Cordero di Montezemolo Piedmont Wine Tasting With Special Guest Alberto Cordero di Montezemolo

 

"Old wine and friends improve with age."

Italian Proverb quotes

 

We have a lot of old friends and old wine here at the Wine Watch.  Nebbiolo is my favorite grape varietal and Barolo and Barbaresco are 100% Nebbiolo so whenever one of our friends are in town from the Piedmont we schedule a date to drink some of my favorite varietal. 

Barolo is one of the world’s most age worthy wines, but there is 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 has to deal with harsh conditions with a varietal that is very finicky. Nebbiolo like Pinot Noir only produces great wines in the a few areas of the world.   

 

We have one of my favorite producers of Barolo in town on Thursday, January 29th with Alberto Cordero di Montezemolo in town to showcase some of the new releases from this landmark winery from the Piedmont.  We just received a case of the 1971 vintage Barolo from this producer in pristine condition so in addition to the new releases our group will get to experience one of the greatest vintages from the last century to showcase just how well the Nebbiolo grape ages. 

 

 

 

Barolo has icons, and then there’s Cordero di Montezemolo. Nestled in the rolling hills of La Morra, this estate is the stuff of Langhe legend—19 generations deep and still making waves. Unlike many Barolo producers working with scattered vineyard plots, Cordero di Montezemolo has something special: 28 uninterrupted hectares at Monfalletto, where Nebbiolo soaks up the sun in natural amphitheaters with perfect exposures.

 

They’ve got the big hitters—Barbera, Dolcetto, Arneis—and even a little Chardonnay and Pinot Noir for good measure. But the crown jewel? A two-hectare slice of Villero, one of Barolo’s most prized crus, where their iconic Enrico VI takes center stage.

 

Since 2013, they’ve ditched the chemicals and gone full-on organic (official certification included). No pesticides, no herbicides, no compromises. Just soil, sun, and some serious know-how. With 51 hectares under their belt, all estate-owned and cared for like family, this winery blends tradition with innovation in the most stylish way possible.

 

Join us as we welcome the 19^th generation of the family to South Florida for a special night at the Wine Watch with Barolo going back to the legendary 1971 vintage!  The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $250 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com. 

 

 

 

Cordero di Montezemolo Piedmont Wine Tasting

With Special Guest Alberto Cordero di Montezemolo

Thursday, January 29^th

7:30pm

 

2024 Cordero di Montezemolo Arneis Piedmont

2023 Cordero di Montezemolo Barbera d'Alba, Piedmont

2020 Cordero di Montezemolo 'Funtani' Barbera d'Alba Superiore Piedmont

2023 Cordero Nebbiolo Langhe

2020 Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo Monfalletto

2017 Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo Bricco Gattera, Barolo DOCG

2019 Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo Bricco Gattera, Barolo DOCG

2018 Cordero di Montezemolo Enrico VI Barolo DOCG

2019 Cordero di Montezemolo Enrico VI Barolo DOCG

1971 Cordero di Montezemolo Monfalletto, Barolo DOCG

 

 

Menu

Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie

Lions Main Mushroom Carpaccio with Heirloom Tomato Tartar, Aged Balsamic and Fontodi Olive Oil Served with Whole Wheat Toast Points

Foie Gras Torchon with Brioche Toast and Garlic Mint Jam

Lamb Chops Scottadito with Lavender Honey Sauce and Creamy Polenta

Puff Pastry with Tallegio Cheese and Strawberry Coulis

 

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $250 + 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 bit about Cordero de Montezemolo:

 

In 1800, the members of the Falletti family from Rodello, La Morra, Serralunga, and Borgomale exchanged part of their hilltop properties for other properties in the fertile, irrigated plain between Savigliano and Saluzzo. They retained some of their land in the Alba area because it was easily cultivated, while for their own tables, they jealously guarded MONFALLETTO, which they considered their most prized vineyard.

The wine produced there served the owners and local residents, and was most likely sold to consumers in the surrounding villages. The first winemaking operations aimed at selling to larger areas took place around 1830-1840, under the direction of Giacinto Massimiliano Falletti, and were continued by his son Costanzo and, above all, by his widow Eulalia Dalla Chiesa di Cervignasco. She expanded the vineyards and cellars, and increased sales, though still modest because they occurred within the narrow confines of the House of Savoy's domains or just beyond. The work was continued by her only daughter, Luisa Falletti.

 

The ownership of the Falletti family of La Morra passes to the Cordero di Montezemolo family.

Countess Luisa Falletti gave birth to two daughters, in addition to a son (who died as a child). One of these, Maria Lydia, married Lieutenant Paolo Cordero di Montezemolo of the Royal Italian Navy in 1918, and they, in turn, had an only son (1920), also named Paolo. Fate would have it that the two young parents died within a short time. Therefore, upon Maria Lydia's death, her estate passed directly to her son Paolo, who grew up under the wing of his grandmother Luisa Falletti. With Luisa's death in 1941, the Falletti dynasty of La Morra ended, and her grandson Paolo remained, at the age of 21, the sole heir; However, his passion for the Monfalletto hill continued and pulsed even stronger in his veins. In fact, from a very young age, he helped his grandmother manage the estate with a careful spirit and a desire to learn about and improve his lands, which, in the years to come, underwent important redevelopment works that are still present today.

 

The Cordero di Montezemolo family originates from Mondovì. Baldassare is credited with the birth and development of graphic art in the Savoy states; in 1472, together with Antonio Mathias of Antwerp, he published two editions of St. Anthony's work "De Istitutione Confessorum," which were the first two prints made in Piedmont. The Cordero di Montezemolo family is one of the largest aristocratic families in Piedmont, and several Montezemolos, as military men and diplomats, distinguished themselves for their devotion and loyalty to the then-reigning House of Savoy; the family motto, "Honneur et Fidélité," recalls this unwavering commitment.

 

Even today, under the leadership of Elena and Alberto Cordero di Montezemolo, after 19 generations, the family tradition continues to be committed to this land in order to guarantee and pass on to future generations the same values ​​of which it is proud.

 

 

2024 Cordero di Montezemolo Arneis Piedmont

Price: $24.75                             Your Price: $21.78

100% Arneis. Production zone: Langhe, vineyards in the municipalities of La Morra, Guarene, Govone.

Tasting Notes:  Bright straw color; intense bouquet of peach and acacia flowers, chamomile, melon and yellow flowers. Inviting and fresh with a typical note of a slightly bitter finish.

 

 

2023 Cordero di Montezemolo Barbera d'Alba, Piedmont

Price: $33.00`                           Your Price: $29.04

(90 points) The 2023 Barbera d'Alba is laced with expressive red-toned fruit, spice, cedar and crushed flowers. Delicate and understated, the 2023 is all class. Attractive floral notes lift the finish effortlessly.  Antonio Galloni, Vinous (Jan 2025)

 

 

2020 Cordero di Montezemolo 'Funtani' Barbera d'Alba Superiore Piedmont

Price: $69.00                             Your Price: $60.72

(93 points) The organic Cordero di Montezemolo 2020 Barbera d'Alba Superiore Funtanì is a darkly concentrated red wine with a rich bouquet and a savory side that recalls leather and cured tobacco. Its fruity side shows baked plum and dried blackberry. This is an especially enriched red wine with ample textural power from 70-year-old vines in La Morra's Annunziata. It reveals more complexity and freshness as it opens in the glass. Production is 9,000 bottles. Monica Larner, Wine Advocate (Aug 2023)

 

 

2023 Cordero Nebbiolo Langhe

Price: $28.50                             Your Price: $25.08

(91 Points) The 2023 Langhe Nebbiolo is an absolute delight. Crushed flowers, orange peel, cedar, cinnamon, sweet pipe tobacco and kirsch all grace this mid-weight, super-expressive Langhe Nebbiolo. All the elements are very nicely balanced. (AG)  Vinous, Review Date: 02/2025

 

 

2020 Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo Monfalletto

Price: $75.00               Your Price: $66.00                    Quantity in Stock: 9

100% Nebbiolo. Historic wine of the winery coming from the carefully selected blend of the Monfalletto Estate vineyards in the town of La Morra. Age of vines are between 15 to 50 years, all with South /East and South/West exposures giving the perfect grapes and harmonious ripeness. The clayey and calcareous soils add elegance and complexity. Magnesium oxide and manganese in the soil facilitate the maturation of soft and dense tannins. Altitude between 800-1000 feet ASL (250- 300 M ASL). Tasting Notes: Intense garnet in color, the nose shows floral and spicy notes perfectly blended: tobacco, cherries, cocoa and fresh raspberry highlights. The palate is rich, full-bodied and elegant.

 

 

2017 Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo Bricco Gattera, Barolo DOCG

Price: $109.50                           Your Price: $96.36

(94 Points) The organic Cordero di Montezemolo 2017 Barolo Gattera, a release of about 5,300 bottles, is a beautifully fleshed-out and generous wine. That's the impression it gives on first nose, and the wine continues to deliver long after the bottle has been opened. With fruit from La Morra, the Gattera delivers a rush of wild berry, dried blueberry, lilac, earthy truffle and powdered licorice. All these elements are especially bold in this hot and dry vintage, although the fruit never feels too ripe or overly concentrated. However, the mouthfeel is noticeably thinner and shorter in this bottling from 2017.

 

The organic Cordero di Montezemolo 2017 Barolo Gattera, a release of about 5,300 bottles, is a beautifully fleshed-out and generous wine. That's the impression it gives on first nose, and the wine continues to deliver long after the bottle has been opened. With fruit from La Morra, the Gattera delivers a rush of wild berry, dried blueberry, lilac, earthy truffle and powdered licorice. All these elements are especially bold in this hot and dry vintage, although the fruit never feels too ripe or overly concentrated. However, the mouthfeel is noticeably thinner and shorter in this bottling from 2017.  Wine Advocate

 

 

2019 Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo Bricco Gattera, Barolo DOCG

Price: $135.00                           Your Price: $118.80

(96 Points) "The organic Cordero di Montezemolo 2019 Barolo Gattera shows a rich and concentrated performance with robust aromas of dark fruit, dried cherry, plum, spice and soft tobacco. The blend comes from old vines within the Gattera MGA with a clone that produces especially small and compact clusters. This wine offers a 360-degree view onto a vintage that is remarked upon for the extra concentration and fruit weight displayed in the wines. There is a note of candied licorice on the full-bodied finish. This is a 6,200-bottle release."  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 

 

2018 Cordero di Montezemolo Enrico VI Barolo DOCG

Price: $133.50                           Your Price: $117.48

(96 Points) A certified organic wine, the Cordero di Montezemolo 2018 Barolo Enrico VI is a wine of impressive length and intensity. There is a uniquely bright or lifted quality to the bouquet that draws its energy from bright red and purple fruits, aniseed, ginger, rusty nail and candied violets. This is a medium-weight Barolo with above-average fruit weight and a very long mouthfeel. It is poised to improve beautifully with cellar age. (ML)  Wine Advocate, Review Date: 08/2022

 

2019 Cordero di Montezemolo Enrico VI Barolo DOCG

Price: $133.50                           Your Price: $117.48

(96 Points)  "The flagship wine from Cordero di Montezemolo is the 2019 Barolo Enrico VI (with 6,200 bottles hitting the market now). This organic wine is made from a special selection of fruit at 300 meters in elevation from the Villero cru in Castiglione Falletto. It reveals a slow and long presentation of aromas with blackcurrant, cassis, grilled herb and crushed rose. These delicate aromas are presented in the context of a concentrated, full-bodied Nebbiolo that is built for long cellar aging."  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

 

 

1971 Cordero di Montezemolo Monfalletto, Barolo DOCG

Price: $350.00                           Your Price: $308.00                         Quantity in Stock: 11

The 1971 Cordero di Montezemolo Barolo ‘Monfalleto’ is a hauntingly elegant mature Barolo, offering ethereal notes of dried rose, tar, porcini, and faded red fruit with a delicate, earthy finish and softened tannins. With over five decades of age, it speaks more of grace and history than power, embodying the soul of traditionally made Nebbiolo. Cordero di Montezemolo, one of the oldest estates in the Langhe, has long been respected for its stewardship of the historic Monfalleto vineyard, crafting wines that reflect both heritage and terroir.