Cappellano: The 2010 BarolosTime marches to its own beat at Cappellano, where the wines
remain imbued with an elegant&nbsp;classicism that is all their own. Over the years I have had the good fortune&nbsp;to
taste and drink many of the estate’s older Barolos, including a recent bottle of
the 1989 that was sublime. The focus was on younger wines during my most recent&nbsp;visit.&nbsp;The 2010s and 2013s are firm, ageworthy
Barolos for classicists, while the 2011s and 2012s will delight readers who
appreciate riper styles and those of us who need something to drink while the
more structured vintages blossom in the cellar. The 2010s, the only wines I tasted from bottle,&nbsp;are set to be released within the next few weeks.It’s impossible to visit Cappellano and not feel the real
gravitas of time and history. The tasting room is filled with treasured family
photos, numerous accolades and prizes from decades past and countless older
bottles that document the estate’s rich lineage.Cappellano traces its history back to 1870, although the
Cappellano of today is much different than that of the past. In the late 1960s,
Baldo Cappellano found himself running a large enterprise with around 60
hectares of vineyards focused on volume production. Numerous family members,
heirs and outside partners were involved. Cappellano yearned for a simpler and
more artisan life, so he sold off the family’s holdings and old cellar and
moved to the site of the current winery, which was then in the middle of the Serralunga countryside.While he completed work on his new facility, Cappellano made
his Barolos in the cellars of friends. From
the early 1970s until 1989 the Cappellano Barolos were made from purchased
fruit, mostly from the Baudana, Parafada and Gabutti vineyards in Serralunga.<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1427123811011-CapCupboard+-+Copy.jpg"> The Cappellano cupboard is filled with old bottles that paint a telling portrait of the estate’s rich history. Where can I get some of that Super Barolo?&nbsp;In 1989, Cappellano purchased three hectares in Gabutti, which
lies on the lower slopes of a hillside it shares with Parafada and Lazzarito in
Serralunga. The vineyards, which today are around sixty years old, were planted
with the three main Nebbiolo clones; Lampia, Michet and Rosé,
all on American rootstock. Cappellano decided to add the name of Fiorino, the
farmer who had tended the land, and the ‘Otin Fiorin’ Barolo was
born.In the early 1990s, a portion of the vineyard was damaged by
a landslide. Cappellano chose to replant with own-rooted Nebbiolo, something I
have not seen anywhere else in Piedmont. The replantings were done with mostly
Michet, although there was some Rosé clone as well. I remember going to see
the vineyard with Cappellano during one of my first visits many years
ago. I was struck by the loose architecture of the bunches. There was very little fruit on each bunch, which is good for health, as there is plenty
of room for air to circulate, but not so good when it comes to yields.Cappellano made his first Barolo from ungrafted
Nebbiolo, the Piè Franco, in 1994 with vines that were just a few years old. In doing so, Cappellano created one of Piedmont’s most deeply personal,
unique wines. The Barolo from the older vines on American rootstock was christened
Piè Rupestris-Nebioli, a combination of the Latin name for the grapevine and
the traditional spelling of Nebbiolo. &nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1427123824754-CapCellar+-+Copy.jpg">The Cappellano winery, Serralunga d’AlbaBaldo Cappellano passed away in 2009, but not before leaving
a rich legacy behind. Today, the estate is run by Cappellano’s son, Augusto,
who is pretty much a carbon copy of his father. The wines remain utterly
exquisite and human in both scale and spirit. Both Barolos are made along
strictly traditional lines. In top years like 2010, when the skins are thick, a
portion of the Rupestris is vinified with the submerged cap method, while the
rest of the juice is vinified with pumpovers. Because of the smaller
volume involved, the Piè Franco is always vinified only with pumpovers. Malolactic
fermentations unfold gradually, relying exclusively on&nbsp;ambient yeasts. The wines spend nearly
four years in cask, during which they see only minimal rackings, as was the
case with the 2010 Barolos, which were bottled in summer 2014. In a normal
vintage Cappellano produces just 8-9,000 bottles of the Piè Rupestris-Nebioli
and less than&nbsp;2,000 (one solitary cask) of the Piè Franco, making it one of
the rarest birds in Piedmont.&nbsp;The Rupestris is typically bigger and richer when it is
young, although it develops considerably greater finesse in bottle, while the Piè
Franco is weightless, ethereal and all about grace. Both represent pinnacles of
expression for Nebbiolo and Barolo. Starting in 2010, the Piè Franco is
packaged with a retro label inspired by the house’s distinguished history, a legacy
Augusto Cappellano wants to pay tribute to with his flagship wine.&nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1427123687913-CapLabelsCover+-+Copy.jpg">Cappellano's 2010&nbsp;Barolo Piè
Franco label is inspired by this old&nbsp;Barbera (center), believed to be from the 1920s
or 1930sThe 2010 Barolo Otin Fiorin
Piè Rupestris-Nebioli is powerful and intense, but a distinctly more
floral/savory edge than is typically the case. In other words, the 2010
Rupestris is quite Piè Franco-leaning in many of its inflections. Dark red
cherry, plum, sage, tobacco, menthol and new leather are all pushed forward as
this exquisite, regal Barolo shows off its remarkable pedigree. Expressive
balsamic notes wrap around the fleshy, explosive finish laced with an extra
kick of minerality. What a gorgeous wine this is.Cappellano’s 2010
Barolo Otin Fiorin Piè Franco&nbsp;is eternal in its beauty. Impossibly
fine tannins caress the palate as the 2010 captivates all the senses. The 2010
has no real beginning and no end; rather is a wine of almost impossible
profoundness. Rose petal, mint, cinnamon, hard candy and red stone fruits are
woven together in a fabric of incredible sweetness, perfume and silkiness. The
flavors are a bit brighter and more lifted than they are in the Rupestris.
Readers who can find the Piè Franco should not hesitate, as it is clearly one
of the wines of this great vintage. &nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1427123787720-CapChinato+-+Copy.jpg">An assortment of colorful labels&nbsp;document Cappellano's Barolo Chinato over the decadesAs profound as the Barolos are, Cappellano remains indelibly
associated with Barolo Chinato, a medicinal tonic of Barolo steeped with tree
bark and herbs that Baldo Cappellano’s great uncle Giuseppe invented in the
late 1800s. Over the last few years, Augusto Cappellano has moved the family
recipe towards the more classically austere side of things. The current release
is based on the 2009 Barolo Rupestris and is quite a bit less sweet than other
recent vintages have been. A second lot of Chinato based on 2009 is still in
cask and will be eventually be bottled. It is a touch more generous, inviting
and ready to drink than the bottled version. Both wines will drink well for
many decades.In keeping with his father’s longstanding policy, Augusto
Cappellano ask critics not to assign numerical scores to his wines, something
he views as divisive among growers. For what it’s worth, I have been visiting
Cappellano for more years than I can recall and never miss an opportunity to
buy the wines when I see them. I can’t recommend Cappellano’s 2010 Barolos highly
enough. They are among the very finest&nbsp;wines of this superb Barolo vintage.











































































-- Antonio Galloni

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