2019 Elio Grasso, Barolo, Gavarini Chiniera 1x150cl

Elio Grasso: Some Of Our Favourite Barolos

Situated in the rugged, amphitheatre-like hills of Monforte d’Alba, Elio Grasso is a family-owned estate that provides a near-perfect combination of quality and value. While the Grasso family has owned these historic lands since the early 20th century, the contemporary era began in 1978 when Elio Grasso left a successful banking career to return to his roots, determined to vinify and bottle his fruit independently rather than selling it to large cooperatives.

Today, Elio’s son, Gianluca Grasso, capably directs the winemaking and viticulture, managing roughly 18 hectares of pristine vineyards. The family maintains a strict, hands-on agricultural regimen to preserve the natural biodiversity of their unique microclimate.

A Style of Textural Density and Structural Harmony

The winemaking philosophy at Elio Grasso seamlessly balances the structural depth of traditional Monforte terroir with modern cellar cleanliness and fruit purity. Sourced from south- and southwest-facing slopes rich in calcareous clay and sand, the fruit naturally achieves exceptional phenolic maturity and concentration. In the cellar, Gianluca Grasso employs temperature-controlled stainless steel vats for fermentation and maceration to preserve bright, primary varietal aromatics. The estate’s single-vineyard Barolos are subsequently aged for up to 30 months in traditional, neutral Slavonian oak casks (botti). This disciplined approach yields wines of remarkable geometric symmetry, matching a dense, velvety mid-palate texture with mineral drive and firm, fine-grained tannins.

Grasso’s Exceptional Quality and Celebrated Single-Vineyard Crus

The global reputation and blue-chip quality associated with Elio Grasso are anchored by an elite portfolio of old-vine parcels situated in some of Monforte’s most revered limestone soils. The estate is globally celebrated for its two flagship single-vineyard Barolos: Barolo Gavarini Chiniera, which highlights a high altitude limestone profile to deliver a high-toned floral and red-fruited elegance, and Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté, which displays the darker, brawnier, and more muscular qualities typical of the historic Ginestra cru. These are complemented in exceptional years by the rare, long-aged Barolo Riserva Rüncot, which is matured in French oak barriques. Built with immense structural integrity, these highly allocated, investment-grade wines require patient cellaring to unlock profound layers of tar, leather, wild truffle, and dark spice. Learn more about Elio Grasso here