Aurelio Settimo Riserva Rocche dell'Annunziata Barolo DOCG 2009
(Piedmont, Italy) - [JS 93]

About the Winery:
Located in the La Morra commune, just above the village of Barolo, Aurelio Settimo has 7 ha of vineyards in the hamlet of Frazione Annunziata. Aurelio’s parents settled here in 1943, originally selling most grapes to large local wineries, keeping just a small amount to produce wine for family and friends. At the end of the 1950’s Aurelio’s father, Domenico, began selling some wine under the Settimo Domenico label. After Domenico’s death in 1962, Aurelio took over, extended the vineyards, and the Aurelio Settimo label was born. Since 1974, all production has been vinified on site. After the death of Aurelio in 2007, daughter Tiziana has handled all production and sales. The philosophy remains the same; focus on quality and keeping with tradition.  Settimo’s vineyards sit about 1,000 feet above sea level, with a vine age of between 20-50 years. Barolos from La Morra tened to be more accessible at an earlier age than Barolos from other communes (Serralunga, Montforte, Castiglione Falletto), but will age gracefully for 15-20 years.

About this Wine:
Rocche Dell’Annunziata is considered as being one of the finest growing areas for Barolo wine. Fertile, clay heavy-calcareous soil, south, south-west exposure, produces a rich, full-bodied, fragrant, elegant Barolo.  Here the vineyards look out over the Torriglione hamlet – in the shelter of a “hollow” lying between the hills of San Martino and Cerequio-Brunate .  The south, south-west  exposure allows sun from early morning till late in the afternoon.
Our reserve Barolo is made only in exceptional years, with a careful selection of grapes in the oldest vineyards (more than 50 years) in the Rocche dell’Annunziata appellation.

Tasting notes:
This wine is a brilliant garnet red, with a generous, complex nose; both spice and balsamic notes commingle with fruit and liquorice sensations.On the palate it is full-bodied with robust tannins, but it is also elegant and balanced.This wine is suitable for lengthy ageing. We recommend pairing it with red meat and game and to decant an hour or two before serving to allow it to release its fragrance.

Technical Details:
Cépage: Nebbiolo
Colour: red
Type: still
Alcohol percentage: 14.5%
Number of bottles produced: 4,000 ca.
Wine-making: according to tradition: fairly lengthy fermentations on the skins (around 15-20 days), with frequent breaking up of the cap and pumping over of the must.
Malolactic: done in concrete
Ageing: traditional (5 years by law): 12 months in concrete tanks, from 28 to 36 in big oak casks, around 6 months in concrete and the last months in steel tanks.
Age of barrels: 6-20 years
Wood type: French oak (Allier and Nevers) and Austrian oak (Manhartsberg e Weidling)
Barrels type: big casks
Level of toast: not toasted
Aging time in wood: from 28 to 36 months
Minimum ageing in bottle: 6 months
Soil: clayey limestone
Exposure: South – South-West

Ratings & Reviews

93 Points - James Suckling:
"The nose suggests that this is going to be quite a decadent wine as it conjures up aromas of meat, tar, leather, figs, dried plums and cedar. Full body and ripe tannins, but there is a fine line of acidity holding this nicely together and keeping it fresh and vivid. A long finish. Drink in 2022." (July 2018)