Marchesi di Barolo : Sarmassa 2020

Characteristics and tasting advice for the Sarmassa 2020 from Marchesi di Barolo

Tasting

Color

The color reveals an intense ruby red hue with garnet highlights.

Nose

The nose reveals an intense, captivating bouquet. Aromas of candied red fruits mingle with notes of licorice and spices. Vanilla and sweet tobacco complete this complex aromatic profile.

Palate

On the palate, the wine is rich and structured. Power is expressed with elegance through present, finely chiseled tannins. The overall impression offers beautiful concentration while maintaining finesse and balance through to a lingering finish with spicy, woody accents.

Food and wine pairings

This Barolo is a perfect match for braised red meats and traditional Piedmontese dishes. It pairs ideally with porcini risotto, feathered game, or aged cheeses such as Castelmagno and Parmigiano Reggiano.

Serving and cellaring

It is recommended to open the Sarmassa 2020 four hours before serving or to decant it. Serve at a temperature between 16 and 18°C. This wine reaches full maturity eight years after harvest and can continue to improve until around 2050.

A Barolo DOCG from the prestigious Sarmassa cru in Piedmont

The estate

Founded in 1814 by Juliette Colbert de Maulévrier and Carlo Tancredi in Barolo, in the heart of the Piedmontese Langhe, Marchesi di Barolo is the birthplace of modern Barolo. Since 1929, the Abbona family has carried on this exceptional legacy. Anna and Ernesto Abbona, together with their children Valentina and Davide, now run the estate. With around 200 hectares of vines, Marchesi di Barolo vinifies Piedmont’s native grape varieties, giving pride of place to the historic crus of Barolo and Barbaresco. This Italian estate preserves five bicentennial casks from Marchioness Giulia, still used for aging.

The vineyard

The Sarmassa vineyard is located in Barolo, on a southeast-facing hillside with an ideal slope. The Tortonian soils are characterized by compact clay-limestone marls, enriched with a high percentage of gravel and stones. This composition limits vegetative vigor and promotes optimal grape ripening. The terroir, of marine sedimentary origin, has a typical structure made up of 15% sand, 60% silt, and 25% clay.

Winemaking and aging

The Sarmassa 2020 harvest is carried out by hand, with rigorous selection of bunches in the vineyard. After selective destemming and gentle pressing, fermentation takes place at a controlled temperature between 24 and 26°C. Maceration lasts 15 to 18 days with repeated rack-and-returns and pump-overs. After clarification and resting in vitrified concrete tanks, the wine is aged for around two years in wood: the first year in small-format French barrels to set the color and increase aging potential, then the second year in large Slavonian oak casks to develop finesse and elegance. The wine then benefits from at least one year of bottle aging.

Grape variety

100% nebbiolo