Barolo, known as "the king of wines, the wine of kings", is one of the greatest red wines in the world. It is produced exclusively from the Nebbiolo grape from eleven communes in the province of Cuneo in Italy's Piedmont region. One of those communes is Barolo itself, for which the wine is named.

Barolo is an extremely long-lived wine due to its structure- the wine is made from the oldest and best situated vineyards - as well as the tannins from the Nebbiolo grape. Forty or fifty years is not unreasonable for a Barolo from the best producers in the finest vintages, but even a lighter Barolo drinks well for ten to twelve years.

Barolo has famously been described as having flavors of tar and roses; this is often true. There are also flavors of dried cherry or wild strawberry along with notes of cedar, orange peel and sage. Older Barolos take on a balsamic note.

Pair these wines with rich red meats, roasts and aged cheeses.