An up-and-coming estate in Barolo Crissante Alessandria was founded in 1958 by none other than Crissante Alessandria and his wife Teresa in Santa Maria's Roggeri village of La Morra, a highly regarded municipality in Piedmont. Before the 50s, the winery functioned solely as a vineyard, selling to some of the most essential wineries in the Langhe region for nearly eight generations. The winery is still in the family and run by brothers Michele and Roberto Alessandria, grandchildren of the original Alessandria.
The wines express the vintage, terroir, and varietals used. Like most great producers, the winery practices low intervention winemaking and only modifies vinification when necessary.
We were able to get some of the fantastic 2016 vintage, which is nice because most producers are on to the '17s and '18s with the '16s that are available typically seeing pretty steep pricing.
The first Barolo produced by the winery was made in an ultra-traditional style and aged in Slavonian Oak, as it still is today. Alessandria is continuously monitoring and adjusting its barrel program to maintain the proper balance between barriques, tonneaux, and classic medium-size casks for their production. Their barrel aging lends itself to balanced and well-integrated wines that offer so much in every sip.
This wine is a blend of 3 crus with different exposures and soil types with vines averaging 35+ years old. The blend includes 60% from the Roggeri vineyard (Southeast, clay soil, limestone), 20% San Biaggio vineyard (South, light clay, sand), 20% Bettolotti vineyard (East, lighter clay).
With some air, the wine begins to open up beautifully, showing an excellent expression of the terroir with notes of red fruits, herbs, and a waxy, floral note. The palate is balanced with fresh red fruits, a stewed dark cherry quality, and harmonious tannins and acidity. This is classic, deep, and pure 2016 Barolo.
James Suckling 94 points! "Beautiful cherry, strawberry and dark-chocolate character here with medium to full body, chewy tannins and a balanced and polished finish. Lovely and flavorful at the end. Drink in 2023 and onwards."
Press: Estates to Watch – Crissante Alessandria, Vinous, February 2022 "This small, family-run estate in La Morra has started to turn out gorgeous, understated Barolos that capture the natural finesse of the appellation. Crissante Alessandria is one of the up-and-coming estates in Barolo that has the potential to enter the realm of the elite. Alessandria is located in La Morra's Santa Maria district, where the wines naturally lean toward finesse and understatement. In my experience, the less done to these wines in the cellar, the better the result at this address."
2016 Crissante Alessandria Barolo del Comune di La Morra
2016 Crissante Alessandria Barolo del Comune di La Morra
An up-and-coming estate in Barolo Crissante Alessandria was founded in 1958 by none other than Crissante Alessandria and his wife Teresa in Santa Maria's Roggeri village of La Morra, a highly regarded municipality in Piedmont. Before the 50s, the winery functioned solely as a vineyard, selling to some of the most essential wineries in the Langhe region for nearly eight generations. The winery is still in the family and run by brothers Michele and Roberto Alessandria, grandchildren of the original Alessandria.
The wines express the vintage, terroir, and varietals used. Like most great producers, the winery practices low intervention winemaking and only modifies vinification when necessary.
We were able to get some of the fantastic 2016 vintage, which is nice because most producers are on to the '17s and '18s with the '16s that are available typically seeing pretty steep pricing.
The first Barolo produced by the winery was made in an ultra-traditional style and aged in Slavonian Oak, as it still is today. Alessandria is continuously monitoring and adjusting its barrel program to maintain the proper balance between barriques, tonneaux, and classic medium-size casks for their production. Their barrel aging lends itself to balanced and well-integrated wines that offer so much in every sip.
This wine is a blend of 3 crus with different exposures and soil types with vines averaging 35+ years old. The blend includes 60% from the Roggeri vineyard (Southeast, clay soil, limestone), 20% San Biaggio vineyard (South, light clay, sand), 20% Bettolotti vineyard (East, lighter clay).
With some air, the wine begins to open up beautifully, showing an excellent expression of the terroir with notes of red fruits, herbs, and a waxy, floral note. The palate is balanced with fresh red fruits, a stewed dark cherry quality, and harmonious tannins and acidity. This is classic, deep, and pure 2016 Barolo.
James Suckling 94 points! "Beautiful cherry, strawberry and dark-chocolate character here with medium to full body, chewy tannins and a balanced and polished finish. Lovely and flavorful at the end. Drink in 2023 and onwards."
Press: Estates to Watch – Crissante Alessandria, Vinous, February 2022 "This small, family-run estate in La Morra has started to turn out gorgeous, understated Barolos that capture the natural finesse of the appellation. Crissante Alessandria is one of the up-and-coming estates in Barolo that has the potential to enter the realm of the elite. Alessandria is located in La Morra's Santa Maria district, where the wines naturally lean toward finesse and understatement. In my experience, the less done to these wines in the cellar, the better the result at this address."
