Notes From the Road: The Best of Not Barolo
The very last stop on my recent trip was a visit with Alberto Alessandria. I had refueled with a quick bite up the road in the town of Barolo, and after a long week of tasting, took a deep breath and readied myself for one last marathon session — knowing I'd be working through a long lineup of youthful Nebbiolos straight from the barrel before the day was up.
Alberto's winery sits mid-slope below the village of La Morra, about as prime a Barolo address as you can find. Surrounding the winery are the family's 6 hectares of vines, with parcels in the crus of Roggeri, Galina and Capalot — spanning a range of altitudes and soils, and offering Alberto a full palette to work with. My afternoon of tasting with him demonstrated fully that he is not a man who wastes it.
Alberto took me through each vineyard from both the 2023 and 2024 vintages — two very different years, yet both handled with quiet mastery. It was a reminder of just how variable and demanding a place Barolo is; subject to hail, to the disease pressure that comes with frequent fog, and increasingly, to the effects of a changing climate. Nebbiolo, more than almost any other grape, makes all of that transparent in the glass.
Here's what I come away with every time I'm in the cellars at Crissante Alessandria: Barolo takes patience. Years in the cellar. Sometimes years more in the bottle. It is one of the world's great wines, but it is never in a hurry.
As I headed out to return home, driving through the hillside quilt of vines, it struck me that Nebbiolo remains deeply and stubbornly Piedmontese. While Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay will probably be planted on the moon as part of the Artemis mission, Nebbiolo has never really left home, and Barolo is its heartland. But Barolo as a wine is only one dimension of what this grape is. Vinified as a rosé, it becomes something floral, snappy and unexpected. Made for earlier drinking, it offers all of Nebbiolo's perfume and elegance without the decade-long wait. Alberto, being Alberto, makes compelling versions of all three.
Fortunately for us, you don't have to wait to enjoy Alberto’s work. Here are three ways to get your fix from Crissante Alessandria — and none of them are Barolo.
Crissante Alessandria
Dolcetto D’Alba 2024
We'll start with an outlier. Dolcetto isn't Nebbiolo, but it is the grape the locals reach for while their Barolo quietly ages in the cellar — juicy, crunchy, full of fruit, and ready to drink from the moment you open it. Alberto's version is in keeping with everything he does: precise, elegant, and richly textured. Open this on a Friday night with pasta or pizza. You'll get an immediate hit of bright cherry, a hint of smoke, and a crack of pepper — fresh and lively, with a weightless finish that makes the glass disappear faster than expected.
Crissante Alessandria
Vino Rosato 2024
This is a Nebbiolo in a style most people have never encountered — pale, floral, and a little wild. A beautiful blush in the glass, with a nose full of potpourri, raspberries and citrus pith. On the palate it's savory and snappy, with a driving acidity and a touch of salt that makes it a natural companion to seafood. It's the kind of wine that surprises you, and then makes complete sense.
Crissante Alessandria
Langhe Nebbiolo 2023
This is what Dan and I call ‘Baby Barolo’ — 100% Nebbiolo from La Morra, as elegant and precise as anything Alberto makes, but built for tonight rather than a decade from now. From the estate's younger vines, planted in 2009, Alberto ferments in stainless steel before moving the wine to large botti for a minimum of six months. His light touch — more infusion than extraction — yields an approachable wine without the aggressive tannins that often demand patience of Nebbiolo drinkers.
The aromas practically reach out of the glass to greet you; a layered perfume of strawberries, cherries, violets and savory herbs. On the palate it's tight-knit with silky-smooth tannin, finishing with a finesse that punches well above its price. You don't normally see this kind of elegance in a "simple" Langhe Nebbiolo — but Alberto knows exactly what he's doing. While this could age beautifully over the next six to eight years, open one tonight and you won't be disappointed.