Author Archives: Piemontegirl

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About Piemontegirl

I am a wine lover currently located in Boston. I drink wine mostly from Piemonte and Burgundy. Two summers in a row I have worked at Vietti in Piemonte.

Top 5 Wine Experiences in Oslo

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  1. Territoriet
  2. Le Benjamin
  3. Beijing Palace
  4. Cru
  5. Dr. Kneipp

 

Territoriet

Did you say wine by the glass? Because at Territoriet you can get over 100 wines by the glass! The bar, located at Grünerløkke, is small and cozy, with excellent staff and many good wines. I personally think they have a very good selection of white burgundy, one of the many reasons why I tend to end up here on the weekends.

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Le Benjamin

This cozy bistro is worth a visit or two. They have a very good wine list, excellent food and wonderful staff. Located in a very nice are in Oslo, this french gem invites you in and makes you never want to leave.

http://lebenjamin.no/en/

 

Beijing Palace

Hmmm, where to begin? This interesting joint is a must when dining out in Oslo. Along a busy street behind a rugged exterior is probably Oslo’s best Chinese restaurant. But the most intriguing aspect of Beijing palace is it’s extensive wine list. You may not thing dumplings and red burgundy go together, but this place makes it happen!

 

Cru

This is a restaurant I “frequent”. I absolutely love spending time here. Max, the owner, is so down to earth and friendly, and will gladly chat about food, wine or life while you drink wine and eat his delicious food. The staff is knowledgable, fun and kind and will make your dining experience fun and relaxed. It feels a bit like coming home, apart from the obvious higher standard of cooking.

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Dr. Kneipp

Very cool. The place is separated into a restaurant and a wine bar. The wine bar is kind if dark, with booths as well as some tables scattered around. There are many wine bottles lined up behind the bar, and their wine list is incredible. They have quite a few gems by the glass, which makes this perfect if you just want a glass or two. I will definitely come back here.

 

 

Wine of the Week

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IMG_6570Bruno Rocca Rabaja Barbaresco 2012

 

Wine: Barbaresco Rabaja

Producer: Bruno Rocca

Region/Appellation: Piemonte

Grape varieties: Nebbiolo

Vintage: 2012

Eye: Ruby garnet

Nose: floral, raspberry, cherry

Mouth: soft broad tannins, warm, redcurrant, blackberry, earthy,

 

 

Price Point: $60

Available at Vinmonopolet: No

Planning my trip to Barolo

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My next trip to Barolo is fast approaching and the winery visits are quickly adding up. I try to plan as many tastings and dinners as I can, but the Italian people do not do so well with planning. So, they key to success is to plan as many visits as possible, but leave enough space open for impromptu garden parties and aperitivos.

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Claudia Cigliuti and Chiara Boschis

I have booked a few visits. I’ll be visiting Massolino in Serralunga, never been there before. I also booked a visit with Claudia Cigliuti,  I have never been there either. Luisa Rocca is in the books and hopefully she’ll join us for lunch in Babaresco.

I am hoping to be able to visit Ettore Germano as well, everyone knows I love his Herzu! And of course I hope to pay visits to the usual suspects.

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Cru

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Cru has quickly become one of my favorite places to go. It’s basically next door, the wine list is impressive and food incredible.

Cru is divided in two: the wine bar and the restaurant. Upstairs is the restaurant, a slightly fancy setting, with a set menu 3 or 5 courses. Downstairs is the wine bar, very casual with a menu of small courses, many are the same as upstairs. This setup makes it a perfect place for all kinds of occasions. I think my favorite part is the wine bar, enjoying the delicious food in a very relaxing atmosphere, ordering one plate and then maybe another.

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Cauliflower soup

They change the menu once in a while, adding new interesting dishes. They try to use ingredients grown locally and focus on honest food. And their philosophy shows in their food. I love trying their new additions to the menu. However, I also have some favorites. Their lobster bisque is one of my favorites, but recently the Caulilflower soup may have knocked it off the top of my list. My god it’s good! Definitely coming back for more.

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Terragon gnocchi with sunroot purré

Wine of the Week

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IMG_6565Azelia Barolo 2011

 

Wine: Azelia Barolo

Producer: Azelia

Region/Appellation: Piemonte, Italy

Grape varieties: Nebbiolo

Vintage: 2011

Eye: bright red garnet

Nose: red plum, wild red berries, sweet spices, floral notes

Mouth: ripe fruit flavors, sweet red cherries, dried herbs, minerals

 

Price Point: $47

Available at Vinmonopolet: Yes

#tbt Giulia Negri

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“Now that the Baroloboys have grown up, time may have come for us, the Barologirls.” – Giulia Negri

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Last summer I was in La Morra with my family and we went to visit Giulia Negri, aslo known as Barologirl. Giulia is a friend of mine but I had never before been to her winery. We sat in the garden, drank wine and ate salumi, while playing with the dogs and learning about their wines.

Giulia is young and she has a passion for Pinot Noir and Burgundy. She makes her own Pinot Noir wine and it’s quite good! Their winery makes two separate wines, Giulia Negri and Serradenari. Giulia’s mother also makes wine at the winery.

Check out both the wineries at www.giulianegri.com and www.serradenari.com.

Top 5 Wine Experiences in NYC

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  1. Burger & Barrel
  2. Babbo
  3. Maialino
  4. Charlie Bird
  5. Lupa

Burger& Barrel

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This place is kind of quirky. Along with very stereotypical burgers they also have a really good wine list. It might sound a little strange at first. How good of a wine pairing can that be, does anything really go with greasy burgers? Don’t knock it until you try it! Good food, amazing wine. A place to check out if you are in New York City.

Babbo

I am not sure how to explain how amazing Babbo is. I honestly feel like a princess whenever I am there. The service is incredible. And the staff is so nice. Juan Pablo, one of my favorite sommeliers, works at Babbo. He originally worked at Lupa which is where we met (I used to frequent Lupa. Like, really frequent…) And now he works at Babbo. Good for him! At Babbo, everything just works. The lighting, the food, the wine, the service, the music. It is such an experience dining there, at least for me, as I don’t regularly eat in super fancy restaurants. I already look forward to my next visit, hopefully in October 2017!

Maialino

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Maialino, located near Gramersy park, has a very good wine list. There are many old treasure on the list but you can of course also find newer Barolos, some barbera and dolcetto. I am always impressed with the wines they have. The first time I ate there, in 2010, we had a 2000 Dolcetto from Bartolo Mascarello. And I would never have thought a 10 year old dolcetto could taste so fresh. Amazing. The last time I was there we had  a 1994 Bruno Giacosa. At first it was a little funky but it opened up really well. Always a fun experience at Maialino.

Charlie Bird

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Charlie bird is a fantastic place. The food is good and the wine list is great. They always have a good selection of both red and white. However, the concept that makes Charlie Bird such a good place for wine is their second wine list. This is a list, hand written, in a little red book. The selection in this book is insane. And one of the sommeliers there, Arvid, was just named World’s Best Sommelier. How cool!

Lupa

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I have been to Lupa more times than I can count and we always end up having good wine there. They have just the types of wines I like, the Barolo (dolcetto, barbera, nebbiolo and barolo) section is vast with many to chose from. Unfortunately they stopped carrying my favorite white, Ettore Germano’s Riseling “Herzu.” Despite this, the wine list is still pretty good!

Pylsa & Barolo

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Every year we have an event called “Pylsa & Barolo”. The event is in reality my fathers birthday celebration, but he doesn’t like to celebrate his birthday, so he organizes a garden party instead. The whole concept is that we serve different kinds of Hot Dogs with Barolo as the wine pairing. It is a strange combination but somehow it just works.

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This year’s lineup was composed of what we call “family wine”. Over the years we have made many friends in Barolo, and some of these winemakers have become part of the family along the way. Bartolo Mascarello has always been a favorite, and we are a big fan of Maria Teresa and Alan. If we are having #family wine” Altare has to be on the list. Not only have I worked at the winery, they are our oldest friends in Barolo. Their neighbors, Mauro Veglio are also considered part of the family. Daniela and Mauro are wonderful. Last but not least there is Vietti. Luca and Elena are a riot and I always feel at home with them. My favorite thing to do with them is to sit around their dining table, listening to the family while drinking wine and eating home made food. I wish they could all have been there yesterday but at least I will see them all in July!

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This was the final tally. 24 bottles of wine.