In the Footsteps of Italian Royalty

Without question, Nebbiolo is the top varietal in all of Italy. Deriving from the word nebbia, meaning 'fog' and a reference to the thick, whitish bloom of yeasts that forms on the grapes once ripe, Nebbiolo's truest expressions come in two forms: the masculine Barolo and the feminine Barbaresco. Barolo is considered the King of Italian wine and Barbaresco his Queen. True to form, Michele Chiarlo puts 'Reyna', or 'Queen' right on his Barbaresco label. Chairlo's Langhe Nebbiolo, a more approachable (and affordable) expression of Nebbiolo produced from the Langhe foothills near the town of Alba, is Il Principe, The Prince. Both of these expressions are just two of the wines we'll be enjoying with you this week when Adam Verona, ambassador for Tenuta Michele Chiarlo, stops by for a visit to pour through some fantastic wines from Piedmont, Italy.

Another for us to explore and enjoy is Michele Chiarlo's Barbera d'Asti Le Orme. Translated, Le Orme means The Footsteps, signifying the Art Park La Court, a walking oenological art park on Chiarlo's vineyard and UNESCO's fiftieth World Heritage Site.The landscaped scenery was designed by the great Emanuele Luzzati who, in this place, left a legacy of his sculptures, arranged along a fairytale itinerary dedicated to the elements: Earth, Water, Air, Fire. Alongside the sculptures by Luzzati, the park is punctuated by artists of international fame, among whom the works of Ugo Nespolo, Giancarlo Ferraris and Chris Bangle stand out. Imaginitive and iconic pieces that immerse the passerby in archaic and fantastic atmospheres, reasoning on the relationship and harmony between man and nature, creating meditative spaces and observation points. Can't make it to Italy quite yet to see this marvel for yourself? No worries, you can download for free the interactive app La Court Audioguide on the App Store or Google Play!

If you've never tasted the exquisite wines from Piedmont, you do not want to miss this chance to explore the three reds mentioned above and a Gavi (an expressive Italian white made from the Cortese grape) upon reception. If you're already familiar with Piedmontese wines, then you know not to miss this tasting, Wednesday August 4th from 5 til 7!

See you there!

Salud,

The Wine Shop Team