The Diamond of Our Italian Portfolio - A 2013 Barolo for the Ages

2013 Barolo
- Akin to 2015 Northern Rhone Quality Wise
- Incredible Fruit Density with a Cornucopia of Aromatics
- It's So Good I Want You to Own a Ton of This (Case Pricing at $34.99)
2016 Dolcetto
- Classic Dolcetto 
- Huge Fruit But also Chewy, Juicy and Balanced

There are two expressions in Italian that really can summarize my whole experience at the winery of Tomaso Gianolio in Fossano, Piedmont. 

The first one revolves around me not being that hungry at our appointment. It

goes,"L'appetito vien mangiando" which means, The appetite comes while you're eating. I can 100% confirm this is true as Davide's wife made us one of the best meals, filled with love and attention to detail meals of my life. Each wine was served with a different course. Each course was amazing. It was simple food, executed perfectly, with the freshest ingredients and matched perfectly with each wine. It's kind of the way one can describe the wines of Tomaso Gianolio. I still can't believe this tasting and meal happened. 

The second expression is related to this meal and tasting as a personal experience for me and I'm sure you can all relate to as well. It goes "A tavola non si invecchia" which means you don't age while seated for a meal. I can confirm this is true. This tasting and meal was like I was transported in time to a place there there was no time. It was just food, wine and love existing in its own non linear temporal space. It was at a small table in the middle of his wine cellar. I truly felt like I was transported. Italy can do that do you. The wines all were extraordinary but two really stood out to me and I'll be chatting about them today. These are some of the most honest, authentic, delicious and soulful wines we sell. They are diamonds in the rough. 

There are thousands of producers in Piedmont and I hate to be the one to tell you there is an ocean or even two oceans of bad Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera and Dolcetto. The winemaking skills vary tremendously as do the goals and aspirations of the winery. This is why it took us a while to get our Italian book going. I had to taste a lot of coal to find these diamonds. Tomaso Gianolio is one of my proudest accomplishments as he has no single vineyards, his labels are almost indistinguishable from the other 70-80 estates that this one artist does the labels for and his production is small but not terribly small. The wines are insane ridiculous values. When you factor in a vintage like 2013, which is stunning, stunning, stunning, the value cannot be overstated. This estate is a diamond. 

The 2013 Tomaso Gianolio Barolo can be had for $39.99 on a 4-pack and $34.99 on a case purchase. This is an absolutely a case purchase as this should be $50-$60 dollar wine. No questions. 2013 Barolo brings the power and more importantly the fruit.  The fruit quality is astonishing. These are thrilling young wines. Think 2015 Northern Rhone for a comparable vintage. It is a vintage that has that bit of extra in every aspect of the wine. Fruit, structure, depth, aromas and umami. They are sick, sick wines. Superb aromas that really make me understand the expression that it takes two noses to truly take in the perfume of a great Barolo. Luckily I'm blessed like that. Just gorgeous big cherry and even some mild cassis fruit, tar, roses, spice and mineral. It's like a bazaar and potpourri emporium on a freshly paved road on a hot day. The nose is so utterly refined and classic one does need two noses. It's just stunning. There is a subtlety to Nebbiolo aromas I can't get over. It's so nuanced and wild yet so refined. It makes me get why there is a cult surrounding Nebbiolo. The palate is just plain awesome. I easily drank a glass with my lunch and this was served with a traditional Piedmontese boiled beef that kind of reminded me of brisket but way better. The palate is just authoritative. It's big, incredibly juicy and shows perfectly ripe and healthy Nebbiolo from exalted terroir. It has such a wonderful density to its fruit, yet also is littered with minerals, flowers and spices. It has incredible freshness due to the harmonious and wonderfully ripe acids. It's so deep and so fruity and so ripe one cannot stop drinking this. It's also refined and elegant and has wonderful subtlety. The finish pumps out fruit and is just explosive and lasts minutes. The beef softened it up and enabled me to easily finish a healthy glass. It kept changing and I wish I had more time to spend with it. I spent too much time on the Dolcetto (lol - see below) but that is life. The wine is really really really impressive and I never say this but everyone who can needs to buy a case. You'll be very happy you did. 


Up next I have the wine I spent too much time on but was so worth it as it is a spectacular example of a wine I adore when done right and that is the 2016 Tomaso Gianolio Dolcetto d'Alba for $17.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. This is lights out Dolcetto. I loved it so much I made Davide open an older vintage (2012) and I geeked out comparing both of them for 40 minutes. The stuffed peppers with tuna also were insane with this. There was also a curled up raw beef with something else that went with this. As you can see, I'm more of a wine guy than a food guy. This Dolcetto, getting back to it, really floored me. Almost a Gamay like nose. Nice grapiness with loads of spice and vibrant and super vivid black cherry. Huge fruit on the nose and backed up on the palate with terrific balance and ridiculous juicy and impressive complexity. Nice fruit that really spreads about on the palate. There is very attractive and chewy persistence. Nice ripe and juicy tannins. Really persistent and pumps on the finish. Balance is unreal. Acidity is on point and the structure, which Davide says is a hallmark of the vintage, was a highlight. This is an absurd value. 

2013 Tomaso Gianolio Barolo - $41.99
($159.96 4-pack, $419.88 12 bottle Case)

2016 Tomaso Gianolio Dolcetto d'Alba - $19.99 ($71.96 4-pack)