| We've been busy tasting hundreds of new wines in our annual spring tastings with importers. We've been paying special interest to Italian wines over the last few weeks, and today we have a pair of bright new stars from the Piemonte region of Italy. |
| Piemonte is home to two of Italy's most illustrious wines, Barolo and Barbaresco, both of which are made from the Nebbiolo grape. However, if you sit down in a trattoria in the heart of Piemonte (or in our dining room on the Cape) chances are you will be served a Barbera or Dolcetto. |
Vineyards in Piemonte, Italy |
| There are many reasons to drink Barbera and Dolcetto, not the least being they're an affordable every day alternative to the luxury priced wines of Piemonte. Both of these wines are distinctive indigenous expressions of Piemonte steeped in tradition. |
In some ways, Barbera and Dolcetto are the yin and yang of Piemonte. |
| Barbera is naturally high in acidity, with relatively low tannins. Dolcetto has naturally low acidity, with high tannins and its name means “little sweet one” (yet this wine is nearly always dry). |
| Of the two grapes, Barbera is perhaps the most food friendly. Its naturally high acidity cuts through dishes made with delicious fat. Pairings include roasted, grilled or stewed meats, poultry, shrimp bisque and cheese dishes made with Parmigiano-Reggiano or Gruyère. It's also fantastic with hamburgers, pizza, or pasta dishes with tomato sauce. |
| “Barbera is our everyday food wine thanks to the high acidity that cleans the palate,” says winemaker Michele Chiarlo. |
| Depending upon the vintage, Barbera has good aging potential. Its principal growing areas are Barbera d’Asti, Barbera d’Alba and Barbera del Monferrato. |
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| Pico Maccario Barbera d'Asti “Berro” 2010 |
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Pico Maccario's Barbera d'Asti is up for nomination as best quaffing wine of the spring.
It's really juicy and fun loving, with lots of ripe red fruit and hints of spice. Regularly priced at under $10 a bottle, this is a serious bargain and a great value red. |
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| “The 2010 Barbera d’Asti Berro is a fresh, vinous wine meant for near-term drinking. Sweet red strawberries, flowers and spices are some of the nuances that emerge from this fleshy Barbera.” (Wine Advocate) |
Wine Advocate: 87 points |
| $9.99/bottle or $95.90/12 pack case ($7.99/bottle) or just $7.99/bottle in a mixed case of wine. |
| Dolcetto is fruit-forward with less aging potential than Barbera due to its naturally low acid. Its tannins are quite noticeable. It pairs wonderfully with pork, prosciutto, salami, roasted chicken, or blue cheese with pears. |
| “Dolcetto is very sneaky. Its tannins are sweet, but they are abundant.” (Tino Colla, owner of the Poderi Colla estate in Alba) |
| Dolcetto comes from many locations, the most popular of which are Dolcetto di Dogliani, Dolcetto d’Alba and Dolcetto d’Asti. |
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| Cavallotto Dolcetto d'Alba Vigna Scot 2009 |
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This is an impossibly delicious Dolcetto.
We served it the other night with Gordon Hamersley's stunning roasted chicken and we could hardly contain ourselves. This is a giddy wine and food pairing.
If one dared liken a poet to Cavallotto's Dolcetto, this would be a very flirty E.E. Cummings. |
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Italian wine lovers, you should drink this wine now. |
| “The 2009 Dolcetto d'Alba Vigna Scot flows with gorgeous dark fruit, tar, licorice and underbrush. As always, this is a beautiful, supple Dolcetto with superb purity in its fruit, beautifully articulated aromatics and terrific overall balance. It is highly recommended. It's tough to go wrong with pretty much anything from Cavallotto these days. The estate's entry-level wines offer nearly as much pleasure as the higher-end wines, but at far more soothing prices.” |
Wine Advocate: 90 points |
Cavallotto Winery |
| $17.99/bottle or $172.70/12 pack case ($14.39/bottle) or just $14.39/bottle in a mixed case of wine. |
| P.S. |
| Good news for you Selvapiana Chianti Rufina fans who missed out last week. We purchased the last few cases of magnums left in the state on Wednesday and the wholesaler is not planning on ordering more. Now is your chance to stock up on these amazing magnums of Chianti. We don't expect them to last long, so the early bird catches the grape. |
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