Pergola *** Rome - wine list

Hi all,

spend some time browsing the wine list before choosing. Just wanted to share my shortlist if you should find yourself in this amazing restaurant in Rome.

From the red wine list:
year euro bottle size
Dujac Gevrey Combettes 2005 400
Tremblay Chapelle Chambertin 2010 450
Tremblay Chambolle Feuss 2010 400
Prieur Volnay santenots 2005 80 ½
Shafer Hillside select 2001 450
A conterno Barolo Granbussia 1997 420
Elio Altare ceretta 2009 200
Grasso Barolo Gavarini Chiniera 2013 140
Colombini Brunello di Montalcino Progetto Prime Donne 2010 140
Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino Poggio Al Vento Riserva 2010 170
Roagno Barbaresco Crichet Paje 1999 1999 400

I went with the Shafer Hillside 2001, and was very happy with it [dance-clap.gif]

Drank with an amazing steak dish. I felt kind of bad not choosing an Italian wine [cheers.gif]

how did you pass up that tremblay chapelle?

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I was really close choosing the Chapelle - but maybe still too young?

and my mood was more for a powerful red that night

here are the Italian list - due to Corona they have it online

and the others

I only ate at La Pergola once but it was a fantastic meal and I hope to go back some day (if it survives). I can’t possibly imagine eating in that restaurant and having a Hillside Select (that’s just my taste - no offense intended). I remember spending almost as much time with the water list as the wine list.

By Italian standards, the Italian wines are priced pretty high - still lower than US multiples, but higher than you’d typically see in most of Italy. That said the list is certainly impressive

Not to take anything away from a truly impressive list, but I’m always a little disappointed by how much list space the modern producers get in these places. I’m sure it’s good business, but it would nice to see a little more editorial judgment.

Jeff,

my 2nd time there, remember we had Vietti Rocche 2010 last time - really nice. But price has doubled in a few years.

in general I agree with you about not choosing Italian (well we did have a nice Italian white to start with)

We went ala carte, as we tend to prefer more and more… and after some brilliant starters and e.g. shellfish risotto and lobtser, we shared a large steak that was carved at the table and served with salad, a rich dish that actually matched the Shafer pretty good.

Brilliant glassware, by the way. Have never had the special edition of the Riedel Sommelier glasses before. Superleggero. Pretty cool.

Forgot that I also have some pictures…

the Fagottelli “La Pergola” dish on the picture to the right, is a must. Exploding with flavors, yummy :slight_smile:

The water list is amazing!

I had a phenomenal dinning experience at La Pergola in 2016. I chose the wine for our table and worked with the Somm to find offerings that would appeal to the majority of our party and the food being served. I went Italian throughout the meal and was not disappointed. Unfortunately, I don’t recall the wines. I’m looking forward to going back… as someone else said, if it’s still open.

Shockingly high markups by Italian standards - of the order of 3x retail on average I would say, so anything nearer 2x retail is probably the ‘bargain’, but still a steeper markup than I’m used to in Italy. Maybe I eat in the wrong places ;¬)

My suggestions will be limited, but this at least appealed for some age, and a barbera with great intensity (but also freshness) of fruit & not completely OTT
Barbera d’Asti Costamióle - Prunotto Barbera 1996 85,00
Cappellano’s Vigna Gabutti also worth considering
Granato from Foradori (T-A-A) at least has age on it
Avi from San Patrignano is great value at retail but €80 is over 5x retail and hence a pisstake

Dessert wines often worth considering on pricey lists and this is merely poor value. A good reliable wine.
Moscato Passito Chambave - La Crotta di Vegneron Moscato Bianco cl. 50 2005 65,0
Meanwhile this is somewhat bad value (~ €20 retail), but they are seen so rarely outside of Trento/Trentino, and are (shhh!) under the radar gems. Don’t worry about the age, they are typically released with well over a decade’s age and age very well. None of the oxidation of Tuscany’s vin santo, the Trentino versions are vibrant, with Nosiola working brilliantly in dessert wines (pretty good in grappa as well).
Vino Santo - Francesco Poli Nosiola cl.37,5 1999 80,00

It must be a very fancy setup, as they clearly require very high markups to fund it, and probably a steady flow of wealthy foreign tourists who are less put off by such markups.

In comparison to US pricing some nice options jump out. We’ll be in Rome in September so considering going. I’d give these strong consideration but also see some options under $100

Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino Poggio Al Vento Riserva 2010 170- very happy with the 12’s we purchased from the winery from a visit in 2019. Might be a sentimental favorite

Grasso Barolo Gavarini Chiniera 2013 140- a value for US pricing and love Grasso. It’s probably too young still but would consider.

'14 PYCM CC at 350 is like the release price here.

I go to Roscioli for my wine splurges in Rome.

I can see why. Will be visiting for sure.

Fred, if you want to dine at La Pergola in September you need to try to make reservations now. At least before Covid, they were very hard to get often requiring months in advance. Not sure what it’s like now.

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Are these current lists? I can’t tell from the link.

I had a little giggle, looking for the highest price of any of their Italian wines/vintage

  • I have in the cellar (€1,100) and the
  • highest of one I’d drunk (€890)

IIRC I bought the former for ~ €60 and the latter for a similar amount. Good for a giggle.