Bright ruby with garnet reflections. The nose is restrained yet complex, offering red cherry and wild strawberry beneath layers of dried rose, iron, tobacco, and a whisper of truffle. The palate is finely structured and savoury, with taut red fruit, saline minerality, and firm, chalky tannins. It finishes long and detailed, with hints of bitter herbs and rosehip. A poised and quietly powerful Barolo, true to Castellero's character.
Reviews:
Cherry, some liquorice, hazelnuts, light baking spice. Fresh, bright, chamois-like tannin and light sandy grip, a little bit of earthy and tobacco flavour, red fruit and orange perfume on a finish of excellent length. Quite a serious wine with firmly-etched acidity that needs some time to relax. Structure and potential is very good here. 95pts. Gary Walsh
Forest floor, dog rose and camphor aromas open this elegant Barolo. Cherry, raspberry, cinnamon and mint lead the palate, supported by fine-grained tannins and bright acidity. 95pts. Kerin O'Keefe
Dried cherries, licorice and orange peel dominate the nose. Full-bodied, with dusty but ripe tannins and a savory, earthy finish. 94pts. James Suckling
The 2021 Barolo Castellero is taut and reticent, showing red fruit, iron, pepper and chalk. Earthy and mineral, with impressive structure and aging potential. 94+pts. Antonio Galloni - Vinous
Pure and lifted on the nose with cedar, raspberry, crushed flowers and tobacco. Medium-bodied and refreshing with ripe fruit, defined tannins and spiced finish. 93pts. Jeb Dunnuck
Producer: Giacomo Fenocchio
Region: Piedmont
Grape: Nebbiolo
Alcohol: 14%
Size: 750ml
Producer Info: In April of 1989, Claudio Fenocchio assumed all farming and winemaking duties his father Giacomo had previously held. These were challenging times for Barolo. When many producers were exploring new avenues to produce Barolo, and finding great commercial success, Claudio never strayed from the path of tradition. Just like the 4 generations that preceded him, he perpetuated the time-honoured techniques passed on to him.
Today, Claudio remains committed to crafting classic wines with an authentic expression and an unwavering focus on purity of fruit. Claudio's wines display a level of terroir clarity that only producers of higher echelon manage to create. The Giacomo Fenocchio estate is comprised of prized vineyards (14 hectares in total) spread across Cannubi in Barolo, Villero in Castiglione Falletto, and Bussia in Monforte d'Alba, where the family cantina rests.
Modernity has found its way in the cantina. Stainless steel tanks and wooden fermenters coexist. They're used to produce the whites along with the lush, bright reds that made the estate's renown. Then, there are the venerated staples, made in large Slavonian oak casks dominating the pristine cellar. Claudio is partial to ambient yeasts, and though current macerations are long, he has been experimenting with ones that last as long as 90 days - an exploration of past methods that is yielding very promising results.
His vineyard management philosophy revolves around the enhancement of the various characteristics of the soil in each parcel, favouring optimum picking time to obtain fruit able to reach optimal ripeness and with a unique aromatic and flavour profile. "
