Borgogno Barolo Tasting at Wine Watch

"Wine can of their wits the wise beguile,
Make the sage frolic, and the serious smile."
Homer, Odyssey

This historic winery made big news in the wine world two years ago after just 250 of being owned by the same family the landmark Borgogno winery has been sold.  Family owners Giorgio Boschis and his brother, Cesare, great-nephews of Giacomo Borgogno, say they finalized a deal selling the winery to local entrepreneur Oscar Farinetti and his son, Francesco, in January 2009. Local sources estimate the sale price at around $30 million.

Farinetti made his fortune initially with the Trony electronics retail chain and, more recently, with the Eataly Italian food-and-wine outlets in Turin and Milan, with stores opening soon in Tokyo and New York.

According to the terms of the sale, the Boschis brothers will continue to oversee production at the winery for the next three years. They each retain a 5 percent interest in the winery for that period. "Nothing is going to change," Giorgio Boschis said. "We retain complete control over the production and will carry on as normal. If we decide to sell the rest of our percentage after three years, the price is already fixed."

The sale includes a valuable inventory-around 120,000 bottles of old vintages of the winery's Barolos, from 1961 through 1990. "My uncle, Cesare, built up the bulk of the collection," said Boschis, "during the lean years of the [World War II] and after. We generally keep back around 20 percent of the production in a good vintage and sell [the bottles] a few at a time, mostly to the quality restaurant trade."

The Farinettis will make a few changes after the sale, according to Boschis. The winery will only produce wines from its own 49.5 acres of vineyards, including vineyard plots in the top Barolo crus, such as Cannubi, Liste and San Pietro. Consequently, production of the Grignolino d'Asti and the Freisa d'Asti reds, made from bought grapes, will cease. Boschis also said that Farinetti has made a marketing strategy agreement for the United States with his friend, Giorgio Rivetti, owner of La Spinetta in Barbaresco.

The winery currently produces around 8,300 cases of wine, including three Barolos: a standard Barolo, a Barolo Classico and the single-vineyard Barolo Liste. The rest of the production includes a Barbera, a Dolcetto, a Nebbiolo d'Alba and a small quantity of the traditional Barolo Chinato (herb-infused Barolo). The 2003 vintage of the Barolos will be released shortly, after the customary five years in the winery.

"I guess we were a bit unhappy to see the winery go out of the family," said Boschis. "But the new owner is a very practical person, not just a financier, and we can feel confident about the future."

I will have to leave early to get to the Great Wine Semiar's opening tasting with Madeira but I will taste through the wines before I leave to ensure that everything is up to snuff and we will have Tamer Harpke from Indigenous Selections representing the winery.  Toni will be here representing Wine Watch Catering and will be serving a four course menu to accompany the tasting wines.  The Fee for this tasting is $150 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

**All wines on this offering have come directly from the cellars of Borgogno

Borgogno Wine Tasting at Wine Watch
Thursday, April 15, 2011
7pm

Tasting Line-up:

Borgogno  Barolo Riserva 1961      
List $375          Sale $330
(3 bottles available)

(93 Points) 1961 Borgogno Barolo Classico Riserva-Medium ruby, with some bricking on the rim, but otherwise showing very little signs of its age. The aromatic nose displays menthol, anise, and delicate, sweet flavors of dried cherries, finishing with tremendous freshness and a seamless, long and fresh finish. Tasted blind, I would have never guessed this was a 40+ year old wine. 93 points/drink now-?, 12/04

From time to time, the estate re-releases wines from its library. These bottles are reconditioned; the wines are decanted, sediment is removed, and the bottles are re-corked with new corks. These bottles appear much more youthful, cleaner and purer than bottles that have been cellared since release.

A visit to this historic estate is like stepping back in time as the winery is a monument of sorts to traditional winemaking. The winery preserves many antique tools related to viticulture and winemaking as well as an extensive library of older bottles. The wines tend to be mid-weight, and share a classic, somewhat austere style. While the Dolcetto and Barbera are good, the real attractions here are the various Barolo bottlings which at their best are very complete and age-worthy wines. The recently tasted 1952 and 1961 Borgogno Barolos are a testament to the longevity of this house’s wines.  Italy Report # G2, April 2005 Antonio Galloni

Borgogno Barolo Riserva Piedmont 1967
Price: $275.00  Sale $242
Quantity in Stock: 3

(90 points) The 1967 Borgogno possesses a captivating and enthralling nose of roses, licorice and menthol you could get lost in. Sadly, this wine is less interesting on the palate, and lacks continuity, definition and fruit to balance the aromatics. Nevertheless, this is an interesting bottle that showcases the Borgogno style in its classic, austere character. The tannins are quite soft, and this is a pretty wine for current consumption. It shows no signs of being tired, and the way Borgognos age, this bottling can easily last another ten or more years. Like all of this house’s library releases, this wine is incredibly fresh and intact considering its 38 years. In theCellar # GXApr 2007

Borgogno Barolo Riserva 1978
Price: $203.25  Your $178.86
Quantity in Stock: 1

This has a garnet/tawny color with an amber rim. Very refined nose, with ultra-sweet red fruit and sandalwood incense aromas around a very distinct core of ironstone earth. Wow, what a palate! A kick of firm tannins and bright acidity are followed by brown sugar, red fruit, and ginger snap flavors, with that ironstone earthy quality echoed on the finish. This has a tremendous amount of presence and vitality, and is still a baby.

Borgogno Barolo Riserva 1982       
List $187.50     Sale $165
(8 bottles available)

80% blend of grapes from various vineyards in the town of Barolo, including Liste, San Pietro delle Viole, Brunate, Cannubi and Cannubi-Boschis 20% of grapes are purchased from local grape growers (mostly La Morra and Barolo)Garnet red in color, this wine has a complex and fruit forward nose layered with aromas of wood, spices, resin, tobacco and a hint of smoke. Full-bodied with the warmth of alcohol, it has a smooth, silky finish. A strong and very pleasant wine, it has great structure and an enormous potential for ageing.

Borgogno Barolo Riserva 1988       
List $178.50     Sale $157
(2 bottles available)

Garnet red with light ruby shades, the 1988 Barolo has a very wide and complex bouquet with balsamic and floral aromas. Warm and intense on the palate, it has an extremely long finish.

Borgogno Barolo Riserva 1989       
List $169.50     Sale $149
(2 bottles available)

Showing intense garnet red, the 1989 Barolo has a balanced, earthy bouquet with aromas of wood, dried leaves, dressed leather and a hint of tar. On the palate it is pleasantly round and persistent; very well-balanced with great potential for bottle age.

Borgogno Barolo Riserva 1990       
List $169.50     Sale $149
(3 bottles available)

Masterfully lush. Fruity and not woody, it's just extracted, with a finesse that seems to last for minutes.  Polished wine that delivers multi-layered character.  It's berry in flavor and medium in bouquet, rooted in raspberry and aged game, layered with hazelnut, honey, botrytis, pineapple, and so on. All of this seemlessly integrates with a feminine yet ethereal finish, resulting in an indestructible personality.

Borgogno Barolo Riserva 1998
Price: $70.75    Sale $62.26
Quantity in Stock: 6

(93 points) The Borgogno family is one of the dynasties of Barolo and traces its origins in the wine trade back to 1761, making it perhaps the oldest house in the entire zone. The approach, until recently, has been - understandably - ultra-conservative, at times resembling virtual immobility, but things seem to be loosening up in recent years and the Riserva wines are well worth looking for. The 1998 Barolo Classico Riserva, in fact, is outstanding, very sizeable in its expression of the roses, resin, plums, and anisette of Nebbiolo and endowed with a powerhouse palate, very rich but round and velvety as well. The fruit, minerals, and classy tannins of the close, the sweetness and irresistible texture make this one of the essential wines of the 1998 vintage. Drink: 2005-2020. Wine Advocate # 160Aug 2005

Menu

Selection of Local Cheeses

White Truffle Risotto

Veal Tartare with shaved porcini mushrooms and extra virgin olive oil

Braised Short Rib with Valhrona chocolate Sauce

Traditional cookies and chocolate truffles

The fee for this dinner/tasting is $150 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463.

A bit of History about Borgogno Winery:

Bartolomeo Borgogno founded his winery in 1761; upon his death in 1794 his three sons took over control of the winery, though only one, the youngest, Giacomo, persevered. Giacomo Borgogno had four children: Eugenio Giuseppe, Carlo (who became a priest), Bartolomeo (who died as a teenager) and Marianna.

When he was little more than a boy, Eugenio Giuseppe, born in 1827, took over for his father and signed a contract to provide wine to a boarding school for the sons of army officers (Esercito Sabaudo di Racconigi) in 1848. This was the first legal document in which the firm is cited, and, still guarded jealously today, it would play a fundamental role in the company’s more recent history.

A very active person, Eugenio Giuseppe was involved in many other activities beside the winery. He had six children; five daughters and a son, Giacomo, born in 1863.

In 1861 Borgogno Barolo was served at an official banquet celebrating the unification of Italy. Eugenio Giuseppe Borgogno died on January 26, 1871, and his wife was forced to assign management of the winery to the local parish church’s winery, Il Parroco dell’Annunziata di La Morra. Over time that choice proved to be so disastrous that the 18-year-old Giacomo Borgogno left his studies at Bra to take over management, and put the company’s affairs back in order.

Giacomo Borgogno had five children: Maria Luisa, Eugenio, Corrado Natale and Cesare. Maria Louisa died very young, while Eugenio and Corrado left home to pursue other activities. Natale became a professor at the Collegio di Barolo boarding school, though together with his mother Giulia he helped manage the winery while his brother Cesare was still too young.
Cesare Borgogno, the youngest of these children, was born April 28, 1900 and took over management of the winery in 1920, immediately giving it new vitality. For the first time sales of Borgogno went outside national borders!

In 1937 Cesare Borgogno married Maria Chiavassa; they had no children, but adopted Maria’s neice, Ida Chiavassa At the end of World War II, the winery underwent a significant transformation thanks to the dynamic personality of Cesare Borgogno, together with his wife, his neice, and her future husband, Franco.

Cesare Borgogno conquered the Argentinian market, but after two full years of successful work political situation of that country changed and all relations were severed. Slowly the Italian market grew, as new markets in Europe opened as well. In 1947 Cesare Borgogno appointed Banfi Vintners of New York its exclusive US importer, a relationship that endures to this day and has guaranteed the Borgogno winery a solid and lasting presence in the world market.

In 1954 the Borgogno winery and cellars underwent a complete restructuring and expansion. In 1955, a lawsuit filed by the French Institute of Appellations sought to block the further use of the name Borgogno because of its similarity to the French word Bourgogne, for Burgundy. The house was in grave danger, but a clear victory was achieved thanks to the aforementioned document dating to 1848.

In 1959 another restructuring was started, which in the course of four years doubled the capacity of the winery.
On October 20, 1967, Cesare Borgogno, who years previosly had been knighted by the Italian government as a "Cavalliere della Repubblica," began a transformed the winery administration and renamed it "Giacomo Borgogno & Figli." However, he was not able to oversee the completion of this corporate transformation before he was stricken by a fatal disease, and passed away on July 7, 1968. His wife Maria Chiavassa Borgogno took over control of the company, assisted by a board composed of Ida Chiavassa Boschis, Franco Boschis, Corrado Borgogno (son of Cesare’s brother) and his wife Maria Luisa Garau. They pursued the transformation of the company, modifying policy by ceasing sales in bulk (which up to that point was the major share of the company’s business) and dedicating production to bottle sales only.

In March 1972 at an auction of vintage wines in Turin, a bottle of Borgogno Barolo 1886 was sold for 530,000 lire, a record high price for any bottle of Italian wine. The same vintage had been served many years earlier at a banquet honoring the state visit to Italy of Czar Nicholas 11 Romanov of Russia.

In July 1976 Maria Chiavassa Borgogno ceded control of the company to her neice Ida and Ida’s husband, Franco, though Maria continued to play an active role in the company until 1994. Eventually the shares of Corrado Borgogno and Maria Luisa Garau were ceded to the Boschis family as well.

In early 1977 the winery underwent yet another expansion, greatly expanding the ageing and storage areas over the course of two years. Gradually the children of Franco and Ida - Cesare, Margherita, Chiara and Giorgio - joined the company, taking an active role in expanding current markets and opening new ones.