Last week we had a private tasting with the amazing Luciana Vietti of Vietti wines. She is the mother of Luca Currado, the current winemaker for Vietti, and was in town to show off some of her amazing Italian wines. Vietti is located in the Piemonte region in Italy, where I visited last year.
I’m a huge fan of the Vietti wines so I volunteered to help out and stay for the tasting. Luciana was incredible to meet, and I was so excited to try some of her higher end wines.
I, of course, was in charge of the food so I made up platters of cheeses, meats, fruit, and bread. We started the tasting out with two Italian cheeses; Piave, and Pecorino Toscano Fresco, and two Italian Salami’s; Creminelli Wild Boar Salami, and Molinari Toscano Salami, as well as some bread and grapes.
As for the wine we tried the Vietti Roero Arneis 2009, Vietti Dolcetto D’Alba Tre Vigne 2008, Vietti Barbera D’ Asti Tre Vigne 2008, Vietti Barbera D’Alba Scarrone 2007, Vietti Nebbiolo Perbacco 2007, and Vietti Barolo Castiglione 2006.
Not only are the wines delicious, but the labels are gorgeous as well!
The Arneis was the perfect summer and fall white. Crisp and dry enough for summer, but round and full enough for a fall sipping wine. It was floral, fresh, and clean on the finish.
As for the reds-they were all so so incredible. Pretty fruit, big and rich, enough structure, and lovely finishes.
The Dolcetto had a powerful nose of dark fruit and spice, it was full bodied with a fair amount of tannin that reminded me of grape skin, but the tannin softens on the finish. The wine was very vibrant.
The Barbera d’Asti had pretty red and black fruit, a bit of perfume, soft at the beginning, but nice structure on the finish. This wine would be great with a fatty, oily piece of fish because of the bright acidity.
The Nebbiolo showed bright red fruit on the nose, dark kirsch fruit on the palate, and was medium to full bodied. However, I was not crazy about the finish because it was a little grippy.
The Barolo was still a baby and had a powerful nose of raspberry liquor. It was full bodied, and was very structured. It was full of spiced peaches, pretty dark fruit, and velvety tannins that led into a long finish.
But I have to say my absolute favorite was the Barbera D’Alba Scarrone 2007. It had a nose of rose petals and a touch of leather, but showed beautiful dark black cherry and blackberry fruit, a little baking spice, and a little rose oil on the palate. It was a full bodied wine that could probably use a little more time in the bottle, but still showed this velvety silky finish that just stayed on your tongue forever. Ohhh I loved this wine, and it was just my style!
The tasting went really well, and it was such a pleasure to meet the woman behind this wonderful family winery!
It is such a treat to attend tastings at the store with the wine-makers because it allows me to try so many new wines, and learn about the people and places behind the wines I sell. I think our guests really enjoyed the tasting as well.
Have you ever tried wines from the Piemonte Region in Italy? If so, which ones did you love?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Fun! I want to go!
Those labels are beautiful!
Pretty sure I’ve tried wines from that region unknowingly. That Dolcetto sounds Ah-mazing! I love wine tastings. Nice job with the food!