Tag Archives: langhe nebbiolo

Diego Morra Il Sarto 2019

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Diego Morra Langhe Nebbiolo Il Sarto 2019

The Diego Morra Langhe Nebbiolo Il Sarto 2019 is a new and improved Langhe Nebbiolo from Diego Morra. Diego Morra’s family has been in the wine and hazelnut business since the mid 1900’s, but it’s not until recently Diego started to bottle the wine under his own label.

The Il Sarto sews together vineyards from two different towns which have different microclimate, exposure and terroir. One is the vineyard in the municipality of Roddi, with an altitude of about 200 meters and south exposure, and the other is from municipality of La Morra, the Castagni and Serra dei Turchi vineyards. At an altitude of about 380 meters with north-east exposure these vineyards are more fresh than the vineyard in Roddi.

Why the name Il Sarto

“Il Sarto” translates to “the tailor”. The choice of the name derives from two different reasons:

First, a tailor, with attention and craftsmanship, chooses and sews together the pieces of cloth that they consider best, giving harmony to the dress as a whole, in the same way this Nebbiolo sews together different vineyards, combining terroir from La Morra and Roddi.

Second, the tailor also represents the union of Diego Morra and Francesca. Francesca has origins in the north of Piedmont, in the area of Biella, which since the 1800 has been famous for the art of weaving, for fine fabrics that are sold all over the world. So the name “Il Sarto” also recalls the tradition of Francesca’s origins.

To sum up, Il Sarto represents two traditions sewn together: high quality wine and high quality tailoring.

Vinification

After a careful destemming, the spontaneous fermentation takes place in 8-10 days under constant temperature control (max.28-30°C), followed by short but frequent remounts and racking for about 10-12 days.  The wine-making process, the malolactic fermentation and large part of the aging process (which finishes with a period in wood) takes place in stainless steel containers during  a 12-16 month period.

Diego Morra Langhe Nebbiolo Il Sarto 2019 Tasting Notes:

The Diego Morra Il Sarto 2019 is quite explosive, similar to other 2019’s. Aromas of red berries, cherry and some pepper on the nose. Very fruity in the mouth, with round and approachable tannins. Very balanced with a long finish. Absolutely delicious!

Diego Morra Langhe Nebbiolo Il Sarto 2019

Wild Garlic Wine Pairing

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Ready for wild garlic wine pairing? It’s spring which means it’s wild garlic season! We live in a world where we can get almost any ingredient year round, making seasonal foods that much more interesting. I’ve also found that picking or “gathering” my own food makes the whole experience a lot more fun. So, while I wait for chantrelle season, I’ll be “hunting” wild garlic!

What is wild garlic?

Wild garlic, or ramsons, is a relative of onion and garlic. It’s often used as an herb or spice, or as an ingredient in different foods, like pesto or butter.  

NB: don’t mistake wild garlic with lily of the valley. The latter is poisonous. You’ll know it’s wild garlic by grinding your fingers on the leaf and checking for a garlic smell.

Wild Garlic Wine Pairing

With Wild garlic wine pairing is all about how you intend on using the wild garlic.

Wild garlic pesto

If you put wild garlic pesto on your pasta, I would try a fresh and fruity white wine like Vietti Arneis or  Diego Morra Langhe Chardonnay. You can also put wild garlic pesto on your hamburger. In that case a Langhe Nebbiolo from Alessandro Veglio or Trediberri would work well.

Wild Garlic Risotto

The parmesan in risotto makes Barbera a good pairing. The Corino Barbera could be a good fit. A Langhe Nebbiolo would probably also work. I really like the Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo.

Wild Garlic and Barolo

If you serve wild garlic as a “garnish” with meat, it might be a nice opportunity to pop open a Barolo. You could try the Gianfranco Alessandria Barolo or the Azelia Barolo.

  • Wild Garlic Wine Pairing

Langhe Nebbiolo 2019

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Langhe Nebbiolo 2019

Words used to describe Langhe Nebbiolo 2019: structure, powerful, round tannins, explosive nose, fruity, drinkable. I know you can’t put all Nebbiolo in the same basket, but some characteristics apply to many or all. I can also say that the results of 2019 are good. Just keep reading. Or better yet, go out and try some for yourself!

Climate

2019 started with a drought from January to late March, followed by heavy rain in April and May. The weather was quite unstable which led to uneven development of the vines. In addition to this there were two critical events in 2019: a hailstorm and rain forecast during harvest. The hailstorm that occurred on September 5th was quite localized and only affected certain areas. The rain however, affected everyone. Rain during harvest is not good, and so when the forecast predicted rain on October 15th, many growers harvested earlier than they would have liked. Weather is a fickle thing…

Despite all mentioned above, 2019 has proved to be a good vintage so far. Time will tell for Barolo, but the other wines like Langhe Nebbiolo 2019 are showing nicely. There is substantial acidity, and the alcohol is not excessive.

Below are my tasting notes in alphabetical order. Note that there are also some Nebbiolo d’Alba in here.

Alberto Viberti Langhe Nebbiolo

Aroma of cherries and other red fruit. Round tannins providing good structure.

Elio Grasso Gavarini Langhe Nebbiolo

Smells just like a Nebbiolo should smell. Explosive notes with aroma of red fruits and spices. Soft, round tannins, but still a powerful wine. A beautiful wine!

Emilio Vada Nebbiolo

Tasted blind. Beautiful nose. Strawberry and other red fruits. Excellent acidity. Balanced. Good structure. Very fresh and crisp.

Francesco Borgogno Langhe Nebbiolo

Floral and fruity aroma with hints of roses and strawberries. Typical Nebbiolo nose. Persistent in the mouth. Very fresh fruit. Crisp.

Ghiomo Vigna Granda Langhe Nebbiolo

Energetic wine with aroma of flowers and minerals. Soft tannins.

La Vedetta Langhe Nebbiolo

Beautiful nose, just how a Nebbiolo should smell. Very drinkable. Good structure.

Marengo Nebbiolo d’Alba

Holy shit. Amazing nose with notes of red berries and rose petals. Very drinkable. Smooth tannins. Elegant wine.

Trediberri Langhe Nebbiolo

Explosive nose with aromas of flowers and fruit. Hints of tobacco, roses, red fruits. Firm, but elegant tannins that disappear quickly. A baby Barolo.

Langhe Nebbiolo 2019

Nadia Curto Langhe Nebbiolo

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Winemaking

The grapes in the Nadia Curto Langhe Nebbiolo come from the Arborina vineyard! During fermentation Nadia proceeds with manual repassing and pressing. Nadia uses indigenous yeast. After a maceration of about 15 days, the wine is drawn off and after the malolactic fermentation the wine begins the refinement in wood for about a year. It is bottled in the summer months without clarification or filtration.

Nadia Curto Langhe Nebbiolo

Nadia Curto Langhe Nebbiolo

2018

2018 was a difficult vintage, with a lot of rain and a lot of mildew. The Curto Nebbiolo is light with soft tannins. Beautiful nose, just like what a a nebbiolo should smell, with aromas of roses, fruit and cherry.

2016

2016 is considered one of the greatest vintages for Nebbiolo. Most people focus on Barolo, but I think the Nebbiolo’s should get a shoutout. The 2016 Langhe Nebbiolo from Nadia Curto is currently available in Norway!

2014

2014 was one of the most difficult vintages this decade. It rained and rained and rained. The wines are therefore quite light. The 2014 Curto Nebbiolo is quite elegant, with aromas of red fruits and roses.

Modernist or Traditionalist?

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.

Langhe Nebbiolo 2018

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Although the focus is on the 2016 Barolo’s these days, I think it’s important to give some attention to the Langhe Nebbiolo’s! Since the 2016 Barolo’s should be bought and then put away for a long time, it’s nice to have a wine to enjoy in the meantime. You get the same characteristics as a Barolo, but you don’t have to wait to long for the wine to be approachable. On my last trip to Langhe I got to taste quite a few Langhe Nebbiolo 2018. Here are my tasting notes in alphabetical order.

Alberto Viberti LogHero 2018

Alberto is the new kid on the block. He works for his family winery Cascina Ballarin in La Morra, but has his own project on the side. His Nebbiolo goes through fermentation in cement tanks. Alberto does not use any oak with his Nebbiolo. The grapes come from Roero, and the soil there gives this wine a little bit of pepper notes.  A very good Nebbiolo for a “rookie”. Looking forward to seeing how he evolves!

Andrea Oberto Langhe Nebbiolo 2018

And oldie, but a goodie! I think the world should drink more Andrea Oberto! And why not start with his Nebbiolo. On the nose you’ll find tobacco and roses. The wine is fruity with a long finish. A very good wine made by a wonderful man.

Azelia Langhe Nebbiolo 2018

The focus this year has been on Azelia’s new Barolo Cerretta, but let’s not forget about all the other wines they make! The Nebbiolo is quite structured in 2018. Notes of spices, licorice, leather, cherries and flowers. The tannins are round and the wine fruity, making it very drinkable.

Cascina Fontana Langhe Nebbiolo 2018

Mario uses both cement  and Slavonian oak for his Nebbiolo, for a total of 12 months. The 2018 is less concentrated than 2017 with lots of dark fruit and a bouquet of flowers. The wine is elegant with a long finish.

Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo 2018

I tasted the 2017 and 2018 side by side. The 2017 was very good, but when tasting it next to the 2018 it almost fell a little short. In the 2018 there is an explosion of floral notes. A very powerful nose. One of the more expressive Nebbiolo’s I’ve tried. The wine is young with big tannins, but they disappear quite quickly and you’re left with beautiful floral notes.

Cristian Boffa Langhe Nebbiolo 2018

This Nebbiolo is made with 16 year old vines from the Santa Maria vineyard. Cristian uses about 20% botte grande and 80% cement for 6 months. On the nose there are notes of strawberry jam, fruits, and flower, and the tannins are very smooth.  As a relatively new player in the game, it will be interesting to see the evolution of Cristian Boffa! Stay tuned.

Cristian Boffa Langhe Nebbiolo

Diego e Damiano Barale Langhe Nebbiolo 2018

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 Vaira. A beautiful nose, elegant tannins and a long finish.

Diego Morra Langhe Nebbiolo 2018

Diego ages his Nebbiolo for a long time in the bottle, compared to other winemaker. Before the prolonged aging in bottle, the wine spends about 6 months in tonno, with 10% new oak. This might be one of my favorites. Very approachable, round tannins and a fresh expression.

Gianfranco Alessandria Langhe Nebbiolo 2018

Here’s a wine with a typical Nebbiolo nose: red berries, roses, hint of leather and spices. Aged 6 months in barrique with 10% new oak. The grapes come from San Giovanni, so there’s the Monforte power but the tannins are still elegant and sweet, making it quite approachable.   

Giovanni Corino Langhe Nebbiolo 2018

Of all the Corino wines, this might be my favorite. So elegant with fresh fruit and raspberry. Good structure with round tannins.

Luigi Pira Langhe Nebbiolo 2018

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.

Mauro Veglio Angelo 2018

At first the Angelo came off a little green, but with some air it disappeared and I was left with licorice and raspberries. Very crisp! The tannins are there but they disappear. A relatively approachable Nebbiolo.

Azelia Langhe Nebbiolo

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The 2015 Azelia Langhe Nebbiolo brings me right back to the tasting room that lies at the beginning of the “Champagnemilå” hill in Castiglione. The old clock ticks away in the background, drowned out by a passioante Lorenzo who is telling me about this wines (for the umpteenth time). Oh how I wish I was back there right now.

I’ll have to make do with drinking Azelia wines in Oslo while practicing Social Distancing.

Azelia

The story of Azelia starts in 1920 when Cavalier Lorenzo Scavino started to vinify the grapes from the family owned vienyards. This would be the start of an incredible journey for the Scavino family. Today, Luigi, Lorella and their son Lorenzo run the show. Lorenzo, who bears the name of his great grandfather, represents the 5th generation of winemakers in the family.

You can read more about Azelia in the Winemaker Profile.

Azelia Langhe Nebbiolo

The Azelia Langhe Nebbiolo come from vines with an average age of 20 years. After a short temperature controlled fermentation in rotorfermenters, the wine moves into steel tanks where it stays until its bottled.

Since I don’t have access to the current release of Azelia Langhe Nebbiolo I had to “make do” with the 2015 vintage.

Fruity – the first thing that comes to mind. Digging deeper you’ll find strawberry, red fruit, some tobacco & hint of roses. All those good things that a nebbiolo should smell. And then there’s the tannins. They are there, but they are smooth. 2015 was a warm vintage with very little rain, which often results in “warm” wines, i.e. ripe fruit, hints of toffee, etc. But the Langhe Nebbiolo from Azelia was fresh, full of red fruits and berries! Just the way I like it!

For my Norwegians

I just checked and the Langhe Nebbiolo is sold out at Vinmonopolet… I believe a new shipment is coming in, but while you wait you can try his Barbera or perhaps a Barolo!?

Trediberri Nebbiolo

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Nebbiolo in Piemonte

We all know that Nebbiolo is the main grape in Piemonte. Personally, I think there are many other great grape varieties in the area, like Dolcetto, Barbera, Chardonnay, Nascetta, Freisa – I mean the list goes on. But Nebbiolo usually gets the most attention.

And with Nebbiolo, the winemakers can make both Langhe Nebbiolo or Nebbiolo d’Alba, as well as Barolo, Barbaresco, Roero, Gattinara, Carema & Ghemme. The latter all qualify as DOCG when made in their respective areas. Honestly, the rules and regulations in Piemonte are too complicated to get into right now.

Trediberri Nebbiolo – 2018

As Nicola so eloquently put it, 2018 is as skinny as Miley Cyrus. So the Trediberri Nebbiolo in 2018 will be a bit more “thin” than 2017. But skinny or thin is not necessarily a bad thin. It’s just different.

Fruity, fresh, approachable and well balanced – all the above describe this wine. I personaly prefer 2018 over 2017. At least for the moment.

Nicola’s take on the past vintages

I know you’ve seen this before. But I have to repost it, because it’s just too good.

Every year is different, for better or worse. 2014 is known for it’s massive amounts of rain. 2010 is considered a wine for the books. But I believe a truly great winemaker can make good wine in any vintage. If you work with nature, respect nature and generally just work hard, you can make magic happen.

In recent encounter with Nicola, this is what he said about the past vintages:

2016 is all class like Jaqueline Kennedy. 2017 is as huge Pamela Anderson. And 2018 is as skinny as Miley Cyrus.

NICOLA

Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo

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Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo

The Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo is made with nebbiolo grapes from Bricco Boschis, Vignolo, Codana and Pernanno. The wine is fermented with indigenous yeast, macerated with submerhed cap for 20-35 days and then aged in slavonian oak casks for 15-18 months. The wine spends another 6 months in the bottle before it’s released.

Cavallotto – Giuseppe & Alfio

At the top of the Bricco Boschis hill you’ll find the Cavallotto brothers. Alfio and Giuseppe (and their sister Laura) run the winery today as the 4th generation winemakers. Speaking of being a nerd, just like Marco Marengo, Giuseppe is a nerd. He has not one, not two but at least THREE weather stations of his own. And his attention to detail is not limited to weather. No wonder the wines are so damn good.

Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo

Langhe Nebbiolo 2016

The 2016 vintage has a an undeniable potential for greatness. Early bud break followed by cooler weather slowed the development, but the warm weather later in the summer/fall made for excellent conditions. A hail storm struck July 28th and unfortunately reduced the crop by about 40%, but the remaining crop continued a slow, even development until the harvest.

Characteristics

The Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo is meant to be drunk young, according to the brothers. You can of course age it, but their recommendation is to drink it fairly young. The wine has classic aromas and flavors of black cherry and roses, with a medium body and a long finish. Tannins are present, as they make their Langhe Nebbiolo fairly close to a Barolo, but the tannins are not overpowering.

Where can you find it?

If you’re in Norway, you can buy it online here or in local stores:

Aker Brygge – 14
Grünerløkka – 4
Oslo City – 13
Ullevaal Stadion – 10
Grorud – 1
Ski – 6
Halden – 2
Moelv – 9
Bergen, Arna – 15
Stryn – 3

Cascina Fontana Langhe Nebbiolo

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Cascina Fontana Langhe Nebbiolo 2016

Mario Fontana makes a killer Lanhghe Nebbiolo! The grapes for his nebbiolo comes from the historic vineyard of Castello di Sinio and some from Il Pozzo in Castiglione Falletto.

Fontana makes wines in the traditional way, with large casks, as the wine will reflect. I find this wine to be well balanced and fresh – a very good example of a Langhe Nebbiolo. Hope you enjoy it!

wow cascina fontana langhe nebbioloWine: Langhe Nebbiolo

Producer: Cascina Fontana

Region/Appellation: Piemonte, Italy

Grape varieties: Nebbiolo

Vintage: 2016

Eye: garnet red

Nose: rose petals, strawberries, balsamico

Mouth: well-balanced tannins, long finish, fresh

Price Point: $18

Available at Vinmonopolet: no

Available at Systembolaget: no

Vinmonopolet: Wines 255kr and under

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Good selections for a reasonable price

There are quite a few wines available at Vinmonopolet, andyou can find some great wines at reasonable prices. (Although that’s not always the case). Sometimes there are so many options that it’s hard to know what to buy. And if you don’t know the wines or the wine maker it can be difficult to know exactly what you are getting.

In any event, I have listed some wines that I think highly of and that as of now are available. However, bear in mind that most of these wines have to be ordered, as in they are not usually in the stores.

Cavallotto at Vinmonopolet

Here are the wines:

Oddero Barbera d’Alba, 245kr

Burlotto Barbera d’Alba, 255kr

Alessandro Veglio Langhe Nebbiolo, 250kr

Cavallotto Langhe Nebbiolo, 255kr

Vietti Perbacco, 250kr