Piedmont and Italy and Les Alps!

Wednesday the Tour leaves France for a one day incursion into neighboring Italy and the town of Pierolo in the Piedmont. While not running through the main wine growing regions of Barolo or Barbaresco, the race skirts the city of Turin and provides stunning vistas as it winds through Alps just to the west, where fresh snowfall has actually caused some concern for the route. The route on Wednesday climbs the Sestrieres, home of several Olympic events when they were held in Turin. Thursday promises to be an epic and decisive stage as the route climbs up some of the legendary steeps of the tour on Thursday, with three HC climbs up the Col Angel, the Col d'Izoard and a finish atop the Galibier Serre-Chevalier, and Friday with the mighty Alp d'Huez.

Piedmont: Located in the Northwest of Italy,  the Piedmont region is the home of two of the most renowned red wines in the world, Barolo and Barbaresco. Sought after by connoisseurs and collectors, these magnificent wines are fairly expensive and can need years of bottle age before they are ready to drink. Yet what really puts Piedmont on the map for the majority of wine lovers is that it also produces a wide range of wines that are affordable, ready to drink, food friendly, and perfect for everyday enjoyment.

Like all great wine regions, the style and quality of Piedmontese wines is the result of millions of years of geologic evolution combined with the influences of climate (Mediterranean meets Alps), the grape varieties grown, and the traditions and wine making methods used to craft them. Piedmont, which means "foothills" in Italian, lies at the intersection of two great geological forces where the African and European continents collide. This massive force not only created the Alps, which are visible on a clear day from much of the region, but also pushed up an ancient seafloor to the surface creating a jumbled series of steep hills with a mix of different soils, slopes, altitudes and exposures that are perfect for growing grapes. 

The subtle differences between vineyard sites favor grapes with different ripening requirements, and a host of grape varieties are planted in the region depending on the specific microclimate where they are planted. While Piedmont is best known for its reds, there are also delicious white, rosè, sparkling, and sweet wines too. 

Piedmontese whites are typically crisp, clean and on the light, refreshing side. Some of the best known are made from local varieties such as Arneis, Cortese (the grape in Gavi), and a few lesser known indigenous grapes including Erbaluce and Favorita. There are some international varieties including Riesling, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc too. Moscato is widely planted and is mainly used in the production of sparkling sweet wine called Moscato d'Asti. Red grapes include Grignolino, Brachetto, Grachetto, Friesa, Croatina, and Vespolina to name a few obscure local varieties, plus Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Pinot Noir as the international representatives. But the bulk of red wine is made from Barbera, Dolcetto and Nebbiolo.

Both Dolcetto and Barbera are fairly early ripeners, making lovely fresh,   lively wines that have the dual benefit that wine makers can sell them a year or so after harvest (and get paid sooner) and that wine lovers can drink them pretty much when they are released. Since they ripen earlier, they can be grown in vineyards in cooler sites and are a little less demanding than Nebbiolo. Dolcetto has a dark, edgy cherry character with moderate tannins and modest acidity. It can be made in a slightly rustic style with more structure, or in a more modern style that is juicier and more fruit driven. Either way it can be drunk young and fresh within a few years of the vintage. Barbera is typically a bit higher in acid and slightly lower in tannins than Dolcetto. Most Barbera is pretty simple and straight forward yet deliciously juicy wine with bright red fruits and cherry notes. When it is planted in top vineyard sites it can morph into a wine with much more stature, depth and power. Barbera can be vinified in a more traditional style in large neutral barrels or concrete, or in a modern style and aged in barrique, and the best can age and improve for 8-10 years.

Nebbiolo, the sole grape in Barolo and Barbaresco, is a late ripening varietal. It is widely believed that it took its name from the mist and fog (Nebbia in Italian) that is typical in the late fall when the grape finally ripens. While Dolcetto and Barbera can thrive in cooler sites, Nebbiolo destined Barolo and Barbaresco needs the best of the warm, sunny, south facing vineyards to capture the heat and fully mature. It produces wines that can range in style from fresh and lively and ready to drink  (Langhe Nebbiolo for example), to solid, tensely structured and firmly tannic wines that need a decade or two to reach their peak when planted in the Barberesco and Barolo DOCGs. The main determining factors in the quality and style of Nebbiolo are vintage conditions, vine age, vinification method, and perhaps most importantly, vineyard location.

When made in the lighter style it undergoes shorter fermentation and maceration in order to keep its red fruit and freshness. Nebbiolo destined for Barolo and Barbaresco undergo much longer fermentation and maturation, with several years of barrel and bottle aging required by law before they can be sold, and only the best Nebbiolo grapes are used.

Most of the wine made in Piedmont is in the vineyards around the towns of Asti, Alba and Alessandria, but there are five main regions: Canavese (including Carema and Caluso), Colline Novarese, Coste della Sesia in the north, Langhe - including the hill country around the city of Alba and the Roero, and Monferrato which includes the areas around Asti and Alessandria. The region has 45 Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) and 12 Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG).  The DOCG wines are: Asti, Barbaresco, Barbera d'Asti, Barbera del Monferrato Superiore, Barolo, Acqui, Dogliani, Ovada, Gattinara, Gavi, Ghemme and Roero.

The Barolo DOCG has several sub zones - Castiglione Falletto, La Morra, Monforte d'Alba and Serralunga d'Alba - and each has its own unique terrior and style. Barbaresco also has several sub zones - Barbaresco, Treiso, and Neive - again with subtle influences on the style of wines produced. In both Barolo and Barbaresco, producer is important as styles can range from very traditional, austere and almost rustic to much more extracted, riper and more modern styles. The grape, with its firm tannins, good acidity and relatively low color component makes wines that are rarely inky dark purple, rather they have a little more garnet and lighter hues, almost brick hints at the edges. Barolo and Barbaresco are often described as  "big wines" but to me, while definitely intense, they are more nervy, racy and highly strung, less generous and more reserved and tight especially when young, and with more dried fruits, earth and leather notes than sheer power and opulence. In this sense they can be a bit stand-offish at first for lovers of riper, oakier, more fruit oriented wines.

The wines of Piedmont are fantastic partners at the table. From light fresh whites that are perfect as an aperitif, with fish, appetizers, risotto or pasta with seafood, to medium bodied reds like Barbera or Dolcetto which are great with light meats, pasta with red sauce or pizza, and Barolo and Barbaresco with griiled lamb, veal chops or beef, they are well worth getting to know. For after dinner there are sweetly sparkling Moscato d'Asti with its peachy pear notes, or Brachetto d'Aqui, a sweet sparkling red that us like liquid raspberries. A series of great vintages has made a wealth of wine available for affordable everyday drinking as well as for the collector looking to stock the cellar with age worthy gems making this a great time to explore this excellent wine region. For a listing of our wines from Piedmont click the links below.

Moscato d'Asti

Barbera 

Dolcetto 

Nebbiolo

Barolo

Barbaresco

Gattinara

An Incredible Evening at Cafe Matisse

Had an awesome evening of food and wine at Cafe Matisse in Rutherford with delicious cuisine prepared by Chef and owner Peter Loria who came out from the kitchen and joined us from time to time with details of each complex and delicious dish he prepared. Food great, wines outstanding, company terrific - thanks everyone for bringing such great wines! We started the evening with a selection of delicious amuse, then each chose 3 selections from the tasting menu of about 12 or so offerings - a nice way to be able to graze through the creative menu.

Champagne Blanc des Blanc "Substance" Disgorged October 28th, 2008, Jacques Selosse . When will we ever learn??? Never, ever serve this as the first wine unless you have about an hour to spare because in my opinion that's how long it takes this mind blowing bubbly to show its true colors. Best advice: open a Sancerre or crisp white for apps, the open the Selosse and decant, wait about 15-20 minutes, pour into a good sized wine glasses, no wimpy flutes, and it will finally give you a full view of its extraordinary complexity. Not that it's not good right out of the gate, it's fresher and more lively in a way, still showing hints of its unique elevage both in its slightly amber hue and its lovely evolved and aromtic bouquet. But with a little air this wine unlocks grilled almonds, pain grille, hints of sherry, and a mouthful of complex, layered, flavors. It has a solid core, hard to call it "fruit" because this is different, transformed from raw fruit to something altogether more multi-faceted,  mineral and focused and weathered. The background information below is from the Rare Wine Company, importers of this outstanding Champagne Domaine:

"OVERVIEW
Established: 1950-1960
First Vintage Bottled: 1960
Proprietors: Corinne & Anselme Selosse
Since assuming control of his father's estate in 1974, Anselme & Corinne Selosse have redefined Champagne with fastidious viticulture, innovative élevage, and intensely vinous Champagnes.

VINEYARD INFORMATION
Soils: classic chalky marls
Vines: Approx. 0.85 hA of Pinot Noir, and 6.65 hA of Chardonnay in the elite villages of Avize, Cramant, Oger, Le Mesnil, Aÿ, Ambonnay and Mareuil-sur-Aÿ.
Appellation: Champagne
Harvest: by hand

ADDITIONAL NOTES
Selosse features some of the lowest yielding vines in the region - leading to the region's ripest, most expressive fruit.
They encourage the natural growth and evolution of the soil so that it may express minerality in the wine.
Primary fermentations occur in a mix of pièces (228L), fût (400L), and demi-muids (600L).
Malolactic fermentations are free to occur (or not) as each individual lot evolves.
Wines are held for one year in barrel, with 16% new barrels added to the rotation each year. Reserve wines spend a year in foudre before being moved to INOX.

The winemaking notes included here are only guides. Because the Selosses' raw materials vary according to vintage conditions, they adapt their techniques each time they craft a cuvée. Their goal is always to maximize each wine's expression of identity and terroir.

Cépage: Each year, 22% is withdrawn from a solera (started in 1986) of two Avize parcels; a south-facing slope and an east hill-base.
Bottle Aging: The wine ages a further 5-6 years in bottle before disgorgement.
Dosage: 0-4 g/l
Production: 275 cases" Notes quoted From The Rare Wine Company.

First Course: Pan Seared Scallops and Foie Gras with Wild Mushroom Ravioli, Gingered Butternut Squash and Dollop of Mascarpone, Drizzled with Sage Pesto Topped with Apple Relish, Spiced Walnuts and Dusted with Star Anise
 

Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles 1992, Paul Pernot - Youthful color, very fresh, better than a bottle of the same I had back in September, this was in positively perfect condition. Lovey, stony, cool mineral nose with hints of lemon creme - a wine in its prime and simply drinking great. Little cold at first, this opened and developed complexity for the entire evening - mouth filling, layered, beautiful white Burg! 

Vouvray Clos du Bourg Moelleux 1985, Huet - Pale straw color that looks more like a wine bottled in 2005 offers a hint of the character of this nearly perfect example of Chenin Blanc. A lovely nose, perfumed, wet stones, hints of Irish wool, citrus blossom, quince, tangerine and white flowers. Comes in elegant, sanftig - pure and seamless and finishes clean as a whistle and leaving the impression that this ethereal wine could last another 20+ years and still only just be coming out of its shell. Pure, mineral, with sweetness to start and then almost dry into the finish that goes on and on. Could be wine of the night, and in this line-up, that's saying something! $80? Ridiculously cheap!
 

Second Course: Osso Bucco - didn't keep good notes here but a creative take on the classic.
 

Barolo Monfortino Riserva 2002, Giacomo Conterno - Potentially one of the great Barolos of all time? We shall see but this first taste since the impressive barrel sample I had back in 2007 shows a huge, promising future. Could it be that its struggle in the difficult conditions during the 2002 vintage has added a strength and complexity not found in perfectly sunny and more benign years? Spiced red fruit and spice on the nose at first, it developed a darker more brooding tone as it opened up - Cardamom and exotic spice hints follow., hint of that tarry petrol note Nebbiolo can have. On the palate it is mouth-filling and elegant at the same time, with a framework of very fine tannins, ample yet not harsh at all,  supporting a compact, intense yet elegant. For more about this wine or to buy it, if any is left, read my previous entry here.

Third Course: Pan Charred Filet Mignon Medallion over Garlic Potato Confit with Beef Chili and Roasted Potato Cheddar Jalapeño Broth Topped with Sautéed Jalapeno, Onions and Cheddar Glazed Shrimp Finished with Black Pepper Demi.
 

Hermitage 1989, J.L. Chave - Absolutely classic with perfumed cassis, bacon smoke and white pepper,on the nose and an elegant lovely reiteration of these notes in the fine, silky and perfect palate. Evolved and ready to drink. How many wines of the night am I allowed?

Barolo Monprivato  Castiglione di Falletto 1984, Giuseppe Mascarello -  14%. Tar. Black fruits. Old school. Grippy. Firm.  Solid old school Barolo that needs another 5-8 at least to shed its framework of tannins that surround the intense core of tarry, black earthy fruits here. Barolo for the purists, and while it could use some more time, I think it is a tremendous wine.

Brunello di Montalcion 1981 Soldera - Only dissapointment of the night, Bit long in the tooth.

 

And finally, we ended with some excellent desserts including a house specialty called Belgian White Chocolate Lattee - an off the charts, rich concoction of strong coffee, white chocolate, decadent whipped cream, shaved white chocolate and who knows what else - should be serve dwith digitalis and a nitro-glycerin pill but what a way to go!

Giacomo Conterno Barolo and Barbera

I had the pleasure of visiting Roberto Conterno at his family winery a couple of years ago and was, as always when I taste these wines, blown away by their sheer quality. It was my first visit, and I had a sense of reverence as we met and wondered around and took it all in. While he spoke, I began to see a little of what makes these wines what they are. There is his quiet intensity, with a humility that comes out when he speaks about the history, his father, grandfather and family, the land, and the resulting wine. You get a sense that he sees his role as  guardian of something precious, and when you taste the wines you can see clearly that this is true. The winery, like the wines, is clean and perfect - nothing extra, nothing flashy - immaculate, well ordered and to me very much in synch with what I perceive as a style that while traditional, is not rustic or funky in any way. The wines are pure and focused, with the sheer essence of the grapes and the excellent terroir where they are grown conserved  and encouraged to brilliantly shine through. And they are superb!

I also got to taste what I believe will become one of the legendary Barolos of our time, the amazing 2002 Monfortino. In a vintage plagued by rain, hail, cold, and rot, the weather conditions in 2002 decimated the harvest. But it brings up a good point for discussion, what do winemakers do when confronted with such awful conditions? For many, despite their best efforts in the vineyard to eliminate rotten or damaged fruit and lower yields to give the grapes a prayer of ripening, many were simply overwhelmed. Once the nature of the fruit was evident in the cellar, more tough decisions had to be made. At Elio Grasso, in easier vintages with more healthy fruit, they typically make two Barolos from single vineyard sites (Gavarini and Ginestra) and an excellent Nebbiolo d'Alba from younger vines or parcels they feel aren't quite up to the Barolo level. Vinification is different than for the Barolos, shorter, with more emphasis on freshness and fruit notes and resulting in a wine that has Nebbiolo character but is a bit lighter and ready to drink earlier. In superb years, they make a third wine called Runcot, that is a selection of the best parcels of Gavarini at the heart of the Estate. In 2002, they declassified to only a singe Barolo, made in a style that had definite Barolo character, but a tad lighter and earlier maturing, and released it a a fraction of the normal price. The rest they declassified into Nebbiolo, and may have sold off the rest. Production was tiny, but what they offered to us was delicious, affordable and actually quite a great buying opportunity, which "off vintages", if you do the research and taste, often tend to be.

The Conterno story was the opposite - the same miserable growing conditions, but when they got to the end there was so little fruit left that Roberto simply decided to hang on and see what happened. The weather finally cleared, and what was left was a minuscule crop of superb, ripe, beautiful fruit. In an  opposite tack to Grasso (both excellent options and the right thing to do in each case),  Conterno also made only one Barolo, but in this case the Monfortino, a wine from humble and challenging beginnings and now destined to become a legendary wine. Two different outcomes to the same problem, but they both illustrate that wine making is not a rote process, and that even in difficult years there are opportunities and producers who shine. 

For a little history and background on this terrific winery the following quote is from the excellent website of PolanerSelections.com, one of our favorite Importers and Distributors. The site is excellent, with loads of information about their portfolio of small family owned artisan growers. On Conterno they write: 

"One of the greatest names in all of Piemonte, Cantine Giacomo Conterno was formed in 1908 when Giacomo’s father, Giovanni Conterno started a wine bar in the village of San Giuseppe. Giovanni made Barolo from purchased grapes and sold whatever was not needed at the tavern in barrel at this time, as was the custom throughout the region in the early twentieth century. Their flagship Riserva Barolo, Monfortino, was first conceived as a means of showing off the quality of their best wine, and was first bottled on its own in either 1912 or 1920. There are reports that a 1912 Monfortino was made by Giovanni, but the family members cannot recall if this was indeed the case. In any event, after his return from World War I, Giacomo Conterno and his father Giovanni certainly made a 1920 Monfortino, and a legend was started.

Giovanni Conterno passed away in 1934 and his son Giacomo took over running both the tavern and the winery. Giacomo had two sons, another Giovanni and Aldo, who were given the reigns of the family business in 1961. Giovanni (grandson of the estate’s founder) had vinified the 1958s with his father, and was responsible for the estate’s wines from 1959 onwards. Younger brother, Aldo Conterno was interested in experimenting with a more modern style of Barolo, and the estate was split between the two brothers in 1969. Giovanni continued on making wines as his father and grandfather had done before them, making great, traditional Barolo of uncompromising quality. The Conterno style of Barolo is ultra-traditional, with a long maceration followed by extended aging in large, old oak casks (botti) for anywhere from four to ten years prior to bottling. The regular Barolo is aged for four years before bottling, and the Monfortino used to be held in a single 4,000-5,000 liter botti for a minimum of ten years prior to its bottling (the 1970 Monfortino was not bottled until 1985). Today the Monfortino now stays in its same old oak botti for seven years before its bottling- the only modernist concession in the entire vinification and aging process! 

For many, many years, the Conternos made their Barolo from purchased grapes, produced by some of the best growers in the commune of Serralunga d’Alba and surrounding villages. The 1920 Monfortino was made from purchased grapes from the Le Coste vineyard in Monforte d’Alba. Since 1920 there have been two bottled versions of Barolo produced by the estate, a “regular” (an oxymoron when used here if ever there was one!) bottling and a Riserva Monfortino. Not every year produces grapes of sufficient quality to make a Conterno Barolo, and some years there is only a regular Barolo, some years no Barolo is sold under the Conterno label, and occasionally there is only a Monfortino made. Up until 1974 these bottlings were always made from purchased grapes (primarily from Serralunga), but in this year the superb 16 hectare vineyard of Cascina Francia in this same commune was purchased by the Conternos. Since that year both Barolo bottlings have hailed from the Cascina Francia. Interestingly, while the 1978 “regular” Barolo was made from grapes in Cascina Francia, it was not until the 1980 vintage that the name of the vineyard appeared on the label of the regular bottling. 

The two Barolo bottlings from Giacomo Conterno are earmarked while the grapes are still on the vine. In years of outstanding quality, a selection is made of the very best grapes in Cascina Francia, and these are then destined to become Monfortino. Fermentation of both bottlings is identical with the exception that the Monfortino witnesses no temperature control; no matter how high the fermentation temperatures may go, there is no intervention on the part of the Conternos. The wines are then racked into their respective botti for elevage, and as noted above, the Barolo “Cascina Francia” destined for bottling after approximately four years in wood and the Monfortino at age seven. In addition to the two profound bottlings of Barolo made by Giacomo Conterno, there is now only a Barbera d’Alba produced and an occasional Nebbiolo d’Alba from declassified Barolo in lesser vintages. This was a decision that was undertaken by Giovanni’s son, Roberto Conterno, who now runs the estate. Roberto worked for many years at the side of his father, until Giovanni’s recent passing in 2003. Roberto has budded over all the Dolcetto and Freisa vines that was previously planted in Cascina Francia to either Barbera or Nebbiolo, as he feels these are the most noble varieties in Piemonte. 

The producer Giacomo Conterno is clearly one of the two greatest names in all of Piemonte (the other being Bruno Giacosa), and each and every wine that bears the Conterno label is a profound example of its varietal and underlying terroir. While Monfortino is justifiably celebrated as one of the world’s very greatest red wines, the Barolo “Cascina Francia” is often very close to the quality of the Riserva, and is also one of the finest bottlings in all of Barolo. The Conterno uncompromising commitment to quality does not stop with Barolo, as their Barbera is one of the most age-worthy and brilliant examples of this underrated grape to be found in Piemonte. And on the rare occasions when one can find a bottle of Conterno Nebbiolo d’Alba, rest assured that it is a lovely bottle of lighter styled and complex nebbiolo that would outclass many another producer’s Barolo." PolanerSelections.com