long persistence. A very smart Barolo. Very limited quantity made. From Verduno. Drink: 2019 to 2032; Alcohol: 14.5%
The Super Stars
2015 Barolo ‘Villero’ – Castiglione Falletto
The most ‘Burgundian’ of these 8 cru, shimmering and transparent, signalling the elegance and finesse to unfold. A beautiful and intriguing wine with those Castiglione complexities of cranberry, strawberry, cherry-skin, dried flowers and herbs. Tannins are beautifully bound with the acid line, the finish becomes seamless and tingling. Worthy of the Villero name.
Beautiful clarity to this wine with roses, fresh strawberries and hints of fruit tea on the nose that follow through to a full body. Yet, it’s tight and very focused on the long finish. Excellent tannin backbone. Better in 2022.
From Castiglione Falletto. Some camphor or mint aromas at first, which became less evident amidst the complexity of the bouquet. Dried rose petals and musk. Hauntingly perfumed. The tannins are assertive and firm, with a slightly stern edge, but the wine is excellent all round. A magnificent but more tightly held style, compact and full of tension. The price reflects very small volume and the fame of the cru. Drink: 2020 to 2034; Alcohol: 14.5%
2015 Barolo ‘Rocche di Castiglione’ – Castiglione Falletto
Fabulous, both in itself and as a contrast to Villero. Where Villero is delicate and persistent, all finesse, Rocche is much more forceful with a similar range of characters. Everything is darker, deeper and more. The glory of this pre-eminent cru is the combo of style and power; how such waves and complexities stay in such long and vibrant shape. A great Barolo here.
Attractive and charming aromas of potpourri and dried roses make a very elegant, floral impression with subtly leafy nuances. The palate has an elegant core of light, cherry and strawberry flavors with very elegant, long tannins. Super pure now. Give this until 2023 at least to fill out.
From Castiglione Falletto. Liqueur-cherry aromas, ripe and sweet to sniff. Very appealing range of perfumes. A big, bold, massive wine with generous tannins that coat the entire interior of the mouth. Very concentrated and powerful, with lashings of tannins that are well-integrated. An almost opulent Barolo, if that's possible. Wonderful wine. Drink: 2019 to 2034; Alcohol: 14.5%
2015 Barolo ‘Monprivato’ – Castiglione Falletto
The 4th wine made from this famous cru, which vies with Cannubi, Francia or either of the Rocches (of Serralunga and Castiglione Falletto) as the greatest name of Barolo. Until 2012 the Sordo family used their small parcel as part of the blend of their normale. It’s clear a great Barolo is emerging in cru form from this parcel. Certainly austere and reserved, it harbours an abundance of characters and complexities to fuel the intrigue. Berry fruits, cranberry and raspberry are evident, then the potpourri of drying…dying, flowers, followed by similar leafy note and herb notes to Rocche. Long, essentially gentle and intriguing.
Bright aromas of strawberries and raspberries, leading to dried herbs and leaves. The palate reveals a classically refined style with acidity making a strong push into the tangy cherry on the mid-palate. Fine and chalky tannins to close. Lovely tautness. Try from 2023.
Dry leather, savoury bouquet, earthy and brick-dusty. The wine is very full-bodied and massively-structured with pointed tannins, and a very long, linear palate. A reserved wine at this stage, with some preserved cherry flavours emerging as it warmed in the glass. Big, big tannins which are very firm and drying. A dense, forceful wine, which needs time. The price reflects the small quantity and the name of this famed cru in Castiglione Falletto. Drink: 2021 to 2035; Alcohol: 14.5%
The Bold Ones
2015 Barolo ‘Parussi’ – Castiglione Falletto
This is the darkest of the 4 Castiglione cru, with its dark red fruits of cherry and cranberry. It usually shows more immediate plummy ripeness and overt generosity, but this time it’s more tightly wound. Plenty of texture and flavour, but needs time. A beauty.
Aromas of orange peel, dark berries and hints of cream follow through to a full body, integrated and tight tannins and a chewy finish. Give it four to five years of bottle age to soften. Try in 2024.
From Castiglione Falletto. Softly chocolaty, rose petals, fresh earth and dried herb aromas. The wine is full and rich, more rounded and supple of texture - although there is still a mass of tannin. Voluminous flavour, rich and generous; cranberry elements. This is a slightly easier style at this early age, and is usually the most popular at public tastings. Drink: 2019 to 2031; Alcohol: 14.5%; Rating: 96 Points
2015 Barolo ‘Perno’ – Monforte d’Alba
This is all Monforte, with giveaway blue fruits, violet, cherry liqueur and some mint. Firm, taut and fleshy, this is typical of this part of Perno, the Cerretta parcel, immediately adjoining Conterno-Fantino’s, with which it shares a similar darker ‘blue’ style. Tannnins seem very ripe this year…but they are there.
Charming red-cherry aromas with dried herbs, blue roses and violets. The palate has a focused core, in a classically styled tannin frame. Focuses neatly into the finish. This has a very balanced, classic feel with good aging potential. Try from 2022.
The colour has that typical Monforte orange tinge, and the bouquet is classic brick-dust, shielding perfumes of dried flowers and dried herbs. The structure is massive, with monumental tannins which are very firm and drying, but they're good quality tannins. A wine of hidden layers. It's savoury and dry but there is a deep-set core of sweet liqueur-cherry fruit. Drink: 2019 to 2035; Alcohol: 14.5%
2015 Barolo ‘Gabutti’ – Serralunga
No chance to mistake this, with its abundance of darker things; stock, porcini, graphite, smoke and black cherry. Under this very typical Serralunga ‘tarry/earthy’ mantle though, are other complexities of dried roses, orange and spices. The firm and enlivening structure of a great Serralunga is here to underpin all this. Strong black tea tannins at present. All components are here
Lots of dried flowers and ripe fruit with orange and tangerine undertones on the nose. Full body, intense fruit and tar character. Flavorful and chewy finish. Drink in 2022.
From Serralunga. The bouquet is voluminous and already displays a great array of attractive aromas. Dried flowers, dried herbs, dried berry fruits and tinges of brandied-cherry and star anise, while the palate is big and plush, full-bodied and full-volume with richness, density and generosity to match its abundant tannins. A profound wine whose tannins are massive but not as dry or pointed as the Perno's. Drink: 2019 to 2035; Alcohol: 14.5%
2013 Museum Release
2013 Barolo ‘Monvigliero’ – Verduno
Deep garnet with some brick at the rim. Fine and pure with hints of citrus, very attractive. Lots of red flowers and fruits on nose and palate. Super fine in mouth, and extremely elegant. Soft satin texture. Secondary flavours also – with hints of fresh leather and brick dust. More cherry fruit with time in the glass.
Aromas of plums, cherries and orange peel follow through to a full body, soft and silky tannins and a savory finish. Lovely fruit and balance. Drink or hold.
2013 Barolo ‘Rocche di Castiglione’ – Castiglione Falletto
Dense garnet colour with some red brick at rim. Very serious and brooding nose, with rusty iron and fresh blood. Super-layered palate with depth and great presence. Palate is pretty and delicate, yet also very serious with a deep core of darker fruit, rusty iron and some fresh leather. Great length with lovely lingering tannins.
Wonderful aromas of sliced berry and vanilla. Hints of spices. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a flavorful finish. Drink now or hold.
2008 Barolo ‘Rocche di Castiglione’ – Castiglione Falletto
This structured wine opens with classic Barolo aromas of red rose, wild cherry, leather and forest floor. The focused, balsamic-driven palate doles out succulent black cherry, crushed raspberry, black pepper, sage, eucalyptus, mint, thyme and licorice alongside firm but ripe tannins and fresh acidity.
2013 Barolo ‘Monprivato’ – Castiglione Falletto
Garnet red with considerable depth. Super fragrant, pure and beautiful. Great presence in the glass. Well defined red flowers and fruits. Very layered and complex palate, with round and supple fruit core – lovely shape, with purity and savouriness combined. Coolness, fineness, and real presence again – very alluring, and lots to explore here.
2013 Barolo ‘Parussi’ – Castiglione Falletto
Quite primary colour, with good depth. High-toned nose, with faded red flowers but still quite fresh. Super palate. Silky, savoury, and very long. Chestnut-fine tannins again – is this good Slovenian / Eastern European oak they are using? Classic. Searing purity in the mouth, with bright red fruit flavours. More fleshy with time in glass – still needs time to open up.
The tangerine and floral notes on the nose are spellbinding. Undertones of strawberries. Medium to full body, very fine tannins and a pretty, refined finish. A beauty. Drink or hold.
2013 Barolo ‘Perno’ – Monforte d’Alba
Quite primary and very dense colour. Bigger than most other wines, with more grunt in all respects. Complex. Chewy and very full palate with a wall of tannins. Meaty flavours with some ironstone. Old-school.
Fascinating aromas of mushrooms, strawberries and orange peel follow through to a full body, integrated tannins and a firm and silky finish. Needs time to open. Better in 2019.
2013 Barolo ‘Gabutti’ – Serralunga
Very dense with good bright garnet colour. Pure and precise nose, with red and some blue fruits, some faded red rose and hints of salumi. Palate is very chewy and long, savoury yet quite open-knit.
Sweet and perfumed with spice and flowers. Medium body, chewy tannins and a medium finish. Should open in a year or two.
2010 Museum Release
2010 Barolo Riserva ‘Perno’ – Monforte d’Alba
Intense and full of youthful energy, it delivers succulent black cherry and black raspberry sensations accented with notes of black pepper, new leather, cinnamon, clove and Mediterranean herbs. The vibrant palate is supported by a tannic backbone and lively acidity that promise serious cellaring potential. Drink 2020–2045.
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