TN: Gala Dinner at La Festa del Piemonte

GALA DINNER AT LA FESTA DEL PIEMONTE - The Pool Restaurant, NYC (4/1/2022)

This was the Friday evening gala dinner at Antonio Galloni’s Vinous Media’s La Festa del Piemonte 2022.

I sat at the Vietti table with Luca Currado and Elena Penna of the Vietti Winery.

The wines came one after another, so I have grouped them under the courses with which I tasted them. Where I know something about the decanting, I have included it. In most other cases, the wine was decanted just before the dinner or it was brought to the dinner already decanted. I have no way of knowing which.

Photos and more details can be found on my website.

Starter

• 2017 Champagne Christophe Baron Champagne Les Hautes Blanches Vignes Charly-sur-Marne - France, Champagne
  From magnum. Pleasant, elegant. (90 pts.)

First Course: Prosciutto with Mustard Fruits

• 2012 Vietti Barolo Riserva Villero - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  From magnum. Brought by Luca & Elena. Powerful primary nose of black and red fruit. Massively tannic with oodles of black fruit and spice. Still very young. A long and glorious future. 95-98 (96 pts.)
• 2001 Vietti Barolo Rocche - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Brought by Luca & Elena. Ethereal nose of plums and blackberries. Rich and expansive. A wow wine with a super long finish. (98 pts.)
• 2011 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Cannubi - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Rich, juicy, backward. Not very expressive at this point. Needs time. (91 pts.)

Second Course: Mushroom Risotto

• 1954 Vietti Barolo Riserva - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  [Brought by me. Double-decanted at 5pm.] Lovely nose of dark red fruits, tar, and mulch. Tart, juicy red fruit in the mouth with a long finish. A joy to share this wine with Luca and Elena since it was made by Luca’s grandfather, Mario Vietti. (93 pts.)
• 2010 Vietti Barolo Brunate - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  From magnum. Brought by Luca & Elena. Still quite young and powerful. Rich and somewhat monolithic at this point. Will benefit from more time in the cellar. (94 pts.)
• 1937 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  No nose. Sour cherries. Long finish. A very good wine, but I can’t believe it’s really a 1937. Way too young.
• 1978 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Villero di Castiglione Falletto - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Glorious from the get-go. Still opening up. Very long finish of black fruit and spice cake. Classic Giacosa. (95 pts.)

Third Course: Ricotta Tortellini

• 1980 Vietti Barolo Rocche - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  [Brought by me. Double-decanted at 5pm.] Smokey red fruit nose. Rich and still a bit tannic. Amazing wine for such a weak vintage. Has to be one of the top wines in 1980. (95 pts.)
• 1995 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì Tildìn - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
  From magnum. Big bouquet of red fruit and chocolate. Still young and tannic, but enjoyable now. (94 pts.)
• 2011 Azienda Agricola Elvio Cogno Barolo Ravera - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  [From magnum. Brought over by Valter Fissore from the next table.] Gorgeous nose of fruit compote and spice. Elegant, complex, long. (95 pts.)
• 1982 Filippo Sobrero & Figli Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  [Brought by Anny Chen.] Beautiful nose of ripe apples and red berries. A stunning wine in beautiful shape. (94 pts.)

Fourth Course: Filet Mignon Florentine
With Shared Sides: Sesame Spinach, Brussels Sprouts.

• 1974 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Earthy, balanced, complex. Probably at its peak. (93 pts.)
• 1958 Fratelli Barale Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Lovely red fruit nose, but the palate reeks of barrel mold. (55 pts.)
• 1958 Francesco Rinaldi e Figli Barolo - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Fragrant nose of dried red fruit and forest floor. Elegant. Medium length. No reason to hold. (92 pts.)

Fifth Course: Robiola Cheese
With Sea Salt Crackers & Gooseberry Jam

• 1998 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  Brought over by Eric Guido. Lovely nose. Medium length. Nice. (90 pts.)
• 2007 Cappellano Barolo Piè Rupestris Otin Fiorin (Gabutti) - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  [From magnum. Brought over by Iggy.] Still quite young, but long and complex with rich berry fruit and tar. Long life ahead. (94 pts.)
• 1978 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Colonnello - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo
  [Brought over by Josh Leader.] Beautiful, ripe cherries. Elegant and long. Just a gorgeous wine at its peak. (95 pts.)
• 2008 Dom Pérignon Champagne - France, Champagne
  [Brought over by Hristo Zisovski from Wilson-Daniels who was sitting with Valter Fissore.] Funny way to finish the evening, but I have to say this is a beautiful Champagne. Long, complex, and classy AF. (95 pts.)

Another wonderful evening with great wine, good food, and seeing old friends.

Thanks for the vicarious enjoyment Ken.

Hope you are well and I look forward to hopefully getting out your way some time soon.

T

I didn’t go to the morning tasting because I knew you wouldn’t be there to fix my back.

Nice notes. Will be opening the 1971 and ‘79 Sobrero this weekend; will post notes.

Filippo Sobrero?

Yes.

There were some extraordinary wines there, but I was not a fan of either Sobrero. Others liked them much more than I did, but they both were far more advanced and that faint expression of maderization is not to my taste. I have had much better bottles of the 1971.

1937 CONTERNO!!


1974 Rinaldi is a wine I hope to taste in my life at some point.

sounds like a wonderful event!