# Barolo DOCG (2018)

- **Producer:** Azienda Agricola Cascina Fontana
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Nebbiolo
- **Region:** Piemonte, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 14.0%
- **Average price:** €65
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 18–20 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** cherry, plum, rose, violet, herbaceous, black pepper, liquorice, cedar, vanilla, cloves, leather, tobacco, forest floor, mushroom, game

## About this wine

Winemaker Mario Fontana represents the sixth generation of grape growers in his family, establishing the modern incarnation of Cascina Fontana in 1995 in the village of Perno, Monforte d'Alba. Rejecting modern, technology-driven shortcuts, Mario crafts his wines 'come una volta' (as in the past) with patience, observation, and deep respect for his ancestors. Rather than following the modern trend of single-vineyard bottlings, this Barolo is a traditional assemblage of three historic family-owned crus: Villero and Valletti in Castiglione Falletto, and Gallinotto in La Morra. This classic blending method harmonizes the distinct terroirs of calcareous clay marls to achieve ultimate balance, complexity, and structural integrity. The estate operates on an extremely small scale, producing only around 30,000 bottles annually across all their labels from just six to seven hectares of meticulously hand-farmed vines. This limited production makes their traditional Barolo highly sought after by collectors and fine wine enthusiasts worldwide.

## Interesting facts

- Winemaker Mario Fontana represents the sixth generation of grape growers, crafting wines 'come una volta' (as in the past).
- This Barolo is a traditional blend of three historic crus: Villero, Valletti, and Gallinotto, spanning Castiglione Falletto and La Morra.
- The wine is naturally cold-stabilized by moving the tanks outdoors into the freezing Piedmont winter air, avoiding any filtration.

## Food pairing

The high acidity and robust, gripping tannins of this classic Barolo require rich, savory dishes with ample fat and protein to bind the tannins and soften the palate. Earthy components like mushrooms and truffles mirror the wine's complex tertiary potential, while slow-cooked meats complement its full body and pronounced intensity.

## Wine making process

The winemaking process at Cascina Fontana is deeply rooted in traditional Piedmontese methods. Grapes from the Villero, Valletti, and Gallinotto crus are hand-harvested and vinified separately. Spontaneous fermentation takes place in stainless steel or cement vats using only indigenous yeasts. The grapes undergo a lengthy skin-contact maceration of 25 to 30 days, and occasionally up to 40 days, to maximize the extraction of Nebbiolo's signature structural tannins. Following fermentation, the wines are blended and aged for 24 months in traditional, large 25 to 27 hectoliter Slavonian oak casks (botte), completely avoiding small barriques or new French oak. The wine is then racked into cement vats for an additional 12 months of resting to settle naturally and integrate. No fining or filtration is used; instead, natural cold-stabilization is achieved by moving the tanks outdoors into the freezing Piedmont winter air. The wine is aged in bottle for at least six months before release.