Ferdinando Principiano, Barolo del Commune di Serralunga 2018

Grower: Ferdinando PrincipianoRegion: Piedmont, ItalyGrape Varieties: NebbioloViticulture: OrganicCategory: RedSize: 750ml It’s admittedly odd in today’s age of ‘Barolo as King’ to introduce a historic Barolo estate in Monforte with its old school 10.5% Dolcetto called ‘Dosset.’ Yet, that wine informs Ferdinando Principiano’s style for Barolo and all his other wines: elegant natural wines with a watermark of traditional Barolo terroir. Ferdinando began his conversion to natural winemaking in 2003, and nowadays his vineyards teem with wild flowers in Spring. A wild and thick leaf canopy provides shade to the grape clusters; early-picking tightens the acidity, and lowers the alcohol. Whole-clusters are trammelled by foot, and fermented without sulphur to give an ease and suppleness to the fruit. Here’s finally a traditional Barolista, taking on climate change, being thoughtful instead of dogmatic about making natural yet princely Dolcetto and Barolo (and a few other native Piemonte varie