Giovanni Almondo Roero 2023
We have 12 in stock (Inventory is live and accurate)
The Land
The Roero sits on the left bank of the Tanaro, directly across the river from Barolo and Barbaresco, but geologically it is a different country. Where the Langhe is built on marl, the Roero is built on sand: ancient marine sands mixed with limestone, silt, and clay, so loose and free-draining that the hills erode into the steep cliffs and ravines locals call the rocche. Giovanni Almondo's vineyards all lie in Montà, in the hills of the northern Roero, where the climate is mild and breezy with good diurnal swings. Sand changes Nebbiolo. It gives a lighter-framed, more perfumed wine with finer tannin than the same grape produces across the river, which is exactly why Roero red wine deserves far more attention than it gets.
The Wine
Giovanni Almondo Roero 2023 is 100% Nebbiolo from the family's own vineyards in Montà, bottled as Roero DOCG. The grapes ferment in temperature-controlled stainless steel and stay on the skins for roughly ten days to two weeks, then age about 18 months in large, untoasted Slavonian oak casks, three times the appellation's minimum time in wood. Untoasted wood rounds the tannin without adding vanilla or spice. In past vintages this has shown violet, red cherry, and raspberry over a dusty, sandy-soil earthiness, with fresh acidity, soft tannin, and a long finish. The 2023 season opened with a dry early spring, turned cool and wet in May and June, and on July 6 a hailstorm hit parts of the Roero hard before a hot, stable late summer. Nebbiolo ripened on a normal schedule with strong phenolic balance.
The People
Giovanni Almondo ran a mixed farm in Montà: grapes, peaches, apples, strawberries, a few animals, with the wine sold in bulk. His son Domenico changed that. Trained in agricultural science, he began bottling the family's Nebbiolo and Arneis in the late 1970s and early 1980s, starting with a few hundred bottles, and by 1984 the family was shipping to the United States. Today Domenico works with his sons Stefano and Federico on about 15 hectares, all within Montà. The estate is best known for Arneis, but in recent years the family has returned to fully traditional Nebbiolo, with longer macerations and large barrels. They farm with few chemical treatments, and this Roero DOCG Nebbiolo is their case that the left bank deserves a seat at the same table as Barolo.
Food Pairing
Fine tannin makes this Roero easy to cook around. Agnolotti del plin in brown butter and sage is the local match; the acidity lifts the butter and the floral side of the wine mirrors the sage. Roast pork loin with fennel and garlic works because the soft tannin never overwhelms lean meat. A mushroom risotto finished with Parmigiano picks up the earthy, sandy-soil character, and seared salmon over braised lentils shows that Nebbiolo can sit beside fish when the tannin is this fine. This is the Nebbiolo for anyone who wants Barolo's perfume on a Tuesday-night budget.
We ship wine to most states with a $100 minimum order for shipping. We don't ship spirits nor beer.
Weather shipping advisory: Orders placed during times of extreme heat or extreme cold will be held for no charge until more favorable weather returns.
Piedmont, framed by the Alps in northwestern Italy, is a land of rolling hills and carefully cultivated vineyards. The continental climate, with its cold winters and warm summers, creates prime conditions for the Nebbiolo grape, which dominates much of the region's red wine production. The Langhe area is home to Barolo and Barbaresco, structured red wines known for their complex aromas, firm tannins, and aging potential. While Nebbiolo is the dominant grape of Piedmont, the region also makes interesting white wines like those from Arneis and Timorasso. Alto Piemonte is a separate region in the north with its own distinctive expressions of Nebbiolo, alongside other red grape varietals.
Italy - Piedmont
Nebbiolo, a prestigious grape from Italy's Piedmont region, is celebrated for its profound truffle and rose aromas, complex flavors, and ability to age gracefully thanks to strong acidity and tannins, producing the renowned Barolo and Barbaresco wines.
