What a blast!
On Sunday, everything was dedicated to Piedmont – what an evening! Our Vietti tasting at the Marmion Bar in Frankfurt's Ostend district offered a lineup that made the hearts of Barolo and Barbaresco fans beat faster. A solid 23 wines, including absolute heavyweights from renowned cru vineyards such as Ravera, Masseria, and Rocche di Castiglione, filled the glasses and delighted the audience. Before the start, we enjoyed a light refreshment of salumi and ham from the tiered stand, and then it was off to a great start.
The young 2017 and 2019 vintages presented themselves with youthful freshness and an elegance that was simply impressive. Fine fruit notes, maximum freshness, and substantial tannins – a promise for the future that leaves you wanting more. But then the shift to the difficult, almost aloof 2016 flight: Closed, reserved – almost a bit shy. Greatness lies dormant in these bottles, but 2016 simply takes a long time in Piedmont. We refused to listen, and we were punished for opening the bottles now. All participants agreed that there was still more to come, and our patience would be worth it.
Elvio Cogno, the big surprise of the evening
The 2013 vintages were quite different: open, powerful, and full of excitement – wines with a depth that made every glass an experience. And right in the middle of it all was a clear favorite: Elvio Cogno's Ravera Bricco Pernice. This wine captivated everyone, a perfect symbiosis of generosity and precision, paired with profound intensity. Without a doubt, a contender for the title of "Wine of the Night."Then we jump to the warm 2011 vintage: As expected, the wines presented themselves as incredibly charming, warm-hearted, and simply delicious. The two Ravera wines from Vietti and Cogno particularly stood out – elegant, yet outrageously inviting. A pleasure that spread effortlessly throughout the room. It's important to emphasize here: 2011 was sometimes dismissed by critics as a hot year with clumsy, overripe wines. However, this seems to be less and less true: even if 2011 certainly didn't produce wines of the century, they still impress with their enormous finesse and elegance, and their relatively early accessibility. The result: wines that are simply incredibly enjoyable.
The 2006 Castiglione from Vietti wasn't quite as successful, with its tannic structure unfortunately making it unpalatable. Too harsh, too harsh—this wine refused to open up. But as so often in life, when one door closes, another opens. And in this case, it was the Ravera single-parcel wines from Cogno that arrived at the perfect maturity. Two masterpieces that left nothing to be desired.
Barbaresco from 1971 with pasta al ragù
But the real highlight awaited us at the end—almost silently, as the tasting drew to a close: a 1971 bottle of Barbaresco from Vietti that took our breath away. Fresh, elegant, and playful—as if it had just been bottled. The delicate strawberry fruit, the perfectly integrated acidity, that delicate, smooth texture... A wine that demonstrated how majestically Nebbiolo can age. A delicate giant that won't soon be forgotten.
The grand finale was homemade ragú and pasta – the perfect accompaniment to the evening's wines. One bite, one sip – and you felt like you'd finally arrived in the hills of Piedmont.
But after the tasting comes the tasting: On November 10th, our journey takes us across Burgundy. A selection of top-notch Pinot Noirs awaits us, and anyone who wants to be there can reserve their spot now. Simply send us an email – and the journey continues!