Happy Thanksgiving to all Americani.
Before we head out to New Jersey for Thanksgiving dinner, I want to share something that we at Domenico Selections are really thankful for:
Bruce Sanderson of Wine Spectator posted a terrific little post about our new star producer, Paolo Veglio, and his Cascina Roccalini. Here is the link to the piece, although I'm not sure everyone can access it, since it's behind a pay wall:
http://www.winespectator.com/blogs/show/id/44123
If you can't access it, let me share a few morsels.
Headline and subhead:
Day 3 in Piedmont: Small Is Beautiful
At Cascina Roccalini, Paolo Veglio makes Dolcetto, Barbera and Barbaresco of great finesse and purity
"Great finesse and purity." Oh yes, amici miei.
...There's nothing fancy here. The Dolcetto and classic Barbera see nothing but stainless steel. The Barbera Superiore is aged for a short period in cask. The Barbarescos also see large, neutral oak casks for two years.
The malolactic conversion is very late and the Nebbiolo is racked only before the assemblage and bottling. There is no fining or filtration, just a long, natural clarification and stabilization.
Sanderson then goes on to record, very briefly, his impressions of the wines still in tank and cask. (He's more up to date than we are. We were last at Cascina Roccalini at the end of February.)
And here's his conclusion, where he's referring to the 2007 Barbaresco, still in cask:
...gorgeous nose of cherry, strawberry and floral perfume with a touch of herbs. It has the trademark Roccalini elegance and finesse, with a mineral finish.
This is an estate to watch.
Indeed it is.
All my pretty ones. Pic stolen from Kevin Keith, who also wrote on his blog:
Roccalini Barbera d’Alba Superiore 2007. This brand new Piedmonte producer comes to us from ...Domenico Selections. This is one of the most phenomenal Barberas I have come across since my first introduction to La Spinetta years ago. Winemaker Paolo Veglio is one to watch in the years to come, mark my words.
It's funny but Roccalini was one of the few wineries we've gone to for a first meeting and tasting where we took one taste, looked up and telegraphed one another: We have to have these wines. No doubts, no haggling, no nothing. We had the essentials of the deal down before we left Paolo on that fateful day. It helped that Paolo was realistic about pricing to start with.
And I love the distillation of Roccalini as Sanderson phrases it here: the trademark Roccalini elegance and finesse.
"Elegant" was the first word that popped into my head as we tasted through the four wines. "Beautiful" came to mind too.
MORE NEWS ABOUT CASCINA ROCCALINI
Although we have run out of our very small allocation of the rated wines, we will have another shipment of same on our shores before the end of the year; Hong Kong didn't take its allocation, for which we are very grateful.
Paolo has also told me that he is bottling a Nebbiolo Langhe this year. Now, I love Nebbiolo Langhe (who doesn't), but you know this one will be both elegant and beautiful. Stay tuned...
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