La Festa del Barolo: A Taste of Verduno

Locanda Verde
Tasted Wednesday, February 1, 2023 by MC2 Wines with 174 views

Introduction

Kick-off to 2023 Festa and what a fun way to start the night. Verduno is certainly a region that is getting a lot more attention and rightfully so. Fabio makes some of my favorite wine region agnostic.

First time with Castello di Verduno and we’ve only had Fratelli Alessandra a few times. Both enjoyable producers with some interesting wines.

Flight 1 - Champagne Bar (1 Note)

Chef’s Seasonal Selection of Placed Chicchetti

  • NV Chartogne-Taillet Champagne Cuvée Sainte Anne

    France, Champagne

    This is exactly the wine I’d pick if I had a big event and needed to serve something a bit more en masse (I liked the pricing that existed on it a few years ago better, but still very reasonable for the quality). It is more than just a basic set of bubbles to warm up the palate. There’s some interesting flavors going on here.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 2 - Expressions of Pelaverga (3 Notes)

Locanda Insalata, bitter greens, speck, dried cherries & hazelnut vinaigrette

It’s a grape that splits folks. Antonio admitted not his favorite and the person sitting next to me was very anti as well. To me it’s lovely and elegant in style and very drinkable young and at a very reasonable price point and so it’s a go-to.

The salad and the wine were a bit of a difficult pairing but thankfully I wasn’t that hungry

Flight 3 - Castello di Verduno (3 Notes)

Orecchiette, fennel sausage, broccoli rabe & pecorino

First time with the winery. Interesting that so many of the winemakers in Verduno started around the same time. These were nice. Interesting to see another take on Monvigliero.

This was the dish of the evening in an evening where I don’t think Locanda Verde showed as strongly as it normally does.

  • 2015 Castello di Verduno Barolo Vigna Massara

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Again get a bit of that hand soap note. Can definitely see the connection across the wines with the floral style and lighter bodied. There’s this interesting taste after it’s had a bit of time in the glass that I can best describe as almost a cotton candy. Kindof a sweetness to it. Some fruit. Some floral notes. It drinks well. Young, but expressive. Was a pnp served a bit cooler per the Galloni way.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2013 Castello di Verduno Barolo Riserva Monvigliero

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    This wine came across as a bit younger than the 2015. A bit more tannin. A bit more austere. There’s some floral and potpourri but the finish is a touch quick. I think it just needs some time to open. Got better as we drank it.

    Post a Comment / 1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2005 Castello di Verduno Barolo Riserva Monvigliero

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Again a wine that needed a bit more time to open up and show its stuff. Started with a fairly quick finish. It’s pretty in style. Get a bit more depth with the age. There was some thought this might have seen a slightly different wood treatment and perhaps that was part of it although the winemaker said that everything was more of the large Slovenian oak so perhaps not. Time the glass definitely helped and I did find myself liking it more and more as it opened.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 4 - Fratelli Alessandria (3 Notes)

Prime Strip Loin, marinated peppers & salsa verde
served with creamy polenta, rosemary & parmigiano and roasted seasonal vegetables, dried herbs & lemon

We’ve had a few of the wines from this estate although this was the most in a single setting. Enjoyed the 2018 probably the most of the group but all nice wines.

(Steak was sadly overcooked)

Flight 5 - G.B. Burlotto (3 Notes)

Chef’s Selection of Three Italian Cheeses, served with grilled ciabatta & accompaniments

One of my favorite wine houses just hands down. Don’t spend enough time with the Acclivi so fun to get to try a mini-vertical of them. They are essentially the ‘Barolo of Verduno’ as the grapes all come from different Verduno vineyards.

  • 2016 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Acclivi

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Just wonderful - can see why this was such a heralded vintage. Beautiful and fresh and bright and darker fruits and that lovely lightness in style. It’s still young and there’s just a hint of tannin but this is a wine that just makes me smile.

    Read 3 Comments / Post a Comment / 2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2013 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Acclivi

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Lots of the Burlotto elegance that is a trademark for Fabio. The only one of the wines where the floral starts to border on the hand soap style. Still quite nice but I liked the ‘08 and the ‘16 a bit more.

    Post a Comment / 4 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Report Issue

  • 2008 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Acclivi

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    The wine of the tasting and really just phenomenal. It’s beautiful and elegant and fresh and bright with some darker fruits. There’s this lightness and yet so much flavor to it. Slightly drying tannin right at the end. Not going anywhere anytime soon - this seems to have a decent life ahead of it but it is drinking quite nicely now.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Flight 6 - After dinner Champagne (1 Note)

We debated sticking around as it’s a long weekend but of course always fun to get some more time with people who are in from out of town. The champagne showed great and the company was lovely so my only complaint was a slightly later evening and overall that does not matter so much.

  • 2015 Georges Laval Champagne Premier Cru Brut Nature Cumières

    France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

    From a 3L and just rocking. The best word for this is energetic. It’s all bright and bold and powerful and slightly funky for a champagne but in the best possible way. All sorts of different flavors and constantly evolving. It was a smallish group at the end of a big dinner taking down a big bottle but it was kindof perfect.

    Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Closing

Lots to like the in the flights and clearly a character of the village that comes through even if there are different styles. The 2008 Acclivi was amazing and the 2016 showed why everyone is so excited about it - it has a very promising life ahead.

×
×