Barolo - History

Already in the first century after Christ the history writer Gaius Plinio Secundo (also named: Plinio il Vecchio) described a grape that matches the one of Nebbiolo. It took longer, until within the 13th century, before the word Nibiol appeared in the wine guide from the castellan of Rivoli. In the 14th century the quality of the grape was recognized by Pietro di'Crescenzi (a writer on agriculture).

The first bottle of Barolo that was bottled on Castello Grinzane in 1848 is seen as the real start of the history of Barolo as a wine. In 1865 Barolo was first cited as a wine in a document in the archive of the state of Turin.

During an international exhibition in Vienna in 1873 7 medals went to Barolos.

1879: Lorenzo Fantini defines Barolo as "King of wines", a title the wine has kept ever since.

In 1980 Barolo gains the DOCG classification, the highest possible in Italy.