What is Barolo?Piedmont's 'king of wines', made from Nebbiolo, at Fiena, King's Cross

Barolo is a red wine from Piedmont, in north-west Italy, made from a single grape, Nebbiolo. It comes from a small zone a little over 11 kilometres south-west of the town of Alba, in the province of Cuneo, covering the village of Barolo itself and neighbouring communes such as La Morra, Castiglione Falletto, Serralunga d'Alba and Monforte d'Alba. Even today, more than 87% of Barolo comes from those five original communes, and the rules insist the vineyards sit on hillsides, never on damp valley floors.

The grape's name is thought to come from nebbia, Italian for fog. Nebbiolo is one of the first grapes to bud and the last to ripen, and it's usually picked in mid to late October, when thick autumn fog settles over the Langhe hills. Background from Wikipedia's Nebbiolo page.

Barolo as we know it, a dry and long-lived red, took shape in the 19th century. Count Camillo Benso di Cavour, the mayor of Grinzane Cavour, wanted wines from his Grinzane estate that could age and travel. Recent research credits the winemaker Paolo Francesco Staglieno, who worked for Cavour between 1836 and 1841, with fermenting the wine fully dry. It became a favourite of the nobility in Turin and the royal House of Savoy, which is where the nickname "the wine of kings, the king of wines" comes from.

• DOC, then DOCG: Barolo became a DOC in 1966 and was promoted to DOCG in 1980, one of the first Italian wines to reach that top tier, along with Barbaresco and Brunello di Montalcino.
• Patience required: a Barolo must be aged for at least three years before release, including at least 18 months in wood. A Barolo Riserva needs five years.
• The "Barolo wars": from the 1970s and 1980s, some producers began using shorter fermentations and small new oak barrels for a fruitier, earlier-drinking style. Traditionalists stuck with long maceration and big old casks, and the argument between the two camps became known as the Barolo wars.

Background from Wikipedia's Barolo page.

Barolo is often described as smelling of "tar and roses". Nebbiolo makes surprisingly pale wines for such a powerful grape, and they can be firmly tannic when young. As they age, they turn a brick-orange colour at the rim of the glass and open up to notes of violets, cherries, herbs, tobacco and even truffle.

On our drinks menu, the Barolo is described as deep garnet with complex aromas of rose, ripe cherry, tar and warm spice. It sits at the top of our red list with the Fidora Amarone, above everyday reds such as the Montepulciano d'Abruzzo and the Nero d'Avola. For the full list, see our guide to our Italian wine list, and ask our team about bottles when you book.

Guests often mention the drinks as well as the food. R C wrote: The drinks were also really good. (Google review) And David found that you can feel that the meat is fresh and of high standard (David, Google review), which matters with a wine this serious.

A big, tannic red wants food with some richness. From our main menu:

• Lamb cutlets, grilled and served with beef jus and roasted potatoes.
• Saltimbocca alla Romana, pan-fried veal with Parma ham and sage in a butter and sage sauce.
• Risotto mushrooms, creamy Arborio risotto with mushroom, parmesan and butter.
• Lasagna, with fresh pasta, slow-cooked beef ragù, béchamel, mozzarella and parmesan.

See our posts on saltimbocca, risotto and lasagna. Celebrating? Have a look at date night at Fiena and private hire and celebrations.

“the setting was really cosey and enjoyable”

John, Google review, 2026