Dal Zotto 2009 Nebbiolo (this vintage sold out)
Deciding exactly which vintage of Dal Zotto Nebbiolo to sample and review for this article was a bit of a no-brainer, really, because I’d recently enjoyed a bottle with an authentic Italian gnocchi at Dal Zotto’s award-winning cellar door and trattoria.
The 2009 Barolo styled wine carries with it all the hallmarks of a great Italian nebbiolo; shit, it drinks well! Even the colour is that classic slightly rust-tinged red – It looks great.
In terms of age, this wine has had more than enough time to develop and smooth out perfectly, something nebbiolos need due to the firm tannins. At five years of age this wine, were it Italian, could be labeled Riserva. I’m extremely sorry to report, though, that this vintage is all but sold out. I’m lucky to have tasted it at all! But do not despair: there’s a new release on the way shortly and, although you will need to lay it down for a while, it’s likely to be an improvement on the already fine wine I am sampling. The Dal Zotto boys progressively improve upon each and every wine they make.
Fragrances of classic tar and roses shine with this aged beauty, but that’s not all. As one continues to sniff ‘n’ swirl, it manages to open up further, now displaying violets, sweet tobacco, hints of spice and prunes. It is sweetly earthy, dark and brooding.
The palate is surprisingly fresh and juicy; although it’s decidedly mid weight it is also amply mouthfilling and round. The fruit is lush and sweet, and the tannins have fined out so much that there is very little, if any, tannic clawing.
Metaphorically speaking, it’s like an old flame – this wine is a deep dark secret and reveals itself by jolting the mind with strong emotions, sip by sip. I’m under the thumb once again.
Dal Zotto 2013 Shiraz Barbera
And now for something completely different! As much as I love the 2009 nebbiolo, getting one giant whiff of the 2013 Shiraz Barbera is like breaking out the big guns. This is a seriously big red.
With a bold nose of cherries, tobacco, dark chocolate and vanilla the fragrance is also deepened and made more savoury with the influence of oak. This, combined with the layering of shiraz, adds additional dark plum and spice with white pepper, a pleasant surprise.
In the mouth it’s a virtually seamless wine: easy-drinking, round, luscious and layered. The front palate of bright juicy cherries moves to a softer back palate of dark chocolate and plum. Although it may finish just a little sharp, it’s a great food wine and one also sure to age well thanks to that firm acid structure. Soft, dusty tannins are also present and will help the wine in the cellar.
Although young, this wine is a serious industry contender and, I’ll say it again, one well worth snapping up. Let’s face facts: it drinks incredibly well right now – how could we ask for anything more?
‘Nuff said!
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