Accomasso

A cellar that stayed small on purpose

Lorenzo Accomasso first appeared in public in 1966 at a village festival in La Morra, where he treated guests to his 1958 Barolo. By that time, he had already been cultivating vineyards for many years and, since the early 1950s, had been making wine alongside his father, Giovanni. In other words, he belongs to the same generation as Bartolo Mascarello and Bruno Giacosa, iconic figures of traditional Barolo. His philosophy is simple, and he often repeated it: “The main thing is not to expand.” “If you expand, you’ll have to constantly run back and forth, and I’ve never left here. Everyone comes to my home.”

Since the 1980s, he has not exported his products to the United States. Most of the wine was sold in small batches, a few bottles at a time, directly from the cellar to regular customers who would come to his door. The family ran this winery together. Lorenzo's mother, born in 1907, spent her days strolling through the vineyards alongside Lorenzo. Her sister Elena welcomed guests right up until her death in 2016. Lorenzo Accomasso passed away in the summer of 2025, bringing to a close an era that directly linked modern Barolo connoisseurs to the 1950s, when there were neither barrique barrels nor tourism.

Annunziata, and two crus in La Morra

This winery is located in the village of Annunziata, part of the municipality of La Morra, one of the 11 villages authorized to produce “Barolo” wine. This winery’s Nebbiolo is harvested from two adjacent plots: “Rocche dell'Annunziata”, a cru that has long enjoyed a reputation in La Morra, and the adjacent “Rocchettevino.” The “Rocchette” wine is produced from grapes grown on a separate plot called “Vigna Rocchette,” located within “Rocche dell'Annunziata.”

Barolo Riserva is made by blending grapes from “Rocchette” and “Rocchettevino” in nearly equal proportions. La Morra is located in the western part of the Barolo region. Wines from this region are known more for their aromatic and refined style than for the heavy, deep flavor characteristic of eastern areas such as Serralunga and Monforte, and Accomasso’s wines are often cited as a typical example embodying these characteristics.

Long macerations, late bottling

This winery’s winemaking style is traditional in the strictest sense of the word. In accordance with the methods that Giovanni passed down to his son, maceration lasts more than 40 days. The wine is bottled about a year later than most producers in the region, allowing it to mature in barrels before being poured into a glass and giving it enough time to achieve full harmony of flavor. The logic behind this approach is simple and clear. A wine produced through very prolonged maceration requires time to mature and must be handled with care. If bottling is rushed, the wine will turn out harsh and unpleasant to the palate. Because the wine is aged longer, it is bottled only after its structure has fully developed, ready to continue aging for several decades.

Lorenzo was one of the first winemakers in the Barolo region to begin using the “vinificazione in selezione” method. This means that instead of blending grapes from all plots, only grapes selected from specific plots are bottled separately. In the 1960s, this was not standard practice. There isn’t a single modern element in this winery. There are no barriques here, no consulting winemakers, and the lineup isn’t revised to meet market demand. The taste of the wine can vary even from bottle to bottle. However, when this wine reaches its peak, no other Barolo can compare to it.

The range

The wine selection is small and consists mainly of Nebbiolo wines produced at La Morra. “Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata Vigna Rocchette” is made from grapes grown on a single plot within the Rocche cru. Its reserve version, the “Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata Riserva Vigna Rocchette”, is made from the same grape varieties but undergoes a longer aging period before being released to the market. “Barolo Annunziata Riserva” is a blend of Rocchette and Rocchettevino in a ratio of approximately 50:50; in addition, the lineup includes “Barolo Annunziata” in its pure form and an entry-level Barolo.

In addition to Nebbiolo, this winery produces two types of everyday red wines from grapes grown in nearby vineyards: “Accomasso Rocche Pocifiglia Barbera d’Alba” and “Dolcetto d'Alba.” Both wines are produced using the same traditional methods as “Barolo,” without excessive pretension, yet they are ready to drink much sooner.

We carry these wines precisely because they are truly unique and unparalleled. There are very few reviews of them  and production volumes are extremely small.  If you appreciate traditional Barolo, these wines are definitely worth seeking out and purchasing.