The Oddero family has been making wine in the Langhe since the 1800s and was among the first to bottle and commercialize Barolo. In 2006, brothers Giacomo and Luigi amicably split their storied estate. Luigi retained 32 hectares of prime vineyard land across La Morra, Castiglione Falletto, and Serralunga d’Alba, founding Figli Luigi Oddero in the hamlet of Santa Maria di La Morra. After Luigi’s passing in 2009, his widow Lena and their children Maria and Giovanni carried the project forward with the help of winemaker Francesco Versio, a protégé of legendary Bruno Giacosa cellarmaster Dante Scaglione. The winemaking remains deeply traditional: spontaneous fermentation in cement, long maceration, and aging in large neutral oak botti. The vineyards have been certified organic since 2014.
Vignarionda (historically Vigna Rionda), atop a rounded ridge in Serralunga d’Alba, is widely regarded as one of the greatest vineyard sites in the entirety of Barolo. Figli Luigi Oddero farms roughly 0.80 hectares at the summit, at 360 meters with full south exposure. The Lequio Formation soils are rich in limestone and clayey marl, and the upper portion of the parcel contains a small percentage of nebbiolo rosé, a rare variety that contributes a distinctive floral lift. The wine ages approximately 40 months in 35-hectoliter Austrian oak casks, followed by years of additional bottle aging before release, the exact timeline calibrated to each vintage's character.
Another warm vintage, the 2009 Vignarionda Riserva was released at the ten-year mark and has continued to develop gracefully. Vignarionda's inherent power absorbed the warmth of 2009 and turned it into something unexpectedly refined. Herbal and balsamic on first approach, with notes of spearmint, sage, and rosemary, then ripe cherry, white truffle, and licorice beneath.
On the palate, steely tannins coat the mouth, never turning harsh, with gleaming acidity throughout. A lingering, surprisingly savory finish. This is Barolo to savor over the course of a special evening. Drink now through the early 2030s.
