Every day should start off so well!  As I wrangled our ridiculous grates off the windows this morning, shivering in the frigid air, I looked up to see Gianluca Grasso of Azienda Agricola Elio Grasso heading my way.  I had met Gianluca, his mother Marina and his father Elio last April when I visited their beautiful winery in Monforte D’Alba.  I have always been a huge fan of their beautifully crafted wines and this was only reinforced after experiencing their passion and commitment to quality first hand, not to mention the warmth of their welcome and sincere hospitality.   Gianluca is in Boston this week with samples of the yet to be released 2005 Barolos and his 2006 Barbera.  I will admit that I was a little worried about how the 2005’s would stack up after the epic 2004 vintage, but I should have known better.The first wine we tasted was the 2006 Barbera Vigna Martina.  Gianluca’s excitement over the 2006 vintage was clear.  It was excellent across the board for all the varietals, dolcetto, barbera and nebbiolo as it was on the cool side, which is the way the Piedmontese varietals prefer it.  This Barbera was a knock-out with red and purple fruit jumping from the glass, incredible structure and savory notes that hint that this wine will just get better and better.  Gianluca explained that this is a Barbera that as it develops will become more Barolo-like.  He told a story of his father fooling a well-respected wine critic by blind-tasting him on a 1989 Vigna Martina Barbera.  The critic was convinced it had to be a Barolo!  I could definitely see how it was possible as I tasted this wine with its incredibly fine grained tannins that one rarely finds in Barbera.  It makes sense though when you see that this vineyard is positioned just below the winery at the foot of the Chineira vineyard, a prime spot for sure.  In addition, the wine spends 15 months in barrique, 50% new 50% one year old.  The result is a Barbera of incredible finesse that will easily be able to age for 10 years, but is also lovely in its youth.  

Next in the line-up was the 2005 Barolo Gavarini Vigna Chiniera.  While Gianluca admitted that this vintage is not as perfect as the 2004, he said that he  absolutely believes every time he tastes these wines that they will be stunning in the future.  The wine had just been bottled in August and is currently showing its classic nebbiolo fruit character with lots of dark red velvet fruit and tea leaves.  This is a very traditional style of Barolo with a 25 day maceration and it spends 30 months in large old Slavonian oak barrels.  This vineyard was planted in 1985 and is 60 meters higher in elevation that the Ginestra Casa Mate vineyard.  In addition the soil is high is limestone.  As a result, Gianluca explained that this wine tends to be the most feminine of their Barolos. 

The 2005 Barolo Ginestra Vigna Casa Mate in contrast was planted in 1982 and the vineyard is predominantly clay and sand.  The two wines are vinified in exactly the same manner, so all of the differences come from the soil and exposition.  From the first sniff, it was immediately apparent how different the two wines are.  While the Chiniera is still in its primary fruit phase, the Casa Mate is clearly showing that it is a Barolo, with intense spice box aromatics and hints of tar.  The palate is beginning to show the brooding darkness and complexity one expects of classic Barolo.  

 The winery produces less than 6,000 cases a year and Gianluca explained that he has no desire to increase production, in fact it is the opposite.  He is committed to using only estate grown fruit and he would prefer to decrease the quantity and focus entirely on increasing the quality.  I have followed these wines over several vintages and I can confidently say he is achieving his goal.   I was extremely impressed with all three wines and I eagerly look forward to their release in May. (They did not produce a 2005 Runcot as, unfortunately the vineyard was completely destroyed by a hailstorm. )  There are discounts available for pre-arrival orders placed by March 20th, if interested please contact us asap!