March 15, 2008
2004 Barolo: Modern Meets Tradition

A Note from Sergio Paolo Scavino: Traditional or Modern? Paolo Scavino Case: 2004 Cru Barolo Gaja's True Barbaresco Domenico Clerico: Taking Barolo Back

Granbussia: Aldo's Traditional Cuvee Modern Piemonte Sampler IWM Wine Experience Bill Buford on Passion on the Vine

A Note from Sergio

The Paolo Scavino estate—named for Enrico Scavino’s late father—sits just off a main stretch of industrial road in Barolo, nestled at the end of its own small street. The house and winery consists of a Spanish-style hacienda from which two wings stretch out and hug an open stone driveway filled with luxury cars. Arriving, I stepped through a dark wood door to an interior courtyard, where three white cats played and a fat, old dog on a chain nervously paced up to a tree planted in the center and then back to his water bowl. A teenager in a purple rock ‘n’ roll T-shirt and backwards baseball cap was wheeling a stack of boxes through.

“Are you here for an appointment?” he asked.

“With Signor Scavino,” I said. “Sergio Esposito from New York.” “He’ll be right with you,” he said. I strolled around hands in pockets; an old dachshund running free licked my shoe. Two minutes later, Scavino himself emerged.

“Buon giorno. Come sta?” he said, greeting me and asking how I was in the formal style. The way he moved was almost Japanese, hands at his sides, back tense and straight. He reached out and we shook hands.

Enrico Scavino is a square, sturdy man, not quite six feet tall, balding, with gray hair and delicate, unremarkable features. That day, he was dressed in a maroon sweater, yellow collared shirt, creased dark pants, and heavy brown leather shoes. He was incessantly, almost helplessly, polite. It could take up to five minutes to pass through a door with him, as he steadfastly refused to go first and I, as his junior, felt I had to follow suit. We initially got stuck at all entrances and exits, which was time consuming, considering that his winery was a labyrinth of new rooms.

“You first,” Scavino would say, standing to the side.

“No, please, you first,” I would counter, standing to the other side.

“No, you, of course.”

Then, smiles pasted on our faces, we would both hold out. Since he always won through sheer willpower, I gave up altogether and automatically went first, hating myself a little.

Scavino, along with Valentino Migliorini and about ten others, was responsible for the movement that changed the character and direction of Barolo forever. These men were dubbed “The Barolo Boys”—the winemakers often credited for making Barolo internationally popular. They were modernists, marketeers, and technology lovers, and they were, as much as any winemaker can be, icons of pop culture. From their ranks, Scavino, the boxy gentleman with the soft smile, had risen to become a global rock star. He sold to America, England, France, Germany, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Russia, Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore. He was a media darling, a renowned winemaker, and a very rich man. But this international success was perhaps more surprising to him than to anyone else. When he was thirteen years old, Enrico Scavino had left school to work on his father’s farm, where he shoveled manure, fed the chickens, and picked grapes. At the time, he imagined he’d be doing pretty much the same thing some fifty years later.

This week, I’m proud not only to feature the wines of Enrico Scavino, but also to share with you an excerpt from my book, Passion on the Vine, which is currently available via preorder on Amazon.com and will be published on April 22, 2008, by Broadway Books. In addition, Gourmet Magazine has chosen to excerpt my story on “The Master of the Veneto”—Giuseppe Quintarelli—in the magazine's April issue. One of the really great things about writing this book has been the opportunity to share the times I've spent with amazing individuals—people who have devoted their lives to Italian wine—people whose lives are inseparable from the beautiful wines they make.

Behind every great bottle of wine, there is a great person. This week, I’m pleased to acquaint you with the wines of Enrico Scavino, and through the wines, with the man himself.

My Best,
Sergio

For more accounts of Italian wine, food and life reserve my new book:
Passion On The Vine: a Memoir of Food, Wine, and Family in the Heart of Italy

Paolo Scavino: Traditional or Modern?

This marks IWM’s debut of Piemonte’s heralded 2004 Barolos: but be assured that this is just the beginning of what will be an extensive 2004 Barolo campaign. There are several producers we could have chosen to start off with, because in many ways this vintage simply speaks for itself. We’ve decided to focus right now on the renowned efforts of the Scavino estate, for this producer’s philosophy provides the perfect context in which to pose a question that is particularly pertinent to Piemonte’s current climate.

It seems like a simple, straightforward question—traditional or modern? But in Piemonte, there are no easy answers where style is concerned. While there used to be a very fine line between the two styles, that narrow middle ground has virtually exploded, rendering classification almost impossible. There’s no better testament to this amorphous ground, perhaps, than the present situation of Bruno Giacosa, who is customarily referred to as a traditionalist. Now, given his reduced maceration periods and use of stainless steel, you can almost position him with the likes of Luciano Sandrone and Domenico Clerico. Well, you could, if only these so-called modernists and their fellow Barolo Boys from the tempestuous ’80s hadn’t started revisiting the past en masse, lengthening maceration periods and dusting off their Slavonian oak casks.

Scavino’s one of them, though his return to tradition has been a little more circumspect, a little less dramatic than most. In 1998, Scavino brought Slavonian oak back into his regimen, but he reinstated it only in part, based on his firm conviction that Barolo requires both barrique and cask, one year in the former and one year in the latter, to be specific. He also extended the maceration period for his Barolos—but only by two to three days, whereas Clerico has gone as high as 23 in one notable instance. All of Scavino’s ’04 Barolos reflect his current place in Piemonte’s vast and undefined middle ground. Judging from the way Scavino’s wines are showing, though, he’s found a place where balancing is not an act, but an art.

Scavino 2004 Barolo Bricco Ambrogio…$97.60**
IWM is proud to be one of the first to debut Scavino’s newest Barolo—Bricco Ambrogio. While virtually unknown right now, it had a remarkable premiere showing in ’02 (Scavino’s only Barolo for the vintage), followed by another high-caliber performance in ’03. Having overcome the challenges of these two vintages, it finally got the chance to show all that it’s made of in the classic vintage of ’04. Scavino nurses an almost unruly passion for his latest acquisition: So thrilled was he with the ’02 that he featured it as the main attraction at an estate tasting in 2006, an event where verticals of Bric dël Fiasc, Carobric, and Rocche dell’Annunziata served as the background.

In Scavino’s world, it’s pretty clear who the favorite is. You’ll be able to taste what has him so enraptured with the ’04 release. If you crave an accessible Barolo, this is your wine: you’ll get the impression that Scavino and Bricco Ambrogio want you to recognize now, rather than later, just what a special thing they’ve got going here…

Scavino 2004 Barolo Bric dël Fiasc…$133.50**
It’s not only one of Piemonte’s most important single vineyards, it’s one of 2004’s standout performances and the most significant bottling in the Scavino portfolio. A subplot of the Fiasco cru, Bric dël Fiasc characteristically carries the most formidable structure of Scavino’s Barolos, an austere sensibility coupled with imposing power. This state of profound tension is ameliorated only through an extended period of cellaring, which typically transpires over 20 years. In a rather unusual move, the ’04 privileges elegance over strength, creating a graceful, poised Bric dël Fiasc. It achieves its power through subtle, compelling suggestion—a demeanor that becomes the vintage.
Also Available:
Scavino 2001 Barolo Bric dël Fiasc…$119.95
Scavino 1990 Barolo Bric dël Fiasc…$753.00 (1.5L)
Scavino 1985 Barolo Bric dël Fiasc…$323.90

Scavino 2004 Cannubi…$135.68**
Cannubi is Barolo’s most historic cru, and Scavino’s portion is positioned at the top of what is considered to be the site's most ideal form. During Scavino’s pure barrique phase (1993 to 1998), the newly released Cannubi showed a readiness that its successors cannot deliver. However, this regimen seems to become Cannubi particularly well, eliciting the feminine nuances and aromatic signature of the vineyard. First vinified by Scavino in 1985, Cannubi tends to be the most refined of Scavino’s Barolos, but in ’04, it seems to be trading places with Bric dël Fiasc, testing out its muscle. That said, it doesn’t forsake its elegant carriage, delivering the very balance that its estate finally found.
Also Available: Scavino 1990 Barolo Cannubi…$344.95

Scavino 2004 Barolo Carobic…$103.37**
Carobric, which debuted in the 1996 vintage, is a multivineyard production that represents a selection of grapes from each of Scavino’s esteemed crus—Rocche di Castiglione, Cannubi, and Bric dël Fiasc. In its early period, it is generally somewhat reticent on the nose, yet more demonstrative on the palate. In ’04, it takes the most classic line of the Scavino Barolos, serving as the foil of Bricco Ambrogio and projecting a rare sense of proportion—and perhaps celebrating the estate’s recovery of tradition.
Also Available: Scavino 2001 Barolo Carobric…$109.99

**Indicates prearrival

Paolo Scavino: 2004 Cru Barolos

This offering is an unparalleled way to kick off your own 2004 Barolo campaign. What better way to begin investing in this classic vintage than with a legendary producer? Scavino’s vintage history provides an extraordinary reflection of a producer who has authored a compelling evolution, with every stage or phase testifying to the merits of both terroir and technique. Scavino’s 1990 Bric dël Fiasc, for example, is a profound effort from his traditional period when Slavonian oak was the sole instrument of choice. Yet his modern-oriented wines are equally significant, establishing that barrique-aged wines are just as worthy of the cellar as those derived from traditional approaches.

Sergio’s belief in Scavino is such that he dedicated an entire chapter of his forthcoming book, Passion on the Vine: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Family in the Heart of Italy, to evoking Scavino’s realm and the winemaker behind the persona. These are not wines that you buy merely one or two bottles of: this sampler allows you to trace the nuanced and dramatic evolution of these extraordinary crus. Experience them in all their wondrous complexity and change: like Piemonte and their creator, these wines are not defined in the moment, but over the broad and untouchable expanse of time.

Paolo Scavino Case: 2004 Cru Barolos (includes three selections of each of the following)
Scavino 2004 Barolo Bricco Ambrogio…$97.60**
Scavino 2004 Barolo Bric dël Fiasc…$133.50**
Scavino 2004 Barolo Cannubi…$135.68**
Scavino 2004 Barolo Carobic…$103.37**
Paolo Scavino Tasting Case: 2004 Cru Barolo…$1,410.45†
**Indicates prearrival
†Free Delivery in Manhattan

Domenico Clerico: Taking Barolo Back

While Scavino seems to have arrived at a place that satisfies his stylistic ideals, Domenico Clerico is still in what might be considered a dynamic phase, engaged in a shifting stylistic spectrum and a constant probing for the ideal aesthetic. He’ll always be one of the Barolo Boys, yet he’s matured quite a bit since the days when Barolo’s backstreet vignerons stripped Barolo of its Slavonian oak and attired it with rich oak trappings. At one point, Clerico was particularly lavish in these ministrations, yet he soon modified his use of new barrique, finding his Barolos overdone and melodramatic. But Clerico hasn’t just been working out his involvement with barrique. In fact, his work with maceration periods has been far more dramatic than his experimentation with barrique. In 1993, Clerico’s maceration periods ranged from five to eight days. In 2006, that period averaged 18, with a new addition to the Barolo portfolio (a 2006 from purchased fruit) receiving 23 days of maceration. So where does that place Clerico? At both extremes—and handling them with finesse and passion.

Clerico 2003 Barolo Ginestra…$85.95
Ginestra is one of Barolo’s most celebrated crus, and in ’03, Clerico’s sensitivity coupled with Ginestra’s quality to produce a sensational expression: while fully in tune with the vintage, it is also remarkably intricate, promising a prodigious aging period. It also provides an exemplary testament to the benefits of that vast middle ground between tradition and modernism. While Clerico has revealed a preference for lengthy maceration periods, he significantly reduced his ’03 Barolo macerations in order to avoid increasing the high tannin levels that the grapes reached during the ripening stage. He also used a high percentage of new oak in an effort to facilitate roundness, a quality that would be counteracted by the wine’s tannic power.

Clerico 2003 Barolo Pajanà…$85.95
Known for being rather reticent on the nose, while generous on the palate, in ’03, this wine is demonstrative as a whole—a perfect conduit of the vintage and one of a few 2003s that may be approached today—with four or five hours’ decanting time—given Clerico’s astute handling of the vintage’s nature. If you hold off, though, this has the power to evolve a decade beyond the vintage, potentially reaching an optimal drinking state five years from now.

Clerico 2002 Barolo…$56.95
This cuvée represents the best fruit from Clerico’s Ginestra and Mosconi crus. Known for his tenacious approach to viticulture, Clerico’s average yields are among the lowest in the region. However, it is this fruit that he so carefully selected that foretells a brilliant future for the wine—a future that Clerico’s performance in other challenging vintages attests to. If you’d like a preview of where this wine is headed, give the tannins some time to mellow out by decanting for approximately five hours. That fruit will, in turn, emerge in all its sensuous beauty.

Granbussia: Aldo's Traditional Cuvée

Aldo Conterno 2000 Barolo Granbussia…$279.00
When asked about his current vintage preferences, Aldo Conterno identified the 2001, 1999, and 2000 as his preferred years on the basis of being a “traditionalist.” So why, then, is he so often misconstrued as an unqualified modernist, particularly given that his most esteemed wine, Granbussia, is the very quintessence of elegance in Barolo? As a cuvée comprising the three Bussia crus—Romirasco, Colonnello, and Cicala—this wine  honors the traditional practice of blending across sites. Granbussia’s maceration is conducted in horizontal fermenters, which are far more gentle on the wines than the modernists’ fermenter of choice (rotary), and it undergoes an aging regimen that is also rooted in tradition, with maturation extending over six years (three of which are conducted in Slavonian oak casks).

Now, what about Conterno’s citing of the 2000 vintage? Isn’t this a ripe year, one that a true traditionalist wouldn’t really take to? Well, perhaps. But Conterno’s 2000 Granbussia presents an interesting case: it offers the Granbussia signature to stellar effect—sweet young fruit accompanied by nuances of vanilla, spice, and licorice—seemingly rendering this wine prematurely accessible in its youth. But, it is a deceptive approachability, an ostensible readiness that palpably intimates the future rewards of this effort. That concentrated fruit, balanced by an impressive structure for the vintage, will allow this wine a substantive aging period, extending to the 20-year mark. Thus, this vintage  is fully in keeping with the traditional conception of Barolo as a wine that unequivocally demands cellaring.

Also Available:
Aldo Conterno 1988 Barolo Granbussia…$499.00
Aldo Conterno 1995 Barolo Granbussia Riserva…$197.50

Modern Piemonte Sampler

Many of Piemonte's winemakers have a dynamic relationship with their craft—they don't search for a formula or a design—but rather, they seek an identity to call their own. This unique sampler honors that ongoing quest to discover the most genuine reflection of an identity that is simply “Piemonte” in a more approachable way. Accessible and drinkable now—with the exception of Giacosa’s Barbaresco, which could benefit from maturation —these wines offer an extraordinary value for those who desire to experience the diversity captured by Piemonte’s modern, traditional, and "middle ground" interpretations.

Perhaps no one pursues this self-fashioning with the intense zeal, dedication, and focus of Domenico Clerico. Yes, he walked away from tradition, but he’s been working his way back, carefully and artfully merging seemingly diametrically opposed approaches. Arte, Piemonte’s second Nebbiolo–Barbera blend (1983), hasn’t gone all the way back with him, though, remaining his sole new barrique–aged wine—and a testament to his modern days of glory. Before Arte, though, there was Bricco Manzoni, the premiere Nebbiolo–Barbera blend (1978). This bottling was but one of the innovations that the late Valentino Migliorini introduced to Piemonte—unprecedented efforts for which he has yet to receive due recognition. Ironically, though, people are quick to cast him as a modernist, failing to realize that his early Barolos from the late seventies and early eighties are exemplary renditions of Barolo’s classic side.

People err on the other side, too, of course—particularly with Bruno Giacosa, typecasting him as a staunch traditionalist. A real, pure traditionalist simply wouldn’t agree, though, simply on the basis that Giacosa produces single-vineyard wines and utilizes stainless steel. His ’01 Barbaresco is a consummate example of balance, offering the concentration of the lush 2000 vintage in concert with the brilliant form of 2001. While fundamentally a traditionalist, Giovanni Massolino modified its orientation when it began crafting cru wines. In ’03, Massolino produced only its Barolo cuvée, utilizing the best grapes from its cru vineyards. It’s an unusual one for the estate—an intense expression that invites current drinking. Back to the 2001 vintage, we encounter a far more restrained expression in Gianfranco Bovio’s Arborina cru. While known for its lean style, Bovio ages Arborina in new barrique, fleshing out its physique yet retaining the cru's inherent poise.

Finally, there is the late Bartolo Mascarello, the only one herein that provides a definitive answer to the traditional or modern question. He never compromised, modified, or altered his philosophy. He knew who he was from the beginning—the ultimate guardian of tradition and terroir.

Modern Piemonte Six-Bottle Sampler (includes one selection of each of the following)
Bartolo Mascarello 2005 Barbera d'Alba…$39.19
Domenico Clerico 2002 Arte …$39.95
Rocche dei Manzoni di Valentino 1998 Bricco Manzoni…$30.94
Bruno Giacosa 2001 Barbaresco…$84.99
Massolino 2003 Barolo…$57.75
Bovio 2001 Barolo Arborina…$57.75
Modern Piemonte Sampler…$310.57†
†Free Delivery in Manhattan

IWM Wine Experience

View All of IWM's Upcoming Events...

Collector's Seminar:
The Killer B's-Barolo, Brunello, and Barbaresco
April 5, 2008 1:00–3:00 p.m., $125.00
Barolo, Brunello, and Barbaresco. They represent the most collected pure- varietal wines of Italy and compete with the Grand Crus of Burgundy as well as the cult favorites of California. Every week IWM features some of the many sought-after, limited-production wines that best represent each category. More often than not, these wines require aging to display their full opulence. So before uncorking these collectible and age-worthy gems, it is important to sample wines that are both ready to drink and adequately display the characteristics of these often complex and sophisticated wines. This rare tasting has been designed to aid the experienced enthusiast in selecting wines that are both capable of aging and appreciating in value. Legends such as Bruno Giacosa and Angelo Gaja will be showcased in addition to rising stars such as Poggio di Sotto and Il Palazzone.

Participants Receive:
• Tasting Booklet that includes IWM’s proprietary notes
• Sampling of regional foods prepared by IWM chefs paired with each wine tasted

To learn more about IWM's Studio Regionale Saturday Tasting Series or to make a reservation over the phone, contact Michann Thompson at 212.473.2323, x106.

Bill Buford on Passion on the Vine

“Without qualification, the best book about Italian wine today, if only because Sergio Esposito understands that its mysterious greatness is in its poetry—the earth, its diurnal magic, the ghosts of great-grandfathers. A beautiful, boldly sentimental memoir.”
—Bill Buford