Find out who won the regional trophy for over £10. And the winner is...
Barolo Brunate Francesco Borgogno
Francesco Borgogno is a little known but high quality estate typical of Piedmont, where small, family-run estates often produce the region’s greatest wines; and though the Borgogno last name is common in Barolo, this family is unrelated to the others.
The estate was founded in the ‘50s and is smartly run today by brothers Giancarlo, who follows the vineyards, and Claudio, who makes the wines. Silvia, Claudio’s wife, handles the commercial aspects.
The estate owns five hectares in all and makes typical wines of the area, such as Dolcetto, Barolo and a white Favorita. It’s the Barolo Brunate that turns heads, a very worthy winner of the 2010 Decanter WWA Regional Trophy (over £10).
It’s made from grapes grown in what is unquestionably one of the five greatest Barolo vineyards, the famous Brunate of La Morra, known for highly perfumed, early developing, spicy wines of incomparable finesse. Francesco Borgogno owns over three hectares in Brunate – a sizable amount.
More accurately, a portion of the vines are located in the cru Fontanazza (now considered part of Brunate) which is historically famous for simpler Nebbiolo wines.
The blend of grapes from these south-east, exposed, very old vines (planted in 1950 and 1970) produces a marvellous, traditionally-made Barolo with long skin-to-juice contact and only large oak barrels used.
It’s a great wine; intense aromas of sour red cherry and violet; rich and creamy yet fresh, with softer tannins than you’d expect from Barolo and age worthy and fairly priced given its level of quality. Bravo!
Written by Ian d’Agata
