Barolo Chinato, Cappellano Barolo 2020

The elixir known as Barolo Chinato was actually invented by the Cappellano family, with Giuseppe Cappellano—a pharmacist by trade—developing the recipe in the late 19th century as a digestive aid. The recipe has remained unchanged since the earliest days, transferred via handwritten letter during each generational shift. Augusto still crushes the herbs and spices by hand with the family’s old cast-iron mortar and pestle, and the steps to creating the perfect mixture are complex and difficult; Augusto told us it took him years, beginning as a young child, to master the technique. Happily, the results of this arcane process are sublime: a heady mélange of herbs and spices, coupled with the elixir’s chocolatey depths, pull both mouth and mind in many different directions, but the overall impression is one of balance and composure.