Enjoying Older Italian Wines

Every summer, Michele and I spend a weekend or two with our friend Ernie De Salvo at his home. He  makes a pasta all’Amatriciana as good as any I have had in Rome and he also has a wonderful wine collection.  He suggested that I choose some Italian red wines from his cellar that we could drink, some in restaurants and some with meals at his home.

We started with a white wine in a restaurant.

Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2016 Eduardo Valentini made from 100% Trebbiano d’Abruzzo.  The wine is aged in large botti of Slavonian oak for 24 months. This was a very complex full wine with a mineral character, hints of citrus fruit and apple, peach, and melon.  It had good acidity, a great finish and aftertaste with that extra something that is difficult to describe. It is a great white wine.

When I visited the winery a number of years ago the late Eduardo Valentino would not speak about how the wines were made, he only spoke about the vineyard and how he had the best Trebbiano clone. Edoardo passed away in 2006 after making wine for 50 years. His son Francesco has  kept up the tradition, making great Trebbiano since his first solo vintage in 2007.  A few weeks ago I tasted the 2010 vintage, a white wine 15 years old and still wonderful!

Soft Shell Crab in a restaurant

Brunello Di Montalcino 1997 Conti Constanti made from 100% Sangiovese grapes.  The Consorzio gave this vintage 1997 a five star rating. The harvest was in mid September. The vineyards are at 310 to 4,400 meters and the age of the vines is from 6 to 25 years old. The soil is geologically galestro and there are 3,333 to 5,100 plants per hectare. Exposure is southwest. Fermentation takes place on the skins from 14 to 21 days depending on the vintage. The wine is aged in 30 HL barrels for 3 to 5 years and in tonneaux. The wine has hints of berries, plums, violets and spice. This is a very impressive Brunello and will last for many more years.

Bone Marrow with onion crostini in a restaurant

Beneventano Falanghina 2023 IGT  Donnachiara made from 100% Falanghina. The vineyard is the Torre Cuso, the best location for Falanghina. The soil is volcanic, chalky clay, the vines are 16 years old, the training system is guyot and there are 2,500 vines per hectare. The grapes are not destemmed or crushed before pressing. Cold fermentation is in stainless steel and there is extended maceration. This is a crisp white wine with citrus fruit aromas and flavors, nice acidity and good minerality and a pleasure to drink.

This is a long time favorite of ours and a great opener to our meal at Ernie’s home.

Watermelon topped with prosciutto/finocchiona salame

Crostini with Roasted Peppers and Cantabrian Anchovies

Barolo “Brunate” 1971 Marcarini (winemaker Elvio Cogno) made from 100% Nebbiolo.  For many years Elvio Cogno was the winemaker for the Podari Marcarini in La Mora. His Barolo from the La Serra and Brunate Vineyards were exceptional.

I can still remember a 1971 Brunate that I enjoyed in 1981with the late wine writer, Sheldon Wasserman who introduced me to Cogno-Marcarini Barolo.  The 1971 was everything a great Barolo should be.  The aroma of white truffles seemed to fill the room and I was captivated. So 44 years later when Ernie  asked me to pick out a wine from his cellar, I came up with the 1971 Barolo Brunate from Marcarini and it did not disappoint. This is a classic Barolo with flavors and aromas of faded roses, licorice, tar, tobacco and a hint of cherry and a slight touch of white truffles. It is a soft, well-balanced elegant wine with not even a touch of oxidation.

Ernie’s Pasta all’Amatriciana

Barolo 1964 Francesco Rinaldi & Figli made from 100% Nebbiolo?  It was a little “dark” for a Barolo so old — Perhaps some Barbera was added?? There was no sediment in the bottle. This is a very traditional producer and has been so since 1870.  The wine has hints of leather, mushrooms, plum, a touch of cherry and a meaty character and so much more. There were no signs of oxidation. A truly exceptional wine.

With it we had some 30 month old “Red Cow” Parmigiano Reggiano.

Blueberry Pie with gelato was a sweet ending to a delicious weekend at Ernie’s.