Cappellano Barolo Chinato NV

Profile & Story

Cappellano is one of Barolo's most storied producers, and the creator of Barolo Chinato. In 1870, Giuseppe Cappellano — a pharmacist of Serralunga d'Alba with a shop in Turin — perfected the recipe for the wine, originally marketed as a "medicinal and anti-malaric liniment." The family calls it a recipe rather than a formula, since it was born of artisanal knowledge handed down through generations rather than a fixed pharmaceutical process. It is made by adding an extract of china calissaia bark blended with other aromatic herbs, sugar, and alcohol to already-aged Barolo; the particular mix of herbs and spices used remains a closely guarded family secret. In the late nineteenth century, pharmacists had deep knowledge of the therapeutic and organoleptic properties of botanicals, and Barolo Chinato was originally sold through pharmaceutical suppliers' catalogues; the combined maceration of spices in alcohol was understood to stimulate saliva and gastric juices and aid digestion.

Pairing Recommendation

Cappellano notes the wine is capable of sustaining the near-impossible pairing with dark chocolate.