Barolo Dinner With Elisa Scavino

I spent the evening chatting with Elisa Scavino, grand-daughter of Paolo Scavino, and a great ambassador for the family wines. Like her wines, Elisa is down to earth and intriguing. I'm no expert on Barolo, so it was very educational to taste the wines and talk with her about the different vineyards. The wines were paired with a delicious four-course meal arranged by Christianne Ricchi, which included pappardelle with a Tuscan rabbit ragu and a pepper-crusted prime rib with rosemary potatoes. Good times. I really need to get off my ass and visit Piemonte already.

• 2011 Paolo Scavino Langhe Bianco 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC

  Not your average Piemontese white. A blend of 70% Sauvignon Blacn and 30% Chardonnay, all stainless steel. Minerals, lime, a slight herbal (sage?) kick on the nose. On the palate, crisp yet full, with tangy acid and persistent minerals. Lemon, peach and apricot mix with ome waxy-oily aspects. I’m really surpised at the depth and complexity of this wine, even though, as Elisa Scavino described it, this is intended to be a summer sipper. She looked at me strangly when I mentioned I’d like to age this, but the nerd in me thinks it could do some fun stuff over the next few years.

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• 2009 Paolo Scavino Barolo 89 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Aromas of plums, smoke, violets, subtle olive and mushroom. Dense tannins and gobs of red and black fruit on the palate, and the combination is really velvety. Notes of earth, granite, lavender, a bit of oak. Richly textured and generous, but capable of developing much more nuance with age. Very impressive for a “basic” Barolo. A blend from seven different crus, fermented and aged separately until blended together and aged some more.

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• 2007 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bricco Ambrogio 90 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Deep aromas of cassis, plum sauce, violets and caramel. Really opened up aromatically over the course of the dinner. Pure and rich on the palate with relatively smoothed-out tannins and medium acid. I get distinct blueberry fruit in this wine, mixed in with the cassis. Notes of earth, soil and crème brulée add complexity. Rich, but showing refinement.

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• 2007 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc 92 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  Sweet, dark and bold on the nose, with plums, blueberries, coffee, loam and violets. Rich and velvety on the palate, a bit thick in texture but balanced by the medium acid. The plum and currant fruit is so pure, accented by complex notes of herbs, loam, nut shells and roasted coffee. This delivers all sorts of pleasure. Paired wonderfully with prime rib.

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• 2006 Paolo Scavino Barolo Cannubi 94 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

  My wine of the night, the 2006 Cannubi was a few steps ahead with its elegance and complexity. Intricate aromatics of fleshy plums, charcoal, smoke and pencil shavings. The kind of nose you can examine for so long, pulling out all sorts of nuance. Dusty but firm tannins and fresh acid. Plummy, blackberry, the fruit is tossed with all these earth, black olive, mineral, gravel and dried flower aspects. Dense, yet maintains elegance throughout. The last sip was the best, and I’d love to try this again in three to five years. Beautiful stuff.

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