The wine of kings

Italy has an older tradition of producing wine than any other western wine-producing country. And its history and geography have contributed to the practice of using mostly indigenous grape varieties seldom found elsewhere - they have some 350 'authorised' and another 500 unauthorised grape varietals. Italy also has the largest number of wine producers in the world: some 260,000, at last count - basically, anyone with more than a few acres of land grows grapes and makes wine. Small wonder that, despite having a much smaller land area, Italy shares with France the distinction of producing most wine in the world (about 4 billion litres annually).

To make sense of this complex mosaic, it is useful to just concentrate on three key regions in Italy: Piedmont, Tuscany, and the Veneto. Piedmont in north-west Italy has the Barolo, Barbaresco and Barbera wines; Tuscany is best known for Chianti, Brunello and the 'super-Tuscans', while the Veneto is home to Amarone, Valpolicella and Soave.

Barolo has been called 'the wine of kings, the king of wines'. This red wine, produced in the Piedmont region (near Turin), only from the Nebbiolo grape became a favourite of the ruling House of Savoy and the local nobility in the mid- 1800s when improved production techniques changed the wine from sweet to dry - which went much better with the local cuisine.

However, it is only in the last 20 years that Barolo has come into its own as further quality changes have transformed the wine from a tannic and bitter wine, that required a minimum of 10 years' aging, to a fruitier and softer wine with great depth and complexity that is drinkable at a younger age. Interestingly, this has also led to what is described as "the Barolo Wars", as traditionalists have taken issue with modern producers and the 'globalisation' of Barolo wines.

Wine Spectator's online portal lists some 3,700 Barolos, from the ROBERTO VOERZIO Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata Torriglione 2000 rated at 100 points and a release price of $215 down to ROBERTO VOERZIO Barolo La Serra 1982 rated at 91 points and priced at a surprising $12. In India, a wide range of Barolos are available, and prominent producers include Cerretto, Prunotto, Gaja, Marchesi di Barolo, Bava, Fontanafredda, Michele Chiarlo, and Vietti. Unfortunately all Barolos are expensive: prices range from Rs 2,639 for an IL Sodale Barolo (in Bangalore) to over Rs 31,000 for a GAJA 'SPERSS' LANGHE NEBBIOLO DOC 2005 (in Delhi).

So what are Barolos? They are complex, rich, full-bodied wines with pronounced tannins and acidity, and (like Burgundies) tend to be bright rather than opaque. The principal aromas in a Barolo are of tar and roses, supplemented by a variety of notes including camphor, chocolate, eucalyptus, leather, plums, spices, tobacco and herbs. Like many other age-worthy reds, Barolos should almost always be decanted for anything up to two-hours before drinking.

So the next time you want to splurge on a wine that's guaranteed to knock your socks off, look for a Barolo!

Wines I've been drinking: A Barolo (what else) - the Vietti Barolo Castiglione 2008, with 92 points ("Excellent") from Wine Spectator and a price tag of Rs 8,100 in Bangalore (Rs 11,500 in Delhi) at a tasting organised by importer Vishal Kadakia of Wine Park. The wine was fantastic, with fruity (plums, cherries) and meaty characteristics, along with hints of tea and tobacco; even though I looked in vain for the much-touted 'tar and roses' aromas, it left one with a deep, warm glow, with the quality evidenced by the bottle being quaffed in a jiffy.

Arrivederci, as the Italians say!

Alok Chandra is a Bangalore-based wine consultant