Nebbiolo

The flight to Torino was rough, but Ryanair is apparently the only way to get to the Piemonte from Portugal and even then, we had to drive to Barcelona first. When I asked the gate agent what we had to do to get an upgrade, I was informed that all the seats have seat belts. Oh well, this trip will be worth it.

We're headed about 30 miles and well up in elevation to Barolo. This little town which overshadows its sister DOCG Barbaresco produces some of the finest wines in the world. And, they are made from Nebbiolo.

Nebbiolo is thought to be an ancient grape dating back to the days of Pliny the Elder. It's an interesting grape for grower as its bud break is usually the earliest of all grapes, yet it harvests last among those used for dry wines. This produces a highly tannic, incredibly robust wine that in its best vintages can easily go 30-40 years before hitting its peak.

After harvest, the Nebbiolo produced in Barolo sees substantial oak, usually from France or eastern Europe (Hungary, Slovakia, Slovenia). By DOCG regulations, the wine must be aged at least 38 months before release and 18 of those months must be in wood (barrel, barrique). Those that are aged for 60 or more months are usually labeled as Riserva.

On opening our first bottle, we note an explosion of dried floral scents, mostly red and purple, in our dark wine, along with some tar undertones. On the palate when young, we get similar floral notes often of rose or violet. As our wine ages, it will develop far more complexity while maintaining its tannic character albeit much more supple. Look for notes of chocolate, eucalyptus, camphor, dried herbs, tobacco, strawberries, plums, and truffles. Complexity it is.

Let's not waste our wine on pedestrian food. As we indulge in a 9-year vertical of consecutive vintages beginning with 1989 (and thus encompassing the fabulous vintages of 89, 90, and 96), we will serve the likes of white truffles, carne cruda (a local dish in the Piemonte reminiscent of steak tartare), porcini mushroom risotto, sweetbreads, calves liver, partridge, roast goose, grilled steak, and finally gorgonzola cheese.

Buon appetito!

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