Marrone
Barolo Bussia – 2020
Region: italy - piedmont
Marrone
The origins of Agricola Marrone date back over a century and through four generations. The family is focused on cultivating local grape varietals with a passionate dedication to the land.
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.
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.”
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.
The Wine
Vineyard Profile
Vineyards in the “Bussia” subzone, Monforte d’Alba at the border with Castiglione Falletto.
- Altitude: 1150 feet/350 meters
- Exposure: Southwest
- Soils: Clayey marls with high sand content; particularly homogenous soil with low permeability
- Vines Planted: 1960
- Vine Training System: Traditional Guyot
Harvest Notes
- Hand harvested the 1st week of October
- Berry selection in vineyard to remove those not perfectly ripe and healthy
- 2nd berry sorting at cellar before light crushing
- Fermented with skins and maceration at 86ºF/30ºC for 25 days in stainless steel tanks
- Malolactic fermentation in large 25 hl oak barrels
- Aged 30 months
- Batonnage on fine lees the first 10 months of aging
- Bottled under nitrogen coverage
- Bottle aging for minimum 6 months in temperature controlled environment before release
Winemaker's Notes
Garnet red color, elegantly transparent. Complex perfume, it turns on notes of ripe red fruit, dried flowers and aromatic herbs, completed by spices and leather together with toasted notes. In the mouth it is elegant and engaging, with a full body and fine tannins.
Wine Summary
100% Nebbiolo, “Lancia” & Michet” biotypes; alcohol: 14.4%; Bussia cru vineyard, Monforte d’Alba near border of Castiglione Falletto at 1150 feet; clayey marl soils with high sand content, low permeability; vines planted 1960; hand harvested 1st week of October with 2 passes of berry selections; fermented 25 days at 86ºF on skins in stainless steel tanks; malolactic fermentation in 25 Hl barrels; aged 30 months in oak, initial 10 months on fine lees with battonage; bottled under nitrogen cover and bottle aged at least 6 months before release.
Technical Information
- 100% Nebbiolo, “Lampia” & “Michet” biotypes
- Alcohol: 14.4%
- Total Acidity: 5.26 g/l
- Extract: 27.3 g/l
Reviews
91 Points
Crushed red fruits intertwine with savory herbs and leafy strawberry notes, creating a round and plush profile that’s delightfully mouthfilling. The wine offers plenty of depth and complexity, with layers of spice, earth, and subtle oak nuances adding to its allure. The fruit persists throughout, remaining the focal point of this well-structured and balanced wine. Drink Now – 2035
Wine Enthusiast, September, 2024
17.5 Points
Full bottle 1,326 g.
Spicy and strawberry and cigar-scented with wonderful tension running through the tannins. Thrumming purity – damsons and dried cherries – and warm, fragrant, Christmas-cake spices. Stunning translucency. Stunning wine. 2025 – 2035
JancisRobinson.com, April, 2024
93 Points
Good red-ruby. Aromas of black cherry, menthol, and chocolatey oak. Dense and nicely delineated with a restrained sweetness to the dark cherry, licorice and violet flavors lifted by spicy oak. Finishes long, with tannic bite that is not unpleasant, though noticeable. 2031 – 2040
Ian D'Agata Wine Review, December, 2024
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) | Farmed using organic principles |