This tasting ran the gamut of wines from this quality-focused wine region and provided an opportunity to get to grips with various guises of its most famous variety, Nebbiolo. Unsurprisingly Barolo, “the king of wines and wine of kings” clinched the top spot but interestingly, it was Mascarello’s uncompromisingly traditional style, rather than Prunotto’s modernist interpretation that won hearts and minds. At the other end of the spectrum, the delightfully feather-light but concentrated La Morandina tickled palates and did much to raise the profile of Moscato d’Asti (NOT spumante!)
All the wines are listed at Alba restaurant, the venue for this tasting which, no prizes for guessing this given its name, has a superb range of Piedmont wines.
La Giustiniana Gavi di Gavi “Montessora” 2004 – this winery produces 3 Gavis, all from the heartland hence “Gavi di Gavi”. This single vineyard Gavi comes from red clay soils and shows greater breadth and depth than “Lugarara” which comes from limestone soils. It is fresh, spicy and lemony with a mineral undercurrent. Very good.
Dante Rivetti Roero Arneis 2003 – the Arnies variety is little known but shows a distinctive, herbaceous pungency with fresh fennel on its smoky, appley palate and a touch of tropical fruit in this ripe vintage. Excellent concentration.
Rocca Albino Barbera d’Alba 2001 – good depth of toasty, spicy, briary fruit with Barbera’s freshness giving good focus – very food friendly.
Rocche dei Manzoni “Bricco Manzoni” 1997 VDT - the first of the Nebbiolo/Barbera blends from the Langhe from the forward 1997 vintage seduced many with its gorgeous, expressive nose of roses, violets, woodsmoke and meat pan juices. The palate was equally complex with developed yet vigorous spicy fruit (succulent black cherry and plum), plenty of cedar spice and a very long, well structured finish thanks to firm but ripe tannins and well balanced acidity. Excellent.
Prunotto Barolo “Bussia” 1999 – muscular, full-bodied Barolo with a great depth of perfumed, rich blueberry and plum fruit ably abetted by a host of extras: liquorice, vanilla, leather and spice and a firm backbone of (ripe) tannin. Very good.
Bartolo Mascarello Barolo 1999 – remarkably intense wine of great pedigree and finesse. It compels rather than compulses with its delicately perfumed inky, floral notes (violets and roses) spice (incense) dried cherries, plum and leather. Astoundingly impressive and will reward further ageing.
La Morandina Moscato d’Asti 2003 – feather-light floral frizzante from one of Piedmont’s finest producers based in the sunlit bowl of Castiglione Tinella. It shows a lovely concentration of grape and orange peel with a fine, persistent finish. Perfect on its own or with delicate fruit and pastry dishes.
Sarah Ahmed
The Wine Detective
March 2006
