Wine Denomination from Piedmont
Barolo is a dry red wine from Piedmont in northwest Italy, made only from the Nebbiolo grape in a small area of the Langhe hills south of Alba. Often called "the king of wines and the wine of kings", it is pale in color but powerful, with high acidity, firm tannins and aromas of roses, cherries and tar. Barolo has been a DOCG, Italy's top quality level, since 1980.
Barolo is always dry. It has almost no residual sugar, a minimum of 13% alcohol (most bottles are 14–15%) and a lot of tannin, so a young Barolo can feel grippy and austere. With age the tannins soften and the wine gains notes of dried roses, leather, licorice, tobacco and truffle. That change is why many people cellar Barolo for ten years or more before opening it.
Barolo is often compared to Pinot Noir and red Burgundy: both are light in color, perfumed and high in acidity, and both express the exact vineyard they come from. The difference is structure. Nebbiolo has far more tannin than Pinot Noir, so Barolo feels firmer and needs more time. The closest wine to Barolo is its neighbor Barbaresco, also 100% Nebbiolo, usually a little softer and ready sooner. For a cheaper taste of the same grape, try Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d'Alba. Our guides compare Barolo vs Barbaresco and Barolo vs Bordeaux in detail.
In the US, a good entry-level Barolo from a reliable producer costs about $40–60. Single-vineyard (cru) bottles from well-known estates usually cost $70–150, and the most sought-after names, such as Giacomo Conterno's Monfortino or Bruno Giacosa's Riserva, sell for several hundred dollars. Barolo is rarely cheap for three reasons:
- Small area: only about 2,200 hectares of vineyards can make Barolo, on steep hillsides that are mostly worked by hand.
- Long ageing: the rules require 38 months of ageing before release (62 for a Riserva), so producers hold stock for years.
- High demand: the best crus and producers sell out on release and are collected worldwide.
Under $50, look for a producer's classic "Barolo" (a blend of several vineyards) rather than a single cru. Village names such as Barolo, La Morra or Serralunga d'Alba on the label are also a good sign of value.
There is no single best Barolo, but these producers are widely regarded as benchmarks:
- Traditional style (long maceration, large old casks): Giacomo Conterno, Bartolo Mascarello, Giuseppe Rinaldi, Bruno Giacosa, Cappellano and Brovia.
- Modern style (shorter maceration, small French barrels): Elio Altare, Paolo Scavino, Luciano Sandrone and Roberto Voerzio.
- Reliable and easier to find: Vietti, G.D. Vajra, Massolino, Elio Grasso, Oddero, Ceretto, Pio Cesare, Borgogno, Fontanafredda and Marchesi di Barolo.
Today most producers sit somewhere in between, and the "Barolo wars" between traditionalists and modernists of the 1980s and 1990s have largely ended. For specific bottles to try first, see our best Barolo wines guide.
Barolo can be made in 11 villages. Barolo, Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga d'Alba lie entirely inside the zone, while La Morra, Monforte d'Alba, Novello, Verduno, Grinzane Cavour, Diano d'Alba, Cherasco and Roddi are partly inside it. The soils split the zone in two:
- West (La Morra, Barolo, Verduno): younger Tortonian marls, rich in clay and lime, give more perfumed, approachable wines.
- East (Serralunga d'Alba, Monforte d'Alba, Castiglione Falletto): older Serravallian soils with more sandstone give firmer, longer-lived wines.
Since the 2010 vintage, labels can name one of about 180 official vineyard areas, called MGA (Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive). Famous examples include Cannubi, Brunate and Cerequio in the west, and Bussia, Ginestra, Vigna Rionda, Francia, Lazzarito, Monprivato and Villero in the east.
Barolo vintages vary a lot. Recent years widely praised by critics include 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2019, which are classic, long-lived vintages. Hot years such as 2011, 2015 and 2017 give riper, more open wines that are pleasant to drink earlier.
Serve Barolo at 16–18°C (61–64°F) in a large, wide glass. Open a young Barolo an hour or two before drinking, or decant it to soften the tannins. Older bottles (15 years or more) may throw a sediment: stand them upright for a day and pour gently. Most Barolo drinks best between 8 and 25 years after the vintage, and great vintages can last much longer.
Barolo needs rich, savory food that can match its tannin. Classic Piedmontese pairings are tajarin or risotto with white truffle from Alba, brasato al Barolo (beef braised in Barolo), roast or braised lamb and game, and mature cheeses such as Castelmagno or aged Parmigiano Reggiano. Avoid delicate fish and very spicy dishes.
Barolo is pronounced bah-ROH-loh, with the stress on the middle syllable. Nebbiolo is neb-YOH-loh.
Barolo is the best-known wine of Piedmont. Read our Piedmont wine guide for Barbaresco, Barbera, Dolcetto, Gavi and the region's other wines, or browse every Barolo in our catalog below.