Last year I was lucky enough to enjoy a sneak preview of the new Barolo wine museum. Recently I visited it again, after the official opening, and I was really impressed.

The visitor is initially taken to the third floor of the castle and the visit is structured like a descent into the depths of wine culture: the atmospheric concept of venturing into the myths and mysteries of Bacchus’ nectar is matched by the physical sensation of going down into the heart of the Falletti castle, as the route descends from the third floor to the basement.

But the museum is not focused on the history and details of making Barolo. It seems like the main goal is to get visitors involved and engaged, and less to inform them. There is little factual information here and visitors looking to get an in-depth knowledge of winemaking are likely to be disappointed.

The main idea behind this wine museum is that nowadays wine tourists want more from their wine: in their search for high quality, they are interested in wine history, learning about production techniques, and understanding the characteristics of the area in question.

Music accompanies visitors as they walk through 25 rooms of the museum, from Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons to modern songs celebrating wine to which a special room is dedicated.
In another room, with leather club chairs, velvet curtains and movie posters on the walls, clips are running of films inspired by wine, such as “Sideways”, “Blood and Wine” and “A Good Year”.

At the end of the journey, down in the basement, there is a wine shop which displays rows of old dusty bottles and where visitors can finally taste barolo’s warm flavor and buy some of the best labels, from Vietti to Bruno Giacosa, from Sandrone to Gaja to Giacomo Conterno.

If you stay with us this year, the museum is only 5 minutes walk from TorreBarolo and we took many pictures. You can see them in TorreBarolo Flickr account.

How? Simply Like TorreBarolo on Facebook by the 15^th of March, suggest our page to your friends (we do check that and you automatically will qualify for the drawing.

If you have “liked” TorreBarolo already, then easy, just continue to support the TorreBarolo business page with your comments and suggest it to as many friends as possible (and we will check that, yes

The rules:

• As of March 15^th, all names on our business page will be entered into a hat and we will draw a name. If the lucky winner is unable to redeem their prize, then we will draw a 2nd winner … and so on.
• The prize of 3 nights at TorreBarolo has a value of €375 and is not redeemable in cash. As is standard at TorreBarolo, a security deposit will still be requested upon check-in.
• The availability period for the winner’s 3 night stay runs from March 16^th, 2011 to April 15^th, 2011.
• If the winner removes him/herself from the TorreBarolo business page before their 3 night stay, the winner forfeits their winning.
• After staying at TorreBarolo, the winner will be requested to enter a review on the TorreBarolo website.
• The winner will be contacted via Facebook directly via their message inbox.
• The final winner will be announced on the business page on March 16^th.

Dolcetto is a black wine grape variety widely grown in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. The Italian word dolcetto means “little sweet one”, but it is not certain that the name originally carried any reference to the grape’s sugar levels: it is possible that it derives from the name of the hills where the vine is cultivated. In any case the wines produced are nearly always dry. They can be tannic and fruity with moderate, or decidedly low, levels of acidity and are typically meant to be consumed one to two years after release.

Dolcetto wines are known for black cherry and licorice flavours with some prunes and a characteristically bitter finish reminiscent of almonds. While the name implies sweetness, the wines are normally dry. The tannic nature of the grape contributes to a characteristic bitter finish.

Recently our friend Diana, who runs the great B&B Baur in Aqui Terme, about an hour away from TorreBarolo, visited the town of Dogliani and these are her thoughts:

“A few weeks before Christmas my husband had the idea to take a ride over to the Langhe to taste some wines.  He had a specific goal:  he wanted to go to the Bottega del Dolcetto di Dogliani, the regional enoteca that is snuggled below the Municipio, right next to the splendid Chiesa dei Santi Quirico e Paolo in the heart of the city.

We had been to the enoteca before; it was from there that we visited the wonderful Chionetti winery for the first time in 2005.  Dogliani was actually the center of our property search in  2001 and 2002 before we discovered our hill in the Monferrato.  Contructed in the 12th century, Dogliani lies at the basin of the Barolo Valley.  The nutrients  and minerals that help the Nebbiolo grapes to flourish wash down to provide the perfect conditions for  growing the Dolcetto grape.  Of the eight zones officially designated to produce Dolcetto DOC, Dogliani is one of the top two.  In 2005, Dolcetto Superiore di Dogliani received its DOCG status.  With a minimum of 12.5% alcohol content and a hint of oak (the level depending on the winery) aging, Docetto has moved from a sharp, high tannin, low acid,  quick-to-table wine with a slightly bitter residual flavor to a more rounded, softer wine that can sit in the bottle a few more years before being enjoyed with a variety of dishes typical to the region.

Enzo Romano, who runs the bottega, greeted us and helped Micha find the selection of wines he had been searching for.  The Enoteca Regionale in Dogliani is one of the most organized and best run enoteche in the system.  It has a current selection of all the producers in the appellation and a good breath of different vintages as well.  Enzo helped Micha put together a healthy selection of twelve bottles of Dolcetto, both regular and superiore (wooded), for us to try.  After trying, we notate the bottles we like the best and make appointments to visit those wineries.

An ideal combination of classic Piemontese food and wine might be.  brodo broth made from winter capon  served with boiled vegetables and agnolotti Piemontesi, alongside  a 2008 Dogliani Bricco  DOCG from the  Cascina Minella, a vineyard brought to new life in 2002 by Livia and Gianluca Marchisio. I love this wine.  It’s everything a good Dolcetto should be.  It has character and bite without being agressive.  Its 14% alcohol content and fullness of flavor speak of the patience and timing that the Marchisios exercised in picking the correct moment to harvest.

Dolcetto is not an easy wine to get right.  We’ve been experimenting with the wine (from the tasting perspective) for years. To find dolcetto that truly maximizes the grape’s potential requires a producer with excellent soil conditions, the willingness  to dedicate precious, southern exposure territory to a relatively humble wine, a sixth sense of timing regarding the harvest, the ability to stave off  the many diseases this grape can contract and strong cellar knowlege.  In our opinion, the two regions that have a concentration of these types of Dolcetto wineries are most likely to be found in Dogliani and Diano d’Alba.

Of course, there is tremendous enjoyment attached to searching out really spectacular wines from the bunch.  Especially when that search takes you through some of the most bucolic and historic growing regions in Italy.  We look forward to sharing our thoughts on the wines we’ve bought as we try them.”

Franciacorta sparkling wine comes from Lombardy, with DOCG status produced from grapes grown within the area of Franciacorta, south hills of Lake Iseo, in the Italian Province of Brescia. It was awarded DOC status in 1967, the designation then also including red and white still wines. Since 1995 the DOCG classification has applied exclusively to the sparkling wines of the area.

Grapes for Franciacorta are grown in strictly delimited vineyards in the communes of Adro, Capriolo, Cazzago San Martino, Cellatica, Coccaglio, Cologne, Corte Franca, Erbusco, Gussago, Iseo, Monticelli Brusati, Ome, Paderno Franciacorta, Paratico, Passirano, Provaglio d’Iseo, Rodengo Saiano, Rovato and Brescia, with soil conditions described as mineral-rich, granular-sized, calcareous gravel and sandy morainal soils that cover a limestone bedrock.

The DOCG declared vineyards extend 2,200hectares (5,400 acrres) and the distribution of permitted grape varieties are 85% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot nero and 5% Pinot bianco.

Nonvintage Franciacorta (NV) may not be released until at least 25 months after harvest, of which 18 months must be in contact with the yeast in the bottle (compared to 15 months in the case of Champagne). Franciacorta Vintage or Millesimato may not be sold until at least 37 months after harvest, of which 30 months must be in contact with the yeast (similar to Champagne). A Franciacorta rosé must contain at least 15% Pinot nero, and may be made by blending red wine. Franciacorta Satèn must be a Blanc de blancs with only the use of Chardonnay and/or Pinot bianco permitted, with only 4.5 atmospheres of pressure instead of 6.

Recently our friend and wine guru Gary Chevsky participated in a tasting event and these are his thoughts:

“On the heels of a great Champagne tasting this weekend at Santana Row’s Vintage Wine Merchants, I was itching for more sparkles. Kudos to Vintage for putting together an excellent line-up of Champagnes for a meager $40 ($25 for members) – they certainly packed the shop, and the punters were not disappointed.

This was the first time I had the 1999 Dom Perignon, and it was probably my fave Dom P, showing the classical well-developed nuttiness. Compared to it, the just released 2002 was too young and simple at this stage. Other notables were the always reliable and incredibly inexpensive Hiedsieck & Co “Blue Top” ($25-30), the elegant Delamotte ($35, Salon’s little sibling), and the well-regarded higher-end Champagnes by Pol Roger (Reserve), Egly-Ouriet (Brut Tradition Grand Cru), and Gosset (Brut Grand Reserve).

That was Sunday. On Monday, my faith in Champagne re-affirmed, it was now Italy’s turn to impress.

I am a big fan of Franciacorta. Italy’s answer to Champagne, it can be every bit as profound. Made in the traditional method (aka Champagne method) where the second fermentation and ageing on the lees take place in bottle, Franciacorta can evolve beautifully over many years, especially vintage examples, and can also be enjoyed young. Last night my wine/tennis group had a re-union (after I tore my achilles tendon earlier this year) at our local de-facto standard seafood hole-in-the-wall – the legendary Old Port Lobster Shack in Redwood City. To grease the wheels, we brought two of the most highly regarded Franciacorta producers – Bellavista and Ca’del Bosco. And the good news – Franciacorta, although being unknown in the non-wine circles, is readily available in this country. I got mine from WineChateau.com (Bellavista and Ca’del Bosco). Seafood, fries and sparkling wine – how can you go wrong with that combo?!
We didn’t. The Lobster Shack’s naked lobster roll is fabulous, and their beer-battered fish and chips are out of this world. But the dish that both Franciacortas really shone with was steamed mussels – petite, tender, flavorful in a great broth begging for dipped bread. Eric suggested that the wine really brought out the minerally tones in the mussels. I thought it went well even with the creamy New England clam chowder – another not-to-be-missed beauty from the Shack.

I gotta say – on a relatively quiet Monday night, we spent three hours chilling at this characterful joint. The folks there, especially the hostess Shay, are so friendly, she reminded me of my mom. Everyone had a great time, and with tongues un-tied, we reminisced of the old tennis follies and the crazy things that happen in the wine circles.

Bellavista is an old classic Franciacorta producer, and their non-vintage cuvee was a more serious expression than Ca’del Bosco’s floral and lemony entry level cuvee “Prestige” – an all-time dependable friend, that I always keep stocked in my cellar. Just for the heck of it, we followed with beers, and agreed that Franciacorta was a better, lighter, more elegant match. Enjoy!”

As it was only 15:00 by the time I had completed both my lunch and giro of Asti, it was too early to head back to TorreBarolo, so I figured I may as well check out Alessandria as it was only 35km away. Alessandria is much bigger than both Alba and Asti, as evident by the fact that it has multiple exits on the Autostrada. So again, using my tried and tested method of heading towards “centro” and Piazza Liberta, I found myself in the center of the historic section of Alessandria. Again, I was surprised by the ample outside parking lots in the city center.

After referring to the little map of Alessandria in my Italy road atlas, I headed off towards Corso Roma, as anything with a “Roma” tends to be the city’s shopping street. At first I wasn’t too impressed but as I kept walking down this very long pedestrian street lined with various clothes and jewellery shops, I began to enjoy my stroll more and more as the well restored historic buildings lining the street really gave it a nice charm. My stroll brought me to very impressive Piazza Garibaldi. The porticos were especially impressive and added elegance to this square.

Another thing I have learned over the year is that a very nice bar (i.e., with table cloths and waiters) tends to be located on these beautiful historic piazzas. I spotted one but kept on walking as I wasn’t in need of a rest just yet. Heading away from Pizza Garibaldi up Via Maestra is when I really started enjoying my mini-adventure to this new city. Again, the street was lined with historic, well restored building though instead of clothing stores, store after store was a bakery, a pastry shop, a butcher, a fishmonger or a fruit and vegetable vendor.

My favourite was checking out the “delis” with the cured ham hanging above the counter and the massive stacks of DOP parmigiano cheese. There was also an ample section of fresh pasta stores and one had some yummy looking take-away lasagna that I considered as an easy dinner option. The street was lively as it was now past 5pm and it was fun to watch all the ladies in their fur coats do their evening shop.

I stumbled upon a lovely arcade and tucked inside was a quaint café/patisserie. With the table cloths, wooden chairs and ladies having tea, I knew this was the perfect place to settle down for some refreshment and a read of the Herald Tribune I bought back in Asti. What a pleasure it was to find they served bicerin, which is the sumptuous hot drink that consists of layers of thick rich hot chocolate, espresso and fresh cream that originated in Turin.

A glass of this is a meal almost, but I couldn’t resist sampling some of the yummy biscuits they had in their cases. By the time I left 40 minutes later, the tables were all filled by parents treating their kids or elderly couples having a little treat.

By this time it was getting colder and darker, so I thought time to head back to TorreBarolo.

So, would I recommend you have Alessandria as a day trip destination? That is tough call. It takes a bit of effort to find the old town center and doesn’t offer anything like the regal pizzas in Turin with the gorgeous turn of the century cafes. Instead, it offers no tourists, some pretty piazzas and a nice stroll down streets that you wish you had in your own neighbourhood. No question, Alessandria was a pleasant surprise but if I had limited time in the area I don’t think it offers enough to make it a day trip destination…….but I am glad I made the effort.

One of the best regarded Italian wine guides, Gambero Rosso Vini d’Italia, was realised last week. It is a survey of the best Italian wines and winemakers, divided by region. The best are awarded stars, between 1 and 3, depending on the quality of their wines and its continuity year after year. In this year’s guide there were 402 wines awarded stars, as opposed to 391 last year.

In terms of producers, 386 of them were awarded stars by Gambero Rosso’s experts, as opposed to 366 last year.

Particular attention was given this year to wines with great quality/price ratio, with 52 of the wines awarded 3 stars offering great value, with a retail price of €15 or below.

This is the regional ranking: Piemonte (81) followed by Toscana (69), Veneto (35), Friuli (31), l’Alto-Adige (27), Lombardia (21), Campania (19), Marche (17), Sicilia (15), l’Emilia Romagna (13) Abruzzo (13), Sardegna (11), Puglia (10), Trentino (9), Umbria (9), Liguria (7), Valle d’Aosta (6), Basilicata (3), Lazio (3), Calabria (2) and finally Molise (1).

Below are the results of this year’s special awards:

Winery of the year: Cantina Valentini of Abruzzi

Red wine of the year: Brunello di Montalcino Riserva ‘04 Biondi Santi

White wine of the year: A.A. Sylvaner R ‘09 Köfererhof

Sparkling wine of the year: Franciacorta Brut Secolo Novo ’05 Le Marchesine

Sweet wine of the year: Albana di Romagna Passito Ris. ‘06 Fattoria Zerbina

Wine-maker of the year: Walter Massa

Oenologist of the year: Ruben Larentis

Emerging Italian winery: Polvanera of Puglia

Best quality/price ratio: Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Cl. Sup. ’09 Pievalta

This is the second year the Vini d’Italia guide is solely produced by Gambero Rosso, after its split from SlowFood in 2010. Other distinguished Italian wine guides include: L’Espresso’s I Vini d’Italia, Duemilavini of AIS (the Italian Sommelier Association), I Vini di Veronelli and Slow Wine of Slow Food Group.