The name 'Isole e Olena' came about in the 1950s when two adjoining estates, 'Isole' and 'Olena', were purchased by the De Marchi family and combined to form one. The history of both estates dates back many hundreds of years, and the earliest documentation of the village of Olena goes as far back as the 12th century. During the 1950s, the De Marchi family planted specialised vineyards and expanded the cellars. Today, the estate is run by Paolo De Marchi and his wife Marta. Paolo comes from a family with three generations of winemaking experience in the northern part of Piemonte and his older son, Luca, now runs the family estate there, Proprietà Sperino.
Country: Italy Region: Piemonte
Varietal: Nebbiolo Vintage: 2015
Category: Red Wine Style: Dry
Producer: Luigi Baudana
Description:"This small estate has just over 4 hectares of vineyard, all in the commune of Serralunga d'Alba. Their tiny cellar is situated in the village of Baudana, while their vineyards are primarily in the 'crus' of Baudana and the highly regarded Cerretta. After 30 years running the winery, and without heirs to take over the business, Luigi and Fiorina Baudana took the difficult decision to sell.Because of the location of the vineyards, in the heart of the 'golden mile' of Barolo, Luigi and Fiorina were offered some eye-watering sums of money. They were concerned, however, that the name and estate continue as is, rather than be absorbed into a larger entity. As part of his research, Luigi visited the Vajra winery incognito one day, and was so impressed with the way they dealt with people and communicated their philosophy that he rang Aldo soon afterwards to ask if he would be interested in buying the estate. A deal was soon done, and the Vajra family have run this estate alongside Luigi and Fiorina ever since.We have tasted the wines every year and watched them improve. The depth of flavour and intensity that comes from the vineyards has remained, but the Vajra touch in the cellar has brought them to a new level. The first vintage was 2009 and from then onwards we can see the true expression of the new Luiga Baudana.They make four wines: three Barolo and one white. The Bianco Dragon is a blend of Chardonnay and Sauvignon (planted in the northeastern part of Cerretta by Luigi in the early 1980s) with Nascetta and Riesling from the Vajra vineyards. It is fermented and aged in stainless steel, and has a lovely lift and depth, with real interest on the palate.The Barolo di Serralunga comes from younger vines planted in Cerretta and Baudana. It is more forward than either of the two 'crus' but retains the wonderful intensity of these vineyards.