Gianni Gagliardo Barolo 2008: Dark purple with some translucence color; cherry, plum, rose petal nose; cherry, balsamic, spice, roses on the palate;
deft use of oak softens and smooths the nebbiolo but gracefully does not compete for attention; dry, nice acidity, some grippy tannin that behaves after air time. Elegant effort, very polished mouthfeel, layers of aromas and flavor emerge with time in glass, finish fades gracefully with nice length. Refined, fascinating, continuously gains depth if you savor patiently. This wine is made by the Colla family who have worked the vineyards since 1847—extraordinarily long histories are a constant theme in many Old World efforts. Marivanna Colla married Gianni Gagliardo in 1973, and in the 1980s Gianni took control of the winery and elevated it to among the elite of Italian wineries. Today, their sons—the sixth generation—are assuming control responsibilities. Barolo is produced in the northern Italian region of Piedmont using nebbiolo grapes. Barolo ranks among the finest of Italian wines—there is a silly argument with Tuscany and sangiovese makers about who is best; please, both are sublime. Nebbiolo is famously tannic, which means they age wonderfully but can blow your mouth out when young—seven-to-10 years of development in wood and bottle generally is considered prudent. Efforts to harvest sooner and modernize wine making engendered the “Barolo Wars”—subject of a documentary film in 2014: “Barolo Boys. The Story of a Revolution.” Whatever side you chose—and why do we have to chose sides?—this effort is a delight on the palate and a serious, red wine connoisseur’s bliss. $44-54
Gianni Gagliardo website
Second photo: Gianti Gagliardo winery
