The Night of the Forgotten Labels <a target="_blank" href="http://www.ilboscaretoresort.it/pagine/eng/boscareto-resort/la-rei-ristorante-langa.lasso">Ristorante
La Rei</a>

Il
Boscareto Resort &amp; Spa

Via
Roddino 21

12050
Serralunga d'Alba (CN), Italy

Tel.
+39 0173 613036

Wine:

<table>
 <tbody><tr>
 <td>
 1988&nbsp;Krug Vintage 
 </td>
 <td>
 97
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1998&nbsp;Giuseppe Mascarello &amp;
 Figlio Barbera d’Alba Codana &nbsp;
 </td>
 <td>
 92
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1985 Montevertine Montevertine
 </td>
 <td>
 97
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1971 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì
 San Lorenzo
 </td>
 <td>
 94
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1970 Giacomo Conterno Barbaresco
 </td>
 <td>
 91
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1979 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo
 </td>
 <td>
 93
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1990 Dujac Clos la Roche
 </td>
 <td>
 95</td></tr></tbody></table>

Food: 

Shrimp crudo with gazpacho

Agnolotti al Plin, ‘Genovese’
style, with braised onions, Parmesan foam and carne cruda

Turbot with cauliflower, candied
lemon and Taggiasca olives

It’s always great to get together with my Piedmont tasting group, which
includes the legendary Il Professore and a handful of equally passionate lovers
of food and wine. This fabulous dinner at La Rei, in Serralunga, featured a
number of oddball rarities, some of which I had never tasted. One of my friends
dubbed it ‘The Night of the Forgotten Labels’ and it stuck.

Our dinner is sensational, even if wine is center stage. Now that
celebrity chef Antonino Cannavacciuolo is consulting on the menu, some of the
dishes are a bit more creative than they were in the past, but I find it best
to stick pretty close to the classics, especially for the sake of enjoying
these pristine older gems. I start with the Agnolotti al Plin, ‘Genovese’ style,
which are filled with braised onions and topped with a dollop of carne cruda,
a combination that works beautifully. The turbot main course is delicious,
especially with the older wines, where the textures of both are nicely matched.
I don’t have too much of a sweet tooth, but the small assorted desserts that
accompany coffee are impossible to resist. Maître d'hôtel Davide Ostorero and Sommelier Andrea Ostorero (who
come from the same town but aren’t related) did a fabulous job with the
service.

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1385132602821-LaReiAppetizer+article.jpg"> Above: Shrimp crudo with gazpacho&nbsp;

Dinner starts with a glass of Krug ‘s 1988 Vintage, which is at a glorious
peak of expression. Fully mature, but showing no signs at all of decline, it is
an absolutely beautiful Champagne to drink right now. There are plenty of warm,
oxidative Krug signature in the glass, but today the 1988 has developed into a
subtle, gracious Champagne that impresses for its balance and overall sense of
harmony. What a great way to start the night.<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1385132478714-Agnolotti+article.jpg"> 

Above: La Rei’s
Agnolotti al Plin, ‘Genovese’ style, with braised onions, Parmesan foam and
carne cruda

Well, there aren’t too many dinners
where Giuseppe Rinaldi’s 1979 Barolo
is the first red of the evening. The 1979, from a largely overlooked vintage,
is gorgeous today. Sweet tobacco, rose petals, licorice, dried herbs and mint
waft from the glass in a beautiful, eccentric Barolo long on personality. In
this era, the Rinaldi Barolos were much more quirky than they are today. Still,
this bottle provides endless fascination and conversation. The aromatics could
be a little cleaner, but the wine is like silk on the palate. A true rarity,
Giacomo Conterno’s 1970 Barbaresco
is totally wild. This is the last vintage of the Barbaresco, and a wine I have
never tasted before. The 1970 is sauvage and unrestrained, yet compelling in
its own way. This won’t go down as one of the all-time great Conterno wines,
but it is certainly intriguing. Sadly, there are no records of where this fruit
was purchased. Hints of smoke, tobacco, licorice and dried herbs swirl around
the finish.

The 1998 Barbera d’Alba Codana from Mauro Mascarello, a last minute
addition, turns out to be one of the most intriguing wines of the night. Rich,
layered and explosive, the 1998 boasts tremendous density and complexity for a
15 year-old Barbera. What a gorgeous wine this is. If forced to pick my
all-time favorite Gaja wines, the 1971
Gaja Barbaresco Sorì
San Lorenzo would be at or near the top of my list. Great bottles are still
powerful and full of life. Sadly, this is not one of those bottles. Texturally
beautiful and silky on the palate, the 1971 is very pretty on its own terms,
but just a shadow of what it can be.<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1385132410313-forgottenlineup+article.jpg"> Above: The complete
lineup features a few last minute additions

The wine of the night is arguably
Montervertine’s 1985 Montevertine. A
wine that takes several hours to uncoil, the 1985 leaves everyone at the table
speechless. What a great, great wine. The purest and most exquisite Sangiovese
nuances lift out of the glass in a breathtaking wine of the highest level.
Rich, explosive and complex, the 1985 still has a lot to say. Readers who still
own this wine are in for a real treat. Wow. The combination of power and
finesse is classic Montevertine. Another wine I have never tasted, Bruno
Giacosa’s 1964 Barolo also leaves a
deep impression. I have had the Riserva, but not this bottling, which appears
to be a straight Barolo. Still in great shape, the 1964 is showing beautifully
for a wine of its age and era. The sweet floral, tobacco, spice and plum notes
are totally captivating.

Dujac’s 1990 Clos la Roche is a very pleasant last-minute addition to the
lineup. The most extraordinary, captivating aromatics lift out of the glass in
a stunning Burgundy loaded with class, complexity and pedigree. The wine is
insanely beautiful for about the first 30 minutes, but then start losing its
persistence and depth. I will remember the 1990 for its first impression, which
was utterly captivating.

One of the most rewarding aspects
of wine is the joy of discovery. Although I have probably tasted more than my
fair share of great wines from the Langhe, it is always fascinating to find something
new. Wine is a journey that is never-ending.

Cover: A handful of
forgotten labels

-- Antonio Galloni

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