Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/735024
46 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016 Dan Amatuzzi, Beverage Director, U.S., Eataly in New York. PHOTO: DOUG YOUNG PHOTO: DOUG YOUNG PHOTO: DOUG YOUNG House-made pappardelle alla bolognese in Eataly's Manzo Ristorante in New York City, NY.( right) Fontanafredda 2011 Serralunga d'Alba Barolo. { piemonte } ALTHOUGH THERE ARE 11 BAROLO communes, most wine aficionados and som- meliers are privy to only five. This is because Serralunga d'Alba, La Morra, Barolo, Monforte d'Alba, and Castiglione Falletto cover about 90 percent of this DOCG appellation. The brick-colored wines of Barolo are known for their exceedingly high levels of tannins; familiarizing yourself with these five communes helps to predict the shade of the brick and the strength of the tan - nins. One of the more beloved com- munes—due to the bold structure of its wines—is Serralunga d'Alba. We're talkin' darker bricks over here, people, thanks to Helvetian sandstone soils. The Fontanafredda estate spans more than 250 acres of Serralunga d'Alba, making it the single largest contiguous wine estate in the Langhe. Once a hunting preserve, the land was purchased by Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of Italy, as a vacation prop - erty. In 1878, shortly after inheriting the estate, his son, Count Emanuele Alberto di Mirafiori, produced their first vintage of Nebbiolo labeled as Barolo. By the time Italian entrepreneur Oscar Farinetti was born, Fontanafredda had been in the hands of Monte de Paschi di Siena, the world's oldest bank, since 1932. Being from Alba, and having a mom from Barolo and a dad from Barbaresco, Farinetti fulfilled his dream of owning a Piemontese winery: In 2008 he became the majority stakeholder of Fontanafredda in partnership with Luca Baffigo Filangieri, both founders of the Eataly concepts in New York, Japan and, of course, Italy. The Fontanafredda estate reaches beyond Serralunga d'Alba and into the other com - munes of Diano d'Alba and Barolo, which brings the estate's total to 305 acres. Aside from growing Nebbiolo, the vineyards of Fontanafredda produce Barbera, Dolcetto, Moscato and Arneis, which is one of the reasons why Fontanafredda's accessible Briccotondo line—including Barbera, Arneis, Dolcetto and Moscato d'Asti—has been so successful. This is high-quality fruit at amazing value. No chemicals are allowed in any of the estate vineyards and, in fact, the grounds double as a flora and fauna reserve. Dan Amatuzzi, Beverage Director, U.S., for Eataly, tips his hat to the breadth of the Fontanafredda portfolio. "It's hard for any business to be something to everyone, but Fontanafredda comes as close as any win - ery ever has. There are so many wines of varying flavors, styles and price points—all made by the talented hands of winemaker Danilo Drocco." Eataly carries many of these wines, but Amatuzzi gets poetic about Barolo: "Barolo PHOTO COURTESY OF FONTANAFREDDA The Bricks of Fontanafredda CELEBRATING BAROLO WEEK AND THE COOLER SEASONS WITH FONTANAFREDDA by Jessie Birschbach Fontanafredda Winery and Vineyards in a winter-y version of the Langhe, Italy.