Cantine Giacomo Ascheri: Good Things From Bra

The Ascheri family has been making wine for a long time -- there's a locality called Ascheri in La Morra, which marks their original holdings -- and they're sharp on the uptake: Matteo, Giacomo Ascheri's father, realized that making good wine is only half the battle; you then have to sell it, and this is much easier to do if you're not in an isolated town. So in 1880 he moved the family's cellars to Bra, down in the valley astride the trunk road to Torino, where they still are today.

The winery is now run by Cristina Ascheri, Giacomo's widow, and their son Matteo, who have rethought and reapplied the Elder Matteo's convictions to the modern scene: Making good wine is still essential, but it's no longer enough to be on a transportation route: You have to work with the territory as well, and get consumers involved -- with the wines, but also, if possible with the land, and therefore establish a rapport.

With this goal in mind, when they rebuilt the winery they transformed much of what is above ground into an elegant hotel, whose patrons can look down though glass floors in the common areas to see what is happening below. An interesting idea that captures guests' attention, and brings them closer to the wines. And they have opened a restaurant, the Osteria Murivecchi (Osteria Old Walls; it's in the vaulted brick rooms that were part of their old cellars), which had gotten some very nice reviews.

But the wines remain paramount, and Matteo nicely sums up the philosophy behind them: "In a world where, generally, the wines are made using the same grapes, the same technology, mature in the same woods, and especially are made with the advice from the same consultants, our goal is to obtain wines that express the vineyards, the grapes that they're made from, and most importantly, our ideas."

As one might expect from Matteo's comment, they work almost exclusively with indigenous varietals: Cortese and Arenis for whites, and Dolcetto, Barbera, Nebbiolo, and Pelaverga for reds, all of which are used to produce traditional Piemontese wines, ranging from Gavi through Barolo.

Almost exclusively; they also have some Viogner and Syrah, which they are experimenting with -- testing their ideas, I expect Matteo would say -- and which become Langhe DOC. They're quite interesting, and show what innovation built upon solid foundations can lead to.

The wines:

Cristina Ascheri Gavi DOC 2006
Lot 06 GG1
Pale gold with brassy highlights. The bouquet is fairly rich, with honeydew melon and delicate floral accents. Pleasant. On the palate it's full, with rich honeydew melon fruit supported by clean bracing honeydew melon acidity that flows into a clean deft fairly acidic finish. It's not as acidic as some Gavis, though it does have depth and structure that work quite well, and it will drink well with fish (antipasto or entrée) or white meats. Expect it to improve for a year, and hold well for at least 3.
2 stars

Cristina Ascheri Langhe Arneis 2006
Lot 06 LA1
Brassy gold. Herbal bouquet with underbrush and honeydew melon supported by moderate acidity and some cut flowers. Gives an impression of fullness. On the palate it's ample and soft, with considerable body and rich green apricot laced white berry fruit supported by deft greenish acidity; a fellow taster says it has more body than he's ever found in an Arneis, and I'd tend to agree. Pleasant, in a fairly charged key, with savory overtones, and pleasant to drink, with white meats or hearty sops and such.
2 stars

Ascheri Montelupa Langhe Bianco 2004
Lot 04 VI1
This is a Viogner, and their goal in making it is "to do something different," Matteo says. It spends time in both oak and steel, and spends several months in bottle following assembly. It's brassy gold with brassy reflections. The bouquet is rich, with tropical fruit -- pineapple and mango with some overripe overtones, and some herbal notes and hints of sweetness as well. On the palate it's full, with fairly rich white berry fruit supported by warmth and a fair amount of alcohol, which flows into a fairly tart finish with long bitter accents. Powerful, and pleasant, and gives an impression of being in a holding pattern -- very young, and will go places. In terms of accompaniments, I'd think about white meats or flavorful fish, and (in the West) with intensely flavored cheeses. It will also work well with Chinese dishes that aren't too spicy.
2 stars

Podere di Rivalta Dolcetto D'Alba Nirane 2006
Lot 06 NI1
Deep ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is quite young, with bright berry fruit supported by acidity and bitter almonds mingled with some spice. Quite nice. The bouquet is fairly rich, with clean red berry fruit supported by moderate acidity and tannins that are clean and brambly, and flow into a clean bitter finish. It's direct and up front, and will go very well with foods, ranging from pasta dishes through simple grilled meats and light stews. Expect to open a second bottle.
1 star

Podere di Sorano di Serralunga D'Alba Dolcetto San Rocco 2006
Barrel sample
The bouquet is surprisingly rich, with violets and some almond blossoms; though it is clearly developing it is richer than that of the Rivalta Dolcetto. On the palate it's smooth, and deft, with elegant berry fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins. Quite promising, and will add considerable joy to a table where it's served.

Podere di Rivalta Barbera D'Alba Fontanelle 2005
Barrel sample
Deep ruby. The bouquet is shut tight, though some red berry fruit emerges with swishing. On the palate it's quite promising, with bright red berry fruit supported by clean deft berry fruit acidity that flows into a clean tart finish. It will be quite nice in a fairly traditional key.

Podere di Rivalta Nebbiolo D'Alba Bricco San Giacomo 2004
Lot 04561
Lively almandine ruby with almandine rim. The bouquet is rich, with floral accents and sour berry fruit mingled with some rosa canina and spice. On the palate it's full, and fairly rich, with tart strawberry fruit supported by clean acidity and deft sweet tannins that do have a Nebbiolo fell to them. Elegant, in a graceful way, and will drink well with grilled meats or light stews; it's quite approachable, and though it will drink nicely now it will also hold well for 3-5 years. Worth seeking out if you like the more traditional style.
2 stars

Ascheri Podere di Montelupo Langhe Rosso DOC 2004
This is a Syrah, and spends 20 months in old wood. It's deep black almandine ruby with almandine rim, and has a fairly rich bouquet with red berry fruit mingled with spice from grapes, and some underbrush. Deft, and does nice things as it opens in the glass. On the palate it's full, with rich red berry fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins that have some dusky overtones and gain direction from moderate acidity that keeps things firmly on track, and flows into a clean savory fruit laced finish with tannic underpinning. The vines are young, or so it would seem from the astringency fo the tannins, but it is interesting, and the astringency will work well to balance richer meats. It will be interesting to follow the wine through future vintages.
2 stars

Podere Rivalta Barolo Vigna dei Pola 2003
Lot 03P01
Almandine with almandine rim. The bouquet is warm, with spice and smoke mingled with rosa canina, and underlying alcohol and leather. On the palate it's full and fairly rich, with bright sour fruit and acidity carried by peppery spice that flows into a clean peppery finish. Lively, and a bit atypical for the vintage, I thought -- there's more acidity than in many others. Drink it with succulent roasts or steaks, and expect it to age well for 3-5 years.
2 stars

Do Ut Des Verduno Pelaverga 2005
Lively ruby with black reflections. The bouquet is fairly rich, with sandalwood and spice mingled with berry fruit; it's classic Pelaverga. On the palate it's medium bodied, with bright sandalwood-laced red berry fruit supported by clean acidity and deft spice with lean dry tannins that flow into a clean spicy finish. Pleasant, and unusual in the way Pelaverga often is; it will drink well with light stews (including giblet stews), vegetable flans, and other dishes that are often difficult to pair. Quite refreshing, and a nice change of pace.
2 stars

Barolo Sorano 2003
Lot 03S01
They used the old submerged cap fermentation technique, and macerated the wine on the skins for 40 days. The wine is lam ruby with almandine rim, and has a clean bouquet with bright spice and quite a bit of alcoholic warmth, mingled with greenish smoky accents. Charged. On the palate it's full, with powerful berry fruit supported by greenish tannins that flow into a clean rather green finish. It's pleasant, though it does reflect the vintage.
2 stars.

Barolo Coste Bricco e Sorano 2001
Lot 01GB1
This is a wine made from a couple of parcels in the Sorano vineyard, and only in good vintages: No 2002, or 03, or 05. It's almandine ruby with almandine rim, and has an elegant bouquet, with green leather and spice mingled with warm berry fruit, some rosa canina, and underlying peppery notes. It's quite young, but there's a lot going on and it's pleasant to sniff. On the palate it's equally nice and equally young, with elegant red berry fruit supported by clean bracing acidity and smooth tannins that are just starting to shift towards velvet. It's a toddler, needs time to grow, and will richly reward those with the patience to give it time. Expect it to climb for a decade at least.
2 stars

We close with a brief Barolo vertical Cristina Ascheri treated Scott Clemens and me to when we visited the winery in the course of Alba Wines.

Barolo Sorano 1996
Delicate almandine ruby with almandine rim. The bouquet is delicate, with rich green leather and some Moroccan leather mingled with leaf tobacco and pleasant spice. What Nebbiolois all about, and one can get lost in it. In other words, great finesse. On the palate it's delicate, with fairly rich leathery berry fruit supported by savory accents and bright sour berry fruit acidity that flows into a long clean bitter finish, and though it's quick it's write, there's tremendous vibrancy to it and it's a great delight to sniff and to sip. It's also tremendously young, and though one could drink it now it will greatly reward those who can afford to give it time.
93-94

Barolo Sorano 1997
Deep garnet ruby with almandine rim. The bouquet is rich, with leaf tobacco and spice mingled with some green leather and warm acidity, with underlying tartness and some rosa canina. A great lot going on, but more mature than the 96. On the palate it's full, and rich, with intense cherry fruit that is supported by clean bitter acidity and smooth sweet tannins that flow into a clean bitter finish; it's quite nice, but by comparison with the 96 is less vibrant, and has less depth. While the 96 has a long road ahead of it, the 97 is pretty much here, and though very good won't climb much further.
90

Barolo Sorano 1998
Deep almandine with almandine rim. The bouquet is dusky, with leather and savory accents mingled with some smoke and tar, and some mushroom as well, laced with alcohol and some truffle notes,. A great lot going on, and considerable finesse, though not as much as the 96. On the palate it's full, with elegant red berry fruit supported by clean rather bitter acidity and smooth sweet tannins that flow into a clean bitter finish. Great finesse, and it is climbing, and is very much a child who needs to grow. With respect to previous tastings of the 1998, I find it more interesting, and think that it will evolve very well -- this is a distinct revision with respect to my previous opinion of the vintage.
88-90

Barolo Sorano 1999
Almandine with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is elegant, and quite fresh, with rich green leather laced with leaf tobacco and warmth, mingled with rosa canina and some red berry fruit. Great finesse, in a youthful key, and a great lot going on. Very young, and a lot to discover upon sniffing. On the palate it's delicate, with rich, young berry fruit supported by deft leathery tannins that gain definition from bitter accents and is supported by deft bitter acidity as well; it's frightfully young, and has a long, long road ahead of it; it will climb to great heights in the future, though it is quite nice now. If one were to use an Italian word, it would be Grande. If you have patience, it will reward you richly.
92-4

Barolo Sorano 2000
Deep almandine ruby with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with green leather and spice mingled with some greenish accents and alcoholic warmth, with underlying resin and some balsamic overtones. Pleasant, though it doesn't display the depth that the earlier vintages display. As a Scott says, however, "very nice." On the palate it's ample, and rich with warm soft berry fruit supported by clean bitter acidity and fairly rich fruit; it's ready, in a slightly brambly key, and by comparison with the earlier vintages shows less depth. In short, the heat of the vintage reveals itself. It's nice, but clearly the product of a hot vintage, and suffers thereby.
88

Barolo Sorano 2001
Deep garnet ruby with black reflections and almandine rim. The bouquet is quite young, and rich, with red berry fruit supported by deft berry fruit acidity; it's very young and quite deft, with rich berry fruit supported by some greenish accents and deft rosa canina; it's quite deft, and very young -- vibrant, even, and supported by tannins that still display a youthful brambliness and flow into a clean slightly bitter finish. It's quite nice, but woefully young; it brings to mind looking into a nursery school and trying to decide what the toddler in question will do. Great depth and potential, but it has a long way to go to reach it.
88

For more information on Ascheri, see http://www.ascherivini.it/

Livernano: A number of nice Chianti Classico Wines

Vinitaly offers more than any one person could hope to explore, so I generally decide to concentrate on one or two wines -- Lagrein this year, and I'm typing up the notes now -- and spend the rest of the time visiting people I know, who have caught my attention, or who have been suggested by friends.

Livernano falls into this latter class; the estate was bought a number of years ago by Bob and Gudrun Cuillo, who spend much of their time producing shows on Broadway and in many other parts of the world, but decided they wanted a hideaway in Tuscany (can one blame them?) and settled on Radda.

Though they do work in the vineyards themselves, they have also availed themselves of the services of Stefano Chioccioli as consulting enologist, and work with Marina Thompson when it comes to marketing their wines. She asked me if I could stop by their stand, I did. A nice stop, and here we are.

Livernano Chianti Classico 2005
Barrel sample, it will be lot 0703
80% Sangiovese, 20% Merlot. Deep ruby with some almandine in the rim. The bouquet is powerful, with what will be nice balance, though the oak is a bit more pronounced now -- one expects this in a barrel sample. On the palate it's full and smooth, with fairly rich red berry fruit whose acidity (the 05 vintage tends to be acidic) comes through tempered by oak, and flows into a fairly soft finish. It's promising, and will be graceful in a fairly modern key; I especially liked the acidity, which provides life and direction. Expect it to age well for 5-8 years.

Livernano Chianti Classico 2004
Lot 06/003
Deep cherry ruby with almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, and a bit brighter than that of the 04 Casalvento, with warmer spice and red berry fruit mingled with cedar and fairly brght acidity that's temprered by some bitter overtones. On the palate it's rich, and fresh, with bright berry fruit supported by tannins that are warm and have a youthful cedary burr and flow into a warm fruit finish with smoky overtones. It's scrappy and quite young; it will drink well with foods, especially grilled meats -- flavorful red meats including lamb chops, for example, but will profit from another year in bottle, and age well for 6-8 years. In the proper setting it will go very fast.
2 stars.

Livernano Chianti Classico Riserva 2004
Lot 07/01
Deep pigeon blood ruby with lively cherry rim. The bouquet is still shut tight, though swishing brings up alcohol and some vegetal note. It's not happy about being in the bottle, but that will change with time. On the palate it's full, with fairly rich berry fruit supported by cedar-laced tannins, while direction comes from moderate acidity, that also helps hold it together. It's good, but was in a down phase when I tasted it, and needs a year to get its act together. Expect it to be quite elegant with time, and work nicely with red meats. But do give it the time it needs, 2-3 years, and expect it to age well for 8-10.
2 stars

Livernano Puro Sangue IGT Toscana 2003
Lot 06 001
This is a Sangiovese; it's deep ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is rich, with sour berry fruit and alcoholic warmth laced with some greenish notes -- there are none of the jammy notes one often finds in 2003 wines, and this is because they're at 550 m, about as high as vineyards get in Chianti. Nice, in a bright, zesty key. On the palate it's full and bright, with rich brambly red berry fruit supported by lively acidity and clean sweet tannins that have a haunting greenish cast to them. Very young, and will do interesting things over the next decade, though it will be nice now with a thick porterhouse cut.
88-90

The Cuillos also own Casalvento, also in Radda:

Casalvento Chianti Classico 2005
Barrel sample, it will be lot 07/02
80% Sangiovese, 20% Cabernet. Deep pigeon blood ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with bright red berry fruit supported by some herbal notes; it's promising for a barrel sample. On the palate it's full, rich, and fruit driven, with powerful red berry fruit supported by clean sweet tannins that have graphite overtones and flow into a clean mineral finish. Promising, and I expect it to become quite graceful with time. It will age well for 5-8 years.

Casalvento Chianti Classico 2004
Lot 07/01
Deep pigeon blood ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, with cherry fruit laced with bitter herbal notes and some spice mingled with sea salt and spice; nice balance but developing. On the palate it's deft, with elegant slightly bitter red berry fruit supported by peppery spice and clean vegetal notes -- the Cabernet -- while the tannins are ample and clean, and lead into a cleans lightly bitter peppery finish. Elegant, and will work quite well with foods, from grilled meats through roasts, and one could drink it now, though it will reward those blessed with the patience to give it a couple of years.
2 stars.

For more information, check their website, http://www.livernano.it/v2/content.php?lang=en

Tasted at Vinitaly: Cascina Adelaide

I met Amabile Drocco at a wine taster's dinner in Piemonte a number of years ago -- A distinguished looking, pleasant gentleman who had recently taken over Cascina Adelaide, a winery in the Comune of Barolo, and I recall tasting his wines during the dinner and liking them. So I have made a point of stopping by his stand in the course of Vinitaly, and here are my impressions of the wines poured this year:

Dolcetto D'Alba Vigna Costa Fiore 2006
Barrel sample
Lively ruby. Very fresh bouquet that's rich for a barrel sample, with bitter almonds and bright berry fruit. On the palate it's full, rich, and quite smooth, with powerful fruit supported by moderate acidity and clean bitter tannins. Promising, and will be worth seeking out. Expect it to drink quite well with meat-based pasta dishes or light grilled meats.

Le Donne Barbera D'Alba 2005
Lot LMD05061
Unoaked Barbera, and it's elegant ruby with white rim, while the bouquet is bright, with lively tart berry fruit that gains depth from acidity and some greenish accents -- refreshing and warm. On the palate it's full and bright, with lively red berry fruit supported by clean raspberry acidity and smooth sweet tannins from Barbera that are light as Barbera tannins are want to be, and flow into a warm peppery finish that continues at length. Quite nice, and will drink well with red meats off the grill, light stews, and add greatly to the meat. Wanting to be brief, traditional in a scrappy key.
88-90

Barbera D'Alba Superiore Vigna Preda 2004
Lot PB03061ALC
This spends a year in a mixture of new and old wood, and is deep black cherry ruby with almandine rim. The bouquet is fairly rich, and smoky, with red berry fruit supported by considerable hardwood ash with underlying sea salt. Pleasant. On the palate it's full and smooth, with fairly rich berry fruit supported by clean sweet tannins that have warm cedar overtones and flow into a clean berry fruit finish. It's more polished than the Donne Barbera, and while this may be in part due to greater aging, it's also the influence of the new wood. If you like the style it's delightful, but I found myself preferring the unoaked wine.
2 stars

Amabilin Barbera Superiore 2004
Lot BA 04061
This has an addition of 15% Nebbiolo, which is allowed by the DOC regulations, and is also a hearkening back to the days when farmers blended their grapes, in this case to obtain backbone and tannic structure from the Nebbiolo, and lively acidity from the Barbera. It's deep pigeon blood ruby with cherry rim, and has a rich bouquet with deft berry fruit supported by ash and hints of green leather and roses, which derive from the Nebbiolo. On the palate it's full and welcoming, with elegant tart berry fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins that have a steely note to them -- again the Nebbiolo -- and flow into a clean tart finish. It's lighter and defter than the Vigna Preda, and more quick on its feet; it will drink very well with braised meats or stews, and will also be nice with hearty roasts along the lines of leg of lamb.
90

Jula Langhe Rosso 2004
Lot LJ 04061
This is a 50-50 blend of Barbera and Nebbiolo; it's lively garnet ruby with cherry rim. The bouquet is fairly intense, and delicate, with smoky berry fruit laced with cool notes that bring dappled shade to mind, and spice; though it's quick to write there's a lot going on. On the palate it's it's deft, with clean fairly tart berry fruit supported by brambly acidity and clean brambly tannins that are still quite young and need a year to get their bearings. Pleasant, and will work well with hearty red meats, but it needs time.
2 stars

Barolo 2003
Lot not yet on the bottle (on any of the Baroli)
Garnet with almandine rim. The bouquet is welcoming, with delicate berry fruit, rosa canina, and delicate spice. Quite young. On the palate it's full, with red berry fruit supported by clean sweet tannins that are very young, and flow into a clean deft tannic finish. Graceful in its youth, and though one could drink it now it will develop nicely over the next 3-5 years.
2 stars

Preda Barolo 2003
Deep garnet ruby with almandine rim. The bouquet is powerful, with elegant berry fruit supported by tar and wood smoke, with some green leather and alcohol. Nice balance but very young. On the palate it's full and rich, with powerful young red berry fruit supported by tannins that are warm and have a slight cedary burr to them, and flow into a clean fruit laced finish. It's very much a toddler, and the tannins are greener than they would be in a more balanced year, but the wine does sidestep the more serious problems that can arise in a very hot summer. It will nicely complement rich meats.
2 stars

Barolo Cannubi 2003
Lively garnet ruby with black reflections. The bouquet is closed tight at the outset, though swishing brings up alcohol, warmth, rosa canina and spice. But it's in a quiet phase. On the palate it's full, with fairly rich tart red berry fruit supported by smooth sweet tannins that do reveal warmth in their structure, and flow into a clean dry tannic finish with tart overtones. Pleasant, and again reflects the vintage, though it does compensate for the heat. By comparison with the Preda, it's a bit richer.
2 stars

Barolo Riserva 2000
Elegant almandine with almandine rim. The bouquet is elegant, with rosa canina balanced by spice and green leather, with underlying alcohol that weaves all together. On the palate it's deft, with elegant tart berry fruit supported by considerable warmth and by clean sweet tannins that are becoming silky, though they remain young. Quite elegant, and will already drink very well with grilled or roasted red meats, though it will richly reward thosw blessed with patience.
88-90