A little over a week ago, I found a bottle of Burlotto Pelaverga 2016 on a wine list, and I had to order it. It was a moment for me. The kind of glass that takes you right back to where your love for a region began.
For me, that place is Verduno, a small, historic village perched on a hill in the Barolo zone of Piedmont. Overlooking the Tanaro Valley, Verduno has long been known for producing elegant wines and for being the birthplace of the rare Pelaverga grape. Manish and I visited there last October, and I still think of that trip often. We wandered through the village, visited a few producers, and even stopped at Alessandria, whose Pelaverga Speziale has long been one of my favorites. That visit felt like a pilgrimage to my happy place. Burlotto was also high on our list, and tasting their wines at many of the restaurants we visited (especially their Pelaverga) left a lasting impression.
Pelaverga is unlike any other grape in Piedmont. Known formally as Pelaverga Piccolo, it thrives primarily in Verduno under the Verduno Pelaverga DOC, with a small amount planted in neighboring La Morra and Roddi. The wines are light in color, fragrant, and silky, with aromas of wild strawberry, rose, violet, and that unmistakable hint of white pepper. They’re fresh, lively, and charming, yet more complex than their playful character might suggest. Traditionally, I’ve always thought of Pelaverga as a wine to be enjoyed young, capturing its energy in the year of release. My first taste came from Castello di Verduno, then Alessandria’s bottling quickly became a personal benchmark.
But it wasn’t until this past week, tasting Burlotto’s 2016 – a Pelaverga with nearly ten years of age! – that I truly understood the grape’s magic. For me, it was a real “Glass Half Full” moment: the literal joy of a glass brimming with wine, and the reminder that even a grape known for its youthful charm can surprise you with unexpected depth and beauty when given time.
Burlotto is one of Verduno’s historic estates, founded in 1850 by Giovan Battista Burlotto, who became famous as a supplier to the royal House of Savoy. The winery helped preserve Pelaverga at a time when it might have disappeared, and today Fabio Alessandria continues the family tradition with wines that combine authenticity and grace. Burlotto’s Pelaverga is often cited as one of the finest, helping elevate the grape to “cult” status among wine lovers in recent years.
Burlotto Pelaverga 2016
Even with nearly a decade behind it, the 2016 still feels vibrant, though beautifully evolved. The wine shines in the glass a pale ruby tone. The nose opens with dried strawberry, fresh floral tones, sweet spices, earthy undertones, and that signature white pepper note. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied, silky, and refined with red berries and savory spice, balanced by fresh acidity and soft tannins. The finish is graceful and lingering, carrying both delicacy and depth.
This wine reminded me why Piedmont, and Verduno in particular, holds such a special place in my heart. Pelaverga may not have the long-aging gravitas of Nebbiolo, but in this bottle I discovered just how moving, elegant, and quietly profound it can be.