In 2000 the three current owners, all siblings, decided to revive the estate and re-establish Tenuta Olim Bauda as one of Piedmont’s top producers. The estate is well known for making Barbera in varying styles including the most recent DOCG called Nizza. The vineyards are located in five different Municipalities, each of which has a different type of soil. The soils in the area usually consist of clayey-sandy marl of marine origin, with a fair amount of lime. The percentages of the main components change in every vineyard and there can be more or less sandy veins or chalk veins even on the same hill.
The nebbiolo d’alba has become somewhat of a rarity these days, since many growers in the roero region use either roero docg or langhe nebbiolo doc. The ageing requirement of a nebbiolo d’alba is a minimum 12 month. Its important to know that a declassified barolo or barbaresco is never a nebbiolo d’alba. These are likely labelled as langhe nebbiolo doc with no ageing requirement.
This love-hate relationship for this grape is humorously described by Madeline Puckette of Wine Folly “Imagine getting kicked in the face by a ballerina. Nebbiolo has this exact same kind of elegant brutality. One the one hand, it’s elegant. Nebbiolo is best drank from a Pinot-shaped glass so that its delicate aromas of roses, raspberry coulis (“koo-lee”), and anise waft into your nose. On the other hand, it’s brutal. When tasted, Nebbiolo has so much astringency and mouth-drying tannins that your eyes start watering.It’s a visceral experience. You’ll either love it or hate it. Naturally, we love it.”
The siblings follow sustainable farming, prohibiting the use of herbicides. In the cellar, this wine is fermented in stainless steel and then aged in matured in large french oak barrels. The resulting wine is ruby red, ample and complex. Pop one open with sausages, duck, or pork. It’s higher acidity work well with tomato-based sauces. A slice of pizza from one of the more famous pizza joints in town will also work! Check out Pizza Mazzie or Masillia.