Manzone Giovanni Castelletto Barolo 2013
Prefer your Barolos loose and dull? Don’t look anywhere here. Vinous rightly says this will appeal most to those “who enjoy taut, vibrant Barolos”. So I guess that includes only… well, all of you.
Profile
Antonio Galloni of Vinous does know his Barolos, too. Here’s what he said last year of the 2013 Barolo vintage: “ When the 2013s were younger, I thought they would turn out along the lines of the 2010s, but over the last year in particular, many 2013s have acquired a level of textural finesse and grace that is truly remarkable. In many cases, the 2013s remind me of the 2008s, but with more depth, better balance and more consistency. If that sounds appealing, well, it is.”
Manzone’s Castelletto vineyard is a mere one hectare of south-facing vines in Monforte d’Alba, and possesses a special place in their small lineup of Barolos. With five years of age, this is still a baby, but it’s beginning to unfurl some of its secrets and I’m glad we’re in its inner circle of friends. All of it’s youthful dark fruit, licorice, tar and truffle are starting to expose themselves, and we’re glad to have this in our glass any day of the week. Today’s a good day.
Reviews
Vinous
“The 2013 Barolo Castelletto is another superb wine from Manzone. Beams of Castelletto tannin and bright acidity give the wine its super-distinctive feel. A wine of focus and drive, the Castelletto will appeal most to readers who enjoy taut, vibrant Barolos. This is another superb showing from Manzone.”
It’s cool, we get it, you want to know absolutely everything about this wine. Well here you go, go nuts.
Specs
- Region
- Piedmont
- Vintage
- 2013
- Cellaring
- 2030
- Preservatives
- Sulphites
- Alcohol by Vol.
- 14.0%
- Closure
- Cork
- Bottle Vol
- 750mL
- Blend Info
- 100% Nebbiolo
- Serving Temp.
- 17.0°C
Producer
Manzone Giovanni
The Manzone story is classic Italy. Starting way back in 1825 when Manzone Giovanni bought the ‘Ciabot del Preve’ (the parish priest house) in Monforte d’Alba, Piedmont. Today, the winery is still very much a family-run affair. Following sustainable viticulture practices, these guys nurture their grapes from seedling to screwcap (ok, cork, but for the sake of a little alliteration...), producing some of the finest Barolo this side of, well, anywhere really.
Region
Piedmont
If you’ve never plugged Piedmont into Google images then now’s the time. A northern Italian region that spoons both France and Switzerland, it’s one of the more picturesque wine regions in the world and better yet, the vinos do the dramatic backdrop justice. Piedmont wines benefit from the warmth of the Mediterranean and the chill of the Alps, and the combination of these climates means the valleys will often be shrouded in fog. Behind the fog you’ll find Piedmont’s two superstar wines: Barolo and Barbaresco. Known as the King of Wines in Italy, Barolo in particular is lauded over worldwide but really, there’s more to Piedmont than these two. Aside from juicy, tannic nebbiolo, keep an eye out for barbera, the go-to vino for many Italians.
The rules are there ain’t no rules, but here are some foods we think will work pretty well with this wine...
Goes with
Pasta primavera
Ingredients
- 50g/2oz unsalted butter
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 200g/7oz asparagus, blanched, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 150g/5oz fresh peas, podded
- 100g/3½oz frozen soya beans, defrosted
- 100g/3½oz baby spinach
- 450g/1lb cooked tagliolini or tagliatelle (a few tablespoons of cooking water reserved)
- 1 lemon, juice and zest
- large handful fresh spring herbs, including mint, basil, dill and parsley, chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- To serve
- 25g/1oz hazelnuts, toasted and lightly crushed
- parmesan shavings, or similar vegetarian hard cheese shavings
- olive oil, for drizzling
Directions
- Heat the butter in a pan, add the garlic and fry for one minute.
- Add the asparagus, peas, soya beans and spinach and stir fry for 1-2 minutes, until the spinach has wilted slightly.
- Add the pasta and a little of the cooking water to the pan and stir to combine.
- Stir in the lemon juice and zest and the herbs and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- To serve, divide the pasta among four bowls, sprinkle over the hazelnuts and parmesan shavings and drizzle with olive oil.