Alberto Voerzio La Serra 2010 Barolo DOCG, Italy

Alberto Voerzio La Serra 2010.

Wine review

5 of 5 stars

An outstanding wine

In most cases, Nebbiolo’s colour shows fading relatively early. However, allowing long traditional maceration results in an abundance of colour extraction, which is here reflected by an intensely deep ruby colour. What follows is a pronounced flowery bouquet. Elegant rose and violet perfume is supported by slight vanilla and toast aromas from modernist use of new French oak. Layers of dark cherry, herbal, dried fruit and cedar aromas complete the fascinating, etherial and bold nose and invite to explore this La Serra cru Barolo further.

For a Barolo this young you would expect to be greeted by somewhat tight tannins. Although they are very abundant and mouth-filling, there is pleasantness to the tannins already. High acidity balances the high alcohol of this structured and concentrated wine. There is plenty of fruit and, already now, a complex aromatic profile. The aromas of cherries, dark berries, roses and cedar form an enjoyable perfumatic lightness that is beautifully supported by the muscularity of the acid structure. A long and nuanced cherry finish hints towards truffles and tar.

Optimally, I would give this wine plenty more years (or decades) to age as it has a wonderful aging potential due to its structure and fruit. Still, its wonders are evident already now, in case you are in a hurry to get in touch with a heavenly Nebbiolo.

Should you enjoy this superb wine at the dinner table, the optimal pairing would resemble its aromatic profile and elegant, yet powerful style. Piemontese cuisine gives you an idea: game, mushrooms, truffles and hard cheeses. Sipping to this wine by itself vino da meditazione style would be at least an equally gratifying approach.

A powerful, yet elegant and complex wine reflecting of its terroir. Highly recommended.

Info in a nutshell

Price examples:

DKK 349 (EUR 50) webshop Piemontevine.dk

(Ships worldwide, please enquiry via email first)
DKK 900 at restaurant Fiskebaren, Copenhagen, Denmark

Country and region: La Serra, La Morra, Barolo DOCG, Italy

Grape: Nebbiolo 100%

Alc vol: 14,5%

Producer: Alberto Voerzio

Background

When looking for value in Barolo, your strategy is to turn away from the names that have become brands. Instead, I suggest you approach skilled and small - often young - producers that are now becoming rising stars. Amongst them is Alberto Voerzio, a young winemaker from La Morra whose organic vineyard farming and combination of modern and traditional Barolo winemaking techniques are influenced by his famous Barolo superstar cousin Roberto Voerzio. The secrets behind Alberto’s characterful Barolos are very low yields, long traditional fermentations with tight temperature control and two year aging in 25% new French oak, the rest 75% of the barriques being used up to the third passage. Tending to the vineyards as well as the vinification process are completely organic. No commercial yeasts, enzymes or activators are added and only minimum amount of sulphur is used. The wines are bottled unfiltered.

The vintage of 2010 was exceptional for Barolo. Optimal weather conditions allowed to produce wines with fine acid structure, plenty of fruit and complexity of aromas. Alberto Voerzio’s La Serra is a brilliant example of the high potential of this particular vintage.

Chateau de Cayx 2010 Cahors, France

Chateau de Cayx 2010.

Wine review

3 of 5 stars

A good wine

Fitting for Cahors, this wine is almost black. The dark, deep ruby hue has a drop of purple in it. Scents of dark berries and fruits, plum, blackberries and black cherries are pronounced and fresh. Forming a more developed background to the fruit, there is plenty of spice, as well as some leather and farmyard aromas. Not entirely pleasant to my nose, a certain river-stone minerality with a hint of algae or moss character is perceptible. Finally, an elegant cigar smoke aroma is revealed following an hour in a decanter.

Having a full body and very powerful, concentrated acidity as well as medium tannins, this wine has plenty of aging potential. Dark plums and black berries dominate the aromatic palate. Nevertheless, the spice and smoke are evident as well, now intertwined with chocolate and liquorice nuances. Tannin quality is round and velvety already now in 2015. The spicy finish is medium length and pleasant. Although there is interesting aromatic complexity, an abundance of fruit and mostly pleasant tannin, the balance of this wine steers somewhat to the bitter and acidic side. Bottle age will integrate the structure further and show the potential of this still relatively young wine.

Aromatically complex and high in acid this wine would benefit from pairing with acidic foods as well as aromatic dark meat dishes, for example game or lamb with herbs. Decanting is good idea as there might be some deposit.

A good, concentrated, quality Malbec from Cahors.

Info in a nutshell

Price examples:

DKK 175 (EUR 24)  webshop vildmedvin.dk (ships also abroad)

DKK 170 wine shop Vinspecialisten, Copenhagen, Denmark

Country and region: Cahors, France

Grape: Malbec 100%

Alc vol: 14,5%

Producer: Chateau de Cayx

Background

Fascinatingly, Chateau de Cayx is owned by His Royal Highness Prince Henrik of Denmark.  Considering this and the fact that I’m an admirer of boldly structured wines, I could not resist this particular Cahors Malbec when I ran into it. The wine-merchant told me that HRH Prince Henrik has developed the chateau significantly during the recent years, aiming at excellent quality. A highly skilled enologist and winemaker has been brought in and the vineyards have been replanted.

Cahors is historically known for its black wine, or vin noir de Lot - Lot being synonymous for Malbec. Eventhough Cahors wines are not made by evaporating water from the Malbec juice anymore, and hence are not black, still a minimum of 70% of Malbec is required for Cahors AOC. Small percentages of Merlot and Tannat are often blended to Malbec to make these wines more approachable. They benefit from bottle age due to Malbec’s high tannin and acidity, and can be quite tight when opened too early. Chateau de Cayx 2010, however, is made of 100% Malbec.