Cappellano Barolo DOCG 1974

Cappellano Barolo DOCG 1974

Winery: Cappellano (Teobaldo Cappellano era)
Region: Serralunga d'Alba, Piedmont, Italy
Vintage character:Cool, rainy year with a late harvest. Considered a difficult vintage with uneven ripeness - but Cappellano's strict selection (up to 60% rejects!) and traditional vinification created a wine of exceptional longevity.

Sensory analysis (with ideal storage):

1. Appearance:

   • Deep garnet red with a pronounced brick-orange rim. Light pigment deposits, typical sediment formation.

2. Nose:

   • Tertiary notes dominate: Damp forest floor, dried roses, leather, old wooden cabinet and noble truffle notes.

   • Delicate fruit flavours: preserved sour cherry, prune and fig.

   • Complexity: Smoked tobacco, rust/iron (typical of Serralunga - "sangu"), balsamic vinegar and a hint of juniper.

   • No missing notes: Amazingly fresh for the vintage - proof of Cappellano's precision craftsmanship.

3. Palate:

   • Structure: perfectly integrated tannins (silky but noticeable), lively acidity (†key† to its longevity).

   • Flavours: Hearty and earthy - truffle, sage, cedar wood and mineral iron steel. Delicate dried red fruits in the background.

   • Texture: Elegant, almost weightless. No wood influences (only large old Slavonian oak barrels).

4. Finish:

   • Long lasting (30+ seconds) with cool notes of mint, dried violets and fine gravel. No fatigue in perfectly aged bottles.

Specialities:

• Vintage challenge:1974 was characterised by rain and cold. Many Baroli were thin or flawed - Cappellano's old vines and uncompromising selection created an exception.

• Vinification: Traditional - spontaneous fermentation, long maceration, years of barrel ageing in large botti. Unfiltered, unsulphurised.

• Current state: Fully ripe, but only an experience with perfect provenance:

  • ✅ Ideal storage (cool, dark, constant humidity): Meditative drinking pleasure of timeless elegance.

  • ❌ Poorly stored bottles appear tired or oxidised.

Serving recommendation:

• Decant: Decant carefully for max. 1 hour (only for sediment separation).

• Temperature: 16-17°C.

• Accompaniment: Wild boar ragout with porcini mushrooms, truffle tagliatelle or on its own as a contemplation wine.

Conclusion:

A Barolo that epitomises Cappellano's credo of "terroir over fashion". The 1974 proves how uncompromising craftsmanship can create contemporary testimonies even in difficult years. Not a powerful, but a poetic Barolo - its beauty lies in its fragile complexity, not in its power. A rare piece of wine history that demands humility.

Provenance is everything -if you own an intact bottle, you are holding a jewel of the Piedmontese wine icon Cappellano in your hands. Best enjoyed without expectations - its magic unfolds in silence.