San Fereolo 2008, Dogliani di razza

The San Fereolo winery is located in the Dogliani area in the south-western Langhe, a zone bounded by the Tanaro river. As already noted when we covered the Dogliani wines of Anna Maria Abbona, in this wine-growing area – often held back by an inadequate image anchored to old stereotypes – the production of Dolcetto is not only traditional, but above all of particular distinction. And while Barolo is undoubtedly the wine of kings, Dolcetto was at the very least the wine of President Luigi Einaudi, a native of those lands.

We find ourselves south of Barolo, the Italian giant of wine. For this reason too, Dogliani is a territory too often considered minor within the Langhe area – erroneously, in our view. The Dolcetto produced here has always been regarded by most as an everyday wine alongside the powerful Nebbiolo of Sundays and celebrations. But this southern area of the Langhe sits higher and cooler, as it draws closer to the mountains of the Ligurian Apennines and the Maritime Alps, set within a varied and wilder landscape. A territory still made up of woodlands and hazelnut groves, ideal for a demanding variety like Dolcetto, which here finds exceptionally favourable conditions and, without a doubt, one of its finest expressions. The most prized grapes come from hilly soils of clay, limestone and silica, where sandstone is not infrequently present.

The San Fereolo estate was founded in 1992 and within a few years the vineyard reached 12 hectares. At San Fereolo, work in the vineyard quickly became central, guided by the deepest respect for nature, with winemaking representing only the final stage of the process – the rightful completion of wine production. Every vine is tended to individually, yet always within the collective harmony of the surrounding plants. The approach most suited to this philosophy has therefore been biodynamic farming.

The grapes grown on the estate are primarily the traditional varieties of Piemonte – Dolcetto, Barbera and Nebbiolo – but the one used at 100% for the wine we are discussing today is Dolcetto, a variety with still considerable room for expressive growth. As noted previously when we wrote about Dolcetto, this grape was long considered capable of producing only simple, immediately appealing fruity wines. With the Dogliani Superiore San Fereolo – the estate's namesake wine – it is demonstrated instead that, when the aim is to craft a complex and structured wine, Dolcetto can astonish with its capacity to age over time and its Piedmontese character of austerity and tannin, softened by a delicate touch. A completely different vision of Dolcetto, built on the stubborn conviction that the potential of this variety goes far beyond producing a simple, immediate wine. A vision that draws out certain characteristics we find in Nebbiolo – from the tannins to its unusual aromas, to its ageing prospects and ability to evolve over time. Not to mention its capacity to surprise.

San Fereolo is therefore produced from Dolcetto grapes sourced from old vines, some of which exceed 70 years of age. The training system is simple Guyot, with varying densities ranging from 4,000 to 5,000 vines per hectare depending on when the vines were planted. The grapes come from the San Fereolo, Austri, Costabella and Cerri Sottani vineyards, all within the municipality of Dogliani and situated at an altitude of between 400 and 500 metres, with a south-east to south-west exposure. These are medium-textured soils with a predominantly calcareous character, located mainly in the Valdibà and Valdiberti sub-zones, well-suited to the production of tannic, structured wines. The plots are farmed according to biodynamic principles, which call for a different approach to soil fertility and the use of copper and sulphur in very limited quantities. Yields per hectare are very low and can vary depending on the vintage from 35 to 45 hectolitres.

Harvested by hand and brought to the cellar in twenty-kilogram crates, this Dolcetto is fermented in wooden vats, without selected yeasts or additional additives. Temperature is left uncontrolled up to a ceiling of 33 degrees, prioritising the extraction needed for the development of complex aromas over fruity components. Depending on the vintage, maceration can range from 10 to 20 days, and once alcoholic fermentation is complete, malolactic fermentation follows spontaneously. The wine is then transferred into wood vessels of varying sizes, from 7 to 40 hectolitres, and kept in suspension on the fine lees for six months with multiple batonnage, decreasing in frequency as the ageing period progresses. The Dogliani is gradually separated from the lees through a series of rackings before bottling, which takes place in the second year following the harvest. The wine then ages for a further year in bottle.

We now move on to the tasting of Dogliani Superiore San Fereolo 2008.

Deep ruby in colour, at the rim of the glass the garnet hue at the edge reminds us that more than a decade has passed since the harvest. The thick, slow tears that form on the glass after a gentle swirl indicate a notable concentration. The nose is beguiling, with floral aromas of rose and violet, aromatic herbs, hints of coffee, china and tobacco, followed by fruity notes of blackberry and cherry jam, with a balsamic finish. The palate is powerful and textured, with a crunchy tannin and freshness well balanced by the alcohol and softness. Superb equilibrium. The finish is very persistent, with an almond-tinged aftertaste. A truly great wine, probably at the peak of its expressive maturity. Who knows – perhaps it could still have grown further.

To be enjoyed throughout a meal or paired with local dishes such as bollito di bue grasso or a aged toma. But it has sufficient character to accompany more ambitious meat preparations as well.