There are a few thins I love in wine life: an amazing under $20 bottle, Cab Franc, Cotes du Rhone, a good wine story... and Barolo.
I like to call Barolo the neighborhood bully, all acid and tannin and not very nice on his own. But throw in a bit of tender loving steak and a few hours in decanter timeout and you have a true gentleman.
Mauro Sebaste
"Brunate"
Barolo Riserva, 2006
A little unnecessary background: I've been on a liquid diet for a week. I am hungry. I came home from a particularly long day of wine servitude to find Mr. Boyfriend had purchased this bottle ($50 at Total Wine) and made me steak and mushrooms. Whether this was sweet or self preservation is still up for debate, but I digress...
I <3 BAROLO
Yeah, I said it.
This particular brick red beauty was just what dinner called for.
Barolo, made from the butt kickin' Nebbiolo grape is one badass dude of a wine. High acid, high tannin and all the sweet sexy oaky sour cherry goodness could ever want in a wine. More than anything this outlaw has a heart of gold for delicious food.
I will admit, after 12 hours on my feet I needed nothing from this wine on its own, and still so young for a Barolo (don't get boyfriend started on the 2001 we had for Christmas), it was tough. Soon rare filets, garlic mushrooms, and lemon asparagus tips arrived, and the acid and fat of the meal made Mr. Wine very loveable (and Boyfriend always is). Like a Sour Patch Kid commercial, I had been slapped in the palate and now was being hugged by vanilla, spice, flowers, cherry and more red fruit.
I will still pick a Barbaresco (same Nebbiolo grape, different hillside... le sigh Italy) over Barolo any day, but this was the slap back to reality me and my tongue needed. And reminded me that wine is meant for food and vice versa. Happy Wino at the end of it all.
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