In April of 1989, Claudio Fenocchio assumed all farming and winemaking duties his father Giacomo had previously held. These were challenging times for Barolo. When many producers were exploring new avenues to produce Barolo, and finding great commercial success, Claudio never strayed from the path of tradition. Just like the 4 generations that preceded him, he perpetuated the time-honoured techniques passed on to him. 

Today, Claudio remains committed to crafting classic wines with an authentic expression and an unwavering focus on purity of fruit. Claudio’s wines display a level of terroir clarity that only producers of higher echelon manage to create. The Giacomo Fenocchio estate is comprised of prized vineyards (14 hectares in total) spread across Cannubi in Barolo, Villero in Castiglione Falletto, and Bussia in Monforte d’Alba, where the family cantina rests. 

Modernity has found its way in the cantina. Stainless steel tanks and wooden fermenters coexist. They’re used to produce the whites along with the lush, bright reds that made the estate’s renown. Then, there are the venerated staples, made in large Slavonian oak casks dominating the pristine cellar. Claudio is partial to ambient yeasts, and though current macerations are long, he has been experimenting with ones that last as long as 90 days – an exploration of past methods that is yielding very promising results. 

His vineyard management philosophy revolves around the enhancement of the various characteristics of the soil in each parcel, favouring optimum picking time to obtain fruit able to reach optimal ripeness and with a unique aromatic and flavour profile.  

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Vaite Teriierooiterai – Master of Wine Business, AWAC and WSET Diploma candidate