Barolo Nirvasco, Bersano

Barolo is a red Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG) wine produced in the northern Italian region of Piedmont. It is made from the Nebbiolo grape and is often described as one of Italy's greatest wines. The zone of production extends into the communes of Barolo, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d'Alba and parts of the communes of Cherasco, Diano d'Alba, Grinzane Cavour, La Morra, Monforte d'Alba, Novello, Roddi, Verduno, all in the province of Cuneo, south-west of Alba. Only vineyards planted in primarily calcareous-clay soils in the hills with suitable slopes and orientations are considered suitable for Barolo production. Barolo
is often described as having the aromas of tar and roses, and the wines are noted for their ability to age and usually take on a rust red tinge as they mature. When subjected to aging of at least five years before release, the wine can be labeled a Riserva.

Prior to the mid 19th century, Barolo was a sweet wine. The fact that the Nebbiolo grape ripens late in October meant that temperatures would be steadily dropping by harvest. By November and December, temperatures in the Piedmont region would be cold enough to halt fermentation, leaving a significant amount of residual sugar left in the wine. In the mid 19th century, Camillo Benso, conte di Cavour, the mayor of Grinzane Cavour together with Contessa Giulia Colbert Falletti (who was the first to produce it) invited the French enologist Louis Oudart to the Barolo region to improve the winemaking techniques of the local producers. Using techniques focusing on
improving the hygiene of the cellar, Oudart was able to ferment the Nebbiolo must completely dry, making the first modern Barolo. This new, "dry" red wine soon became a favorite among the nobility of Turin and the ruling House of Savoy, giving rise to the popular description of Barolo as '"the wine of kings, the king of wines".

Bersano purchased Cascina Badarina estate in 1968, at the time of intense growth that was to bring Barolo to its great success of the eighties and nineties. At that time Bersano was one of the first winemakers to believe in the potential of this noble wine, and purchased the estate in Serralunga d’Alba to ensure that it had a significant presence in one of the three areas with a vocation for producing it. The Badarina estate has calcareous soil with a strong clayey-limey component giving rise to wines of great structure ideally suited to prolonged ageing.
Bersano boasts more than half a century of experience working with Barolo. The Ministry recognizes its dedication and constancy by making an exception to the regulations governing production of Barolo and permitting vinification and bottling to take place in Nizza Monferrato.