Fratelli Alessandria
From an on site visit May 2017
Often overlooked in Verduno, Fratelli Alessandria produces a lovely range wines that blend purity and elegance. These are wines that highlight the delicacy of the wines of Verduno in a style that captures the more playful and zesty face of Piedmontese wines.
2016 Fratelli Alessandria Freisa 14% Speziale
Just planted 3000 meters to pelaverga outside of Barolo zone, in vineyards that could be used for Langhe Nebbiolo
Vespolina has a similar but lower key spicy character
Bottled recently
Lovely aromatics feature a touch of herbaceous spice with chalky raspberry fruit. Delicate in style, though with great fruit in the mouth. An elegant Freisa, almost sweet then tart red fruit, sour cherry and raspberry flavors are all wrapped up in a gorgeous texture. A hint of lemon peel adds detail on the midpalate leading to a long juicy finish full of brushy tannins and gentle spice notes. There’s an attractive little bubble gummy quality to the nose. 89pts
2015 Fratelli Alessandria Langhe Nebbiolo Prinsiot
Large botte for ten months 14.5%
Two vineyards in Verduno
Some declassified Barolo but was produced as Nebbiolo
Hot, but not very hot not like 2003
Candied and slightly medicinal herb laced rich red cherry fruit greets the nose with uncommon intensity. Really powerful fruit aromas show just a hint of confiture. A little loosely knit on entry, but bright, wide open, and with a very attractive spicy almost pink peppercorn accent. Juicy, and a surprisingly fruity wine considering the wood treatment. The tannins are small but classic Nebbiolo tannins with a hint of chalky mineral on the palate and perhaps a hint of heat on the finale. Very drinkable, though this too is pretty spicy for what it is. 88pts
2013 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo 14%
Aromatically a bit subdued after the previous wines with fine, sweet cherry fruit, a hint of chalk, some tree bark, a little camphor and some almost cocoa undertones. Lovely texture with a bright juicy feel, though this comes off as a little simple with bright tart red cherry fruit, a touch of tree bark and a faint hint of quinine. Tannins are ripe lending this a nearly supple texture. This won't need much time, simple, fun, authentic Barolo, good length really lovely acid integration, but uncomplicated. 89pts
Crus have about 25 days of skin contact, natural yeast fermentations start with pied de cuve. Three years in botte
Bottled two month ago
2013 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo San Lorenzo di Verduno 14%
This has a really nice perfume, there's a spice note, a hint of small oily seeds, melting licorice as well, some floral notes. Lively in the mouth, this has some energy to it, juicy, super fine expression of fruit with high toned, sandalwood and candied orange peel, candied orange flavors on the midpalate turning a touch spicy on the moderately long finish. Nervous in the mouth with good persistence to this spicy fruit. Finishes with a slightly darker fruit in alcohol note. 91pts
2013 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo Gramolere 14%
Tight, earthy grey soil aromas gain a little orchard fruit aspect along with black cherry fruit and a touch of laurel on the nose. Super well knit in the mouth, this is bright and juicy with supple tannins that are tighter than the Veruno Barolos. Fine texture with a tense yet open knit feel, good scale and length, lacks the nuance perhaps of the previous two wines but a bit more burly, and perhaps more typical. Finishes with savory notes, a little smoky with a subtle dried fruit accent. Shows off the superb tannin ripeness that was possible in 2013. 92pts
2013 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo Monvigliero 14%
Powerful with crushed rock on the nose lending this a muscular, aura. Aromatically it’s a bit mysterious on the nose with perfumes of men's cologne, dark fruit, and rose petals. A pretty chewy wine, if remaining firmly medium bodied with lovely lift on the palate. Inner mouth perfumes tend toward the slightly stemmy and dried herb side of the spectrum with a nuance of thyme gracing the midpalate,along with dusty, chalky tannins that are persistent and almost sweet on the finish. Finishes with slightly medicinal red cherry fruit and a spicy floral note lingering in the mouth, this really shows off impressive inner mouth perfumes. Transparent and balanced with with finesse and impressive length. 93pts
Often overlooked in Verduno, Fratelli Alessandria produces a lovely range wines that blend purity and elegance. These are wines that highlight the delicacy of the wines of Verduno in a style that captures the more playful and zesty face of Piedmontese wines.
2016 Fratelli Alessandria Freisa 14% Speziale
Just planted 3000 meters to pelaverga outside of Barolo zone, in vineyards that could be used for Langhe Nebbiolo
Vespolina has a similar but lower key spicy character
Bottled recently
Lovely aromatics feature a touch of herbaceous spice with chalky raspberry fruit. Delicate in style, though with great fruit in the mouth. An elegant Freisa, almost sweet then tart red fruit, sour cherry and raspberry flavors are all wrapped up in a gorgeous texture. A hint of lemon peel adds detail on the midpalate leading to a long juicy finish full of brushy tannins and gentle spice notes. There’s an attractive little bubble gummy quality to the nose. 89pts
2015 Fratelli Alessandria Langhe Nebbiolo Prinsiot
Large botte for ten months 14.5%
Two vineyards in Verduno
Some declassified Barolo but was produced as Nebbiolo
Hot, but not very hot not like 2003
Candied and slightly medicinal herb laced rich red cherry fruit greets the nose with uncommon intensity. Really powerful fruit aromas show just a hint of confiture. A little loosely knit on entry, but bright, wide open, and with a very attractive spicy almost pink peppercorn accent. Juicy, and a surprisingly fruity wine considering the wood treatment. The tannins are small but classic Nebbiolo tannins with a hint of chalky mineral on the palate and perhaps a hint of heat on the finale. Very drinkable, though this too is pretty spicy for what it is. 88pts
2013 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo 14%
Aromatically a bit subdued after the previous wines with fine, sweet cherry fruit, a hint of chalk, some tree bark, a little camphor and some almost cocoa undertones. Lovely texture with a bright juicy feel, though this comes off as a little simple with bright tart red cherry fruit, a touch of tree bark and a faint hint of quinine. Tannins are ripe lending this a nearly supple texture. This won't need much time, simple, fun, authentic Barolo, good length really lovely acid integration, but uncomplicated. 89pts
Crus have about 25 days of skin contact, natural yeast fermentations start with pied de cuve. Three years in botte
Bottled two month ago
2013 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo San Lorenzo di Verduno 14%
This has a really nice perfume, there's a spice note, a hint of small oily seeds, melting licorice as well, some floral notes. Lively in the mouth, this has some energy to it, juicy, super fine expression of fruit with high toned, sandalwood and candied orange peel, candied orange flavors on the midpalate turning a touch spicy on the moderately long finish. Nervous in the mouth with good persistence to this spicy fruit. Finishes with a slightly darker fruit in alcohol note. 91pts
2013 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo Gramolere 14%
Tight, earthy grey soil aromas gain a little orchard fruit aspect along with black cherry fruit and a touch of laurel on the nose. Super well knit in the mouth, this is bright and juicy with supple tannins that are tighter than the Veruno Barolos. Fine texture with a tense yet open knit feel, good scale and length, lacks the nuance perhaps of the previous two wines but a bit more burly, and perhaps more typical. Finishes with savory notes, a little smoky with a subtle dried fruit accent. Shows off the superb tannin ripeness that was possible in 2013. 92pts
2013 Fratelli Alessandria Barolo Monvigliero 14%
Powerful with crushed rock on the nose lending this a muscular, aura. Aromatically it’s a bit mysterious on the nose with perfumes of men's cologne, dark fruit, and rose petals. A pretty chewy wine, if remaining firmly medium bodied with lovely lift on the palate. Inner mouth perfumes tend toward the slightly stemmy and dried herb side of the spectrum with a nuance of thyme gracing the midpalate,along with dusty, chalky tannins that are persistent and almost sweet on the finish. Finishes with slightly medicinal red cherry fruit and a spicy floral note lingering in the mouth, this really shows off impressive inner mouth perfumes. Transparent and balanced with with finesse and impressive length. 93pts