BEL COLLE

PIEDMONT, ITALY

Why Buy: Bel Colle has made its reputation by leaning in to classical virtues: balance, elegance, proportion. The result? Wines that feel both assured and somehow timeless, like the four we're proud to be able to bring you today (a gorgeously seductive 95-point Barbaresco from 2019 and three Barolos from an excellent 2018 vintage). And they’ve managed to keep their prices low, too, making this a no-brainer for a collector looking to stock a cellar.

What They're Saying: Wine Enthusiast fell hard for the Barbaresco DOCG Pajorè 2019, awarding 95 points and calling out its "heady aromas of new leather, wild berry and iris [that] mingle with orange zest and dark spice," its "full-bodied, elegant palate," its "intensity," its "great energy and nervous, youthful tension." Aromatics and elegance were also top of mind for WE in its assessment of the 2013 10 Anni Riserva Nebbiolo (Barolo), a 93-pointer that also boasts "polished, balanced palate" and "fine-grained tannins."

The Story: We love estates that do it right — in other words, that put the highest ideals into daily practice. Estates like Bel Colle, in the sun-dappled, postcard-perfect hills of the Langhe, in Piedmont, which brothers Franco Pontiglione, Carlo Pontiglione, and Giuseppe Priola founded in the late 1970s. Here, the virtues of old reign supreme: sustainable farming, manual harvesting, slow pressing of the grape clusters, and balanced maceration. Among their sites is the famed Monvigliero vineyard, a natural amphitheatre, and one rich in calcareous clay soils. Barolos, which remain Bel Colle’s calling cards, are big and often swaggering wines, but what we love most about these is the balance they never forget to show, a quality that lends them an almost classical quality.

Our Tasting Notes:

* Barbaresco DOCG Pajorè 2019: This single-vineyard expression bursts from the glass with violets and soft spices, and opens out into a rich, sinuous palate. Credit the malolactic fermentation in Slavonian oak casks for the depth on offer here. The grapes came from the highly recognized single vineyard of “Pajoré," and there is a purity to the fruit that simply cannot be faked. It's no surprise to us that no herbicides and chemical compounds were used..

* 2013 10 Anni Riserva Nebbiolo (Barolo): Ten years have wrought a refined wine with an old soul. It's got size, but also nuance; intensity, but also clarity; energy, but also maturity. A wine for nearly all occasions, and an excellent partner for a vast range of dishes.

* Barolo DOCG Simposio 2018: “Simposio” translates to a “meeting," or, in this case, a blending of grapes from different, old-vine lots close to the winery. This blending, together with long-aging (it spent 36 months in Slavonian oak casks, followed by another 6 months in bottle), has produced a wine of aromatic complexity and an almost velvety expression, with excellent structure and balance.

* Bussia Nebbiolo (Barolo) 2018: Here again we find a wine of structure and balance, with the  alluring aromatics that Bel Colle is known for. This is a big wine, robust and hearty, but it drinks smoothly.

Fun Fact: DOCG regulations stipulate that a Barolo must be aged for a minimum of 38 months before being released into the market.

*Offer NOT valid in-store. This offer is made pre-arrival, with wines estimated to be delivered to your preferred store in Summer 2024. With the supply chain issues that we are seeing globally, there may be some unforeseen delays which could affect the ETA. All sale prices are the lowest available at Total Wine & More and ONLY valid through Concierge Sales. No further discounts or coupons may be applied. Offer not valid in KS, KY, MI, NY, TN and Store 209 (Manassas, VA). This offer is for ONE WEEK, or until sold out, and will expire on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.