Burlotto

In Barolo's most northernly commune, Fabio Alessandria manages his 19th-century family estate founded and established by Giovan Battista Burlotto before 1900. Giovan was a a spirited entrepreneur and under this stewardship, Burlotto was made supplier to the Savoy Royal Household and was the only supplier to the Duke of Abruzzi’s expedition to the North Pole. G.B. distinguished himself by selling bottled wine bearing his estate’s name (in the manner of French châteaux) and then received accolades on the international scene. This tireless work helped make the village of Verduno as renowned as Serralunga or La Morra. 

Nevertheless, most of the estate’s production was consumed domestically, meaning successive wars were acutely troublesome. Then in 1927, Giovan died and passed ownership of the winery to his son Francesco, who died prematurely passing management to his grandson Ignazio. During this period, the estate sank into relative obscurity. Despite two difficult decades spanning 1960 to 1980, Ignazio’s daughter, Marina kept Burlotto afloat. Marina also married Giuseppe Alessandria in 1973, who then took responsibility for the cellar. Even in difficult times, Marina and her husband continued to innovate; in 1982 they began bottling single-vineyard Barolo; grew and bottled a varietal Pelaverga (now cultivated by twelve producers!); and in 1986, were the first producers in the Barolo zone to plant Sauvignon Blanc. 

In 1988, Marina’s son, Fabio, began studying Viticulture and Oenology followed by continued studies at university. In the early 2000s, Fabio officially joined the family business, later taking charge and continuing to manage the estate. Under his management, Burlotto is once again celebrated globally (as is Verduno!), receiving frequent perfect scores, expanding landholdings, and experiencing increasing prices in secondary markets. Importantly, the wines are increasingly magnificent, particularly the Monvigliero - one of the region’s very best wines.

Unsurprisingly, winemaking is uncomplicated: almost everything is destemmed, minus the Monvigliero and Dolcetto, helped by a new, gentler destemmer; reds are fermented in conical, open-top wooden fermenters (tine); indigenous fermentation is preferred, but Fabio is not religious and won’t risk spoilage; maceration generally lasts up to 20 days, except Monvigliero, which can last as long as 60 days with a submerged cap. Following maceration, a small pneumatic press is used and the skins are pressed with low pressure, then ageing is in large botti, followed by further élevage in bottle to help ‘resolve’ the wines. The resultant wines are multidimensional, elegant and staggeringly complex, boasting vivid and precise aromatics, an enlivening texture and a long, sapid finish!