This is a classic old-vine Barolo from La Morra which offers the complexity, elegance and power of Nebbiolo

2016 is undoubtedly the best one vintage of this decade. This wine is an excellent example of Barolo from La Morra - full of flavour and elegance. This wine is packed with the signature aromas of wild roses, liquorice, cinnamon and dark chocolate along with powerful tannins. La Morra is one of the most prized villages in Barolo. Paolo Demarie's vineyard has off-white soils, rich in blue-grey marls. All of the grapes come from a single vineyard, made up of 50 years-old vines. These old vines tend to produce fewer grapes, but they're better quality. In 2016, Paolo only harvested 5,800 kg of grapes per hectare - way below the permitted 8,000 kg. The vineyard faces south-east, which is a favourable orientation and helps the grapes to ripen well.

Winemaking

In the cellar, the grapes are fermented for 23 days at a controlled temperature of 24-25°C, in stainless steel tanks. During the process, the cap is punched down once per day, and wine is pumped over twice per day, to extract the colour and flavours from the skins. After fermentation is finished, Paolo leaves the wine in contact with the skins for twenty more days. This helps to extract more tannins, giving this Barolo its desired taste and complexity. The wine is aged for 24 months in large, 2,500-litre barrels made from "second-use" Slavonian oak. This wood is less over-bearing than French oak, lending a more delicate taste with hints of black pepper, spice and vanilla. Finally, once the wine is bottled, it spends over two years in the cellar to integrate all the complex tastes and reach its full potential.

Tasting notes

In the glass, this Barolo has a medium garnet colour. It offers a pronounced aroma of black plum, red cherry, wild rose and liquorice, underpinned by notes of vanilla, cinnamon and black pepper. This is complemented by hints of dark chocolate, prune, and meat. In the mouth, the wine is dry, with medium acidity and powerful tannins - as you'd expect from a Barolo of this age. Each sip tastes like plums and dried figs, cinnamon and chocolate, leading into a long finish.

Awards

Decanter World Wine Awards 2021 - Bronze Medal (2016 vintage) | The WineHunter - Rosso (2016 vintage) | James Suckling - 94 points (2016 vintage) | Wine Enthusiast - 90 points (2015 vintage)

Sustainably sourced wooden box to present your wine gift in style

Make your wine gift even more memorable and thoughtful with our custom-made wooden box. If you are planning to present a bottle of fine Italian wine to a friend or a colleague, this sturdy box will add an extra special touch and help your gift stand out. As well as looking luxurious, it also adds an extra layer of protection for your wine gift during its voyage.

The wine box is made from timber, sourced exclusively from sustainable producers. Each box is certified by The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) - an international non-profit organisation that promotes responsible management of the world's forests - and is stamped with the FSC logo.

The surfaces are coated with a clear matt varnish to protect and highlight the natural character of the wood. It's stamped with the Independent Wine insignia, in contrasting red, and closes with a metal latch.

To add this beautiful finishing touch to your gift, simply choose any of our award-winning wines and add this wooden box to your basket. We will wrap the bottle in silver or black tissue paper, and affix a golden seal, before nestling it inside the box.