Giovanni Manzone Barolo Le Gramolere Riserva de Grazia Cuvee 1990

The 1990 vintage in Piemonte rarely fails to deliver.  This is a superb bottling. Perfume, finesse and gorgeous fruit sum it up from start to finish. 140 case production from old vines. 14% alc.  Double decanted into clean bottle with slow-o for 4 hours prior to dinner.  Quite a bit of sediment. 

Really started to take off around an hour into dinner, gaining presence for the next two hours.  Intoxicating perfumed nose, sweet fruit and anise wrapped around a beautiful core of minerality with classic delicate tar and roses profile. Lovely expression of Monforte terroir.  Excellent complexity and finish on the palate ... just roll it around and get a glimpse of that elusive greatness we are always seeking in our wines.

I have to mention the cuisine at Blue Restaurant that Gene Briggs, Aaron Shaub and staff execute to perfection for dinner:
- Pan seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras over butter toasted brioche with rhubarb marmalade and toasted pistachios
- Seared scallops over succotash of fava beans, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, onion and a corn cream topped with pistachio pesto 
- Grilled lamb rack and crisp Lamb belly with potato-leek puree, grilled asparagus and salsa verde
- Cheese plate: buttery Mt. Tam from Cowgirl Creamery (North Carolina), Humboldt Fog goat cheese (California), Gorgonzola Dolce (Italy), fig preserve, local honeycomb, candied-cinnamon toasted walnuts, Spanish olives
- Double espresso w. perfect crema

Pio Cesare Barolo 1974

Spent a few days this past week in Memphis and managed to hit some incredible BBQ joints.  Got me fired up to grill up my special pork tenderloin recipe when I returned home!

Paired with the '74 Pio Cesare,  it was a glorious repast.  Slow-o'd for 3 hours prior to dinner.  This was a beauty. It never ceases to amaze me how even older Barolo gains presence over the course of five, six and seven hours. The fruit just explodes about 3 hours in ... amber Rainier cherry with hints of anise  (13.5% alc).  Nose is reticent,  yet opens up a bit over time to reveal muted violet and rose ....seven hours later it is still going strong. 

Don't get me wrong, this is still a wine whose fruit on the very far end of its life, however the complexity and long finish are delightful from a wine that is 40 years of age. The wine had a great story to tell of this hallmark vintage in Piemonte. 

Convergence

An observation about red wines as they age: often there is a convergence in character...   This was evident at a dinner that showcased older pinot noir alongside older sangiovese.  Whites were paired with first course of cheese and serrano ham.  Reds were paired with grilled yellow fin tuna.

1996 Domaine Emile Jobard Meursault-Poruzots

Rich, golden color, 13% alc. ... on the far side of drinkability at this stage. Still decent aromatics with tropical notes. Very mellow and enjoyable. Gained presence over the course of an hour.

2012 Forman Chardonnay

Pale crystalline straw color.  Attractive floral nose with very tasty fruit.... really underscoring that the Meursault is a quite tired.  Just a kiss of oak that it could've done without in the interest of purity.  Very good California chardonnay and nicely balanced at 13.5% alc.

1986 Badia a Coltibuono Sangioveto

Produced only in better vintages, I have always liked this wine.  This '86 was showing decently.  Nice floral nose upon opening, however the aromatics faded over the course of the evening.  Fortunately, the palate held up and even gained a bit of strength through the evening. Red fruit with mellow spices and decent finish with 13.5 alc. The fruit on these wines in their prime is gorgeous.  This one was clearly past its prime, yet very nicely complemented the grilled tuna.

1999 Martinelli Blue Slide Ridge Pinot Noir

WOTN for me.  This one lived up to its hype.  I had a 2007 Martinelli Blue Slide Ridge a couple of years ago and it was way too young to drink.  I have also enjoyed a 2000 Marcassin Blue Slide Ridge, which would have easily been taken for a Vosne-Romanee grand cru in a blind tasting. This 1999 Martinelli version echoes the Marcassin's elegance but falls short of the grandeur. 

Blue Slide Ridge Vineyard was planted by Lee Martinelli in 1995 to Helen Turley's specifications, who made her Marcassin wines using Martinelli's facilities up until 2011when she completed building her own winery.  Turley's influence as consulting winemaker at Martinelli has been evident over the years. Martinelli pinot noirs are some of my favorites (and are far more available/affordable than Marcassin). 

There's no reason to further cellar the '99 Martinelli BSR ... it is drinking extremely well now (perhaps a tad past its peak). Red raspberry fruit is still bright complemented by a mouth-watering melange of acidity, minerality and spices.  Manages its 14.7 alcohol nicely. A fair amount of very fine grained sediment.  Definitely the most alluring aromatics of any of the wines this evening.

1999 Siduri Shaw Vineyard (Oregon) Pinot Noir

Adam Lee is known for his negociant style of winemaking, drawing on some of the great terroirs in California.  My first experience with one of his wines sourced from Oregon fruit, this version from the Shaw Vineyard was a bit past its prime. Faded, yet enjoyable, black fruit (14.2 alc.) with a bit of tasty sous bois that is evident in many Oregon pinot noirs.  Very faint aromatics.  A good deal of sediment (bottled as unfiltered).

2010 Kosta Browne Russian River Valley Pinot Noir

This was a late addition to the line-up, popped & poured.  Classic satin mouthfeel that characterizes Kosta Browne wines. Dark cherry, balsam and spice. Clearly young, it will benefit from additional bottle age. 

Dunn Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1987, Rockland Petite Sirah 1994, Melville Estate Pinot Noir 2004

Have been wanting to try an older Dunn Cab since the historic vertical tasting in NYC earlier this year that spanned vintages of the Howell Mountain bottling from 1979 to 1999. 

This 1987 vintage bottling was really nice. The fruit is 85% Howell Mountain and 15% Napa valley floor.  Opened about 2 hours before dinner and fully decanted.  This wine had the most significant olive influence on the nose and on the palate as any California Cab I've had.  Quite strong at first and then gained balance with air over the next couple of hours ... settling into a wonderfully mellow-aged black currant palate complemented by olive and earth influences along with tasty minerality (almost blood iron in nature)... decent complexity from start to finish with each sip... compelling aromatics. Fine grained tannins and still robust color with slight bricking. Modest 13 % alcohol,  which I really enjoy.. contributes to the overall elegance of the wine. It was very enjoyable over the next 5 hours before we had the last of it.  Talk about a perfect match with steak....I rarely get a chance to enjoy a California Cab from the '80's... this is certainly a noble one.

Also paired with the steak was a 1994 Rockland Petite Sirah that was showing well.  This wine is sourced from Mark Aubert's family vineyards.  This example had aged nicely. Briary, dark fruit with a mellowed peppery twang ... the aromatics were somewhat reticent. Interestingly, alcohol % was not shown on the label.  I would guess it to be in the 14% range .. pretty well balanced.

As a prelude to dinner, we had a 2004 Melville Estate Pinot Noir that was really showing well. Excellent purity of fruit... it was paired with prosciutto, cheese and fresh cherries. 14.9% alc but it managed it well.  This is a blend.  Sometimes I enjoy the pinot blends from different vineyards more than the single vineyard wines (I find this to be the case often with Kosta Browne wines).

Big Basin Vineyards Pinot Noir Alfaro Family Vineyard 2009 and Chateau Pesquie Cotes du Ventoux Cuvee des Terrasses 2007

Grabbed a bottle of the '09 Big Basin Alfaro along with an '07 Pesquie Terrasses to take to dinner recently.  Popped and poured at the restaurant. 

This was my first experience with the Big Basin Santa Cruz Pinot from winemaker Bradley Brown.  The 2009 Alfaro was a beauty right from the start... really an uneven playing field for the Terrasses to play on... The Alfaro is made with some whole clusters (not sure what he is using regarding specific clonal selections).  I am increasingly drawn to pinot from the Santa Cruz Mtn appellation.  This bottling shows excellent purity of fruit, overall balance and a gorgeous nose.  It is eminently drinkable now but easily has another 8 to 10 years prime time enjoyment.  It's really nice to find a new (for me) California pinot that is so appealing.

It's been a while since I have had a Pesquie Terrasses ... despite being a higher-end bottling (Grenache and Syrah blend) from Cotes de Ventoux, it just seemed a bit coarse and perhaps one-dimensional compared to the recent slate of great CdP we have enjoyed.

Friuli and Burgundy

Had the opportunity to try these three wines side by side recently.  It was an illuminating experience...

1996 Jadot Chassagne-Montrachet Les Caillerets ... very pleasant showing, still retaining a bit of stony minerality complemented by brightly aged fruit.  I always enjoy the lack of oak in older white Burgundy.

2005 Vodopivec Vitovska ... an enjoyable orange wine with that intangible essence that can beguile ... this bottling seems a bit tired compared to the brilliant Borgo del Tiglio.

2010 Borgo del Tiglio Tocai Ronco della Chiesa ... my first foray with this beauty, thanks to the recommendation of Mark Scudiery.  Wow, this is a stunning wine made from old vine Tocai Friulano...  Refined citrus fruit with hints of sweetness ... amazingly elegant minerality and striking balance .. compelling aromatics.... a new favorite white wine.  Definitely on par with grand cru white Burgundy.

... Sometimes you just need a Beer (Part Two)

Stone IPA has been a favorite since I discovered it during a visit to San Diego (Stone's home base) several years ago.  The Ruination is a more robust version of their standard IPA, yet is very well balanced ... not too dry or bitter, with gorgeous golden-orange color and nutty aroma. Not quite as extreme in hoppiness as the Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA.  The Ruination is a winner (pictured with fried pickles)... 

Tuscany and Piedmont - an interesting comparison...

Had the pleasure of serving a 1990 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Riserva (13% alc) and a 1998 Marcarini Brunate (14% alc) at dinner recently. Both wines paired well with steaks on the grill.

The Badia was slow-o'd in bottle for a couple of hours.  The Marcarini was fully decanted for a couple of hours.  I have sung the praises of the 1990 Badia vintage before and this bottle showed extremely well..

http://lestastevinsdulac.blogspot.com/2013/11/sangiovese-at-its-best.html

The Marcarini was a bit reticent from the start.  Elegant, yet lighter presence than the Badia. It never seemed to gain strength (as one would expect) over the course of the evening, which was surprising given the Brunate heritage. Actually,  this example did not have the depth and allure that has been the hallmark of Brunate I have had in the past.

By the end of the evening,  the Badia had continued to blossom and was totally rocking.   It was hands-down the consensus favorite.   The aromas of leather and earth coupled with blue-black glorious aged fruit from the hallowed 1990 vintage put huge smiles on everyone's faces!

Southern Rhone Retrospective 2001 - 2007

We had the pleasure of hosting two of our favorite nephews who were visiting us from NYC and Omaha last week. One evening we decided to get into some Southern Rhones with dinner, which provided an interesting opportunity to compare & contrast styles and vintages.

The 2001 Lesec Marquis Tonneaux is a perennial favorite of mine. A nice wine at a very reasonable price.   The '01 is classic CdP with relatively modest 14% alcohol.  It is still in a good place for drinking but there is probably not a lot to be gained from further cellaring.  Well-rounded fruit, sous bois and light creosote.  About 70% Grenache and 30% Mourvedre which gives it a kiss of sweetness that I especially enjoy in well aged southern Rhones. The tannins have really mellowed over the years and provide a nice easy going structure at this juncture. 

The 2003 Sabon Prestige benefits from longer aeration to open up.  Exhibiting a delightful CdP flavor profile, the most alluring aspect is the tasty tar component that serves as a foil for the fruit. This wine could benefit from a couple of additional years of bottle age.  14.5% alcohol ... mostly Grenache with some Syrah and Mourvedre. 

The 2004 Janasse Chaupin (from magnum) is amazing.  I have been following the development of this wine in magnum for while now.  This is my last of six magnums and I am really sorry to see it go.  The wine is in a great place now, and will stay in a peak window of drinkability for at least another 5 to 8 years. The most attractive aspect of this bottling is the concentrated yet balanced fruit. Kirsch-like intensity with an elegance and purity of fruit that belies its 15% level of alcohol. Made from 100% old vines Grenache. I am definitely going to have to find some 750ml bottles of this stuff...

The 2007 Raspail-Ay Gigondas is certainly the most modern styled of this group of wines and thus quite a departure.  On its own it is quite tasty,  but typifies the lament that has been expressed by many on the move away from tradition that seems apparent with many Southern Rhones as of 2007.    Mainly Grenache with small amounts of Syrah and Mourvedre... 15% alc .... tasty raspberry and garrigue with robust floral aromatics. Average age is wines is around 40 years.

Aldo Ricardo Seghesio Barolo Vigneto la Villa 1996

Slow-o in bottle (no decant) for 3 hours and then served from bottle at restaurant. 

Luscious nose and fruit from the start. Color is showing some signs of age. 14% alc. Nice finish. Not a tremendous amount of complexity.  More fruit and tannin ... not so much characteristic tar profile that a great barolo should have,  though... I would classify this as more modern in style although it is not marked by an overabundance of oak.  A bit one dimensional in character but enjoyable.  

The Asbury is a new restaurant in Charlotte …  results are a bit of a mixed bag...  a few dishes that were spot on... some of the others were not executed very well... 

Positives were:

-  yellow fin tuna (crudo) ceviche appetizer. .. the tuna was shaved ...very fresh and delicious

- drop biscuits baked in cast iron skillet with bacon jam (ridiculously good)

- scallops accented with small pieces of country ham and a very light drizzle of caramelized white chocolate on the scallops (sounds weird but it worked nicely)

weekday bubbly

Lucas & Lewellen Mandolina Bianco di Bianco 2005 from the Santa Barbara region. This was a "forgotten" bottle that was given to us years ago.  A bit of a puzzle since we were unfamiliar with this producer or even sparkling wine from this region.  

Alluring tropical nose immediately upon opening... vibrant fruit and salinity on the palate. .. quite well balanced .. not overly sweet. Pear and quince. Becomes a bit more bread-y and exhibits almost gruner-like flavors after opening up for half hour or so...

Fresh, lively effervescence blew off nicely to reveal really nice mature fruit underneath.... 13% alc...crystal clear, very pale gold color. The varietal wasn't shown on the label. I assume it may be chardonnay,  or perhaps a blend. It disappeared quickly  :)

Paired well with mushroom agnolotti for dinner.

I don't see this available online anywhere, otherwise I would buy some.  Sometimes you find a little unexpected gem...

... sometimes you just need a Beer !

Hot summer days call for grilling and brewskies... 

...specialty of the house = burgers with caramelized Vidalia onions and Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA.

Ceretto Barolo Brunate 1997, Ceretto Barbaresco Asili 1998, Massolino Barolo 2000

A bounty of delicious wines recently with friends ... 

WOTN was the '97 Brunate. Just ridiculously good. Brunate appellation certainly deserves its status (although this bottling is a bit ripe at 14.5% alc.)....Very elegant perfumed nose, lush fruit complemented by excellent earthiness with characteristic tar profile. Drink now... it's at its peak. 

The '98 Asili was a bit more nimble on the palate with an interesting anise component and lovely aromatics. 

Both Ceretto's were fully decanted and gained impressive presence over the course of the evening, especially the Brunate - which really hit its stride after about 4 hours and was going strong after 7 hours.

'00 Massolino is a very enjoyable "normale"... like most wines from this vintage, it's a rich and heady bottling... very approachable now for a Serralunga d'Alba vino...

The Bouissiere Gigondas was a 2005 vintage ... have not had one in a long time, but this one is a delicious effort by the Faravel brothers.  Really at its peak now. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. . Rich, luscious fruit with satiny tannins ... creosote and spice notes... a bit hot would be my only slight complaint (14.5% alc.)... 

The 2007 Roero Arneis was the favorite white wine of the evening. .. really well balanced.  The '05 Brewer Clifton Mt. Carmel chardonnay smelled gorgeous (seductive tropical notes) but alas the palate was marred by overabundance of oak ... The '09 Petite Arvine was delightful. .. offering more sweetness of fruit than the Arneis.

------ 13 days later -----

Enjoyed the remaining quarter bottles of the Ceretto Asili and Massolino normale this evening. 

Asili was a true delight. .. gossamer tannins with such noble fruit dancing on the palate. ... delicious aromatics ...great nebbiolo can be a balm for the soul !

Juxtaposed next to the Asili,  the Massolino normale was massive. A blunt instrument to be appreciated on its own merits after the Asili was gone... still quite enjoyable ... an excellent exercise in understanding the differences between a younger blend and a single vineyard in its prime. 

1971 and 1999 vintages in Piemonte...

Let's face it... a 43 year old Barolo that has been acquired on the secondary market can be a crapshoot, but when it works it's pretty cool...

This '71 Marchese di Barolo Gia Opera Pia was in decent shape... nice aromatics upon opening the bottle... left to slow-o in situ for several hours before dinner.  Really nice acidity and very nicely balanced at 13% alc. .. the fruit is just a touch, maybe a shade, toward becoming raisin-y, but it's not obtrusive enough to walk away.... there's more here than meets the eye (or nose) at first. ... four hours later, she is gaining presence ... the wonderful faded cherry and hints of anise pairs deliciously with grilled lamb.  These old wines are definitely best appreciated with fine cuisine ... 7 hours later she is really kicking into gear, showing the greatness of the 1971 vintage, even with an average producer. 

Next to the '99 Albino Rocca Brich Ronchi (which was fully decanted),  I am continually drawn again and again to the  '71 Gia Opera Pia.  It has more complexity and more history.. what can I say, I like the older wines that have a story to tell. .. 

The Brich Ronchi is a nice, fully rounded Barbaresco. .. I am not sure it will ever be very complex.. It exhibited barnyard-y notes for the first couple of hours before blowing off and revealing tasty maturing fruit and light creosote. 

9 hours later, the Gia Opera Pia is still gaining momentum and nicely complements some Belgian chocolate.   This beauty shows no signs of fading ... 

La Tour Haut-Brion 1979, Luigi Einaudi 1997, Bosquet des Papes Chante Le Merle V.V. 2007

Dinner with friends presented an interesting opportunity to enjoy an eclectic selection of wines.

Bruno Giacosa Extra Brut 2006 was enjoyed as an aperitif before dinner along with a selection of cheeses. .. the bird pictured is done by commission from a local artist. .. a truly unique piece. 

The Bosquet des Papes Chante Le Merle V.V 2007 was enjoyed with appetizers (tempura flash fried langoustines and spicy sauteed prawns).  This bottle is just entering into its drinking window and showed beautifully.   The ripe fruit (14.5 % alc.) was delicious. Sourced from 90+ year old vines ... surprisingly approachable for a whole cluster wine... mostly bright and tasty grenache with dollops of syrah and mourvedre...

The structure and depth of the beautiful Luigi Einaudi Barolo "normale" 1997 provided an excellent counterpoint to the Bosquet des Papes CdP.  Once again, the '97 vintage from Piedmont shines brightly. Paired perfectly with aged ribeye steaks with sauteed shrooms and a delightful ratatouille. Alluring perfume right from the start. Slow-o in bottle for 2.5 hours and then full decant with at the restaurant.  Perfectly mature fruit with intriguing complexity on the palate (13.5% alc.) and really nice balance. .... tar, tobacco, elegant fine-grained tannic structure with classic long finish. This wine definitely informs as to the proud heritage of Barolo blends... 

The La Tour Haut-Brion 1979 was a surprise finale for the evening... this was an incredibly youthful example of a 35 year old wine. Rich, dark fruit (see last photo of this wine in the glass... incredible color) with a surprisingly unctuous mouthfeel for a wine of this age.... a blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot and Cab Franc.  Classic roasted earth notes that I love so much and that are also typified in the La Mission Haut-Brion wines... a real treat to end a wonderful evening. 

Prunotto Barbaresco Montestefano 1989

Slow-oxygenated in bottle for a couple of hours and then decanted at the restaurant.  A pleasant wine with classic Barbaresco palate, however aromatics are a bit tired. Past its glory days but very food friendly.  The fruit has faded a bit more than you would want ... probably in its prime about 4 or 5 years ago. An interesting first experience with this vineyard. From a producer perspective,  we enjoyed a 1985 Prunotto Cannubi last year that was showing better. 

Dinner at a favorite restaurant, Mimosa Grill ... the crawfish and shrimp stuffed hushpuppies are a must. Wood grilled chicken stuffed with fennel sausage is incredible.  Interesting short rib preparation with a soft boiled egg. The crispy sorghum-glazed shaved Brussels sprouts are off-the-charts good.

The Best of Barbaresco and Barolo

At dinner on Sunday at Tribeca Grill, a '98 Giacosa Santo Stefano Riserva and a '99 Bartolo Mascarello from Signor Melito's cellar were a wonderful treat ! 

My vote goes to the Riserva as the wine of the evening.  The thing that always shines in truly great wines is impeccable balance... Giacosa defines gorgeous aromatics, refined tannins and pure fruit. Drinking extremely well now.

The Mascarello is still young at this stage of the game, yet paired wondrously with the delicious Gigantone short rib Bolognese that I had for dinner.  A more structured wine with alluring sottobosco... the last of it went way too soon!

We enjoyed an Egly-Ouriet Les Crayeres NV, disgorged in 2010 I believe, as a prelude.  (Thanks, Marius, for the recommendation!)... A great Champagne that is 100% pinot noir ... paired beautifully with rock shrimp tempura.

A delightful conclusion to a weekend in NYC for Janet and I ... thank you Ignatius and Carolyn for your hospitality!

Albert Morot Beaune les Bressandes 1990 and 2002

Have been looking forward to trying these side by side. Slow oxygenation for both bottles for 2.5 hours prior to dinner. 

1990 ---

Delicious fruit aromatics emerging immediately upon popping the cork... there is really nothing else like a lovely older Burgundy... a true pinnacle for the pinot noir varietal.  Lighter garnet color and quite translucent.  Mouth-watering gossamer tannins with gorgeous, aged red cherry fruit.  This wine is a great example of why the 1990 vintage in Burgundy may be the best ever.  Very well balanced at 13% alcohol.  Morot is just a tremendous value.

2002 ---

A relatively youngster compared to the 1990... darker in color and more tartness to the cherry fruit as would be expected.  Fine balance with weightier tannins, yet still holding the line at 13% alc.  Almost a bit new world-ish after the 1990.  Absolutely fascinating to taste the terroir of this vineyard shining through from two vintages that are 12 years apart. Kudos to Morot for consistency and transparency in winemaking.  

The 1990 sang throughout dinner and it was finished first, paired with:

    Crab cakes made of smoked trout & lump crab complemented by greens with grilled red     onion, sweet basil & bacon aioli

    Hushpuppies stuffed with crawfish & shrimp drizzled with leek fondue accompanied by     crispy leeks

Followed with the 2002 paired with:

    Wood grilled spring lamb tenderloin complemented by melange of roasted sweet          carrots, spring peas, pearl onions with crispy micro-mushrooms and hazelnut pesto.

    Chicken stuffed with fennel sausage along with roasted cabbage & potato puree,    chorizo vinaigrette

    Roasted Salmon with cauliflower puree, charred leeks salsa verde and creme fraiche

    Pecan crusted mountain trout with peach chutney, baby green beans, yukon whipped potatoes with honey-lemon butter  

    Sorghum-glazed, shaved Brussels sprouts with smoked bacon 

    Cajun shrimp jambalaya with andouille sausage and scallions

Finished the last of the 2002 with creme brulee and bourbon bread pudding.... it was just coming into its own.  

Giovanni Corino Barolo Vigneto Arborina 1999

Full decant 3 hours ahead of dinner.  The 1999 vintage Barolo's benefit from lots of aeration. 

First impression: deep, dark color and big tannins ... has a ways to go yet till maturity.

As the wine opened up, the lovely rose petal and tar profile came around... this one could be considered just on the cusp of its drinking window.

Warm, attractive perfumed nose with ripe fruit, sous bois and mineral palate ... distinct "Piemonte dust".  Easily another 15 years of solid enjoyment ahead ... probably best to try again in 2 to 3 years. 

Paired with Chicken Parmesan for dinner along with heirloom tomato and mozzarella di bufala stacks drizzled with 10 year old balsamic (love this dish).

Continued to open up over the course of 6 hours... nice, but a bit warm with 14.5% alc. that precludes it from being a truly well-balanced wine.   Still have a bit left to try on day 2 or 3 ... 

Pelissero Barbaresco Vanotu 1998

Slow-oxygenated in bottle for 2.5 hours prior to dinner.  Gorgeous aromatics and stunning palate right away upon opening the bottle.  I have had great experiences over the past couple of years with 1998 vintage Barbaresco... 

14% alc, upfront black fruit, spice, mocha and tar... sweet aromatics that opened up gloriously at dinner.  Very alluring minerality manifested by limestone marl terroir. 

Paired with flash-fried, spicy tempura-battered langoustine (incredibly delicious) and very tasty roasted duck.

My first experience with Pellissero. Reminds me of a slightly more elegant version of Bruno Rocca Rabaja.  

I believe that Vanotu is the nickname of the Grandfather of Signore Giorgio Pelissero, the owner of the estate.  The vineyard intersects the Barbaresco, Treiso and Neive districts.  Here is a link to an interesting interview: http://www.terroirist.com/2012/05/weekly-interview-giorgio-pelissero/