Barolo and Barbaresco: The King and Queen of Italian Wine

Following on the success of her books on Brunello di Montalcino, renowned author and wine critic Kerin O'Keefe takes readers on a historic and in-depth journey to Piedmont to discover Barolo and Barbaresco, two of Italy's most fascinating and storied wines. In this groundbreaking new book, O'Keefe gives a comprehensive overview of the stunning side-by-side growing areas of these two world-class wines that are separated only by the city of Alba and profiles a number of the fiercely individualistic winemakers who create structured yet elegant and complex wines of remarkable depth from Italy's most noble grape, Nebbiolo. A masterful narrator of the aristocratic origins of winemaking in this region, O'Keefe gives readers a clear picture of why Barolo is called both the King of Wines and the Wine of Kings. Profiles of key Barolo and Barbaresco villages include fascinating stories of the families, wine producers, and idiosyncratic personalities that have shaped the area and its wines and helped ignite the Quality Wine Revolution that eventually swept through all of Italy. The book also considers practical factors impacting viticulture and enology in the Langhe region, including climate change, destructive use of harsh chemicals in the vineyards versus the gentler treatments used for centuries, the various schools of thought regarding vinification and aging, and expansion and zoning of vineyard areas. Readers will also appreciate the author's numerous tasting notes, a helpful vintage guide to Barolo and Barbaresco and a glossary of useful Italian wine terms.List of IllustrationsPrefaceIntroduction: Barolo and Barbaresco, the Pride of PiedmontPART ONETHE PLACE, THE GRAPE, THE HISTORY, AND THE WINE1 The Ancient Origins of the Langhe Hills2 Noble Nebbiolo 3 The King of Wines, the Wine of Kings4 The Barolo Wars and Their Effect on Both Denominations5 Expansion, Subzones, and the Future of Barolo and BarbarescoPART TWOPROFILES OF KEY BAROLO PRODUCERS BY VILLAGE6 Barolo and Novello7 Castiglione Falletto 8 Serralunga d'Alba 9 La Morra and Cherasco 10 Monforte d'Alba11 Verduno, Grinzane Cavour, Roddi, and Diano d'Alba PART THREEPROFILES OF KEY BARBARESCO PRODUCERS BY VILLAGE12 Barbaresco: From Domizio Cavazza to Subzones 13 (Village of) Barbaresco14 Neive15 Treiso and San Rocco Seno d'Elvio16 Wineries in Alba and outside of Barolo/Barbaresco VillagesAppendix A. Vintage Guide to Barolo and BarbarescoAppendix B. Barolo and Barbaresco at a Glance, with a guide to the officially recognized vineyard areas or menzioni geografiche aggiuntive NotesAcknowledgments Read more