WINE OF THE WEEK - 2018 ENRICO SERAFINO PICOTENER LANGHE NEBBIOLO
It’s time for another edition of Wine Wednesday, Wineitupanotch style!
This is always an exciting day for me, as I look forward to foraging through the shelves of my local liquor store on a treasure hunt to hopefully uncover a new treasure to share with you!
The special thing here for me is that if and when I find something good, it’s a wine that you too can actually purchase because it is readily available at the time of writing this blog post entry! I love this because all too often, you read a review about a great wine and then can’t actually find it, which can be so annoying!
Now I’d be remiss not to point out that I’m located in Ontario, Canada and I therefore buy my wines for the Wine of the Week feature from the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario). However, the wines I pick are widely available in most major markets and online too, so if you like what you read, you can find the wine wherever you like to shop. For the convenience of readers who are located in Ontario, I always provide the LCBO Product Number, and a direct link to the LCBO website, in my reviews.
If you want to know more about why and how I do this, be sure to read this blog post where I outline my approach to my weekly Wine Wednesday picks.
And with that, let’s get into this week’s pick!
2018 ENRICO SERAFINO PICOTENER LANGHE NEBBIOLO
This week, it was all about Italy in my mind. I went to the store on an intense mission to find a good Italian wine to pair with my food and warm me up given the cold temperatures we’ve been experiencing here in Toronto.
Luckily, I found a great example of a wine that is not only delicious, but is also quite unique! Read on to learn more.
What does this wine cost?
$42/bottle. This is undoubtedly higher than the price point for your average Langhe Nebbiolo, but the extra bucks you’ll spend to acquire this wine are worth it.
Where does this wine come from?
The Piedmont region (pronounced “pee-ay-mon- tay”) is in the northwest of Italy, right at the top of the “boot” so to speak, flanked by France on one side and Switzerland on the other. The region is surrounded on three sides by grand mountains and consists of plenty of rolling hills and ridges. Piedmont’s most famous output when it comes to wine is arguably Barolo and to a lesser extent Barbaresco, both wines that are based on the tannic, high acid and wonderfully perfumed Nebbiolo grape variety.
However famous Barolo and Barbaresco may be, there are lots of other cool wines made in Piedmont, including wines from the Nebbiolo grape that come from the Langhe sub-region. This week’s selection is one such example!
Langhe is a hilly area that is well known for making exceptional wines, including the delicious and generally affordable Langhe Nebbiolo. Langhe Nebbiolo is often described as being a junior version of Barolo and Barbaresco, with all of the same flair and style but not as steep a price tag. For this reason, it is generally accepted that Langhe Nebbiolo represents great value and is a smart buy!
Who makes this wine?
Enrico Serafino, the producer of this wine, is a historic family-owned Italian wine producer which was established in 1878 by a 24 year old pasta maker and was one of the first wineries from Piedmont to sell its wines outside of the region.
Enrico Serafino is located in Roero and produces a wide range of wines, focusing on traditional varieties that are indigenous to Piedmont. They are committed to biodiversity and sustainable winemaking and their winery and cellar are amongst the oldest in the area. Click here if you are interested in learning more about Enrico Serafino.
Why is this wine unique?
Earlier, I said this wine was both delicious and unique. Its uniqueness comes from the fact that it is made from an ancient sub-variety of the Nebbiolo grape, namely Picotener. Apparently, Picotener had fallen out of favour over the years because of its difficult and finicky nature but has recently been revived due to Enrico Serafino where winemakers have put special attention on this project and this wine. From my research, they seem to be the only ones with a Picotener available broadly in the market. This is a super cool fact for wine geeks such as myself! :)
My tasting notes:
A deep and luminous sparkling ruby colour in the glass, this wine has incredible aromas of roses, violets, red cherries, raspberries and black forest cake. On the palate, the wine is complex and enchanting, with notes of cherries and plums, black pepper and zesty herbs.
The tannins are indeed noticeable however, after an hour or two in the decanter, the wine mellows considerably leaving a smooth and juicy impression, with a nice long finish. While the alcohol content is high (14.5%), it is not noticeable. This is a perfect food wine in my view!
Aging potential:
5-7 years according to the winemaker’s notes. I would probably give it 3-5 years.
Recommendations to Wineitupanotch:
Enjoy this wine with meat, aged cheese or pasta with truffles (or truffle oil).
Wineitupanotch Wine Score: 91 points
This is a really interesting and complex wine. It is a little bit on the expensive side for a Langhe Nebbiolo however it delivers!
If you’re located in Ontario, and wish to purchase this wine, you can find it at the LCBO under Product #12736.
FINAL VERDICT:
If you want to try something a little bit off the beaten track, that is delicious and age worthy, get yourself this wine - you won’t regret it. And remember to tell whomever you are sharing this wine with all that you now know about Picotener!
Cheers!
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