“Pie Franco” 2012 comes from Nebbiolo vines grown on their original, ungrafted roots—a rarity in European viticulture, and especially in Barolo, where phylloxera-resistant rootstock is the norm. The site, within the Gabutti cru of Serralunga, is known for its iron-rich clay and limestone soils, producing wines of intensity, structure, and deep mineral core.
In 2012, the season was steady and warm, giving balanced fruit and fine-grained tannins. True to form, Cappellano vinifies with long maceration, native yeasts, no fining or filtration, and ages the wine in large old Slavonian oak botti—traditional practices that highlight earth, spice, and aromatic lift over sheer power.
The result is a wine that opens with dried rose, red cherry, tar, menthol, and savory herbs, deepening into leather, forest floor, and iron. The tannins are firm but resolving, and the wine moves with quiet authority and haunting length.
This is not a showy Barolo—it's contemplative, rooted, and meant to be shared, not judged. Drink with care, or cellar for another 10–20 years for even more nuance. Ideal with roast meats, aged cheeses, or simply a quiet evening and good company.
