Wine Advisor
Giacomo Fenocchio, Barolo Cannubi 2016
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Monica Larner
The 2016 Barolo Cannubi is an open-knit and accessible expression with aromas of dark fruit, leather and cured tobacco. Those savory and earthy characteristics come from the fruit, but they also come from the barrels used to age the wine. There is a touch of sour bitterness or astringency that distracts from the excellent fruit obtained in the 2016 vintage.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Fenocchio's 2016 Barolo Cannubi is fabulous. Rich and sumptuous, yet with plenty of structure, the Cannubi dazzles from the very first taste. Rose petal, sweet red cherry, mint, blood orange and incense are some of the many notes that lift from the glass. On the palate, the Cannubi impresses with its sense of vertical structure and gravitas. The trademark sensuality of Cannubi meets a classically austere style. The 2016 is a wonderfully complete Barolo. I loved it.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
A very rich red on the nose with raspberries, strawberries, black truffles and some balsamico, following through to a full-bodied palate with chocolate, coffee and walnut undertones. A rich, decadent finish. Very rich Cannubi. Try after 2023.
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Fenocchio's 2016 Barolo Cannubi is fabulous. Rich and sumptuous, yet with plenty of structure, the Cannubi dazzles from the very first taste. Rose petal, sweet red cherry, mint, blood orange and incense are some of the many notes that lift from the glass. On the palate, the Cannubi impresses with its sense of vertical structure and gravitas. The trademark sensuality of Cannubi meets a classically austere style. The 2016 is a wonderfully complete Barolo. I loved it.
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.
