Falling in love with Barolos again....the ripe and warm 1997 vintage

20 Oct 2012: Bocca di Lupo (www.boccadilupo.com) - I had been meaning to try this much-acclaimed restaurant in London for its array of simple honest Italian regional cuisine with a few innovative touches (and manageable portions) but it was only when the chef Jacob Kennedy came to HK that I had the opportunity to try some of his dishes.   At Domani, he prepared a 4-course meal of:

Battuto  veal tartare with white truffle from Alba
Orecchiette with 'nduja, tomato, red onion and cream
Roast suckling pig with white wine, chestnuts and grapes, boiled vegetables with olive oil
Dessert platter with bonet (a Piemontese pudding of amaretti, chocolate, rum, caramel and coffee), cannolo Siciliano and profiterole with chestnut gelato

Being a lover of all things spicy, the pasta dish was inevitably my favourite dish of the evening.  'nduja according to the Restaurant Manager is something like liquid sausage with chili.....it was hot, spicy and very aromatic, added to the sweetness of the red onion, the tartness of tomato, the creamy texture and buttery taste of the cream and the al dente pasta made one sensational dish.  The suckling pig was so tender that it fell apart at the slightest touch of the fork, and completely melted in the mouth.  It didn't need anything at all - perhaps the acidity in the grape cut through the fatty taste, but so did our wines!

For wines, we had 3 Barolos from the 1997 vintage, plus a 2001 Gaja Costa Russi. 

1997 Barolo La Serra, Gianni Voerzio: A very fresh nose, reminiscent of cherry, roses, tobacco, chalk and graphite minerality.  Liquorice, earthy and leather notes followed after some aeration in the glass.  Medium-bodied, with perfectly balanced acidity and mellow tannin. A touch of sweetness on the medium-length finish.  Not a blockbuster wine, but makes a harmonious accompaniment to the veal tartare dish. Drinking at peak now and for next 3 - 4 years.  17/20

1997 Barolo Bric del Fiasc, Paolo Scavino: Quite a change in style......much more flamboyant than the Gianni Voerzio Barolo.  Fruit for this wine is from vineyard in Castiliogne Falletto, so big and structured.  Medium ruby.  A bouquet depicting warmth, intensity and richness of ripe plum, dark cherry, roses, dark chocolate, smoke, tar, leather and liquorice.  Medium body with a velvety texture, bolstered by firm acidity and fine-grained tannin.  Very scrumptious, still showing plenty of character and complexity, and a persistent finish.  A profound wine that offers appeal and depth, ideal drinking now, and over next 5 - 6 years.  17.5/20

1997 Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata Riserva, Paolo Scavino: Fruit from La Morra. Deep ruby.  A pronounced and intense perfume of plum, raisin, stewed prunes and figs, dried roses, violet, kirsch, liquorice, leather and earthy notes.  There seems much more concentration here than the Bric del Fiasc and the mouthfeel is more generous, flaunting much more of the ripe fruit and mouth-coating tannin, giving it a chewy texture and a very long finish. This is very fine indeed - a lush, heady and opulent wine that is at once seductive and elegant.  Drink now and over next 8 - 10 years.  18/20
      
2001 Costa Russi, Gaja: Mostly Nebbiolo with around 5% of Barbera....from single vineyard Costa Russi in Barbaresco.  A wine with much elegance and class.  Liquorice, black cherry, smoke and violet. Fine-grained tannin balanced by firm acidity effortlessly carrying the flavours across the palate.  A very stylish and persistent finish.  This wine can do with more bottle age, to soften the tannin and to become even more harmonious.....but it's already irresistibly attractive today.  Drink now and over next 10 - 15+ years. 18/20     

These Barolos are so fine, elegant and full of character, that we wonder why we don't drink them more often!!