A Young Italian, Nicely Balanced

By Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg
Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Fifth-generation Italian winemaker Luca Currado was contrite. After the first hour of our conversation during his visit to the United States this month, a few mornings after a tasting that introduced his winery's impressive new releases, the passionate 38-year-old apologized to us in his charming Italian accent: "You wanted to talk with me about wine, and I know I talk too much about food."

Our response was as impolite as his apology was gracious: We burst out laughing -- then quickly explained that we were, in fact, kindred spirits in thinking he had his priorities just right.

On many counts, Currado strikes us as remarkably well balanced. On the spectrums of embracing wine or food, tradition or modernity, you no doubt would find him sitting squarely in the middle of each.

Since making its first wines in 1919, his family's Vietti winery has become a well-regarded producer. Its products include a crisp Roero Arneis -- a white varietal virtually lost until Alfredo Currado (Luca's father, considered "the father of Arneis") revived it in 1967 -- and the most alluring Moscato d'Asti we have ever tasted. His reds are famously unfiltered, to better balance their fruit with the Piedmont region's distinctive terroir. We had nearly written off the very earthy and tannic 2004 Vietti Dolcetto d'Alba "Tre Vigne" ($16), which we had tasted at room temperature, as too brooding and intense before we realized we had neglected to follow the advice on the back label: "Serving temperature: 63 degrees." We threw it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes, then tasted it again. The chill miraculously tamed the tannins, bringing out the Dolcetto's delightful cherrylike fruitiness.

But Vietti is arguably best known for its Barbera and its Barolo, which represent yet another spectrum: modesty to nobility. On the latter end, Currado's Barolos shine for special occasions.

At the tasting of Vietti's new releases, we agreed with the assessment of noted wine writer Ed McCarthy, co-author with Mary Ewing-Mulligan of "Italian Wine for Dummies," that Vietti's 2004 Barolos "amazed." McCarthy rated Vietti among the top seven or eight Piedmontese producers of the varietal. The 2004 Vietti Barolo "Brunate" ($120) captivated us with its velvety-smooth texture, well-balanced tannins, cherry fruitiness, chocolate notes and long, lingering finish.

"Barolo is a wine that needs a little more attention, more quiet reflection and the right people," Currado said. "It constantly changes, so you want to be able to taste it the moment you open the bottle, right after you decant it, and again 10, 20 and 60 minutes later," to experience its evolution in the glass.

And Barolo needs the right food, of course. Currado recommends a meat with a bit of gamy character, such as quail or lamb. We tasted it with lamb and a rib-eye steak, both excellent pairings.

During his U.S. visit, Currado was a guest at a private tasting in New York of 25 vintages of Vietti Barolos, from 1961 to the present, for which collectors flew in from as far away as the Cayman Islands and Texas. "It was very emotional," he recalled. "The 1961 was the first single-vineyard cru Barolo ever" -- his family is credited with pioneering the practice of showcasing the grapes of a single vineyard -- "and the last wine my grandfather made."

Other standouts included the 1978, which Currado characterized as "still young," and the 1982, which he deemed "incredible."

Though he obviously prizes his Barolo, Currado is especially proud of his Barbera. "It's the most important, not in terms of prestige, but because in the 18th century at the table, it's what Italian people would drink. Then, it was a lot more famous than Barolo."

He also loves Barbera for its ability to elevate food. "With its bright red fruit and acidity, without food Barbera is fresh and drinkable," he said. "But with food, it's magic: The wine changes. That's why at dinner you should always try the wine first without food, then taste it again. When it interacts with food, it's completely different. The two become one."

Currado recalled a Wine Spectator wine-and-food-pairing event a few years ago featuring star chefs Mario Batali, Emeril Lagasse, Wolfgang Puck and Charlie Trotter that showcased the food-friendliness of his Barbera. "With the merlot and cabernet sauvignon, the chefs paired only red meat dishes. But with my Barbera, they were able to create four different dishes that all went with the wine: from Batali's pasta with tomato sauce to Puck's filet mignon with foie gras to Lagasse's salmon with a red-wine reduction.

"When in doubt, Barbera is an easy pick. That's why you'll see it so often by the glass in restaurants: It goes with everything," Currado said. "Also, Barbera is relaxed, a wine for sharing and enjoying when you're talking loud and laughing with friends, and you don't want to think too much."

At $24 a bottle, the 2005 Vietti Barbera d'Asti "Tre Vigne" offers a gentle entry to Vietti wines, both price-wise and flavor-wise, for those used to a fruitier, New World style who are making the move to an earthier, Old World style.

Another easy pick this week was the 2007 Cascinetta Vietti Moscato d'Asti ($16), the freshest, fruitiest and creamiest example of the variety we have ever tasted. With just 5.5 percent alcohol, Moscato d'Asti is often a Piedmontese's first wine, given the local tradition of dipping a baby's pacifier in it. You don't need to have been born that lucky to develop a taste for it. It is a delight, either solo or poured over sliced fresh strawberries.

"Wine is like food: The best is all about elegance and finesse and balance," Currado said. And as to balance: "In Italy, you order your food first and then the wine. Not like here [in the United States], where some wine drinkers are so serious they do it backwards."

We're glad to know Currado shares our passion for trying to even the scales.

Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, award-winning authors of "What to Drink With What You Eat," can be reached through their Web site,http://www.becomingachef.com, or atfood@washpost.com.

Tips: WINEMAN'S HOLIDAY

Tips: WINEMAN'S HOLIDAY

At home, Vietti winemaker Luca Currado doesn't drink his own wines; he says he does too much of that at work. "I'll drink other producers' Barolo and Barbaresco," he offered. That still sounded like work -- however pleasant -- so we pressed further until he admitted:

"I love champagne. I love Charles Heidsieck Blanc des Millénaires [made from 100 percent chardonnay] and Pol Roger Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill . But Billecart-Salmon Cuvée Elisabeth Rosé is the best in the world to me.

"And I love Côtes du Rhône wines. Two of the most incredible of my life were a 1961 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle and a 1978 Château Rayas [Châteauneuf-du-Pape]. Mama mia, that was a monster!"