Cavallotto’s single-vineyard Dolcetto Vigna Scot hails from 2.3 hectares of 30-year-old vines within Castiglione Falletto’s legendary Monprivato vineyard. These Dolcetto vines face east, meaning it’s a cooler, later-ripening part of the vineyard. The mature vines, low yields and traditional winemaking on these great soils result in a layered, deep, remarkably serious Dolcetto.

While the vast majority of Langhe Dolcetto is raised in stainless steel, the Cavallotto family prefers to use cement tank and 5,000-litre Slavonian botti. This polishes Dolcetto’s tannins and helps to avoid its tendency for reduction. As always, this is a Nebbiolo drinker’s Dolcetto (if you know what we mean), and one that punches well above its weight. It has a juicy, mouthwatering texture bursting with vibrant cherry and spice and cosseted by palate-friendly, polished tannins. Already open for business, yet so lovely and fresh, it is another sophisticated effort that is as deep and multifaceted an expression of this variety as you are likely to find.

Cavallotto’s Vigna del Cuculo is a major-league Barbera from a parcel of 50-plus-year-old vines on the western side of Bricco Boschis. This parcel is named after the cuckoo bird (cuculo)—we’re not sure why, and neither is Alfio Cavallotto! This wine's unique power and ridiculous quality can be attributed to the mature vines, low yields and powerful terroir of the Bricco Boschis. The western aspect and the preponderance of limestone temper Barbera’s natural acidity, and Alfio Cavallotto explains that this ‘Barolo’ terroir contributes to an aromatic range in Barbera that is closer to Nebbiolo.

The winemaking is also distinctive, with up to 18 days on skins (a long time for Barbera) and then aging for 20 months in the same mature Slavonian casks as the Nebbiolo wines. 2021 is a wonderfully fleshy and perfumed year for this benchmark wine. It’s got that core of pure, sweet, plummy fruit so particular to this Barbera, here infused with nuances of anise, dried flower and earthy minerals. The tannins are supple and elegant, the acidity ripe yet racy, and the wine finishes with unusual depth, finesse and complexity for the variety. Equally deep, complex and textural—not all Barbera is created equal.

The word benchmark gets bandied around a lot, but this is a Nebbiolo that justifies that term from an already hyped vintage. Perhaps this should be no surprise given the vineyards it is drawn from: Bricco Boschis and Villero. In particular, the lion’s share of the grapes are from the Melera lieu-dit of the Boschis hill, which lies a little west of Vigna San Guiseppe and lower down the hill. Then, Cavallotto farms less than half a hectare of Villero, where the vines sit at the top of the hill above Vietti.

Cropped at yields below 40 hl/ha, the bunches are destemmed, and fermentation is spontaneous. Malolactic fermentation was in cement tanks during the spring following harvest. The wine aged for 18 months in Slavonian oak botti and was bottled unfiltered.

This perfectly portrays the balanced character of this glorious vintage and is an outstanding mini-Barolo. It offers wonderfully red-fruited perfume and layer upon layer of gorgeous, elegantly rendered Nebbiolo fruit. There is structure, as you would expect of a serious Nebbiolo, but the tannins are fine and work to balance the wine’s compact fruit. It closes with lovely energy, purity and mouthwatering salinity. It’s an outstanding, engaging Nebbiolo that offers excellent value for money. As with all this grower’s wines, the longer it spends in the decanter or glass, the more it reveals. A don’t-miss Nebbiolo.

The Bricco Boschis Cru is a truly profound vineyard: an amphitheatre-shaped site producing this estate’s most emblematic Barolo. This comes from vines with an average age of 50 years, primarily situated in two parcels within this vineyard. The first is Punta Marcello, which lies at the top of the slope next to the cantina. This cool terroir is known for its fragrant, pale juice and long, angular tannins. Then, there is the Vigna Colle Sudovest parcel, facing south at a lower elevation. This is the vineyard's warmest microclimate, and the fruit from these vines produces fleshier, more accessible wines with darker, more richly flavoured juice and softer tannins.

The renowned Vigna San Giuseppe vines also contribute something to the blend, and together, these three components form a complete picture of the Cru, complementing each other and building aromatic and structural complexity. The 2019 saw between 28 and 30 days on skins, followed by three years in cask, ranging in size from 20 to 100 hectolitres. It was bottled unfiltered. On this evidence, 2019 has been a brilliant vintage for Cavallotto. Alfio Cavallotto believes the year is quite similar to 2016 in that it is both classical, yet the wine is already approachable on release. What more persuading do you need?

The Bricco Boschis Cru is a truly profound vineyard: an amphitheatre-shaped site producing this estate’s most emblematic Barolo. This comes from vines with an average age of 50 years, primarily situated in two parcels within this vineyard. The first is Punta Marcello, which lies at the top of the slope next to the cantina. This cool terroir is known for its fragrant, pale juice and long, angular tannins. Then, there is the Vigna Colle Sudovest parcel, facing south at a lower elevation. This is the vineyard's warmest microclimate, and the fruit from these vines produces fleshier, more accessible wines with darker, more richly flavoured juice and softer tannins.

The renowned Vigna San Giuseppe vines also contribute something to the blend, and together, these three components form a complete picture of the Cru, complementing each other and building aromatic and structural complexity. The 2019 saw between 28 and 30 days on skins, followed by three years in cask, ranging in size from 20 to 100 hectolitres. It was bottled unfiltered. On this evidence, 2019 has been a brilliant vintage for Cavallotto. Alfio Cavallotto believes the year is quite similar to 2016 in that it is both classical, yet the wine is already approachable on release. What more persuading do you need?

In 1989, the Cavallotto family acquired 60% of the historic Vignolo Cru and was the first to bottle this Cru as a single-vineyard wine. Cavallotto’s Vignolo comes from a 1.9-hectare parcel in the Cru, which forms a ridge of southwest-facing vines, along with Codana and Monprivato, that lie between 60 and 80 metres lower than Bricco Boschis. The estate’s only neighbour here is Paulo Scavino.

Vignolo’s soils have some of the highest limestone content in Castiglione Falletto. Cavallotto’s vines were planted between 1948 and 1966, and vine age combines with the terroir and organic farming to give gentle structure, fruit purity and seductive texture. The 2017 spent 25 days on skins, followed by five years in large, neutral cask. This is in no way a lesser wine than the Vigna San Giuseppe; it is simply a different expression of Castiglione Falletto. Generally speaking, Vignolo is the more approachable and youthfully expressive of Cavallotto’s two Riservas, though its cellaring potential should not be underestimated!

The Bricco Boschis Cru is one of Castiglione Falletto’s most profound vineyards: 

an amphitheatre-shaped site producing this estate’s most emblematic Barolo wines. Facing south/southeast, this sun-drenched hill has long been considered one of Barolo’s blue-ribbon vineyards. The entire planted area covers some 8.8 hectares. Yet, because of variations in soil composition, elevation and aspect, Cavallotto parcellates the site into three subzones: Vigne Colle Sud-Ovest, Punta Marcello and Vigna San Giuseppe. The last of these is also bottled as a single Cru Riserva, which we have here. The densely planted old vines grow at 300-360 metres altitude, and the soils—a patchwork of yellow, white and grey calcareous clays interwoven with sand and sandstone—are as varied as the vineyard’s myriad exposures.

Vigna San Giuseppe is a 3.7-hectare parcel on a steep slope behind the cantina. It has long been considered the sweet spot for this vineyard, consistently delivering one of the region’s greatest Barolos. You get the best of everything: altitude (but not too much); excellent drainage (but enough water retention thanks to the clay, so the vines don’t stress in dry conditions); and a complex mixture of soils, including blue-tinted clays (for power), limestone (freshness and mineral drive) and sand (prettiness and perfume). The stars align to produce something magnificent once you add especially small bunches from the 60-year-old vines, unique clonal material and southwest exposure. This 2017 spent 28 days on skins followed by five years in large cask. Made from half a crop this year, it’s a powerful yet seductive Barolo for which greatness is guaranteed.