With every sip I become more convinced that the best way to enjoy a well made, Nebbiolo wine is to decant the bottle the day before one plans to drink it. Short of that the best way may be to just wait until the second day to drink the second half of a bottle. The 2004 Gianfranco Alessandria Langhe Nebbiolo was another recent example. I'm currently finishing this wine with the lunch plate above, thin slices of tri-tip beef roast, a couple grape tomatoes sliced into halves, a few cornichons and a small pickled onion, a little bit of a home made honey/horseradish/red pepper mustard, and baguette sized, open face, grilled cheese sandwiches made with Cheshire cheese, an English cheddar with chives.
I opened the wine last night to celebrate two birthdays. Scott and Doer, the two Gordon setters in the title of this blog, turned nine years old yesterday. Dinner was two lamb chops, a small, roasted sweet potato cut into slices and a small salad. While the lamb was finishing in the oven a couple of lamb meatballs roasted alongside them and those meatballs went into the dog's dinner. Happy dogs.
The wine was reticent to say the least. It was still tightly wound and even aerating it with a funnel kept it closed for half an hour. Very good during the meal, but perhaps a little disappointing since I've had better luck with previous bottles of this wine.
Today at lunch the second half of the bottle more than redeemed this wine. The nose was tarry and flowery and the taste was super tart, red cherries and dry earth with herbs. Beautiful balance on the second day with great acidity, ample tannin, sweet fruit and savory earth. Two more in the cellar.
14% alcohol and $18
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