<a target="_blank" href="http://www.laciaudeltornavento.it/ita">La Ciau del Tornavento</a>

Piazza Baracco 7

12050 Treiso, Italy

Tel. +39 0173 638333

Food:

Carne cruda with Ovoli mushrooms

Tortelli; burrata, fresh tomatoes, marinated sardines

Roasted capretto (kid)

Wines:

<table>
 <tbody><tr>
 <td>
 <a target="_blank" href="http://vinousmedia.com/wines?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;q=2002+Taittinger+Comtes+de+Champagne">2002 &nbsp; &nbsp;Taittinger Comtes de Champagne</a>
 </td>
 <td>
 96
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 <a target="_blank" href="http://vinousmedia.com/wines?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;q=1999+Ceretto+Asili">1999 &nbsp; &nbsp;Ceretto-Bricco Asili Barbaresco Bricco Asili</a> &nbsp;&nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 95
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 <a target="_blank" href="http://vinousmedia.com/wines?utf8=%E2%9C%93&amp;q=1999+Vietti+Barolo+Brunate">1999 &nbsp; &nbsp;Vietti Barolo Brunate</a>
 </td>
 <td>
 92
 </td>
 </tr>
</tbody></table>

It’s always a treat to visit La Ciau del Tornavento. Proprietors
Maurilio Garola and Nadia Benech continue to set a very high bar for food, wine
and hospitality in the Langhe.

This recent dinner was stunning from start to finish. La Ciau
has long had the best cellar in Piedmont, with a dizzying array of bottles that
will make even the most seasoned wine lover weak at the knees. The cellar is
about to get even bigger, with an extension that is scheduled to be finished
later this year. Visitors will soon be able to enjoy lunch or dinner in the
company of La Ciau’s enormous collection. <img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1406878847728-Cellar+Straight.png"> 

So far, the early part of the summer has been quite rainy, which
is problematic for vineyards, but much more favorable for mushrooms. Ovoli are
perhaps Italy’s most prized mushroom and are not to be missed. The carne cruda
topped with a generous helping of Ovoli is an inspired dish for a warm summer
evening. La Ciau’s tortelli with burrata and fresh tomatoes is a welcome change
after a few weeks of working our way through the timeless standards of the
Piedmontese table. Here the flavors are bright, exuberant and decidedly
summery. As soon as I hear that roasted capretto
(kid) is on the menu, I know what I am having for a main course. Crisp on the
outside and moist on the inside, the capretto
is simply mouthwatering. This is a fabulous rendition of a Piedmontese classic.
In a word: fabulous!<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1406877955475-CiauCapretto.jpg"> 

Roasted capretto (kid)

Taittinger’s 2002 Comtes
de Champagne is a great way to kick off this festive birthday dinner,
although to be honest, I have had better bottles. Still, the exuberance and
opulence of the year is very much on display. Ceretto’s 1999 Barbaresco Bricco Asili is a revelation. A wine that continues
to blossom in bottle, the 1999 is fresh, vibrant and utterly beguiling from the
very first taste. All of that is even more remarkable considering 1999 was a
challenging vintage with significant hail damage. Sweet and floral throughout,
the 1999 Bricco Asili expresses all of the charm and seductiveness that makes
Barbaresco such an irresistible wine.<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1406878011083-CiauWines.jpg"> 

Two gorgeous 1999s

Vietti’s 1999 Barolo
Brunate emerges from a period of transition in this estate’s history. Much
heavier and oakier than the wines of today, the 1999 possesses considerable
density, structure and power, but less in the way of finesse. Put another way,
the 1999 Bricco Asili takes us on a journey of discovery, while the Vietti is a
much more static wine that offers less in the way of development. At this
level, those are relatively small critiques, but at the same time, these are
precisely the nuances that elevate some wines into the stratosphere.<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1406880388517-CiauPasta2.jpg"> 

Tortelli; burrata, fresh
tomatoes, marinated sardines

La Ciau del Tornavento remains a reference point for top-flight
dining in the Langhe. In the summer months the large, sliding glass doors
provide stunning views of the countryside. The light is especially magical
towards the late afternoon and evening in June and July, when the days are long
and leisurely. Readers making a trip to Piedmont should not miss a chance to
have a meal (or two!) at La Ciau del Tornavento.

-- Antonio Galloni

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