2016 Mario Marengo - Barolo

The M. Marengo 2016 Barolo opens to an almost exotic character with little hints of freshly cracked white pepper, pressed violets, powdered licorice root and touches of clove and cinnamon that are playfully sprinkled throughout as this wine changes and evolves in the glass. The curious thing about this wine is that I am reminded of Nebbiolo, but not only. Those distinctive white pepper notes recall Pelaverga or maybe Freisa (another red grape of the Langhe area that, according to some researchers, could be related to Nebbiolo). This wine puts on quite a beautiful showing, and those savory or spicy notes are cleverly downplayed to give more prominence to the beautifully pure and brilliant fruit on hand. This wine represents a blend of fruit from various sites in La Morra (Serradenari, Boiolo, Fossati and Roncaglie), and together they paint a very authentic portrait of this Barolo village known for delicate, floral and softly graceful expressions of Barolo. Some 16,300 bottles were made.