Piedmont Wine Tasting at Cafe Maxx

"Knowledge enormous makes a God of me. Names, deeds, gray legends, dire events, rebellions, Majesties, sovran voices, agonies, Creations and destroyings, all at once Pour into the wide hollows of my brain, And deify me, as if some blithe wine Or bright elixir peerless I had drunk, And so become immortal." ~ John Keats

Dolcetto is not one of my favorite varietals so I am happy to say that we will be skipping this varietal this time around and why would you when you have Barbera at around the same price??

Nebbiolo on the other hand is my favorite varietal, this wine has the subtle earthy nuance and floral perfume of Pinot Noir (one my other favorite varietals) and the power and age ability of Cabernet Sauvignon (another one of my favorites).  The best of both worlds in one varietal, so the perfect grape in my eyes is Nebbiolo and the only place that turns this varietal into world class wine is Italy and more specifically the Piedmont.

Barbera is also one of my favorite varietals and its diversity with food is enhanced by its pronounced acidity and the nuance from the earth, truffles, dark berry fruit and light tannic structure make it a crowd pleaser from the day it is released.  Whereas Nebbiolo needs to be cellared for 10+ years in a great vintage most Barbera can be enjoyed while you are waiting for your Barolos and Barbarescos to mellow out in your cellar.

These tastings at the Cafe Maxx for $35 are the best value of any event that we do. You get to try 8 different wines at the same time, pre-poured so they have a chance to open up and so you can go back through the line-up to get a second and third look at everything. This is how you learn about wine and with master chef Oliver Saucy sending out a few small courses to accompany the wines, you get a taste of Cafe Maxx and an education in wine all at the same time. A great way to spend happy hour.

Tonight we will feature wines from my favorite wine region on earth where the Nebbiolo varietal reins king. This is a pre-poured sit down tasting and is limited to 25 tasters, the fee for this tasting is $35 + Gratuity + tax for reservations call 954-523-9463.

Piedmont Tasting at Cafe Maxx

Wednesday, September 17th 2014

7pm

2012 Elvio Tintero Grangia Rosato

Price : $12.50                      Sale $11.00          Case $128           

A unique sparkling that is a blend of Barbera, Moscato and Freisa, slightly frizzante. This wine is produced and bottled by vintage but due to the fact that Tintero sources his grapes from different parts of Piedmont there is no specific DOC and it is currently not permitted to display vintage on table wines of this type

2012 Negro “Perdaudin” Roero Arneis

Price : $28.00                      Sale $24.64          Case $286           

From 50 year-old vines. Terrific presence and depth – rich with a bone-dry mineral finish. A superb Arneis with a great future.

2011 Cantine Valpane “Euli” Grignolino

Price : $19.25                      Sale $16.94          Case $197           

The name “Euli” comes from the name of a Longobard tribe that once inhabited the area where the Grignolino vineyard is now. The tribe was called “Ueel Waigkika”, which in the contemporary German language was written Euli-iup-pina: euli = owl, pina = high/above, Iupi = Jove, so “the owl that is higher than Jove.”

2011 Guido Porro Barbera d’Alba

Price : $22.50                      Sale $19.80          Case $230           

This Barbera from Guido Porro, for example, comes from Lazzarito, a limestone-rich vineyard in Serralunga d’Alba whose Barolos have been prized since at least the 1600s. Along with the Fontanafredda and Vietti wineries, Guido Porro is an important landholder of the vineyard. This Barbera comes from Santa Caterina, a small section of Lazzarito that’s owned entirely by the Porro family. It is the only part of the cru that’s planted to Barbera. Porro, who’s a fourth-generation owner of Lazzarito, fashions his small-lot wines traditionally. He ages this Barbera first in botti, which are large, traditional casks of Slavonian oak, and then in steel tanks in order not to obscure the wine’s pure fruit and spice flavors.

2011 Monsecco “Pratogrande” Nebbiolo

Price : $28.00                      Sale $24.64          Case $286           

the grape harvest begins in the second half of October. The grapes are harvested in 20 kg small boxes and hand-selected from the conveyor belt.  a short maceration and accurate enological practices bring out the varietal aromas of the grape.  The alcoholic fermentation (AF) is followed by the malolactic fermentation (MLF). The wine is kept in oak barrels at controlled temperature, culminating in a further period of aging in bottle.  Ruby red color with intense and characteristic bouquet, pleasant and ethereal aroma. A harmonious flavor with a full and velvety texture on the tongue.

2010 Negro “Prachiosso” Roero Nebbiolo

Price : $34.50                      Sale $30.36          Case $352           

Since 1670 the Negro family has cultivated vineyards in the Roero hills, working to increase the value of this wonderful corner of Piemonte and dedicating wines to the prestigious native vines: Favorita, Arneis, Nebbiolo, Barbera, Bonarda, Dolcetto and Brachetto. Today the estate is ran by Giovanni Negro and his sons Gabriele, Angelo the house oenologist, Emanuela, Giuseppe and the wife Marisa. The estate now totals 60 hectares of vineyards, placed between the historical Perdaudin farm-house in Monteu Roero, that of S.Vittore in Canale and Basarin in Neive. The grapes grow up in the best sunny places, in calcareous soils of alluvial origin that differ from hill to hill. The different soils and microclimates originate well-defined and rich in taste wines.

2011 Cantine del Glichine Barbaresco “Vigna Sparse”

Price : $40.75                      Sale $35.86          Case $416           

A small producer from Nieve winery dates back to 1510, that is very old for this region, this is a tiny estate, they have vineyard in the townships of curra and marcareno, scattered vineyards as the name refers to a blend of two different terrains inside of Nieve, 9000 bottles produced.  This wine has a classic bouquet of exotic spices, dried flowers, red cherry liqueur like fruit, very pretty bouquet, cement fermentation, very clean pure style.  Delicious tart red berry fruit on the tongue with an array of spices, and tongue tingly mineraliity through the finish pretty floral notes, has some tannins here at the end but lots of fruit to match quite drinkable but will be better with a few years in the bottle.  Finish 45+    Excellent +  

2009 Oddero Barolo Classico

Price : $50.50                      Sale $44.44          Case $516           

A blend of three different vineyards, Bricco Chiesa, Capalot and Bricco Fiasco, Bricco is the highest part of the hill.  This wine is the largest production here at Oddero, they make 40,000 bottles. 

A brief History of Barolo

Barolo has a long history of wine production, the area was named some 400 years ago and probably came from the Celtic brolio or brol, meaning "wood" or "orchard".   The region of Barolo encompasses approximately 3,000 acres of vines situated southwest of the town of Alba, in all or part of 11 communes.  First is La Morra, with nearly one-third of the total acreage.  Following in decreasing order are Serralunga d’alba, Monforte d’Alba, Barolo, and Castiglione Falletto, and parts of six other villages.  One of the most famous and most sought after vineyards in Barolo is Cannubi.

There are two main valleys in the Barolo production zone: the Barolo Valley to the west, and the Serralunga Valley to the east.  La Morra and Barolo itself are the major villages in the western valley, which also encompasses Cherasco, Novello, Roddi d’Alba, Castiglione Falletto and Monforte are the major towns;  Diano d’Alba and Grinzane Cavour are also included in this district.  There are distinct characteristics that are indigenous to the wines of various area:  the wines of Serralunga Valley have suggestions of licorice and tar, the Barolos of Serralunga itself display camphor and mint; those from Castiglione Falleto have a pronounced licorice characteristic as well as nuances of spice, mint, dried peaches, and prunes; those from Monforte recall spices, mint hazelnuts, and almonds.  The wines from the Barolo Valley bring up underbrush and truffle, as well as licorice.  Those wines from the village of Barolo have less of a licorice character but more suggestions of underbrush, truffles, and mint.  The wines of la Morra, especially those from the slopes, combine nuances of white truffle, mint, tobacco, spices, cherries, and blackberries and those from Cannubi display motes of white truffles, underbrush, raspberries, and black cherries.