Score: 90+/100
Azienda Agricola Marziano Abbona is a famous wine producer of the Langhe region located around the town of Dogliani.
They produce a wide range of wines, from the Dolcetto signature grape of the Dogliani village, through Barbera d’Alba, Nebbiolo d’Alba, and more importantly prestigious single vineyard Barolos including the Cerviano tasted here.
This single vineyard Barolo wine comes from the Cerviano vineyard bordering the Ravera cru and exposed towards the south.
This cru is notable for giving the wine structure and depth more than others in Abbona’s range. For this reason, the winery ages it for one year longer than its other Barolo wines: Ravera and Pressenda.
Tasting notes
This Barolo comes in quite a dark color, not super dense but dark with red and orange hues accentuating its appealing appearance.
The nose is very intense, literally bursting with aromas. And they’re not light and shallow aromas at that!
Rich prune and cherry liqueur, dark-roast coffee, heaps of sweet spices somewhat like in a Christmas pudding, forest floor, tar, black pepper, black olive, and so much more!
There is just so much going on, sweet and savory all blended together in such a complex manner it’s hard to isolate just a few smells. But everything coated in a ripe fruit and alcohol background making it feeling not only complex but also luscious and intriguing.
You just want to keep smelling and smelling to get the hang of it, although you eventually just have to put it in your mouth and find out more about what it has to say…
One the palate, flavors are also explosive and complex. It is dry, if not very dry, loaded with a solid acidity. But the ripeness of the fruit characters fill up the body, and give it a sweet sensation that balances it all out very well.
Solid body, and more importantly granulous tannins especially on the finish give it a big, perhaps polarizing personality.
You’ll love it or perhaps not so much for the quality that it has and the ones it’s missing, but at least this wine is very genuine, upfront, extremely complex and so powerful that it is worth an applause for being authentic.
I did enjoy it very much, for the layered complexity, sweet-savory (though completely dry) approach to old world wine, and its sheer concentration and complexity.
It’s probably a little young though still. Age should temper its power, and soften its tannins to allow further enjoyment and revelation of its potential.
One way to find out for yourself… try it I guess if you like a characterful Barolo!
Enjoy 🙂
Wine & Food Pairings
It will be most-enjoyed with tasty food dishes like grilled meats, Italian-style stews, and Italian cheese.
See some more detailed suggestions with our Infographic about Italian Wine & Cheese Pairing
We can also suggest an Elegant and Delicious Roasted Duck in Red Wine
Please let me know your thoughts