Wine: 2006 Brovia Barolo Garblet Sue
Region: Piedomont
Sokolin Price: $69.99/btl
Rating: 95 RP
This week, our virtual wine journey kept us planted in Italy, but moved us northwest of Tuscany to the Piedmont region, which borders France. The Piedmont area is home to two important wines - Barolos and Barbarescos. Nebbiolo is the predominant grape in both of these wines, which grows almost nowhere else in the world. It is truly home to the Piedmont region. The Nebbiolo grape is known for its supreme power, muscle, high tannin, grip and can take your palate by storm. Barolos are wines meant to be aged, and they can last for a very long time. In fact, Barolos must legally be aged for a minimum of three years before they can even be released.
We are selling three Barolos produced by the Brovia family - the Garblet Sue, the Ca'Mia & the Villero. Of this producer, Robert Parker said, "The Brovia family has been on a tear of late. The wines I tasted during my recent visit - including all of the Barolos from vintages 2006 through 2008 - suggest quality remains at a very high level."
We decided to taste-test the Garblet Sue, a wine that Robert Parker awarded 95 points. Typically, wine drinkers are a little hesitant to open Barolos when they are younger. So this was a good test, and we were pleasantly surprised. Instead of being really tight and closed up, this wine blew all of us away! With its almost blackish/deep purple color, it had striking notes of chocolate, tar and smoke on the nose- very typical of Barolos.
Despite its young age, it was much more approachable than we expected. It didn't knock us out with its power, but it did have structure and the right balance of tannin and acid. The best way to describe this Barolo can be captured in a few words: soft, elegant, sexy and pure bliss. Our out-of-town weekend guests just raved about this wine! We paired it with a grilled sirloin and sides of a sautéed potato spinach hash and tomato mozzarella slices drizzled lightly with Italian extra virgin olive oil. Everyone loved this wine upon first sip, and as this wine further evolves, it is only going to get better with time!
Our Recommendation: If you are a Barolo fan, you should try not just one, but all of the Brovia Barolos. One thing is for sure, regardless of which ones you purchase, you are certain to experience top quality and pure enjoyment from Italy's Piedmont region.