March 17, 2007
Value in Barolo's Vintage Streak
In This Issue
A Note from Sergio
Everybody goes nuts for the newest wines, the latest
releases, and the
bottles exploding onto the market. It's the stuff of
magazine covers, newspaper
articles, and marketing schemes. Me, too-I like the
excitement of tasting something
novel. But for me, the importance of a recent vintage
lies in its position within
the grander context of a producer's works. If you're
drinking solely for a little
pleasure, then a nice new wine is just an addition to
the old standards. But
if you're also drinking for realization, for
comprehension-to open up your ideas
and to widen your experiences, then you know that a
few bottles from '00 and
'01 aren't going to do the trick.
A wine's beauty is IN its evolution, and its true value is
the typicity it offers.
There's little more intriguing than a comparative
tasting of
a winemaker's efforts, through which you can see how
the land changed, how the
fruit grew, how the vintner altered his methods, or how
he kept them constant.
To that end, I am offering today pairs of Barolo,
selected from some key older
and newer vintages. Drinking them, you'll be able to
taste the Piemonte of Valentino
Migliorini, Gianfranco Bovio, and Alessandro &
Gian Natale Fantino, both
then and now. Wine, in its highest form, is a
relationship among place, producer,
and consumer; as with all relationships, to truly
understand the present, you
must also understand the past.
My best,
Sergio Esposito
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Vintage Bovio Barolo
A Lesson in La Morra's Terroir
For many culinary-minded travelers, the name
Gianfranco Bovio is intimately
connected with Ristorante Belvedere,
one of
Piemonte’s oldest
and most renowned restaurants, noted, in
particular,
for its superb renditions
of traditional Piemontese cuisine and a
stunning
view of the Langhe region.
Bovio is not only passionate about honoring
Piemonte’s traditional dishes,
however. He provides vinous complements to his
lauded fare in Belvedere’s
extensive wine cellar, which happens to
specialize in
Piemontese selections.
Among the cellar’s defining regional
representatives, you’ll find
another, quite personal focus—the
wines of
Bovio himself.
Gianfranco initiated the revitalization of his
father’s wine estate in
1977, shortly after assuming the direction of
Belvedere. Though the original
holdings comprised merely three hectares of
Nebbiolo and Dolcetto, Bovio purchased
seven additional hectares—situated
within the
crus of Arborina, Gattera,
and Rocchettevino—and enlisted the
expertise of Walter Porasso, who continues
to oversee all stages of production,
assisted by
consultants Beppe Caviola
and Federico Curtaz. The success of Ristorante
Belvedere finds its equal in
Bovio’s viticultural achievement. Bovio
delivers an exemplary rendering
of classic La Morra Barolo, characterized
by a lean
style that captures La
Morra’s terroir, and, in some cases,
projects
a likeness to Barbaresco.
Barolo ‘Vigna Arborina’
More dignified and temperate than
Bovio’s
other Barolos, the Arborina
typically releases dark red fruit tinged
with anise and
hints of tar. As
with all of Bovio’s bottlings, this
offers a
quintessential expression
of its source and represents Bovio’s
sole use
of new barrique.While
grapes issuing from this vineyard were sold to
Barolo cellars in the past,
its small core of present growers has been
achieving
increased acclaim for
this site with every new vintage. The vintages
represented
here comprise all
of the structured years in the Barolo
vintage streak
(’01, ’99,
and ’96), as well as the riper year of
’98, which is the most
overlooked of the vintages.
Bovio 2001 Barolo 'Vigna
Arborina' $57.75
Bovio 2001 Barolo 'Vigna Arborina' $30.25 (375ml)
Bovio 1999 Barolo 'Vigna Arborina' $57.75
Bovio 1999 Barolo 'Vigna Arborina' $122.38 (1.5L)
Bovio 1998 Barolo 'Vigna Arborina' $59.35
Bovio 1998 Barolo 'Vigna Arborina' $124.88 (1.5L)
Bovio 1996 Barolo 'Vigna Arborina' $59.00
Bovio 1996 Barolo 'Vigna Arborina' $124.88 (1.5L)
Barolo ‘Vigna
Gattera’
Bovio’s Gattera cru exhibits
greater austerity and power
than Bovio’s other Barolo crus,
Arborina and
Rocchettevino, and also
possesses longer-term aging potential. Aged in
medium barrels, it typically
appears garnet in color, with orange
undertones that
become increasingly
more pronounced with age. Taken together,
the two
bottlings presented below
offer a direct study in contrast between
structure
(’01) and ripeness
(’98). While ’01 is considered to
mediate between ’99
and ’00, becoming something of an all-
around success, the ’98
is distinguished for its ripe character.
Bovio 2001 Barolo 'Vigna Gattera' $57.75
Bovio 2001 Barolo 'Vigna Gattera' $30.25 (375ml)
Bovio 1998 Barolo 'Vigna Gattera' $59.35
Bovio 1998 Barolo 'Vigna Gattera' $124.88 (1.5L)
Barolo ‘Rocchettevino’
Credited with integrating the principal
dimensions of
the other two Barolo
crus, Rocchettevino is generally the most
approachable of the three,
providing a consummate introduction to the
style of
the Bovio house.
It is also regarded as Bovio’s most
comprehensive articulation
of La Morra’s beneficent
characteristics.
Known for exhibiting
a dense character, this trait finds its
ideal conduit in
the historic ’97
vintage, the most opulent of the vintage
streak
years.
Bovio 1997 Barolo 'Rocchettevino' $68.71
Bovio 1997 Barolo 'Rocchettevino' $144.38 (1.5L)
Introduction to Bovio
Barbera d'Alba 'Il Ciotto'
Modern productions of Barbera occupy a broad
stylistic spectrum that ranges from
lean to concentrated, capturing all of the
degrees
operating in-between as well. Derived
from the Ciotto cru, this wine expresses
Barbera’s simpler dimension, providing
a straightforward, textbook illustration of
the hallmark
acidity for which the
grape is known, and preserving its low level
of tannin,
which is often elevated
through aging in barrique.
Bovio 2004 Barbera d'Alba 'Il Ciotto' $22.00
Barbera d'Alba 'Regiaveja'
Bovio’s Regiaveja delivers the
concentration
that many vineyard-designate
Barberas are noted for. This quality is
enhanced
through its vinification regimen,
which entails the use of barrique in
both the
fermentation and aging
periods. Our offering presents a rare
opportunity to
taste aged Barbera; at
present, the ’99 occupies a place on
Gianfranco Bovio’s wine list
at Ristorante Belvedere, which
maintains
vintages dating back to ’95.
Bovio 1999 Barbera d'Alba
'Regiaveja' $36.83
Bovio 1996 Barbera d'Alba 'Regiaveja' $34.00
Dolcetto d'Alba 'Vigna Dabbene'
Dolcetto is a prime selection for everyday,
causal
drinking, providing a taste
of Piemonte’s more down-to-earth
side in a
fruit-forward style. Despite
its relatively casual nature in the
context of
Piemonte’s reds, some
producers are attempting to position it
on the
international scene. Bovio’s
Dolcetto captures the grape’s
classic mode
in its delivery of plush,
supple fruit, which is supported by an
unusual, though
finely tuned acidity.
Bovio 2004 Dolcetto d'Alba 'Vigna Dabbene' $16.72
Vintage Fantino Barolo
Fantino Vigna dei Dardi: Lessons Well Learned
The winery of the Fantino brothers,
Alessandro and
Gian Natale, is situated in the historic
centre of Monforte d’Alba and
represents one
of the rising stars of the
Langhe. Their holdings comprise ten hectares
of the
historic Vigna dei Dardi Vineyard,
which is noted for its articulation of the
character and
nuances informing specific
vintages. Alessandro received consummate
training
in Piemonte’s traditional
viticulture in his ten-year tenure as
winemaker for the
legendary Bartolo Mascarello.
The Fantino Barolos represent the most
masculine of
those offered in the present
context.
Barolo ‘Vigna dei Dardi’
The Fantino brothers’ holdings
comprise ten
hectares of the historic Vigna
dei Dardi Vineyard, which is noted for its
articulation
of the character and
nuances informing specific vintages. The
collection
below represents a rare
opportunity to conduct your own vertical
tasting.
Although it omits ’01,
the final vintage in the Barolo streak, it
includes the
’95, which is
more than merely an honorary addition, as many
believe that it should be a
full-fledged member of the streak.
A & GN Fantino 2000 Barolo ‘Vigna dei Dardi’ $62.57
A & GN Fantino 1999 Barolo ‘Vigna
dei
Dardi’ $66.00
A & GN Fantino 1998 Barolo ‘Vigna
dei
Dardi’ $58.45
A & GN Fantino 1997 Barolo ‘Vigna
dei
Dardi’ $66.70
A & GN Fantino 1997 Barolo ‘Vigna
dei
Dardi’ $138.88 (1.5L)
A & GN Fantino 1996 Barolo ‘Vigna
dei
Dardi’ $71.50
A & GN Fantino 1995 Barolo ‘Vigna
dei Dardi’ $66.00
Barolo ‘Vigna dei Dardi’
Riserva
While the ’98 vintage receives the least
attention of its fellow streak
years, the ’99 may very well be the most
neglected of the structured
years. In fact, some regard it as the
“forgotten
vintage,” as it
was hard to judge upon release and somewhat
lost
in the wake of the 2000s.
The ’99 vintage, however, began to
come into
its own after two years
of bottle age, and the ’98s offer the
most
accessible drinking at present.
Recover two that are continuing to exceed
expectation.
A & GN
Fantino 1999 Barolo ‘Vigna dei
Dardi’
Riserva $75.63
A & GN Fantino 1998 Barolo ‘Vigna
dei Dardi’ Riserva $75.63
Introduction to Fantino
Barbera Vigna dei Dardi
Barbera was frequently undermined in the past, as
it served as a rather superfluous planting in vineyards
that did not accommodate the sensitive and
demanding nature of Piemonte’s favored
grape, Nebbiolo; such negligible treatment resulted in
Barberas characterized by a lean and acidic profile. In
the early '80s, however, producers realized that
Barbera could achieve a far more distinctive character
if grown in choice sites featuring a southfacing
exposure. Producers also achieve a richer profile
through barrique aging.
While fairly full in body,
this Barbera
maintains a
distinctive acidic structure,
enabling it to project grace in the
glass. Thus, in
terms of Barbera’s
spectrum, the Fantino occupies
positioning in the
middle ground.
A & GN Fantino 2003 Barbera d'Alba Vigna dei Dardi $16.23
Rosso dei Dardi
One of the most consistent performers in the IWM
portfolio, this unusual triptych
comprises diverse varietal personas: the
everyday
(Barbera), the signature (Nebbiolo),
and the esoteric (Freisa). Its modest price
point
affords you a superb introduction
to the Super-Piemonte style.
A & GN Fantino 2004 Rosso dei Dardi $16.50
Vintage Rocche dei Manzoni Valentino Barolo
Redefining Modern
Situated in the Manzoni Soprani area of
Monforte
d'Alba, Rocche dei Manzoni
was originally established in the 1700s,
commencing its modern era in 1974
under the ownership of Valentino Migliorini
and his
wife, Jolanda. Valentino's
viticultural accomplishments eventually
earned him
rare positioning in Barolo's
patriarchy. Initial production included
Dolcetto,
Barbera, and Barolo, yet
Valentino did not adhere to either the area's
traditional varietal constituency
or practices. He was the first to plant
Chardonnay
and produced the Langhe's
premiere blend— the Bricco
Manzoni—
in 1976, for which he employed
small French oak barrels. While Valentino's
Barolos
are regarded as modern,
their level of extraction and significant
barrique
influence do not preclude
the wines from exhibiting elegance and
expressing
the genuine character of
the Nebbiolo grape. In consequence, they
defy the
traditional stereotype attributed
to the modern Piemonte producer.
Barolo Big 'd Big
While the vineyard’s name derives from a
former owner of Rocche dei Manzoni
(Bighi), this wine is proportioned in
accordance with
its substantive designation.
Aged for three years in French oak followed
by an
additional year of age prior
to release, Barolo Big 'd Big offers a
concentrated
character that provides for
ample weight on the palate, complemented by
sweet
tannins. The Barolo Big 'd
Big typically reaches a peak drinking stage
between
seven and 12 years of age,
yet its structure provides for significant
long-term
aging potential. In the
offering below, four of the vintage streak
wines are
joined by the ’95
(which, as previously mentioned, is deserving of
membership in the celebrated
series), and ’88—a remarkable
illustration of this Barolo’s
age-worthy character.
Rocche dei
Manzoni di Valentino 2000 Barolo Big 'd Big
$132.00 (1.5L)
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1999 Barolo
Big 'd Big $125.00 (1.5L)
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1997 Barolo
Big 'd Big $68.71
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1996 Barolo
Big 'd Big $68.00
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1995 Barolo
Big 'd Big $58.45
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1988 Barolo
Big 'd Big $149.00
Barolo ‘Vigna d'la Roul’
Valentino's first single-vineyard Barolo, Vigna
d’la Roul, debuted with
the 1974 vintage and is regarded as the most
elegant
of his Barolos. It is aged
in oak for a period of three years, followed
by an
additional year of maturation
in bottle prior to release. Of the vintage
series years,
Sergio holds ’96
in the highest regard; it represents the most
ageworthy of the vintages and delivers
a consummate classic expression. The 2000, in
contrast, is the darling of the
media, as the ’00 wines exhibited lush
fruit
upon release, drawing attention
away from the aforementioned “forgotten
vintage” of ’99. The
two ends of Barolo’s stylistic spectrum
are
brought together here—the
eminently ready and the holding back for
better things
to come.
Rocche
dei Manzoni di Valentino 2000 Barolo
‘Vigna
d'la Roul’ $57.95
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 2000 Barolo
‘Vigna d'la Roul’ $132.00 (1.5L)
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1996 Barolo
‘Vigna d'la Roul’ $68.00
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1996 Barolo
‘Vigna d'la Roul’ $141.67 (1.5L)
Barolo ‘Vigna Cappella di Santo
Stefano’
Derived from the historic vineyard Cappella
Santo
Stefano di Perno, this wine
represents the cru dei cru of
Valentino's single-
vineyard Barolos. As
with the other crus, the Santo Stefano is
aged in oak
for a three-year period
and receives an additional year of maturation
in bottle
prior to release. The
collection below represents Santo
Stefano’s
career through the streak,
with the exception of ’01 and
’97. The
defining characteristics of
both, structure and ripeness, respectively,
are amply
represented, with ’96
and ’99 constituting the classics, and
’00 and ’98 offering
ripeness. These two pairings, however, offer
distinctions in degree—the ’96
is a more austere vintage than the ’99,
while
the ’00 delivers greater
opulence than the ’98.
Rocche
dei Manzoni di Valentino 2000 Barolo
‘Vigna
Cappella Santo Stefano’ $64.95
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 2000 Barolo
‘Vigna Cappella Santo Stefano’
$138.88 (1.5L)
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1999 Barolo
‘Vigna Cappella Santo Stefano’
$150.00 (1.5L)
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1998 Barolo
‘Vigna Cappella Santo Stefano’
$137.21 (1.5L)
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1996 Barolo
‘Vigna Cappella Santo Stefano’
$73.00
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1996 Barolo
‘Vigna Cappella Santo Stefano’
$151.58 (1.5L)
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1995 Barolo
‘Vigna Cappella Santo Stefano’
$63.25
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1995 Barolo
‘Vigna Cappella Santo Stefano’
$151.58 (1.5L)
Introduction to Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino
Bricco Manzoni
The Bricco Manzoni—a blend of Nebbiolo
(80%) and Barbera (20%)—debuted
in 1976, becoming the pioneering blend of
its kind.
Aged in barrique, it
provides an exemplary example of a defining
element of the Super-Piemonte concept—an
effort to soften the angular Nebbiolo with
the addition
of Barbera, Cabernet
Sauvignon, Pinot Nero, or Merlot.
Rocche dei
Manzoni di Valentino 1999 Bricco Manzoni
$30.94
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1998 Bricco
Manzoni $30.94
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1996 Bricco Manzoni $34.00
Quatr Nas
First released in 1996, Bricco Manzoni’s
younger sibling, Quatr Nas,
blends Nebbiolo (50%) with Cabernet Sauvignon,
Pinot Nero, and Merlot. The
term Super-Piemonte initially
designated high-
quality wines that were
made within established Piemontese wine zones
with varietals and/or techniques
that did not comply with the zone's
regulations. While
many Super-Tuscans are
unattainable, Super-Piemonte blends remain
approachable and reasonably priced.
Rocche dei Manzoni di
Valentino 1998 Quatr Nas $53.50
Rocche dei
Manzoni di Valentino 1997 Quatr Nas $52.94
Barbera d’Alba Sorito Mosconi
Aged in barrique for 18 months, this
wine
earns positioning at the
concentrated end of the Barbera
spectrum. It showcases the richness Barbera
may
realize when treated in barrique,
a regimen that also enhances the wine’s
tannic structure.
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 2000 Barbera d'Alba Sorito Mosconi $34.00
Dolcetto d'Alba La Matinera
In recent years, Dolcetto has come to
realize the
breadth of styles achieved
by Barbera. The Matinera bottling occupies
something of a middle ground—while
not aged in barrique, the
maceration period
extends over a 10-day
period, producing a wine that heightens
the
grape’s inherent fruitiness.
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 2004 Dolcetto d'Alba La Matinera $22.00
Chardonnay L'Angelica
While Chardonnay's arrival in Piemonte was
initially
met with opposition, it
is now an established varietal presence.
Many
quality producers provide an
interpretation that reflects Italian
terroir while
retaining elements of
the grape’s inherent character.
Valentino's
Chardonnay provides a consummate
example of restrained oak aging, wherein the
barrique does not obscure the grape's natural persona.
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 2003 Chardonnay L’Angelica $34.92
Brut Zero
Crafted in a crisp, dry style via the
méthode Champenoise, Brut
Zero is Valentino's take on vintage
Champagne.
This particular version was
aged over 36 months after bottling and
then refined
in bottle for six months
prior to being released; it offers buttery
aromas and
a generous perlage.
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1999 Brut Zero $41.25
Vintage Streak Samplers
A great vintage is
frequently discussed in
relation to
others in an effort to
place it in
context—to better
understand the
qualities that either render
it distinctive
or make it one of the
standard-bearers.
These profiles
are essential for
collectors and enable us
to understand
the elements and
conditions that realize
the essence of
a particular
region.
They become particularly
significant when
a vintage streak
has been ordained. When
consecutive
years all warrant special
attention, it becomes
necessary to
undertake a closer analysis,
one that deals in the
realm of nuance and
degree. The absence
of distance requires
more acute reflection:
Descriptors
like structured, ripe,
and classic become
rather generic
when relied on to
describe year after
year.
The two Six-Packs
featured here provide an
opportunity
to truly exercise your
analytical prowess,
marking the
fine points of
distinction within a series of
great performances.
The first affords you
the opportunity to
acquire a profound
understanding of one
producer’s
representation of
an historic vineyard.
It is a perfect medium
to conduct
such an exploration, as
the site in
question—Vigna
dei Dardi—is
known for its
sensitivity to vintage
variations. The second
operates a
somewhat broader scope,
enabling you to focus
on the defining
attributes of the
years, as well as
producer style and site.
Whichever way you go,
both will provide you
with impeccable guidance through those special years, making all the right stops along the way.
Vintage ‘Vigna dei Dardi’
Vertical
Includes:
1995 A & GN Fantino Barolo
‘Vigna dei
Dardi’
1996 A & GN Fantino Barolo
‘Vigna dei
Dardi’
1997 A & GN Fantino Barolo
‘Vigna dei
Dardi’
1998 A & GN Fantino Barolo
‘Vigna dei
Dardi’
1999 A & GN Fantino Barolo
‘Vigna dei
Dardi’
2000 A & GN Fantino Barolo ‘Vigna
dei
Dardi’
Vintage 'Vigna dei Dardi' Vertical...$391.22*
*Free Delivery in Manhattan
Value in Barolo's Vintage Streak Sampler
Includes:
1996 Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino Barolo
‘Vigna Cappella Santo
Stefano’
1997 A & GN Fantino Barolo
‘Vigna dei
Dardi’
1998 Bovio Barolo 'Vigna Arborina'
1999 A & GN Fantino Barolo
‘Vigna dei
Dardi’ Riserva
2000 Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino Barolo
‘Vigna d’la
Roul’
2001 Bovio Barolo 'Vigna Gattera'
11x17 Regional Barolo Map
Value in Barolo's Vintage Streak Sampler...$390.38*
*Free Delivery in Manhattan
Saturday Studio Seminar: A Taste of Piemonte
Taste of Piemonte
March 24, 1:00–3:00 p.m., $75.00
Piemonte is Italy's most important quality
wine region.
This relatively small area offers more native
varietals
than most leading wine countries. These
intricate,
extraordinary grapes, which are famously
finicky and
difficult to farm, produce the long-lived,
collectible reds
of Barolo and Barbaresco, the value oriented
reds of
Barbera and Dolcetto, and whites Gavi (Cortese),
Erbaluce, and Arneis. This tasting provides an
opportunity for guests to sample a selection
of Italy's
most highly-sought wines while exploring the
depth of
Italy's finest region.
The tasting includes:
Education provided by an IWM sommelier
Tasting Booklet that includes IWM's proprietary regional and producer notes, as well as a recipe
Crystal tasting glass to keep following the tasting
Sampling of regional foods prepared by IWM chefs paired with each wine tasted
To make a reservation via phone:
Contact Michann Thompson at 212.473.2323 x106 to
reserve your space, or to learn more about
IWM's new
Studio Regionale Saturday Tasting Series. |
