Wines with dinner

[Florida Jim]

With cheese and crackers:

2002 Anselmi, Capitel Foscarino:

Aromas of melon, apple, tonic water, stones and a light floral scent/

Medium body, flavors follow the nose and are slightly tight, although smooth on the palate this is bright in the mouth, almost nervous, good concentration and excellent balance/

Medium length, very clean finish with an element of white pepper.

Does anyone know if this is one of the cuvees that Anselmi blends with Chardonnay? It does seem to have that feel to it. This wine probably needs a year or two to be at full song yet it was also lovely as a starter.

About $14.

With mushroom risotto:

2001 Bruno Giacosa, Nebbiolo d’Alba:

(this is not the Valmaggiore designated wine)

Lovely nose of dried cherries, loam, roses and a hint of spice/

Medium body, flavors follow the nose with nice complexity and a little of that rising and falling of flavors that I find so interesting, fine tannins are evident but not drying, the mid-palate as an elegance that gives this wine a lacey feel in the mouth, good intensity and concentration, nice balance/

Medium length, slightly drying finish.

Paired with the risotto, this wine was several measures more succulent than it was without food. Another pairing that makes both the wine and the food dimensionally better.

About $18.

Aside: I think it was Ed Becker who first drew my attention to the fact that Nebbiolo has much in common with Pinot Noir. It makes such an aromatic wine and yet it retains a sense of fineness and style in the mouth; it can be, with time, almost ethereal. Then too, both make wines that seem as though they were only created to go with food.

I have not actually tracked the contents of my cellar for the whole of the approximately 20 years I have had it, but I do notice that, for red wines, it has tended more and more to wines made of these two grapes or varieties that have similar character traits.

And the fact that one can still buy a wine as intriguing as this one from Giacosa for under $20, is not lost on me. Wonderful wines.

Best, Jim

[Boris_A]

the fact that Nebbiolo has much in common with Pinot Noir. It makes such an aromatic wine and yet it retains a sense of fineness and style in the mouth; it can be, with time, almost ethereal. Then too, both make wines that seem as though they were only created to go with food.

Very good observation.

I found Nebbiolos (d'Alba) sometimes better with food than Barolos. Since 1994/95 when I sampled quite amounts of $18-20 Barbarescos (before hype set in and due to the Lira exchange) it's definitely my favourite variety.

Maybe you can get some bottles of Valtellina DOC (mostly made from 100% Nebbiolo or Chiavennasca as they call it there) and give a try. I recommend ArRePe among others. They tend to be on the lighter side of the spectrum like Nebbiolo d'Alba compared to Barolo/Barbaresco. Other lesser known fields to explore for Nebbiolo aficionados are Ghemme DOC and Roero DOC.

All these wines should be tasted (consumed, that is) with food in order to deliver the sensations you described so wonderful in your 1999 Belle Pente, Pinot Noir Willamette Valley review. Which I found on of the most telling posts (not only for wine) I've read here in recent times. Bravo!

[Florida Jim]

Maybe you can get some bottles of Valtellina DOC (mostly made from 100% Nebbiolo or Chiavennasca as they call it there) and give a try. I recommend ArRePe among others. They tend to be on the lighter side of the spectrum like Nebbiolo d'Alba compared to Barolo/Barbaresco. Other lesser known fields to explore for Nebbiolo aficionados are Ghemme DOC and Roero DOC.

Suggestions greatly appreciated; I am just learning about Italian wines and I will search these out.

And thanks for the kind words.

Best, JIm

[Phil Ward]

Look also for Rainoldi from Valtellina.

Phil

[Chris Kissack]

Nebbiolo has much in common with Pinot Noir

Very true. After tasting my first few bottles of Nebbiolo I came to think of it as turbo-charged Pinot Noir. There are similarities in appearance and also its textural qualities in the mouth. The big difference, of course, is the tannin. This can dominate young Nebbiolo, whereas much Pinot Noir is very approachable young.

BWs

Chris

[Boris_A]

Suggestions greatly appreciated

Then let me add a word ot two:

Here you can find more information (and some very nice pics) on Nebbiolo in Valtellina.

Outstanding traditionalistic producers are:

- Ar.Pe.Pe. (Arturo Perego Pelizatti)

- Nino Negri

- Rainoldi (as Phil Ward already pointed out)

- Prevostini

Other Nebbiolos DOCs I didn't mention are Gattinara DOC and Carema DOC, where a 80-90% Nebbiolo share is prescripted by the DOC rules.

And I can assure that these wines are quite unknown to most winelovers outside these regions. Winelovers with some affinity for lighter wines and prepared to search in those backwaters overshadowed by fashion and trends can ride there all in front of the rediscovery of elegant food wines.

So when the mediatic touting stes in - for us, it's going to be old news.

[Florida Jim]

Winelovers with some affinity for lighter wines and prepared to search in those backwaters overshadowed by fashion and trends can ride there all in front of the rediscovery of elegant food wines.

That's the ticket; lighter wines with food affinity.

Again, thanks.

Best, Jim

[Alberto]

Hello all.

For Valtellina Superiore DOCG I can recommend two sub-appellations: Inferno (meaning "Hell" in English, comes from a particularly sloped sub-zone) and the incredibly overlooked Sfursat (Sforzato), a sort of Amarone made with nebbiolo grape. Prices are sometimes down to half those of Baroli and Amaroni. Their natural pairing are, IMHO, the various cheeses made in the valley.

Pietro Nera is a main producer, too.

Cheers,

Alberto