Mauro Molino Barolo

Barolo is a wine style built on the Nebbiolo grape, and this bottle is listed as an Italian red from the Mauro Molino label. The listing gives no vintage, alcohol level or tasting notes, so what follows describes what wines under this name typically deliver. Expect a pale garnet colour with a brick-orange rim, and an aroma of dried rose petal, red cherry, tar, dried herbs and sometimes leather or licorice. On the palate, Barolo is usually medium-bodied but firmly structured, with high acidity and notably grippy tannins. Alcohol is typically in the 13.5 to 15 percent range. The finish tends to be long and savory, and any oak influence is usually more about spice and texture than obvious toast or vanilla. Those tannins and that acidity are the main thing to plan around at the table. Barolo wants fat and protein: braised short rib, veal or beef cheek, mushroom risotto, tagliatelle with ragù, roast lamb, and aged hard cheeses such as Parmigiano-Reggiano or pecorino. Dishes with white or black truffle suit its earthy side. Avoid delicate fish, light salads and spicy food, which the tannins will overpower. Serve it cooler than most people expect, at about 60 to 65°F (16 to 18°C). A warm room flattens the fruit and makes the alcohol more noticeable. Because wines in this style are often tight and tannic when young, decanting for one to two hours before serving usually softens the structure and opens the aromatics. If the bottle has some bottle age, pour it more gently and decant just long enough to separate it from any sediment. Use a large-bowled red wine glass, ideally a Burgundy-shaped or Nebbiolo-specific glass, which gives the perfume room to develop and directs the wine to the center of the palate. Drinking window depends on the vintage, which the listing doesn't state. As a rule, traditionally made Barolo rewards several years of cellaring, and many examples keep improving for a decade or more. If you open it young, treat it as a food wine and give it time in the decanter. Store it on its side in a cool, dark place at a steady temperature.