Barolo

Barolo is the red wine of the Langhe in southern Piemonte, made from the Nebbiolo grape (Vitis vinifera) and named for the village of Barolo in the province of Cuneo. Waverley Root, in The Food of Italy, treats it among the great wines of Piemonte and places it in the hill country of the Langhe, where Nebbiolo is the principal red vine. It belongs to the tradition of the Piemontese table, where it accompanies the long-cooked and truffled dishes of the autumn and winter.

Barolo is a dry red wine made solely from Nebbiolo grapes grown within the delimited zone of the Langhe, and it is made to be aged. It is deep in structure, high in tannin and acidity, and usually strong in alcohol, and it is kept for long years in wood and bottle before it is ready to drink. In the glass it is typically a garnet colour that turns toward orange at the rim with age, and Root's account stresses its weight and its capacity to improve over time.

Barolo is drunk with the rich, slow dishes of Piemonte: braised and roast meats, game, aged cheeses and dishes finished with the white truffle of Alba (Tuber magnatum). The structural reason is plain. Its high tannin and acidity cut through fat and protein, and its weight stands up to concentrated sauces that would overwhelm a lighter wine. It is less suited to delicate fish or fresh, light preparations, where its tannin would dominate.