Self Isolation : Day # 15

2008 Cascina Ballarin Barolo ‘Bussia’

In these crazy times when we are bound by the walls of our homes, nothing sooths the soul more than comfort food and a great bottle of wine. And what better combination than risotto and Barolo! A creamy, savory risotto with peas, asparagus, mint, lemon, and black pepper was the perfect foil for the ‘08 ‘Bussia’ from Cascin Ballarin. Nebbiolo is the noble grape of northern Italy and reaches it pinnacle in the Piemontese D.O.C.G. (Denominazione de Origine Controllata e Gurantita - Italy’s top tier of wine appellations) of Barolo. By law, all wines bearing the Barolo name must be produced solely from Nebbiolo. If you’re familiar with the appellation hierarchy of Burgundy you won’t feel out of place in Barolo. Comprised of three parallel north-south oriented valleys and further delineated into communes and then individual ‘crus’ a.k.a. vineyards. This bottling comes from the ‘cru’ of Bussia, located in the commune of Monforte d’Alba, itself nestled in the south-eastern corner of the appellation. Bussia is prized for the richness and power of the wines that are born from its gentle slopes.

Medium ruby in the glass with powerful aromatics of tea leaves, Bing cherry, tar, mushroom, and dried sage. Full-bodied on the palate, with flavors of cherry, earth, dried leaves, and golden-brown mushrooms that are at the same time powerful and elegant thanks to medium-plus acidity and high, but ripe, tannins.