<a target="_blank" href="https://www.guidoristorante.it/">Guido Ristorante</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.guidoristorante.it/">

</a>Via Alba, 15, 12050

Fontanafredda CN, Italy

Tel. +39 0173 626162

BY ANTONIO GALLONI |&nbsp;DECEMBER 09, 2022The Food:

Il Peperone Ripieno (Pepper filled with Tuna)

L’Uovo Bianco di Alessandro Varesio in Camicia con Crema
di Patate della Val Varaita, Parmigiano Reggiano Gennari Stagionato 24 Mesi e Tartufo&nbsp;Bianco&nbsp;(Poached Egg with Val Varaita Potato Cream, 24
month-aged Parmiggiano Reggiano and White Truffle) 
 
Gli Agnolotti di Lidia al Sugo d'Arrosto e un Assaggio dei Tradizionali Plin
al Tovagliolo (Lidia’s Agnolotti with Gravy Sauce and a Tasting of the
Traditional Agnolotti in a Napkin)

La Guancia di Vitello de “La Granda” Brasata (Braised Veal Cheeks with Roasted Winter Vegetables)

Il Gelato
al Fiordilatte Mantecato al Momento (Milk Cream Ice Cream
Finished at the Table)

The Wines:

<table>
 <tbody><tr>
 <td>NV Jérôme
 Prévost – La Closerie Les Béguines (disgorged 2019)</td>
 <td>95</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1989 Riccardo Fenocchio Barolo
 Pianpolvere Soprano (magnum)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</td>
 <td>97</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1979 Giuseppe Mascarello &amp; Figlio Barolo Vigna Rionda</td>
 <td>94</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1990 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo
 Riserva Selezionata Brunata</td>
 <td>100</td>
 </tr></tbody></table>

 This
week we turn our attention to Guido Ristorante, one of the very finest
restaurants in all of Piedmont. After the passing of their father, Guido and
the subsequent closing of the family’s historic restaurant (<a target="_blank" href="https://vinous.com/articles/vinous-table-guido-da-costigliole-cuneo-italy-dec-2022">detailed
in last week’s Vinous Table</a>), brothers Ugo and Piero&nbsp;Alciati moved to the
University of&nbsp;Gastronomic Sciences&nbsp;at Pollenzo for a time&nbsp;before&nbsp;opening&nbsp;Guido Ristorante&nbsp;in the Villa Reale, one of the historic&nbsp;villas within the Fontanafredda complex. These are rooms where King&nbsp;Vittorio Emanuele II and his wife Rosa Vercellana, known as La&nbsp;Bella Rosina, once entertained their guests.&nbsp;Ugo
dials up refined versions of the classics, while Piero runs the front of the
house in his own very charming but laidback style. This recent dinner was
absolutely phenomenal.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1670602783672-Pepper_copy.jpg">Il Peperone Ripieno&nbsp;(Pepper filled with Tuna)We were greeted&nbsp;with a modern take on a classic, peppers stuffed with tuna. That might
sound and even look simple, but the dish, well, it was an explosion of flavors.
What a great start. The poached egg was divine, served with a light cream of
potatoes and finished with white truffles. Yes, 2022 has not been a great year
for truffles, but as my former boss Bob Parker used to say, “There is no such
thing as a bad truffle!!” Well, these truffles were just fine, thank you, as
was the entire dish. Sublime. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1670602829790-PoachedEgg_copy.jpg">L’Uovo Bianco di Alessandro Varesio in Camicia con Crema di Patate della Val Varaita, Parmigiano Reggiano Gennari Stagionato 24 Mesi e Tartufo&nbsp;Bianco&nbsp;(Poached Egg with Val Varaita Potato Cream, 24 month-aged Parmiggiano Reggiano and White Truffle) 

A few
years ago, one of our readers asked Roberto Conterno at La Festa del Barolo who
made the best agnolotti al plin in Piedmont. The room turned quiet. “How
is he going to respond?” everyone wondered. Of course, the answer was
diplomatic. But it made me think how much fun it would be to try all the
different interpretations until I realized that would be futile. There are many superb versions, including Guido’s. The agnolotti here, presented in two
versions, very lightly sauced and then in the super-classic, no-seasoning al
tovagliolo version, were to die for. Had I not eaten pretty much
relentlessly for the preceding three days, I would have surely ordered another
portion, maybe two. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1670602870732-Agnolotti_copy.jpg">Gli Agnolotti di Lidia al Sugo d'Arrosto e un Assaggio dei Tradizionali Plin al Tovagliolo&nbsp;(Lidia’s Agnolotti with Gravy Sauce and a Tasting of the Traditional Agnolotti in a Napkin) 

Next, I
picked up another ‘pro’ trick from my dear friend Il Professore, who requested the
chicken broth the agnolotti had been cooked in. What a brilliant idea. A few
minutes later, the broth appeared in a beautiful teapot. It was deep, flavorful
and also remarkably light. Perfect for a cold, fall Piedmont night.

The
braised veal cheek main course was to die for. No knife was needed, as the meat
was so tender. It was a brilliant dish for wine. Speaking of which, we had some
tremendous bottles.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1670602933858-BraisedVeal_copy.jpg">La Guancia di Vitello de “La Granda” Brasata&nbsp;(Braised Veal Cheeks with Roasted Winter Vegetables) 

After a
long day of tasting young Barolo, I craved Champagne. There is a sort of
symbiotic relationship between Champagne and Piedmont that I can’t really
explain, except to say I enjoy it tremendously. The growers really seem to be
on the same wavelength in so many ways, so when I saw&nbsp;Jérôme Prévost's&nbsp;NV Les Béguines&nbsp;I
grabbed it. Open-knit and so expressive, the Béguines (2019 disgorgement) is
wonderfully fresh. Sometimes I think we open these wines too soon after
release, I know I do. But with a few years on the cork, the&nbsp;Béguines&nbsp;offers up
pear, spice, ginger and dried flowers, all with notable freshness and verve.

After
having the 1990 Barolo Pianpolvere from Riccardo Fenocchio a few
days before, we turned our attention to the 1989. A bruising, old-school
Barolo, the 1989 does not have the immediacy or charm of the 1990. It needs a
few hours to blow off some funk, but when it does, the fireworks go off. From
magnum, the 1989&nbsp;is dark, virile and explosive. It’s the sort of wine I could spend
the entire evening with. This is a perfect bottle, or magnum, to be exact.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1670602987653-IceCream_copy.jpg">Il Gelato al Fiordilatte Mantecato al Momento&nbsp;(Milk Cream Ice Cream Finished at the Table) Mauro
Mascarello’s 1979 Barolo Vigna Rionda is a curious one-off. It
emerges from the same parcel that Bruno Giacosa sourced for his epic Riondas
before and after. That year though, Giacosa hesitated.&nbsp;Mascarello swooped in and walked away with the fruit. I remember Mascarello
telling me that he was initially quite concerned, as the wine was very light.
Ultimately, it came together very well. Today, the 1979 is a potent, brooding,
fully mature Barolo. While it does not possess the mesmerizing inner perfume of
the best Riondas, the 1979 is still quite deep and expressive. It won’t get
better from here, so any remaining bottles need to be enjoyed. 

Last
but not least was the Rinaldi’s 1990 Barolo Riserva Selezionata Brunata,
which we drank from an antique 1.9L bottiglione. This hand-blown, large
bottle was once sold to private customers with the idea that they would fill
two standard bottles on their own and have a little left for sediment. Back in
the day, Beppe Rinaldi would occasionally sell these, but only on the condition
that the glass was returned once the wine had been drunk. No, I don’t think he
gave them back re-filled! In any event, the wine was spectacular. And I mean
Spectacular. Nineteen ninety was an epic vintage. In many ways, it was the
first vintage that attracted the widespread attention of American consumers, as
the wines were unusually open and flamboyant. The Rinaldi is all that, but it
is also deep and marvelously complex, with tons of Brunate dark fruit mixed
with balsamic overtones. Readers lucky enough to own it can look forward to
another two decades of exceptional drinking. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1670603024123-Wines_copy.jpg">Dinner
wrapped up with Guido’s ice cream, finished at the table. This has become a
standard dessert in several local restaurants, but Guido made it famous. Caramel
sauce and chocolate cookie crumble are perfect accompaniments. Sweet, but not
too sweet. 

Guido
Ristorante remains one of my very favorite spots in Piedmont. Food, service and
hospitality are absolutely top-notch. The dining rooms are gorgeous, and tables
are set far apart, adding to the relaxed vibe. Guido’s list is remarkably well-priced
for a restaurant of this level. The small space makes Guido one of the hardest
reservations to get. Booking well in advance is a must to avoid disappointment.<div><div></div></div><div><div>© 2022, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.</div></div>

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