Planimetry of the Commune of Barolo on June 26, 1817

Gianni Stornello – La Stampa – 17 June 2001

Named after our own city, Barolo wine was created right here in the historic Marchesi di Barolo wineries in the first half of the 19th century.

Before that, wine made from the nebbiolo grape variety offered a completely different taste experience: it was a sweet, sparkling wine. In fact, in 1787 Thomas Jefferson, who would later become president of the United States, tried nebbiolo while staying at the Hôtel d'Angleterre in Turin. In his travel diary, he described it with these words:

  • As silky as Madeira, as astringent as Bordeaux and as energetic as champagne. Thomas Jefferson…

The small medieval town of Barolo, with just 733 inhabitants, nestled between hills (recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO) dotted with green vineyards and ancient uneven stone buildings, is home to one of the most prestigious DOCGs in Italy. The birthplace that gave it its name also owes it to the Falletti family, Marquises of Barolo, who began wine production in their vineyards more than 200 years ago. Marchesi di Barolo, the flagship winery, is located in the Marquis Falletti Castle itself, where its art, history and charm are cultivated.

Five historic barrels from the period, the “Botti della Marchesa”, are still used today, after a meticulous restoration, for the maturation and refinement of outstanding wines.

The Marchesi had no children and, after the death of the couple, the Marchesi di Barolo dynasty was left without an heir. At the wish of Marchesa Giulia, a great philanthropist, the family's assets were donated to charity and a non-profit foundation was created in her name, "Opera Pia Barolo", to help those in need in nearby Turin.

“THE KING OF WINES, THE WINE OF KINGS”

The Winery was Recovered at the beginning of the 20th century by Pietro Abbona King Vittorio Emanuele III allows Pietro Abbona display the royal coat of arms on the sign of the Marchesi di Barolo wineries, as a supplier to the royal house. The aristocratic estate becomes a structured and efficient winery, bringing its wines to the tables of high society, the Popes, the Italian embassies around the world and the enormous and sumptuous ocean liners of the time.

Currently the Cantine dei Marchesi di Barolo is directed by Anna and Ernesto Abbona who, together with his children Valentina and Davide, are faithful interpreters of the diversity of the area and the native vines, rigorously respecting and preserving their typicality, thanks to the vinification of grapes from 120 hectares of their own vineyards and from winegrowers selected over many years of activity.

The mission of the Abbona family is to know how to combine "tradition and evolution", proposing in a contemporary key, according to the wine-gastronomic trends of the most authentic and refined Made in Italy, high quality wines destined to enrich the history of a great winery, where transmitted an important heritage of vineyards, wineries and knowledge for more than five generations.