Cavallotto Barolo Vignolo Riserva 04

580 cases made.

Wine Advocate 92-95 points!

Wine Advocate - The 2004 Barolo Riserva Vignolo explodes from the glass with tons of super-ripe, perfumed red cherries, roses and spices. Sweet, silky tannins frame a long, utterly exquisite finish. The wine reveals compelling inner sweetness and a level of pure finesse that is the hallmark of this great vintage. Anticipated maturity: 2016-2031.

Cavallotto may very well be the greatest Barolo producer few people have ever heard of, something that continues to mystify me. Truth is, it isn’t just the Barolos here that are impressive, the entry-level wines are every bit as delicious and well-priced. As always, Cavallotto is among the last producers to bottle, and all of these wines were sampled from tank. Readers who appreciate a firm, classic style of Barolo will want to spend some time getting to know Cavallotto.

This harmonious, full-bodied wine has an intense ruby red hue that, with age, changes to a deep garnet. Intense and fruity on the nose, it shows aromas of tobacco and liquorice with undertones of red fruit jam, dry roses, and violets. On the palate it is dry, warm, and supple with sweet and rounded tannins. Overall a well-balanced wine with a long finish. - Michael Skurnik Wines

The 10,700 Nebbiolo vines in the Vignolo vineyard, facing south and south-west, were planted in two years: 1948 and 1966.

The grapes themselves are macerated on the skins for a long time-about 26 days-in stainless steel vats. The wine is then transerred to traditional casks of Slovenian oak where it is left to mature for about 4 years. Finally, it spends up to a year continuing to mature in the bottle before it is released.