Barolo, San Rocco,

Owner Luigi Scavino, cousin and neighbour of Piemonte legend Enrico Scavino, started off life as one of the typical modern Piedmont producers: no expense was spared as new oak was used for the top wines, yields were low and the sparkling new fermenting vats were of stainless steel. Many of these aspects still apply however Azelia have refined their techniques enormously over the years, rarely using more than 20% new oak and employing large botti casks as well as barriques for the ageing process. They are now very among Barolo's leading lights. They produce a superb Dolcetto planted at 500 metres above sea level on a south facing slope in th prime Montelupo district and their oak-aged Barbera is extremely fine too. All of their Nebbiolo holdings are spread out over the Castiglione Falletto and Serralunga regions where the vine produces full bodied, intense and complex wines. The top two wines are the ethereal but powerful Bricco Fiasco frmo Castiglione (the same vineyard as Scavino's Bric del Fiasc) and the explosive, spicy San Rocco from Serralunga. In only the best of vintages a Barolo Riserva is made from the ideally situated vineyard in Serralunga, Voghera.