Giacomo Brezza e Figli · Barolo DOCG · Cannubi Cru · 2018
Barolo Cannubi
2018
The Vineyard
The Most Documented Vineyard in Italy
Cannubi is not merely a vineyard. The oldest known bottle labeled "Cannubio" dates to 1752, more than a century before the modern concept of Barolo as a wine style existed. The Dukes of Savoy and the papal court prized Cannubi above all other Barolo sites. When the Savoys needed to impress foreign dignitaries, they poured Cannubi. When the papal court requested Piedmontese wine, it was Cannubi that traveled to Rome.
The vineyard sits at the geological intersection of two distinct formations: the Sant'Agata Fossil Marls (compacted marine sediment, heavier clay content, contributing structure and grip) and the Diano Sandstones (lighter, sandier, promoting earlier ripening and aromatic expressiveness). The specific soil analysis at Brezza's 1.4 hectares: 39.5% silt, 36.9% sand, 23.6% clay. This precise composition creates wines of uncommon duality. The structure to age 20 years alongside the perfume to be recognizably elegant from the moment they open.
Enzo Brezza, alongside his cousin Maria Teresa Mascarello (daughter of Bartolo), personally led the successful legal battle to prevent the Cannubi name from being diluted by boundary expansion. Their advocacy protected the traditional delimitation to the genuine sandy eastern hillside. The site that has been famous since 1752. He won. That matters.
| Location | Cannubi hillside, Barolo village |
| Area | 1.4 hectares |
| Altitude | 250 meters |
| Exposure | South-southeast |
| Soil | Silt 39.5% / Sand 36.9% / Clay 23.6% |
| Formation | Sant'Agata Fossil Marls & Diano Sandstones |
| Grape | Nebbiolo Lampia and Michet |
| Planting Density | 3,700 plants/hectare |
| Planted | 1994–2003 |
The 1752 Precedent
The bottle of "Cannubio" dated 1752 in the Turin archive predates the very word "Barolo" by 100 years. This vineyard invented the concept of a premier cru in Piedmont before Burgundy's classification existed in its modern form.
Critical Reception
95 Points in 2018. 98 Points in 2021.
2018
2021
2021
2018
Wine Enthusiast, 95 Points (2018)
"From the classic heart of Barolo's most famed vineyard. Camphor, pressed rose, new leather and woodland berry. Firm, elegantly structured and delicious. Juicy red cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice and baking spice set against taut, refined tannins."
Wine Enthusiast, 98 Points (2021)
The 2021 vintage scored 98 points from Wine Enthusiast, one of the highest scores the publication has awarded any Brezza wine. The trajectory from 95 to 98 across three vintages establishes Cannubi as the peak of the estate's range and places it alongside the most critically celebrated Barolo crus in production.
Kerin O'Keefe, 97 Points (2021)
"Woodland berry, crushed wild rose, hay, anise". O'Keefe's characteristic precision applied to a wine that rewards exactly that kind of attention.
In the Cellar
Extended Maceration. Indigenous Yeasts. No Barrique.
| Harvest | Manual, October; careful bunch selection |
| Fermentation | Spontaneous, indigenous yeasts; ~7–8 days at max 26°C |
| Maceration | 10–15 days with pump-overs (longer than village wine) |
| Aging | 2 years in Slavonian oak, 15–30hL |
| Bottle Aging | ~1 year at 15°C before release |
| Fining | None |
| Filtration | None |
| Production | ~2,400–2,640 bottles/year (~200–220 cases) |
| Alcohol | ~14% |
The Cannubi's extended maceration (10–15 days, versus 7–10 for the village wine) extracts greater color stability and polyphenol depth from the Cannubi fruit, necessary to build the structural foundation for the wine's 10-to-20-year aging arc. The slightly smaller barrel format (15–30hL versus 1,500–3,000L for the village) provides marginally more wood contact, but the vessels are entirely neutral in flavor contribution.
The absence of fining and filtration is not a statement; it is a consequence of the philosophy. When you trust the vineyard to do the work, and when the vineyard is Cannubi, you do not then filter the result through anything that would remove what the soil put there. Glass stopper closure, adopted around 2015, eliminates the variability of cork without the oxygen contribution of screwcap.
At the Table
Luxury Piedmontese Pairings
The Cannubi's additional perfume and elegance, contributed by the Diano Sandstones component, extends its pairing range beyond the classic Barolo-and-braised-meat format. Its refinement is a natural match for luxury preparations where the wine is meant to be part of the experience, not merely an accompaniment.
- Fresh egg pasta with white truffle. The quintessential Piedmontese luxury pairing
- Braised short rib or beef cheeks in red wine reduction
- Risotto al Barolo with bone marrow
- Aged local cheeses: Castelmagno DOP, Bra Duro, aged Fontina d'Aosta
- Venison loin with juniper berry sauce
- Osso buco with saffron risotto alla milanese
Program Notes
200 Cases Per Year
At approximately 200–220 cases per vintage, the Cannubi is a genuinely limited wine. It is not manufactured scarcity. It is the natural consequence of 1.4 hectares at a yield of roughly 6,000–7,000 kg/hectare. Restaurants that place the Cannubi on their list will have it; restaurants that don't move quickly will not.
This is premium Barolo from the most hallowed address in the entire DOCG. A prestige Nebbiolo from the most documented vineyard in all of Italy.
Why This Wine Matters
The bottle of "Cannubio" dated 1752 that sits in Turin's archive predates the very word "Barolo" by 100 years. This vineyard has been famous for longer than most wine appellations have existed. Brezza's Cannubi comes from ground that essentially invented the concept of a premier cru in Piedmont.
What makes this bottling particularly significant is that Enzo Brezza personally fought a legal battle to protect these specific 250 meters of sandy hillside from boundary dilution. He won. When a producer goes to court to protect a vineyard's integrity, the conviction is genuine.
At 95 points from Wine Enthusiast, with the 2021 scoring 98 points. This is premium Barolo from the most hallowed address in the entire DOCG. The 2021's trajectory from 95 to 98 points establishes Cannubi as the peak of one of Italy's most historically rooted estates.
Trade Materials
English PDF Italiano PDF Espanol PDFSecure Cannubi Allocation
~200 cases per vintage. Exclusive US importer. WE 95 on 2018, WE 98 on 2021. Contact us for allocation information.
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