WTN:Two Nebbiolos (98 Cortese Rabaja, 2001 Sella Lessona) + Moscato delight

2001 Sella Lessona (Italy, Piedmont, Northern Piedmont, Lessona) 5/11/2007

We drank this next to a 98 G Cortese Barbaresco Rabaja and it was a great study in the differences of the terroir. The Lessona is mainly nebbiolo (75%) with the rest vespolina and bonarda. The Barbaresco was more masculine, fuller bodied, the fruit seemed slightly cooked compared to the fresh fruit in the Lessona, but the biggest difference was the tannic structure of the two wines.

The wine has a great penetrating nose, flowery with a little herbs, ginger spice, wild strawberries and other red fruits. It is medium to light bodied in the mouth, with an elegant finish that lingers, but without the hard astringent tannins of the nebbiolos from further south in Piedmont. There is a rusty minerality present and lively acidity. Still it is balanced without any hard edges. It was great with gnocchi topped with Gorgonzola sauce. Perfect to drink now and probably will hold for another 3-4 years.

I carried this bottle back from Turin where it cost all of 14 Euros. Astor in NYC has it for $24. I look forward to more bottles of this. I think even confirmed Nebbiolo haters like Tom Hill would enjoy this.




1998 Giuseppe Cortese Barbaresco Rabajà (Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco) 5/11/2007

Lots of floral rose petals, baked cherry fruit, mildly astringent tannins towards the finish. Drinks well now, and should continue to improve. The table was split in preferences over these two. Some preferred the bigger more structured Barbaresco, but with the food I leaned towards the Sella wine.



2006 Marcarini Moscato d'Asti (Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Moscato d'Asti) 5/11/2007

We finished the evening with strawberry rhubarb pie, washed down with this delightful Moscato. Lightly frizzante, beautiful fruity nose of pears and apples without being overly perfumed or cloying. Sweet but light bodied and joyful. Great stuff, nice way to end the evening. One of the better Moscato d' Asti I've tried. When I was in La Morra last fall we visited Marcarini. I have to say they take their Moscato very seriously. The wine is bottled and released 3 times a year to maintain freshness and I think it shows. I was happy to find this at our local Co-op for $14.


Best,
Marc

Marc,

I did purchase a Sella wine at Astor on Tuesday upon your recommendation, and had it tonight with dinner (whole wheat angel hair pasta with ripe vine tomatoes, fresh chopped garlic, olive oil, and crumbled feta cheese). I purchased, however, the 2000 Bramaterra. I held the Lessona in my hand, but decided on the other for no reason - I did not know at the time you had had the Lessona.

Very lean and light bodied wine, with elegant and restrained black cherry fruit; earthy spice and faint licorice notes, with a slight bitter finish. A good match with my pasta! I had bought it for our offline on Tuesday, but we just had way too many wines and just brought it back home.

Hope all is well at your corner of the world!

I think the Bramaterra is the bigger of the 2 Sella wines that Astor has. Luca M, who used to post on WLDG told me that Bramaterra soil is composed of pink granite and the enologist at Sella is Dante Scaglione, the same of Bruno Giacosa.

I really liked the freshness of the Lessona, together with the spice and red fruits, without the typical huge nebbiolo tannins.

I'm glad you got the try the Bramaterra. Thanks for the note.

Jealous of all your Jeebus activity lately!

Best,
Marc

Marc,

From what I learned recently, the way to go is to have aged Nebbiolo like the 1958 Spanna and the 1964 Villadoria, and even the 1991 Musar, and most certainly the 1980 Boillot Pommard. In a perfect world, that is! For every day red sauce or tomato wine, I'll take a Sangiovese and a good Barbera D'Asti like that of Vietti.

From what I learned recently, the way to go is to have aged Nebbiolo like the 1958 Spanna and the 1964 Villadoria, and even the 1991 Musar, and most certainly the 1980 Boillot Pommard.

That is certainly a great way to go. But then, I need things for daily drinking, wines that I don't have to fret over, worry about the cost, wonder if the dreaded cork taint has ruined the wine after all the time in the cellar, etc. You know, the kind to open and drink and enjoy without a second thought. Like Sangiovese and Barbera.

The Sella wines fit that niche somehow, like the Brun L'Ancienne Beaujolais I drank last night. Pleasure without guilt or worry.

Tell me some of your Sangiovese favorites, I would like to explore them a little more. Honest, basic ones without added Cabernet or excessive new wood treatment preferable.

Best,
Marc

Marc,

Funny you should mention Beaujolais. I've been checking out winelibrarytv and was intrigued by this episode. His energy is a little too theatrical at times for me, but I like to be able to view the bottles and the labels. I have had some Morgon that fit the category of great everyday wines. Let me know what you think.

http://www.viddler.com/explore/winelibr ... ideos/241/

I would suggest you have some Rosso di Montefalco (DOC) from Umbria as well as some Rosso di Montalcino from Tuscany for everyday Sangiovese based wines. Colpetrone and Adanti are good Umbrian producers. As famous as Paolo Bea's wines are, I find the addition of the montepulciano grape a turn off as well, not to mention the high prices. We had the "Oh, no, Cabernet!" discussion at our last offline when I mentioned to the others, that I do not prefer any cabernet in my sangiovese blends! With Rosso di Montefalco you get about 60% sangiovese, 15 sagrantino and then some other varieties; I prefer merlot to cushion and round out the first two. Caprai is also fine, although made in a more international style, but not overly spoofy. Val delle Rose is a good Morellino from the warmer southern area of Tuscany, however recently I had the 2003 vintage and it was unusually big and fruit forward because of the warm weather. If you find the 02, get it, and let me know what you think.

Here are some other Umbrian producers I have enjoyed, though most are international in style:

Colpetrone
Adanti
Caprai - won the 2006 Best Winery Award from Gambero Rosso
Lungarotti
Benincasa
Barberani
Bea
Spoleto Ducale
Goretti
Antonelli
Scacciadiavoli
Castello della Sala (Antinori)
La Carraia
Sportoletti
Salviano
Pennachi

OK, on the winelibrary guy, I love his energy, he is almost hypomanic.
I'm laughing at the coincidence because the third wine he tasted on the link is what I'm drinking right at the moment, the Horse wine from Fleurie. I love Beaujolais, and there have been some great ones the last two vintages.

Thanks very much for the list and suggestions. I will see what I can track down and will let you know. My problem is not that I don't like Cabernet, but find that it really dominates over the Sangiovese in the blend, even small amounts.

Cheers,
Marc

OK, on the winelibrary guy, I love his energy, he is almost hypomanic.
I'm laughing at the coincidence because the third wine he tasted on the link is what I'm drinking right at the moment, the Horse wine from Fleurie. I love Beaujolais, and there have been some great ones the last two vintages.

Thanks very much for the list and suggestions. I will see what I can track down and will let you know. My problem is not that I don't like Cabernet, but find that it really dominates over the Sangiovese in the blend, even small amounts.

Cheers,
Marc

Well, that is just freaky coincidence, is it not? I need to explore more Beaujolais! How much did you pay for what you are drinking tonight? Are you enjoying it?

I am right with you on the cab thing - I can smell it miles away and just don't think it goes well with sangiovese. I've been having issues with chiantis with cab thrown in the mix - simply yuk!

I am presently looking on line on where to spend the last 4 nights in Italy before returning home on the 10th - I am considering somewhere in Tuscany. Last year I stayed in the town of Montepulciano and found a beautiful traditional Vino Nobile producer called Sanguineto, who was recommended by one of the sommeliers at the wine store I went to. Unfortunately they do not import to the US yet.

Marc mentions......2006 Marcarini Moscato d'Asti (Italy, Piedmont, Asti, Moscato d'Asti) 5/11/2007

We finished the evening with strawberry rhubarb pie, washed down with this delightful Moscato. Lightly frizzante, beautiful fruity nose of pears and apples without being overly perfumed or cloying. Sweet but light bodied and joyful. Great stuff, nice way to end the evening. One of the better Moscato d' Asti I've tried. When I was in La Morra last fall we visited Marcarini. I have to say they take their Moscato very seriously. The wine is bottled and released 3 times a year to maintain freshness and I think it shows. I was happy to find this at our local Co-op for $14.

Local winestore has a good supply and the Moscato features quite often. Nice wine to consider at Xmas then post here on Wine Focus!!