High in the Italian Alps near the borders of France and Switzerland, Nadir Cuneaz and his family have 1 acre of vines near the town of Gressan in the appellation of Torrette. This is prime real estate, with some of the vines being planted over a century ago, but the family does not label their wines as “Torrette DOC” because they remain unmoved by the majority of vinous exports from their appellation, and feel it bares little connection to their own painstakingly handmade wine. The family takes a similarly straightforward approach to winemaking. If you are visiting their “cellar”, you will see it is simply one of the rooms in their home, adorned with a few small tanks and wooden casks. Despite this modest setting, the wine they produce is incredibly elegant with a purity of fruit that recalls Chambolle-Musigny from a warm, young drinking vintage. This is an incredibly delicious wine.
In the glass, the 2014 Nadir Cuneaz Pinot Nero has a light ruby color with a hint of pink on the rim. The nose is driven by rose petals, wild herbs, wild raspberry, black cherry, pomegranate and a hint of exotic dry spice. The palate has a layered texture with up front fruit flavors of Bing cherry, raspberry coulis, red plums and pomegranate with lightly gripping tannins that are both polished and elegant. This is delicious Pinot Noir that will drink well for the next 5-10 years, most likely peaking about 2020. I enjoy drinking alpine reds a little cooler, so I rest them in the refrigerator for 20 minutes before serving, roughly cellar temp, about 55F. This is as much an effort to accentuate the wine's’ freshness as it is my attempt to recreate my fond memories of drinking these extraordinarily rare wines high up in the Alps. Otherwise, this bottle requires no extra preparation or decanting before serving out of a large Burgundy stem—it is giving and delicious immediately after the cork is pulled. As with many great alpine Italian reds, this bottle is just as comfortable with fish as it is with more conventional meat and poultry dishes. Or if you have some free time this weekend, I encourage you to prepare
April Bloomfield’s famed Gnudi recipe from the Spotted Pig. This rich, hearty dish is a wonderful foil for such an enlivening wine. Cheers!
