165 Duane Street

Barolo Masterclass at Scalini Fedeli

New York, NY 10013

Tel. +1 212 528-0400 

This recent private dinner at Scalini Fedeli hosted for a small group of wine lovers provided a fabulous opportunity to delve into the wines of four reference point Barolo estates and enjoy the cuisine of one of New York City’s most highly regarded Italian restaurants.

Located in New York City’s Tribeca, Scalini Fedeli has a distinctive Old World feel that sets it apart from many of its peers. Executive Chef Michael Cetrulo presents an Italian-inspired menu with a few twists. The penne with Italian sausage and wild mushrooms in a tomato basil sauce and seared and roasted pork chop with vodka-mascarpone sauce and truffle butter potato purée were two of the highlights on this night, although most of the focus was on the wines. And what wines they were.

For this tasting, I chose four producers whose Barolos encompass a wide range of styles. The flights were a combination of younger wines that are still possible to source with a few older vintages sprinkled in for added perspective on how Barolos develop over time. It’s hard to know where to start with a tasting such as this one because the producers, wines and vintages essentially represent a string of top hits over the last two decades or so. With the exception of a less than stellar bottle or two, the wines were fabulous. Moreover, it was a great deal of fun to spend a few hours with this collection of fine Barolos and a group of people who deeply appreciate them.