Vintage Piedmont Wine Tasting

"Good wine needs no bush."

 (from: As you like It) William Shakespear 1564-1616 English Dramatist & Poet

And those of you that know me understand why we are having another vintage Piedmont wine.  Nebbiolo is my favorite grape varietal and Barolo and Barbaresco are 100% Nebbiolo!

Barbaresco and Barolo are two of the world’s most age worthy wines, but there are very little of these older vintage wines available on the open market today.   I like to compare these Italian treasures to the great wines of Burgundy, another region that deals with harsh conditions and a varietal that is very finicky.  Nebbiolo like Pinot Noir only produces great wines in a few areas of the world.  

These old wines are in excellent condition and to have this many 30+ year old wines for $350… did I mention this includes dinner?  How can we afford to do this??  Is Wine Watch a non-profit organization doing scientific research with wine???  Don’t ask just e-mail, call, or run to the store to make a reservation for this event, this tasting is limited to 14 tasters.

The fee for this event, which includes dinner and gratuity is $350 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

Vintage Piedmont Wine Tasting

Saturday, August 15^th

7:30pm

1978 Le Colline Monsecco Gattinara DOCG Piedmont

1982 Bel Colle Barolo Monfrino DOCG, Piedmont

1982 Le Colline Barbaresco Cascina Bordino DOCG, Piedmont

1988 Nino Negri Sfursat Sforzato di Valtellina

1989 Giuseppe Cortese Rabaja Barbaresco DOCG, Piedmont

1989 Prunotto Bussia, Barolo DOCG, Piedmont

1998 Pelissero Barbaresco Annata DOCG, Piedmont

2003 Giuseppe Rinaldi Brunate Le Coste Barolo DOCG, Piedmont

2015 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Tre Tine DOCG, Piedmont

2016 Gaja Sito Moresco Langhe

Menu

Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie

Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Walnuts, Fresh Basil infused Piro Extra virgin Olive Oil and Bonini 25-Year Aged Premium Italian Balsamic Vinegar from Modena

Veal Carpaccio with Capers, Red Onion and Micro Greens

Pork Belly with Cannellini Bean Salad with Rosemary and Sage

Hazelnut and Dark Chocolate Tart

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $350 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.  Please let us know when you make your reservations if you have any food allergies or aversions and chefs Toni and Dani will be happy to accommodate you.

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.