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Piemonte: Back to the truffling!
Wineries and various restaurants
Tasted November 24, 2022 - December 3, 2022 by MC2 Wines with 617 views
Introduction
Ok we’re back! It’s yet again not the best of truffle years (but thankfully better than last year) so that’s something. Still the wine is excellent and the food is very strong and it turns out some other regions can probably make an ok white truffle since that’s where a lot of the ones we’re eating are from (Piedmont having gotten almost no rain for almost six months). 2022 seems to be a very good vintage especially based on what the expectations were over the summer. The grapes survived the terrible drought. But everyone is hoping for snow this winter.
2018 (current release) drinking much more openly than some years which is appreciated. Lots of excitement on the ‘19 and esp on the ‘21 which seems to be shaping up to be a really special one. .
Flight 1 - Parusso (10 notes)
This was a last minute change - meant to go the day after we landed but instead there was a request to come the day we landed and while we weren’t sure we could make it work I’m so glad we did. A very different style of winery. There’s a destressization that they do with the grapes so after they harvest they leave them in a room that is temperature/humidity/insect controlled so that they can dry a bit and the stems can ripen a bit more and then everything (including whites) is generally whole cluster. A winery we came across during Festa del Barolo earlier this year and that makes some wines that are very different but are definitely compelling. So very glad we made the time for the visit.
White
2019 Parusso Langhe Sauvignon Blanc Bricco Rovella Bianco
I think this might be one of the first Sauvignon Blancs that we’ve had in Piedmont although it sounds like there are some other producers in this area who do it as well. Our hostess mentioned that they thought of it as a ‘local grape’ - perhaps born from the Marchesi di Barolo who brought more from Bordeaux over. This was a nice version. Rounder in style. Touch of the green apple with a long finish that shifts into jolly rancher by the end. Very soft and a touch creamy though. Made to age. All whole cluster (also not the most common with a white wine) but it worked.
Red
2021 Parusso Barbera d'Alba Ornati
Barbera is not the easiest grape for me from this area. It always comes across as a bit too much. In the past I’d thought that I mostly preferred without any oak but this was 4 months in 2nd use oak and that does seem to tone down some of the fruit without creating an overly oaky version. Very floral on first impression. Some darker red fruits. Almost a liquor flavor. Cherry juice isn’t the worst descriptor for it but there is a hint of tannin at the end that kindof holds it all together. Not as compelling to me as the Nebbiolo but interesting to get to try. Comes from a sandy soil.
Red
2021 Parusso Langhe Nebbiolo
Noted as El Sartu because the vineyards this wine comes from have a house with a dressmaker inside. 1 year in the barrique - all second use. Can get a hint of the stems in this wine in a good way. More tannin. Some almost greenness at the end. Background of red fruits but not nearly as pronounced as the Barbera. Can tell the oak, but it’s not overpowering. It seems though to be muting the fruit at the moment which I miss a bit.
Red
2019 Parusso Vegliamonte Alba
First time I think that I have tried a Barbera (15%) + Nebbiolo (85%) and yet of course it makes sense that in a region that blended wines to create the best expression they would have tried to blend different grapes. Co-fermented. 1.5 years in barriqu, 2nd use. All red currant and dusty tannins. Very young. Feels like it might age. There’s some stemmy-spicy notes to it. Interesting to try.
Red
2018 Parusso Barolo Bussia
2 years in new oak like all of the Barolo. Very pretty in style, almost reminds me of an apricot jam (perhaps because there is a picture in the tasting room of the first family after they won a peach growing contest). Drying tannin. More time needed but a nice start to it. Comes from a vineyard towards the top of Bussia (perhaps the ‘real’ Bussia) with clay soils.
Red
2018 Parusso Barolo Mosconi
2 years in new oak. From a vineyard that is all limestone and rock which creates a bit more structure. Again I get a lot of that stone fruit jam, a bit of a liquor style. Very different style of barolo in some ways with the stems and the barrique but I am charmed by it. Would love to see this with some more time.
Red
2013 Parusso Barolo Bussia Vigna Rocche
From the 40 year old vines. It spends two years in barriques and then rest in barrel. This is the most recent release. Very fruity, seems a touch higher alcohol in the very beginning but then it softens quite a bit. So nice and has this almost ‘yummy’ sense to it.
Red
2000 Parusso Barolo Riserva Bussia
Ok - this is just wonderful and lovely. A blend of the Rochelle and Muni vineyards in Bussia. Again peach jam with herbs (maybe some eucalyptus?). Super fresh in style. Very nice. 120 bottled made total so not something that I guess we’d see very often. I was really taken with it.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Parusso Metodo Classico Brut
A first also to try sparkling Nebbiolo although it surprises me that this isn’t more popular. 6 months in new barrique and then 36 months in bottle. Very good. Fruity and bright and kindof a slightly orange color and not quite the standard bubbles but in a good way. These are quite fine though and better I think that any Prosecco I’ve tried. Similar to the black label style but a lighter version
White - Sparkling
2010 Parusso Metodo Classico Extra Brut
The black label which means it is closed with an oak cork and spends 9 years in bottle. Current release is the 2012. Dark almost cherry fruit in style. It’s very enjoyable. Different flavors than I’d expect with a sparkling but of course this is the Nebbiolo grape and they fit with that. But in sparkling form so of course a winner for me. Recommendation to also try Franco Conterno who is making sparkling wines in Piedmont as well.
Flight 2 - Dinner @ More e Macine (4 notes)
An old favorite of ours that we haven’t been to in a few years. We have had some epic meals here. This year I would say good. One wine off list that was nice but not too crazy. Wines on list were good. The food was tasty. And the company was the best part.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Georges Laval Champagne Premier Cru Brut Nature Cumières
Very tasty as always. Served a touch cold and so needed to Ket it open in the glass. It was all herbal and spice notes. Interesting style of champagne but always very enjoyable.
Red
2020 Margherita Otto Langhe Nebbiolo
A producer we are visiting on this trip so worth some pre-research. This is just lovely. Bright red fruit and very approachable and a bit juicy while also being nicely restrained. I really like it.
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Red
1999 Cascina del Monastero Barolo Bricco Luciani
Off the off list at More e Macine in La Morra when we asked about something with more age. Recommended by the house although they hadn’t had this vintage before. Opened and decanted. It was good old Barolo. Classic. Didn’t truly jump out but also very reasonable (100 euro) off the list so it worked.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Alexandre Filaine Champagne Cuvée Spéciale
Served much too cold. Originally didn’t get much from it other than acid and crispness, but it opened up as it warmed up and was very nice. Certainly the racy style of champagne. A nice end of evening after a big Piemonte meal.
Flight 3 - Massolino (5 notes)
I think I said last year that it was our first but not our last time and indeed that was the right call. So interesting to try such a different wine from Parusso - all de-stemmed, no new oak, very classic. The Albesani Barbaresco is really quite special and trying it the first year was amazing. The 2018 Barolo is crazy because it’s all of the cru vineyards and the ‘18 Barolo and then some of the ‘18 Langhe Nebbiolo is Barolo. So lots going on in this year looking back.
White
2020 Massolino Langhe Riesling
Very intense in style. 1 year in concrete and 6-8 months in barrel. This was released this past spring in time for the summer drinking. There is discussion on whether to give it more time in bottle, but its unclear. I remember liking this last year but this year it was not a precursor to wine but rather something that needed immediately to be attended to. Touch of sour, some Macintosh and maybe even golden delicious apples paired with limes. With more time and after opening I get more of the 5-6 RS that is left here but it is still balanced with a puckering sensation. Interesting to try.
Red
2020 Massolino Langhe Nebbiolo
100% Nebbiolo from the region and our host even said it would be very unusual to blend although Barbera would be the obvious one. Darker red wine. Higher tannins (well especially coming from the white wines). Hint of spice. Spent 18 months in Slovenian oak. I remember the barolo from last year being a wine I liked a lot and was maybe more fruit left alone. This was more floral and maybe a bit more heft to it.
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Red
2019 Massolino Barbaresco
The first year of the Massolino barbaresco and so very fun to get to try the new wine (which has a 15 year lease). This is light and slightly floral and a bit of red fruit but honestly doesn’t quite get itself ready in the glass despite constantly going back to it. It’s just tight and young and maybe would like as much time as the barolo to be released (despite the fact that the Albesani is singing almost immediately).
Red
2019 Massolino Barbaresco Albesani
Winner of the tasting hands down and probably a contender for a top wine in the trip. Darker note, almost this hint of metallic. Very pretty. A gentle wine that still has a lot of power. 50+ year old vineyard. The elegance here jumps out at you. Surpised how lovely and certainly a wine I want to follow for the lifetime.
Red
2018 Massolino Barolo
So everyone who claims to have a single vineyard 2018 is wrong. All of those vineyards went into this wine. It creates a somewhat different and unique creation, but also surprisingly approachable and nice esp with a bit of time in the glass. It starts all floral/handsoap. Then maybe some red fruits. A bit more just easy and accessible all around which is interesting when you blend what are a lot of Serralunga fruit. Not as much as I expected, but I like it and would love to keep following. Somehow there’s something that makes me think this ages too.
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Flight 4 - Lunch @ Centro Storico (3 notes)
It is an institution (we are pretty sure George Clooney booked his visit while we were there). The proprietor is a character. The place is tiny. The wine list is long. It is not the place for deals, but it is a lovely afternoon.
White - Sparkling
2014 Marie-Noëlle Ledru Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée du Goulté Blanc de Noirs Brut
From Centro Storico. Served too cold immediately and this took probably > 1 hour to be really more approachable and ready. We left it off ice and just let it sit. The wine appreciated that. Less intensity and darker herbal style although the herbal is still there. With more air it got light and earlier in the palate. Enjoyable. Unfortunat that it’s a unicorn wine, but quite tasty.
Red
2018 Serafino Rivella Barbaresco Montestefano
I am not entirely sure this isn’t the wine of the meal which is saying something since we paired with an older Giacosa (we like old wines) and a unicorn champagne and so honestly I hit this because I figured good to do some research. I also figured we’d probably drink later in the week so an odd choice but what can you do. Let me just say, this was awesome. The more time in the glass the ‘97 Giacosa had and this the more they started to converge into such a similar wine. Their body characteristics were very much alike. Light and easy and bright. Their fruit (the Giacosa with time) were both there but not overpowering. Always some secondary style but again more to your own taste. I really enjoyed this. This appt was booked because of some comments I made and I feel confidant it will live up to these expectations.
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Red
1997 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Rabajà
Opened and decanted for sediment and then rebottled. Such an interesting wine. The more time it was exposed to air the more that the fruit came out and honestly the more it tasted a bit like the Serafina Rivella which we were drinking alongside. This was light and bright but not quite as light as sometimes he manages with the wine. My guess is the regular white label barbaresco from that year even though there was a tine note about the Rabaja. Still a good wine and enjoyable.
Flight 5 - Afternoon in the Garden (1 note)
Corte Gordina is a wonderful spot to stay and one of the best things is their outside garden which I think they expected would be unused this time of year but we are ex-NYCers who lived through COVID so hanging out outside in 50 degrees is lovely and easy. A wine I really loved from a SAC event a few weeks ago from the wine store in town (which is wonderful).
White - Sparkling
N.V. Egly-Ouriet Champagne Premier Cru Les Vignes de Vrigny
I didn’t catch the disgorgement date on this but to my mind this probably had a bit more evolution and a bit more time. Bought in the main wine store in La Morra and enjoyed in the garden of Corte Gordina. It’s a wine that plays across the entire taste spectrum and comes for you early and is not shy. Our good friend was immediately taken by it and I have to admit so was I. Very compelling and jumps out. A wine that is quite enjoyable. But needs a lot more time.
Flight 6 - Dinner @ Le Case Della Saracca (4 notes)
A recommendation from a Jacksonville friend who stayed at the hotel here some years ago. This was awesome. It’s a vertical restaurant built into a cellar that is modern but also old at the same time. The cellar is something to behold. The list was straight up amazing - lots of old wine - and supportive of the local producers (Barolos of the world was a category that corresponded with Barolos of Montforte de Alba). Sadly no truffle but we did finally correct the lack of Moscato d’Asti on this trip.
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Bérêche et Fils Champagne Campania Remensis
Always start with a champagne and in Barolo they seem to have the same idea so they make it easy. Our first choice was out but this was there and it drinks very well. All fruity and bright and a bit of complexity and heft to make it interesting. Very nice start to the meal. Worked also with my egg and cheese pairing that was sadly lacking the truffle.
Red
2020 Bartolo Mascarello Langhe Nebbiolo
In with the new shipment which had just arrived so this was a 2019 on the menu but showed up as the 2020. It’s lovely and easy and fruity and bright and a wine that loves food. We are drinking more of the Langhe Nebbiolo because the barolos are lovely but sometimes nice to have wines that are closer to ready. This could spend many years but it is quite approachable now.
Red
1997 Gianfranco Alessandria Barolo San Giovanni
Off the list. Poured immediately that darker color that says the nebbiolo is ready to go and indeed this was. Darker fruit character which just seemed to build with the air. Some more herbal style. Not old at all really. Just very classic. In the Montforte di Alba Barolo section and as we were there and there was a goat celebration (no joke - DJ playing in the square and the old cellar/now restaurant walls vibrated a bit with the tunes) it seemed right to stick with the region.
White - Sparkling
2021 Saracco Moscato d'Asti
At a tasting today the woman told us you should not think of the moscato as a wine but rather as a beverage and then you will feel differently. I am not sure what we thought before, but since we’ve been coming to Piemonte we have always thought this is the right way to end a meal. It’s not a wine I particularly liked before the right context and we drink very little when not here, but it is sweet fizzy sugar water and after a heavier set of menu items it is just perfect. This was not different but as its the first of the trip hard to compare to anything.
Flight 7 - Giulia Negri (10 notes)
What is there to say about this wine? The ‘new’ barolo girl and she is clearly rocking it and taking names. Lucky to have met her early - all of the wine is just excellent.
White
2021 Giulia Negri Langhe Chardonnay La Tartufaia
I am not a big fan of Chardonnay but I love Giulia’s wines and I can see the appeal here. From barrel so this is more about understanding where the wine is going. It’s very light and gentle even at this point. Will get some more heft as I understand from the additional age. Elegant already at this point.
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Red
2021 Giulia Negri Langhe Pinot Nero La Tartufaia
From the barrel so very early in the wine’s evolution still. This had just finished malolactic fermentation the week before. There’s a lovely freshness and bite to this. Tastes a bit stemmy in that good earthy way.
Red
2021 Giulia Negri Langhe Nebbiolo Pian delle Mole
From the barrel. 2021 is a vintage Giulia was very excited about - it has both the structure of the ‘19 but also the fruit of the ‘20. This was a sneak peek into it. Juicy and bing cherry and almost a bit crunchy in that best possible way. Already tasty and it’s just a year old.
Red
2020 Giulia Negri Barolo La Tartufaia
Barrel tasting. Darker and slightly plushy in style. Very balanced. Already can tell this will be a lovely wine even if it is just the ‘19 that is about to be released and this still has more than a year to go.
Red
2020 Giulia Negri Barolo Serradenari
From the barrel. Spicier than the Tartufaia barolo but still with those very lovely red fruits. Young but tasty right now. Will be great to see these when they are released in 2024.
Red
2020 Giulia Negri Barolo Marassio
From the barrel. More structure than the other two baroli we tried right before. Still that very dark red cherry that I love. A bit of rose petals and some spice. A special wine.
Red
2020 Giulia Negri Langhe Nebbiolo Pian delle Mole
Bright and fruity and just a very easy wine. Something that would go great with food. We have been ordering more Langhe Nebbiolo this trip rather than just the barolo and I do think these are some great wines esp when you are planning to drink now. Interesting to have barrel tasted the 2021 - fun comparison of the years. Can see the extra fruit that is here. I still found structure decent but it is not quite as much as the 2021.
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Red
2018 Giulia Negri Barolo La Tartufaia
Last time we had this it had not officially been released. Now a year later can already see some evolution and I liked it quite a bit before. This is beautiful - all tar and rose hips and red fruits and very pretty and very tasty.
Red
2018 Giulia Negri Barolo Serradenari
Lovely. Again the fruit and a hit of the tar and just this very classic style of barolo that is really wonderful. Drinks great.
Red
2018 Giulia Negri Barolo Marassio
Can see why this is the most of the three wines. While all three are really beautiful there is this extra depth of character here that just draws you in. A special wine.
Flight 8 - Lunch with Giulia and Ale (7 notes)
Every so often you have one of those perfect days where the company, the wine, the food, the location, the just everything is … well… perfect. This was one such afternoon. Getting to meet some new friends with some great travel stories, overlooking the alps which are truly spectacular and drinking some wine that didn’t suck. We thought we’d be there for a few hours and found ourselves walking directly from lunch to dinner. Perfect.
White - Sparkling
1961 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
Old champagne can be very divisive in how people experience - you can love it, you can think it’s interesting, you can despise it with a vengeance. I happen to be in the first category so I don’t really mind if the wine is a ‘still wine from France’. It was a bit musty at the beginning but that blew off and then you get this old caramelized slightly sweet wine that is very interesting and when paired with cheese and bread was just kindof awesome. So no, there are no more bubbles left and yet I think there are people who will absolutely hate this wine but for me it was fun and delicious and a nice way to start a really charming afternoon with some new friends.
White - Sparkling
1988 Veuve Clicquot Champagne Brut La Grande Dame
While the 1961 did not have a pop and was truly a still wine from France this still had all of the bubbles. Drinking incredibly well. Good aged character (although coming on the heels of the other it tasted quite young). Great pairing with an artichoke tart. Very enjoyable.
Red
1993 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuées
I know very little about Burgundy other than it seems to only go up in price so that it seems like I’ve almost never in my life had a wine that I thought was appropriately priced. This was in that camp. It’s a totally fine/nice wine and if I had paid 1/10th of what I paid I would be recommending it to everyone. As it is, this was fine, but unless you are getting it for the price from 20 years ago I think there are better wines for the money. A good burgundy but not one that has the ‘je ne sais quoi’ which can make me understand burgundy as wine.
Red
2015 Giulia Negri Barolo Serradenari
From our wedding year and also Giulia’s first year of making wine so it was a double celebration. This was just awesome. Out of a magnum. It was decanted almost from the beginning and so had some time while we were focused on the champagne and a bit on the burgundy. Really got pours as we sat down to the lasagna course. I mentioned in my burgundy note that it was missing the ‘je ne sais quoi’ which to me is often the just total elegance, linearity, brightness. This wine had that. It was magical.
Red
2001 Château Rayas Côtes du Rhône Château de Fonsalette Reserve
I love everything this producer does especially with some time and this wine was no different. It’s bright and fresh and herbal and while perhaps Fonsalette isn’t quite the precision that you find in the older brother Rayas the family ties are quite clear. In the line-up I found myself going back to this and the barolo more often (versus the burgundy).
Red
2017 Giulia Negri Barolo Marassio
Speaking with people in Barolo you always hear about how the 2017 vintage was quite difficult and yet you would never know it to try this wine. This is really amazing. It’s of course on the young side. We decanted it for maybe an hour before drinking but it was continuing to open and evolve in the glass. Still there’s just so much to love. The fruit is bright and there and balanced and there is a power to this but with all of the elegance as well. It’s exactly in my style of wine and just an amazing job.
Red
2012 Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Grésy Barbaresco Martinenga
Also still very young but drinking nicely. It is well integrated at this stage and while I think it will certainly benefit from some more years it’s in a good drinking spot now too.
Flight 9 - Pizza dinner (0 notes)
Ok - so in a trip like this there are bound to be some miscommunications more mess-ups and unfortunately our evening at Ristorante Bovio was one of them. We arrived at the restaurant with some additional friends to find out that on Friday night they had held a table for 8 ppl all evening and of course being Saturday they were fully booked. Very kind about it, but alas not possible to do dinner there. So we had La Morra pizza who were able to accommodate. Pizza was very good. Wine list not quite the same so we were a bit more muted but probably ok after our afternoon extravaganza. Fun to see more of the NY Thanksgiving Piedmont crew.
No notes on wines although of course we had some. But none that stood out in any major way (my most favorite was probably the moscato) and so I think ok to skip notes.
Flight 10 - Lunch @ Rossobarolo (4 notes)
One of my favorite restaurants in Piedmont that manages to stay under the radar somehow and yet they have both fantastic food and a fantastic wine list and everyone is super friendly. Surprised when they not only recognized us this year but realized this was our fourth visit (despite the reservation having been made as ‘Josie’ because my name is truly difficult in Italian). The truffle experience here is also something to behold. These are the people that taught me the appropriate truffle method should cover the plate so you should just sort of see the food underneath and even in a bad truffle year they shave with an abandon that I can appreciate. Delicious.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Roses de Jeanne / Cédric Bouchard Champagne Blanc de Blancs La Haute-Lemblé
Used to see a ton of Cedric Bouchard around but the allocations seem to have dried up so it was fun to find on a list in the town of Barolo. 2019 disgorgement. This was very toasty, brioche, maybe a bit of butter. Light bodied though despite that. Drinks nicely. A bit of a crispness to it that needed to soften in the glass.
Red
2015 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo
One of the best producers in Piedmont. We did a side by side with this and the Rinaldi Tre Tine which is also an excellent wine and found most of ourselves preferring this one. It’s just a bit more gentle and soft in style. Lovely red fruits. Very clean and crisp and elegant. Drinks quite nicely. From our wedding year so would love to have more in the cellar.
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Red
2015 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine
Side by side with the 2015 Bartolo Mascarello. This is a wine that needs food a bit more and so in the beginning didn’t stand quite as well. When it was paired with a meat plin it started to open up. I still think the Bartolo edged it but both are excellent wines. This is a lot more structure, more intensity, a bit less open or giving initially. Fruit a bit darker and less accessible. Body just a bit heftier. Still a nice wine though.
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White - Sparkling
2021 Gatti Piero Piemonte Moscato
For a wine that I basically don’t drink 355 days a year we do seem to find a way to get quite a bit in in the 10 days we’re are Piemonte. And you understand the wine a lot more in that context because at the end of a big meal with pasta and meat and everything else a just lightly sweet, low alcohol, with bubbles drink is so refreshing and perfect. This is a nice version of it as well. Perhaps liked a bit better than the Saracco that we often get.
Flight 11 - Dinner @ Osteria dell Arco (4 notes)
Great classic spot that it seems most everyone talks about.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Paul Bara Champagne Grand Cru Brut Réserve
A totally fine classic style of champagne. Not really meant to be overly contemplated but a great palate warmer and some nice bubbles to sip through the meal.
Red
2020 Gianfranco Bovio Langhe Nebbiolo Firagnetti
We’ve been having such luck with the Langhe Nebbiolos on this trip and then this one kindof surprised me. It tastes like there’s some Barbera in there. It has that darker raspberry jam kindof feeling that lacks the finesse of the Nebbiolo. It was fine, but I didn’t feel a need to go back for extra pours.
Red
2017 Serafino Rivella Barbaresco Montestefano
Just awesome. I can’t wait for our visit here later this week. Every wine I’ve had I’ve really liked thus far. It’s all of the style I enjoy - all elegance and precision and great fruit but very balanced. Enjoyable.
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White - Sparkling
2021 Vite Colte Moscato d'Asti LA GATTA
What can I say - a great way to end a meal especially in the land of Piemonte and so this was no different. Very easy and refreshing.
Flight 12 - Vietti (8 notes)
Elena was very lovely when we saw her in NYC and while this was a difficult tasting (we had ppl at many different levels with different levels of experience with Vietti and different languages) I’d argue Elena who works the tasting room was a bit of a savant. I appreciated her acrobatics a lot.
White
2021 Vietti Roero Arneis
It’s very light and easy and lime and citrus and a bit of sour and yet somehow there’s this touch of maybe a bit of sweet that makes it more balanced. Very easy to drink. Vietti was the first Roero Arneis in 1967. Nice, easy wine that is made for a hot Piemonte summer. While we’ve never experienced one of those (much preferring the off season) I can see why this is popular.
White
2020 Vietti Timorasso Colli Tortonesi Derthona
As a good friend says this is the white wine for those of us who love white rhones and that is definitely me. It’s bigger bodied and yet with very nice acid. Lots of green apple and maybe again some slight sour. More body but it seems to work.
Red
2020 Vietti Barbera d'Alba Tre Vigne
I just struggle with Barbera and I swear it’s like Chard in Napa where they all want to convert you. I believe that potentially with food this changes and Elena made a good point it could be one of the better food pairing wines but we were were working off of a few crackers and this was still that Barbera slightly stewed, lots of spice, mildly reminds me of the ‘mulled wine’ in a normal sense. Almost clove. Would try again but I just always struggle with this grape which seems to do better with a bit of oak and yet not too much because it sucks that right up.
Red
2020 Vietti Langhe Nebbiolo Perbacco
Again a lot more fruit, very tasty, great drying tannin. Some cranberry. Drinks well if still more basic in style.
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Red
2018 Vietti Barolo Castiglione
If I had had to guess this should be a year where all of the crus/Villero they don’t make end up in this wine and yet this year they were less sure of it all and so this is the more standard barolo (tbd - but most of the crus were released). Very nice and approachable style.
Red
2018 Vietti Barbaresco Roncaglie Masseria
Give Vietti credit for deciding that Barbersco deserves the same treatment as Barolo and so they age for 4 years. It’s just nice and pretty. Lots of spicy, background of red fruits, drinks very well.
Red
2018 Vietti Barolo Cerequio
Vietti started making two of my favorite vineyards this year and the other one somewhat overshadowed this one and yet this wine is great! I mean jumps you out of what you were thinking and really is like ‘hello, I’m a serious wine’ great. Fruity but tart but spicy but cherry but so approachable and yet all of this tension behind it. It’s wonderful.
Red
2018 Vietti Barolo Ravera
Typically my favorite of the crus of Vietti and so always fun to try. Black sweet fruits, a bit more primal almost in style, tight but with time (like 20 seconds) it gives more in the glass. Really drinking nicely even if all of these need many more years. Enjoyable.
Flight 13 - Lunch @ Le Torri (3 notes)
One of my most favorite restaurants with a list that I just adore and yet we were a bit late from previous tasting and had another tasting that wanted us to be a bit earlier and so I convinced everyone that we can recork but still it was a touch rushed. This whole trip we have had let’s call them ‘self-statements’ and the gist of mine was when you want to order more but that doesn’t work with the ____, that’s a me. I ordered more anyway.
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Jérôme Prévost La Closerie Fac-Simile
2019 disgorgement. Off the wine list at one of my most favorite restaurants in Piemonte straight up. I have been chasing this wine so it’s almost unfair for me to opine but the other I was with just knew I spent more money on the champagne than on the barolo at lunch and yet to a person they were like, ‘well, this is very good’. And hence a not really affordable and barely allocated wine was born. I like it nonetheless.
Red
2018 Vietti Barolo Monvigliero
Delicious. It’s a favorite vineyard of mine mostly because of Fabio but Luca does an excellent job here. He plays with the whole cluster and creates a wine perhaps with a bit more heft but still that lovely elegance and it drinks super well. We were just at the winery and I felt I wanted to taste and thankfully the truffle tribe was on the same page.
Red
2015 Serafino Rivella Barbaresco Montestefano
So this takes a bit more time and while I have loved most all of the versions of this wine I’ve had on this trip (it’s been my replacement Roagna because Luca never writes us back and this has a lot of elegance). I can’t wait for the visit. This wine needed more time than some other years, but still you can tell he managed the heat very well and with that extra time this softens and is beautiful. We meet him tomorrow but already I am a fan of the wine we’ve tried.
Flight 14 - Sandrone (4 notes)
We had a lovely tasting with Barb around Festa earlier this year at Ci Siamo and really because of that event we added Sandrone to our list although I wasn’t sure it was totally our style and certainly it wasn’t something we felt like we were missing. Lovely visit and well done but we rushed from a lunch spot I love to make this one and I’d say the wine is ok but more new style. I will always appreciate he didn’t chase the money and he is his own character, but it wasn’t a crazy moment for me.
Red
2021 Luciano Sandrone Dolcetto d'Alba
There is a saying in barolo that you like the dolcetto or the Barbera and while I suspect most ppl would say they like the Nebbiolo for me it is the former and not the later if those are my choices. And thus I found this darker and more brooding and very structured with some tartness and darker red fruit style and like I said it’s a brooding wine but you do with some time get a hint of cherry. It’s good and easy.
Red
2020 Luciano Sandrone Barbera d'Alba
And so this is the wine that everyone wants to drink and I understand that but it’s just somehow not really my wine. The fruit for me tastes a bit stewed and almost like having mulled wine and lots of more herbal styles and while the new oak here makes the wine less expressive still the bit it does express it not really for me. Fine. But I continue to think Barbera is not the wine.
Red
2016 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne
Pretty in style. This is dark and brooding and black fruits and more intense and 20-25% new oak (not a fan of this choice) which has an influence on the style. The fruit wants to get through and it almost does but not quite. 2 years barrique, 2 years bottle age. Lots of tannins. Give it some time. I like a number of other regions wine with time in oak with enough time after.
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Red
2016 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Aleste
This is the winner of the tasting and I think if you had blinded us it would not have mattered because there is a tastiness and a power and structure to it that is just compelling. Lots of sandy and limestone soil. This was once upon a time a cannubi vineyard but the grandfather showed what family means (same grandfather who made sure when dolcetto was sellable that he was focused on barolo). Sometimes it is just not about money.
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Flight 15 (2 notes)
White - Sparkling
1976 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon
Had originally brought to share with Luca and Elena from Vietti but they had to go to Rome and so we had an extra lovely bottle to pop for afternoon bonus bubbles. This was drinking really incredibly well. Everything that I love about old champagne with all of the depth and character and yet still some faint hint of bubbles to it which you often don’t find when you get quite this old. Truly delicious.
White
2018 Franck Balthazar St. Péray
A producer that I am a big fan of and don’t often see this wine (not sure if it makes it to the US) so we got it for an afternoon sipper. It’s bigger and rounder in style although with a nice bracing acidity to it that helps.
Flight 16 - Dinner @ l’inedito (2 notes)
New restaurant for us in Alba but of course there had to be some because we are post COVID and some things closed. A bit off the beaten path. Some interesting food selections. Harder wine choices but the Bartolo was spot on.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Pol Roger Champagne Brut Réserve
Basic easy champagne but when my glass fell over tonight I was not sad nor did I want a refill. It’s not a wine for seeking out.
Red
2012 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo
An excellent pick off of a somewhat more challenging wine list given this part of the world. Fruity and fresh and more approachable than most barolo and drinking very nicely. Great choice. When we were leaving I wanted to Hang out with my glass.
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Flight 17 - Serafino Rivella (2 notes)
Wow (but with the Piemonte access that is like a W…o….www…’. Round and complete set of syllables. This is a two person operation and seeing the whole thing made me understand why it is not so easy to buy the wine and also why one should be buying this wine. It’s a beautiful estate with amazing history and two truly passionate people making it happen. This is not the easiest place to visit. They speak only Italian. We have someone who speaks some Italian. But we made it work and I’m so glad we did.
Red
2021 Serafino Rivella Langhe Nebbiolo
Not yet released. This is very light and fresh and bright in style. There’s an elegance to the winemaking that I really like. Still gaining some weight in the bottle if I had to guess. It needs a bit more time. There’s a wonderful floral and bright fruit style. Very nice structure. Very pretty.
Red
2018 Serafino Rivella Barbaresco Montestefano
Again that really wonderful style that is pretty and floral (without being overpowering) and red fruits and just comes across as lovely and elegant. Young still of course, but great promise to this wine.
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Flight 18 - Lunch @ La Ciau del Tornavento (4 notes)
The flat we rent every year in Alba is owned by a chef at Ciau which is always a wonderful visit. Great location on the hill and while it was a cloudy day so not quite the views we had last year it was still lovely. Cellar wine tour is a must here - lots of amazing wines.
White - Sparkling
2010 Drappier Champagne Grande Sendrée
A great champagne producer. One of the few on the list that wasn’t one of the ‘big houses’ but I appreciate some of the smaller spots in champagne as well (although of course Drappier makes a lot of wine). This was bright and easy and drank very well. Still on the young side of course but an enjoyable champagne.
Red
2010 Vietti Barolo Riserva Villero
Not often that we’ve had the Villero and as we were at Vietti yesterday seemed like a wine worth trying. Much too young at the moment although with time in the glass (we had perhaps a 4 hour lunch) this did start to open up and show more. It’s more dark and brooding style of barolo. Black fruit. Muscular. Give it lots of time.
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Red
2004 Cigliuti Barbaresco Serraboella
Wow! This was out of a magnum and probably it was too much but it was beautiful nonetheless and we had visited here the previous year so we ordered it anyway. It was on fire the whole meal. Just special. All open and expressive and only got more so with time.
White - Sparkling
2022 La Morandina Moscato d'Asti
Of course there are many different moscatos out there and yet it seems like we often drink the same 2-3. Perhaps it was the environment but this one seemed a bit more interesting to me. Less of straight sugar water and more light and fizzy and perhaps not quite the same level of sweet. Very enjoyable. Paired with a chestnut/talleggio/white truffle dish which was stupendous.
Flight 19 - Tasting/dinner with Fabio Gea (4 notes)
Many different types of experiences in wine but this was an Experience with the capital E. One of the things I like about visiting this area is there is some experimentation in the wine making or at least slightly different approaches than you see in other regions and so the differences are maybe mostly the terroir or the use of new vs old wood. In Piemonte more broadly there is treatment of clusters and other such things. At Fabio Gea there is fermentation in water baths and many different forms of ceramics and lots of different studies. He has clearly lived an interesting life with a lots of different experiences and you can almost feel that all of those (from being involved in the oil industry in Africa to running art installations for Turing government) have influenced the work now. Quite the character. We didn’t try the barbaresco which is a favorite, but good to see some of the other wine too.
Rosé - Sparkling
2020 Fabio Gea Nebiòsca Vino Rosato Frizzante
I was probably most intrigued to try this one because you don’t think of Nebbiolo (or at least I don’t) when I think of rose sparkling wine. This was easy and bright and fresh drinking and the kindof wine that would be great as a porch sipper in the summer.
Red
2020 Fabio Gea Cul Otte
Another take on a Langhe nebbiolo it seems. It has an almost carbonic maceration to it which makes the wine come across as very light and easy and bright and drinks pretty well. Fresh is probably the best word for this. Could prob serve slightly chilled even on a warmer day.
Red
2018 Fabio Gea Barbera d'Alba Superiore Palma
Barbera is not generally my choice of grape in Piemonte as I find it’s either much too oaked and like chewing on oak chips or it’s left to be the fruit but that fruit wants to be a bit more stewed or overpowering versus clean and expressive. Here though Fabio has found the right middle ground where there seems to be some oak to give the wine the texture and pull away the stewed and yet not overdone. So it’s more darker and brooding and yet the texture of the wine is not so heavy. Works. I still think I prefer the Nebbiolo, but I can appreciate what he did here.
Rosé - Sparkling
2019 Fabio Gea Flowers in the sky with rain
Just a lightly fruity fizzy end of meal drink and if you read my notes you know that I think meals should end with bubbles. This is not overdone at all. Very easy and light. Pet nat in style. Tastes very much like it’s in the wheelhouse of the ‘natural wine craze’, and yet it is easy drinking and enjoyable.
Flight 20 - Margherita Otto (4 notes)
It is fun to meet an American making some excellent wines in Piedmont. Allen was funny and charming and clearly a student of the area. Had a great grasp of what he was trying to do and I think succeeding quite well. The wines were all excellent.
Red
2020 Margherita Otto Langhe Nebbiolo
Very easy and light and yet still quite a beautiful wine. It’s red fruits and a hint of spice and very lovely. Meant to drink now and I can see that - it is lighter in style and without the more intense structure - but I do wonder what would happen with a bit of age since it definitely has the acid.
Red
2020 Margherita Otto Barolo
From the barrel. This is all dark red and fruits and a hint of licorice. Very light in style in a way that I find really compelling. Good structure. Suspect it will gain a bit more weight with some more time but still great acid that has it all light on its feet.
Red
2018 Margherita Otto Barolo
Another beautiful wine. It’s very fresh and light and lots of red fruits and soft in the mouth with this very fine tannin. Touch of floral. Very appealing already. A year that is known for being a bit early drinking and we have seen that a few times on this trip.
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Red - Fortified
N.V. Margherita Otto Barolo Chinato
So I would not call myself a Chinato person in general - it’s not in my ‘cheese house’ as it were. That being said I did find this one fairly interesting and enjoyable. It’s tons of green and herbs and dried fruit and flowers and hibiscus. 17% alcohol and 17% residual sugar and yet it seems almost a bit sweeter than that. Well balanced. Drinks very nicely. We found ourselves asking to have the Chinato allocation as well.
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Flight 21 - Lunch @ Trattoria del Posta (3 notes)
Always a favorite of ours and this time was no different. Food is excellent and the wines were quite tasty as well.
White - Sparkling
2000 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses
Off the restaurant wine list and it was very tasty right from the beginning. Probably in the early part of its drinking life. More brioche and toasty and a bit more weight to the body but with very fine bubbles. Drinks nicely.
Red
2017 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero
Our first Monvigliero of the trip which feels a bit like a miss but there is not so much of it around or to go around these days. It’s the classic stem-character - perhaps tea leaves, great fruit, more interesting and then just very light on its feet. Bright with a lot of depth of flavor. Always a favorite.
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Red
2013 Roagna Barbaresco Vecchie Viti Montefico
First Roagna of the trip which is very unusual for me - usually I order this most everywhere we go. It has gone up in price though and is a bit less of the deal that it was and of course we write Luca every year about visiting and hear nothing and so sometimes want to support the folks who are more open a bit more. Still, there is no arguing this is a good wine. Interesting to try next to the Burlotto. This is heftier in style. Dark red fruits. More tannin and more body. Drinks nicely though.
Flight 22 - Ceretto (7 notes)
This year we visited the Bricco Rocche vineyard and did a bit of barrel tasting before we went over to the main Alba facility. I didn’t take notes from the barrels but they were very interesting. Two different parts of the Brunate vineyard so could see the difference of grapes from the top of the hill versus lower down. It was a bit surprising. Beautiful facility and a treat to get to try. The 2015 Bricco Rocche was my favorite I think.
White
2021 Ceretto Langhe Arneis Blangé
Can completely see how in an area where the temps in the summer can top 100 degrees this is a very popular wine. It’s just so very easy to drink. Light and slightly sweet and very fresh and bright. Good acid. It’s truly the crowd pleaser.
Red
2016 Ceretto Barbaresco Bernadot
It’s a bigger wine with more tanning and structure. Initially a bit closed down and came across as just maybe a bit too young but with time you get some fruit. More intense in style. Still nice.
Red
2019 Azienda Bricco Rocche (Ceretto) Barolo Bricco Rocche
Pre-release wine that will likely come out next May I think. Cinnamon, herbs, red fruits. Very pretty. Lots of structure. Still obviously very young but lots of promise to it. There is already a lot going on with this wine.
Red
2015 Azienda Bricco Rocche (Ceretto) Barolo Bricco Rocche
Probably my favorite of the tasting. It’s drinking really nicely and just open for business. Lots of structure and tannin to it which leads me to think it can live for a long time. Right now though it’s a bit more fruit dominant and that just jumps out of the glass at you. Fresh and bright. Drinking very well.
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Red
2011 Ceretto Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo
Surprising to see how very young still this 11 year old wine is. The most recent release from this vineyard which is just done in magnum and released 10 years later. This is very pretty with lots of fruit, a bit of peach jam, some vanilla and a touch of oak but in this case not off putting but kindof nice to round out the wine. Very young and needs a lot more time, but some good things to like here. More expressive though than the 2010 which was a bit quieter this day.
Red
2010 Ceretto Barolo Cannubi San Lorenzo
This was tighter and less expressive than the 2011 served alongside. Still very good structure. A bit more tannin. Quieter at the moment, but I’ll be interested to see where it goes with some time. I think there’s promise.
Red
1985 Azienda Bricco Asili (Ceretto) Barbaresco Bricco Asili
Fun to get to try. Ideally would have opened a few hours before and given it a chance to maybe evolve. In the beginning it was all more old leather and library but with some time in the glass I thought it started to move more towards dried fruits and potpourri. Not sure where it would have gotten with more time and of course always the risk that the answer is vinegar. Very classic old Nebbiolo and for my taste a bit older than I like. I think the sweet spot might be more in the 20-25 year mark for a lot of wine.
Flight 23 - Dinner @ Enoclub (4 notes)
Love this space that feels like you are downstairs in someone’s cellar. We had a nice table in a corner and some great company and it was a lovely dinner if lots of wine.
Rosé - Sparkling
N.V. Jérôme Prévost La Closerie Fac-Simile
Didn’t really expect to get to try this wine ever much less twice in two days but Enoclub was very kind to let us bring some wine in and as a result we wanted to make sure to order some bottles as well. And this is just delicious so seemed to make sense to have another one if available. Lots of red fruits and very bright and with maybe a slightly floral style or something that pulls the fruit back from being too much. Drinks well.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée
Best guess based on the color of the label is this is from the 80’s. Love these old Krugs which are always super interesting. This was no different. Drinking very well almost from the second it hit the glass. Rounder and hints of caramel but still some fizz to it. Very tasty.
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Red
2006 Serafino Rivella Barbaresco Montestefano
A winery we were just at the day before. Rarely see any of those wines with some age on them and so we jumped on getting this off the list. It did not disappoint. Still bright and fresh and yet with some extra depth that comes with some more years. A bit of sediment so would recommend a double decant.
Red
1976 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha's Vineyard
Had not really thought as much when we were figuring out wines to bring how the food might impact and so I would say this is not really aligned with what we were eating and that probably somewhat impacted the experience. Still, this was drinking nicely. It’s good that almost herbal style that old Marthas does. Drinks almost a bit young in terms of freshness but has the benefits of age. Very tasty. Not a wine we get to try very often this old but the 70’s of these are very special.
Flight 24 - Burlotto (7 notes)
Fabio’s wines are always enchanting and the 2019 line-up is no different. All are great but I was especially impressed with how expressive the 2019 Barolo Classico is already.
Red
2021 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Verduno Pelaverga
I knew that Burlotto had a good history with this grape but didn’t realize they were the first to plant it back in the 60’s and indeed as recently as the 80’s there were only five producers making the wine. Now it is up to 18. You can easily see why - this has some of the same elegance of Nebbiolo that I would say both Dolcetto and Barbera lack while also being able to create a wine that is almost immediately enjoyable. Very classic style, just a hint of stems, a background of cherry…. Almost like if you made a liquor from fresh cherries but without the alcohol. A touch tart. Very pretty. Easy but classy style of wine.
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Red
2021 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barbera d'Alba
Again not really my grape in Piemonte but I am a big fan of Fabio’s style of wines and so I like his interpretation better than many others. It’s boysenberry and kindof a darker fruit and it balances on the edge of fresh and slightly more cooked style as though the grape would like to get there but there’s an effort to balance it. Bit of spice. For some reason even though I know Barbera is a high acid grape I never get the acid in the same way on it. Instead comes across almost the opposite for me but here you can tell there is that acidity to keep it a bit lighter even if the grape itself wants to be big and dominating.
Red
2019 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo
Just wow. This wine is exceptional. All of the barolos are from this year but there is something about this one that is really just wonderful. It’s darker red fruits, slightly herbal, very clear and classic in style. Maybe some strawberry. There’s an impression of ‘yummy’ that I get here and at the same time it’s beautiful and elevated. Excellent.
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Red
2019 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Acclivi
While the 2019 Barolo Classico jumped out of the glass at you I’d say this was a touch more shy to start. More tension in the wine, a bit more tannin. Still the darker red fruits and the herbal and again still pretty. Even in the five minutes of tasting the tannins were softening in the glass. Very tasty as well.
Red
2019 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Castelletto
First time trying this wine which is only in its second vintage. A vineyard that was purchased in Monforte and so a chance to see what a different terroir could mean for barolo. Boysenberry and tannins but in again that very clean and concise way with just a bit of spice and with time the cherry starts to come out and maybe even a bit of floral (I don’t know my flowers well enough to say which ones but it feels like they are also in the red theme and I almost have a vision of them but not the name). Lovely, well structured.
Red
2019 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero
Another really lovely version of this wine. Perhaps because we had had some Chinato the previous day in a more fruit peel and floral version I got some of that same sense here. Orange peel and herbal and potpourri and background of cinnamon. Maybe a hint of mulling spice. Very fragrant and very lovely. All crispness and precision and classic. It is another very special wine.
Red
2019 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Cannubi
Perhaps the shyest of the wines that we had this morning. It was a bit more tight, a bit more tannin. Little bits of red fruit and tea leaves and spice coming through but not quite as open. I think a lovely wine but one that needs a bit more time than its brothers.
Flight 25 - Lunch in Verduno (4 notes)
Fabio suggested a lovely trattoria where we were able to bring a few wines and order some good food. The antipasti especially was very nice and went really well with the champagnes.
White - Sparkling
1970 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon
Such a pity - we’ve been drinking wines from this auction all week and had such luck and so didn’t think about a back-up bottle for this one. It is a ‘still wine from France’ and to be fair I actually can quite like that style although here it does seem like there’s maybe some extra oxidation. It blows off a bit with time. My initial reaction was this was perhaps a touch off, but it was interesting because once we started getting the terrine and potato/vegetable salad and vitello tonnato the wine really came alive a lot more. So not perfect, but very interesting and even enjoyable in the right structure.
White - Sparkling
2018 Savart Champagne Premier Cru Les Noues
Very interesting contrast to the old DP that we had right before it and in general I would expect this champagne to be an interesting contrast to most champagnes. It just has flavors that you don’t expect in that style of wine. This was a lot of ginger and a little bit spicy and actually even poured a slightly orange hued (very light). I quite like that style which I find can be even a bit deeper and more layered than some of the more standard champagne elements esp if done in that more herbal and spice note way. Very tasty. Glad we have a few more.
Red
1971 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Riserva Speciale
From the same cellar collection that the ‘61 that we served back at Festa came from and so I’m afraid I really had overly high expectations of this wine. I think one of my learnings is especially with the old barolo it really is important to do a decant for sediment at home and then rebottle. This wine instead was opened at the restaurant which meant it made the journey from flat to winery to restaurant and so it initially poured quite cloudy. That seemed to create a bit more bitterness in the wine. As it opened up I felt like it became more expressive, but it never quite got past that. I am not sure it was actually a perfect bottle even before. It had more of the aged leather/library style to it but every so often some more pure side would come through just a bit.
Red
2005 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero
Fabio was very open with us. This was apparently ‘not the best year’ although honestly even with that primer I didn’t see it. This tasted excellent. It’s all of the herbal and fruit character of a typical Monvigliero. I didn’t even completely get the age on it. The wine is still drinking very young and fresh. If you had said last year’s release I would believe it. From the cellar of the domaine so makes sense and that is some of it but still it was surprising. Just a wonderful wine and easily the wine of the meal.
Flight 26 - Trediberri (2 notes)
Nic and team are continuing to do some really good things. Fun to get to see how the winery is evolving especially with the Berri Barolo coming.
Red
2019 Trediberri Barolo Berri
Outside of barrel tastes this is the first time we’ve had the Berri vineyard (first time I guess from bottle). New bottling for Trediberri who had always blended these in the past. This is a bit more tannin, lots of fruit, tartness which balances the wine. Clean style and very pretty.
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Red
2019 Trediberri Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata
Served next to its Berri brother. This was more fruits, more fresh, some tannin, very classy and well styled. Still a young wine but with a great structure.
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Flight 27 - Dinner @ Dulcis Vitis (3 notes)
This is probably my favorite restaurant in Alba and I never quite understand where you don’t hear more about it. I think perhaps there’s some politics to all of it. For us though it’s always a must visit. Great wine list and the food is excellent.
White - Sparkling
1995 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut
I honestly thought we might never drink Salon again except for the few bottles that we have in our cellar that are aging a bit more but this was very well priced off the wine list and hard to turn down. There is something about Salon that is very appealing - all vanilla bean and more flavorful and just wants to grab you. Still quite young and fresh in style. Drinks very well. To be fair, I think it is an amazing champagne, but maybe not worth the price it is these days.
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Red
2011 Massolino Barolo Margheria
Off the wine list at Dulcis Vitis. Last year we were drinking the 2011’s like they were going out of style but this year we found a bit fewer of them. Still, this is a winery we quite like with a single vineyard expression that is always sold out by the time we taste at this time of year and so it was fun to get to try it. A deeper and darker and almost red currant with some spice. Drinking nicely.
White - Sparkling
2021 Ca' D'Gal Moscato d'Asti Lumine
It does seem to me to be worth it to pay slightly up for a moscato (a few extra dollars normally). You move from the realm of sugar water with bubbles (which granted can be nice esp at the end of a big meal) to something that is just slightly more elevated with more sweetness but not necessarily sugar in the pure form and again some nice bubbles and overall very enjoyable. We did not do enough moscato this trip and shame on us, but I really enjoyed many of the ones we had and especially this one and the ones served at La Ciau and Rossobarolo.
Flight 28 - Nervi Conterno (4 notes)
We’ve been hearing about this place but hadn’t made the trip up until this year. It’s a beautiful and very serious facility. Nebbiolo mostly from the lava rock so better drainage although also a region that typically gets more water than Barolo. Interesting to learn about the history. Once upon a time it was more of the focus for the wine in Northern Italy but as more factory jobs came in more folks left and the focus on wine and food and agritourism was not as strong here. Lots of thoughts that if there is a ‘Burgundy of Nebbiolo’ this is where it comes from.
Red
2019 Nervi-Conterno Gattinara
Much more open than the single vineyards. It’s fresher. A bit almost woodsy. Made from a blend of the two single vineyards plus another three vineyards owned by the Nervi estate. Some darker fruits. Softer tannins. Even with this being more open to me it came across as quite young and tight. These are wines to give at least a few years in the cellar.
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Red
2019 Nervi-Conterno Gattinara Vigna Valferana
Not a wine that I was familiar with at all. This wine is a bit lower (300-360 meters) and thus not quite visible from the roof of the winery. It’s S-SW exposure which means it gets a bit more shade and is generally a cooler climate than the Molsino. 8 hectares. More tart fruits, a bit of plum, slightly spicy. It’s got a bit more heft to it somehow than the other wines. Reminds me a touch of forest floor. Also started to open and become more expressive with time. Very nice wine.
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Red
2019 Nervi-Conterno Gattinara Vigna Molsino
Their flagship vineyard with a lovely view front the roof of the winery. This is 260-430 meters. 13 hectares. All facing S-SE which in Gattinara tends to lead to warmer climates (the SW face means more in shadow). Darker red fruits, can almost taste the volcanic rock in this. Very round and as it opens up it becomes more expressive but this is still quite young. Soft, very fine tannins. Drinks nicely. A wine to keep an eye out for.
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Rosé - Sparkling
2018 Nervi Jefferson 1787 Rosato Dosage Zero
A real treat to get to try (and only happened because an earlier visit included a producer who needed to have the wine - the bottle was not opened just for us :-)). Brut in style. Just 3% RS. Very acidic. Crisp. A touch drying. Fresh and yet with a hint of elegance. Some good fruit to it. It’s surprising to me that the Nebbiolo sparkling doesn’t get more focus. The few we’ve had on this trip have been some of the best sparkling we’ve had from Italy.
Flight 29 - Lunch at Nervi Conterno (2 notes)
Not sure the next time we will be back here so we opted for the 7 course chef’s menu and it was great. Excellent food and a fun wine list especially with some older Nervi wines.
White - Sparkling
N.V. Ulysse Collin Champagne Blanc de Noirs Extra Brut (2017) Les Maillons
Been some time since we’ve had a Ulysse Collin - used to see them all the time and more recently they’ve been highly allocated almost impossible to get. I always really enjoyed the wines and thought they were a great value back in they day. I don’t know that they’re quite worth what they are trading for now. It’s a good wine. Interesting and sharp and precise. A bit more spicy in style. Young and perhaps a touch more primary. We left it out of the ice so it had time to open more but it never got quite as expressive as some of the newer growers can be. Still - I enjoyed it and a treat to get a chance to try it again.
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Red
1999 Nervi Gattinara Vigna Molsino
Off the wine list at the restaurant at Nervi so this is a bottle which has lived in one place its entire life. Opened and decanted. Sommelier called out that it was a bit closed down at first and I’d agree it was less expressive although still drank nicely. Opened up with time in the glass. Very clear and crisp and more earthy style.
Closing
I think probably our best trip yet which is saying something since they have all been really amazing. Hard to pick a wine of the trip but I will say that some of our newer ones (Serafino Rivella and Margherita Otto) will definitely be in my rotation of wines to buy going forward. The experiences with Giulia and Fabio were hard to beat. Always fun to see Nic and Stephania - I learn a ton every time. Favorite restaurants were Dulcis Vitis, Le Torri, Trattoria del Poste and La Ciau but really the food is always excellent.
Already looking forward to and starting to plan next year!