The Valtellina Superiore of Nino Negri (Part III)

I don't have any problem saying that US grocery store wine is generally terrible.  Not terrible as in undrinkable, but terrible as in having all the character of a Kraft Singles cheese slice.  Except slathered in bizarre oak treatment rather than plastic wrap.  Italian grocery store wine, though, that's a different story.  Even the miniaturized version of the chain grocery store (Iperal) in the sleepy lake town of Domaso had a whole aisle filled with wine, most of which was local and moderately priced.

Nino Negri and Fratelli Bettini's signs nestled in the vineyards at the western edge of Sassella

The biggest footprint on the shelves belonged to the wines of Nino Negri.  Negri is not a small producer by any means.  The yearly production at Negri according to Isabella Pelizzatti Perego of Ar.Pe.Pe. is around 1 million bottles--about 25% the production of the entire Valtellina region.  But it isn't Gallo, either, and it showed in the wines.  The production is divided over a variety of price levels, styles, and Crus.  There is clearly some deference to market forces as there must be, but there is also value in a producer that makes legitimate and readily available wine.

Aside from a Negri Rosso di Valtellina that was weirdly spritzy and well, plonky, the entry level Cru bottlings had more going for them than you could hope for given the modest $11-$12 US tariff.  It is common for producers to lease vineyards or purchase fruit from families who want to keep their land, but don't have the means or interest to make wine commercially.  My guess is the 'basic' Valgella, Inferno, Grumello and Sassella have significant contributions from 'negociant' purchases of this nature.  (I also noticed different labels on the same shelf for the same vintage and Cru, suggesting multiple lots or sources of a certain bottling.)

Early on we picked up a horizontal of the 2007 Negri Valtellina Superiore Crus (notes below) for pairing with meals at 'home' throughout the week.  The wines showed minimal oak influence and were fresh, aromatic expressions of Nebbiolo with vinous structure.  The 2007 vintage was characterized as excellent when we visited Rainoldi, which I take to mean warmer than usual.  Perhaps that gave these entry level wines a bit more material than usual.  The Sassella, for example, had weight comparable to a more elegant leaning Barbaresco.  Regardless, I found it remarkable that what one might otherwise expect to be a notch above vino da tavola actually expressed typicity of the Crus (as characterized by the producers in Valtellina and in Bastianich's Vino Italiano).  There were hints of rusticity; though clean these weren't polished wines.  But they displayed plenty of character, had honest structure, and went well with pasta, cheese and salami.  What more could you want?

Up next, separate posts for our visits to Rainoldi and Ar.Pe.Pe.

• 2007 Nino Negri Valtellina Superiore - Valgella - Italy, Lombardia, Valtellina, Valtellina Superiore - Valgella
  
  
  Aromatic--tobacco, rose, dried cherry. Lighter/med body, earthy flavor. Mineral (iron), med acidity and somewhat astringent tannin. The note doesn't do it justice--rather ethereal and weightless, hard to put down due to its bouquet. The lightest of the '07 Negris I tried.


• 2007 Nino Negri Valtellina Superiore - Inferno - Italy, Lombardia, Valtellina, Valtellina Superiore - Inferno
  
  
  Rounder, but tighter nose than the Valgella. Cherry and red fruit, iron, mildly earthy. Medium body, tannin became more pronounced with air and aromas opened up. Minerality, tobacco/herb and meaty-spicy Nebbiolo bouquet develop. Good material, needs an hour decanting now.


• 2007 Nino Negri Valtellina Superiore - Grumello - Italy, Lombardia, Valtellina, Valtellina Superiore - Grumello
  
  
  My least favorite of the Negri quartet tried over the week. Meaty, earthy, spicy aromas, a bit rustic on the palate. Cherry, med tannin, med acidity, light red color. Finishes a little bitter and slightly astringent. Still, perfumed with pleasant herbal character--the nose is great even though this wasn't a complete wine. Like other Negris, no noticeable oak.


• 2007 Nino Negri Valtellina Superiore - Sassella - Italy, Lombardia, Valtellina, Valtellina Superiore - Sassella
  
  
  Cherry, menthol, tobacco, spice. Ripe tannin, well structured, sweet fruit, lengthy finish with a hint of tar, warm. Med/full body, giving an almost Barbaresco-like weight and texture. Consistent with perceived typical character: not as powerful as Inferno, more stuffing than Grummello and Valgella. Yet this was open and nuanced aromatically. A bargain.

Just as a little bonus, here's are a couple of good 'grocery store' wines from Bettini, whose vineyard sign is pictured above.  The first is a white wine made from Nebbiolo and the second a well-aged 1997 Valtellina Superiore that was buried on a bottom shelf.

• 2010 Bettini Chiavennasca Bianco Terrazze Retiche di Sondrio IGT - Italy, Lombardia, Terrazze Retiche di Sondrio IGT 
  
  Tasted from a cup--wasn't aromatic but perhaps that was the cup not the wine. A white wine made from Nebbiolo, which is called Chiavennasca in the Valtellina. Had very round texture with fresh and mineral driven flavors. Cheap, too, at about $8 US.

• 1997 Bettini Valtellina Superiore Riserva - Italy, Lombardia, Valtellina, Valtellina Superiore


Aged Nebbiolo bouquet. Intoxicating aromas of dried cherry, rose, iron and earth. Light/med body, high acidity, grapefruit pith on the finish. Intense minerality, Nebbiolo spice inner aromas, tannin mostly resolved. Found at the Iperal grocery store in Colico for ~$16. In really great condition given 15 years of age--silly to find this on the shelf for a pittance.

The vineyards of Valtellina (Part II)

The Valtellina is a region that must be seen to be grasped. It is possible of course to find mention of the area in excellent references like Bastianich and Lewis' Vino Italiano that even go so far as to offer notes on typical styles of the various DOCG designated Crus in the Valtellina Superiore DOCG. But that doesn't do real justice to the extreme viticulture required to grow Nebbiolo, known locally as Chiavennasca,* that takes place in this transverse east-west valley in the Alps.

The map pictured above is from Vini Aldo Rainoldi's tasting room, and a version with legible labels can be found on Rainoldi's website (albeit with a different color code) under the "Wine" tab. At the far left on the map is the entry to the valley from the northern edge of Como. The city of Sondrio is located in the middle of the map, more or less between the arrows pointing to Sassella and Grumello. Coming from the western mouth of the valley, Sassella is the first Cru one encounters just outside of Sondrio. The foot of the vineyard is just a bit off the highway, which is really a two-lane road running through valley parallel to the Adda River. It then rapidly climbs upward from the valley floor hundreds of meters by way of stepped terraces. As is the case with all the vineyards in the valley, the exposure is due south--the picture was taken facing north--to maximize sun exposure in this marginal climate. (I was told those who live on the south side of the valley with northern exposure tend to be a rather dour sort due to the lack of direct sunlight.)

Just to the east of Sondrio lies Grumello with the ruins of the Castello Grumello, a castle built in the 14th century then torn down in the 16th century, overlooking the vineyards. Here the slopes are slightly less precipitous, though the picture shown above by Castello Grumello facing to the east does not capture the terracing immediately below. The Adda River runs through the valley on the right side of the picture of Grumello and Inferno. A different perspective of the Grumello Cru is shown below facing north with the castle and relatively gently sloped vineyards in the center of the view.

The producers have signs with their names and the name of the Cru on the hillsides. To the right, signs for Grumello with Nino Negri and Salis can be seen. Though less clear in the picture above of Sassella, signs for Negri again and Bettini can be seen.Unfortunately, I did not get any direct photos of Inferno or Valgella, which is the pink region in the map of Valtellina where the wine region curves northward. Valgella is actually the largest Cru, and its wines seemed to be the most common in local shops. The two producers we visited, Rainoldi and Ar.Pe.Pe., focused primarily on Grumello, Sassella and Inferno. From what we tasted, these three Crus tended to produce wines with more stuffing, and the smaller producers seemed to focus more on these vineyards than Valgella. But, of course, our sample size was extremely limited. In total, there are around 800 hectares (about 2000 acres) of vineyards at present in Valtellina, though we were told that as much as 3000 hectares (7500 acres) were once under vine.

The general impressions given were that Grummello tends to be more gentle in character, open, gentle, soft, round and fruit driven, perhaps due to the less steep and less rocky vineyards. Sassella is steeper and rockier, thus more austere, mineral-driven and closed in youth due to its structure. Inferno, though, has the most fanciful descriptions: it is not called "Hell" without good reason. Inferno is a bit like Sassella on steroids. It is steeper, rockier, and even more mineral driven. In summer, it bakes. Regardless of the weather, it is an extremely perilous Cru to work in due to its sheer verticality. Regardless of the Cru, the wines tend be high-toned and aromatic, expressing the spicy and floral side of Nebbiolo, as well as mineral driven with iron a being a particularly common flavor.

To finish, I have one final lesson on the vineyards of Valtellina: don't look down. A corollary of which is: watch your step. The picture to the left was taken at the west edge of Sondrio in the Sassella Cru. Some of the perspective is lost here, but we were at least a hundred meters above the valley floor. Looking almost straight down are the stacked terraces with the road and Adda River directly below. The stone steps and paths are navigable with some care under normal conditions. But I can only imagine the peril of traversing these vineyards with 100 pounds of grapes on my back. This quite literally medieval. Mechanization is impossible on these historic plots, relics of an era when the only way to avoid floods was to build upward onto the mountains. I almost have to laugh thinking about what some California producers call old vineyards or superior exposures. Valtellina is a great macro-terroir filled with unique vineyards worthy of Cru designation because of their specific expression. Unfortunately the ethereal rather than powerful nature of its wines and its general lack of recognition mean it languishes in obscurity.

Up next, tasting notes from the four major Crus by way of Nino Negri's entry level wines.

*The city of Chiavenna is in a neighboring valley that runs north from Como rather than to the east.

A week in the Valtellina (Part I)

This didn't start out as a vino-centric vacation. No, actually the plan was simply to stay with my wife's uncle somewhere in the vicinity of Lake Como and improvise. But as it turned out, we landed at the very northern tip of Como. From there you can go north to Chiavenna and Switzerland, south to the tourist centers like Menaggio and Bellagio, or due east into the transverse Valtellina valley. We chose option (d), all of the above, but once we knew where we were going to stay it didn't take long for us to figure out we were next to the premiere alpine Nebbiolo producing region and had to commit a couple of days to visiting the area. Valtellina is also the only precarious, vertiginous terraced Nebbiolo producing region that I know of, but let's not let simple facts get in the way of the story until later.

The first thing that I noticed--and couldn't keep from noticing day after day--was the bizarre juxtaposition of seemingly Mediterranean plants like palm trees (above), loquats and aloe with 8000 foot, generally snow-capped peaks (also above). Here we were in the Alps, yet the flora was seemingly identical to that of the California Central Coast. Part of it is likely the moderating influence of the lake as I have my doubts palms and succulents can handle a hard freeze like deciduous plants. Ignoring that, however, the other part of the equation is the solar flux imparted by elevation. Particularly on the south-facing slopes, there is a lot of sunlight. And that seems to be the key to growing grapes as well in a continental, alpine climate.

The picture above is from the village of Domaso on the western side of Como. While this is well outside of the Valtellina, it gives a good impression of the terracing employed throughout the region. The hillsides are littered with these walled terraces; behind the house where we stayed we found a variety of outbuildings mingled among the terraces. In the areas without cover from trees, more often than not vines are cultivated. Domaso actually falls within the Terre Lariane IGT designation, and the winery pictured above is Sorsasso, one of two in Domaso. The other producers in this IGT are near Lecco, at the southeastern tip of Lake Como. We didn't visit any of these producers because we didn't know they existed until wandering up footpaths in the village. We did bring back a bottle each from Domaso-based producers Sorsasso and Angelinetta, which interestingly are Sangiovese-based blends.

Next up, Part II on the vineyards of Valtellina.

TN: Clendenen Family Vineyards 2001 Bien Nacido Vineyards Nebbiolo

Now this is wine: Clendenen Family Vineyards 2001 Bien Nacido Vineyards Nebbiolo. I've yet to have a properly aged Barolo or Barbaresco, but surely this wine indicates I should be laying down high quality Nebbiolo. While Santa Barbara County isn't renowned for Nebbiolo, a notoriously finicky grape, this is excellent wine with years of potential development ahead of it. The structure is awesome, and there's enough flesh and complexity to make this wine far more than a rigid backbone. It's a wine I have when relaxing at home during the evening where I can sip it and let it evolve. If only my cellar had more wines like this!

The wine is produced by Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat from Bien Nacido fruit. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir typically come to mind with Clendenen and Bien Nacido. But I guess Clendenen wanted to take on a grape even more challenging than Pinot. While I'm no Nebbiolo expert, I think this was a real success and is better than the Piedmont Nebbiolos I've tasted around this price point.

• 2001 Clendenen Family Vineyards Nebbiolo Bricco Buon Natale Bien Nacido - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
  
  
  
  Right up my alley. Firm, but not heavy. Ripe, mature cherry and raspberry. Leather, violet, tar, cedar and spice. Complex, well-balanced. Med-high acid with chalky tannin. Long finish, I could sip this all night. If medium aged CA Nebbiolo can be this good, I should be stocking up on Langhe Nebbs.
  
  

TN: Guido Porro 2005 Barolo Vigna Lazzairasco

I've been tinkering with Nebbiolos recently as they're kind of the Pinot Noir of wines that rip your face off with tannins and acidity. Aromatic, nuanced, and tough as nails. Real wines of character, with Barolo being the most famous expression. Generally they're not meant to be consumed young, but I decided it would be good to get a 'calibration' by drinking the Guido Porro 2005 Barolo Vigna Lazzairasco with some Gruyere, Gouda and a big old chunk of olive bolillo.

It's no surprise that this wine was acidic and tannic. But, as noted by Jeff over at Viva la Wino, there's a surfeit of ripe, plummy fruit to round it out. From an aromatic standpoint, some of the California Nebbiolos I've tried are similar. This is definitely a riper version of Nebbiolo. But the aristocratic structure is what separates it from the California versions I've tried. At $32 this was at the higher end of my target price range, but fairly inexpensive for Barolo. All in all a very reasonable price for a wine of this quality and pedigree. Incidentally, this wine was imported by Kermit Lynch, who is more famous for his French imports.

• 2005 Guido Porro Barolo Vigna Lazzairasco - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  
  Bouquet of tar, plums, prunes and anise. Some heat, but very aromatic overall. Actually similar nose to some CA Nebbiolos I've had. Lush and approachable flavors with dark plummy fruit, spice and earth. Finishes tannic. Medium acidity, medium-full body. Surprisingly approachable, but with nice structure (superior to its CA peers). Veering a bit to riper, dried fruit though this undoubtedly aids in its youthful pleasure. Check in on 2nd bottle in a few years.
  
  

TN: Caparone 2005 Paso Robles Nebbiolo

To put it simply, the Caparone 2005 Paso Robles Nebbiolo has set a new benchmark for inexpensive Nebbiolo in my book. Everything about it, from the surface, is surprising given its origin: the 13.6% ABV, the $14 price, the varietal expression, the attractive rusticity and the complexity. Having been to Caparone's winery about a year ago, though, I can say one should expect nothing less from this producer. Some wines are more rustic and funky than others, but this is old school wine making at its best. No manipulation, no extreme ripeness, no excess new oak. Just honest wine at a fair price.

There's plenty to say, but the key points are as follows. This wine is wildy aromatic, practically exploding from the glass, there is a transparency to its flavors, and there is structure in its firm slightly bitter tannins and acidity. It's a complete wine brimming with character and then some. While this is no substitute for a Pinot Noir, this wine has a lot of the same qualities that make Pinot so attractive (and for a fraction of the price).

• 2005 Caparone Nebbiolo Estate Grown - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  
  This sets my new benchmark for inexpensive Nebbiolo. Light color is a feature, not a bug, as Nebbiolo is never especially dark. The nose is effusive: sweet pipe tobacco, figs, fennel and leather. It just explodes out of the glass. Not as rustic as other Caparones I've had, but not squeaky clean, either. The flavors are wonderful--good freshness of cherry and strawberry with an earthy undercurrent. Fairly high acid, some noticeable tannin on the finish that firms the wine up. The finish goes on forever. This is a medium bodied wine, very pure and delineated in its flavors. 13.6% ABV and $14, unique for a CA wine.
  
  

TN: A handful of recent Nebbiolos

I've been on a bit of Nebbiolo kick of late as it's a varietal of great character--tannic and acidic, yet also aromatic and lithe. Unfortunately, it's a varietal that rarely performs well as a value priced wine. That hasn't stopped me from trying to find reasonably priced wines, however. The most respected Nebbiolos--Barolo and Barbaresco--not only are expensive, but typically requires years if not decades to peak. It's a waste to drink them excessively young, which is where their less expensive siblings like Nebbiolo d'Alba and Langhe Nebbiolo come in.

Having tried a mix of domestic and imported versions, I'd have to say that only the Vietti Perbacco and Matteo Correggia were really complete wines. Both are around $20, though, which is a nice value in my book. I'll be buying some higher end Nebbiolos to age, but the young drinkers actually are a solid value if you like the style. I do, and I'll be back for more.

• 2006 Vietti Langhe Nebbiolo Perbacco - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Langhe DOC
  
  This one is a winner. Aromas are hard to pin down--very much a bouquet. Some spice and anise notes along with pure darker fruits. Just a hint of tar. Very good body and texture for a Nebbiolo. Plummy flavors. Steely acidity picks up on the finish along with earthy nuances. Moderately tannic, but not astringent. The finish lasts on this one. Really packs a lot of depth and character given its price.
  
  


• 2000 Bricco Buon Natale Ragazzo Legnoso Estate Bottled Bricco Buon Natale - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Maria Valley
  
  50% Nebbiolo, 50% Barbera. Good rustic wine with a bit of age. Herbs, leather and horse sweat on the nose. Lighter body with high acidity. Nice freshness, still has plenty of fruit on the palate. Not much to the finish. A table wine with with character, but not much depth on the mid-palate and finish.


• 2005 Damilano Nebbiolo d'Alba - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Nebbiolo d'Alba
  
  Nice tar, anise, herbs and spice on the nose. High acidity. Liking the mildly herbaceous flavor. But perhaps lacking a bit of flesh and a hair over-extracted. The dark color (for Nebbiolo) and medicinal cherry flavor suggest over-extraction, at least. Definitely varietal Neb, albeit fairly direct. Although this is still moderately tannic, I don't think this is going to get much better with age. Cork said Damilano Barolo. If this is indeed declassified Barolo, it definitely was the right decision. This is right on as entry level Nebbiolo, but I wouldn't be enamored at all with a Barolo name and price.
  
  


• 2003 Martin & Weyrich Nebbiolo Il Vecchio Reserve - USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
  
  Tobacco/cigar box, dried cherries, licorice, ginger. Fruit is on the sweet/roasted/raisined side. But the acidity and tannins are also there. Sweet fruit wins out, though. It does show some varietal character and is comparable to a similarly overripe Piedmont Nebbiolo I had recently. A nice deal at $5 in the bargain bin.
  
  


• 2005 Azienda Agricola Matteo Correggia Roero - Italy, Piedmont, Alba, Roero DOC
  
  Really needed some air to open up, 1 hr+. Orange peel, balsamic, tobacco and dried cherries on the nose, though weak until open. Palate is good and acidic with pleasant drying tannins. Picked up weight with time, showing red fruit, balsamic and earth. Still on the light-medium body side of it. Clean, linear flavors with a pleasant finish. I really like this style of wine (high acid, honest tannin) though more effusive aromas are preferred.
  
  

• 2005 Mckeon-Phillips Nebbiolo Bella's - USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County
  
  Fruit-forward style. Tight on the nose, eventually yields tobacco, asian spice and some cheesy funk. Good acidity. Not much structure, kind of a Beaujolais-style Nebbiolo. Like the cleanliness on the finish, very dry without being punishing. Nice delicious factor, but missing the depth and structure of an old world wine. Opens up with air.
  

Tasting Palmina Wines at East Beach Wine

A lot of California wineries say their wines are made to be food friendly, are balanced, and have sufficient acidity. But few actually pull it off. Palmina, Steve and Chrystal Clifton's Italian-inspired winery, is one of those few that makes genuine food wine. I don't mean that in the sense that the wines are unbalanced and need food. Rather, they have higher acidity and less new oak, and thus have an affinity for food.

Local shop East Beach Wine hosted a Palmina tasting last Friday, and both Steve and Chrystal Clifton were pouring their wines and chatting with customers. Not that it matters with respect to the wine, but Steve and Chrystal were very affable and took the time to discuss their wines in detail. I suspect that at this point Palmina is reaching quasi-cult status (as much as balanced table wines can do this), but it's still nice that the proprietors take time to hand sell their wines. As mentioned previously, the wines tend to be higher in acid with less new oak than most in California. Additionally, the alcohols are lower and there's a certain Old World influence. The wines nonetheless are Californian given the fullness of the fruit. They aren't going to blow people away with power; instead they are expertly made in a fashion that can't be ignored.

Here are my notes and comments:

2008 Arneis - Good citrusy acidity, mouth watering, mineral/iron, apricot and vanilla aromas. $19.

Additional commentary: This wine definitely has more phenolic bite than a typical white, suggesting it gets a bit more extraction than most. There's a hint of tannin and excellent depth.

2008 Botasea Rosato - 50% Dolcetto, 30% Nebbiolo, 20% Barbera. Creamy mouthfeel, watermelon strawberry, good earth, medium acid. $18.

Additional commentary: Not much else to add other than this is a fine dry rosé.

2008 Dolcetto - Santa Barbara County bottling. Pinot-like spice on the nose, earth, some heat. Red fruit, mild tannin, somewhat astringent. $18.

Additional commentary: This is my least favorite in the lineup as it's a bit awkward and alcoholic without the stuffing to handle the heat. I felt the same way about the '07 SBC bottling as well.

2007 Alisos - 80% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot w/ ~1% mat-dried Sangiovese. Macerated cherries, tobacco, mild mouthfeel and tannins. Slight dried fruit quality. $25.

Additional commentary: A small amount of Sangiovese dried on mats for use in a dessert wine is blended into this. Named Alisos based on vineyard sourcing.

2007 Barbera - Santa Barbara County bottling. Savory, dark fruit, herbs, smoke. Cab Franc-like, with some animality. Edgy and lean. High acidity. $22.

Additional commentary: One of my favorites of the tasting. Seemed the most Old World with brooding complexity and no extra fat. It definitely reminded me of less rustic, well-fruited Chinon.

2004 Stolpman Vineyard Nebbiolo - Dried red fruit, petrol/tar, red currant jelly, good acid, drying tannin, well structured. Long finish, a sipping wine. $40.

Additional commentary: My favorite of the tasting. Definitely on the riper side based on the nose, but much of the fruit character derives from the age. The structure is superb as it's not overwhelming, but gives the wine a real spine. One of four (?) Nebbiolos Palmina produces.

2006 Savoia - 50% Nebbiolo, 25% Barbera, 25% Syrah. Good tannic structure and acidity. Dark fruit. Seems young. $50.

Additional commentary: This one had a tough act to follow after the previous wine. Clearly has the structure and raw material, but seemed very primary.

2006 Osare - Port-like quality, but not fortified. Made from mat-dried Sangiovese. Raisins and milk chocolate, long finish. $39.

Additional commentary: This is the dessert wine where the mat-dried Sangiovese ends up. I didn't write it down, but I believe I was told this is aged for 3 years in neutral oak.

TN: Martin & Weyrich 2003 Nebbiolo "Il Vecchio"

Ah, Nebbiolo. The light red color of a Pinot Noir. The searing acidity of a Sauvignon Blanc. And the drying tannins of a Petite Sirah. With some many disparate elements to balance, it's no coincidence Nebbiolo is reputed as one of the most challenging varietals to grow. Although my point of reference is mid-level Nebbiolo from Piedmont, I'm pretty certain the Martin & Weyrich 2003 Nebbiolo "Il Vecchio" is on target, particularly given the price point.

The bouquet is heavy on cigar box--pipe tobacco and cedar--as well as black cherry. Rather interestingly, the producer states the wine is "redolent of cedar, spicy tobacco and black fruit aromas," while another review of the wine observes "layers of cedar, cigar box, tobacco leaf give way to dark berries, plums and raspberries." This is a surprisingly consistent set of independent observations. The mid-palate is round and perhaps a bit flabby, but there's plenty of acidity and tannin that balance out on the finish. It's a bit overripe because of the higher alcohol and some dried fruit characteristics, yet this wine overflows with character and structure. Maybe it will benefit from more age, but the tannins are mellow enough to approach now.

Definitely one I'd recommend to try side by side with a Langhe Nebbiolo. It's a bit richer and fruitier than the Piedmont equivalents I've tried, yet still shows varietal character. I've seen Martin & Weyrich wines in some grocery stores in Southern California, so their Nebbiolo may be readily available depending on where you live.

Score: 87-90
Price: $22 from Martin & Weyrich Winery

A Trip Through Santa Barbara County: Day 2

Our second day of tasting in Santa Barbara brought us to the Santa Rita Hills and Lompoc. Descriptions and notes follow.

Our initial stop was at Melville Winery. Melville primarily produces big Pinot Noirs (power-Pinot) with varying levels of earthy-funk. In particular, they produce multiple bottlings focused upon terroir and clone specific expression, several of which I have noted below. However, the tasting room experience was one of the worst we've had. Although it wasn't busy since we were there in the late morning, the pourer ignored us and instead discussed the wine with other customers. What separates a $50 Pinot Noir from a $30 Pinot Noir is typically that it is produced from a specific vineyard site and expresses some unique characteristics. Thus, it is important to connect the source of the grapes to the wine in a customer's glass. The server, unfortunately, was inattentive to the point of rudeness. I contacted the tasting room manager afterward; she was apologetic and wanted to ensure future visits were more enjoyable. Nonetheless, it's still hard to recommend a tasting room with one of the highest tasting fees in the area that did not engage all of its customers. Hopefully I'll be able to post about a better experience in the future.

Wines of interest:

2007 Clone 115 Pinot Noir - Deep earthy nose, heart of darkness. Herbs and earthy flavor. Top notch.
2007 Terraces Pinot Noir - Herb nose, tarragon? Something green and delicious. Spicy finish.

Next we made a stop in the 'Lompoc Wine Ghetto' to taste at Palmina Winery. Despite the tasting room's location in an industrial park, this was a much more satisfactory and intellectually stimulating experience than our prior stop at a beautifully manicured estate. (Perhaps it is true that beauty and personality are negatively correlated!) Although Palmina's wines can pretty much sell themselves, one has the opportunity to taste the wine sitting down, paired with cheese and prosciutto. It certainly makes sense to place the wines in the context in which they should be enjoyed. Palmina is focused on Italian varietals, which seem to have intrinsic streak of earth and minerality, but their wines also show the extroverted fruit one would expect of California wines. Although the single varietal bottlings were uniformly excellent, their blends were the most interesting aspect of the tasting as they represented the sorts of wines that can only be produced in regions like Santa Barbara County with great geographic diversity over small distances. There aren't many wine regions that can produce a blend of Refosco, Cabernet Franc and Merlot or a blend of Nebbiolo, Syrah and Barbera. There's a certain feeling of 'rightness' to a winery producing unique wines that express its region, especially when so many wineries attempt to emulate a model that is ill-suited to their climate and geography.

Wines of interest:

2007 Dolcetto - Floral, medium body. Minerals and wet earth. Tannic.
2004 Mattia - Refosco, Cab Franc and Merlot blend. Plum and red fruit. Big fruit attack, then mineral finish. Alisos Vineyard and Bien Nacido Vineyard fruit.
2005 Savoia - House of Savoy simultaneously ruled Piedmont and the Rhone, hence the name for Nebbiolo, Barbera and Syrah blend. Big blueberry and floral. Round; tannic finish. Structured.

Our last stop was at Cold Heaven Cellars, a winery devoted almost exclusively to cool-climate Viognier. Although tastings are by appointment only, winemaker Morgan Clendenen took the time to meet us at the winery and pour her favorite selections from the current releases. How often does a winemaker pour his or her own wines, especially those that are respected as some of the best Viognier in California, and chat informally with common folks? It's experiences like these that allow one to learn a lot. For example, Morgan Clendenen explained that the historical purpose of blending Viognier and Syrah in the Northern Rhone was largely pragmatic. Although Viognier's aromatics lift up Syrah, it also reaches high sugar levels earlier than Syrah and can be used to 'fix' under ripe Syrah in tough years. As far as the wine is concerned, Cold Heaven's Viognier is unmistakable aromatic in that flower blossoms and peaches way, yet it is retains lively acidity. Often a lack of acidity is the largest failing of Viognier from warmer regions.

Wines of interest:

2007 Viognier Santa Rita Hills - Initially found it crisp with an orange cream-sickle aroma. Drinking it again as I type now, that's not nearly enough credit for this wine, the "basic" cuveé from Cold Heaven. The wine smells like springtime hillsides in bloom, fresh peaches, green apple and orange cream-sickle. It's fully dry, yet tastes like nectar; the flavor lingers for minutes.

WBW #54: Produttori del Barbaresco 2006 Langhe Nebbiolo (WN)

The topic for this month's Wine Blogging Wednesday is "A Passion for Piedmont," and this turned out to be pretty convenient since I had recently ordered a bottle of Nebbiolo, the Produttori del Barbaresco 2006 Langhe Nebbiolo. Other than tasting a Barolo and a Nebbiolo d'Alba at a local wine shop a few weeks ago, Nebbiolo is a grape I haven't come across much despite its noble reputation. The Barolo and Nebbiolo d'Alba I tasted both were very tannic and acidic, with the Barolo clearly being the wine built to age due to the overwhelming structure it possessed. Based on price and general drinkability, the Nebbiolo d'Alba, with its kitchen spice bouquet and less punishing tannins, was clearly the one to buy for immediate drinking.

Since I love wines with ample structure in a medium bodied package with more than simple fruit to offer on the nose, I was optimistic this Langhe Nebbiolo would offer a profile similar to the Nebbiolo d'Alba. I was not disappointed. The Produttori del Barbaresco was a translucent red color, much like a Pinot Noir. This perhaps shouldn't be all that surprising since both Nebbiolo and Pinot Noir are "pigmentationally challenged." Acidity and hearty tannins abound in this Nebbiolo, and this is where you realize that you're drinking something vastly different from a Pinot Noir. The body isn't thin, but it certainly isn't heavy, either. The nose is mostly red cherry with high-toned floral accents and just a hint of the kitchen spice that was so intriguing about the Nebbiolo d'Alba. This is what I'd call a muscular, lean wine with no excess fat. It was a bit tough at the start, but rounded out with more time in the decanter. The finish also was quite nice. I think this is a better food wine than a stand alone sipper, but there is such purity and character to it that it can hold its own. Although I'm sure you can do better at higher price points, this one really hit the QPR button for me as it offered quality and character at a very modest price.

Score: 87-89
Price: $15 from Wine Library