Monday Night Wines: Paladino, understated elegance

This week I had the opportunity to taste some great wines and two stood head and shoulders above the rest.These two wines exemplify everything in wine that I search for: balance, varital correctness, elegance, and a sense of place. The wines of Maurilo Palladino are singular, definative, and so well made they made me stop, take a deep breath and thank the heavens for life.

Palladino is a classicist, having made wine since 1870, the family has continually sought to produce wines that represent the region of Piemonte and especially their village of Serralunga d' Alba. Maurilo Palladino is from a long line of grape growers and wine makers and has recently revamped the entire winery to ensure that the quality is always in the bottle and that the wines are true to themselves and to their drinkers. This week I tried Palladino's Gavi (a white wine) and the Serralunga Barolo (a red). These are wines everyone should immediately seek out.

Winery: Palladino & C.S.A.S
Grape: Cortese
Region: Gavi di Gavi DOCG, Piemonte
Vintage: 2006
Approximate Retail: $20.00
Website: www.palladinovini.com
Fun Fact: Fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks
Tasting Notes: The moment I put my nose in the glass I knew I was about to taste a stunning wine. The nose is so beautiful, it takes a while for you to actually taste the wine. Smells of freshly cut pineapple, lemon zest, and white peaches all envelope you so that if you closed your eyes you could envision yourself in an orchard.  At the same time the fruit aromas are caressing you, your nose will tingle with the sweet scent of honeysuckle and river stones. The palate is just as exciting! The wine is lush with a medium body, bright acidity, and long refreshing finish. So many people tell me they don't like white wine....I just don't understand, a wine like this should do the trick, I hope. This wine would be great with a lightly roasted fish with herbs, simple pasta dishes (pesto, olive oil), and shrimp dishes.

Winery: Palladino & C.S.A.S
Grape: Nebbiolo
Region: Barolo DOCG, Serraluna d' Alba, Piemonte
Vintage: 2004
Approximate Retail: $52
Website: www.palladinovini.com
Fun Fact: 2004 was an AMAZING vintage for Barolo
Tasting Notes: Nebbiolo is my favorite grape and Barolo is my favorite wine region, so when I saw that we were going to have this I became very excited. In Barolo (and Barbaresco) the are three main styles of wine: classic, modern and in between. The biggest difference between the two camps is the use of oak. The modern producers generally use new small oak barrels (generally French) that, in a wines youth, impart a lot of flavor. To many it is great but to the classicists it detracts from the grape and the soil. When it comes to Barolo Maurilo Palladino is in between the two, though he leans more towards the classic style. His wine is macerated for a long while and then aged in large (1,000 L) Slavonian oaks casks. These large casks do not impart much if any flavors to the wine but allow the wine to mature in a slow and steady pace.

When the world Barolo is uttered, many people think of tannic, harsh, and hard to drink wines that need eons in order to drink. Though some are like this, that is a small minority. One should be able to enjoy a great wine upon release and then be able to extrapolate how many more years the wine might continue to evolve. Though the 2004 Palladino is assuredly young, it is gorgeous. The wines has the trademark rust-red color of Barolo with youthful edges and a nose...oh the nose! The aromas are of dark cherries, perfect roses, sweet leather, and pipe tobacco. The descriptors do not do enough justice for what is in the glass. It is sublime. The palate is rich, full-bodied, yet supple and forgiving. The wine will continue to change over time but it does not mean the wine cannot be had today. This wine is an experience, a life changing wine, a wine that will make you want to move to Italy (like you need a reason). Barolo loves food and food loves Barolo, as much as I love both. Enjoy this wine with a roasted leg of lamb, a beef stew, or earthy dishes with mushrooms.