Often when wine titans gather, bravura comes too. A meeting of wine cognoscenti can quickly turn into a game of wine brinksmanship with one person trying to top the other with his--or her--body of arcane knowledge. I can hold my own, but that kind of interaction isn't my favorite. It's not what I think wine is about, and to my great joy, it's not what I experienced when I co-led an event with wine critic Jancis Robinson last night here at IWM.
The event, sponsored by American Express, was billed as "Italy vs. France," a name that suggests a contest with a clear victor. Last night's intimate gathering put Jancis and me in a room with sixteen guests, nine courses, and seventeen wines. The courses, artfully prepared by IWM Chef Kevin Sippel, alternated between French food accompanied by French wines and Italian food with Italian; Jancis would speak during the French portions, and I would speak during the Italian. What was touted to be a competition became a collaboration, and as contest turned to celebration, Jancis and I showed the group that while French wines and Italian wines were different, they were also complementary, and their differences were welcome.
It was a delight to address an audience of wine lovers. It wasn't about money, and it wasn't about showboating. It wasn't about who knew more or knew better. It was about a group of like-minded people coming together to enjoy gorgeous wines, great stories, and fabulous food. It was, essentially, everything that I cherish most about wine: its ability to transform a special occasion into an extraordinary one, and its ability to take a group of strangers and make them family, if only for one evening.
The wine transformed the AmEx gathering into something amazing, but so too did my co-host, Jancis. I subscribe to only one newspaper, the Financial Times. The FT has only one wine writer, Jancis Robinson. And, in fact, Jancis is the only wine writer I read regularly. She is a woman of great intelligence, wit and warmth. She has this clipped BBC accent, but she also has a smile as warm and welcoming as a glass of '68 Sassicaia. As much as last night brought together a bunch of bon vivants, it also gave me the pleasure of discovering that Jancis and I share not merely a love of wine, but an understanding of it.
We drank some amazing wines last night--indeed, we drank 17 of the world's most sought-after vintages. We drank a '90 Romanée Conti La Tâche. We drank a '55 Giacomo Conterno Barolo and a '58 by Gaja. We drank a '82 Mouton, a '90 Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape; two Brunellos--a '90 Soldera and an '85 Biondi-Santi; and two Sassicaias, an '85 and a '68. And we drank a '90 Yquem Saurterne. We drank some frankly incredible wines, and it was great. However, you can't always drink wines like the ones we drank last night--not even Jancis or I drink those wines often. But you can always enjoy the night's real essence. You can drink wine with people you like, you can share the experience, and you can come together and celebrate.
Today, I'm following the spirit of last night. I'm not offering giant, expensive or legendary wines. Today I'm offering wines that bring people together quietly, with little fanfare--a Brunello from La Fuga and a Ribollo Gialla from La Castellada--both wines that honor my belief that well-made wines make people happier. I hope you open one with people you don't know and discover how like-minded you are.
My Best,
P.S. You can now follow me on Twitter: @iwmse.
La Fuga
Brunello di Montalcino, 750ml, $54.78
La Fuga makes a masculine Brunello. Imagine a recent college grad who played college soccer while keeping a high GPA, and you'll get the figure of La Fuga's robust, energetic Brunello. The '04 is big wine, large with dark berries, leather, and pencil lead, but it has a velvety mouth-feel and an architectural structure where the jaunty acidity offsets the silky tannins. Drinking now, but drinking better in ten years. |
 La Castellada
Ribolla Gialla 2003, 750ml, $69.00
The Barbie to La Fuga's Ken, La Castellada's Ribolla Gialla is a sunny, pale golden wine with a surprisingly voluptuous body and an unusual ability to age to benefit. Ribolla is one of IWM's favorite white varietals because it makes complex, multi-layered wines. This '03 from Castellada is no exception. It's redolent of flowers and white fruits, yet it smacks with salinity, minerality and tannins. Delicious and spectacularly lovely.
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Featured Everyday Wines Under $40
Poderi Aldo Conterno
Conca Tre Pile Barbera d'Alba 2006, 750ml, $39.84
This Barbera d'Alba from Aldo Conterno shows all the finesse that the Barolo master brings to all his wines. Barbera, often called "the people's wine," is a fun, fruity, accessible wine that complements food well with its easy-going sassy nature. It's the dinner guest that makes the dinner party. The 2006 Conca Tre Pile has oodles of bright fruit bouncing with acidity, and Conterno's focused, elegant approach polishes it into something special. Drinking now through 2015.
Poderi Aldo Conterno
Il Masante Dolcetto Langhe 2008, 750ml, $30.99**
Dolcetto, high in tannins, low in acidity, is the “little soft one,” and in the hands of Aldo Conterno, it sings a sweet song indeed. Typically soft and grapey, Dolcetto made by Conterno exhibits a surprising backbone that shows off the indigenous Piemonte grape to its best advantage. Berries, juniper, herbs and roses dance on the palate of this easygoing wine. Drinking now. |
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** Indicates pre-arrival. |
