2013 Damilano Cannubi 1752 Barolo Riserva Piedmont 750 ml

Wine pros speak about Barolo’s Cannubi vineyard in the same reverential tones as Napa’s To Kalon or Burgundy’s Le Chambertin. Antonio Galloni once called it “among the most precious vineyards anywhere in the world.”

The Damilano family farms more than half of this magical cru, which means they know exactly where the sweetest spots are—and they drew their absolutely phenomenal 2013 Cannubi 1752 Barolo Riserva off a special center-cut of this legendary site. 

This is a world-class Barolo only Damilano can make. It hails from a small plot of about two hectares of Nebbiolo vines between 30 and 50 years of age. The old vines and southeast exposure make for such a dramatic wine that Damilano labeled this special riserva “1752,” after the earliest-known vineyard-designated wine from Cannubi.

We’re pleased to have a tiny, precious allocation from the legendary 2013 vintage, one marked by a long, cool, and late harvest. Galloni called the 2013s “thrilling, utterly captivating wines that speak to the pedigree and class that are the signatures of the best Barolo vintages,” while Jancis Robinson wrote, “I would invest in this vintage… [it’s] similar in quality to the already legendary 2010s.” 

This desert-island-level wine deserves a special occasion, great friends, and a traditional Langhe meal. For inspiration we would turn to MICHELIN-starred chef Massimo Camia, who operates a restaurant at Damilano. This wine would pair brilliantly with his Raviolo stuffed with duck liver and topped with Parmentier cream, or perhaps his veal filet served with cardoons and a fondue of Roccaverano cheese. Food and wine experiences like this are the kind of thing that true gourmands live for.