Cappellano

In 1870, wealthy landowner, Filippo Cappellano amalgamated 60 hectares around Serralunga d’Alba and founded a significant family business. The vineyards were later renovated by his son, Giovanni who also constructed two hotels in Alba and began developing grape sales in the French market after it had been devastated by phylloxera. Simultaneously, Giovanni’s brother, Giuseppe invented the famous Barolo Chinato, a fortified aromatic wine that combines Barolo and spirit infused with twenty herbs. By 1955, both Giovanni and Giuseppe had died, and management of the estate—now significantly smaller—was left to Francesco Augusto Cappellano, and then to his son Teobaldo who elevated the estate to its current stature. Baldo purchased a large plot in Gabutti (Otin Fiorin), revived Chinato production and replanted a few small rows to ungrafted Nebbiolo Michet (Pie Franco).

After Baldo died in 2009, his son Augusto assumed management, renovating the cellars and continuing to refine longstanding production practices. Vineyard management is delicate, fruit is harvested carefully, vinification is ‘traditional’ via indigenous yeast in cement and slavonian botte, and there is limited sulphur and no filtering before bottling. The resultant wines are brooding and expansive, boasting ripe, resolved tannins and a dense fruit core—consistently amongst the best of the vintage.