Nebbiolo Lunch with Jeremy Parzen & Friends @ I Trulli Restaurant, NYC (7/6/2015)
Jeremy Parzen, who writes one of my favorite blogs on the Internet,
Do Bianchi,
was in town hosting
a tasting of Franciacorta sparkling wines at I Trulli.
I was able to take the train down and organize a lunch with a few fellow Neb Heads.
Turned out to be a lovely way to spend a summer day.
For each image, I have posted a compressed (and possibly cropped) version.
Click on it to see the original, much larger image.
Flight 1: Franciacorta SoloUva Burrata: Creamy-centered mozzarella from puglia with chicory and radicchio.
2012 Società Agricola Solouva di Rudelli Franciacorta SoloUva -
Italy, Lombardia, Franciacorta DOCG
[Disgorged 12/2014. Brought by the winemaker Giovanni Arcari. Pop & pour.]
Yellow gold color. Muted lemon custard nose. Dry, appealing. Not made like traditional Franciacorta.
The dosage has no cane sugar, only grape sugar. Hence the name "SoloUva" which means "only grapes".
(89 points)
Discussing the SoloUva Franciacorta with Jeremy & the winemaker Giovanni Arcari:
Carl and Iggy:
Ben, Mark, Jeremy:
Mark, Jeremy, and Giovanni:
Flight 2: Borgo del Tiglio Polpo: Grilled baby octopus with potatoes, pickled beans and black olives.
1967 Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
[Decanted at 11am. Brought by the Fine Wine Geek. A birth year wine for Jeremy!]
Smokey nose. Muted on the palate at 2pm.
Seems to be a bit over the hill at this point, but still complex and interesting.
By 3pm, it's alive! At least it is showing more fullness and richness.
Still very mature, but Jamie was right, this needed at least 4 hours of air.
Quite special now. (95 points)
1978 Oddero Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
[Double decanted at 10am. Brought by Ben.] Youthful nose. Rich and full. A classic 1978 in very good shape.
(93 points)
1979 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Rocche di Castiglione Falletto - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
[Decanted at 11am. Brought by the Fine Wine Geek.] Classic nose of licorice, dried cherries, and fruit compote.
Complex in the mouth with black spice on the long finish. This is a beauty. Full of life still.
(95 points)
Flight 4: Younger Nebbiolo Malloreddus: Saffron dumplings of Sardinia with pork sausage and tomato.
Lasagna: Dora’s traditional layered pasta.
1990 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco Riserva Pora -
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
[Double decanted at 10am. Brought by Ben.] Complex black cherry nose. Sweet, complex, juicy and appealing.
One of the more youthful 1990 Produttori Riservas I have had recently. (94 points)
1998 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
[Decanted at 1:30pm. Brought by Carl.] Smokey nose. Black fruit and tar nose. Just beginning its window of maturity.
Should drink well for another decade. (94 points)
1999 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato -
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
[Decanted at 1:30pm. Brought by Iggy.] Backward with dark fruit and licorice in the nose and mouth. Long, sweet, rich, expansive.
Just terrific, with a long life ahead. (96 points)
The owner of I Trulli, Nicola Marzovilla, joins us for a little while:
Mark, Jeremy, and Giovanni:
Summary
As always, a joy to share good wine and good food with good people.
After looking at my notes and scores, a couple of the attendees wrote to say
that they thought the WOTL (wine of the lunch) was the 1979 Giacosa.
I took this to mean that they thought I enjoyed the 1999 Monprivato even more,
so I replied:
If this is in response to the points I gave, don't take them too seriously.
One of the reasons I feel comfortable using points is that I know their limitations.
My scores are just some abstract idea of the overall quality of the wine.
So in some idealized world, I do think the 99 Monprivato (at its peak) is a "better" wine
than the 79 Giacosa (at its peak).
But that doesn't answer a lot of other questions,
like if I could have picked only one of those bottles to have with dinner,
which would it have been? Or which is more special?
(Since I have no more of the 79 Giacosa and about a case of the 99 Monprivato.)
Then again, I truly did find each bottle special during this lunch.
The chance to try the SoloUva with Giovanni.
The Pora which was delicious and told me a few of the 1990 Produttori I bought and
drank recently weren't as well stored. The Oddero was a great example of 1978.
And sharing the 67 Giacosa with all of you (esp. Jeremy) made it extra special,
even though it would have been better with a few more hours.
Maybe instead of lunch, we should call it communion.
