During his seventy-seven years as a winemaker (1850-1927), G.B. Burlotto’s accomplishments were rivaled only by those of Biondi-Santi and Vega Sicilia, as G.B. achieved superstardom in a world dominated by French wines. Today, Burlotto has re-emerged as one of Piemontes great small producers, thanks to the brilliant and highly traditional winemaking of G.B.s great-great-grandson, Fabio Alessandria.

He pioneered selling Barolo in bottle (not cask or demijohn), predating even Giacomo Conterno’s Barolo Monfortino. And as official supplier to the Royal House of Savoy—which once ruled Piemonte—he not only achieved personal fame, he made his village of Verduno as renowned as Serralunga or La Morra.

G.B.s death in 1927 not only took away Burlottos driving force, it also deprived Verduno of its greatest champion. And so both faded into obscurity in the decades that followed. But now, with G.B.s great-great-grandson Fabio Alessandria as winemaker, Burlottos star is again rising, reclaiming its position as one of Piedmonts great small producers.

Barolo Monvigliero

As it was in G.B.s day, the greatest Burlotto wine is the magical Barolo from Verdunos Monvigliero vineyard. The greatness of Monvigliero lies in its signature aromatics, which are unlike any Barolo weve ever experienced. Its astonishingly intense, and instantly recognizable, perfume of Provençal black olive tapenade, cedar and truffle is nothing short of hypnotic. And it could come from no place else on earth. It is the essence of its terroir.

Like his ancestors, Fabio approaches Monvigliero in a way that is both classical and idiosyncraticto extract the vineyards essential greatness. At the core of this technique is a gentle crushing of all the grapes by foot, an incredible 60-day maceration on the skins and, of course, long aging in large wood botti. Its an approach virtually unheard of today, yet its brilliance is revealed in every glass of this unique Barolo.

In fact, Monviglieros magic must have as much do with the technique as it does the vineyards relatively high altitude or the 45-year-old vines in limestone-rich soil.

The foot treading avoids the problem of mechanical extraction: breaking the seeds and tannins, which causes bitterness. It also explains how Monvigliero’s fruit can withstand sixty days of skin contacta practice that once flourished in the Langhes greatest cellars but vanished by the 1980s. The combination of foot treading, long maceration and traditional botte-aging produces a wine of powerful structure, but with an ethereally delicate mouthfeel.

A Compelling Stable of Wines

While Monvigliero is arguably the jewel in Burlottos crown, all of Fabios wines display astonishing purity, having been born of the same winemaking philosophy.

He makes four Barolos: Monvigliero, Cannubi, Acclivi (a blend of Burlottos crus) and a beautiful Barolo normale. The common thread in all these wines is surreal texture and pristine aromatics.

From the same vineyards as the Barolos, but with shorter wood aging, Fabio produces his fantastic Langhe Nebbiolo. He demonstrates his mastery of Barbera with his delicious Barbera dAlba and the deeper, more powerful Barbera dAlba “Aves.” And his Dolcetto dAlba and Freisa are among the best from any producer, both effusively rich and pure.

Finally, the two most unique Burlotto wines are the beautiful red Pelaverga—from an ancient variety grown by the family since 1800and the rare, explosively varietal Nebbiolo rosé, Elatis. Like everything else bearing the Burlotto name, they are the essence of a noble winemaking tradition.

Wines by this Producer

Description Notes Avail/
Limit
Price
2020 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Aves Barbera d'Alba WA93 3 $35.00 add
2021 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Aves Barbera d'Alba WA94
AG93
6 $35.00 add
1974 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barbaresco Riserva 1 $395.00 add
1964 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo 1 $750.00 add
1993 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo 3 $245.00 add
2013 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo 375 mL AG92
Read Notes
1 $125.00 add
2011 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Acclivi AG93 1 $225.00 add
2015 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Acclivi 1.5 L WA95
AG94
KOK96
1 $450.00 add
2016 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Acclivi AG97
WA96+
DEC96
KOK97
2 $325.00 add
2017 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Acclivi WA95
Read Notes
6 $175.00 add
2017 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Acclivi 1.5 L WA95
Read Notes
3 $395.00 add
2018 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Acclivi 1.5 L WS96
WA95
KOK96
2 $325.00 add
2014 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Cannubi AG95+
WA94

Read Notes
2 $295.00 add
2018 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Cannubi AG94
WA94
2 $275.00 add
1982 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero 1 $1,095.00 add
1996 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero 1 $695.00 add
1999 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero 1 $695.00 add
2007 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero AG94 1 $425.00 add
2011 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero AG94
Read Notes
2 $395.00 add
2014 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero AG95
WA95

Read Notes
3 $325.00 add
2017 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero 3 L WA96
Read Notes
1 $1,595.00 add
1971 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Riserva Speciale 1 $895.00 add
1971 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Castello di Verduno Barolo Vigna Massara 1 $895.00 add

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