Nebbiolo Dinner with Punch Brothers

Peck's Arcade, Troy, NY
Tasted Thursday, December 10, 2015 by kenv with 488 views

Introduction

Chris Thile of the Punch Brothers band is a serious Nebbiolo lover. We organized this dinner after their brilliant concert at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in Troy, NY.

Photos and more details on my website:

http://www.finewinegeek.com/tn/2015-12-10_Neb_PunchBros_Pecks/

Flight 1 - Starter: Huet Vouvray Pétillant (1 Note)

Scallop Crudo with Lardo and Citrus
Lobster with Butternut Squash and Pecans

Flight 2 - Flight 1: Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco (4 Notes)

Wild Mushrooms with Hazelnuts, Brown Butter, and Fregola (Sardinian pasta similar to couscous).
Charred Beets with Stracciatella di Bufala, Pistachio Pesto, and Oil-Cured Olives.

  • 1967 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Cavalieri del Tartufo 95 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    [Double-decanted at 11am. Consumed around midnight.] Purity!!! Who could believe that a nearly 50 year old wine could shine like this? The extraordinary clarity of this wine was immediately obvious to everyone at the table. Hard to put a score on this. It didn't have the complexity or structure of the Giacosas, but what it had was the essence of pure aged Nebbiolo. I could not have asked for more from a wine that was older than all but 2 people at the table.

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  • 1986 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco 93 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    [Double-decanted at 11am. Consumed around midnight.] Muted nose. Still tannic. Rich in the mouth with lots of sour cherry. Showing really well for a 30 year old base Barbaresco.

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  • 1989 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco 92 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    [Double-decanted at 11am. Consumed around midnight.] Cherries in the nose. Silky in the mouth. Tannins still rough. Something seems a bit off, but still a lot to like here.

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  • 1988 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Ovello 93 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    [Decanted at 6pm. Consumed around midnight.] Plenty of structure and tannin typical of 1988, but enough sweet black fruit to carry it through. One of the better 1988 Produttoris I've had.

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Flight 3 - Flight 2: Bartolo Mascarello Barolo (3 Notes)

Gnocchi, Pomodoro, Basil, and Meatballs.
Chicken Cacciatore with Semolina Polenta and White Alba Truffles.

  • 1986 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 95 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    [Double-decanted at 11am. Consumed around 12:30am.] Gorgeous sweet fruit and spice nose. Still tannic, but plenty of ripe black fruit gives it great balance. Once again, 1986 shows itself as an underrated vintage in Barolo.

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  • 1998 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 94 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    [Double-decanted at 11am. Consumed around 12:30am.] Intense, backward, austere, incredibly long. Plenty of black fruit, but not the forward ripeness typical of 1998 Barolos. Could use 5-10 more years based on this bottle.

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  • 2011 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 93 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    [Double-decanted for 45 minutes around 6pm. Consumed around 12:30am.] Tight nose. Lots of lovely sweet fruit in the mouth, but not showing much else at this point. Hard to judge such a young wine in the context of these older ones. Certainly a very clean, well-made wine. Will have to wait to judge its future complexity. 92-95

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Flight 4 - Flight 3: Bruno Giacosa Barolo (3 Notes)

Braised Beef Shortribs with Pumpkin Puree and Charred Broccoli.

Closing

What a glorious experience. I have been fortunate to have many wonderful wine dinners, but this one was extra special because we enjoyed their great music, then broke bread and shared wine. Very, very special.

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