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Massolino Wines and Their Passion for Barolo

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By Michael Hepworth


The history of this winery dates back to 1896 when Giovanni Massolino founded the estate and his son Giuseppe founded the first wine cellar in the region of Serralunga d’Alba. They have recently been launched in the USA, and their classic Barolo wine is made with Nebbiolo grapes cultivated 360 meters above sea level. The entire estate is twenty-three hectares in and around the village of Serralunga and the portion dedicated to Barolo is 7 hectares. The soil is very calcareous, with variations from zone to zone and it certainly helps that at least two of the family members Franco and Roberto are oenologists.

All these wines are being imported by the enterprising Vineyard Brands based in Birmingham, Alabama and have recently hit the market. Production is fairly limited starting with the Barolo Vigna Rionda which produces only 8,000 750ml bottles and is a wine that pairs well with meat, especially lamb and game, and it has been released six years after harvesting. A good portion of the wine has been held back and will be put on the market in four years.

Barolo Perussi has a solid structure and long finish with hints of sweet spices, sandalwood, tobacco and leather. The grapes are grown outside of the Serralunga d’Alba area in Castigliano Falletto and is best served with stewed meats and medium-long matured cheeses. About 5,000 bottles of this wine are produced annually.

Barolo Parafada is more intense and complex wine than the other Barolo’s and this robust wine is particularly good with rice and pasta dishes as well as roasted meats. Production is limited to 4,500 bottles.

The flagship Barolo (38,000 bottles) is aged in large oak barrels for 30 months and left to mature in bottles placed in dark and cool cellars for about a year. A versatile wine that ages well, the tasting notes indicate that this is a wine best served with red meats, truffles and game. It also goes well with egg pasta, risotto and goat’s milk cheeses.

Massolino also does a Moscato d’Asti (15,000 bottles) made from Moscato Bianco grapes in the same region as the Barolo production, and this straw yellow wine is best with desserts of any kind and spicy cheeses. This a fresh tasting wine that benefits from the fermentation process of large pressurized tanks known as autoclaves.

Sticking with the whites, the Langhe Chardonnay (15,000 bottles) is fermented for 6 months and is released for sale after at least an additional 6 months in the bottle. In a land that mainly produces red varieties, this white wine benefits from meticulous care in the vineyards and goes very well with fresh fish, in particular trout. The taste is very structured thanks to the soil of the area in which it is grown.

www.vineyardbrands.com
By Michael Hepworth

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What exactly is GRAND BRULOT I thought to myself as I opened the bottle for the first time just around the time this lockdown took effect. Well, Grand Brulot is listed as a VSOP Cognac Café and it can be used in Bloody Mary’s, Manhattans, Negronis, Martinis, spritzes and sidecars , just for starters. It is a blend of Ugni Blanc & Colombard that is crafted into 80 proof VSOP. Then 100% Robusta Ecuadorian coffee bean essence is extracted and blended with brandy to meld for a few months and finally, it is blended with the VSOP Cognac. There is also a whiff of peppermint, nutmeg and hot cocoa in the drink. The retail price is $42.99.

The idea for the drink was instigated in 2015 by John Bernbach who asked for the help of industry veteran Francisco Tonarely to investigate the potential of a cognac/brandy drink blended with coffee. Three year later in August 2018 Grand Brulot was launched. This cognac comes from the Tardy Cognac Group and the grapes come from its single estate. Grand Brulot also plays homage to a New Orleans specialty of the same name that is still served around town.  The name Grand Brulot was inspired by the famous French pirate Jean Lafite who helped New Orleans repel the British invaders in 1812. He would order coffee, pour cognac in the saucer, set it alight and mix it with the coffee.
Recipes:

THE RISE AND SHINE
2 oz Grand Brulot
Orange Twist

Just pour Grand Brulot over ice and the orange will highlight the flavors
of the spirit.

BRULOT BLACK MANHATTAN
1 oz Grand Brulot
1 oz Bourbon
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
3 dashes Orange Bitters

Bartender Todd Smith created this one. Stir all the ingredients together in
a mixing glass. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass with ice and garnish

with orange wheel.

FRENCH NEGRONI
1 oz Grand Brulot
1 oz  Sweet Vermouth
1 oz Campari

Build in a rocks glass over ice and garnish w/orange wheel.

GRAND BRULOT CAFÉ HOLIDAY
1 oz Grand Brulot
0.5 oz Crème de Cacao
3 oz Porter Beer or Stout
3 dashes of bitters

Throw cocktail ingredients between two cups a couple of times to mix
And ignite the foam from the beer. Pour into a highball glass over ice
And garnish with nutmeg.



www.grandbrulot.com
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