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Barolo, 1961 Red Wine

Enrico Serafino Riserva

Bottle size: 75cl

ABV: 13%

Price:

£189.00

1 In Stock

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    • Description

    1961 Enrico Serafino Barolo Riserva

    Vintage & Background
    The 1961 vintage in Piedmont is well-regarded among Barolo lovers. Warm sun, good ripeness, and favourable autumn weather gave many of the wines from that year excellent ageing potential. Enrico Serafino, a traditional producer in Barolo, has used Nebbiolo in its Riserva to show off the best characteristics of the grape in a vintage that has developed well over time.

    Appearance & Nose
    In mature form, this wine often displays a tawny garnet colour at the edges, with a still-deep ruby centre (depending on how well it’s been stored). On the nose you can expect delicate tertiary aromas: leather, dried rose petals, a touch of vanilla, cherry, cranberry, and strawberry. There will also be pepper and spicy nebbiolo signature herb notes, softened by age, along with hints of forest floor and faint autumn leaf.

    Palate & Texture
    On the palate, 1961 Barolo Riserva from Serafino tends to be elegant more than muscular at this point. The tannins are very much mellowed, mellowed, fine, more felt as texture than grip. Acidity remains, giving lift and preventing the wine from being completely flat. The flavour profile echoes the nose: red fruit (cherry, dried cranberry), dried flower spice, leather, and a mellow earthiness. Finishes with a decent length, though more about subtle persistence than bold power.

    Maturity & Drinking Window
    This wine is well into full maturity. If the bottle has been properly cellared, now is likely the best or one of the best windows for drinking it. Further improvements will be modest — more nuance, maybe more tertiary layers — but it won’t regain youthful brightness. If you enjoy complex, developed Barolo, this is a wine to open now rather than wait.

    Food Pairing & Serving Suggestions
    Serve slightly cooler than modern reds, around 15-17 °C, and allow some time to breathe after decanting, since older Nebbiolos often benefit from a gentle aeration. Pair with food that has flavour but isn’t overpowering: slow-roasted meats, rich mushroom dishes, game birds, aged cheeses. The savoury, earthy notes of the wine will harmonise well with herbs, truffles, or a sauce with depth rather than sharpness.

    Overall Impression & Verdict
    The 1961 Enrico Serafino Barolo Riserva is a wine that showcases what ageing can do for Nebbiolo: transforming raw power into grace, layering fruit with leather, flowers, spice, and earth, while softening tannin structure. It’s not about youthful exuberance any more, but about character, depth, and subtlety. For collectors and lovers of old Barolo, it offers a memorable, contemplative drinking experience when in good shape.

    Condition

    Good conditions

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