The Elixir of Barolo Barolo Chinato is not the tannic, cellar worthy red that has made Piedmont famous and collectors stock their cellars but it is one of the most important products of the region that gave stability and fame to the Cappellano family. Barolo Chinato is a wine based elixir developed by the Cappellano family who were a wine producing and pharmacist family of the region in the late 19th century that combined quinine bark and more with Barolo wine. Created by Giuseppe Cappellano as a digestive aid, Barolo Chinato based on nebbiolo wine from Barolo is a safely guarded recipe at Cappellano that has been handed down over the generations by handwritten letters. Current winemaker and Chinato creator, Augusto Cappellano still uses the family’s old cast-iron mortar and pestle to hand crush and grind the herbs and spices used to steep and infuse in the Barolo wine with the quinine. The Cappellano Barolo Chinato is one of the most powerful and intense versions produced today that is characterized by a decadent chocolatey taste and finish that really sets the elixir apart. While Barolo Chinato is meant to be consumed upon release, these elixirs have a reputation for aging and evolving in the cellar too. The aromatics already complex and intriguing from the natural perfume of nebbiolo combined with all the herbs and spices tend to start off super floral and expressive with ample fresh cut qualities. If you have ever had a 10 to 20 year old expression, the fresh aromatics evolve into more of the tea leaf, cigar and dark bitter chocolate with more of a pungent dried herbal edge. Personally, Barolo Chinato is that perfect winter time after dinner drink. When you wish that bottle of wine had just one more glass. Barolo Chinato fits the bill. A small glass is satisfying on its own, and perfect with dark Chocolate. Friends of mine love to use Barolo Chinato as mixer to make aperitifs or cocktails, combining it with soda water or a mixture of vermouth and campari. The Cappellano Chinato is the grandfather of the category and continues to carry the mantle of the finest of the region. We are lucky enough to still have some of the Barolo Chinato based on the epic 2016 vintage. A vintage that is perhaps the finest in Barolo history and surely one that yielded a tremendous Barolo Chinato. Take my word for it, this Chinato is sensational. Multilayered and complex, this is an ever changing expression to explore when enjoying a bottle over the course of a month. While Barolo Chinato is considered by many to be able to remain left open indefinitely, we find that Cappellano’s Chinato is best consumed within 60 days of opening to enjoy the complexity of the aromatics at their fullest. Our expectation is that the 2016 Chinato will also cellar and evolve miraculously for the next 25 to 40 years, that is if you can resist it for that long! Cheers, |
 |
