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Bovio, loved for their zippy, spirited Barbera d’Alba and their deceptively savory Dolcetto, also makes a lovely, rustic but very velvety Barolo. This ’99 Riserva shows a seductive nose of roses and cloves, which morphs to crushed red berries, smoke, tar and a touch of saddle leather on the palate. Drinking to the end of the decade.
- Country: Italy
- Region: Piemonte
- Sub Region: Barolo DOCG
- Vineyard: Gattera
For many culinary-minded travelers, the name Gianfranco Bovio is intimately connected with Ristorante Belvedere, one of Piemonte’s oldest and most renowned restaurants, noted, in particular, for its superb renditions of traditional Piemontese cuisine and a stunning view of the Langhe region. Bovio is not only passionate about honoring Piemonte’s traditional dishes, however. He provides vinous complements to his lauded fare in Belvedere’s extensive wine cellar, which happens to specialize in Piemontese selections. Among the cellar’s defining regional representatives, you’ll find another, quite personal focus—the wines of Bovio himself.
Gianfranco initiated the revitalization of his father’s wine estate in 1977, shortly after assuming the direction of Belvedere. Though the original holdings comprised merely three hectares of Nebbiolo and Dolcetto, Bovio purchased seven additional hectares—situated within the crus of Arborina, Gattera, and Rocchettevino—and enlisted the expertise of Walter Porasso, who continues to oversee all stages of production, assisted by consultants Beppe Caviola and Federico Curtaz. The success of Ristorante Belvedere finds its equal in Bovio’s viticultural achievement. Bovio delivers an exemplary rendering of classic La Morra Barolo, characterized by a lean style that captures La Morra’s terroir, and, in some cases, projects a likeness to Barbaresco.
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