1. They have been around a long time
Borgogno is located on the crest of the hill as you enter the town of Barolo in Piedmont. Founded in 1761 by Bartolomeo Borgogno it is one of the oldest cellars in the region.
The history of the estate goes back over 250 years and is tied closely to major cultural events of the country. The wine of Borgogno was served at a dinner to celebrate the Unity of Italy in 1861. The Czar of Russia, Nicola II Romanov held a dinner celebration at the estate in 1866. Sales of the wine were so successful that the French Institut des Appellations d’Origine tried to have the court ban the use of the name Borgogno (Borgogna is Italian for Burgundy) in 1955.
2. 100% estate owned vineyards
Borgogno owns 20 hectares in total. 16 hectares are vineyards and the remaining 4 hectares are covered with forest. 60% of the vineyards are planted with Nebbiolo. The area of the vineyard planting is approximately 10 hectares of Nebbiolo, 3.2 hectares of Barbera, 2.2 hectares of Dolcetto, 0.6 hectares of Fresia.
3. Au Natural
Borgogno is environmentally friendly. They do not use chemical fertilizers or herbicides. They only use sustainable treatments.
4. Only Grand Crus
The grapes used in Borgogno wines come from the Grand Cru vineyards of Barolo. Their vineyards are in Cannubi, Liste, Fossati, Cannubi San Lorenzo and San Pietro Delle Viole.
5. Traditional Style Barolo
Borgogno used to only produce cuvee bottlings as they felt a blended wine showed more complexity and integration. They produced the first Cru bottled wine in 2007. Today they have 3 Cru wines: Liste, Cannubi, and Fossati. Long maceration times are preferred and they usually last 25-30 days. Fermentation occurs in concrete tanks and lasts 15 days. Malolactic fermentation is completed in February. Aging of the wines is in large oak casks.
6. Only Slavonian Oak
Borgogno ages all their Barolo in Slavonian Oak casks called Botte. Each botte is 15-20 years old and holds 4,500 liters. The Barolo is aged at least 4 years in oak while the Barolo Riserva ages for 6 years. Once in the bottle the traditional style Barolo can age for at least another 30 years.
They have a 100 year old cask that is still in use today.
7. Annual Production
An average of 140,000 bottles of wine are produced each year. 65,000 bottles are Barolo. Other than Barolo Borgogno produces 15,000 bottles Nebbiolo, 35,000 bottles of Barbera, 20,000 bottles of Dolcetto and 5,000 bottles of Fresia.
8. Large stocks of Vintage Barolo are cellared
In 1920 Cesare Borgogno began the practice of setting aside 20,000 bottles of a great Barolo vintage for extended aging in their cellar. The stock goes back over 50 years. Today the cellar contains over 800,000 bottles with the oldest vintage being 1961.
9. They make more than red wines
Borgogno produces a white wine. Era Ora is a Riesling whose grapes were sourced from the highest point in the Langa. Approximately 5000 bottles were made. The wine spent a year in steel vats to capture the aromas. Borgogno also produces several Grappas.
10. It’s a fun place to hang out
Relax and enjoy a glass of wine in the courtyard. Take the elevator up to the roof and enjoy the best views in Barolo. The gift shop offers fantastic selection of all their wines. It’s a great place to stock up on old vintage Barolos to complement your cellar. They also have fun t-shirts and other wine accessories to purchase.
