2022 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli, No Name, Piedmont, Italy.
Always a secret winner for class and value the No Name Langhe Nebbiolo, actually a declassified Barolo, shows off a youthfully dark ruby/garnet hue in the glass and has lovely aromatic intensity and a structured full bodied palate of red currant, damson plum, cherry and strawberry fruits that are backed up with black licorice, crushed flowers, cedary spice, mineral notes, minty herb and a sultry earthiness. Barolo by any other name and made with, as the winery notes, a manual harvest of 100% Barolo zone Nebbiolo grapes, which are all gently de-stemmed and pressed. This is followed by a natural spontaneous fermentation in large concrete tanks, at cool temperatures for a maceration/extraction period of close to 15 days. This is followed by a soft pressing and an aging elevage in large Slavonian oak barrels, or Botti, for a bit more than 2 years. This wine is terroir driven, highlighting the clay and limestone Marl based calcarious soils and there’s a subtle chalky character behind the freshness of this 2022 vintage that is very appealing and I think there’s a lot more to come from this wine over the next 5 to 10 years, even if it is very poised and delicious right now. Once a protest label, because of a classification spat with authorities, the No Name Langhe Nebbiolo DOC bottling is now an insiders treat!
Borgogno has some incredible plots in some of Barolo’s most admired Crus including Liste, Fossati and, as mentioned in my prior review, Cannubi, one of the world’s greatest vineyards, so for Nebbiolo, this is a must try winery, with this wine, getting that pedigreed fruit, is a must try. Again as noted before, the historic Borgogno & Figli label and winery has been restored to the highest level of respect and quality under the ownership of Andrea Farinetti, who has a string of intriguing wineries and projects throughout Italy and who is dedicated to native varietals and traditions within the regions. The No Name Langhe Nebbiolo comes from vineyards located in the Langhe area in the villages around Barolo set on the classic Marl limestone and clay soils with all the estates vines being certified organic and is crafted with the idea of being a more early drinking example of Nebbiolo, but with real Barolo presence in the glass. Borgogno, as mentioned in my prior reviews, is one of Piedmonte’s oldest and most revered Barolo properties, founded back in 1761, employs traditional winemaking, and the No Name Langhe Nebbiolo shares in this, getting the same fermentation and long maceration regime. At the most recent Slow Wine Tasting in San Francisco, Borgogno again shined brightly with an amazing set of wines, this one included!
($45 Est.) 93+ Points, grapelive