Shane’s 5th Annual Game Dinner - Themed “Cinghiale e Piemonte”
Shane and Dina’s Home in NJ/USA
Tasted May 3, 2019 by oldwines with 563 views
Introduction
The theme was Wild Boar and Piemontese wines. Shane developed the menu and chose the wine pairings with some help from your’s truly, Mark from Blacksmith Fine Wines in Cold Spring, NY and Glenn, a member of the group. Guests arrived around 5 pm. Wines were decanted variously starting from the evening before through a couple hours prior on the reds and the whites 60-90 minutes before serving.
Flight 1 - Amuse-bouche - Deviled Egg with Bacon Jam and Pork Skin (2 notes)
The intention was to serve 2000 Bruno Giacosa Arneis upon arrival and with the starter bite of deviled egg. Upon opening the 2000 Giacosa there was clearly some oxidation, I double decanted and brought it to the early arrivals, Shane, Glenn and I to taste and we determined that it would be best to open the backup bottle Glenn had brought of 2015 Giacosa Arneis. After about 60 minutes and everyone’s arrival we tried both again and while the 2000 clearly tasted “old” it was very much better and certainly drinkable in a good way, contrasting with the younger wine and the egg. The egg was stuffed with bacon jam and the creamy yolk with crumbled pork skin and garnished with pea purée. In the end both worked well but the 2015 was the better pair with the younger, bright acidity cutting through the richness of the egg.
White
2000 Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis
Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Roero
A gift from Mark as a contribution to the Game dinner. Decanted 60-90 minutes ahead. Light to medium gold when first poured, then returned to the bottle. Tasted lightly oxidized and we feared it would not come around. We opened a 2015 that Glenn brought as a backup. When it came time to pour when all the guests had arrived it had been transformed with nearly all of the oxidation “blown-off” and the color had lightened to more of a pale lemon yellow. The nose was lightly fragrant and floral with clean minerals notes. Medium acidity has it a bit brighter tasting after the time in the bottle. With a rich but clearly “old” white peach and burnt orange peel flavor. Finish is moderately long. Interesting with the deviled egg but the pairing needs a bit more bright acidity. We were all rather surprised this was as good as it was since we expected it to be pretty well “gone” since it was nearing 20 years old...
White
2015 Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis
Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Roero
Brought by Glenn as a backup for the 2000 vintage at Shane’s Game Dinner #5...somewhat muted light yellow color. Nose is floral and lightly perfumed with citrus and minerals. Nice bright acidity and a flavor profile of lean, tart citrus, pear and peach and a layer of minerality. Long complex finish. Balanced, bright and energetic perfect match to Shane’s deviled egg appetizer.
Flight 2 - First Course - Hay Smoked Scallop with Wild Feral Pig Bacon (2 notes)
The fresh, sushi-grade scallop was smoked with local Hunterdon County, NJ hay (from the field in front of my house) paired with wild feral bacon served over grilled sweet corn and grits with basil oil and truffle salt. This was plated with a bed of hay nestling a scallop shell and was utterly unique and delicious. Wines paired with this course were both 2012 vintage Gaja Rossj-Bass and Aldo Conterno Bussiador (from my cellar) Chardonnays. Both Chards went well with the dish but the Bussiador was downright explosive and made the flavors really “pop”.
White
2012 Gaja Langhe Rossj Bass
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
Fermented in steel then barrel aged on the lees with full malo-lactic fermentation. Decanted about an hour before serving. Light lemon yellow color with white flowers and lemon on the nose. Palate is crisp with lemon, cream and minerals and a moderately long finish that is slightly saline. Nice wine that I thought was better drunk alone than with the scallop dish which I thought it cut through rather than complement.
White
2012 Poderi Aldo Conterno Langhe Bussiador
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
From my cellar and decanted 90 minutes prior to serving with Shane’s hay smoked scallop dish. This was a perfect pairing. The wine is a medium golden, yellow with a nose that had white flowers, minerals, perfume, spice, vanilla and citrus. The acidity was medium+ with a rich chewy mouth feel. Palate has butter (full Malo), limestone, lemon, pear and great texture and depth. The finish is huge with an explosion of flavor when tasted with all the elements of the scallop dish. Together they really “popped”, enhancing the experience of both. Wonderful!
Flight 3 - Second Course - Wild Boar Hock and Trotter Terrine (2 notes)
Terrine of wild boar hocks, trotters, confit of duck, dried cherries and sherry with roasted beet purée, arugula, pickled onion, apricot and golden beet relish. This was one of the best meat terrine’s I’ve had! The combination of flavors was amazing and both Barbaresco’s were wonderful pairings with most of us indecisive on which was better.
Red
1997 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Asili
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Double decanted 2 hours prior to serving. Slightly translucent medium garnet. Nose is very fragrant with spicy red florals, plenty of earthy red fruit, mint/menthol, sous bois, pipe tobacco and green tea. The palate was well structured with medium+ acid and tannin with a somewhat lean but chewy mouth feel. Palate shows rose petals, tea, earthy red cherry and chocolate. Very elegant and refined with a feminine style and impeccable balance. Long layered finish. Perfect complement to the wild boar terrine it was served with. And slightly better in this regard than the ‘95 Gaja Sori Tildin.
Red
1995 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Double decanted 2 hours before serving with Shane’s wild boar terrine alongside 1997 Giacosa Asili. This is a much darker and more opaque shade of garnet than the Giacosa. demonstrably more modern. It is very fragrant with red florals, spice, earthy leather, vanilla, tar, grilled meat and overall quite forward. Palate had medium acidity and medium+ tannin. It is rich and chewy with flavors of dark black cherry, licorice, chocolate and tobacco. Still quite fresh overall and well-balanced. With the food the finish was very peppery and long. This is a very masculine wine and one which shows less Nebbiolo typicity than the Giacosa and is more like a modern “International” wine...which you might say is not that surprising. The Giacosa was the better pair with the terrine for me, but this was not unanimous. Notably our host really loved this wine and would probably score it higher.
Flight 4 - Third Course - Deconstructed Wild Boar Cheek Ravioli (2 notes)
Wild boar cheek meat braised in Barolo, tomato and chanterelle mushrooms with a pasta sheet garnished with pig skin, toasted almonds, parsley and truffle Parmigiano cream. This was my favorite dish among a bunch of amazing dishes. The cheek meet was tender, succulent and full of flavor and the total dish paired with the 1967 Damilano Barolo and 1990 Vietti Brunate was out of this world. The Vietti was the consensus best match for the dish by a whisker.
Red
1967 Damilano Barolo
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Sourced ex-winery cellar via BlackSmith Wines in NY where Mark’s advice was most helpful. Tasted upon decanting the night before the 5th Annual Game dinner (fully 22 hours before serving). Translucent light ruby with a brick undertone. Looks like middle-aged Pinot Noir/Burgundy. Super high acidity, yet already very complex with spicy floral and leathery notes. Clean and clear of any VA others have noted. Really wound up tight with little fruit visible, more savory with game meat and herbal, tarry florals. There is a little burnt orange peel on the rather long finish. Will add more after the event...
The next evening when served to the group for the 3rd course along with the 1990 Vietti Brunate this wine had transformed. It had darkened by 2 or 3 shades to a translucent medium garnet/ruby color with an underlying brick tone but not necessarily a brick edge. The nose was a trifle musty at first sniff but so complex and beguiling with florals, spices, earthy cedar, tar, leather, chocolate and pipe tobacco. While still fairly high in acid it’s mouth feel was balanced and soft with some moderate but fine grained tannin that kept it well structured. It seems so much richer and chewier with lots of savory notes and a very long finish of dark cherry and chocolate. Wow a blockbuster of a wine. What a transformation! And a true testament to the benefit of extensive breathing of some wines, even 50+ year old ones! It went perfectly with the Braised Wild Boar Cheek dish. This wine, if this bottle is indicative, with continued great storage conditions can make it to its 60th birthday. But amazingly was overshadowed by the Vietti!
Red
1990 Vietti Barolo Brunate
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Decanted 3 hours prior to serving with Shane’s deconstructed pork cheek ravioli along-side the 1967 Damilano Barolo. Both wines were stellar but this one was on the whole the better of the two but only by a smidge. It is a brilliant translucent medium ruby color. With an effusive nose of spices, cedar, leather, chocolate, sweet pipe tobacco, tar and mushrooms. It is quite high in acidity and medium in terms of tannin which is mostly integrated. Palate is quite rich and chewy with minerals, peppery spices, dried cherries, tobacco, cedar and distinctly both porcini and morel mushrooms. Very layered, complex and elegant and extremely long and savory on the finish. Absolutely spot on to have with the boar cheek, both cutting the fat and complementing the flavors. Wonderful! If pushed to pick one best wine of the evening among a bunch of really great wines...I think this would be the unanimous choice.
Flight 5 - Fourth Course - Feral Piglet Chop (2 notes)
Sous Vide feral piglet rack was wood fire grilled with crisp skin and served with sweet potato and pecan mash, and a cherry/port reduction. Just delicious and tender with the crunch from the fire crisped crackling skin setting off explosive flavors in the Baroli served with the dish...1964 Giacomo Conterno Barolo (purchased by me from Blacksmith wines with contributions from the group as a supplement to what Shane provided) and 1996 Paolo Scavino, Barolo Rocche dell’ Annunziata Riserva. Mixed opinions from the group on which was the best match. I was rather shocked that I preferred the Scavino with the dish, though both were superb.
Red
1996 Paolo Scavino Barolo Riserva Rocche dell'Annunziata
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Decanted 4+ hours before serving with Shane’s feral piglet chop. I am on the whole not a huge Scavino fan in more recent vintages but wow this bottle was quite special. It was served along with the 1964 Giacomo Conterno Barolo which I fully expected to prefer, but surprisingly I found the Scavino slightly better overall and with the dish. It had an extra hour in the decanter...did that help?? It was quite fragrant and fruity on the nose and palate with very typical but rich aromas and flavors of sweet red cherry, tar, roses, tobacco and truffle. Medium to high acidity and high but ripe tannins give this lots of structure and long life ahead. It is rich and chewy and somewhat powerful though balanced and very long on the finish. Great with the chop and it especially highlighted the pecans in the dish.
Red
1964 Giacomo Conterno Barolo
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Sourced recently from the winery’s cellar via Blacksmith Fine Wines in Cold Spring, NY. This was in impeccable condition with a perfect fill level. Upon decanting 3 hours prior to serving we marveled at the youthful color of the wine. It was served with a feral piglet chop along with the 1996 Scavino Rocche dell’ Annunziata. It had a dark garnet but slightly translucent color. Looked like a 10 year old Barolo! The nose was vibrant, spicy (both savory and baking spices) and floral at first, then became more fruit and earth driven with sous bois, smokey cherry, leather and chocolate. Evolved for the whole time in the glass which sadly was not vey long. Acidity was high but not as high as the ‘67 Damilano. Tannins mostly integrated but still providing some structure to an otherwise velvety soft wine. Rich with vanilla, baking spices, cherry fruit and all the earthy elements from the nose. Finish was long (45+ seconds). Beautifully balanced, perfectly aged, mature Barolo that neither looks nor tastes as old as it is. Just a beauty... but a hair less interesting than the Scavino when it came to the food pairing. The Scavino had more pop and exposed different flavors with the food more so than this bottle. Although I tend to prefer these older wines I found myself surprised I preferred the younger one noting that there was not a consensus on this. This may have needed a longer decant...
Flight 6 - Dessert - Freeform Peach and Orange Cobbler with Wild Boar Bacon Crumble (1 note)
Peach and orange sautéed with cinnamon and sugar, pie crust, candied pecans, pistachio dust, bacon crumble and a dollop of home made wild boar bacon ice cream. Perfect dessert and paired with 2011 Cornarea Tarasco Passito di Arneis (recently acquired by Glenn) it was a wonderful end to the gastronomy for the evening.
White - Sweet/Dessert
2011 Azienda Agricola Cornarea Roero Arneis Tarasco Passito
Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Roero
Provided by Glenn for the dessert course at Shane’s Game dinner. This was source recently from Washington DC and shipped to NJ. It was a dark golden yellow orange. Had the look, smell and taste of a combination of Vin Santo, Sauternes and a light Sherry. The nose was effusive with flowery sweet spices, caramel, grilled peach, ripe apricot and burnt orange peel. It was bright with acidity, rich and unctuous showing all the sweet flavors from the nose. The rather long finish was honeyed but showing an ever so slight bitter edge. This was my first experience with an Arneis made in this way and the extra barrel aging for 4 years without topping off, makes this wine seem much older than it is, both in terms of its looks and taste profile. But it was perfect with the peaches and bacon ice cream in the dessert.
Closing
Such a wonderful time was had by all...Thanks to Shane for putting together a meal fit for a king which I doubt could be surpassed by any restaurant in the world. All around the wines were superb, but by my reckoning the top wines of the night were the Scavino, Vietti, Damilano and Giacomo Conterno (in other words I am biased toward Barolo) but all were quite close to each other in terms of quality and deliciously matched the food. One of the broader things I felt the evening showed was the incredible value that decanting can have on a great wine, even/especially old ones. Too many people feel that wines are too fragile to decant for very long, but experiences like this demonstrate the opposite. Great wine, stored well for decades will usually benefit from multiple hours in a decanter (or a day as in the case of the Damilano)...if you drink it all too quickly you will miss the joy of the wine....IMHO
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