Producer profile: Paolo Scavino

Paolo Scavino was an early advocate of roto-fermenters...

Producer profile: Paolo Scavino

Current owner Enrico Scavino’s Bric dël Fiasc 1985 was the first single-vineyard Barolo I bought and cellared.

When I visited him in 1988, he was adamant that he was keen to follow tradition, but also wanted to use technology to enhance quality.

He was an early advocate of roto-fermenters, though he later reverted to more traditional, submerged-cap fermentation. He only began working with barriques for some of his Barolos in the 1990s.

In the 2000s, his top red wines generally spend a year in one-third new barriques, before being transferred to casks, although his top wine, the Rocche dell’Annunziata Riserva, is aged only in casks.

Scavino is a pragmatist. ‘I use barriques not for flavour but to fix colour and aid sedimentation.’

Scavino, now aided by his daughters, makes a number of single-vineyard wines, and what they share is polish: no harshness, no rough edges and no blandness either. It’s hard to think of a better introduction to intelligent, sophisticated Barolo than these.

Wines to try from Paolo Scavino

Paolo Scavino, Bric del Fiasc, Barolo 2006

Rich, dense, cherry and raspberry nose. Sleek, concentrated but polished, tannic but not tough, spicy and zesty, but with no trace of heaviness. This has fine length, is approachable but will develop more complexity.(93/100pts)

Buy: UK £50 Justerini & Brooks // US $89.90 Rye Brook Wine & Spirit

Drink 2016-2032

Alc 14.5%

Paolo Scavino, Rocche dell’Annunziata, Barolo Riserva 2008

Super-ripe on the nose, with raspberry coulis aromas. Opulent for Barolo, full-bodied and concentrated. It lacks a little zip because of the high ripeness but it’s still imposing and powerful, with an amazing weight of fruit and a long, spicy finish. (93/100pts)