Piemonte!
Just got back from Well Com, the annual presentation of the new Barolo and Barbaresco vintages Alba Wines organizes for food and wine writers. A very interesting four-day event in which we tasted 216 wines -- 64 1997 Barbareschi, 127 1996 Baroli, and 25 1997 Roeri. This is a lot of wine to taste in four days, and especially since all three of these reds are made from the Nebbiolo grape. It's one of the world's greatest, but produces big wines that tend to be extremely tannic (especially Barolo and Barbaresco) and can be tongue-bending in youth. It's hard to get much younger than a wine that's just been released, and the day with 71 Baroli was very long. Why would anyone be interested in a wine like this? Because all that concentration, power, and tannicity meld and mellow with time, producing wines of extraordinary complexity and finesse that can continue to improve for 20 or more years.
What we did, tasting
the newly released wines, was akin to looking in on room full of
kindergartners, but it was fascinating all the same: Though it's too soon for
them to have developed much complexity and some are still badly unbalanced, one
can already see hints of the future, and tell which will be graceful, or
powerful, or elegant, or -- alas -- poor. Because not all wines, even from a
renowned area, are good. Some vintners are simply unskilled, some hillsides are
better than others, and even the best vintner's finest vineyard can get hailed
out, severely damaging the vines, which pass their suffering on to the few
bunches of grapes that appear to have come through the ordeal unscathed.
This tasting was especially interesting because the 1996 vintage is considered outstanding, and 1997 has been touted as the vintage of the century. They're quite different. The 1996 vintage of Barbaresco that was released last year was strident and tannic, in other words quite immature, upon release; by comparison the newly released 1997 vintage is much lusher and rounder, with more fruit. I expect we will see the same pattern next year, when we will be able to compare the 1996 Barolo (the current vintage -- Barolo ages a year longer prior to release) with the 1997. This means that for drinking in the immediate future, say the next 3-5 years or perhaps a little longer, the 1997 vintage will probably be more pleasing. However, the 1996, with its stridency and youthful tannicity, may well prove longer lived, reaching greater levels of complexity and nuance with time. We shall see.
The other big bombshell is that Angelo Gaja, who revolutionized Barbaresco production 20 years ago by adapting the wine to the modern palate (thus putting both Barbaresco and Barolo on the world wine map -- before then they were little known) has decided to declassify his best Nebbiolo-based wines (Sorì San Lorenzo, Sorì Tildin, Costa Russi, and Sperss), dropping them into the Nebbiolo Langhe DOC that's usually reserved for wines made from second rate grapes. His only DOCG wine will be his basic Barbaresco (an explanation of the acronyms). Why? Because the Nebbiolo Langhe DOC allows the use of up to 15% other grape types, whereas Barolo and Barbaresco must both be 100 % Nebbiolo (an attempt to change this rule recently failed). Gaja says he's doing it because he wants to return to the older production techniques, which included blending various grapes to achieve a sum greater than the parts. As one might expect, the move is causing an uproar amongst producers and the wine press, with a few applauding and many reviling Gaja. At least in public; I expect a number of producers are thinking hard in private. It's an open secret that many producers do cut their Barolo or Barbaresco with other grapes to soften the wines (according to Nicholas Belfrage, a noted wine writer, Cabernet can run as high as 30%). Gaja, whose prestige is such that he really can do whatever he pleases, has rocked the boat in a big way. We'll now see what happens.
My take? Mixed feelings. I like Cabernet but would rather not find it in my Barolo because its earthy-vegetal-underbrush aromas overshadow the more delicate floral components of the Nebbiolo grape, while Merlot simply smooths things over in an all too distinctive way. The traditional blending grape in this case was likely Barbera (which adds liveliness and color to compliment Nebbiolo's power and structure), or one of those odd, virtually unknown local varietals that every Italian region has (to give a Tuscan example, there's Mammolo, which, used in small amounts, gives violet overtones and a tantalizing smoothness to Vino Nobile di Montepulciano). One of the Piemontese varietals might be nice -- only, however, if the Nebbiolo needs shoring up -- say in a poor vintage. In a good vintage, I think good Nebbiolo is more than good enough to stand on its own.
Returning more
towards food, our stay was the occasion for a number of fine Piemontese
dinners, and since I haven't given any Piemontese recipes in a while this is a
good excuse. Piemontese cooking, especially fine restaurant cooking, is quite
rich, with lavish use of cheese and butter, especially in the antipasti, but
everywhere else as well. As a first course one usually gets either agnolotti,
stuffed pasta with meat or vegetable-based fillings (usually meat in
restaurants) served with butter and sage, drippings from a roast, or meat
sauce, or tajarin (pronounced taiareen), fresh pasta made with lots of
egg yolks, cut into strands almost as thin as angel hair. The sauce? Meat, or,
if you're lucky, melted butter and freshly shaved white truffles. Afterwards,
rich meat dishes, including steaks or roasts served with what an American would
recognize as gravy: drippings thickened with flour, which is rare in Italy.
Then mixed cheeses, of which Piemonte boasts an extraordinary abundance and
variety, from creamy tuma cheeses made from goat's and sheep's milk that can
range from quite fresh to runny and complex, like the inside of a Brie, to firm
cow's milk cheeses, to crumbly, piquant blue-veined wonders that bring to mind
a good Roquefort. All served, if you're lucky, with a healthy dollop of
cugnà, a marmalade made from boiled down grape must. In its
absence a good, slightly crystallized honey made from wildflowers will be
almost as nice. Then desserts, many based on chocolate or hazelnuts, espresso,
and either grappa or Barolo Chinato, a local specialty made by adding quinine,
herbs, spices, sugar, and alcohol to Barolo. Sounds odd but can be quite nice.
ENOUGH TALK! SOME RECIPES:
Antipasti
Cardata alla Torinese
A tasty
cardoon-based antipasto to keep winter at bay.
Cardi di Re Alberto
A zesty winter
antipasto, and the King's favorite.
Torta di Formaggio
A cheese torte may
sound simple, but can be exraordinary.
Involtini di Peperone
Bell Pepper
strips rolled up around a tasty tuna-based filling.
Peperoni con Bagna Caoda
Roast bell
peppers cut into strips and served with this sauce are a fantastic appetizer!
Pomodori Ripieni
Simple stuffed
tomatoes with green sauce and mayonnaise.
Carne Cruda
Raw meat. If you eat
meat, try it -- it's surprisingly good.
Primi
Minestra di Formaggio
Cheese Soup,
a rich winter offering from Piemonte.
Tajarin Ricchi
Tajarin is Piemontese
for Tagliarini -- heavenly with truffles, but nice with meat sauce
too.
Tajarin Al Sugo di Arrosto
Tajarin
(Piemontese tagliatelle) with the sauce froma pot roast. Makes for a fine first
course and a tasty second course too.
Agnolotti
The classic Piemontese
stuffed pasta, with a meat-based filling.
Agnolotti ai Formaggi
Piemontese
stuffed pasta, with a cheese-based filling.
Secondi
Cappone in Salmì
Capon stewed
with vegetables, in a wine sauce. This will work with other meats
too.
Manzo Stufato
A rich Piemontese pot
roast.
Bollito Misto alla Piemontese
Who would
ever guess that boiled dinner could be such a delight? A favorite of the King,
and with lots of sauce recipes too.
Fritto Misto alla Piemontese
A
delightful mixture of fried meats, vegetables, fruit, and sweets that's fit for
a king.
Trippa all'Astigiana
A classic,
unusual market day dish from Piemonte.
Trippa alla Savoiarda
Tripe stewed
with tomatoes and seasoned with spices.
Dessert
Tartufi Dolci Bianchi e Neri
Truffles
are usually savory, but not when made of chocolate.
Amaretti Teneri
Extraordinarily
tender, chewy almond cookies from Piemonte.
Bruscandole
A rustic Piemontese
sweet made with toast, sugar, spices, and wine.
Panna Cotta
You won't believe how
easy this delicious Piemontese standard is!
Semolina Dolce
A Piemontese
specialty that's excellent in a fritto misto or as dessert.
Pere al Vino
Pears simmered in
spiced wine are absolutely delightful.
Torta alle Mandorle alla Piemontese
The Piemontese have a way with nuts... A voluptuous treat well suited to an
important occasion.
Gâteau di Savoja
It looks
simple, but this lemony cake launched the House of Savoy!
Got more sites / recipes to suggest? Let me know.
Buon appetito!
Kyle Phillips
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