Barolo wine from Piemonte in Italy is a contradiction, an Italian wine that sounds like it cannot work. It looks ugly in the glass, and the description is ugly- notes of tar, nail polish remover and roses. It is highly tannic and highly acidic. Barolo is made from the Nebbiolo grape, notoriously difficult to deal with.
The Barolo Chainsaw Massacre in 1983 started the ugly Barolo Wars, between the modernists led by Angelo Gaja and Elio Altare vs the Traditionalists led by Bruno Giacosa and Giacomo Conterno. The fight was over Barolo wine making methods, and the result was two distinctly different styles of Barolo, modern and traditional.
Certified Sommelier John Alanis tells you story of the Barolo Wars, and why Barolo, strangely, can be one of the greatest wines ever made. He opens a bottle of the Massolino 2015 Barolo Riserva, a traditional Barolo wine, and gives his famous whole bottle review of this wine tasting.
Video Chapters
1:40 Nebbiolo Grape Explained
3:44 Elio Altare, Barolo Rebel, Angelo Gaja, Barbaresco Rebel
6:16 The Barolo Wars
6:40 The Barolo Boys
9:00 Winner of the Barolo Wars
11:37 How Barolo Wines Ages
12:47 Proper Glass to drink Barolo in
15:22 Tasting Barolo Wine