Nebbiolo Coming of age in California?

[Craig Winchell]

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=44066

This is a link to a fascinating post (I haven't yet read the whole thread yet) by Tom Hill, on the main board. I was brought up on Barolo as part of the mix in our cellar, so I've loved it for decades, and bemoaned the fact many times that it just ain't available kosher. The old Martin Brothers Nebbiolos were not really good wines, though the grape was at most an experiment in California, and largely still is. But here are listed 3 Nebbiolo based California wines (2 of which are varietal) that according to Tom, display good, and even intriguing Nebbiolo character. If they can do it, others can too, which means that we can at least have good California kosher Nebbiolos, which intrigues me no end, and is beckoning me even now (assuming good available fruit).

[Yehoshua Werth]

My first touch and go with this grape was the Bartenura Organic Nebbiolo.
Why it has no Vintage is still a strange one for me..Yet.. LOved the bottle and was one of my first inroads to better Kosher wine about 5 or 6 years ago.

Love to hear more Craig.

[Craig Winchell]

I never had a varietal Nebbiolo from Bartenura. I had a very inferior Barolo. Sounds like I'd prefer to try their Organic Nebbiolo.

[YoelA]

Have not yet found a California nebbiolo that was worth a darn; Rashi barolo is generally a lightweight and tends to vary quite a bit from vintage to vintage.

[David Raccah]

Indeed the Organic Nebbiolo (before the days of TTB labels rulings) was quite a nice wine. It came and went and was not continued, which is a shame only because it was unique - but not stellar in any manner.

David

[Isaac Chavel]

There was a kosher nebbiolo delle langhe awhile back. I remember enjoying it immensely. Possibly, if my memory is not completely shot , the label was Modigliani. I forget the producer and the vintage (late 90's?)

[Yehoshua Werth]

OH yes this label made a Fine bottle for sure..from Italy as well.

Had the 1998 of this last year and it held amazingly.. Wow YUMMMY

Have a bottle right in front of me and it is:

1999 Modigliani Batasiolo Langhe Nebbiolo bottled by Batasiolo S.P.A. La Morra, Italy

long gone yet one bottle left.

[Isaac Chavel]

Wow, it really held this long?

But they haven't continued producing it, right?

[Yehoshua Werth]

Dont see it on the Radar at all and after tasting it only gets me a little upset that; in my short time of realy digging in to this Kosher world of wine.. wondering how our style and love of the Better wines missed the great things tried in the past.. Again so happy that we are going in the Direction we are now globaly with the better and more options of Kosher NOW..

Maybe we can find this wine again

[Craig Winchell]

http://www.batasiolo.com/eng/pages/03_d ... zione1.htm

A look at this page shows that Batasiolo is the producer of the Rashi Barolo, of which I have not have any success. Perhaps it is worthwhile asking Royal to upgrade the wines they procure from Batasiolo. They must produce varying grades of product, and Royal must not have found it necessary to upgrade. Langhe is not Barolo. Langhe tends to be an earlier drinking wine, with less of everything that the Nebbiolo is known for. On the other hand, in this case, it must have been clearly better, possibly because it is made in an earlier drinking style (less skin contact, more fruit, less tannin). Or it could have been a fluke. Or it could be a better wine because of the care with which it was made. For whatever reason, the Rashi Barolo is evidently not as good.

[Isaac Chavel]

Langhe tends to be an earlier drinking wine, with less of everything that the Nebbiolo is known for. On the other hand, in this case, it must have been clearly better, possibly because it is made in an earlier drinking style (less skin contact, more fruit, less tannin).

yes, i was not aware of the technical aspects, but it was very approachable, drinking beautifully. that is why i was amazed at bottles surviving this long. i remember the last couple of bottles i bought that were going downhill. so i stopped buying.

wish they would bring it back.

[Gabriel Geller]

I can but only suggest the GHW Gamla Nebbiolo though I guess it's probably very different from a genuine Italian Barolo. I had the Bartenura (or Rashi, can't remember) last year in LA and it was not memorable for sure but I can't recall anything else about it other that it was drinkable...

[Yehoshua Werth]

The Modigliani was made for Selected Imported Wine CO. of NY not Royal at the time and may have requested a different level of grapes and or otherwise. Again could have been a fluke of timing and nature yet.. maybe we will never know.. Just get us the good stuff please anyone listening

[Craig Winchell]

Well, right now there are just 2 listed distributors of Batasiolo in the USA, and both are nationwide- Boisset for nonkosher, Royal for kosher. So it looks like Royal is probably the one to go to if you're stuck on Batasiolo of better quality. Otherwise, if you can get funding for a project, I'm sure there are many alternate producers who would welcome kosher production, for a price. Some might be pleased to produce and bottle under their own estate name, if the money is good enough. Double the return that Gaja could get on its own, and I'm sure we could end up with some Gaja. Who would buy it? Not me- can't afford it. So Batasiolo, other lesser producers, and some cooperatives are probably the more reasonable way to go. But if you don't want to come up with the dough, enough people dissatisfied with Royal's offering should cause either an upgrade of quality or a decision on their part that it isn't worthwhile offering such wine. It does all boil down to dollars and cents.