Schiavenza Barolo Prapò
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Manually harvested estate fruit sourced from the Prapò Cru in village of Serralunga d’Alba.
- Prapò combines the fruitiness of the Broglio with the structure and firmness of the Cerretta to produce a wine that has a complex profile and savory, spicy flavors.
Varietal Composition: 100% Nebbiolo
Elaboration: The Nebbiolo macerates about 25 days on the skins. Fermentation takes place in cement vats with indigenous yeast and lasts for 10-12 days at 25-30 °C. Pumping over and airing twice a day with temperature check. Frequent racking. The Nebbiolo sees a minimum of three years in 2,000- to 4,000-liter Slavonian oak barrels
Tasting Notes: “A bright, open and fruity style, boasting cherry, strawberry, tobacco, iron and saline flavors. Firm and linear, with a tight cohesiveness and a long, detailed finish.” – Wine Spectator
PRESS
2013 – 93 James Suckling | 96 Wine Enthusiast | 97 Wine Spectator
2014 – 94 Wine Spectator
2015 – 92 Wine Spectator | 93 James Suckling | 94 Wine Advocate
2016 – 90+ Vinous | 94 James Suckling | 94 Wine Spectator | 95 Wine Advocate
2017 – 91 Wine Spectator | 92 Wine Advocate | 93 Vinous | 94 Jeb Dunnuck
2018 – 92 Vinous | 93 Wine Advocate | 93 James Suckling
2019 – 94 Wine Spectator | 94 James Suckling | 94 Vinous | 92 Wine Advocate
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
The Alessandria family has been farming this Serralunga property since 1956.
The estate and surrounding area were formerly part of the Opera Pia Barolo (a castle that is similar to Burgundy’s Hospice du Beaune – Part educational institution and part hospital), whose vineyards were worked by sharecroppers. The local dialect for sharecropper is “schiavenza,” hence the origin on the estate name.
A name like Schiavenza should give one a clue as to the style here; this is no modern “barrique” aged Barolo estate – Wines here are fermented with native yeast in cement cisterns and then aged in traditional Slovenian botti.Vineyard holdings have expanded over time, and the estate is made up of 8 hectares split between Serralunga and Monforte. These include the heralded crus Prapò, Bricco Cerretta, and Broglio. No pesticides or herbicides are used, and all field work is coordinated with the cycles of the moon.