Fratelli Brovia

Brovia are a traditional Barolo producer, in the winemaking sense not in the vineyard sense. That is to say yields are low but the fermentations are natural and happen in cement tanks before ageing in large old oak casks for 3 years. The estate is situated in Castiglione Falleto between Azelia and Scavino, their vineyards are spread over the Castiglione and Serralunga communes. The wines are pure, characterful and gripping but in a very gentle and moreish style, they have great intensity and charm whilst also expressing individuality and reflect the distinct differences between their great terroirs.

2015 Vintage

Alex Sanchez at Brovia gifted us the title for this Piedmont offer with his perfectly chosen words “Non si siedono,” or “they don’t sit down,” referring to the 2015s. For as much as this is a warmer style vintage, the best wines offer a sweet but animated fruit character – a certain crunch and freshness of flavour that plays foil to the seductive ripeness. There is no better example of this than here at Brovia. Alex explained there were certain keys to getting the vintage right: Allowing slightly higher yields than could have been the case in order to retain freshness in the wines; less de-leafing than usual; picking at the right time and working the wines even more gently than normal. The result as far as Alex is concerned is “a very elegant vintage, something between 2011 and 2012 in style.” For us these are beautifully measured, generous and sunny but do not lack finesse or energy. These are some of the wines of the vintage.

2016 Vintage

Brovia’s Alex Sanchez considers 2016 to be “a very good vintage. A nice, complete vintage. Rich deep wines with a great structure. 2015s were very elegant but 2016s have more depth. Both are excellent here at Brovia but with different characteristics- 2015 are all about aromatics and 2016 about structure and depth. An interesting vintage, as it was more on the warm side but not excessively so with a cool spring and October, allowing for a later harvest. This means the wines combine a richness of fruit but keeping the elements of a cooler, fresher vintage - partially down to good yields, which contributed to a slow maturation of the grapes. Similar to 2013 but in 2016 I see a bit more fruit that can make the wines very appealing. If you are a purist 2013 is more classical perhaps but we are talking about two exceptional vintages.” Another stunning range of traditionally-crafted, pure, terroir-orientated Barolos. An estate at the top of its game.

2017 Vintage

The quality of Brovia’s 2017s is very good, no doubting it, but Alex Sanchez noted that achieving this required some bold decisions and a delicate hand. One key was to pick early and quickly, the team harvesting all of the fruit by the end of September. Another decision Alex felt was vital was to vinify and extract the wines more gently, opting for a 14-17 day maceration as opposed to the usual three weeks; and finally élevage in large oak casks was shortened by 6 months to just under two years. These are open, rich and generous wines that are reflective of their terroir. Unfortunately, no Garblet Sue has been produced this year due to a severe Spring frost.

2018 Vintage

Alex Sanchez explained that there are “certain vintages that winemakers feel especially close to and, from beginning to the end, feel really excited to share. 2018 is definitely one of those for me.” We can appreciate his enthusiasm, for these 2018s were some of the most refined and moreish of all our tastings in Piedmont. The key to that, he says, was working hard and strategically to keep the health of the vineyard during the wetter months of May and June, a particular challenge for those like Brovia who are practicing organic. Despite 21 days of rain incidences, July and August were broadly warm and normal, and cool nights in the run-up to harvest in October produced Nebbiolo grapes with amazing perfumes. In bottle, the Brovia 2018s are garlanded with high toned fruits, soft but refreshing acidities, and beautifully integrated tannins that will delight all who taste them. Favouring a traditional submerged cap approach, fermentations take place in concrete before aging in large cask for two to three years. Of particular note is the Brovia Barolo Classico, surely one of the finest blended Barolos around. Sanchez describes the 2018s as “transparent, pure and elegant wines with real terroir definition. It’s not for those who seek power but for those who prefer harmony and purity.”

2019 Vintage

Alex Sanchez is one of those winemaking figures that has a quiet, unassuming air that sits in tandem with a deep rooted feeling of responsibility and belief in his work. It makes him a person worth listening to, as his passion for Barolo and respect for the ups and downs of Piemonte vintages always shines through. For him, a great wine is all about balance in the context of the growing season – every year comes with its own challenges, to a new and exciting end. Long recognised as one of Barolo’s best small producers, Fratelli Brovia is blessed with prestigious holdings in Rocche di Castiglione, Villero and Garblet Sue in Castiglione Falletto and a 5ha monopole in the form of Brea in Serralunga d’Alba. Winemaking is traditional and unforced, the crus spending two years and the Classico three in large casks after spontaneous fermentations in 40–50 year old concrete tanks. Regular pump overs are carried out with recourse to pigeage or submerged cap for three to four weeks on average. All press wine is sold off in bulk, ensuring only the perfect free run juice makes its way into the final wines. These are famously long-lived, transparent vehicles of site. Regarding the 2019s in particular, Alex says that they are “wines that we believe have all the elements of a classic, important Barolo vintage: rich, pure and deep, with a wonderful length and a solid structure based both on a very good freshness and powerful, round, noble tannins. These are Barolos of great substance and energy that we trust both will have a very long ageing potential and will give lots of satisfaction to Brovia lovers after some years of cellaring.” Harvest for the Barolos began on 7th October in Brea, with Rocche and Villero following on the 8th and 9th, lasting around ten days. Since 2005 only 2010 and 2013 started later – a promising stat for lovers of classically tuned Nebbiolo. In their view, the 2019s sit stylistically in between the two. Sadly, owing to a shock hail incident on 5th September, Garblet Sue was not produced.

2020 Vintage

Alex Sanchez and Elena Brovia were away so regrettably we have not tasted the wines at the time of going to print. “This year we will release our 2020 Barolos, unique wines that combine in a fantastic way both elegance and power. Wonderful, complex and fresh aromatics that clearly identify every single cru together with a deep and rich structure accompanied with round and beautiful tannins. A sort of ideal middle point between the great finesse and grace of the 2018 vintage and the richer, deeper and more energic character of the 2019 vintage.” The Barolo harvest here took place from 1st to 13th October, with a break from 2nd to 6th to allow the soils to dry from the rains, the last grapes arriving in the cellar just before a major downpour on 14th October. Followers of Brovia will know that these wines are some of the most elegant and sophisticated in all of Piedmont, the estate rarely ever putting a foot wrong.