Oddero Luigi Barolo Specola 2009

Vivino 4.5 ratings

WE 94 pts 

When Luigi and his brother Giacomo split in 2006, Luigi acquired the former Parà estate in Santa Maria di La Morra—less than a kilometer away. An important figure in the development of viticulture in the zone through the second part of the 20th century, Parà constructed an observatory tower (a “specola”) in the center of the Rive cru, atop which he would monitor his team working the vineyards below, bellowing instructions through a primitive megaphone. Luigi Oddero made this tower the symbol of his new winery, including its likeness on all of his labels, and christening his bottling of Rive—a cru of which he owns a sizable seven hectares—“Specola.” Rive possesses soils typical of this section of La Morra: layers of silt and clay marl, rich with fossilized mollusks and seashells. Oddero’s “Specola” comprises only the center part of the cru, a pure-south-facing, well-vented amphitheater which tends to yield wines of intense fruit concentration and structural elegance. It is a tradition of the estate to release their crus later than their “Tradizionale,” – the 2009 vintage of “Specola,” a delightful Barolo that defies the sometimes-blocky nature of the ’09 vintage with extraordinary acidity and freshness. Though still slightly boisterous, the tannins at this point are well-integrated, and its beautifully textured flavors veer from lightly macerated strawberries to warm stones to iodine—making for a complex yet highly approachable wine.

Aromas of perfumed wild berry, red rose petal, truffle, mint, leather and a balsamic note all waft from the glass. The polished, structured palate delivers juicy red cherry, white pepper, cinnamon-spice and savory herb alongside firm but ripe tannins.