Notify me
NV Barolo Chinato
A. & G. FantinoBarolo Chinato was once peddled as a cure-all elixir, said to heal miscellaneous daily discomforts. Appropriately, the ingredients in the Fantino brothers’ Chinato read like a potions book: there’s Calissaja Quinine, Genziana, Colombo, and Centaurea. The details are intriguingly vague—Italian legislation insists that the vintage of the wine remain unknown, and herb sources are a guarded family secret. The result is a deliciously aromatized Barolo, fascinating and complex with a long, herbal finish. Though medical claims were long ago dispelled, this can still be honestly touted as the ideal digestivo.
—Katie Dodds
Wine Type: | dessert |
Vintage: | NV |
Bottle Size: | 500mL |
Blend: | Nebbiolo |
Appellation: | Barolo |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Piedmont |
Producer: | A. & G. Fantino |
Winemaker: | Alessandro & Gian Natale Fantino |
Vineyard: | 21 years years, 8 ha in total |
Soil: | Sandy Clay |
Aging: | Aged in large oak barrels for 4 years; after aging, fortified and blended with the family’s secret recipe of spices |
Farming: | Sustainable |
Alcohol: | 17% |
More from this Producer or Region
2022 Vino Rosso
Italy | Piedmont
Finding a wine as tasty and versatile at this price is not an easy task.
2017 Laboro Disobedient
Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino
Italy | Piedmont
Swirling with notes of cherries, tar, blood orange, and spice.
2016 Laboro Disobedient
Italy | Piedmont
A throwback to the legendary Barolos of old.
2017 Barolo Bussia Riserva “Cascina Dardi”
Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino
Italy | Piedmont
Alessandro Fantino’s Riservas are as good as Barolo gets.
2016 Barolo Bussia “Cascina Dardi”
Italy | Piedmont
Ripe, deep, and almost extravagant in its breadth of aroma and flavor, while a dense, tightly knit core of firm acidity and fine-grained tannins make up a rigid spine.
2018 Barolo “Vigna Rionda”
Italy | Piedmont
Already elegant, this Barolo shows astonishing poise and a different mesmerizing feature of its kaleidoscopic personality every time you take a sip.
2021 Rosso dei Dardi
Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino
Italy | Piedmont
Perfumed Nebbiolo fruit and tender tannins encourage pulling the cork just for the sake of quenching one’s thirst.
2015 Barolo Riserva “Cascina Dardi - Bussia”
Italy | Piedmont
The Fantino brothers’ Riservas are as good as Barolo gets.
2021 Barbera d’Alba Superiore
Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino
Italy | Piedmont
November Club Chevalier ~ Elegant, lithe, and versatile, this Barbera is full of young charm, fragrant fruit, and bright, mouthwatering acidity.
2017 Barolo Bussia “Cascina Dardi”
Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino
Italy | Piedmont
Ripe, deep, and almost extravagant in its breadth of aroma and flavor, while a dense, tightly knit core of firm acidity and fine-grained tannins make up a rigid spine.
About The Producer
A. & G. Fantino
About The Region
Piedmont
Kermit’s love affair with the great reds of Piemonte dates back to the early days of his career: the very first container he imported from Italy, in fact, featured legendary 1971 and 1974 Barolos from Vietti and Aldo Conterno. Regular visits since then have seen our portfolio grow to now twelve Piemontesi estates, with a strong focus on the rolling hills of the Langhe.
Nebbiolo rules these majestic, vine-covered marl slopes, giving Italy’s most mystifyingly complex, nuanced, and age-worthy reds. When crafted via traditional production methods—long macerations and extensive aging in enormous oak botti—the powerful, yet incredibly refined Barolos and Barbarescos provide haunting aromatics of tar, raspberry, incense, tea, roses, and more. At times austere in their youth but well worth the wait, they pair beautifully with the hearty local cuisine starring veal in many forms, braised beef, pastas like tajarin and agnolotti, and of course, Alba’s famous white truffles.
Surrounded by mountains on three sides, Piemonte’s climate is continental, with baking hot summers and cold winters. Nebbiolo is only part of the story here: juicy, fruity Barberas and Dolcettos represent the bread and butter throughout the region, and other native grapes like Freisa, Croatina, and the white Arneis are also noteworthy. Value abounds in the Monferrato, while Alto Piemonte also has its share of thrills to provide.
Every corner of Piemonte is rich with tradition, especially when wine is concerned. It’s no wonder we have been singing the region’s praises for over forty years.
More from Piedmont or Italy
2021 Barbera del Monferrato “Rosso Pietro”
Cantine Valpane Italy | Piedmont
2018 Barolo “Le Coste di Monforte”
Benevelli Piero Italy | Piedmont
2022 Langhe Nebbiolo
Piero Benevelli Italy | Piedmont
2017 Barbera del Monferrato “Perlydia”
Cantine Valpane Italy | Piedmont
2022 Langhe Nebbiolo “Camilu”
Guido Porro Italy | Piedmont
2015 Barolo “Vigna Rionda” MAGNUM
Guido Porro Italy | Piedmont
2020 Barbaresco “Vicenziana”
Silvio Giamello Italy | Piedmont
2017 Barolo Bussia Riserva “Cascina Dardi”
Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino Italy | Piedmont
2022 Moscato d’Asti “Sorì Gramella”
Cantine Elvio Tintero Italy | Piedmont
2022 Langhe Nebbiolo
Cantine Elvio Tintero Italy | Piedmont
2019 Barolo “Mosconi”
Piero Benevelli Italy | Piedmont
Vermouth Extra Secco
Bèrto Italy | Piedmont
2021 Barbera del Monferrato “Rosso Pietro”
Cantine Valpane Italy | Piedmont
2018 Barolo “Le Coste di Monforte”
Benevelli Piero Italy | Piedmont
2022 Langhe Nebbiolo
Piero Benevelli Italy | Piedmont
2017 Barbera del Monferrato “Perlydia”
Cantine Valpane Italy | Piedmont
2022 Langhe Nebbiolo “Camilu”
Guido Porro Italy | Piedmont
2015 Barolo “Vigna Rionda” MAGNUM
Guido Porro Italy | Piedmont
2020 Barbaresco “Vicenziana”
Silvio Giamello Italy | Piedmont
2017 Barolo Bussia Riserva “Cascina Dardi”
Alessandro e Gian Natale Fantino Italy | Piedmont
2022 Moscato d’Asti “Sorì Gramella”
Cantine Elvio Tintero Italy | Piedmont
2022 Langhe Nebbiolo
Cantine Elvio Tintero Italy | Piedmont
2019 Barolo “Mosconi”
Piero Benevelli Italy | Piedmont
Vermouth Extra Secco
Bèrto Italy | Piedmont
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171