I had the pleasure of having dinner recently with Vittore and Katia of Fratelli Alessandria. Il Buco Alimentari hosted the evening featuring a six course tasting menu paired with eight of their wines, giving me the chance to taste their 2021 Barolo releases, as well as my favorite wine from the evening, 2020 Monvigliero. We also had Langhe Favorita 2024, Verduno Pelavera Speziale 2024, and Barbera d’Alba 2024. Vittore and Katia were great company, and it's clear they love what they do and are proud to talk about their native Langhe!
 
Verduno’s soils impart a characteristic lithe spice and floral character to the wines. This is the undercurrent to each Barolo I tasted, but each with their own vineyard characteristics. Monvigliero shows more warm spice (especially the 2020), while San Lorenzo and Comune di Verduno show that lifted floral quality. Their only plot outside of Verduno is the two hectare Gramolere vineyard, located in Monforte d’Alba. Gramolere leads with more savory, snappy and herbaceous notes. While all of these offerings can certainly age, I found a pleasant freshness and approachability to the wines now.

Pelaverga is a grape I adore, but don’t drink often enough. There are only 20 hectares in the world concentrated in and around Verduno. Fratelli Alessandria’s Pelaverga Speziale 2024 shows so much pomegranate, strawberry, lavender, and peppercorn. Their lone white, Langhe Favorita 2024, is not to be missed- silky medium body, with great acid, concentrated fruits like pear and gooseberry with herbaceous fennel notes. And for those days where you are craving a deep yet playful weeknight red with lovely purple fruit like blackberry, fig, and plum, I reach for their Barbera d’Alba 2024.

There is plenty to choose from here, from wines to drink now to wines to cellar for years to come. I find so much delight in every bottle from Fratelli Alessandria, and I think you will too!

-Marisa Licandro

Please allow until Tuesday 2/24 for pick up or delivery.