My Article: A Passion, A Vineyard

I have been buried this week filming with James Orr, the Hollywood director, a documentary movie in Piedmont on the Barolo vineyard of Cannubi. It’s a fascinating story about an amazing piece of land in one of the most beautiful parts of Italy.

I spent week walking the different parts of the 40 hectares or so of vineyards, visiting wineries, and talking to winemakers. I think that great vineyards attract great winemakers. And there’s a special bond between man and nature that ultimately produces great wines.

The wines of Cannubi impress you with their elegance and finesse, yet there’s an underlying strength in the wines giving them wonderful longevity. Langhe winemakers like to say that Cannubi is a combination of the best of two areas – La Morra for perfumes and Serralunga/Monforte d’Alba for structure and power.

Barolos from Cannubi are subtle and beautiful when young, which I admit to sometimes slightly overlook. It’s easier to be impressed with a wildly perfumed Barolo from Brunate or a blockbuster Nebbiolo from a single vineyard near Monforte d’Alba. Cannubi really shows you what it has in 10 or 15 years. But it’s a joy to taste anytime.

The Piedmontese speak of Cannubi with such reverence, almost mystery. For them, there may be something mystical to this part of land that grows some of the best Nebbiolo on earth. It is the genesis of Barolo. In fact, Nebbiolo from this part of the world was first labeled as Cannubi in the late 18th century. It predates the use of Barolo on the label.

Apparently a bottle of 1752 still exists in a family’s private cellar in the city of Bra. When I left yesterday for Australia, Orr and his film crew were trying to track down this bottle. Or maybe it’s just an urban legend for Barolo? (They found it after I wrote this blog and filmed it!)

What’s not hearsay is the passion the growers and winemakers of Barolo Cannubi have for their land. There’s a continual struggle over parcels of vineyards on the elongated slopes of Cannubi. In fact, some have gone to court to redefine the boundaries of the vineyard area.

Some wine producers believe Cannubi should only be the central part of the vineyard area that historically carries the name Cannubi or Cannubio or Canubbio. Others believe it should include other sections such as Cannubi San Lorenzo or Cannubi Boschis.

It’s not clear for me. I see both points. Watch the documentary film at the end of the year and make up your own mind.