Barolo Week Uncorked: A Lunch with Fontanafredda’s Finest.
To celebrate Barolo Week, held from October 21 to November 3, wine importer Vinites partnered with the historic Fontanafredda estate in Piedmont to organize a series of events across the Netherlands.
Our own Marc Roovers was fortunate to attend a lunch at the inviting Italian restaurant Porta Sud in Breda. Alongside Barbara Meuwese and Joost van Rijn of Vinites, Nadin Bertonasco was present to offer insight into the wines of Fontanafredda. Nadin is Brand Ambassador and Export Manager for Fontanafredda, covering Europe and South America. Despite the 150 days of annual travel, her enthusiasm showed no signs of fatigue.
Barolo Week
Barolo Week is an initiative by Fontanafredda, encompassing events, tastings, and masterclasses that delve into the story of the ‘King of Wines.’ Its aim is to reach a broad audience, emphasizing the unique character of Barolo as well as the profound tales of people and terroir that lie behind each bottle.
The Historical Significance of Fontanafredda
It may be hard to imagine, but Barolo wines were once sweet and mildly sparkling. In 1787, Thomas Jefferson, then United States Ambassador to France, noted tasting a ‘Nebiule’ wine, describing it as “about as sweet as the silky Madeira, as astringent on the palate as Bordeaux and as brisk as Champagne.” It was only in the mid-1800s that the first dry versions of Nebbiolo emerged, thanks, in part, to the pivotal role played by Fontanafredda.
According to historians, Italian General Paolo Francesco Staglieno was instrumental in creating dry Nebbiolo, perfecting Barolo in the 1830s and 1840s. Staglieno worked directly for Carlo Alberto of the House of Savoy, the King of Sardinia, overseeing all aspects of winemaking at one of their estates. The close association with the aristocracy, and specifically with the House of Savoy, who served Barolo at court and produced it at their royal estates earned Barolo its famed title: ‘the King of Wines, the Wine of Kings.’
King Carlo Alberto was introduced to Barolo in the early 1830s, which inspired him to begin his own production. His passion for wine passed down to his son, Vittorio Emanuele II, who ascended as King of Sardinia in 1849 and would later become the first king of Italy in 1861. During his hunting expeditions, Vittorio Emanuele often stopped at the Fontanafredda estate in Serralunga to change horses at its stables. This led him to recognize the property as ideal for cultivating Nebbiolo for Barolo production, and eventually, as the future residence and business venture for his two illegitimate children with his mistress, Rosa Vercellana, known as ‘La Béla Rosin.’
The King acquired Fontanafredda in 1858, and by 1864, he began planting new vineyards. Both the estate and the vineyards were placed under the names of his two children, Maria Vittoria and Emanuele Alberto, Count of Mirafiore and Fontanafredda. After marrying Rosa, he granted her the title Countess of Mirafiore and Fontanafredda.
According to historical records, the earliest mention of a wine from Fontanafredda is found in a Turin State Archives document referring to a ‘Barbera Fontanafredda 1867.’ The same document also mentions a ‘Nebiolo Barolo 1868′ and ‘Barolo 1865,’ referring to wines made from grapes grown in the vineyards at Fontanafredda in Serralunga or from vineyards in the village of Barolo.
Count Emanuele Alberto expanded wine production at Fontanafredda, with over 300 hectares cultivated directly by qualified staff paid specifically to do this job, which was unique for the time.
The Big Change
After a complex history of ownership changes, the estate entered a new era in 2008 when Oscar Farinetti, founder of the Eataly brand, and Luca Baffigo purchased the estate, bringing it back under Piedmontese ownership after 77 years.
Farinetti’s vision brought fresh energy to Fontanafredda, emphasizing sustainability and a deep respect for its historical and cultural roots. Starting in 2015, all the estate’s vineyards were converted to organic farming practices. By 2018, in celebration of the estate’s 160th anniversary, Fontanafredda harvested its first certified organic vintage.
Today, they cultivate 120 hectares of estate-owned organic vineyards, of which 58 ha in the Fontanafredda MGA. In addition, a network of over 285 carefully selected grape growers supply the cellar.
The Lunch and the Wines
In the Passage Zuidpoort, adorned with Art Nouveau elements, you will find the small but charming Italian restaurant Porta Sud. Here, Vinites hosted a lunch featuring Fontanafredda wines, including some of the estate’s finest Barolo’s.
The lunch dishes served were exquisite, brimming with authentic flavors that captured the essence of Italian cuisine. Chef Ralph Geerts demonstrated a keen understanding of the stylistic qualities of Nebbiolo wines, as the food and wine pairings were nothing short of perfect.
The wine lineup was thoughtfully curated, with a lead-role for four remarkable Barolos. Below you can read about our impressions.
2019 Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba ‘Renaissance’ DOCG
This is the estate’s flagship wine, produced from vineyards in the village of Serralunga d’Alba, where Fontanafredda’s historic cellar is located. It is regarded as the estate’s signature wine, embodying its history and expertise. The wine matures for 24 months in oak barrels, followed by 12 months in concrete tanks. The 2019 vintage was a ‘classic’ year, yielding wines with remarkable aging potential.
Fun fact: Thirty years after the first municipal designation appeared on its label in 1988, the Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba now participates in the ‘Renaissance’ project. For ten consecutive vintages, each year will represent a different ‘feeling,’ illustrated by an Italian artist and accompanied by a text from an Italian writer. In 2019, the theme was ‘Courage.’
The wine shows a brick-red garnet color. The nose is initially somewhat reserved, gradually opening to reveal notes of violets, cherries, balsamic, mint, and bay leaf. On the palate, sweet forest fruits, an elegant tannin structure, soft acidity, and a lightly drying sensation in the finish are present, carried by flavors of ripe cherry, blackberry, and a hint of balsamic.
We award this wine with a 91-point DWA score.
2018 Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba Riserva DOCG
A single 6-hectolitre foudre of the 2018 Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba was reserved for extended aging, with 32 months of maturation before being released as Barolo Riserva. This is the first, and likely the only time Fontanafredda has released this wine in such a way.
A complex bouquet with spice, floral notes, minerality, balsamic undertones, and aromas of cherry, blueberry, and floral potpourri. The palate offers juicy dark forest fruits, balanced with a refined structure. Flavors of cherry, blackberry, and dark berries blend seamlessly with integrated oak. The long finish reveals ripe fruit, fine tannins, and subtle spice.
Paired with agnolotti filled with porcini mushrooms, hazelnuts and truffle, this match is truly heavenly.
We award this wine with a 92-point DWA score.
To crown the tasting, we were treated to two ‘Vigna’ wines from the outstanding 2019 vintage.
A ‘Vigna’ Barolo is produced from an MGA (Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive, or additional geographic mentions) vineyard, specifying a particular plot on the label to showcase the unique terroir.
Each of these wines comes from vineyard plots of no more than 1.5 hectares, with an annual production of just 4,500 bottles.
2019 Barolo Vigna La Villa Paiagallo DOCG
One of Fontanafredda’s historic vineyards in the MGA Paiagallo, near the village of Barolo, is the ‘La Villa’ plot. East-facing at an altitude of 320 meters, the vineyard’s clay-rich soils have infusions of silt and sand.
The wine presents a light cherry-red hue. On the nose, there is incense, ripe black fruit, vanilla, herbs, olives, and floral aromas like rose petals. The palate follows the nose, starting off rounded, with refined acidity and juicy flavors. The long finish reveals fine oak, noble tannins, dried rose petals, and cherry.
We award this wine with a 93-point DWA score.
2019 Barolo Vigna La Delizia Lazzarito DOCG
‘La Delizia’ is a plot in the MGA Lazzarito, just north of the village of Serralunga d’Alba.
Situated at a slightly higher altitude (380 meters) with a southward exposure, the soil here is markedly different: calcareous marl with clay.
A darker cherry-red in color, the wine opens with notes of cool mint, red currant, orange zest, blueberry, and tobacco, followed by a signature spiciness for this vineyard, rosemary, thyme, and eucalyptus. The palate is complex, with a refined structure and creamy red and blue fruits, layered with eucalyptus, vanilla, with a tighter structure than La Villa. The finish abounds with dark cherry and forest fruits, with subtle oak and smooth tannins.
We award this wine with a 94-point DWA score.
These two wines paired beautifully with the chef’s dish of duck, fig sauce and tomato-fig compote.
Conclusion
We must admit, we wouldn’t mind seeing more Barolo Weeks, even 52 a year if that would be possible! The Fontanafredda wines presented at this event rank among the region’s finest. Tasting the rare releases was a true privilege, with the Riserva 2018 and the two Vigna wines standing out for their remarkable quality. But also the other wines were a delight to experience.
This article is written by our own Marc Roovers. Fontanafredda is imported in the Netherlands by Vinites, and available through selected retail and hospitality partners.
Special thanks go to Chef Ralph Geerts and the team at Porta Sud for their beautifully crafted dishes, which left me wanting more. Also, a warm thank you to Nadin Bertonasco and Emilia Bandellino from Fontanafredda for their support and additional information. Last but not least, thanks to Vinites for organizing this and inviting us.
