Cascina Fontana, Barolo DOCG

If you’ve followed any of the recent high-profile transactions in Barolo, you know that vineyard land values in this historic wine zone—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—are now right up there with the highest in the world. First off, surface area is limited: The entire Barolo DOCG comprises a little over 2,000 hectares (5,000 acres), so scarcity is part of the equation. If you want to get into the Barolo game, or expand your existing empire, you’re going to pay a premium.But beyond the cost of inputs, there’s also the inflationary pull of worldwide demand, which continues to increase for the intriguing, eminently collectible reds of Barolo. And then there are old-school outliers like Mario Fontana—a sixth-generation contadino (farmer) and vignaiolo (vintner) with no intention of selling his five hectares of vineyards in the Barolo zone. He likely could, but instead continues to craft honest, classically styled wines at prices no newcomer could possibly match. If you are a Barolo traditiona