Wine Advisor
Giacomo Fenocchio, Barolo Bussia 2015
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: James Suckling
Dried roses and fragrant spices, anise and fennel seed in particular, leading to blood orange and pomegranate. The palate has a very sleek core of fine but ripe tannins that carry red-berry flavors in smooth repose. Drink or hold.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
The 2015 Barolo Bussia is a wine of power, density and gravitas, all of which come through in its decidedly vertical feel and rather somber expression. A whole range of balsamic-infused notes wrap around a core of dark fruit as this potent Barolo shows off its distinctive personality. The 2015 needs time to be at its best, but it is unquestionably impressive, even in the very early going.
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.
