Barolo Monvigliero

Monvigliero is Burlotto's signature cru and the bottle that made Verduno's name. The vineyard runs across an almost perfectly south-facing slope above the Tanaro river, on the laminated marls of Sant'Agata Fossili - a fine mix of clays, silt and sand with a strong limestone component, formed seven to eleven million years ago. The site's altitude and the cooling proximity of the river give long, even ripening, including the ripeness of stems - which is what makes whole-cluster fermentation feasible here, where it is impractical almost everywhere else in Barolo.

The wine is fermented with whole clusters and foot-trodden, with maceration lasting up to sixty days. There are no pumps; the must is moved only by gravity. Ageing is in large old Slavonian botti, with no barriques. The result is a Barolo built on lift, perfume and fine-grained tannin - structure without weight.

The 2020 growing season included June hail that damaged Neirane, Rocche dell'Olmo and Boscatto in nearby Verduno - three of the four sites that, together with Monvigliero, normally make up Burlotto's Barolo Acclivi. Monvigliero itself was undamaged. With the other parcels compromised, no Acclivi was bottled in 2020 and Monvigliero stood alone among the estate's Verduno crus that year. After a balanced summer of moderate heat and timely cooling rains, harvest brought ripe, aromatic fruit. Production of the 2020 Monvigliero was around 9,000 bottles.