Manuele Priolo Roero Anime Nere Vigneto Eroico 2023
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The Land
Roero sits directly across the Tanaro river from Barolo and Barbaresco, close enough to see, and geologically it is a different world. The Tanaro switched course roughly a quarter of a million years ago, leaving the left bank with younger, sandier, marine-fossil-rich soils while the Langhe kept the heavy calcareous marl. Nebbiolo grown on sand behaves nothing like Nebbiolo grown on marl: more perfume, finer tannin, earlier approachability. The Vigneto Eroico parcel sits within the Anime Nere cru at Monteu Roero, terraced onto slopes reaching 35% grade above the Rocche, the eroded cliff formation locals call Roero's Grand Canyon. Sandy topsoil in the upper profile gives way to blue marl below, which is what keeps the wine from being merely pretty.
The Wine
Nebbiolo, from a vineyard steep enough that everything has to be done by hand. Vinification takes place entirely in a single 15-hectoliter wooden cask, and after malolactic fermentation the wine spends just under a year in wood. Using one large old cask for both fermentation and aging is a deliberate choice: it gives slow, gentle oxygen exchange to soften Nebbiolo's tannin without any of the toast or vanilla that barriques contribute. The wine is pale and translucent in the way good Nebbiolo always is, with rose petal, sour cherry, dried orange peel, tar, licorice, and crushed stone, backed by fine, sandy tannin and high acidity. 2023 brought heavy downy mildew pressure across northern Italy after a wet spring, a year that demanded constant vineyard work and strict selection.
The People
Manuele Priolo works as a consulting oenologist and farms his own family's land in Roero on the side, which is a common enough arrangement in Piedmont and rarely produces anything this focused. The Vigneto Eroico is his answer to a practical question: what happens if you take the steepest, most punishing terraced parcel on the estate, one that would be abandoned by anyone doing the math, and treat it as a cru. Roero has spent decades as the cheaper alternative to the Langhe. Bottlings like this one are the argument that the appellation deserves to be judged on its own terms rather than as a discount.
Food Pairing
High acid and fine tannin call for Piedmontese cooking. Tajarin with butter and sage, brasato al Barolo, agnolotti del plin in meat broth, or a plate of Castelmagno with honey. The acidity cuts through butter and rich meat sauces, and the tar and dried-orange notes meet braised beef and mushrooms directly. Nebbiolo from sand is approachable younger than its Langhe cousins, so this does not need a decade, but give it an hour open if you are drinking it now.
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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.
Nebbiolo
"Unknown" farming method indicates that the specific vineyard practices used to produce the wine have not yet been clearly identified or verified. Due to limited publicly available information, complexity of research, or lack of transparency from certain wineries, it can sometimes be challenging to accurately categorize each vineyard's farming practices. Our team is actively working to research and update our records to provide the most accurate information on every wine we offer. We understand the importance of transparency and sustainability and strive to categorize and communicate farming methods as quickly and comprehensively as possible.
