From the heart of old Barolo
Cannubi is one of Barolo's most renowned vineyards. Long before the cru system was formalised or Barolo enjoyed its modern prestige, Cannubi grapes commanded a premium. The oldest Langhe bottling in existence anywhere (a 1752, as it happens) is labelled not Barolo, but 'Cannubi'. In more recent years, a long and bitter legal battle raged over the boundaries of Cannubi, as some producers sought to acquire the halo of the name. In the heart of the region, in the commune of Barolo, the vineyard is at the 'cannubio', the meeting point, between the younger Tortonian soils (fertile, chalky marl) to the west, and the Helvetian soils (poorer, sandier) to the east. As a result Cannubi enjoys a particularly layered, complex soil structure. It is a complexity that naturally carries over into Cannubi grapes and then wine.
Serio e Battista Borgogno is a traditionalist, fifth-generation winery whose cantina sits plump at the top of the vineyard, and whose vineyard holdings are in the old heart of Cannubi. It was founded in the nineteenth century by one Francesco Borgogno, a mover and shaker of his day who was also Mayor of Barolo for 30 years; these days, it is very handily managed by descendants. Cousins Emanuela Bolla and Federica Boffa take the lead, but it's a real family business, with lots of relatives chipping in. They've always followed a traditional model here, out of respect for their forebears, but the fine-tuning efforts of recent years have borne great fruit, with their wines winning wide plaudits.
Their 2017 Cannubi captures the welcoming warmth of its vintage, and the bouquet is full of classic aromatics of rose petal, raspberry and cherry. Over time a lot of complexity emerges in the glass: black tea, tilled earth, fresh pasta, almond and tobacco. Structurally it is coiled and energetic, tense and full of potential. Sensitively responding to the vintage with a gentle hand in the cellar, a slightly shorter maceration and less time in oak, Emanuela and Federica have allowed a complete and complex wine to blossom. /NT
'Expressive and translucent in the glass, the 2017 is wonderfully expressive from the moment it is first poured. Sweet red cherry, blood orange, mint, spice, chalk and white pepper lend striking aromatic presence. Deceptively medium in body, the 2017 has plenty of grip. It is one of the finest wines I have tasted from Fratelli Serio & Battista Borgogno.' 93 points, Antonio Galloni, Vinous, Feb 2021
Offered subject to remaining unsold; for shipment Autumn 2021
