The Best Barolo Crus - Which is the best choice?

De Beste Barolo Cru's - Welke is de beste keuze?

In the past, the winegrowers from the Barolo DOCG only made Barolos. These Barolos were made as a blend in which the grapes came from different vineyards. These were and are magnificent wines. Even now, you can buy plenty of this "blend" Barolos. These are usually the cheaper Barolos.

In recent years, winegrowers increasingly want to do justice to the "terroir", the location of the vineyard, the soil type and the microclimate. In addition, the age of the vines also plays an important role. This is how Cru Barolos came into being. Barolos that are made from grapes from the best part of a vineyard. The differences between these Cru Barolos, even if they come from the same harvest year from the same producer, can be enormous. This all has to do with the "terroir".

Furthermore, Barolo also has subregions with different characteristics, especially due to the soil composition, which is very different. We have made an overview for you with the different Barolo subregions and their most important crus, supplemented with their characteristics.

All Barolos from this area have the DOCG quality mark.

1. Barolo sub-area - La Morra

  • Style : Known for its more elegant, fruity and softer style Barolos. The wines often have more finesse and are more approachable than those from other villages. The soils are rich in limestone and clay, resulting in wines with more aromas and less tannin.

  • Main crus :

    • Brunate : One of the most famous crus of Barolo, shared with Barolo itself. It gives powerful, structured wines with floral and tarry aromas, but with a certain finesse and refinement.
    • Rocche dell'Annunziata : One of the most prestigious crus of La Morra. It produces elegant and complex wines with a long life.
    • Cerequio : Known for its rich and soft Barolos, with a balance between elegance and power.

2. Community of Barolo

  • Style : The wines from the village of Barolo are often powerful, but well balanced. They combine elegance with structure and often need a slightly longer maturation period before they become accessible.

  • Main crus :

    • Cannubi : The most famous and historic cru of Barolo. Cannubi wines have an exceptional balance between fruit, flowers and tarry aromas, with a refined tannin structure.
    • Sarmassa : This is a cru known for its power and concentration. Sarmassa wines have firm tannins and intense aromas of cherries, tar and spices.
    • Rue : Produces wines with an elegant structure and floral aromas, often more refined than the other crus from the area.

3. Serralunga d'Alba

  • Style : Known for the most powerful and structured Barolos. The wines often have firm tannins, high acidity and a long aging time. Soils in Serralunga are rich in limestone and minerals, resulting in wines with a strong backbone and great aging potential.

  • Main crus :

    • Vigna Rionda : One of the most prestigious crus of Serralunga, with wines that are powerful, structured and complex. They have a long aging potential.
    • Lazzarito : Produces wines with deep colours, firm tannins and intense aromas of dark fruit, tar and spices.
    • Cerretta : This cru produces powerful, tannic wines with a clear mineral component. The ageing potential is great, and the wines often need years to reach full maturity.

4. Monforte d'Alba

  • Style : The wines from Monforte are powerful, tannic and have great ageing potential. Like Serralunga, they are known for their robust structure, but often also have a depth of fruit. The soils are rich in limestone and clay.

  • Main crus :

    • Bussia : One of the largest and most prestigious crus of Monforte. The wines of Bussia are powerful and structured with a firm tannin structure and deep flavors of tar, tobacco and ripe fruit.
    • Ginestra : Produces powerful, concentrated wines with a good balance between tannins and acids. This cru produces wines with a long aging potential.
    • Pajana : Known for its wines with powerful tannins and intense aromas of ripe fruit, spices and mineral notes.

5. Castiglione Falletto

  • Style : Castiglione Falletto is centrally located in the Barolo region and often combines the elegance of La Morra with the power of Monforte and Serralunga. Wines have a balance between finesse, structure and complexity.

  • Main crus :

    • Monprivato : One of the most famous crus of Castiglione Falletto. Monprivato wines are elegant, refined and very complex, with aromas of roses, cherries and tar.
    • Villero : Known for its rich and structured wines with deep flavors of cherries, spices and tar. They have great aging potential.
    • Rocche di Castiglione : Produces elegant and complex wines with fine tannins and a wide aromatic spectrum, including flowers and spices.

6. Verduno

  • Style : Verduno is the least known village in Barolo, but is gaining popularity. The wines here tend to be lighter and more elegant than in other parts of the region, with a pronounced floral and refined style.

  • Main crus :

    • Monvigliero : The most famous cru of Verduno. Monvigliero is known for its elegant, refined wines with a floral nose, light spiciness and silky tannins. These wines often have a special complexity and finesse.

7. Novello

  • Style : This is a smaller sub-area within Barolo and the wines tend to be more approachable and a little lighter than those from Serralunga or Monforte. However, Novello also offers some surprisingly structured wines.

  • Main crus :

    • Ravera : This is the main cru of Novello and is increasingly appreciated. Wines from Ravera have a firm structure, but retain finesse and a nice acidity, which gives them a good ageing potential.

Summary

The main sub-areas of Barolo are distinguished by their soils, climate and exposure, resulting in a range of styles from powerful, tannic wines (Serralunga d’Alba, Monforte d’Alba) to more refined and elegant wines (La Morra, Verduno). The individual crus offer even more nuance and precision in the character of the wines, allowing connoisseurs to choose between different styles within the Barolo area.