The Piedmont Gazette
Guidlines and Objectives
Background
I still remember it today, as clear as if it happened yesterday. How my interest in wine had slowly been growing as time went by. Maybe not to the point I could call it a passion but I was indeed like a glowing matchstick, ready to burst into flames anytime now. I had been following the wine column in the leading Swedish daily newspaper and on this particular day, it was about the next wine release at the State Liquor Monopoly. Three wines were mentioned with emphasis, all from a producer called Paolo Scavino and they were all called Barolo. At the time, I didn't know about vintages so I had no idea that the 1991 Scavino Barolo and the 1992 Scavino Barolo Cannubi came from two very difficult vintages, nor did I know at the time that the third wine, the 1990 Scavino Barolo Rocche d'Annunziata was the first vintage of this wine, from a very special vineyard and from a spectacular vintage. I bought all three bottles and to this day, I still have them in my cellar. That's how my love and passion started for all things Nebbiolo and the region of Barolo and Barbaresco, my beloved Langhe.
Going forward in time, I still vividly remember the feeling the first time I came rolling into the Barolo region with my best friend, also a member of the illustrious Barolo Boys of Stockholm. We had just passed Alba in our rental car, the skies were cloudy and we had finally reached the undulating landscape of Barolo, with La Morra in front of us. And then...the chills. Looking at the signs to the left along the road, we passed names like Azelia, Brovia and...Paolo Scavino. Wow. The feeling. I will remember it as long as I live. The bursting excitment, the nervous curiosity, the anticipation and the sheer happiness. We finally made it to Barolo! And by now, we had company. Joining us was a buyer's guide from a wine critic that described the wines in a way that made us feel we just HAD to taste and explore them ourselves. That man is the reason why the third publication came to life, The California Report. You can read all about it there.
My journey into an ever deepening passion for the wines and the people of the region mimics so many similar stories I'm sure you all recognise yourself, when you recount your own growing passion and how it first came to life. My first visit to beautiful Langhe was followed by another visit and then another and that's the way I guess most of us do it - we travel to a favourite wine region and knock on the doors to the producers we have been reading about. Nowadays, I visit Barolo and Barbaresco every year, with a clear mission. To help reducing their annual production by tasting as many wines as possible and to help the Piemontese people with a very important task: the consumtion of white Alba truffels... :-)
As with my connection to Riesling and the German wine landscape, with time I came to realise I could play a small part in spreading the passion for Nebbiolo to others, who might not have the same opportunity to visit the region as I do. And who might enjoy reading about their favourite producers. While many winemakers offered encouraging words, time has always been a limiting factor. After all, I have a full-time job as a teacher and those with the same profession will know how demanding this can be. In addition, I simultaneously study half-time at the university, so time is indeed a highly limiting factor. However, since I finally decided to embark on my lifetime project to visit every single producer of Barolo, I decided that sure enough, I could as well share thoughts and impressions from all visits. Not as a competition with the professional wine publications, but as an additional voice to already established sources of information. The objective being to share my passion and increase awareness about the wonderful grape of Nebbiolo and the wines derived from it. Hence, The Piedmont Gazette.
Obvious question
I ask the same questions as with The Riesling Report. Does it work? I mean, is it even possible to start a wine publication or anything similar like it, in the form of a written text that will actually be read by those who share one's passion? Frankly, I honestly don't know. But at the end of the day, why not give it a try? Even at the risk of facing a massive failure in doing so and becoming the laughing stock among the winemakers of Langhe and among fellow wine lovers around the world. Looking back, I find inspiration from people like Neal Martin, who started his Wine Journal and for a time, even had it included within The Wine Advocate. And of course, being a passionate Barolo nerd, I'm also inspired by how Antonio Galloni started his Piedmont Report while working full-time with something completely different and non-wine related. Maybe it was easier to do something like that before and perhaps it's a matter of having the backup of massive investors to pull off something similar today, but again, why not just give it a try? After all, I would only do it if I actually enjoy it myself and as for the result - even if only a handful of Nebbiolo aficionados out there would find my modest contribution the slightest useful, it would be worth the time and effort.
Thoughts on current state of Barolo and Barbaresco reviews
Being passionate about Nebbiolo myself and an avid consumer, I've been contemplating from where I get my own information on the wines of Langhe, except for the traditional way I've been adhering to for 20+ years by now (= meaning: gathering impressions and forming my own opinion simply by travelling to Langhe in person, knocking on producers' doors and politely asking them if it would be possible to taste their wines). If I were to sum up my sources of professional opinions on wines from Barolo and Barbaresco that I drink on a regular basis, they form a wide palate. In the early days, it was all Robert Parker and his publication The Wine Advocate. Today, I read reviews by Monika Larner in the same publication. Occasionally, I look at articles by Kerin o'Keefe, sometimes I catch a glimpse from Wine Spectaor or James Suckling and very often I read impressions by Antonio Galloni at Vinous. They are all very good sources of information for people passionate about Langhe and in my opinion, every effort to spread the knowledge and passion about the lovely wines derived from the Nebbiolo grape should be commended. I stress this fact because I don't wish that the announcement of my hobby project is seen as foremost a negative complaint but rather be placed into the context of "the more, the merrier".
Niche differentiation
This
mixture of my own sources of information, made me realise that despite
the many big elephants out there writing about Barolo and Barbaresco, there is still a
gap in the market, a niche if you will, where a passionate Nebbiolo
aficionado like myself could make a contribution, however small and
insignificant. Not as a competition with the existing Big
Dragons, but as a very small but hopefully valuable complement. For
anyone to read or ignore at their own will, of course! Like the last
sentence of Walt Whitman's poem "O me! O life!" as the answer to the
question about the meaning of life and our existence: "That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse". And as Mr Keating (Robin Williams) asks while looking at his students: "What will your verse be?", my answer is that no matter fail or success, my verse and small contribution will be...The Piedmont Gazette. Focusing mainly on wines from Barolo and Barbaresco.
As with The Riesling Report, I'm still in the process of figuring out the exact details but so far, some core ideas have taken form. To fill that gap where I would occupy a niche not yet taken by the existing sources of information on Nebbiolo wines, I will adhere to these principles:
Regular visits - instead of just doing one big road trip, I intend to travel to Italy as many times as possible every year, to gather impressions on wines from Barolo and Barbaresco. Not only Nebbiolo, mind you! But every grape that happens to be captured in a bottle and offered to me for tasting. I'm looking forward to all those wines produced from Dolcetto, Barbera, Pelaverga, Freisa, Arneis, Nascetta, Rossese bianco, Cortese, Moscato, not to mention more international grapes like Merlot, Cabernet sauvignon, Pinot noir, Sauvignon blanc and...Riesling.
Only personal visits to wineries - The very core principle of my project is that I will share impressions almost exclusively from personal visits to the wineries. Meaning: sitting there with the winemaker in front of me and tasting wines while asking about the latest development at the estate. In addition, I will offer impressions from wine events such Grandi Langhe in Alba, Ba & Ba in Turin and whatever other local wine fairs in Langhe I happen to stumble upon. I will clearly indicate whenever my impressions come from this type of events, given the limitations of actually tasting the wines properly at this type of large gatherings.
No samples accepted - This one is the easiest. I will not accept that any samples be sent to me. Neither to my home or to some kind of central location while I'm in the region (as is the case with the leading wine publications - a practice I find simply...wrong. And lazy. Simple rule: always on site, visits in person. NOT the method I notice seems to be too common nowadays, with wine critics posting photos of arriving pallets, loaded with free sample bottles.
Not just wines - While the main focus will be on wine, Langhe is such a culinary jewel that whenever I get the chance, I will also report on restaurants, wine bars and, not to forget...gelaterias! That wonderful Italian ice-cream found nowhere else on this planet.
