We the Italians October 5, 2015 - 69 | Page 33

th # 69 •OCTOBER 5 , 2015 DOC and Nebbiolo d'Al- through malolactic ferba DOC. mentation in large slavonian oak casks for 8 monThe Langhe DOC ths followed by 8 months The Langhe DOC encom- in the bottle. Deeper ruby passes the areas north red in color with a hint of and south of the town of licorice on the nose. A meAlba. Many grape varie- dium body with dark fruit ties are produced in this with more present tannin area and it's considered and balanced acidity. It's the fallback DOC of the recommended by DemaDOCG of Barolo, Barba- rie to be aged up to 5 yeresco and Roero. There- ars. ABV 14.5%. fore, producers that label with the DOC have less 2013 Demarie Langhe stringent regulations and Nebbiolo more flexibility. Made of 100% nebbiolo grapes. A brilliant ruby The Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC red, it's a medium bodied The Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC wine with juicy red fruon the other hand must be it and a mouthwatering made of 100% nebbiolo. acidity. Drying tannin on This is a much more affor- the finish. A more delicadable wine with many of te wine compared to the the typical characteristi- Nebbiolo d'Alba. cs of nebbiolo. It's aged only a year in compari- Wine pairing with Nebson to the DOCG versions biolo aged 2+ years depending From time to time I will wriupon which DOCG we are te about wines to pair with talking about. If you've ne- your meals, but I just as ver had a nebbiolo grape much enjoy sitting there this would be a good pla- with a bottle of wine and ce to start to experience it enjoying some delicious before moving on to the appetizers. And of course some of the big boys of I'll always look up regional the region. foods to pair with the bottle of wine that I choose to 2012 Demarie Nebbiolo drink that night. Cured d'Alba meats are always a great Made of 100% nebbiolo pairing in Italy with many grapes. This wine goes of the reds so I chose sa- lami as one of the appetizers that paired well with the 2013 Demarie Langhe Nebbiolo. I found the Langhe Nebbiolo much more approachable in its youth. The other dish I prepared was bruschetta topped with gorgonzola and walnuts drizzled with honey. Very typical ingredients of the region and paired well with the 2012 Demarie Nebbiolo d'Alba. The Nebbiolo d'Alba's tannins were very present in the wine and I felt the creaminess of the gorgonzola helped to cut through some of that. WE THE ITALIANS | 33 www.wetheitalians.com