Wine Advisor
Giovanni Manzone, Barolo La Gramolere 2004
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Antonio Galloni
Manzone's 2004 Barolo Le Gramolere reveals gorgeous notes of candied cherries, spices and menthol in an elegant, sweet expression of this vineyard. It offers greater freshness than the Castelletto, with notable vibrancy to its generous fruit. The finish is delicate and long, as ethereal aromas linger in the empty glass. The Gramolere was aged predominantly in 500 liter barrels with 15-20% of the juice seeing larger 20-hectoliter barrels. It is one of the finest wines have tasted from this small, artisan producer.
Reviewed by: Stephen Tanzer
(the cru bottlings here are aged mostly in tonneaux Good full medium red. Somewhat high-toned aromas of strawberry and iron, with a suggestion of nutty oak. Juicy, floral and high-toned, with impressive concentration and richness and a rather powerful structure. Finishes long and penetrating. This will need several years in bottle-as do all of these crus from high-altitude sites.
About the Producer
In 1963, Stefano Manzone started the creation of the present-day winery. A man from 1860, father of three, Stefano handed down his lands, the result of enormous sacrifices and hard work. Today Manzone Giovanni represents one of the most historic and deeply rooted wineries of Monforte d’Alba. Five generations of winemakers who have cultivated the same vineyards for over a century, revealing every secret and potential of the land in which they have decided to live and work. A family journey filled with hard work, struggle, pride and revolutions that has marked the very history of Barolo and Langhe wine. Castelletto, located under the town of Monforte d’Alba, is in the heart of the Barolo hills, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A strip of land that rises on the ridge of Perno, at around 450 meters, atop which rises the Manzone winery. They are in a magnificent crossroads: Castiglione Falletto to the north, Monforte d’Alba to the south, Barolo to the west, Serralunga d’Alba to the east, in a valley of steep slopes, surrounded by ancient woods and held by the majestic Alpine arc on the horizon. Poor and stony earth, where agriculture has always had to struggle with arid and poor soil. On these slopes, mild in winter and breezy in summer, the vine has found its perfect home: this allows for low yields and high-quality production, with limited use of products for plant protection. The vineyards The Manzone family has 13.5 hectares, of which a little over 7 hectares are planted with vineyards, all found within the Barolo appellation and for most part spreading around the Castelletto farmhouse. There are two Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive (MGA) claimed for Barolo, Castelletto and Gramolere, both suitable for excellent viticulture due to the very nature of the soils, which are particularly meager and poor in organic matter. The cellar No clarification, no filtration and minimum use of sulfur during bottling. Spontaneous fermentation, delicate and slow maceration on the skins and pips. Long years of aging in the silent and large barrels, and just as many in the bottle for the wine to complete its natural aging process. The Manzone family personally oversees all operations, from pruning to harvesting, from aging to packaging each individual bottle. A proudly traditional and artisanal style that does not allow shortcuts, observing utmost respect for what nature brings to the winery. Constant listening to the vineyards followed by simple and genuine work in the cellar. A style of yesteryear that gives each grape variety full and complete freedom to express itself according to the season and its most authentic varietal characteristics. The grapes are harvested by hand, immediately delivered to the cellar and vinified, leaving part of the berries intact. Pied de cuve with indigenous yeasts, long macerations and long fermentations do not hasten polyphenolic extraction, which takes place in the most delicate way possible, by softly sprinkling the cap. A vinification process of “non-intervention” that becomes fully aware of the extraordinary nature of Castelletto and Gramolere’s terroir and tries, in any possible way, to instill its purity and inimitable identity in each wine produced. The wines for aging rest in large barrels so that the wood never overpowers the expressive richness of the cultivated vines. Before bottling, the Barolos remain for several months in concrete tanks, where the wine rests peacefully to find elegance and depth, protected from thermal and electromagnetic variations. All the caps used are high-quality one-piece cork: screw caps, synthetic caps or agglomerates are not used. In the cellar, they have chosen to proceed slowly. And do not use mechanical filters or artificial clarification that can deplete the wine and alter its organoleptic characteristics. Each wine decants in its aging container until it becomes clear and stabilized, thanks to the force of gravity. This is a choice that requires time and patience, but it also brings out the most authentic expression of each grape variety. The vines cultivated by Manzone belong to the great tradition of the Langhe: Dolcetto, Barbera, and Nebbiolo, the main varieties of these hills with which Manzone produces Barolo wines at the top of the denomination for austerity and elegance.
