Barolo in depth: Castiglione Falletto plus 10 wines worth seeking out

The commune of Castiglione Falletto is often described as the heart of Barolo. Encircled by the region’s other ten townships, it is one of just three that sits completely within the denomination’s confines.

Scroll down to see Michela’s tasting notes and scores for 10 top Castiglione Falletto wines

The Barolo zone is essentially made up of three parallel ridges which run north to south with vines cascading down on either side. Castiglione Falletto is located on the central crest which ascends in the north from 210m extending southward to where it meets Monforte d’Alba. To the west it borders La Morra and to the east, Serralunga d’Alba.

With 153ha dedicated to the production of Barolo in Castiglione Falletto, it is only the sixth largest of the region’s villages with 24 producers.

By comparison, La Morra leads with 550ha. This does not negate Castiglione Falletto’s stature. Along with the township of Barolo, it is said to be the original area of the zone and in the early 1900s, Castiglione Falletto’s vineyards were considered among Barolo’s finest. Renato Ratti’s illustrious 1976 map identified Monprivato, Villero and Rocche di Castiglione among the top sites of all of Barolo.

These, along with Fiasco and Bricco Boschis, continue to be the township’s most exalted.

Soil

Geologically, Castiglione Falletto is a confluence of Barolo’s complex soils. In parts, younger Sant’Agata fossil marls dominate. This mix of clay and silt is rich in magnesium and manganese which give a blue/grey colour. In the township’s highest reaches, Diano sandstone surfaces. The cemented yellow/grey sand is an older soil formed by marine landslides.

Castiglione Falletto’s relatively high sand content is associated with the wines’ haunting fragrances while compacted soils are said to contribute authoritative tannins. Broadly generalising, Castiglione Falletto’s wines are distinguished within Barolo for the alliance of elegance and power.

But there are distinct differences within Castiglione Falletto and – beyond soil – exposure, altitude and gradient have at least as great an impact on expression. This is neatly captured by the township’s 20 Menzioni Geografiche Aggiuntive (MGA). Widely considered Barolo’s most judicious subdivision, it saw justified consolidations, separations and eliminations of specific parcels.

Unlike in other communes, not all Castiglione Falletto’s Barolo vineyards qualify for a specific MGA. Furthermore, these are contained in size (ranging from 1.46 to 23.5ha) so are more homogeneous than the vast expanses of Monforte’s MGAs – the largest of which reaches over 380ha.

Climate & aspects

The eastern side of Castigione Falletto is gently warmed by the Sori della Mattina – or morning sun. All other factors being equal, vineyards here are cooler than those on the western flank. Starting in the north, the low lying Plantà followed by the elongated Pernanno lead to the Scarrone MGA, which wraps around the town proper. This 20ha cru takes in exposures which range from north-facing all the way through to southwest. One of the most famous wines from this site is not even a Nebbiolo, but Vietti’s Vigna Vecchia Barbera. In terms of Barolo, Luigi Oddero’s Rocche Rivera is a testament to the vocation of Scarrone.

The lower slopes of Scarrone meet the southeast-facing Pira which is entirely owned by the Roagna estate. Sitting above Pira at 300 to 350m, the hallowed Rocche di Castiglione stretches all the way to Monforte d’Alba, even spilling into it. The steep, southeast to east-facing site possesses a dazzling white marly soil that becomes sandier as vineyards progress south. Exceptionally graceful without lacking strength, the wines are evocatively scented. Besides Brovia, Oddero and Vietti, look out for Monchiero.

Moving to Castiglione Falletto’s warmer western side, a series of four ledges run northwest, perpendicular to the main ridge. Choice positions are those with a south or southwest exposure. The first ridge takes in Parussi and the second Montanello which meets the outcrop of Bricco Boschis. The latter, which is almost solely owned by the Cavallotto family, sees a convergence of older calcareous marls with veins of younger sand. The wines are perfumed and finessed with substance and structure for long ageing.

The crowning jewel of the third crest is Monprivato, practically synonymous with the Giuseppe Mascarello estate. The late great wine critic Luigi Veronelli convinced Mauro Mascarello to produce a separate bottling in 1970. When I tasted this first vintage in 2017, it still demonstrated the mineral depths and intricate nuance of Monprivato. For years, Mascarello’s was the only example until the Giovanni Sordo estate started crafting one in 2013.

The southernmost western ridge is graced by Altenasso, Fiasco and Villero. While Altenasso is better-known as Garblet Suè thanks to Brovia, the oddly shaped Fiasco MGA has been made famous by Azelia and Scavino who own some of the best plots. As for the esteemed Villero, cartographer Alessandro Masnaghetti compares it to Monprivato: ‘Both MGAs are on the same type of marls and have a similar (southwest) exposure,’ he explains, saying that the younger soils of Monprivato give a leaner wine with greater finesse, while those of Villero are more structured. At 22ha, Villero is among Castiglione Falletto’s largest MGAs and is divided between at least 17 owners. Both Vietti and Mascarello bottle theirs as Riserva, underscoring this MGA’s formidable character.

Finally, the tiniest of all Barolo MGAs, the 1.46ha Bricco Rocche is a monopoly of the Ceretto family. It is flanked by Villero to the west and Rocche di Castiglione to the east. Between 350 to 365m, it reaches Castiglione Falletto’s highest elevations with a favourable southeast to southwest orientation.

Each of Barolo’s 11 townships are eligible for a communal MGA if the wine hails from a combination of sites within it. It is, however, rare to come across a bottle naming Castiglione Falletto, whereas there are many examples of Barolo del comune di Serralunga d’Alba.

‘In Castiglione, almost all of its MGAs boast a certain prestige which encourages most producers to use a single MGA rather than the communal denomination,’ posits Luca Currado of Vietti, one of 24 estates based in the township.

Castiglione Falletto is one of Barolo’s communes that shines, vintage after vintage. It was a titan in what was an outstanding 2016, and offers successes in more variable years. In both the fresh and rainy 2018 as well as the hot, dry 2017, its prestigious sites proved their merits.

See tasting notes and scores for 10 Castiglione Falletto wines

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