Winery Wednesday

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In Serralunga you find a few wineries in the center, one of them is Massolino. A beautiful winery with a stunning view, and of course good wines. In addition to the “regular reds” they also make a Langhe Chardonnay and a Moscato. Everyone knows I LOVE moscato, it’s a perfect drink on a warm summer day or with dessert (or just because).

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The estate is now on it’s 4th generation of winemakers, continuing the family business from when Giovanni founded the estate in 1896. The winery has since been “updated” and is very beautiful!

If you are in the area, you should stop by. And if you do go, I recommend eating at Centro Storico while you’re there!

Check out Massolino’s website here!

N’Ombra de Vin

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When I first moved to Milano I asked my wine friends about good places to go in the city. One of the first places on everyone’s lists was N’Ombra de Vin. And for a good reason. For a wine person it’s like dying and going to heaven. The walls are COVERED in wine bottles and guess what?! You can just go along the wall and pick one (if you can’t find something you want on the list). The first night they had Elio’s Dolcetto on the list and I was ecstatic. However the next time I went it was no longer on the list. But I didn’t have to worry; they just went to the Piemonte section and fetched me Elio’s Langhe Nebbiolo instead. And ever since, I just go directly to the wall and find what I want. You have to ask them about the price because it’s not always written, and some may find it a little expensive, but I am always willing to pay a little more for a good bottle of wine.

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Another aspect of going to a wine bar in Italy are all the small snacks that accompany the drinks. It obviously varies from place to place, both in quality and quantity, but at N’Ombra de Vin they are very generous with their snacks. Speaking of good service, when I ordered the Larigi they brought Zalto glasses. They appreciate good wines, and want the customers to truly enjoy the wine experience. Many of the employees at N’Ombra de Vin are very passionate about wine, and it’s always a pleasure to chat with them about wine.

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So, if you are in the area and looking for a good wine bar, you should go here!

 

Winery Wednesday

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Her new labels

Last week I suggested Altare, so this week I thought I would keep it in the family. Nadia Curto is Silvia’s cousin, and she has a winery just below Cantina Altare. If you haven’t med Nadia, you definitely should. Energy must run in their blood, because both Silvia and Nadia have plenty of it. I love visiting Nadia. It feels more like you are invited over for lunch than anything else, so warm and friendly, always making you feel at home.

In her lineup you find the “normal wines”, but she is also one of the wineries that makes Freisa. Personally, I think Freisa is a little strange in general, but if you have not tried it you should. You can find Nadia in Annunziata, and if you go, tell her hello from me!

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From a tasting last year

Check out her winery here!

Wine of the Week

Mauro Veglio Barbera d’Alba

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Wine: Barbera d’Alba

Producer: Mauro Veglio

Region/Appellation: Piemonte, Italy

Grape varieties: Barbera

Vintage: 2014

 

Eye: Intense ruby red, some violet

Nose: red fruits, cherry and plums

Mouth: well balanced, good acidity, mineral, medium body

 

 

Price Point: $19

Available at Vinmonopolet: Yes

Vivino

First of, I do have an account on Vivino. I admit I’m not the most frequent user, but I am trying to post more. The problem for me is that I usually take a picture of the wine and then later I post it on instagram or 20170123_125057000_iossomething, and I always forget about Vivino…

 

 

Anyone use it? Love it? Hate it?

 

 

Know of any good accounts to follow?

 

 

 

Any tips are welcomed!

 

For those who are not familiar, Vivino is an app created for those of you who either like reviewing wines or for those who like reading wine reviews. Many consumers will read reviews before purchasing, either in a wine magazine like Decanter or online. The app is an easy way to get quick access to wine reviews. If you want to review a wine you can also read what other people thought of that same wine. It’s a pretty good tool, and I want to get better at using it.

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Friday Pizza

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Friday Pizza has been a longstanding tradition. When Friday comes around, wherever I am, I try to make pizza. Lake Como, Milano, Stavanger, Boston; doesn’t matter. Recently, Friday Pizza has been accompanied by Blind Tasting. This particular occasion was to teach my brother’s friend a little about wine. We decided to stay in one area, so Piemonte wines were on the menu.

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It ended up being one of each grape and then of course both versions of Nebbiolo. And my dad picked wines that show the typical characteristics of each one. Dolcetto and Barbera by Bartolo Mascarello. Nebbiolo and Barolo from Marengo. Absolutely fantastic. The 2012 Barolo was a little young but decanting it helped slightly. Overall a great meal and an interesting “wine lesson”.