Schiava and Vernatsch: A Double Identity Crisis

I’ve been meaning to try the most recent vintage of Vernatsch from Andreas Baron Widmann ever since it hit the shelves here in the US a couple of months back. There was quite a buzz about the wine during my recent San Fran trip, which happened to coincide with an Oliver McCrum (who is one of Widmann’s importers) portfolio tasting, yet still I didn’t manage to pull the cork until last night. The final impetus? Today’s edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, the monthly wine blogging fest that I’ve more or less neglected since not long after my own round as host.

Dale Cruse of Drinks Are On Me has taken the reins for today’s 62nd edition of WBW. He’s asked participants to taste and write-up a wine based on a grape that goes by its less traditional or less commonly known name. Primitivo in place of Zinfandel, Cannonau instead of Grenache, Rivaner rather than Müller-Thurgau.... Whether these names are truly any less traditional than their better known synonyms is a matter for debate but you get the idea. I think I got under Dale’s skin quite a while back when I called an earlier episode of WBW “Silly” (yes, with a capital “S”), but I have no such compunctions about his own theme of choice. The topic is a bit broad, but that gives everyone some elbow room yet also encourages them to push their own boundaries and learn something along the way. Besides, I’m going for his “extra geek cred” challenge, hoping that my choice may turn out to be the most obscure variety of the day. That, of course, will be for Dale to decide. So, back to the wine.

Südtiroler Vernatsch, Andreas Baron Widmann 2008
$22. 12.5% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Petit Pois, Moorestown, NJ.
Andreas Widmann's Vernatsch hails from a high elevation (340m) vineyard called "Nockerisch." The wine undergoes alcoholic fermentation in steel tank followed by malolactic fermentation and aging in large oak casks (botti). Vernatsch, marginally better known as Schiava (“slave” in Italian), is not a grape variety that produces wines of dark color. Widmann’s 2008 example is painfully, beautifully pale, even more so than the 2007. Redolent of pure raspberry and strawberry fruit, the wine, as it was in ‘07, is clearly reminiscent of fruity-style Beaujolais or a softly-textured Pineau d’Aunis from the Loire. There’s a sweet-and-sour herbal character of dill and basil on the nose, along with a core of sweet, succulent, almost jammy fruit. The wine’s texture is light and juicy, informed primarily by lively acidity and clean fruit, not by tannins or concentration. For all of that lightness of body and alcohol, there’s a surprising level of glycerol, apparent both in the mouth and in the glass. A sign of chaptalization perhaps? I’m guessing so but, regardless, the wine’s damn tasty.

I love the way Schiava fits into today’s WBW theme, as it carries with it multiple identities both in name and in culture, all within a rather small corner of the viticultural globe. Aside from some plantings in the Württemburg area of Germany (where it’s know by yet another name: Trollinger), Schiava is most widely planted in Trentino-Alto Adige, the far north-northeastern corner of Italy. Here, a matter of just a few kilometers can determine whether the variety is know as Schiava, as it is in the Italian speaking area of Trentino, or as Vernatsch, as it is in the German speaking Alto Adige or Südtirol. You’ll see that identity crisis clearly played out on Widmann’s label, as on other bottles from the Südtirol, where the language often bounces back and forth between German and Italian, usually with German taking the upper hand. Be sure to try it if given the chance; I think you’ll find it worth the confusion.

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Kosher or Not, Israeli Wines at Zahav

Since day one, the mission in the kitchen at Zahav has been clear – serve modern Israeli cuisine and do it with as much care, soul and deliciousness as possible. Owners Steven Cook and Chef Michael Solomonov have done just that, garnering accolades along the way from both local and national press and putting together what I feel is the most exciting restaurant to have opened in Philadelphia in the last year (its first birthday is coming up in May). While Cook and Solomonov hit the ground running with their mezze and shipudim (kebab) dominated menu, it’s taken the wine program at Zahav a bit longer to approach maturity.

Steven Cook, co-owner and wine program director at Philadelphia restaurant Zahav.
The compact, international wine list at Zahav has always included at least a couple of Israeli wines. Given the constraints of Pennsylvania’s state controlled wine distribution system, through which few Israeli wines are available, Mr. Cook’s initial options were minimal at best. Steven has been working to change that. Over the course of the last year, he has forged relationships with importers such as Israeli Wine Direct and Sol Stars, as well as with a local distributor, allowing Steven to bring many wines from Israel into Pennsylvania for the first time ever. He’s taken some risks in doing it, too. Given that these wines are coming into PA by special order from importers in Chicago and New York, he’s had to buy many selections sight unseen – without tasting and in full case lots. Luck has been on his side for the most part, with only a couple of chances not passing muster.

From its rudimentary beginnings – few if any of the initially offered Israeli wines are still included – Zahav’s list has now expanded to include twenty-two selections from Israel, as well as eight from Lebanon and two from Morocco.

Here are some of my general impressions based on tasting through a selection of the restaurant’s current offerings at a press tasting held earlier this week in “The Quarter” at Zahav:

Some of what we tasted, in no particular order.

• From my perspective, most if not all of the wines showed promise, offering direct fruit and adequate acid balance. The only wine with which I struggled to find any redeeming traits was the 2007 Sauvignon Blanc/Chardonnay blend from Flam, a winery located outside of Jerusalem in the Judean Hills. There wasn’t enough charm in its neutral nose or simple fruit approach to make up for its disjointed alcohol, aggressive texture and unresolved residual sugar.
  
  
• Speaking of alcohol, I found the level of heat problematic in most of the wines save the white and red from Clos de Gat, another Judean Hills based producer, and the Late Harvest Gewurztraminer from Carmel, Israel’s largest and oldest producer. Whether on the nose, on the mid-palate or on the finish, high alcohol levels – a tough byproduct to overcome, at least naturally, in a hot, arid climate – marred some otherwise quite palatable wines.
  
  
• I’m no expert on Israeli wines (far from it in fact), and I don’t have a finely honed sense of Israel’s terroir, much less of the differences in terroir from region to region within the country. That said, I am confident in saying that the wines we tasted lacked any clear expression or sense of place. Instead, winemaking tendencies appear to lean heavily toward the international.
  
  On the obvious end of this spectrum was “Mes’ha,” a 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Shiraz blend from Galilee-based producer Tabor, a large winery owned by the local Coca-Cola bottling company. Hot and jammy with a punchy cherry/berry fruit attack, this could have come from Puglia or the Barossa Valley just as easily as from Galilee. Even the wines from Clos de Gat – I say “even” because I found them to be the most complete wines at the tasting – could easily have passed as hailing from California. Their 2005 Judean Hills Chardonnay was very Central Coast in style, full of tropical fruit and sweet vanilla, while their ’04 Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend from the Ayalon Valley reminded me very much of early 1990s Alexander Valley reds from producers such as Clos du Bois and V. Sattui.
  
  
• A growing number of wineries are foregoing Kosher certification, both in reaction to the market stigma often associated with Kosher wines – quick, what’s the first thing you think of when you hear “Kosher wine”? – and to avoid the costly, time consuming bureaucratic requirements of certification. Of the six wines from Israel we tasted, only two were Kosher, those from Tabor and Carmel.

Most of the other attendees were young journalists from "Philadelphia Weekly" and "Philadelphia City Paper."

In spite of the growth and success of the Israeli wine program at Zahav, Steven still voiced some reservations about the current state of winemaking in Israel and what it means for the restaurant’s overall wine program. Aware that many of the Israeli wines that we tasted – most ranged from US$70-100 on Zahav’s list – do not offer good quality-to-price ratio, Steven takes a lower margin on them to encourage sales and to help fit them into the price spread of the overall list. Also acknowledging that the wines are not always food friendly, he has every intention of keeping wines from Europe and other parts of the globe on the list to ensure versatility.

Based on the range in this tasting, I share many of Mr. Cook’s reservations. I also respect what he’s doing and applaud his efforts in seeking out the best work of the fledgling Israeli wine industry and taking a huge chance by building the core of his wine program around it. Thus far his work has bore fruit, as Israeli and Lebanese wines represent nearly 70% of bottle sales at Zahav. His program also shows a commitment to and understanding of the place-based relationship between wine and food that I only wish more restaurateurs shared. I look forward to watching – and exploring – the growth and evolution of both Zahav’s list and the Israeli wine industry in the months and years to come.

* * *
If you’re interested in doing a little exploration of your own, Zahav will be launching its new monthly dinner series on Thursday, May 14, 2009, with a five-course meal prepared by Chef Solomonov and paired with Israeli boutique wines. Cost for the event is $85, plus tax and gratuity. Contact the restaurant for reservations or more information.

Zahav
237 Saint James Place
Philadelphia, PA 19106
215-625-8800


And for even more in-depth exploration, Daniel Rogov writes an annually updated guide that's generally considered the authoritative text on the wines of Israel.



* * *
Postscript: I just realized this might be considered a marginally eligible entry for Wine Blogging Wednesday, even if it is a day late. (But who's counting...? It's WBW 56 for those that are.) Hats off to The Corkdork for hosting this month's edition, which focused on fine Kosher wines.

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Southern Exposure

Rémy Charest, author of The Wine Case, is today’s host for Wine Blogging Wednesday #55. He’s asked participants to consider the question of North vs. South in writing about two wines made from the same grape but hailing from different locations, one more northerly than the other. You get the idea…. I decided to take a slightly different approach.

* * *
Have you ever found yourself enticed by the idea of a “bargain” Barolo? (Yes, I’m writing about Piedmont again, just like for last month's WBW.) Ever wondered what the difference is between those two theoretically regal Piedmontese reds sitting next to each other on the shelf, one priced around $30 and the other over $50? If you have, then you know there is a wealth of possible answers. One of the most meaningful, though, happens to be one that I’m guessing might not come immediately to mind: exposure. Not brand exposure, mind you, but vineyard exposure – the position of a site on a hillside and its correlating exposure to the sun’s rays.

You see, Nebbiolo, the noble grape from which Barolo must be produced, is notoriously difficult to grow. Nebbiolo is a very geologically demanding vine, performing best in soils of calcareous marl like that found in Barolo and Barbaresco. It’s also a late ripening variety, requiring a long growing season and plenty of sunlight to achieve full, natural ripeness. In a region as northerly and cool as Piemonte, that means exposure is key to success. Without a south or southwest facing vineyard, it’s all but impossible in typical vintages for Nebbiolo to attain the ripeness necessary for the production of natural, expressive Barolo. It’s no coincidence that the most privileged vineyard sites throughout the communes of Barolo are highly sought after, the land highly expensive.

Sergio Germano, standing atop the hill above his portion of the Cerretta cru in Serralunga d'Alba. It's mid-February and there's nary a trace of snow below, while the vines opposite his hillside are still blanketed with white.
Stand atop any of those south facing, vineyard dominated slopes and look across the valley to the opposite facing hillsides. You’ll almost always see more vineyards. And in many cases, those sites also fall within the geographical boundaries that allow them to produce wines called Barolo. The land on those northerly facing slopes will be less expensive, and all too often owned by less than completely conscientious growers. The fruit on those vines, if they are Nebbiolo targeted for the production of Barolo, is unlikely to ever achieve the levels of ripeness necessary for the natural production of Barolo.

That doesn’t preclude the wines made from those sites from being called Barolo. But it does greatly increase the likelihood that those wines are being made in the winery more than grown in the vineyard, achieving their expected impressive stature more through manipulation than natural fruit maturation.

Just something to think about the next time you find yourself pondering that 91 point, $27 Barolo. How do you feel about risk exposure?

A similar view, pictured on the same day, this time in Monforte d'Alba. In the foreground is Elio Grasso's plot of Ginestra "Casa Maté," fully melted; across the valley, snow covered vineyards owned by other Barolo growers.

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Three Weeks ‘Til WBW 55

As host of last week's edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, it seems only right that I should help spread the word about next month’s meeting of the wines. Rémy Charest will take the reins for WBW 55. He’s selected what looks to be a wide-open but also quite challenging topic: North vs. South.

It’s not meant to have politico-historical overtones. There’s nothing to do with Vietnam, Korea, the Civil War (or roller derby, for that matter). Rather, he’s asking everyone to try two wines made from the same grape or a similar blend, one from a more northerly spot or cooler climate than the other, and to compare and contrast their similarities and differences. It seems pretty straightforward at first glance, but the options are practically limitless and the chosen approaches have the potential to get quite in-depth.

Want to know more? Head on over to Rémy’s blog, The Wine Case, and check out the full details. Reports are due on Wednesday, March 18, 2009.

(Image courtesy of RollerDerby-Art.com.)

Intro only...

A Passion for Piedmont – The WBW 54 Recap

It’s been my pleasure to host the 54th edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday – “A Passion for Piedmont” – here at McDuff’s Food & Wine Trail. There truly was a fiery passion for Piedmont expressed throughout the wine blogosphere. And it was no small task to give it all its much-merited attention. I hope you’ll all do the same. But before we get to the detailed roundup, here are a few stats to whet your appetites.

• Overall participants: 51 53
  
• Number of bottles tasted/consumed: 86+ *
  
• The red to white ratio: 73 to 13
  
• Barolo vs. Barbaresco: 7 to 15
  
• Oldest bottle: 1995 (Where were all those Barolos from the 50’s and 60’s, guys?)
  
• Most “popular” vintage: 2006 edged out 2007, 17 to 15
  
• Most tasted variety: Nebbiolo (in all its iterations) soundly beat Barbera, 30 to 20
  
• Instances of bodily harm: 1
  
• Number of wines from Tuscany that managed to sneak into the mix: 1

* Not counting the imprecise nature of the 15+ Dolcetti tasted by Doktor Weingolb. Nail that number down, Marcus, and I’ll see what I can do with the stats.


Cory Cartwright’s thumb: injured in the line of duty and giving new meaning to the term Saignée.

Our assignment for this episode was simple: pick any wine from the Piedmont region of Italy, taste it and write about it. However, to keep things interesting in the weeks leading up to WBW 54, I issued two separate bonus point challenges:

1. Write-up a red wine and a white wine, both from the same producer (and, of course, both from Piedmont).
   
2. Write-up two wines, each made from the same variety (or varieties) but hailing from different sub-regions and/or different DOC(G)s within Piedmont.

Only one person managed to score points in both categories:

• He goes by various monikers – Lab Director, Managing Principal, etc. – but whatever you call him just don’t let it be “blogger.” J. David Harden broke with the usually strict protocol at Rational Denial to host a Piedmont-centric wine tasting with some pals. They didn’t drink too poorly, either: Giacosa Arneis and Barolo, Barbaresco from Produttori…. Not only did he nab both bonus challenges along the way but he also threw in a pinch of pixie dust lest things get too serious.

As I’d predicted, the first challenge also proved fairly tricky. Only two bloggers – both from Québec, oddly enough – anted up for that one:

• Though he promises an eventual translation, Julien Marchand put my French to the test with his profile of the wines of Michele Chiarlo on his blog, Chez Julien. He rose to the bonus point challenge, including a Moscato d’Asti in the mix with three of the reds produced by Chiarlo, one of his favorite wineries in Piemonte.
  
  
• Clearing the same bonus point hurdle – he apparently found it easier than most – was Joe at Joe’s Wine. He covered a duo from the big house of Pio Cesare: the 2001 Barbera d’Alba “Fides” and a 2007 Piemonte Chardonnay “L’Altro,” finding the Barbera a bit more satisfying than the faultless but uninspiring white entry.

I opened the door more widely with the second bonus point challenge. Not surprisingly, more participants stepped in:

• Good Grape’s Jeff Lefevere wrote one of the more confounding (and entertaining) posts of the episode, ending up with two Barbera that both, in his words, tasted “like strawberry’s marinated in vinegar-laced dishwater with some loose leaf tobacco floating on top.” Yum. Apparently, he finds little to like in general when it comes to European wines (relative to New World wines) in the under $35/bottle category. Kind of the polar opposite of my experiences but hey, we can all agree to disagree.
  
  
• Kori at Wine Peeps scored points in the second bonus challenge – it fell right into her lap as she’d already done her shopping – by comparing a 2005 Barbera d’Asti from Vietti with a 2007 Barbera d’Alba from Damilano. The Vietti took the cake. No surprises there, as Vietti’s wines are not only widely available but are also consistently good.
  
  
• “Piedmont nebbiolo should demand that I meet it halfway, seduce me with its perfume but not yield easily to a first impression.” Few truer words were written this month. They came from Wicker Parker Mike, who also provided a neat profile of the DeForville estate along with notes on their 2005 Langhe Nebbiolo and 2001 Barbaresco “Vigneto Loreto.”
  
  
• Brooklynguy broke into Piemonte in high style (with a little help from his friend Asher), writing up no less than six wines: two examples each of Barbera, Barbaresco and Barolo. By sheer coincidence, three of his choices came from the same estate – Paitin di Pasquero Elia – that I profiled in my WBW contribution. Nice work, Neil.
  
  
• When Marcus, aka Doktor Weingolb, jumped at my WBW announcement, I thought for sure he was finally going to bring his blog out of retirement. But nope, he’s keeping it Facebook. That didn’t stop him from exploring Dolcetto with a vengeance, though. He lays claim to tasting over 15 examples, mostly from Alba but also including Dolcetti from Dogliani, Acqui, Monferrato and Ovada. Yowza!
  
  
• Rockin’ it Old World Old School, Joe Manekin started out with what sounds like a fantastic bottle of Arneis from Giovanni Almondo. He then explored his love/hate relationship with Dolcetto, splitting 50/50 with wines from Anna Maria Abbona in Dogliani and Luigi Baudana, a very fine producer in Serralunga d’Alba.
  
  
• Finally, Xandria made it two of three for the Brix Chicks (more on that later). She helped make me feel a little less conspicuous, as she too dug back into the archives for her contribution – a profile of the “sexy” reds of Barolo/Barbaresco producer Roagna – which she originally posted back in December. Xandria not only clocked bonus points but also wrote-up the oldest wine – a 1995 Barolo, still a mere youngster – of the entire WBW shebang.

And then there were forty-three…

• Matt at A Good Time With Wine was pleased that our theme was timed well with an Italian food and wine pairing event he’s working on later this month, but was a little less pleased by his experience with the ’01 Paolo Scavino Barolo that set him back $80.
  
  
• Tim played the Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo triple-play at Cheap Wine Ratings, with wines from Elio Altare, Beni di Batasiolo and Travaglini, respectively. He’s one of the few participants to have selected something from outside Piedmont’s Albese heartland, not only tasting a bottle of Travaglini’s Gattinara but also managing to score it for under $20, a CWR prerequisite.
  
  
• Jim Eastman at Music & Wine checked out a bottle of Fratelli Ferrero’s 2004 Langhe Nebbiolo, finding it a touch short on the finish but a solid pairing with the modern spaghetti western video/music stylings of Vinicio Capossela.
  
  
• Robbin Gheesling scored a double-first: her first WBW entry was also her first ever post at Tawny Times. Along the way, she nabbed a Fat Witch brownie to accompany her bottle of Giacomo Bologna’s 2007 Brachetto d’Acqui “Braida.”
  
  
• Deciding to hold onto his Gaja for another occasion, Jason at Jason’s Wine Blog instead scoured the close-out bins at K&L Wines, sneaking in a Malvasia from Tuscany (oops) along with a Barbera d’Alba from Giacomo Borgogno and an ’03 Dolcetto d’Alba from Mauro Molino.
  
  
• I’m not sure I understand the whole purple monkey thing, but my fellow Philly area blogger Joe, aka 1WineDude, certainly demonstrates a solid understanding of Pio Cesare’s 2007 Dolcetto d’Alba.
  
  
• Michelle Lentz at My Wine Education, who hosted the first WBW in which I ever participated, posted not once but twice. She came up smiling in both cases, with Beni di Batasiolo’s 2006 Barbera d’Alba and the 2007 Gavi “Principessa Gavia” from Banfi.
  
  
• A first time WBW’er, David at Too Many Good Wines enjoyed the 2005 Langhe Nebbiolo of Enzo Boglietti with a very un-Piedmontese dish of spicy Mexican chicken tortilla casserole.
  
  
• Smells Like Grape’s own Taster A apparently likes the B. Barbera, that is. Oddly enough, though, this was her first experience with Italian Barbera (the 2005 Piemonte Barbera from Mattei) as she’d previously tasted Barbera only from Sonoma. How’s that for starting in reverse?
  
  
• I was surprised at how few examples of Moscato found their way into the mix this month. One that did, much to the pleasure of Pamela at EnoBytes, was the 2007 Moscato d’Asti “Vigneti Biancospino” from the modernist producer La Spinetta. “Spoodalicious,” says she.
  
  
• Cory Cartwright at Saignée writes of the 2007 Dolcetto d’Alba “Munfrina” from Pelissero, “This wine is the super popular kid in middle school who ended up copping a junk habit in 11th grade that you thought you saw last week at Safeway. Overall, good workaday stuff.” That’s not how I usually think about my everyday wine, but good on ya, mate! Cory’s entry also takes the unofficial MFWT Photojournalism Prize.
  
  
• Ribbie of Ribbie’s Weblog leapt straight from North Carolina’s Piedmont into our own Piemonte, embracing Ca’ del Baio’s 2007 Dolcetto d’Alba as a perfectly suitable pairing with grilled peppers and onions, steak and a side of fries.
  
  
• Under the Grape Tree’s Kevin Keith professes his love for Piedmont wine, provides a thorough background on the history of Arneis as well as a tasting note for the 2006 Arneis of Valdinera, and then caps it all off with a touching tribute to a friend who is no longer with us.
  
  
• Erika Strum, who has named her blog, Strum Erika, as many a Piedmontese producer names their estate (last name followed by first), compared two wines from Barbaresco, each hitting the market at widely different price points. Not surprisingly in this category, the $20 entry from Negro Giuseppe (that’s Giuseppe Negro to you and me) fell short of the $50 selection she chose from Marchesi di Gresy.
  
  
• RJ at RJ’s Wine Blog, another first time WBW participant, found himself enjoying the company of a bottle from one of my favorite producers. The 2007 Langhe Nebbiolo “Gavarini” of Elio Grasso gave RJ a chance to consider the question of Nebbiolo’s ageworthiness.
  
  
• Undeterred by a quirky bottle shape, Jonathan at Best Drink Ever found plenty to like in the 2007 Gavi di Gavi from Villa Sparina, even if its aromas did remind him of ripe Taleggio.
  
  
• Sharon, aka Bloviatrix, struck a food-friendly fortune, finding a bottle of the latest vintage of G.D. Vajra’s Langhe Rosso (one of the few blended wines to make an appearance in this WBW) for the stunningly low price of $12. She also gets an unofficial MFWT prize for writing the post with the most links back to my site. Right on, Sharon!
  
  
• The always thrifty Dr. Debs at Good Wine Under $20 was one of the few participants to explore the sub-$10 realm in Piemonte, pairing a bottle of 2006 Stefano Farina Barbera d’Alba with a mid-week pasta dinner.
  
  
• One of the few expectations I had going into this WBW was that the wines of Produttori del Barbaresco would be heavily represented. Boy was I wrong. At least Liza, one-third of the team at Brix Chicks, helped Produttori represent, writing up their 2005 Langhe Nebbiolo. She didn’t just love it; she found it “fog-o-menal.”
  
  
• I was pleased to find Wolfgang Weber, Senior Editor at Wine & Spirits Magazine and author of the blog Spume, joining the mix for his first WBW. He dropped a very fine tasting note on the 1999 Barolo “Massara” of Castello di Verduno, a producer that’s new to me, and claims to have done it in less than 15 minutes. Not too shabby, WW.
  
  
• John Witherspoon at Anything Wine jumped on the Barbera train, settling in with the 2005 Barbera d’Alba “Filatura” of Marco Porello. At a modest $17, it left him wanting nothing… other than a slice of pizza to accompany it.
  
  
• Serge the Concierge came out of WBW retirement only to hit a few foul bottles before finally connecting with Cascina Lo Zoccolaio’s 2007 Dolcetto d’Alba “Vigna dij Sagrin.”
  
  
• Hudson Valley Wine Goddess Debbie Lessner-Gioquindo struck out playing the shop by label game. Grabbing a backup bottle of Vietti’s 2006 Barbera d’Asti “Tre Vigne” saved her day.
  
  
• Rémy at The Wine Case ponders the collective works of both Giorgio Pelissero and Bruno Giacosa, as well as a few other fondly remembered wines of Piemonte. He finally decided to focus on Giacosa’s 2003 Nebbiolo d’Alba, only to find it a bit disappointing, perhaps the fault of the extremely hot 2003 growing season.
  
  
• Frank at Drink What You Like nailed one of my favorite food and wine pairings: Dolcetto and pepperoni pizza. His juice of choice was Marco Marengo’s 2007 Dolcetto d’Alba.
  
  
• Ok, so I exaggerated a little (but just a little) about the relative absence of Produttori pieces. Diane Letulle selected the 2005 Barbaresco of Produttori del Barbaresco for her write-up at Wine Lover’s Journal.
  
  
• Doug Cook, data cruncher extraordinaire behind the wine search engine Able Grape, broke out what might be the most eclectic trio of wines represented this month. On top of a Barbaresco from one of his favorite small producers and one of the few examples of Freisa to make it into the mix, he wrote-up a white made from a Piedmontese grape called Timorasso that I’ve yet to try. Thanks for making my to-do list longer, Doug.
  
  
• “As I buried my nose in the glass, I could smell the decaying underbrush along the strada di Rio Sordo as it dips down off the main road and I shivered a little at the thought of the cold fog setting in.” Rachel Black shared a bottle of Cascina delle Rose’s 2001 Barbaresco “Rio Sardo” with her significant other – that’s Doug at Able Grape – and writes about it from her own perspective, one that’s as much personal (she’s spent much time in Piemonte) as it is professional (she’s a food anthropologist and educator by trade).
  
  
• Also taking a more experiential approach, as he so often does at Wine Camp, Craig Camp recounts a dark night’s journey to the warm hearth at Trattoria Nonna Genia, finding along the way that, “There are some traditions that cannot be improved on.”
  
  
• Lyle Fass hated his WBW bottle, the 2006 Langhe Freisa “La Villerina Secca” from Brovia.
  
  
• Greg Dyer, penner of The Cab Franco Files, added to the Produttori del Barbaresco tally with a bottle of their 2006 Langhe Nebbiolo, rating it high on his QPR scale. I only wonder why he didn’t write-up a Piedmontese Cab Franc….
  
  
• John The Cork Dork seems to have enjoyed the 2000 Barbaresco “Vigna Marcarini” from Elvio Pertinace’s Cantina Vignaioli, even if he was a bit wary at first of possible cork taint.
  
  
• Barbera is Rob Bralow’s go-to variety when handed a wine list, so it was an easy step for him to write-up a 2006 Guidobono Barbera D’Alba at his blog, Wine Post.
  
  
• Wannabewino’s own Sonadora took a decidedly old school approach – ordering over the phone from an on-line retailer – to acquiring a decidedly modernist selection, the 2006 Dolcetto d’Alba of Luciano Sandrone. Glad to have nudged you back to Italy, Megan.
  
  
• Richard Auffrey has been exploring Piemonte for some time now at The Passionate Foodie. He came up with one of the more unusual selections in this month’s WBW, a passito method, non-vintage Arneis called “Arcass,” from Cascina Chicco. His post also includes a thoughtful overview of the viticultural history of Arneis.
  
  
• Another double-poster, Edward at WinoSapien didn’t quite make the cut for the bonus point challenges but did find plenty to like in both Ceretto’s 2007 Arneis and Vietti’s 2005 Langne Nebbiolo “Perbacco.” As always, Edward's notes are succinct, poetic and illuminating.
  
  
• Bethany of 2nd Ferment made her WBW premiere, checking out wines from two of Piedmont’s larger wineries, Pio Cesare and Michele Chiarlo. Even though both improved with a little airtime, she didn’t find much to like in Chiarlo’s ’07 Gavi. Welcome, Bethany!
  
  
• Yep, I “cheated,” cracking open the McDuff travel journals to write a winery report based on my visit at Paitin di Pasquero Elia way back in February 2006. If I were glory seeking, I’d award myself double bonus points. But, as host, I think it’s only fair to count myself out of eligibility. The bottles we tasted, however, are included in the overall statistical summary of this month’s event.
  
  
• Proud WBW founding father that he is, Lenn Thompson of LennDevours wanted to participate so badly that he carted a bottle of Ascheri’s 2006 Dolcetto d’Alba from Long Island all the way up to the Finger Lakes (where he was attending Palate), only to find that it was corked or otherwise rendered undrinkable. Don’t you hate it when that happens?
  
  
• Alex of Eating Leeds snuck in under the gun, representing our sole contribution from the UK. She found her palate somewhat at odds with the high acidity in Balbi Soprani’s 2006 Barbera d’Asti. And like me, she’s apparently not a big fan of Barbera with tomato-based pasta sauce.
  
  
• Our final effort (at least at this point in time) comes in courtesy of Mairead at Fill Up On Bread. Her originally well-laid plans for WBW were set harshly and abruptly aside when wildfires spread through her area in Melbourne, Australia, on February 7. Ten days later, she and her family were still helping with the Red Cross’s relief efforts. Somehow, she still found the time not just to remember about WBW but to drink, write and post as well. The fact that she wasn’t able to come up with a Piedmontese wine, given her situation, is entirely beside the point.

That’s all we wrote. My thanks go out to everyone who participated. If I missed anyone, or if anyone feels I cheated him or her out of bonus points, don’t hesitate to let me know.

Addendum (26 February):

A late entry, or rather an entry I've just found out about, has come in from Andrew Barrow, who makes it two from the UK and 52 overall with his post at Spittoon. Andrew liked the simplicity of the 2007 Dolcetto di Diana d'Alba from Via Collina, even if he was turned off by its shiny silver label.

Addendum (3 March):
This just in.... Making up for missing out on the "official" WBW date, and bringing our grand total up to 53 participants, Jeremy Parzen of Do Bianchi has thrown his hat into the ring by writing a guest post about the current releases from Produttori del Barbaresco, right here at MFWT. Thanks, Jeremy!

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WBW 54 Wrap-Up Coming Tomorrow, and the Passing of a Barolo Maestro

Boy, I can see why some WBW hosts choose to take the big picture approach when writing their wrap-ups. Entries are still trickling in – perhaps the second W should stand for Week – and we’ve just reached 50 participants. Not a bad turnout for a theme that seems to have pushed many a wine blogger into unfamiliar territory.

Encapsulating the work of all those writers is a daunting task. Happily, it’s also a great way to get to know a bunch of new blogs and bloggers, and to explore the myriad of experiences and selections they all shared within the context of the glorious wines of Piedmont.

So, all I ask, on this gloomy Sunday afternoon in February, is for your patience. The summary of WBW 54, “A Passion for Piedmont,” will appear here tomorrow. My thanks go out to all who have already participated. And if there’s anyone out there still procrastinating, get to it! It’s still not too late.


Actually, that's not all that I ask. I hope all of you will also join me in raising a glass to the memory of Barolo traditionalist Teobaldo Cappellano (pictured above), who died this week at the age of 65. Jeremy Parzen has already posted a collection of tributes to "Baldo" at Do Bianchi. A full profile of Mr. Cappellano's life and work will appear later this week at Vino Wire.

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Paitin di Pasquero-Elia and the Question of (Post)Modernism in Piedmont

Today is the 54th installment of Wine Blogging Wednesday. As host of this edition, which I’ve called “A Passion for Piedmont,” I thought it only appropriate to approach things from a bigger perspective than it’s possible to convey via the usual WBW tasting note. Instead, I’m embracing it as a chance to travel back a few years in time….

It’s been too long since my last trip to Piedmont, as part of a wine trade junket in February 2006. During that trip, I formed a quick and lasting bond with the region – with its landscape, its culture, the food, the people and, obviously, the wines. I’ve been dying to get back ever since.

Neive is the prototypical Piedmont town, perched atop a hill and surrounded by vineyards, all within view of the Alps.
One of the estates I had the opportunity to visit on that trip was Paitin di Pasquero-Elia, located in the hills above Neive, the largest town in Piedmont’s Barbaresco zone. Giovanni Pasquero-Elia, with whom we spent an enlightening morning, represents the current generation of a family that’s been working the land and vines in their slice of the Barbaresco landscape since 1796. The recent history of his estate, and Giovanni’s role in its evolution, places him at the crux of the never ending debate that has engaged the minds of so many lovers of Piedmontese wine in recent years: the question of modernism versus traditionalism.

Until just a few years ago, Paitin’s wines were represented on the US market by Marc de Grazia, an importer who, as I’ve detailed here before, is often viewed as bringing a heavy hand to play in influencing the winemaking approaches of the producers in his portfolio. In keeping with that approach, Giovanni and his father Secondo had taken, throughout the 1990s, to the use of rotofermenters – machines that quicken color extraction and shorten traditional maceration periods by two-thirds or more – and to aging nearly all of their wines in French oak barriques.

A look inside the rotofermenter, one of the first views greeting us during our tour of the Paitin winery.

But wait… I’m getting a little ahead of myself here.

* * *
The Paitin estate includes 17.5 hectares of vineyard, mostly situated along either side of the Via Serra Boella in Bricco di Neive, with the namesake Sorì Paitin vineyard forming the heart of the property.

The Sorì Paitin vineyard, as seen from atop the hill behind the Pasquero-Elia family's winery.
Barbaresco, not surprisingly, is the family’s most important wine. In good years, they produce three different bottlings: Barbaresco “Serra Boella,” from 1.5 hectares of Nebbiolo planted on the east-facing Serra Boella hillside; Barbaresco “Sorì Paitin,” the flagship wine from four hectares of southern exposed vines in the monopole Sorì Paitin; and their top wine, the “Sorì Paitin Vecchie Vigne,” from a single hectare of 55 year-old vines (planted in 1953) within the greater Sorì Paitin site.

As is typical throughout the region, the Pasquero-Elia family also grows Dolcetto and Barbera, both to provide for the everyday Piedmontese table – Barbaresco (and Barolo) are generally reserved for special occasions – and to take advantage of portions of their property not ideally suited to the finicky Nebbiolo. A single Dolcetto d’Alba is produced from a 1.5 hectare parcel of the Sorì Paitin. And there are two Barberas d’Alba, one from three hectares on Serra Boella, the other, “Campolive,” is a single vineyard bottling named after a one hectare plot at the warmest, sunniest spot on their property.

The family also owns parcels outside of the Barbaresco zone, with three hectares of Nebbiolo and one of Cabernet Sauvignon at a site called “Ca Veja” (Old House) in Alba and, finally, 1.5 hectares of Arneis in the Roero.

* * *
In Making Sense Of Italian Wine, author Matt Kramer paints a clear, up-to-date, opinionated yet level-headed picture of the decades-old clash between modernism and traditionalism in Piedmont. In the introduction to his chapter on Barolo, he describes a paradigm that he clearly feels applies to Barbaresco as well:

“Distinguising among Barolo producers goes beyond just assessing quality. Style now plays a major role. It was easier a decade ago: modernists were then clearly distinguishable from traditionalists. Today, the middle ground is, if anything, the most heavily populated.

These “centrists” take what they believe are most desirable from the modernist camp (small oak barrels; rotofermenters…; short macerations) and apply those techniques with a traditionalist hand – not too much oak, not too short a maceration, not too vigorous a use of the washing machine-like rotofermenter.”

The oldest portions of the Paitin cellars were constructed in the 15th Century, predating the "modern" history of the estate.

In the chapter covering Barbaresco, Kramer includes Paitin di Pasquero Elia among his recommended estates and says, “Although decidedly modern in style, there’s no doubting the seriousness of the wine or the quality of the grapes. This is a producer that shows the possibilities of modernism in pursuit of traditional Barbaresco goodness.”

* * *
Visiting Paitin at the time we did proved very interesting in the context of the above descriptions, as we were able to observe the estate in the midst of flux. In the early part of this decade, growing increasingly unenamored with their importer’s approach, the Pasquero-Elia’s elected to leave the de Grazia camp. Though he continues to work with a rotofermenter and to practice micro-oxygenation (to counteract the extremely reductive environment within the rotofermenter), Giovanni immediately chose to eliminate barriques from the estate’s aging regimen. He also began to move away from the super-ripe, concentrated style that marked the estate’s wines through the 1990s, working instead toward a more elegant expression of his terroir and a fresher, brighter fruit focus.
Hearkening back to an earlier time, an old bottle of Barbaresco, from Secondo Pasquero-Elia's era, is watched over by one of the cellar spiders.
Many of the wines we tasted in the Paitin cellars that day were produced on the cusp of that change. Among them were some of the last wines produced during the de Grazia years and some of the first from the current era. As such, this report should be viewed as a snapshot of that time. I’m sure the approach at Paitin has continued to evolve since. As to how I feel about the new direction then indicated at the estate, which might be described as a step toward “centrism,” I happen to agree with Kramer’s assessment. To paraphrase his words, Paitin is a producer that shows the possibilities of modernism – and post-modernism – in pursuit of Piedmontese goodness.

* * *
If this leaves you hungry for more, you’ll find a detailed accounting of the wines we tasted during our visit below.

Roero Arneis “Vigna Elisa,” Paitin di Pasquero-Elia 2004
Named after Giovanni’s grandmother, “Vigna Elisa” is the only white wine produced at the estate. Arneis, by the way, means “difficult boy” or “rascal” in the old Piedmontese dialect. Paitin’s example, produced from yields of 30 hl/ha, falls into neither the fresh and fruity style nor the broad, oxidative style of Roero Arneis. The wine sees cold maceration on its skins for 24-36 hours, followed by fermentation in steel using selected yeasts. It then remains on its lees in tank until bottling time, about six months after the harvest. Giovanni recommends it be consumed in its first 2-3 years in bottle. The ’04, tasted from bottle, showed richly extracted color accompanied by heady, oily aromatics. Medium acidity carried through to a long finish, full of honeysuckle and almond flavors. (13% alcohol.)

Dolcetto d’Alba “Sorì Paitin,” Paitin di Pasquero-Elia 2004
Giovanni’s 2004 Dolcetto showed a less floral, cherry-driven nose along with a denser palate impact than much of the other Dolcetto tasted on our trip. Following quick rotofermentation on selected yeasts, the wine ages for six months in old botte and tonneaux of Slavonian oak. Though many producers eschew wood for their Dolcetti, Giovanni feels that the naturally oxidative environment in the old casks helps to counter both the reductive aspects of rotofermentation as well as Dolcetto’s natural tendency toward reductivity.

Barbera d’Alba “Serra Boella,” Paitin di Pasquero-Elia 2004
Most of the Barbera on Serra Boella was originally planted in the early 1980s with clones that turned out to be poorly suited to the site. After replanting in 1997 with vine cuttings propagated from the “Campolive” vineyard, Giovanni has found the site to give much better wines. The ’04 is a typical example – maybe my favorite of the last several vintages – of Serra Boella Barbera, full of sweet berry fruit, zingy acidity and fresh, direct aromas. The 2003 version saw a six-day rotofermentation followed by 12 months of aging in 50% new tonneaux and 50% three-year-old barriques. In contrast, the 2004 was aged for 12 months in old botte after a nine-day spell in the rotofermenter.

Not from the archives.... Some of Paitin's current releases.
Barbera d’Alba “Campolive,” Paitin di Pasquero-Elia 2003
Campolive, again, is the warmest spot on the Paitin property. Its name is a reference to Giovanni’s belief that olive trees were planted on the site during the Roman era. The 2003, with its raisiny nose and richer, more opulent flavors, spent nine days in the rotofermenter (fermented on its natural yeasts), followed by about one month in steel to allow for settling and precipitation of solids. After that, it underwent 18 months in a mixture of barriques, 50% new and 50% two-year-old. The ’03 was the last vintage to see any barrique aging; Giovanni planned to switch to aging in new botte beginning with the 2004 vintage.

Nebbiolo d’Alba “Ca Veja,” Paitin di Pasquero-Elia 2003
This is from the family’s three-hectare plot of Nebbiolo near Alba, located outside of the Barbaresco zone and only one mile from the border of Barolo. The site was replanted in the mid-1990s after a flood and subsequent mudslide destroyed much of the original vineyard. The 2003 was arguably the most “traditionalist” wine produced at the estate up to that point, aged in old botte only. It displayed intense tannins on the front palate followed by sweet rhubarb and herb-laced red fruit. The 2001 version, in comparison, was aged in tonneaux, 50% of which were new.

The main barrel cellar at Paitin, circa 2006, showing a mixture of barriques, tonneaux and botte.
Barbaresco “Sorì Paitin,” Paitin di Pasquero-Elia 2001
The 2001 vintage was finished before Paitin ended their import relationship with Marc de Grazia. Here, the power shown in “Ca Veja” continued but with darker fruit and suppler texture, along with a hint of leather. Following nine days in the rotofermenter, it was aged for two years in oak: 30% in new French barriques, 20% in 2-3 year-old barriques and 50% in tonneaux. More recent vintages are aged in botte only, and the elegance hinted at in this 2001 version has come more to the fore in subsequent releases.

Barbaresco “Sorì Paitin Vecchie Vigne,” Paitin di Pasquero-Elia 2001
The top wine of the estate, from a one-hectare parcel of the Sorì Paitin that was planted in 1953. It’s also the most powerful wine of the estate, an easy dispeller of the old “Barolo is masculine, Barbaresco feminine” adage. Darker in color and flavor than the Sorì Paitin “normale” but still well-balanced, with plenty of finesse and complexity. Giovanni’s father, Secondo, formerly bottled this as Barbaresco Riserva, starting with the 1974 vintage. Since then, Giovanni has dropped the Riserva designation, feeling that the term’s meaning has been destroyed by it commercial, international manifestations. The 2001 spent three weeks clarifying in steel after a nine-day spell in the rotofermenter, and was finished with two years aging in a mixture of French oak barrels, 50% new and 50% two years old. It is now aged completely in botte of Slavonian oak, varying from light toast to no toast at all.

Barbaresco “Serra Boella,” Paitin di Pasquero-Elia 2002
The only Barbaresco produced at Paitin in the difficult 2002 vintage. It was surprisingly dark for the vintage, likely an attribute driven by the strong color extraction achieved via rotofermentation, yet it was also more evolved in tone and aromas than the 2001s we’d already tasted. Plummier and rounder than the wines from the Sorì Paitin, it was also a tad reductive when first poured but that quickly resolved with some time in the glass. A solid effort for the vintage. Regrettably, my notes don’t include any technical specs for this bottling.

Langhe Rosso “Paitin,” Paitin di Pasquero-Elia 2003
In 2003 the “Langhe Paitin” was a varietal expression of Cabernet Sauvignon. Yes, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Langhe. Not surprisingly, it was much blacker in color than the Nebbiolo-based wines. Surprisingly low alcohol (13%) given the infamous heat of the 2003 growing season, it led off with a soft, round feel and attractive flavors of blackberry, cassis and licorice but was then marred by astringent, slightly green tannins. The very fact that Paitin had planted Cabernet Sauvignon might be looked at from one perspective as outrageously modern, a move toward internationalization of Piedmontese tradition. Given that Cabernet constitutes only a single hectare of the overall estate and appears in only this wine, it might just as easily be viewed (from a more forgiving perspective) as a natural outlet for a vine grower and winemaker’s curiosity. Earlier experiments with both Pinot Noir and Syrah, in fact, were abandoned after Giovanni found the vines to be unsuited to his terroir. Giovanni continues to farm his plot of Cabernet but now blends the fruit with Nebbiolo and Barbera to produce a slightly more typical, slightly less outrageous Langhe Rosso blend.

My roommate Dale B. and I, pausing for a moment of contemplation after our visit. The family residence is behind us to the right, the old winery building at left.

Azienda Agricola PAITIN di Pasquero Elia
Via Serra Boella 20
12052 Neive (CN)
ITALIA

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One Last WBW Reminder

It's 11:00 PM. Do you know where your Dolcetti are?


See you here tomorrow for WBW 54: A Passion for Piedmont.

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Wine Blogging Wednesday: The How-To Show

This Wednesday, February 18, 2009, wine lovers and bloggers from far and wide will convene here at MFWT for the 54th edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, “A Passion for Piedmont.” I’m hoping for a great turnout and am also anticipating – based on some inquiries I’ve received – at least a few first time participants. So I thought it prudent to blast everyone with one last reminder (well, maybe not the last reminder but the last full-length one) and to recap the ways in which to participate.

• Read the complete story of this month’s theme.
  
• In short, pick any wine from the Piedmont region of Italy. White, red, rosé, sparkling, sweet, dry, expensive, dirt cheap... it’s all ok.
  
• Drink it, enjoy it (hopefully) and write something about the experience.
  
• There is no need to have your own blog to participate.

Just in case drinking only one wine seems too easy and you really want to immerse yourself in the venture, I’ve added a couple of bonus point addendums to my original WBW announcement.

• BP Challenge #1: Write-up a red wine and a white wine, both from the same producer (and, of course, both from Piedmont).
  
• BP Challenge #2: Write-up two wines, each made from the same variety (or varieties) but hailing from different sub-regions and/or different DOC(G)s within Piedmont.

Once you’ve done your shopping, drinking and writing (photos are encouraged, too), all that’s left to do is submit your work. Here’s how:

• If you don’t have your own blog, you can post your write-up as a comment to this or any of the other WBW 54 posts here at MFWT.
  
• If you do have your own blog, post away on your own site, then send me a link to your write-up, either in the comments below or via e-mail. Posting on Wednesday is ideal but early submissions are fine and even late submissions are no problem.
  
• In either of the above scenarios, you may also send your entire submission to me via e-mail (davidmcduff at verizon dot net). I’ll then post your work for you as a comment or – if you really rock the house – as a guest post here at MFWT.

I hope that’s all clear enough. Go and get your Piedmont on, drink well and have fun with it. I’ll see you all here on Wednesday.

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Coste della Sesia, WBW 54 Reminder #3 (and even more bonus points)

The one-week countdown to WBW 54, “A Passion for Piedmont,” starts today. Just in case you missed it, you can start from the beginning with my original announcement. In last week’s reminder, I issued a little bonus point challenge. As that was a potential toughie, I thought I’d put another extra credit option out there for your WBW enjoyment.

Find, drink and write-up two wines, each made from the same variety (or varieties) but hailing from different areas and/or different DOC(G)s within Piedmont.

From a shopping or cellar raiding perspective, this one should be a little easier than last week’s challenge. Some of the more straightforward options – focusing on the core of Piedmontese wine country, the Langhe district surrounding the city of Alba – might include comparing:

• Barolo and Barbaresco
  
• Barbera d’Asti and Barbera d’Alba
  
• Dolcetto d’Alba and Dolcetto di Dogliani
  
• Nebbiolo d’Alba and Langhe Nebbiolo

The steepest vineyards in Dogliani, like this one belonging to Anna Maria Abbona, are often terraced.
You might also opt to bring geography more clearly into play by comparing wines from more disparate subzones of Piedmont. Choosing two Nebbiolo-based wines, one from the Langhe/Albese district and another from one of the zones in northeastern Piedmont such as Gattinara or Ghemme, would do the trick.

Things could get a bit more complicated if you opt for tasting two blended wines, as the rules governing blending (as well as the list of sanctioned grape varieties) vary widely from zone to zone within Piedmont. It’s doable though, and I might even allow a little bending of the rules. A Nebbiolo-dominated Langhe Rosso, for instance, might be paired up with something like this….


Coste della Sesia Rosso “Uvaggio,” Proprietà Sperino 2005
$36. 12.5% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Petit Pois, Moorestown, NJ.
Paolo DeMarchi, without question, is best known as a producer of fine Chianti Classico and of the Toscana Rosso IGT “Cepparello.” Both wines are produced at his beautiful estate Isole e Olena, named for the two hamlets his property more or less encompasses in the Tuscan district of Barberino Val d’Elsa.

When he purchased 25 acres of land in the hillsides of Lessona and the Coste della Sesia in northeastern Piedmont in 2000, I imagine he was initially viewed as something of an interloper. Paolo, though, traces his family’s history back to this area; he was simply pursuing his dream of returning to his roots. The fact that his son Luca, who had previously been uncertain as to whether he wanted to join the family business, fell in love with the property must have been icing on the cake. You’ll find both Paolo and Luca’s names on every bottle of wine from their new venture, Proprietà Sperino.

“Uvaggio” simply means “a blend of grapes.” One might ask an Italian producer about their uvaggio just as we might ask a French vigneron of his wine’s encépagement or an American winemaker of her chosen blend. As one of my friends and co-workers likes to say, it’s an utterly pedestrian name for an anything but pedestrian wine. In this case, the blend happens to be Nebbiolo, Croatina and Vespolina, something along the respective percentage lines of 65/25/10. 2005 marks its second vintage release.

One of the things I like and respect most about DeMarchi’s wines is that, even though they show a strong winemaking stamp, they always allow a sense of place to shine through.

On day one with “Uvaggio,” that winemaking stamp took the front seat, with a heady nose of oak-derived cedar and vanillin aromas rising from the first pour. It didn’t take too long for dark red fruited scents of raspberries and mulberries to work their way to the fore. However, the wine also seemed disjointed, like its gears weren’t yet in synch. The occasional whiff of paint and a glossier than anticipated mouthfeel weren’t helping matters.

The wine came more fully into its own on day two, as more characteristic traits of both Nebbiolo and the cool, high elevation Coste della Sesia emerged. Grappling hook tannins and snappy acidity were both clearer and better balanced than on day one, the oak influence much less prevalent and more harmonious. Aromas and flavors, too, were much more appealing, ranging from tar and rose petals to cinnamon and orange peel, along with that classic Nebbiolo stamp of red licorice. Sitting in the glass, the wine continued to become more and more aromatic, eventually bringing to mind sour red plums and cherries.

This definitely needs some time – ideally in the cellar or, if you can’t wait, in a decanter – to reveal its full charms.

By coincidence Sperino’s rosato, a direct descendent of “Uvaggio,” was my selected entry for WBW 47 last summer.

* * *
Whatever you choose from the wide array of options for “A Passion for Piedmont” – and whether or not you take on a bonus challenge – have fun with it. I’ll look forward to reading your reports next week.

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WBW 54 Reminder #2 (including a bonus point challenge) and a Delicious Barbera

The two week countdown has begun for the 54th edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday, which will be hosted right here at MFWT. Just in case anyone missed the original announcement, this month’s topic is “A Passion for Piedmont.” All you have to do to participate is to pick any wine – red, white, rosé, bubbly, sweet… you get the picture – from Piedmont (the northwestern corner of Italy that is, not the middle of North Carolina), try it, write about it and report on your findings. Having your own blog makes it easy but is absolutely not a requirement. You’ll find a more complete description of how to participate back in my original announcement. I’ll post the instructions again as our date – Wednesday, February 18, 2009 – draws nearer.

Castiglione Falletto is just one of the many beautiful hilltop villages in Piedmont's Barolo zone. (Photo courtesy of Alastair.)
I also promised/threatened to issue a bonus point challenge or two as our deadline draws nigh. Just what those bonus points will be worth remains to be determined but, at the very least, you can rest assured that they’ll move your report to the head of the class when I publish the summary of participants. So, without further ado, the first “Passion for Piedmont” bonus point challenge is:

Drink a red wine and a white wine, both from Piedmont and both from the same producer.

Sounds easy enough, right? I don’t hear too many wine bloggers complaining about second bottles. But remember, Piedmont is red wine country. White wines are certainly produced but are fewer and further between than their red brethren. Half the challenge will be in the shopping alone. So get to it. I’ll be interested to see what you find.

* * *
I’ve already been doing a bit of Piedmontese practice – with wines, that is, not the local dialect. For no particular reason, the focus of late has been on Barbera. Here’s a quick note on one that really grabbed me by the bootstraps.

Barbera d’Alba “Vigna Martina,” Elio Grasso 2006
$36. 14.5% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Petit Pois, Moorestown, NJ; and Martin Scott, New York, NY.
Elio Grasso’s Barbera is made from the fruit of a single vineyard, fermented in steel and then aged in French barriques (half new and half one-year-old) for one year, followed by a minimum of eight-months aging in bottle prior to release. In addition to the wine’s single vineyard origins, it’s really the use of small (and especially new) French oak barrels (as opposed to steel-only or larger casks of Slavonian oak) that would lead some to brand it as “in the modern style.” The structure of Grasso’s Barbera, however, is more than up to integrating and balancing with that oak. In a good vintage it can be quite age worthy and will be outlived, in fact, only by the estate’s bottlings of Barolo. (The label image above is borrowed from the 2001 vintage.)

When I first tasted the 2006 upon release, roughly six months ago, it was tough. Tight’s not the right word; it was disjointed, awkward and ungiving, even if all the parts seemed to be there. Only six months on, it’s quickly coming into its own, showing beautiful concentration and presence. It’s already eaten up the oak, which has left only a nuance of toast and spice, nothing at all to interfere with, much less mask, the wine’s expression. Barbera’s fruit-forward nature is all there, with plums, blueberries and blackberries in spades, but there’s also force and substance. Just as the wine is handling its oak, it’s also carrying its naturally high acidity with ease, showing not a hint of Barbera’s tendency toward tanginess. At the same time, it’s that acidity – along with gentle but perfectly balanced grip – that lets the wine carry its weight and frame with grace. This one’s a baby right now, but already a pleasure to drink.

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Announcing WBW 54: A Passion for Piedmont

Tuscany may get all the attention when it comes to dreaming of idyllic vacations in the Italian countryside, while Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan usually top the list of destinations for the city traveler. Of all the spots in Italy I’ve visited, though, the region that most strongly beckons my return is Piedmont.

With that in mind, it’s my pleasure to announce that I’ll be hosting the next edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday. Our theme for the February session will be “A Passion for Piedmont” (a title I’ve borrowed with all due respect from wine writer Matt Kramer’s Piedmontese cookbook).

For any who don’t know it, Piedmont is situated in the northwestern corner of Italy. Nestled in the shadow of the Alps, Piedmont is close enough to the French border that there’s a hint (a scant hint) of French/Italian cultural interchange. While it’s close enough to the Mediterranean that on a clear day you can catch a faint view of the sea from atop the region’s highest hillsides, Piedmont is entirely landlocked. Many in Piedmont still speak the local Piedmontese dialect, quite different from classic Italian. And while the cultural tone of the region is sometimes thought of as cool and reserved in comparison to the warm, garrulous nature of southern Italy, I’ve found the Piedmontese people to be incredibly welcoming and forthcoming. You just have to take a little time to get to know them.

The same thing can be said of the region’s wines. They don’t tend to be as forward and immediately open as the wines of southern Italy. But there’s incredible depth and diversity to the region’s viticultural range, a range that’s well worth the time it takes to explore and understand.


While there are some fine white wines made in the region – from Gavi di Gavi to Roero Arneis to Moscato d’Asti – there’s no denying that Piedmont is red wine country. The Nebbiolo-based wines of Barolo and Barbaresco may steal the thunder. But it’s the wines made from Piedmont’s other two primary varieties – Barbera and Dolcetto – that appear most often on the Piedmontese table. Less common regional specialties like Freisa, Grignolino and Brachetto add local color and help to make Piedmont one of Italy’s most diverse wine zones.

There’s geographical diversity to spare as well. Barolo and Barbaresco again may take center stage, as the show pieces of the Langhe, the wine zone focused around the city of Alba. But there are lovely expressions of Barbera to be found around Asti and in the Monferrato hills. Dolcetto is the lifeblood in Dogliani, just to the south of Barolo. And a good stretch further to the northeast, in the Alto Piemonte, Nebbiolo again exerts its nobility in zones such as Gattinara, Ghemme and Lessona.

Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is simple. Pick a wine, any wine, from Piedmont, taste it, consider it, jot down a few notes and then write up your impressions of the wine. Your piece can be as simple or as detailed as you see fit – in either case, I encourage you to explore and enjoy.

If you don’t have your own blog, you’re still more than welcome to participate. Just leave your write-up as a comment to this posting. Or you can e-mail your review to me – davidmcduff (at) verizon dot net – and I’ll post it for you. Most of the bloggers out there should already know the routine; just post a piece on your own blog and send a link to your posting to me, either via e-mail or using the comment field below.

Wine Blogging Wednesday, by the way, is a monthly event, started over four years ago by Lenn Thompson at LennDevours. Participants select a wine based on a chosen theme and then write about their experiences.

Reports for this 54th edition of Wine Blogging Wednesday are due on Wednesday, February 18, 2009. I’ll post a summary of everyone’s contributions the following weekend. In the meanwhile, get shopping. And stay tuned here, as I’ll post reminders – and maybe even a bonus point challenge or two – over the next few weeks.

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Addendum:

• Bonus Challenge #1
  
• Bonus Challenge #2

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Breakfast Wine for WBW 53

It’s been a while since I’ve jumped into the Wine Blogging Wednesday pool. But given that this month’s host, El Jefe at El Bloggo Torcido has, in his own typically twisted way, made things both fun and challenging, I figured it was high time rejoin the fray. El Jefe (or Jeff Stai, if you prefer – he’s the owner of Twisted Oak Winery in Calaveras County, California) has asked participants to write up their favorite breakfast wine. No problem, right?

When I show Moscato d’Asti at wine tastings, I often describe it as the perfect breakfast wine. It’s always good for a laugh and it’s also true. A good example of Moscato represents some of the best fruit juice you’re ever likely to drink. It’s low in alcohol and has enough residual sugar to pair with a wide variety of breakfast sweets, from pastries to pancakes to French toast.

I’d actually rather drink Champagne, but that’s harder to explain to that percentage of the population that for some reason believes there’s something wrong with having wine before 5PM. There’s nothing, though, quite like a good glass of Champers with an omelette aux fines herbes or with a simple plate of bacon and eggs for that matter.

The challenge is that El Jefe has forbidden us from drinking anything with bubbles or anything that’s at all sweet. And wine cocktails such as the ubiquitous Mimosa? Forget about it. Dry red or dry white wine is the rule of the day. So, with that in mind, I think back to my last couple of wine junkets to Europe and, in particular, to the wine villages of the middle Loire.

Chinon, Domaine des Rouet 2005
$14. 12.5% alcohol. Diam. Kysela Père et Fils, Winchester, VA.
I’m cheating a bit here, as I drank this Chinon over the course of the last two days with dinner rather than breakfast. I doubt whether the main component of those dinners – pumpkin lentil soup with sautéed mushrooms – would fit into many people’s definition of breakfast food. However, on both nights, I also enjoyed a couple of slices of crusty bread and a generous portion of Loire Valley goat cheese – Selles sur Cher, to be exact.

If you’re in a budget hotel, like the one in Montlouis where our group stayed a few years back, breakfast may be nothing more than a stale baguette, butter, jam and a cup of weak coffee. If you have an early morning appointment at a nearby winery, on the other hand, you’re much more likely to be greeted with a plate of dried sausages or cured meats, a little bread and a wedge of the local goat’s milk cheese. It’ll sate your belly and stand you in good stead for a day spent in cold cellars and – if you’re there in February as I was – frosty vineyards. If you happen to be in the town of Chinon, the cheese on your plate would probably be St. Maure de Touraine but that’s splitting hairs….

The Chinon from Domaine des Rouet is simple and unassuming. In fact it’s actually not perfectly balanced nor all that memorable. Lean and a little ungiving on its own, it does perk up in the presence of food, its slightly herbaceous and tart red fruit opening up to reveal a riper core of redcurrants when matched with the Selles sur Cher. It’s what some might call a bistro wine – straightforward and direct, with little personality of its own but quite flexible at the table. At 12.5% alcohol, it’s relatively low alcohol so not too, too strong for early going. Besides, I don’t want anything deep, dark, profound or powerful first thing in the morning. Just something to kick my taste buds and palate into gear for the rest of the day.

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