"Club Barolo plus"
"Club Barolo plus"
Club Barolo plus provides and exchanges information and observations on Barolo and Barbaresco, in Britain. its intended scope includes other wines of the Nebbiolo grape, and other wines of the Langhe and Monferrato districts around Alba and Asti in the region of Piemonte in north-west Italy. ('Piedmont'/'Piemônt' Just "foot of the mountain(s)"). The initial trawl for members produced a scattering of enthusiasts equally spread along and across the UK. This did not make for a "clubby" club. Gathering today in Taunton and next month in Aberdeen is not really on. ( An importing initiative grew up with the Club, concentrating on fine wine from small producers, that would not otherwise be found in the UK - not necessarily avoiding barriques; nor any longer confined to Barolo - contact The Barolo Wine Club - johntiller@barolo.co.uk).
Information and advice has been shared by letter, email and 'phone. The rise of the Internet provided a way forward; but it needed a starting kick. This came initially with the favourable response to a list of producers - circulated some time ago - which among other things indicated which of them did not use barriques in the vinifying and maturing process. Then the death of perhaps the most respected figure in Barolo, Bartolo Mascarello, who was a fervent opponent of the introduction of barriques, and meeting his daughter, provided the momentum to extend the previous work through the - by now - obvious medium of the internet. Several members found the original list useful in avoiding disappointment when opening a bottle from a previously unknown producer. But it was very limited; based on personal experience.
It is envisaged that the "Club" will proceed on a pretty informal level, maintaining a list of 'members' who would like events of note to be communicated to them, of local or Club origin - and in Le Langhe. Many of the producers in the V da U index have specifically said that members of Club Barolo plus would be welcome at their cellar. They may of course be assuming that all 'members' prefer their Barolo unembellished by barrique tastes, so tread carefully if you introduce yourself as a member and do not agree.
V da U!
Bartolo Mascarello died in March 2005. In the May following, the Capitolo of the confraternity L'Ordine dei Cavalieri del Tartufo e dei Vini di Alba - of which he was a founder member - was dedicated to his memory. Meeting his daughter Maria Teresa on this occasion gave rise to a list of non-barrique using producers. Two hundred Barbaresco and Barolo producers were then approached in order to extend the list further. Some of them were very keen on the idea of such a list being published. A web site seemed the only way to do it effectively in a way that can be up-dated frequently. It is hoped that the present list of 66 will be frequently extended, and that I will remember to update the number in this paragraph each time.
"V da U" signifies Vino da Uva - Wine from Grapes. Most legal definitions of wine state that it is the product of the fermentation of grapes. Where a major constituent of the flavour and aroma of the wine derives from something else there is room to question whether it IS wine. In districts where the taste and smell of the container has become accepted over generations it can be seen why tradition is allowed to prevail. Introducing the practice to an established 'pure' wine can only have the purpose of imitating the flavoured wine, or just to be different and ephemerally newsworthy. “Modern” it is not! If introducing these components to a wine really were new - “modern” - it is inconceivable that it would be tolerated. It is and old old foreign habit, beloved of ultra-conservative closed-minded dealers, writers and even consumers.
A claim that a wine becomes "better" for the use of barrique is - if the flavours are detectable - nonsense. It is not better - it's different, and becomes a matter of personal preference. And if you open a bottle labelled "Barbaresco" the contents should be precisely that and not what anyone says is better. If a Barolo producer in a restaurant requests a bottle of Dolcetto - as they very often do - he will not be pleased to receive a bottle of Barolo, on the pretext that it is a "better" dry red wine. It's not better - it's different!
Don't re-orchestrate Beethoven to sound like Bach when he becomes the latest
fad in the USA.
Bach is not Better than Beethoven, Beethoven is not Better than Bach,
And they are definitely not equally good. It can't be measured.
Robert Parker would no doubt award each of them points.................
John Wheaver (who?)
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