Il Museo Ratti
People have been making wine on the hill under La Morra for close to a thousand years. Or so it would seem, because the monks of the Priory of San Martino purchased some land "with a vineyard" in 1162. The wines must have been good, because the vineyards were listed in Alba's Registrum throughout the period from 1240 to 1320. Over time the monastery changed and grew, and by the time Monsignor Chiaromonte came to visit in the late 1700s it was known as L'Annunziata; when he later became Pius VII, he had the abbey send wines for his personal consumption.
The monks are gone now, but the vineyards are still there, and still producing superb wines. Perhaps I shouldn't say still, because following the monks' departure, there was a long period of darkness which came to an end when Renato Ratti purchased the land in the 1960s and began working it; his wines rapidly won respect and admiration, and he also played a major role in the rebirth of Barolo as a wine-producing region. He has alas crossed the veil of tears, but the winery continues to prosper under the able direction of Pietro Ratti, his son, and Massimo Martinelli, his nephew, who is also president of the Consorzio del Barolo e del Barbaresco.
I recently stopped, not to taste
the wines, but rather to see the winery's museum, which is located in the
buildings of the abbey. It's a fascinating collection. Upstairs there are
bottles, some hand-blown, dating to the 1700s, and some more recent, as well as
corks, and some of the more approximate stoppers used by the poor (including
whittled corncobs). There are also bottling tools, corkers, and glasses of
various types, as well as a few old bottles (collector's items to be looked at,
not drunk – the oldest wine Mr. Martinelli has tried was 70, from a good
vintage, and he found it well past its prime).
Downstairs there are the tools of the wine maker:
Pruning shears for pruning the vines, yokes for the oxen, presses, and even an
early botte, made from a hollowed-out log (it's small). There's also a
flat-bedded cart used to transport must or wine, in a barrel that was oval in
cross section (to keep it from rolling off), and a wide selection of coopering
tools – drawknives, chisels, saws, patterns and so on.
The framed documents on the walls, announcements, proclamations, and such, are equally interesting. Also disquieting: One announcement from the 1890s, when most of the farmers sold their grapes to merchants in Alba, gives the prices for top, average, and poor quality grapes – they look good, until you realize that the merchants expected the farmers to help them press the grapes and make the wine, but only paid in the spring, after they'd sampled the finished product! We occasionally hear people reminisce about the good old days, but…
Getting there: The road from Alba follows the valley floor; you will come to a turn-off to the right that climbs towards La Morra. The abbey is about half-way up the hill. Since the museum is open by appointment only, you will have to stop at the Cantine Ratti (directly below the abbey, where there is a switchback that goes right) to let them know you have arrived. To make the appointment call on Italy 173 50185.
Once you have seen the museum you may well want to eat. There's another new restaurant in the area I'd suggest you try: Pietro Montese's Ristorante da Pietro.
I began with an elegantly presented carne cruda con crema Raschera calda, very finely sliced raw beef (raw meats are a Piemontese specialty) with a delicate creamy cheese sauce that perfectly complements the flavors of the meat. We then passed to a tortino all'asparago con salsa di basilico, an asparagus tart made with freshly picked wild asparagus, served in a wonderfully flaky pastry shell. It melts in the mouth, and is beautifully complimented by a basil sauce made with oil and breadcrumbs, and perhaps a hint of lemon -- no garlic. The appetizers closed with rabbit in an apple vinegar sauce with fresh onion grass. Extraordinarily tender, and delightful. It was served with snow peas, a pleasant touch.
The first course was ravioli filled with greens (to be specific, Barbabuk, a local green that's picked before it flowers) and sausage in a barely-cooked tomato sauce. The stuffing was deftly made, with just the right spicing, and was admirably balanced by the sauce. As a second I had petto d'anatra in aceto balsamico, duck breast served with a balsamic vinegar sauce. Very tender, with the gaminess of the duck nicely balanced by the vinegar and the stewed leeks upon which it was served; the carrots with poppy seeds were also nicely done. To close, a selection of Piemontese cheeses, whose variability and tastiness never cease to amaze me.
The wine? A Cigliutti Barbera Seraboella 1994. It's a deep red, and has an elegant bouquet with intense stewed, almost dried cherries laced with alcohol, licorice and the warmth of a hot afternoon. On the palate it is pleasantly full, with well rounded tannins, rich fruit, especially cherries, and a persistent, somewhat tart finish that brings to mind a Valpolicella Classico Superiore made with the ripassa technique. An intriguing wine well worth seeking out.
Unlike many of the other restaurants in the Barolo area, which do a wonderful job while adhering strictly to tradition, Pietro's dishes have a more experimental flair to them. This is in part because he also teaches at Alba's restaurant school, and in part because he sees no reason to make something others have been making for much longer. He'd rather do a carefully thought-out variation, and we are fortunate thereby.
Getting there: The Ristorante da Pietro is in Novello (Tel: 0173 731498), in the first square you will come to in the middle of town if you are coming from Barolo. The décor is modern and quite pleasant, with quiet jazz in the background, and the views from the picture windows are very nice. The cost? About 50,000 lire plus the wine -- the list is extensive, with everything from Freisa to superb but little-known Baroli.
Good food &
Drink,
Kyle Phillips
P.S. -- While you're in the area, you should also visit Castello Grinzane Cavour. It's beautiful!
