Off to North West Italy
I'm off to North West Italy for a tasting trip. I have tasted several Italian vintages in a row stateside without being in the place to gain real context. Also, it's always helpful to meet the growers in their cellars and understand what motivates the individual producers.
I'll be in Piemonte, Toscana, Liguria, Emilia-Romagna and Lombardia for a week or so to visit producers, talk to Chefs and get a sense of what to buy from the current string of vintages.
First Meal:
All around Alba are the vineyards of the Langhe. Most famously Barolo and Barbesco buit also, of course, Freisa, Barbera (great match for Yank tastes), Dolcetto, Moscato and various life-altering grappas.
After cleaning up at the hotel we head off to lunch at Osteria Veglio; in La Morra. We are to meet several growers whose wines I've bought, cellared and enjoyed over the years: Marengo, Altare (Elio's daughter Sylvia actually), Luigi Scavino (Azelia), Cavalotto, Renato Corino and Seghesio. Altare's stuff is the cornerstone of my personal Piemontese cellar. cabalo
Lunch in La Mora:
The name of restaurant is Hosteria Veglio; good cooking. It’s worth a return visit for certain. This is an amazingly pleasant porch overlooking the great Cru vineyards of the Langhe - Castiglione Falletto and La Morra.
First Course:
Carne Crudo – typical Piemonte specialty – finely cut raw veal with local olive oil.
The chef makes 3 different fresh breads – most notable being the Grissinni, a sort of fat bread stick or small crunchy baguette loaded with sesame & poppy seed.
Next Course:
Dish is spaghetti rich with eggs, sauce from lamb's liver, zucchini, fresh tomato, basil. Superb country dish.
Last Course:
Braised Cock with Barolo, Tomato and Rosemary. Again, very good country cooking. It's been a while since I had chicken that had almost red meat flavors.
Wines with Lunch:
1st: Freisa Bricco Boschis, Cavalotto, 2004: Dry, rich version of what has often but a sweet sparkler. Good depth of charming fruit, cross of zin and dolcetto almost. Western exposure.
2nd: Seghesio Dolcetto , 2005: Lighter, charming primary Dolcetto with classic strawberry aromatics.
Both with excellent house-made salami, schiattia, grissini (fabulous) and pane piemonte.
3rd: Renato Corino (brothers have split) Dolcetto, 2005: Bigger, firmer, denser. Still strawberries but more terroir comes through.
4th: Marengo Dolcetto, 2005: More snappy, black cherry. Sweet, less tannic finish.
5th: Seghesio Barbera, 2003: Sexy, silky wine with wood on the nose, great depth of fruit.
Okay someone just shot at a rabbit just outside of this porch! Hello! I have to describe where I am. Okay, barking dogs run through the restaurant.
Fabulous version of Vitello Tonnato with Ligurian olive oil. At a table with 6 growers and a few friends.
6. Barbera Renato Corino "La Pozza", 2003: Unusually low acid. All raspberries. Lovely.
7. Altare Larigi, 2003: Wowee...beautiful stuff. This is such a nice vintage for Barbera. The vintage character offsets the high acid, natural for Barbera.
8. Azelia Barolo, 2002: (no crus produced) A bit dry and lean. Solid and firm. Worthwhile. reminds me of 99 Clos Vougeot from Rebourseau.
9. Seghesio Barolo, 2002: A bit denser and chewier but doesn't have the expression.
10. La Villa Altare, 2003: Half Barbera and half Nebbiolo.
Next Stop Wine Tasting:
Nebbiolo Marengo, 2004: Well made from Valmaggiore. It shows structure, fruit and polish. A little lean.
Barbareso Albino Rocca, 2003: Softer than usual Nebbiolo for him. Not impressing.
Barbaresco "Loreto", 2003: Broader and more plush but not in the class with some other years of same.
Barbaresco "Ronchi" 2003: Better concentration and some more acid. Still not a great year for this vineyard.
Cavalotto Barolo Riserva 2000 Vigneto: Very powerful and firm old school, unoaked Barolo. Same "San Giuseppe". Fabulous complex aromatics. Better balance than Vigneto.
Barolo Renato Corino 2001 Vecchie Vigne: Rich. Great fruit. Tons of sweet tannin. Needs time. At least 5 years. Very complex.
Barolo Alborino Altare, 2001: More leathery and sweet finishing. Has already gobbled up the oak.
Older wines...
Azelia Voghera Brea Barolo, 2000: Broad soft and very expressive. Wine of the day. Need in the cellar.
Azelia San Rocca, 1999: Firmer, sweet fruit, but needs time.
Double espresso and off to next tasting.
Nebbiolo Marengo, 2004: Well made from Valmaggiore. Shows structure, fruit and polish. A little lean.
Barbareso Albino Rocca, 2003
Barbaresco "Loreto" 2003
I'll be in Piemonte, Toscana, Liguria, Emilia-Romagna and Lombardia for a week or so to visit producers, talk to Chefs and get a sense of what to buy from the current string of vintages.
First Meal:
All around Alba are the vineyards of the Langhe. Most famously Barolo and Barbesco buit also, of course, Freisa, Barbera (great match for Yank tastes), Dolcetto, Moscato and various life-altering grappas.
After cleaning up at the hotel we head off to lunch at Osteria Veglio; in La Morra. We are to meet several growers whose wines I've bought, cellared and enjoyed over the years: Marengo, Altare (Elio's daughter Sylvia actually), Luigi Scavino (Azelia), Cavalotto, Renato Corino and Seghesio. Altare's stuff is the cornerstone of my personal Piemontese cellar. cabalo
Lunch in La Mora:
The name of restaurant is Hosteria Veglio; good cooking. It’s worth a return visit for certain. This is an amazingly pleasant porch overlooking the great Cru vineyards of the Langhe - Castiglione Falletto and La Morra.
First Course:
Carne Crudo – typical Piemonte specialty – finely cut raw veal with local olive oil.
The chef makes 3 different fresh breads – most notable being the Grissinni, a sort of fat bread stick or small crunchy baguette loaded with sesame & poppy seed.
Next Course:
Dish is spaghetti rich with eggs, sauce from lamb's liver, zucchini, fresh tomato, basil. Superb country dish.
Last Course:
Braised Cock with Barolo, Tomato and Rosemary. Again, very good country cooking. It's been a while since I had chicken that had almost red meat flavors.
Wines with Lunch:
1st: Freisa Bricco Boschis, Cavalotto, 2004: Dry, rich version of what has often but a sweet sparkler. Good depth of charming fruit, cross of zin and dolcetto almost. Western exposure.
2nd: Seghesio Dolcetto , 2005: Lighter, charming primary Dolcetto with classic strawberry aromatics.
Both with excellent house-made salami, schiattia, grissini (fabulous) and pane piemonte.
3rd: Renato Corino (brothers have split) Dolcetto, 2005: Bigger, firmer, denser. Still strawberries but more terroir comes through.
4th: Marengo Dolcetto, 2005: More snappy, black cherry. Sweet, less tannic finish.
5th: Seghesio Barbera, 2003: Sexy, silky wine with wood on the nose, great depth of fruit.
Okay someone just shot at a rabbit just outside of this porch! Hello! I have to describe where I am. Okay, barking dogs run through the restaurant.
Fabulous version of Vitello Tonnato with Ligurian olive oil. At a table with 6 growers and a few friends.
6. Barbera Renato Corino "La Pozza", 2003: Unusually low acid. All raspberries. Lovely.
7. Altare Larigi, 2003: Wowee...beautiful stuff. This is such a nice vintage for Barbera. The vintage character offsets the high acid, natural for Barbera.
8. Azelia Barolo, 2002: (no crus produced) A bit dry and lean. Solid and firm. Worthwhile. reminds me of 99 Clos Vougeot from Rebourseau.
9. Seghesio Barolo, 2002: A bit denser and chewier but doesn't have the expression.
10. La Villa Altare, 2003: Half Barbera and half Nebbiolo.
Next Stop Wine Tasting:
Nebbiolo Marengo, 2004: Well made from Valmaggiore. It shows structure, fruit and polish. A little lean.
Barbareso Albino Rocca, 2003: Softer than usual Nebbiolo for him. Not impressing.
Barbaresco "Loreto", 2003: Broader and more plush but not in the class with some other years of same.
Barbaresco "Ronchi" 2003: Better concentration and some more acid. Still not a great year for this vineyard.
Cavalotto Barolo Riserva 2000 Vigneto: Very powerful and firm old school, unoaked Barolo. Same "San Giuseppe". Fabulous complex aromatics. Better balance than Vigneto.
Barolo Renato Corino 2001 Vecchie Vigne: Rich. Great fruit. Tons of sweet tannin. Needs time. At least 5 years. Very complex.
Barolo Alborino Altare, 2001: More leathery and sweet finishing. Has already gobbled up the oak.
Older wines...
Azelia Voghera Brea Barolo, 2000: Broad soft and very expressive. Wine of the day. Need in the cellar.
Azelia San Rocca, 1999: Firmer, sweet fruit, but needs time.
Double espresso and off to next tasting.
Nebbiolo Marengo, 2004: Well made from Valmaggiore. Shows structure, fruit and polish. A little lean.
Barbareso Albino Rocca, 2003
Barbaresco "Loreto" 2003
posted by Moderator at 2:25 PM
1 Comments:
Tony,
It is a shame that you only tasted Piemontese producers that make modern style wines in the Langhe and did not compare them with more traditional Barolos and Barbarescos.
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