Marrone

Barbera d’Alba Carlot – 2017

Region: italy - piedmont

Marrone

The origins of Agricola Marrone date back over a century and through four generations where the family has focused on cultivating local grape varietals with a passionate commitment and dedication to the land.

In 1978 ‘Gianpi’ took over full management of Marrone and began a phase of expansion in the vineyards and the cellar space. His wife Giovanna, affectionately known as “Mamma Gio,” orchestrates private hospitality and is the kitchen director. For Giovanna, food is “tradition and Italian values that go hand with our wines.”

When Pietro Marrone was born in 1887, his father Edoardo was already producing wines.  In 1910, at 23 years old, he asked his father to plant some vineyards. In the early 1920s/30s the winery began cultivating vineyards using techniques that were revolutionary at the time: reducing production yields to prioritize higher quality and avoiding sowing wheat between vine rows, a standard practice at the time. This decision was an early adoption of what eventually became known as modern cultivation practices widely used in the region today.

Since 2011 the winery has been run by “Tre Fie,” the three daughters of Gian Piero and Giovanna Marrone. Valentina is the winemaker, Serena runs marketing and business operations, and Denise is the hospitality heart and manager of the visitor programs and restaurant. The farm is run with minimal intervention in the vineyard, a philosophy that carries through from harvest to winemaking. The Marrone family pays careful attention to produce wines that are elegantly structured with the potential to evolve for decades.

Grapes / Soils

Wine Blend Vine Age Soil Type Vineyard Area acres
Barbera D’Alba Carlot Barbera 1988 White marl clayey-calcareous, fine limestone, alternated by compact layers of sandstones 4.12

The Wine

Vineyard Profile
  • Vineyards in Maddona di Como, Alba
  • Vines planted 1988
  • Training system: Traditional Guyot
  • Exposure: Southeast
  • Altitude: 400 meters
  • Soils: white marl clayey-calcareous, fine limestone, alternated by compact layers of sandstones
Harvest Notes
  • Hand harvested the last week of September
  • Crushing and destemming with skins for 12-14 days at 26º C
  • Malolactic fermentation in stainless steel
  • Aged 12 months in 60% French and Austrian, 3rd passage oak barriques and 40% steel containers
  • Bottled under nitrogen cover
Winemaker's Notes

“Carlot” is the name of our historical winery in Maddona di Como. Despite the high alcohol, this is lean and spicy on the nose, with cranberry as well as cherry aromas. Juicy and fresh on the attack, this is slightly sweet and it shows freshness. There’s perky acidity on the finish, if little complexity, but that red-fruits quality on the finish is welcome. Quite long.

Wine Summary

100% Barbera; alcohol: 14.4%; Maddona di Como vineyard; vines planted 1988; altitude 400 meters; Southeast aspect; soils white marl, clay-calcareous with alternating sandstone layers; hand harvested first week September; pressing and fermentation in stainless steel for 12 -14 days at 26º C; malolactic fermentation in stainless; aged 12 months in 60% French and Austrian, 3rd-fill barriques, 40% stainless steel; bottled under nitrogen.

Technical Information
  • 100% Barbera grapes
  • Alcohol: 14.4%
  • Total Acidity: 5.62 g/l
  • Extract: 30.02 g/l

Reviews

91 Points

Despite the high alcohol, this is lean and spicy on the nose, with cranberry as well as cherry aromas – refreshing after so many beefy, powerful wines. Juicy and fresh on the attack, this is slightly sweet but it shows more freshness than most 2017s. There’s perky acidity on the finish, if little complexity, but that red-fruits quality on the finish is welcome. Quite long. 2019 – 2022

Decanter, October, 2019

General Info

Country Italy
Region Piedmont
Appellation(s) Barolo DOCG; Langhe DOC
Proprietors Gian Piero Marrone
Founded 1887
Winemaker Valentina Marrone
Annual Production 4600 9L cases
Farming (Sustainable, organic, biodynamic) Organic