Now that the Huskers are back on the field and cool weather has arrived, many Lincoln wine drinkers shift more toward red wines. When I think of red wines, my mind often goes straight for Italian reds.
One of my favorite Italian regions for red wine is Piedmont, located in the northwest corner of Italy at the base of the Italian Alps. This region is home to some of the most beautiful wine county on earth. With rolling hills and slopes, it brims with vineyard upon vineyard and more wine varieties than even the most well-read sommelier can remember.
Piedmont is also known for cuisine. The “Slow Food” movement started in Piedmont and of course at this time of year the rare white truffle can be found and purchased in Piedmont for a small fortune. The area is also the origin of the Piedmontese beef cattle. In recent years a Lincoln-owned business called Certified Piedmontese has been raising Piedmontese cattle and has a new restaurant called Casa Bovina with a butcher shop named The Mercato. Both are located in northeast Lincoln.
I stopped by The Mercato and its very knowledgeable butcher encouraged me to try a cut of the Piedmontese skirt steak. I grilled the steak on my charcoal grill and the results blew my mind. This is among the most tender, flavorful cuts of meat I’ve ever tasted and it had almost no fat. Even better was the fact that this steak was ideal for enjoying with a glass of red wine!
For wine I started with Virna Barbera D’Alba, 2016, Piedmont, Italy, $19.00. The winemaker is Virna Borgogno, an iconic producer who was the first female to graduate from the winemaking school in her region. Last year at this time we visited this lovely woman with a group from Lincoln. Her barbera is ruby red in the glass and offers enticing sweet aromas of boysenberry, red fruit and vanilla. The wine continues with expressive crushed red berries on the palate with red currant and a hint of spice all with pleasing acidity. This is a tasty barbera. 89 points.
Next, I tried Giacommo Fenocchio Langhe Nebbiolo, 2017, Piedmont, Italy, $31.00. Made from the nebbiolo grape which is used in the production of the world famous barolos and barbarescos that hail from this region, this wine is a beautiful light garnet in the glass and has intense perfumes of violet, raspberry and plum. The wine has firm tannins that grip the side of the mouth, but also delicate acidity that balances the wine. The wine evokes flavors of strawberry jam, licorice and cherry with a lengthy finish. 88 points.
The final wine I tried was Ferrando Canavese Rosso “Torrazza” 2018, Piedmont, Italy, $23.00. From the subregion of Canavese where one type of the Piedmontese cattle is from, this wine is a blend of nebbiolo, barbera and splash of neretta. The wine is deep garnet in the glass and offers opulent wild berry and spice on the nose. The wine is bright, vibrant and juicy on the palate with black raspberry, cherry compote and subtle baking spice. The wine has a compelling lengthy finish. 90 points.
Each of these wines was spectacular with the juicy and delicious cut of meat. In particular, the Ferrando Canavese Rosso “Torrazza” was harmonious with the meat, which seemed to perfectly absorb the charcoal flavors in the cooking process. I wonder if the wine from Canavese has some sort of connection to the cattle that originated in the same region. Either way, it’s a heavenly complement of flavors.
Mark McDonald and his wife, Kim, own The Italian Vine, a Lincoln-based wine distributorship. They recently lived in Italy for several years and studied and developed a passion for wine that inspired them to open their own enterprise.
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October 28, 2020 at 11:00AM
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Lincoln Uncorked: Cool weather, red wines and Piedmontese beef - Lincoln Journal Star
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