Rocche dei Manzoni, Barolo Vigna Capella di Stefano 1997

Rocche dei Manzoni Barolo Vigna Capella di Stefano 1997 is a single-vineyard Barolo from the hills of Monforte d’Alba, one of the appellation’s most powerful and long-lived communes. From a warm, generous vintage and a south-west facing slope of calcareous marl and clay, this is a wine where ripe Nebbiolo fruit meets firm structure and distinctive minerality. The 1997 vintage is now beautifully mature, offering a rare chance to experience aged Barolo from a renowned site and an estate known for its meticulous, traditional craftsmanship.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, this 1997 Barolo shows a deep garnet core with brick-orange reflections at the rim, a classic sign of evolved Nebbiolo. The nose is complex and layered, opening with dried roses, violets and tar, followed by ripe morello cherries, plum compote, truffle, leather, tobacco and a touch of licorice. Subtle notes of forest floor, dried herbs and earthy minerality reveal themselves with air, underlining the wine’s age and terroir. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied yet silky, with tannins that have softened into a fine, velvety grip after decades of bottle age. Flavors of mature red berries, cherry, dried plum and blood orange intermingle with savory notes of spice, balsamic hints, leather and sweet tobacco. The acidity is still vibrant, giving lift and precision, while the finish is long, persistent and intricately layered with both fruit and stony, tarry minerality. At this stage it is fully enjoyable, though well-stored bottles can continue to evolve gracefully over the next several years, developing further tertiary nuances.

Production
Vigna Capella di Stefano is a south-west facing single vineyard in Monforte d’Alba, rooted in calcareous marl and clay, a classic Barolo terroir that imparts both structure and refined aromatics to Nebbiolo. The grapes are traditionally farmed and hand-harvested at optimal ripeness, benefiting from the warm 1997 growing season and stable autumn weather that allowed for excellent phenolic maturity. In the cellar, Rocche dei Manzoni employs a long maceration on the skins to extract color, aroma and tannin, followed by approximately 36 months of aging in a combination of large Slavonian oak casks and French barriques. After cask maturation, the wine undergoes extended bottle aging before release, allowing its powerful components to knit together into a harmonious, complex whole.

Food & Serving
This mature Barolo is an excellent match for rich, savory dishes such as game (venison, hare, wild boar), braised beef, osso buco and roasted lamb. It also pairs beautifully with dishes featuring porcini or truffles, slow-cooked ragù, and aged hard cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano or mature pecorino. Serve at 16–18 °C and, given the wine’s age and complexity, decant gently 2–3 hours before serving to allow it to open and to separate any natural sediment. Use large Burgundy or Barolo glasses to highlight its aromatic detail and finesse.

Producer
Rocche dei Manzoni, founded in the early 1970s by Valentino Migliorini, is one of the key modern quality pioneers in Monforte d’Alba and the Barolo region. The estate quickly gained a reputation for uniting traditional Nebbiolo character with careful, precision-driven vineyard work and thoughtful use of oak, contributing to Barolo’s rise on the international fine wine stage. With a particular focus on single-vineyard expressions such as Vigna Capella di Stefano, Rocche dei Manzoni has helped to showcase the diversity of Barolo’s terroirs. The winery’s commitment to long aging, both in cask and bottle, has earned it a loyal following among collectors seeking powerful yet finely crafted Barolo with proven longevity.

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