Fratelli Alessandria, Pelaverga 2021

Fratelli Alessandria is one of the classic old-school Barolo producers that reminds you why Piedmont became one of the most respected wine regions on earth in the first place. The winery has been based in the village of Verduno since the 1800s and is still family run today, quietly making seriously good traditional wines without loads of unnecessary drama around it.

Verduno itself is a really interesting part of Barolo. The wines here often lean slightly more fragrant and elegant compared to some of the bigger, heavier styles elsewhere in the region. Fratelli Alessandria captures that beautifully. Their Barolos have structure and depth obviously, but they also carry loads of perfume, spice, red fruit and freshness rather than just brute force tannins trying to bully you into submission.

Nebbiolo is the star here, and the wines can be wonderfully complex. Roses, cherry, herbs, earth, tar, spice and dried fruit all show up depending on the bottle and age. Young Barolo can sometimes feel a bit like being told off by a very expensive Italian grandfather, but Fratelli Alessandria’s wines usually stay impressively balanced and approachable even when they’re built for ageing.

The winery is also famous for Verduno Pelaverga, one of Piedmont’s weirdest and most charming red wines. Light in colour but packed with pepper, herbs and bright red fruit, Pelaverga feels almost like somebody crossed Pinot Noir with white pepper and made it dangerously easy to drink.

What makes Fratelli Alessandria especially enjoyable is how honest the wines feel. No huge flashy winemaking tricks, no trying to make Barolo taste international, just proper Piedmontese wine made with loads of respect for the vineyards and the local traditions.

Classic, elegant and packed with personality, this is exactly the sort of producer that makes people fall down the Barolo rabbit hole permanently.