|
Wine critics have come to this estate in the conviction that Nebbiolo should not be grown outside of Piemonte, only to express disbelief that we are in North America. We are fortunate in the Virginia Piedmont’s Piemontese attributes; in our Piemontese winemaker’s second-generation sophistication in this grape’s demands in cultivation and in vinification; and in his associate winemaker’s experience in Nebbiolo vinification with one of Piemonte’s leading producers. But this is the most honored Nebbiolo vineyard in the East primarily because of a visceral, spiritual commitment to the grape. Here, Nebbiolo lends itself to a Barbaresco style, in which the wine will be aged not less than a year in barrel, and another year in bottle before release.
But now a special note is appropriate, on our choice of barrels. Respecting the alternative of employing the traditional large casks of 400-650 gallons, we embrace the 60-gallon barriques of our Piemontese cooper, Gamba, crafted of the choicest oak from France’s annual forest auctions, air-dried for at least 3 years before coopering. The relevance of barrels can be overstated, but not in a wine of Nebbiolo’s stunning capability for depth, complexity, and age worthiness. The result is a wine worth waiting a long time to evolve, holding a long time to celebrate, taking a long time to savor, revisiting a long time in memory. |
Vintage Factors:
The 2005 vintage has justifiably been regarded as one of the great vintages of the last 15 years, and in the Nebbiolo brought us the Gold Medal of the San Francisco International Wine Competition (2008), the only Gold Medal awarded to Nebbiolo, compared with 30 for Cabernet Sauvignon.
|
Vinification:
100 percent Nebbiolo, fermented 5-7 days on the skins, followed by 15-20 maceration in stainless steel tank. Aged 12 months in Gamba barriques, 30 percent new, 70 percent 2nd fill. |
Analysis:
13.9% Alcohol
0.0% Residual Sugar
0.62% Total Acidity |
Tasting Notes:
Elegant and complex, aromatically enthralling depth of violets, forest loam, dark berry and tobacco notes. Full body, a firm, dense structure followed by a seamless, sustained finish. |
Optimum Drinking:
Although temptingly gorgeous now, the wine will repay the most patient cellaring - at least until 2009 - with usurious interest every year, for at least another 5. |
Food Pairings:
Oven roasted veal strip loin with ragù of fresh morels
Roasted rack of lamb with reduction of Nebbiolo and blackberry
Pan roasted duck breast with sauce of dried cherry |
|
