Alessandria Pelaverga Speziale 2019

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91 pts Wine Advocate / 92 pts James Suckling / 91 pts Decanter

For as long as I can remember, each year we are offered 2-3 cases of this wine. And each year, it is sold almost entirely to ourselves. We love the stuff so much, but just have never had enough to offer out.

But with a switch in distributors, we find ourselves flush with the wine!

So what is it? The wine comes to us from famed Borolo producer Fratelli Alessandria. On the northern edge of Barolo lies the village of Verduno, one of the few places where the Pelaverga grape grows. And despite Nebbiolo grapes being far more valuable, a handful of growers, like Alessandria, have resisted the temptation to rip the vines out.

Simply, this is one of the most exciting, vibrant wines I have ever drunk. It is a live-wire of electric flavors – strawberry, plum, cherries – all balanced by perky acidity and a sizzling touch of white pepper. Yeah… this isn’t like anything else. Sure, there are some similarities to a young Nebbiolo, but also think lighter Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, or Poulsard. Yeah… I just went uber-geek to find a comparison. And you can totally geek out on this wine, as the kaleidoscope of flavors is pretty special. Or you can do what I do… relax… and just throw it back!

I recently drank my last bottle (perfect timing), paired with homemade Minestrone soup. It was the Feast of Saint Ambrose, patron saint of Milan, where Minestrone is a culinary hallmark, and served with rice, not pasta. (Thank you to my culinary inspiration - http://www.holidayscalendar.com ).

Anyhoo… it was fabulous! Outrageously good pairing, actually. Prosciutto and other antipasti would be fabulous as well. Yet, despite its light color and low tannins, the intense flavors and vibrant acidity give this puppy enough chutzpa to pair with meat, particularly slowly braised dishes paired with pasta, especially agnolotti.

“It's such a treat to taste this wine, and I always look forward to these samples. You'll also get a kick out of the Fratelli Alessandria 2019 Verduno Pelaverga Speziale. The wine pours from the bottle with a ruby-pink color that almost matches the electric-pink color seen on the bottle capsule. The bouquet is focused predominately on those very indigenous smells of white pepper that are so distinctive to the Pelaverga grape.” WA

“ Tasty red, offering plum and ripe strawberry with chocolate and walnut undertones. It’s full and dense with round tannins and a juicy finish. Lovely hazelnut at the end. “ JS

“The Speziale is a fresh expression of this indigenous variety. It's fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats, then aged for five to six months in stainless steel and cement, followed by a couple of months in bottle. This short time-frame ensures the fruit remains vibrant and full of life. It delivers a cherry nose followed by a fairly intense mouthful of bitter-edged red and black cherries. Textured and spicy, it's a delicious early-drinking wine.” Decanter


Or reply. The wine is available now in Chapel Hill. Saturday, as ordered, in Hillsborough.