Piedmont chez Josh

Josh's house
Tasted Saturday, October 14, 2023 by oenanthe with 69 views

Introduction

We were very kindly invited by Josh to an evening of italian home-cooking and wine themed around Piedmont, generally a team favourite region. Cellars were raided and some very lovely bottles trundled round to Hampstead for a very pleasant and convivial evening. Josh, Rafa, Peter, Ed, Ian, Thomas & me.

Flight 1 - Fizz (2 Notes)

Antipasti - Vitello Tonnato, Bagna Cauda

Flight 2 - Barbaresco (3 Notes)

Primo - Tajarin al ragu di salsiccia

  • 2005 Cantina del Pino Barbaresco Ovello 88 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    Quite a dark red. Crazy bouquet of candy and bubblegum, and also hints of fortified wine though this is not transferred to the palate. This has lots of olive and blackberry, some nice sweetness going on but this is also still staunchly tannic and of the three in the flight, very obviously the weightiest and the toughest to get through. I don't have much experience of the Piedmont MGAs but one of the others there said this was the vineyard shining through loud and clear.

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  • 2004 Castello di Verduno Barbaresco Rabajà 90 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    Medium red. Herbal nose to open with, then becomes ribena, then some high toned confected aroma I can't really place. It's reasonably floral, and very fruit-driven, as well as blackcurrant I got some plum and cherry. In a nice spot, felt ready.

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  • 2011 Roagna Barbaresco Pajè 94 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco

    Fabulous nose, utterly divine. All about red cherry and flowers, superb. Light and airy, good acidity, really quite zesty and alive. Cherry cola, hints of molasses, and a side-helping of dust. This is excellent.

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Flight 3 - Intermission (2 Notes)

  • 2005 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Rocche 93 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Dark red. Rich, round, and complete. Lovely. It's sweet, with elements of red cherry, rosehip, vanilla pod - just succulent and moreish. There is some mouth-coating chewiness on the finish to remind you that this nebbiolo, like grain whisky.

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  • 2018 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barbera d'Alba Aves 89 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Barbera d'Alba

    Medium red, cherry and cranberry, denser and darker than the barolos. Also things like enamel paint, old classrooms and maybe white-spirit on the nose - it seems to come and go. On the palate the wine is long and sweet, with nice fruity tartness, and you have to say does not taste of the 15% ABV it contains, very nicely balanced despite being a punchy wine. We had this between courses and my final swig was like drinking pressed raspberry juice. This is the third of these I've had and the best so far.

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Flight 4 - 2010 Barolos (3 Notes)

Secondo - Brasato al Barolo, Polenta

  • 2010 Giacomo Brezza e Figli Barolo Sarmassa 89 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Sweet on the nose, but this is deceptive as I am hit by a wall of cheek-puckering tannins shortly thereafter. It is spicy and peppery with good lift, some green leaves and tea to go with the dark fruit. I think it just needs more time though, it's still a bit of a brute at this stage so if you have some hide it at the back.

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  • 2010 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Brunate 93 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Ooof, a huge wine! Opened for about 10 hours, this was still pretty tight by the time we got to it. The intensity and smoothness of the dark cherry fruit is astounding but it's hard to get the measure of at the moment. I suspect it is going to be stellar as it lets go, but at the moment this is very tightly wound. Clenched in fact, almost inscrutable. High acid, higher tannins. Hide it somewhere. Perhaps bury it....

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  • 2010 Giovanni Manzone Barolo Bricat 91 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo

    Open, fresh and inviting, a lengthy decant has really helped bring this to life here. Cherry and plum, there are classic tarry notes, really nice and engaging wine, and in the flight the easiest to get along with on the evening. Solidly built you would have to say, but reasonably assimilated.

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Flight 5 - Moscato palate cleansers (2 Notes)

Flight 6 - To finish (1 Note)

Dolce - Tiramisu

  • NV Marcarini Barolo Chinato 90 Points

    Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo Chinato

    As if someone has bottled a negroni, uncanny. If you like Campari and Vermouth you'll like this. If you don't you won't, and it probably really is that straightforward!

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Closing

Josh cooks a mean ragu and a tiramisu to die for! Who knew?! The wines were mostly very nice, with some clear favourites emerging in almost complete concensus - Roagna and Brovia in everyone's top three. Wonderful evening, top company, so enjoy having met all these people over the last few years.

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