Barolo Cannubi DOCG 2012 Michele Chiarlo
Cannubi is the apogee of Barolo. Aromatically intense, aristocratic and with superb persistence, it shows notes of blackcurrants, liquorice, cinnamon, mint and tobacco. Elegant and seductive, with a great structure and a silky texture, this celebrated cru is noted for its extraordinary completeness and personality.
Michele Chiarlo is one of Piedmont's truly great winemakers. The family owns 60 hectares of vineyard in three of the classic growing areas - Langhe, Monferrato and Gavi and have access to a further 50 hectares through long-term relationships with their growers. Michele has insisted on total quality since his first vintage in 1956, an ethos which his sons Stefano and Alberto adopt today. The Chiarlo style is highly elegant, they make complex wines that can age for decades but above all reflect their provenance - some of the finest vineyard sites in Piedmont.
Cannubi is one of the most historical crus in Italy, a bottle of 1752 Cannubi still exists! At the centre of the Cannubi hill is Michele Chiarlo's vineyard. In collaboration with the university of Changin, it is the first vineyard to be laid out into terraces here, in order to gain the optimal potential from the terroir. Planted in 1990 on this south facing slope of over 20%, this site enables the maximum light exposure and a perfect maturation. The Helvation and Tortonian soils are greyish calcareous marl, with a basic pH and a sand content of 30% . They are poor in organic substances but rich in magnesium and iron trace elements.