Nebbiolo @ Barberio Osteria, San Francisco, CA, 8/6/2026

Barolo and a Barbaresco
@ Barberio Osteria, San Francisco, CA, 8/6/2026

I was out in the Bay area visiting my son Eli. Glen Reid gathered together a few Nebbiolo lovers: Paul Robinson, Gence Alton, and Frank & Elissa Giaimo. Eli and I met them at Barberio Osteria in the Mission district for a wonderful evening of food, wine, and comradery.

Chef Nick Kelly is turning out brillant, authentic Italian food with lots of fresh local ingredients. One of the best dinners I've had in a long time. Every dish was terrific. Paul is friends with Nick and arranged our table for the evening.

All wines were pop and pour unless otherwise noted. All dishes were shared.

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Arriving at the restaurant:

The menus:

Stuzzichini/Antipasti
Peperoni Grigliati: Grilled shishito & Jimmy Nardello peppers,
anchovy dressing, cherry tomato passato:

Prosciutto di Parma, served with gnocco fritto,
Zuckerman's Melons, extra virgin olive oil, saba:

Pomodoro: Tenbrink Farm's marinated heirloom tomatoes,
evoo whipped ricotta, lemon cucumbers cipolla rossa sottaceto,
cherry tomatoes, taggiasca olives, banyuls vinaigrette:

Starter

2025 Cieck Erbaluce di Caluso - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Erbaluce di Caluso
Lovely nose of lemon custard. Crisp and tasty. (88 points)

Flight 1: Two 2018s.

2018 Antoniolo Gattinara Riserva Osso San Grato - Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Gattinara
Gorgeous smoky cherry nose. Sweet, bright red fruit with hints of spice and licorice. (93 points)
2018 Roagna Barolo Pira - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Nose of black fruit and tar. Rich in the mouth with complex black fruit and licorice. Very good length. A big success in an ok vintage. Should drink well for 15-20 years. (94 points)

Primi
Ravioli: filled with roasted sweet peppers, fresh ricotta,
pecorino romano, served with cherry tomatoes, Brentwood corn,
Zuckerman's Jimmy Nardello peppers, tomato passato:

Triangoli: filled with Stemple Creek Ranch braised pork belly
served with roasted sweet peppers, Zuckerman cherry tomatoes,
gigante beans, tomato sugo, pangrattato:

Tajarin: traditional piedmontese thin cut 40 yolk pasta
with burro fuso, fresh sage leaves, Parmigiano-reggiano:

Photo by Frank Giaimo.

Flight 2: Two Excellent Wines

2004 Oddero Barolo Bussia Soprana Vigna Mondoca - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
Huge black fruit nose. Rich, complex, expansive. A stunning wine just beginning its peak period. WOTN. (95 points)
2016 Poderi Colla Barbaresco Riserva Roncaglie Beppe Colla - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
[Double-decanted in the morning and slow oxed until 5.] I've never had the riserva of this wine before. Muted nose of black fruit and licorice. Licorice, spice, and sweet red fruit. Tasty but should improve for another decade. (93 points)

The open kitchen:

Secondi
Bistecca: grilled Schmitz Ranch hanger steak, Star Route Farm's grilled eggplant,
shisito peppers, Zuckerman's cherry tomatoes, extra virgin olive oil, crushed potatoes, saba:

Maiale: grilled Schmitz berkshire pork chop, grilled Zuckerman's summer squash,
creamy polenta, taggiasca olives, calabrian chili, capers, tomato passato:

Flight 3: Two 1964s.
We should have started with these older wines. These dishes were too much for these wines. Luckily, I had saved some of the 2018 Roagna Barolo Pira in a 3rd glass.

1964 Alessandro Rivetto Barolo Riserva Speciale - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
[Decanted around 7pm. Tasted around 8:30. Note that the label says Ercole Rivetto. Ercole was Alessandro's father.] Pretty funky, esp. in the nose. This eases up with more air in the glass showing underlying dried red fruit and some orange peel. Lovely, but drink up! (92 points)
1964 Fratelli Minuto Barolo Riserva Speciale - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
[Double-decanted around noon. Tasted around 8:30.] Smoky red fruit and herbs. Lovely, fully mature. Dried red fruit, tar and roses. Classic mature Barolo. (93 points)

People Pix

Chef Nick Kelly visits our table:

Elissa, Frank, Gence:

FWG, Glen, Paul:

Photo by Frank Giaimo.

Heading home on BART:

Conclusion
Another wonderful evening of food, wine, and comradery.

My tasting notes posted from CellarTracker.