<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ottimo-nv.com/">Vinous Maps BYOB Dinner at Michael
Chiarello's Ottimo</a>&nbsp;

6525 Washington
Street

Yountville, CA 94599

+1 707 944-0102&nbsp;

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | APRIL 14, 2017&nbsp; Food:

Tonno tonnato; grilled escarole and potato salad with
Sicilian capers and Taggiasca olives

Ricotta gnocchi di bufala with Salsa alla Nonna

Lasagna alla Bolognese

Porchettino di Coniglio; grilled vegetables with Olio Nuovo

Panna
Cotta with poached pears

Wines:&nbsp;<table>
 <tbody><tr>
 <td>
 1968 Heitz Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 &nbsp; 92
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1974 Joseph Phelps
 Insignia&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 97
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1991 Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill
 </td>
 <td>
 88
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1989 Chappellet Cabernet
 Sauvignon&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 91
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1987 Chappellet Cabernet
 Sauvignon&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 95
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1976 Chappellet Cabernet
 Sauvignon&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 96
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1988 Mayacamas Cabernet
 Sauvignon&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 94
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1985 Dunn Cabernet Sauvignon Howell
 Mountain&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 95
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1979 William Hill Cabernet Sauvignon&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 93
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 2004 Maybach Cabernet Sauvignon
 Materium&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 80
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 2007 Myriad Cabernet Sauvignon Spring Mountain Vineyard&nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 96
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 2008 Araujo Estate Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele
 Vineyard&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 97
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 2009 Joseph Phelps Cabernet Sauvignon
 Backus&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 95
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 2009 Futo&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 97
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 2012 MacDonald Cabernet
 Sauvignon&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 95
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 2010 Kapcsándy Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Vin State Lane Vineyard
 (magnum)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 100</td></tr></tbody></table>This
BYOB Dinner at Chef Michael Chiarello’s just-opened Ottimo in Yountville showed
just how powerful wine can be in its ability to bring people together. The
occasion was the formal launch of the Vinous map of the vineyards of
Yountville, a project our maps team has been working on for several years. It
was great to share this night with my colleagues Alessandro Masnaghetti, Kelli
White and Bryce Wiatrak.<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1492184875583-settingthestage.jpg">Getting the room ready


















Ottimo
is just behind Chiarello’s flagship Bottega, right in the heart of Yountville,
a quaint small town in the center of Napa Valley that boasts a dizzying array
of top-notch restaurants of all kinds. By day, Ottimo is a sort of market with
an open kitchen that serves up pizzas, salads, sandwiches and other light fare.
At night, the space can be used for private dinners and events like this one.<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1492184956322-gnocchi.jpg">Ricotta gnocchi di
bufala with Salsa alla Nonna 


















The
room was packed and the atmosphere was electric as we sat down for dinner.&nbsp;&nbsp; Chef Chiarello and his team prepared a
classically menu inspired with some twists. The Tonno Tonnato, a take on
vitello tonnato was good, but some things are hard to improve on, including
this staple of the Piedmontese kitchen. Both pastas were sublime, especially
the lasagna. Chiarello’s main course of rabbit done porchetta style was
fabulous. I am not a huge sweets person, but the panna cotta was quite good.<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1492195147280-guestsmingle.jpg"> 


















Guests mingle throughout the large, open
space


















On
this night, though, wine was the main event. And what wines we had! Bottega
Wine Director Massi Giovannoni&nbsp;and his team took excellent care of a dizzying
array of bottles that seemed to come out of nowhere. I am always amazed by the
generosity the world’s great wines inspire. The sheer number and variety of
wines attendees brought was impossible to keep up with. These are some of the
highlights of the wines I was able to taste. <img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1492185066210-wines3.jpg"> 


















The 1968 Heitz Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
is a beautiful, mature wine from a great Napa Valley vintage. Soft, lifted and
fully resolved, the 1968 is absolutely exquisite. Crushed flowers, iron and
dried fruits linger on nicely. Joseph
Phelps’ 1974 Insignia, here in its first vintage, is a real privilege to
taste and drink for many reasons including its historical significance.
Remarkably deep and intense, especially for a wine of its age, the 1974 is
simply magnificent. Most of this fruit came from Dick Steltzner’s vineyard in
the heart of Stags Leap.<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1492185040321-wines2%28Cover%29.jpg"> 


















A
number of Chappellet Cabernets follow. The 1991
Cabernet Sauvignon Pritchard Hill is deep, rich and intense, but the
copious new oak results in a style that lacks the precision of the very best
years at this reference point estate. Chappellet’s 1987 Cabernet Sauvignon is fully mature, yet retains striking
nuance and vibrancy to match its mid-weight personality. What an exquisite,
sublime Napa Valley Cabernet. The 1989
Cabernet Sauvignon is another dense, powerful wine with good depth and
intensity, especially for its age, even if it is not as exciting as some of the
other wines on the table. One of the stars of the night, the 1976 Cabernet Sauvignon is the finest
and most complete of the Chappellet Cabernets on this night. Dense, rich and
unbelievably exotic, the 1976 exudes notable concentration and tons of super-ripe
dark fruit. Tasted later in the evening, the 1976 has lost none of its
intensity. What a wine!<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1492184981396-lasagna.jpg"> 


















Lasagna alla Bolognese


















The 1988 Mayacamas Cabernet Sauvignon is
pretty, savory and also fully mature. There is often quite a bit of bottle
variation with older Mayacamas Cabernets. That has been my experience with the
1988. Randy Dunn’s 1985 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain
is good, but this bottle is not as head turning or explosively beautiful as
others I have had. One of the biggest surprises of the night, the 1979 William Hill Cabernet Sauvignon is
simply exquisite. Nuanced, sculpted and remarkably fresh for a wine of its age,
the 1979 shows just how special Mount Veeder can be. <img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1492185104618-withMCandAM.jpg"> 


















With Chef Michael Chiarello and Alessandro Masnaghetti


















Maybach’s 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Materium offers serious depth, but it is
also heavy, alcoholic and oxidized, not to mention a wine that offers little in
the way of complexity. Although showy when young, in my experience the Maybach
wines don’t age well. The 2007 Cabernet
Sauvignon Spring Mountain District from Myriad is everything a Napa Valley wine made in this style should
be. Rich, sumptuous and super-expressive, the 2007 possesses magnificent depth
and intensity in all of its dimensions. It is also one of the best Myriad wines
I have ever tasted. <img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1492184911635-Vinouswines.jpg"> 


















Araujo’s
2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Eisele Vineyard
is another highlight. Dark, powerful and just as captivating as I remembered
it, the 2008 dazzles from start to finish.&nbsp;
Mocha, espresso, spice and dark-fleshed fruits all blossom in a deep,
super-expressive Cabernet Sauvignon. In a word: stunning. &nbsp;Two 2009s from my cellar show just how
satisfying this vintage is for current drinking. Joseph Phelps’ 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon Backus is rich, silky and
voluptuous on the palate. The radiant, supple personality of the year comes
through in spades. The 2009 Futo is
another wonderfully complete, satisfying wine. Still fresh and vibrant, the
Futo exudes class from the moment it is opened, with plenty of structure
underpinning the fruit. This is a great bottle. <img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1492184993259-porchetta.jpg"> 


















Porchettino di
Coniglio; grilled vegetables with Olio Nuovo
















The 2012 MacDonald Cabernet Sauvignon, from
the famed To Kalon Vineyard in Oakville, is sublime. Although not my absolute
favorite vintage of this wine, the 2012 drinks relatively well for such a big,
young To Kalon Cabernet, which is why I brought it to this dinner. With a
little time in the glass, the 2012 is superb. I have always adored Kapcsándy’s 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand
Vin. Tasted from magnum, the 2010 is powerful, vibrant and towering. It is
one of the great wines of this vintage also one of the finest wines ever made
at Kapcsándy. I doubt I will ever forget tasting it from magnum. In a word:
profound.<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1492185078453-Wines4.jpg">There
are many more wines, but keeping track of them becomes nearly impossible.
Masnaghetti and I sign maps for each of the attendees and then call it a
night. I would like to thank Chef Chiarello, wine Director Massi Giovannoni and
our own Kelli White for taking care of all the logistics in organizing this
truly unforgettable evening.

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