If and when the chance arises to secure more San Fereolo “Austri”—a wine that shattered expectations in 2019—you must act quickly or else forfeit the allocation. We made sure the latter wasn’t applicable. So, in case you missed it or you’re desperately craving more, here’s your second and final shot at last year’s most enchanting Piedmontese offer.
Nearly eight years pass before each new release of “Austri” quietly slips out of San Fereolo’s cellar doors in the Piedmontese village of Dogliani. That means for the most recent harvest, no one except for Nicoletta Bocca, the mastermind behind San Fereolo, can taste her soul-stirring creation until 2027. While this may seem far-fetched, bordering on illogical, the most passionate and dedicated wine lovers will see the brilliance behind it. “Austri” is the Barbera grape at its finest, purest, and most profound. It is, quite simply, Barbera reimagined. In order to accomplish such a monumental undertaking, Nicoletta works to an almost supernatural degree, doing what 99.9% of the world’s winemakers don’t—complete biodynamic farming, three years of aging in neutral barrels, and four additional years of bottle aging deep in her cellar. “Austri” truly is more than wine: It’s a life-affirming break from the norm, a masterful lesson on patience, and an eye-opening take on a vastly underrated grape. Today’s 2011, still her current release, transcends everything one thinks they may know about Italian wine. It was one of the most memorable bottles of last year, and we have no problem extending that statement into 2020. Best of all, it has the preternatural focus and structure to continue blowing minds over the next decade. If you missed it last time, make sure it doesn’t slip by this time around!
[NOTE: This small shipment will be arriving at our warehouse in two weeks.]
Despite growing up in Milan and working in fashion, Nicoletta’s purchase of the estate in 1992 wasn’t to fulfill some fanciful dream. She felt duty-bound to the terroir here, the classic wines, the steadfast tradition. Still, the word “tradition” is subjective, and great wines often challenge the consensus about a given variety or region. For instance, many wine professionals feel that Barbera is not a grape that benefits appreciably from extended cellar aging. These same individuals might also argue that the soils in Piedmontese village of Dogliani speak most clearly through one variety, alone: Dolcetto. “Austri” defies both of these common misconceptions and I think that makes the world of wine all the better for it. This is a Barbera—the “wrong” grape for the village of Dogliani—that has clearly ascended to greatness due in no small part to natural farming and extended (with a capital ‘e’) aging. This doesn’t just disrupt the status quo, it shatters it.
rn
rn
The story of this bottling begins in the 1,300-foot Austri vineyard in the subzone of Valdiberti. This is an ancient, painstakingly farmed limestone vineyard that adheres strictly to the tenets of biodynamics. Because of the stellar, time-tested location and the chemical-free nature of farming, the fruit produced here possesses exceptional personality and energy. Seemingly, Barbera from Austri in 2011 has more of everything—more depth, more fruit, and more intensity. In the cellar, Nicoletta takes pains to preserve and never mask the wine’s character: fruit is fermented in large, neutral Slavonian oak; there is no temperature control; additives and commercial yeasts are avoided. What I’m trying to illustrate is that this Barbera is largely left untouched for seven years. The result of this hands-off approach is a singular wine of notable expressiveness, power, and energy. Note: Because this is a bottling of Barbera (plus a touch of Nebbiolo, 5%) it does not qualify for the Dogliani appellation, so it is instead funneled into the broader “Langhe” DOC designation.
rn
rn
My lasting impression of this bottle was that it was purely and definitively northern Italian in character, and yet it still showed so many beguiling characteristics that could easily take someone to elite Bordeaux. With every sip, its elegant, intricate layers make you feel energized and more alive, but make no mistake: this is not a simple, gluggable wine to toss around at a party—it’s an intelligent beast of a red that showcases a powerful grape and terroir. The nose reveals dried fruits of black cherry, red plum, black raspberry, and wild strawberry followed by rose petal, violets, vintage leather, crushed stone, damp moss, and exotic spices. The full-bodied palate shows considerable ripeness and weight, which is kept in check by wonderful freshness, a deep meaty savor, and the unique stamp of terroir. It deserves the best of the best company and a proper atmosphere: I encourage a minimum 30-minute decant prior to serving in Bordeaux stems around 60 degrees and pairing it with a classic Piedmontese beef preparation. Cheers!
rn
