Wine Advisor
Giacomo Fenocchio, Barolo 2016
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
This is a hearty and slightly evolved expression. The Giacomo Fenocchio 2016 Barolo offers a broad range of Nebbiolo characteristics with lots of dark fruit followed by spice, tar and tilled earth. That licorice signature is very strong in this wine. The fruit veers toward heavier black and purple fruit tones, with plenty of tar and campfire ash. Instead of sharpness and precision, this Barolo offers a big-picture approach with wide, sweeping flavors.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2016 Barolo is an attractive and super-expressive wine in its peer group. Strong mint, blood orange, basil and spice notes give the 2016 a decidedly exotic aromatic profile. Deep and beautifully layered, the 2016 has plenty to offer in a style that can be enjoyed with minimal cellaring. The wine's richness compensates for its herbal bouquet, but readers who dislike any sort of slightly vegetal notes will find other wines in this range more appealing.
About the Producer
Five generations of Fenocchios have been producing wine from their holdings in Monforte d’Alba since 1894. Most of the production was sold locally up until 1964, when the ambitious and energetic Giacomo Fenocchio took over the estate. In his quest to make the finest wines in all of Barolo, he purchased prime parcels in Cannubi and nearby Castellero, but his focus was always on what he liked to call the heart of the Barolo area, the Bussia. In April of 1989, Giacomo passed away, leaving his young son Claudio to take over all farming and winemaking duties for the estate. As Claudio explains it, it was a challenging time for Barolo. Many producers were pushing a “new way” to make Barolo, and having great commercial success; but Claudio never strayed from the path of tradition. He continued producing his wines with the time honored techniques of the classic style: organic farming, with long fermentations on the skins and aging only in large Slavonian oak casks. Today Claudio’s wines exhibit a level of terroir clarity that is only found in the top echelon of producers. If you’re looking for the next star winemaker in Italy, look no further. In October of 2014, The New York Times rated Fenocchio in second position in a tasting of 2010 Barolos – coming behind only Elio Altare and ahead of Elio Grasso, Massolino, and Vietti. Claudio now manages 14 hectares of vineyards in Barolo, Castiglione Falletto and of course, the Bussia of Monforte. Total average annual production is about 8,000 cases.
