2013 Marcarini Barolo Brunate La Morra 750 ml

“Marcarini remains one of the best values in traditionally made, cellar-worthy Barolo,” wrote Antonio Galloni about the sixth-generation winery helmed by Luisa Marcarini.

Luisa crafted the 2013 Brunate aided by the late consulting enologist Armando Cordero, whose lifelong dedication to the craft earned him the title of Master of the Barolo Dynastic Order. This is traditional Barolo, through and through: It is produced via a long, patient maceration, and hails from one of the most celebrated terroirs in La Morra, the village that all but defines Barolo. Showing a soft ruby color with an orange rim, expressive dried flowers on the nose, a beautiful balance of fruit and earth on the palate, this wine has what it takes for a long stint in the bottle. Quality cellars are built on wines like this: Top producer, stellar vintage, exceptional cru, and a price that begs you to put away multiple bottles.

According to Barolo winemakers, there was no scientific discussion about planting the vines that now make up the Brunate vineyard: The original vintners just took one look at the gently undulating hillsides, which range in elevation from 750 to 1,300 feet above sea level, and decided it was a good place to grow Nebbiolo for Barolo. Their instincts turned out to be right—Brunate is now considered one of the most highly desirable Crus in La Morra.

Few wineries may be better equipped to harness Brunate’s power than that of the Marcarini family, which has been part of the La Morra winemaking scene since the 1850s. Today the family sticks to traditional production methods—long macerations in large wood vessels—on the roughly 11 acres of Brunate vines they claim for themselves. They are not tradition-bound, though, as their use of modern pruning techniques allow them to keep grape yields low, a strategy that results in fruit that bursts with the terroir’s exquisite character.

We have been massive fans of this Brunate for four decades, and the 2013 comes from an outstanding season that is one of the highest-rated Barolo vintages since the historic 2010. This is one of the final Marcarini wines benefitting from the input of the legendary Cordero, and it is a classic, boasting classic dried flowers, tar, as well as the tannin and acid to go the distance. Simply put, this wine is a reminder of what makes us look forward to Marcarini’s Brunante bottling year in and year out. Stashing 6-12 of these beauties in your cellar is a can’t-miss-move. Thank us later.