2016 Barolo Otin Fiorin Piè Franco

Augusto Cappellano's 2016s and 2017s are fabulous. The 2016s are every bit as magnificent as they were last year. In 2016, the personalities of the wines seem a bit inverted, with the Franco showing more power and the Rupestris leaning towards the ethereal side. With the 2017s, the wines go back to their respective roles. The Franco is elusive and beguiling, while the Franco is quite intense. Both 2017s are nothing short of magnificent. It's shame to not have tasted these Barolos at the winery, but, as I have written before, the lack of context actually serves to show just how special the wines are. Readers will find plenty of historical information on Cappellano in our Article Archive. Years ago, Baldo Cappellano asked me not to rate his wines, so all Cappellano wines show up on our database as NR.

It's always a pleasure to sit down with Augusto Cappellano to taste the new releases. Both the 2016s and 2015s are typical of their respective vintages. In 2016, the wines are incredibly refined, while the 2015s are more overt. Over the last few years, Cappellano has made small refinements to his approach. The wines are made with a gentler hand and are bottled with two years in cask (as opposed to three), which really allows the purity of the fruit to come through. These remain some of the most human wines in Piedmont. Sadly, they have become very hard to find. For what it's worth, I drink them whenever I can. Years ago, Baldo Cappellano asked me not to rate his wines, so all Cappellano wines show up on our database as NR.