Day 25: Barolo and Dolcetto and Nebbiolo..and the Truth!

Alright, so today is a day actually in the plans for many years.  This region of Italy is known for having the highest rated wines in the world.  Being one who dislikes paying actual money for wines, and enjoying the excitement of finding excellence for under $15 per bottle... my expectations were low, but my anticipation was high.
Before starting we were treated with Alessandro's amazing breakfast spread:

and Alessandro is known for his cakes...the one in the front has apricots and apples

Then a great cappucino...which, in Italy, you can only order in the morning or you get laughed at...

Many of you know that behind any great man there is a ...ooops, that's a different saying...Rather, before any great day of driving around the foothills of Italy there is... at least an hour or two hours of relaxed reading (right Elva, Christine...)

While the critical, all important, reading and relaxing is being actively pursued by the higher ups...the less important PLANNING is being done in the background...by the wannabees...so it is with pleasure that I show you the map of our area, with our little B and B located in the red circle, and the planned visits circled in black.  These visits will take a few days, and will require, I'm told, much "reading and relaxing" in between.

The mystery of this wine region has been cleared up for me... here's what I learned.  There are basically 3 red grapes varieties...Dolcetto, Nebbiolo and Barbera.  There are 3 basic regions where they are grown...a number of communities around the city of Alba, 11 small communities around the city of Barolo, and a few communities around the village of Barbaresco.  If you grow the Dolcetto grape anywhere, if can be called Dolcetto d'Alba (unless you grow it completely out of the area like near the city of Asti...in which case it's called Dolcetto d' Asti.)  If you grow Barbera, you can call it Barbera d' anywhere you are.  Ahhh but if you grow the royal Nebbiolo grape...it can only be called Barolo if it's grown within the 11 little communities around Barolo...it can only be called Barbaresco if it is grown around the few communities of the village of Barbaresco, and it must be called Nebbiolo if it is grown anywhere around Alba.  Same grape, almost the exact same regions, almost the exact same soils and sun and micro climates...in fact, almost the exact same everything (by the way, my dad taught me never to say "exact same" since it's redundant...sorry dad)...Nebbiolo costs between 5 and 20 dollars per bottle, Barberesco costs between 15 and 35 per bottle and Barolo between 25 and 200 per bottle (it gets the highest rating in Wine Spectator).  Here's the point of this lesson, in my humble opinion.  If you are into the "I'm very hip, and even though I can't afford it, and I can't tell the difference in a blind taste test...I'm willing to spend my money on Barolo to either impress my friends or since I'm very philanthropically minded, enhance the local economy"...then Barolo is certainly for you.  If you don't want to appear Pavlovian, or a simple cog in the marketing hype wheel...and you want folks to know you're still "all that", and you would be wearing bell bottoms if you could find them...then Barbaresco is for you.  If on the other hand...you are too cool to move (thank you Bill Cosby)...and truly understand quality and value and have keen insight, discernment and can think for yourself, like what you like, and buy for the sake of joy not other's opinions...(like me), then Nebbiolo is perfect! Here's is a view of the actual town of Barolo in the distance:

Of course there are 3 different soils that Barolo (Nebbiolo grape) is grown in...sandy, mixed sand and clay or just clay ...and depending on the aforementioned soil, you will get a lighter and fruitier, blended or more mature flavor in the wine, respectively...as told to us by the castle tasting folks in the center of Barolo...nonetheless...straight Nebbiolo is a wonderful wine that goes well with hearty foods, like the local pasta and grilled meats.

I haven't even mentioned the Dolcetto, which being lighter and less time in the barrel (Barolo needs 2 years in oak and another resting...while Barbaresco needs 1 year in oak and Nebbiolo 0 years), it turns out the Dolcetto is a very light and fruity and drinkable wine for appetizers and light pastas...oh and it costs between $4 and $12 per bottle...yeah baby...

Now that you're all confused, we had lunch in one of the 11 Barolo region towns called La Morra

It was a beautiful city with an awesome view...but today the temp hit 95 which is unheard of here, and the haze was pretty thick......but who else was there, but none other than Jack Lemmon..

I listened and yep...he ordered the Barolo...figures....
Lunch included the required (as youo know by now) caprese salad:

the necessary prosciutto and melon...and by the way...these really do taste as good as they look...

the critical local nona (grandma) made pasta

finished off with an unphoto-ed "boom"...the espresso, with a packet of sugar like the locals, consumed in under 3 seconds...like I said...boom!

We asked our waiter for the best value and best tasting Dolcetto...since Peggy has promised her new "best buddy", Jeff Runqhuist, of "R" fame...and we went directly to them after lunch.

 We went to the only Biological winery in the whole bunch too...and if you ask me, that biological stuff looks like it does some damage to our friend Giorgio...The 2 bottles totaled under $15,

but the real deal was the bicycle built for 1 vine caretaker.   You sit on this thing with an umbrella over you, and slide along sideways between the vines to care and prune and weed etc...pretty cool I thought.

 We finished up the visiting, prior to getting back to catch the end of today's mountain stage of the Tour by going to Grinzane Cavour....a lovely castle from 1000 A.D.,

with a wine museum and tasting room indoors.  Peggy tried their recommended Dolcetto...which was pretty good as well....

Dinner was literally among the vines

The meal was delicious and as is usual in this region...5 appetizers followed by a pasta plate, then meat plate, then dessert, then coffee, and finally digestif...Peggy and I stopped after the pasta plate and just shared 1 dessert.  The restaurant was called Trattoria nelle Vigne

and here come the 5 appetizers:   1st...anchovies covered in an olive/nut tapenade of sorts:

Those are anchovies hiding out under the tapenade...they were not too salty.. 2nd was the Torta Fritta (fried bread) with very lightly cured prosciutto that looked a lot like raw bacon...but everyone else was eating it and not dying...so we gave it a go:

Then came the celery, coleslaw and chicken salad...very fresh tasting and critical to follow all that salt and oil..

Ok...not everything is required eating as evidenced by this next appetizer....you tell me what it looks like:

Ah yep...and good thing I understand the word lingua...or language...or TONGUE!!!!  I was not coming near this dish...even though my wife loved the sauce...and was highly encouraging me to try.  I will not take the time to describe the childhood trauma I experienced (sorry mom), when I discovered this "protein" in my mom's refrigerator as a little boy...and right next to the cow tongue, mom had hearts...sure they were artichoke hearts, but what did I know...and more importantly, what did I think at the time.  I had just watched "I Am a Teenage Frankenstein"...and that's all I needed to know.  Nonetheless, no amount of Peggy's urging could make me dip in...))))

Our final appetizer was a delicious blend of roasted red, yellow and orange peppers smothered in tuna and olive oil...with some capers..

We had a bit of the house Nebbiolo, which complemented the food perfectly..

Then the pastas...I had the local tiny ravioli filled with pesto

And Peggy went for the Bolognese Sauce..

We went right passed the meat course, and then we split this one Lemon Sorbet (Limone)  with some nice caramel swirls on the plate..

The only unfortunate part of dinner was pretty serious...as Jim would fully understand...we could have been sitting at a table like this...one of the power tables...

:

but our view was more like this:

Actually...our table was next to the power table and Peggy did have a beautiful view of the vineyards...but...this was the way into the restrooms...and is an example of the art that was on all of the walls.  All the rest of their artwork was superb...and this was a bit funny so I needed a photo...

The full meal with the view and the art and the excellent service was 24 euros, but since we stopped before the meat it was only 21 euros each...Amazing price for the quantity and quality of our meal...For our personal reminder, here is "il conto" (the check):

Night 2 and a second very traditional, local, excellent meal...3 more nights to go as tomorrow we plan to explore the Barbaresco area...7 villages within 10 km of our B and B.  and then wind up at a small restaurant with a large TV for the World Cup Finals...until then ciao bella dear friends and family!!!