Barolo: a sensory journey in three glasses

I'm not a sommelier, and I'm not going to pretend to be one here. I'm telling you about Barolo the way an enthusiast would — someone who's simply learned, over time, to recognise when a glass really speaks to him. And Barolo, when it's the right one, speaks to me through that intense, tannic character it leaves behind. It's not an easy wine, not a light one — and maybe that's exactly why I love it so much.

Barolo changes a lot with age, and I've noticed that every stage of its life asks for a different dish. So I put together a journey in three steps: three glasses of different ages, three dishes from Piedmontese cooking, one for each stage.

First glass — young Barolo (at least 5 years), with truffle egg

To me, a Barolo only really starts being "young" from around 5 years onward — before that, I struggle to find what I'm looking for in it. At 5 years it already has presence, but it's still quick on its feet, direct, no frills.

I've always paired it with a simple truffle egg. It's a humble dish, but the soft yolk and freshly shaved truffle need a wine that won't be pushed around — and a Barolo at this age has just the right energy without being too heavy for something this delicate.

Second glass — Barolo at 7-8 years, with tajarin and Bra sausage ragù

At this age Barolo softens a little, without losing what makes it a Barolo. I like to call this the "in-between" stage: still strong, but less sharp-edged.

The dish that works for me here is tajarin with a ragù made from Bra sausage — not just any ragù, specifically the one made with sausage, which has a bolder, slightly fattier flavour than a classic meat ragù. It needs a wine with enough structure to stand up to that, but not so young that it overwhelms it. Of the three, this is the pairing I think works best.

Third glass — Barolo at 10-11 years, with braised veal cheek

This is my favourite moment of the three: a Barolo at 10-11 years is, for me, when it truly shows its best character. No longer young, not yet "old" — it's at the point where, if you taste it, it tells you about the land it comes from. It's a glass that talks to you, rather than one you simply drink.

Paired with braised veal cheek, slow-cooked for hours, it's a combination that always convinces me: a dish this rich and long-cooked needs a wine just as "mature" so it doesn't feel out of place — and a Barolo at this age has exactly that depth.

How to experience this journey

You don't need a family cellar to do this: three bottles of different vintages (ideally from the same producer, so you can really see how it evolves) and a menu built around them are enough. If you'd rather not think about any of it, several wineries and wine bars in the Langhe organise vertical Barolo tastings on request.

If you're staying with us in Alba, you're just minutes from some of the historic wineries of the denomination — feel free to ask us, we know which ones are running the most interesting verticals right now.

Some content in this article was produced with the support of artificial intelligence tools.