Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Vignolo 2018

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 2018 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!