J. Charpentier makes a wide range of wines and tomorrow the Origine Brut Nature will be available in Norway for the first time! As most of you probably already know, the Blanc de Blancs by Charpentier is my favorite these days, but it’s nice to have more options as well! The Origine Brut Nature has slightly more tropical notes, but is still fresh and crisp with a wonderfully long finish.
The Dolcetto 2019 are quite structured with lots of fruit. I find them to be a bit more complex, especially compared to 2018, giving the wine a little more “oomph”. One could argue that the Dolcetto from 2017 also had “oomph” but perhaps not complex. This is the case with Paolo Scavino Dolcetto 2019 as well. Concentrated, explosive and fruity with good length. I really like enjoyed this wine!
Explosive noes with notes of fruit and minerals. Quite expressive. A balanced wine with good acidity. I’ve found that I quite like Barbera from Asti. The different soil and climate give the wine a different spin than Barbera from Alba.
This is my first introduction to Malabaila di Canale. The Barbera Superiore has those wonderful Barbera aromas. Some hints of vanilla and tobacco, but not excessive oak notes! Some tannins and long finish gives it that extra boost.
Released a year later than most of its “peers”, the Langhe Nebbiolo from Pira has spent about 12 months in small and big oak barrels. In addition to the terroir, the oak helps to give the wine its structure and complexity. Aroma of red fruit, leather, spices and tobacco as well as a hint of oak notes. Fruity in the mouth, crisp and complex. Persistent tannins with a long finish.
Although I have not tried this vintage from Maria Teresa, I stand by her wines. Sad her wines are so expensive in Norway, especially when she sells them way cheaper directly from her cellar.
Cigliuti Barbera d’Alba
Concentrated with aroma of dark fruits and berries. Long aftertaste.
Fruity and fresh, yet complex, both on the nose and in the mouth. Violets and dark berries on the nose. The vines, grown in San Giovanni, are 50 years old.
A very drinkable Nebbiolo from Monforte, with vines planted by their grandfather in the San Giovanni vineyard about 40-50 years ago. The brothers use 2nd or 3rd passage tonno because they prefer to taste the natural tannins. One interesting aspect of the vinification is that they take out the seeds, a practice they learned from Vajra. A beautiful nose, elegant tannins and a long finish.
Typical 2019 Dolcetto – Powerful and more structured than the past few vintages. You can read more about Dolcetto 2019 here. Elvio Cogno Dolcetto 2019 – Aroma of dark berries and other dark fruits.
It’s a pleasure to see the Dolcetto from Altare on Vinmonopolet.no. For as long as I can remember it has been my go-to Dolcetto, and even with Covid screwing up prices, it’s still below 300kr.
Mr. Viberti is the new kid on the block! This young man, who works at the family winery Cascina Ballarin, decided to forge a new path for himself and now makes his own wines!
Yes, Nicola’s wines have been available in Norway for quite some time BUT for the first time the Langhe Nebbiolo will be on the shelves in most stores across Norway!
Swanti combines the best of Barbera and Nebbiolo, and the result is amazing. I find I really like blends. I also know you will just love the woman the wine is named after!
As Mario says: “It’s not that I release my wines late. The others release theirs early.” And with that I welcome his Castiglione Barolo 2015 to Norway!
Norwegians are gearing up for Constitution Day. Many are graduating from school this spring. Perhaps some of you are getting ready for a birthday or an anniversary? And what better way than to celebrate with some good wine!
Champagne
I personally celebrate with Champagne. There’s something about bubbles that puts me in a festive mood. And I have a few “regulars” that I go back for. Bereche Brut Reserve 495,00kr is one of them. A very fresh and crisp wine, with subtle bubbles, just the way I like it. Agrapart Terroirs Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut 568,10kr is another great wine. It’s a little more expensive, but worth it if you want to celebrate a little extra!
Pierre Peters Brut 399,90kr still has to be the Champagne with the best QPR. Even with the small increase in price, it’s still under 400kr and one of my go-to when drinking bubbly. But if I really want to celebrate, I sometimes get Philipponnat Royale Réserve Brut 559,90kr. After meeting Charles Philipponnat at a winemakers dinner many years ago it has been my favorite!
White Wine
Not a fan of bubbles? Not even Champagne? Don’t worry! There are many other wines in the world. White wine is a good alternative. Vietti Roero Arneis 249,90kr is perfect for summer. Goes well with seafood, salads and light dishes. And while we are in Piemonte, maybe try the Diego Morra Chardonnay 198,00kr. Although a Chardonnay from Piemonte is typically more mineral than a Chardonnay from Burgundy, it’s still juicy and fresh. But if Burgundy is more to your liking, try the Matrot Bourgogne Chardonnay 250,00kr.
Red Wine
After drinking some Champagne and white wine, red wine often becomes an obvious choice. Need something light that doesn’t necessarily require food? Dolcetto is the grape for this scenario. Just saw that Cascina Fontana Dolcetto 260,00kr arrived in Norway, and I had to run out and get a bottle. Luigi Pira Dolcetto 205,90kr is a good, slightly cheaper option. And I know we are all excited to see the Dolcetto from Trediberri!
Speaking of Trediberri, his Barbera at only 189,90kr is still the best buy in Norway at the moment. There are plenty other great Barbera’s, and one of them is the Altare Barbera 315,00kr. Prices recently went up in Norway, and unfortunately this wine is no longer under 300kr. I blame Covid-19…
It’s officially Spring, which means that the newest vintage is making its way to stores. The same is true in Norway. So if you’re living in Norway, mark your calendars for May 8th!
In addition to new vintages, there are also new “kids on the block”! Keep reading to find out more!
Diego Morra Rosato 2019 For the first time you’ll find Diego Morra wines in Norway! This wine, a Langhe Rosato, is made with 100% Nebbiolo grapes and is what I would call a “food rosè”, perfect with summer salads or fish.
Ghiomo Inprimis Langhe Arneis 2019 Fasten your seatbelts, because this is a newcomer in Norway as well. The Ghiomo winery is located in Guarene, a commune bordering on the more well known wine regions in Piemonte like Barolo and Barbaresco. The Langhe Arneis Inprimis is a fresh and fruity white wine that pairs well with fish and shellfish. Perfect for summer!
Bartolo Mascarello Dolcetto 2018 There is not much to say about Mascarello that has not already been said. And unfortunately I’ve not tried the 2018 vintage yet, but 2018 looks more promising for Dolcetto than 2017 was. I guess time will tell.
Burlotto Barbera Aves 2018 As far as Barbera goes, this might be one of my absolute favorites. His classic Barbera is good, but the Aves is just on a whole other level. I can’t wait to try the 2018 vintage!
Nadia Curto Barbera 2017 Did you know that you could get Nadia’s wines in Norway? You can! And the 2017 Barbera will be available Friday May 8th! Modernist or Traditionalist? If there is anyone I know that doesn’t “belong” in any boxes, it’s Nadia Curto. Her winemaking style is influenced by both her father and her uncle, and she applies the different methods to different wines. Does it matter what style you prefer, if your wines are good? I don’t think so.
Barbera d’Alba 2017 308kr (New Vinatage) Cavallotto’s barbera supriore is excellent. 2017 is not my favorite vintage, but when you’re a good winemaker, you make good wines in any vintage. This is a barbera that has excellent aging potential. It spends 15-18 months in big barrels and then 6 months in the bottle before it’s release. Good acidity, dark fruits, intense – perfect with pasta or pizza.
Langhe Nebbiolo 2017 280kr (New Vintage) Cavallotto makes their Langhe Nebbiolo almost like a barolo. The grapes come from the Barrolo Cru vineyards and spend 15-18 months in big barrels after a long fermentation. The tannins are quite persistent, but the fruit shines through and lasts a while in the mouth. Can drink now, but I’d keep it for a little bit.
Moccagatta
Moccagatta Barbaresco Bric Balin 2016 575kr (New Vintage) I’ve recently been served this blind, and I was mega impressed. 2016 is a big vintage, but the tannins disappear quite quickly and you’re left with an impressive fruit boquet.
Vietti
Vietti Barolo Castiglione While we’re waiting for the 2016 Barolo’s from Vietti, the 2015 is drinking quite nicely right now!
Trediberri
Shhhh don’t tell anyone, but the 2016 Barolo from Trediberri will be released tomorrow! I’ve only ever tried it directly from a freshly bottles bottle, but I can tell you that the wine is INCREDIBLE.
Norwegians rejoice! The Roberto Voerzio Dolcetto finally came back to the Norwegian market last month! It had been a while since I’d seen his wines here. And if you haven’t already, it’s still possible to order it at Vinmonopolet.
A myriad of Roberto’s other wines are also available. My personal favorite of his is the Barbera Pozzo. It only exists in Magnum bottles and since I can’t afford it, I hope to try it at the winery again this March. Or hope that someone will buy it for me. HINT: my birthday is coming up… haha
A gift from Roberto
Roberto Voerzio
Roberto’s winemaking style stands out. A “modernist”, just like Elio Altare, using small oak barrels and long maceration time. But what he is know for, is his work in the vineyard. Roberto chooses to do a very aggressive green harvest, reducing the number of grapes per plant, which results in more concentrated wine.
Voerzio Dolcetto 2018
In a blind tasting, this wine can be hard to figure out. Since Roberto doesn’t make wines that are “typical”, his Dolcetto doesn’t really seem like a Dolcetto. It could almost be mistaken for a Barbera, apart from the lack of acidity.
The first notes that hit are spices. Herbs. Licorice. Concentrated fruit in the mouth, typical of a Roberto Voerzio Dolcetto. Juicy, almost sweet. Predominantly ripe cherries, but also other ripe dark fruits. An impressive wine!
Want to impress your date on Valentine’s day? Or maybe you want to treat your significant other to something special? Perhaps you’re just getting drunk with your friends. Who cares? There’s always an opportunity to drink wine!
At 379kr, this is my go to Champagne! Perfect for an aperitivo, a welcome drink or just because. And if you live in Oslo, it’s readily available in the local wine stores.
I am a blanc de blanc girl. 100%. It’s an excellent alternative to the Pierre Peters that won’t break the bank. With subtle bubbles, crisp fruit and long finish it’s easy one of my favorite Champagne’s these days!
Are you a Chardonnay person? Or a white wine person? Then you’ve got to try this one. And it’s finally back in stock in many stores. So if you live in Oslo, Asker or Bærum, count yourself lucky!
A killer Barbera available at a few local stores in Norway. Mario makes Barbera “The Mario Fontana way” and I love it. Cascina Fontana normally follows the “traditional” winemaking method, but not for the Barbera. Instead of big barrels, the barbera spends time in concrete tanks.
Enzo Bartoli was born in 1897 in Nizza di Monferrato and have his life to the soil, wine and people from the town at the foot of the mountain. He was a simple and honorable man who devoted his life to find and cultivate the perfect soil to produce the finest fruit from the vineyards and handcraft wines that reflect the majesty of the Piedmont.
Now, the question remains the same: Who is, or was, Enzo
Bartoli?
And the answer? Enzo never existed. He was made up by the company
that produces the Enzo Bartoli wines. And how do I know this? Well, I did some
research.
Digging a little deeper
Research showed that the import
company Independent Wine Company
previously spun a tale about who Enzo Bartoli was on their website. Back in 2018
you could find this statement (in Swedish) on the website:
“Enzo föddes 1897 i Nizza di Monferrato
och vigde sitt liv till jorden, vinet och människorna i landet vid bergens fot.
Han var en enkel och värdig man som i sin tysta strävan sökte efter jordens
genuina uttryck. Idag lever hans arv vidare genom dessa viner som vi i sann
Enzo anda har förädlat. Kort sagt – Enzo Bartoli är Piemonte
personifierat.”
This statement was later changed,
and the Enzo who was born in 1987 in Nizza Monferrato was all of a sudden
referred to as a myth. And now, any mention of Enzo, myth or otherwise, has been
removed completely from the website.
If you dig deep into the Enzo
Bartoli Instagram, you’ll find traces of this story. The back label used to
say: This wine is dedicated to Enzo. Enzo, the most humble man from the
Monferrato area. Enzo, who devoted his life to find and cultivate the perfect
soil to produce the finest fruit from the vineyards at the foot of the mountain
and handcraft wines that reflect the majesty of the Piedmont. Drink with
respect to the elder at room temperature.” But if you look at the Enzo Bartoli
website today, there is no mention of Enzo at all.
Turns out I am not the only one…
As it turns out, I am not the first to question the wines of
Enzo Bartoli. During my research I came across this article from 2018 on
Eftersmak.se, where the myth of Enzo Bartoli was debunked. Along with multiple
screen shots, pictures of the bottles and multiple quoted conversations with customer
service at Systembolaget seems to prove that Enzo Bartoli was indeed made up.
After the good work of the people at Eftersmak.se, The Independent
Wine Company issued a statement in 2018 where they apologized for the miscommunication
around Enzo Bartoli, and confirmed that he was never a real person, but a myth.
You’ll find the screenshot of the Facebook statement
What is Enzo Bartoli?
I think the more pressing question is: What is Enzo Bartoli?
Because calling it wine would be a disservice to the other winemakers in
Piemonte.
On the Enzo Bartoli website it states that “all Enzo Bartoli Wines are made my Mondo del Vino. However, on the website of Mondo Del Vino, Enzo Bartoli is not listed in their portfolio. The headquarters of MGM Mondo Del Vino is in Forli and the only other address is in Priocca. In other words, not really anywhere close to Barolo. So how come a Barolo is associated with these companies? And where is the wine made? Because in order for it to be called Barolo, the wine should be produced within the borders of Barolo.
Anyone have any idea where to find this winery? Or factory? No one seems to be able to answer this question… I have reached out to Mondo Del Vino via their contact form online, but have not heard back. I’ve also spoken to a man (presumably one of the Norwegian importers) at a wine fair in Norway, and he was unable to answer any of my questions.
What does all this mean? I know
the world is changing, but since when has it become ok to pass off mass
produced juice as quality wine? How can someone create a fictional character
and pass him off as real in order to sell wine? How insulting is that to
winemakers like Elio Altare or Maria Teresa Mascarello, or any of the other
legends or hardworking winemakers from Piemonte?
Nebbiolo for Peace
It’s important to speak up when something isn’t right, but
it’s also important to focus on all the good things. The main reason why I love
wine is the people. The hardworking, passionate, hardcore men and women who dedicate
their lives to winemaking. Let’s come together and celebrate these wonderful
people.
I’m certainly dedicating my life to tell the world about these amazing farmers. My life is definitely richer because of them. I frequently laugh when I think about Nicola from Trediberri comparing the 2018 Barolo to Miley Cyrus. And I’m in awe of Elio who went against his family in order to follow his heart. And I look up to Chiara Boschis, one of the few female winemakers during a time when it was a “man’s world”.
So le’ts celebrate the wonderful winemkars of Piemonte. And drink lots of Nebbiolo.
If you’re located in Norway, check out these wines that are currently available at Vinmonopolet. These days it can be difficult to find a good quality wine under 300kr, for various reasons, but here are some worth mentioning.
Don’t worry, you don’t have to queue for these wines
White Wine
Kruger-Rumpf Schiefer Trocken 168kr The wines from Kruger-Rumpf are growing on me, and although this was a little “green” on the nose, I quite enjoyed it. As we wine people say: “It was good in the mouth.” Which means we like it. Riesling, known for its acidity, didn’t disappoint in this wine. Lots of citrus and yellow stone fruit flavors.
Azelia Barbera 289kr Recently back on the market in Norway, this Barbera will definately become a staple at my house. You know when you’re drinking a wine, and you just can’t seem to put the glass down? That’s exactly what happened with Azelia’s Barbera. Acidity on point, lots of fruit, long finish – all good things when reviewing a wine.
Burlotto Barbera 2018 285kr The 2018 Barbera from Burlotto recently arrived in Norway and it’s good. High in acidity, but still balanced, the fruit sort of explodes in your mouth and puts a smile on your face.
Luigi Pira Dolcetto 199kr Currently one of the best buys at Vinmonopolet. Dolcetto’s are few and far between in Norway, but this one made it in and it’s a good one.
PIEMONTEGIRL 