Thursday, October 23, 2014

Books and Barbaresco

There is a new book on the market, Barolo and Barbaresco, The King and Queen of Italian Wine, by Kerin O'Keefe and it's greatest accomplishment is to make me thirsty.  More on the book in another post.

To satisfy the thirst I opened a bottle of 2006 Barbaresco from the Produttori del Barbaresco yesterday.  Other than drinking it my best decision was to open the bottle eight hours ahead of dinner. This wine needed that much time to truly open up and bloom in the glass - and there were small sips throughout the day as an educational experience (and because I couldn't wait until dinner to try it).

The color was definitely a light and pale brick and garnet color with orange and light brown edges- no purple or deep red here.  The aromas in the glass from the first pour were the expected flowers and warm asphalt.  During the day the tannin subsided a bit and so did the road tar.  By dinner time this was still a tannic wine, but a lot had faded and the wine just smelled of earth and flowers.  The acidity was always there and the length of finish was long.  This was exactly what I was wanting when I was reading the book. 

There was a small, but thick steak grilled to the rare side of medium rare and it got a bit of lemon juice and olive oil after resting and being slice.  There were sauteed, fresh porcini mushrooms, a very small salad and some baguette sliced doused with olive oil and sea salt and toasted to go with the wine.  A small bit of the wine was put aside for tonight.  A delicious wine and my last bottle of that particular vintage.

2006 Produttori del Barbaresco Barbaresco.  14% alcohol and $30.  Very much a bargain.

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