08/19/2024
Barolo Communes
-La Morra
La Morra is Barolo's largest commune, home to the largest number of producers - 227 wineries with 380 Ha of vineyards. It's located on the western side of Barolo DOCG. La Morra soils are Tortonian formation, a mix of calcareous marl, chalk and sandstone, with a grey-blue hue, known
locally as Sant'Agata marl. Sant'Agata marl is a soft soil, slightly richer than what is found in Monforte and Serralunga. Barolos from this commune
are marked by more supple textures and open, fragrant aromas; while long-lived they don't have the broad tannic structure of wines from Serralunga or Monfor La Morra is composed of a very large amphitheater bowl with ridges running down creating a vast array of exposures. The
small hamlet of Annunziata, located lower on the La Morra amphitheater, is home to vineyards that are more protected and gather more warmth,
where the supple and fragrant nature of La Morra can be amplified.
Famous vineyards: Arborina, Brunate, Conca, Rocche dell'Annunziata.
-Monforte d'Alba
Monforte is Barolo's second largest commune, home to 122 wineries with 200 Ha of vineyards that are located in the southern part of Barolo
DOCG. Monforte is home to some of the most broad, powerful, and long-lived wines of Barolo. Soils are mostly Helvetian formation or Formazioni
di Lequio and are poor in organic material, composed of limestone, various types of sandstone, and calcareous marl. The landscape in Monforte
is very steep and with winding drainages. The best vineyards tend to be on south-facing ridges (Bricco) and smaller tightly packed bowls.
Famous vineyards: Mosconi, Ginestra, Pajana, Gran Bussia.
-Serralunga d'Alba
Serralunga is Barolo's third largest commune, home to 98 wineries and 150 Ha of vineyards. Two steep bowls off the village of Serralunga, and
the hamlet of Baudana, create several southern exposures that hold some of the greatest vineyards in the commune. The others are located on
steep ridges and small hills. Soils are very poor with a thin layer of topsoil. Limestone, sandstone, sand, and grey calcareous marl yield the dusty
tannins and long-lived wines of this commune.
Famous vineyards: San Rocco, Margheria, Baudana, Cerretta, Cascina Francia, Vigna Rionda, Marenca.
-Barolo
Barolo is Barolo's fourth largest commune, home to 40 wineries with 160 Ha of vineyards. It sits roughly in the middle of the eastern and western
borders of Barolo DOCG. The name Barolo comes from the old local Italian word for "base" or "lower” Standing atop La Morra hill you look down
into the village of Barolo and you see dramatic change in elevation. You get a mixture of the softer soils from the western valley and the harder,
more limestone driven soils of the eastern valley. Historically, the commune is known to be a blend of the supple qualities of La Morra with the
power of Serralunga. Most of the vineyards are continuous with the large La Morra amphitheater and some are on a separate north-south ridge,
home of the great Cannubi vineyard.
Famous vineyards: Cannubi, Bricco delle Viole, Le Coste, Fossati.
-Castiglione Falletto
Castiglione Falletto is Barolo's fifth largest commune, home to 55 wineries and 127 Ha of vineyards. It's composed of a grand ridge running north
to south that creates both phenomenal southeast and southwest exposures. Located between La Morra and Serralunga, the soils are a mix of
these communes: yellowish sandstone, limestone, sand, and soft crumbling grey calcareous marl. This gives the wines from Castiglione Falletto
some qualities of both the hard Serralunga side, and the soft La Morra side.
Famous vineyards: Bricco Boschis, Bricco Fiasco, Rocche di Castiglione.
-Grinzane Cavour
Grinzane Cavour is a tiny commune comprised of 40 Ha that has great historical signifacance, but recent history had forgotten until 2000 when
Giorgio Rivetti ressurected the cru Campe from the steep south-facing cru Garretti, located just below the Grinzane Cavour castle. Ironically, the
first "modern" Barolo which we know today as "traditional” Barolo was made by count Camillo Benso with the assistance of French oenologist
Oudart in the 1830s from the Castello vineyard next to Campe. Soils are a mix of both Tortonian and Serravallian with a higher percentage of sand.
Grinzane Cavour is one of the most northern communes and closest to Alba and the river Tanaro.
Famous vineyards: Campe, Garretti, Castello.
-Verduno
Verduno is a tiny commune (slightly larger than the production of Grinzane Cavour), 60 Ha of vineyards, that produces just under 5% of Barolo's
total output of wine. Located on the north side of Barolo DOCG just above the Tanaro river. Long over-looked due to the fact that most producers
sold their fruit rather than estate bottled. However, today long standing local producers from the commune, including producers like Paolo Scavino, have made tremendous strides showing the potential here. Monvigliero is an incredible site with limestone and chalky soils. The proximity
to the Tanaro river is a constant supply of cooler evening air that has helped the vineyard sites here in heat stressed vintages. The commune is
know for more approachable wines- elegance over brawn- and is especially known for very open-knit and fragrant aromatics.
Famous vineyards: Monvigliero, Massara.
