This alluring Nebbiolo was aged 12 months in oak and 12 months in the bottle. If you don’t know
Nebbiolo, it’s a great introduction, being varietally correct with a lovely ruby red color with garnet
reflections. Give it a swirl and enjoy delicate floral scents with notions of wild berries and black cherry.
Flavors of red plum and red cherry show themselves well on a pleasantly spicy base of cinnamon and
clove. This is a dry wine but velvety and harmonious and very well-balanced—displays the accessible style
of Nebbiolo with class.
Black cherry, light leather, baking spice, orange zest.
Nebbiolo is the grape upon which Italy’s two greatest, and priciest, red wines are based: Barbaresco and
Barolo. The latter, the so-called “king of wines,” is particularly expensive, with good ones starting around
$80 and rising into the hundreds. This Nebbiolo d’Alba is made in the same region and from the same
grape as Barolo. For a fraction of the price, this dry red delivers a taste of the structure and pedigree of
Barolo. Located in the town of Montà d'Alba near Torino, the Pelassa family has always produced wine
from the vineyards they owned including their award winning Barolo. The present winery was created in
1960 by Mario Pelassa, who has been producing and making wine from his vineyards for nearly fifty years,
with the help of his wife Maria Teresa Viglione. Today, his sons Davide and Daniele continue the family
tradition, expanding the winery into new markets.
The Pelassa Sot is an extremely food worthy wine. Nebbiolo’s naturally high acidity makes it a terrific
accompaniment to red meats, whose protein will soften the wine’s tannins. In turn, the wine’s vibrant
acidity will cut the richness of the meat and refresh the palate between bites. Try the wine with a seared,
dry-aged steak topped with a compound butter that includes fresh herbs or a pungent cheese, such as
Gorgonzola. The wine will also be delicious with a cheese course: Fontina Val d’Aosta and aged hard
cheeses like Asiago will be particularly fine companions. Then again, who can pass up my Forever Roasted
Pork.
“Fan the sinking flame of hilarity with the wing of friendship; and pass the rosy wine.” ~ Charles Dickens
