Rebecca Sends Love from Italy

Tasting and talking about wine are favorite hobbies of mine.  When I was invited to write about my experiences with Italian wines for the Wine Evangelist, I excitedly jumped off my chair exclaiming in Italian, “Si, Si”, which means “Yes, Yes”! 

Of course, I need to make a good impression… Hemming and hawing I consider which wine to review – a very expensive exclusive vintage? Local table wine? A favorite of the local Roman restaurant I frequent??  I tell myself, “Stop trying to imitate a college professor or sommelier” and simply challenge myself to buy a bottle of wine from “il supermercato,” the supermarket.  The challenge is to get it done quickly, before I leave on a month long trip, and also that I absolutely won’t know what I will find in selection or quality and would not have a specialist to help me – I would be all on my own.  Ahh, I like this challenge!

Along the wine wall of the ‘supermercato’ I see a dusty bottle, lonely on the shelf.  “Oddero Barbaresco” for $22 euro ($27 USD)… about double or triple the other bottles thus expensive in comparison.  But it is a 1996.  I assume it’s fully 100% Barbera grapes, but the label doesn’t give me details.  I’m excited anyway! A 13 yr old bottle of Barbaresco – excellent!

That dusty bottle cleans up nicely.  I have a little trouble with the cork, having to go in twice.  It is a soft cork, not too dry nor too wet, maybe a little dry.  Pouring the first glass I inhale that ‘just out of the bottle’ bouquet – strong, meaty and boisterous with life.  The color is a brown garnet, semi-sheer.  I am unsure but hopeful of what it will taste like, letting it breathe in the glass while I prepare my salad with artichoke, roasted peppers, some bread and sweet blue cheese.  I swirl the glass, watching the wine rise to the rim, then swirl back down, leaving many legs. 

My first taste is virginal, before food.  It’s a bit dry, limited body, very strong and for me, an overpowering peppery finish.  My heart sinks a little.  I must have made a mistake.  Perhaps Barbaresco cannot last 13 years?  I eat a few bites of salad and a bit of bread and cheese.  I swirl my glass again, embarrassed to realize I have to write about my terrible luck with this choice.  I swirl my glass again, lingering a look at it up high, so that the ceiling light shines through it.  It is dark red, perhaps garnet, although sheer, with touches of brown at the edge, and at the final edge, clear.  That clear edge is supposedly an indication of higher alcohol and in fact this bottle is labeled at 13.5%.  Well, perhaps that will make up for any lack of flavor!  Another sip.  Hmmm, better.  The pepper seems to be calmer and the fruit seems to be bolder.  Another bite of cheese on bread  – I’m striking a balance… I’m finding a nice pairing… More food, another taste of Barbaresco – it’s yummy!

I finish my meal along with my first glass, both ending with satisfaction.  Initial fear turns to a humble reminder of letting the wine breathe.  I realize it’s been a while since I tried an older wine.  I decide that a second glass is in order.  The ‘after meal’ glass.  This time I examine my experience even closer… the bouquet is much quieter now, no longer the cacophony… I’m a little sad about that.  But what I’m not sad about is the flavor… much better.  It needed air sooooo badly!  Its rich sweetness has tripled or quadrupled.  I taste chocolate, a better sense of body, albeit still a tad thin.  I’m always more pleased with a medium to heavier bodied red, but that’s my personal penchant and I’ve been taught by that certain red grapes just don’t turn out that way in look, which can be deceiving of the flavor.  This second glass is much smoother and much more active in the mouth, on the tongue.  I let it linger in my mouth, savoring the flavor that softly resonates with its blossoming fruit and earthy chocolate flavors now presenting themselves. The peppery finish is barely there, but provides that feeling of ‘cymbals’ at the end of the symphony as I swallow.  I am happy.

Notes:  I was never able to determine the grapes making my wine, but this winery has another younger Barbaresco that is 100% nebbiolo.  Probably mine was too.  The Oddero winery is from Northern italy, near the city Torino.  If you like Italian wines, you can learn more about this production and the Oddero winery my going to their website and also about the particular bottle “Albeisa.”  Oddero uses the historical ‘Albeisa’ bottle which was initiated in the 1700’s, replaced and then reinstated in 1973.