Cappellano

Overview

Cappellano is an iconic traditional Barolo estate based in Serralunga d’Alba, celebrated for its “Otin Fiorin Piè Franco” bottling — a Barolo made from ungrafted (franc de pied) Michet nebbiolo vines planted in 1989 in the Gabutti cru of Serralunga. Run by Augusto Cappellano (and previously his father Teobaldo), the estate is a legend of the anti-barrique, anti-interventionist movement in Barolo. VFTC #117 covers the 2001 Otin Fiorin, which Gilman rates at 94+ points with a window of 2035–2085, noting that the franc de pied rootstocks and vintage quality offset the relative youth of the vines.

Appellations

• Barolo — Gabutti cru, Serralunga d’Alba

Key Wines

• Barolo “Otin Fiorin Piè Franco” — ungrafted Michet nebbiolo; Gabutti cru, Serralunga; planted 1989 (franc de pied); very traditional élevage in large oak botti; wines of enormous longevity; no new oak; 94+ points (2001 vintage)

Style Notes

Cappellano is the most extreme of the traditional Barolo estates — no new oak, no barriques, no shortcuts. The Otin Fiorin Piè Franco is one of a tiny handful of wines made from ungrafted nebbiolo anywhere in Italy. The franc de pied vines are thought to produce more precise, terroir-expressive wines, though their young age (planted 1989) means the 2001 vintage still had relatively youthful vines. The wine’s constituent components are described as “elegant” and “sappy” — 30+ years of cellaring likely required for the 2001. The user already has Cappellano in their cellar (noted in cellar context as one of their Piedmont holdings).

Gilman Scores (VFTC #117, May-June 2025)

Wine	Vintage	Score	Drink
Barolo “Otin Fiorin Piè Franco”	2001	94+	2035–2085

My Tastings

(none yet)

Sources

• VFTC #117 (John Gilman, May-June 2025), pages 102–129 (Italian section)