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Ellena Giuseppe

2018

‘Ascheri’ Barolo

Langhe - Italy
Shelf Talker Spec Sheet Wine Label Bottle Image

About

Older vines, higher altitude, lower yields and a bit of new wood – that is the difference between this and the commune bottling. The result is noticeable and appreciable. This one hectare block was planted in 1969 at 1,121 feet in elevation. The winemaking and elevage are essentially the same with a couple of new barriques being tossed into the mix with the large barrels and neutral barriques. The soil composition is a bit denser than the normale, which is unusual given its higher elevation. In both cases the soils lack the sandy compounds often found in La Morra that gives the perfume and elegance and they have more in line with the Barolo commune.

The grapes were hand-harvested in mid-October and fully-destemmed. The fermentations were carried out in open-top stainless-steel tanks with ambient yeast only. The first ten days on skins saw frequent manual punchdowns and then an additional seven weeks on skins once the cap submerged. After a total of 60 days on skins the wine was pressed primarily to old 25hL barrels and 225L barriques but with two new barriques for good measure. Malolactic fermentation carried out naturally in the spring, with a small sulfur addition after 14 months of aging. After a total of 30 months of maturation the wine was racked to tank to settle naturally and bottled without fining or filtration and just a small addition of sulfur.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Nebbiolo
  • Vineyard: Ascheri Vineyard
  • Vine Age: 54-years-old
  • Soil Type: Calcareous clay
  • Viticulture: Practicing organic
  • Fermentation: Native – stainless-steel
  • Skin Contact: 60 days
  • Aging: 18 months in french oak Barrique ( 15% new - 85% used) followed by 12 months in large format oak
  • Alcohol: 14.5%
  • pH: 3.52
  • Total Acidity: 5.8 g/L
  • Total SO2: 85 ppm
  • Total Production: 333 cases

Tasting Note

Brilliant garnet red in color, with mature red fruit aromas and gentle signs of truffle and spice. On the palate it appears harmonic and very well structured with powerful tannins. Very age-worthy.

Press & Reviews

Wine Advocate

93

"The top-end Ellena Giuseppe 2018 Barolo Ascheri shows dark plum and cherry with dark rose and toasted nut. The wine offers an easy, open-knit personality with crisp acidity on the close. Compared to the La Morra village expression of Barolo also made by this estate, this single-vineyard expression is fully aged in barrique for 18 months, and this gives the wine some added textural intensity. Otherwise, much of the fruit sourcing is shared, with harvested clusters coming from a site with calcareous clay soils at 350 meters in elevation. Proprietor Matteo Ellena says, 'Our Barolo Ascheri comes from a crossover point between Verduno and La Morra. You get the elegance of La Morra and the spice character of Verduno.' This is a 3,500-bottle production."

- Monica Larner
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Producer


Ellena Giuseppe

Region


Langhe

Country


Italy

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