A new DO for me in italy, called Boca and a winery called Le Piane

[TheEngineer]

It's been a while since I've tried a new varietal or a new region so I was really excited to try these! These wines were tried on the same day that I opened the 85 Groffier Clos de Beze and 87 Leflaive Batard Montrachet for this winemaker.

The region is called Boca and it is located about 45 miles north of Milan. It grows amongst other things Nebbiolo and Vesoplina. So it was a great chance to see how a more mountainous site slightly north of Barolo would impact the wines. All I can say is wow,...did it ever. Lovely stuff and more importantly interesting. The wine maker's name is Christoph Kunzli....yeah really italian...actually he is swiss. He is one of a few Swiss wine makers that I really like (the other obviously is Daniel Vollenweider ...right JC? )

If you search online, there is a really interesting story as to who he came about this site but I won't copy it here. The predominant impression is that these were not barolo's, not barbaresco's,...they were much more burgundian. Great structure, lithe, elegant, structured and thought provoking as only PN can but this was Nebbiolo. Alois Kracher visited his site once and gave the wines the best description for me. He noted that theses were really white wines with a red wine sweater around them. So true!!! One of his reds I noted immediately (as did the rest of the group), citrus/grapefruit peel, like in some whites as the dominant nose smell. and the acidity levels were all great. So suffice to say, I had a great time. I mention Daniel's name to him and he recognized it immediately, like an old friend. When I opened the Burgs, he truly enjoyed them, saying that he in fact tries to make his wines like that. Tasting the Nebbiolo's and the Burgs side by side did not seem out of place at all as his wines has the same philosophy.

Getting late so I'll put in TN's tomorrow.

[Thomas]

Had my first and last taste of Boca Spanna in 2007 when I visited Piemonte. Fine stuff indeed.

[wondersofwine]

Let's hear it for exceptional Swiss vintners!

[Kcwhippet]

Cristoph was in the shop a few weeks ago. Tasted through his lineup. Everything was wonderful, including the 1985 Boca.

[TheEngineer]

Le Maggiovine: Bright fresh red berries, slight balsamic vinegar note, nicely structured, medium plus body. interesting texturally

2006 Le Piane: larger wine, higher density, deeper fruit, even better structure, opened 2 hours and lovely nose, bit of herbs, tobacco, medium body but had character.

2005 Le Piane: Brighter than th e06, a bit lighter in flavour as well, more tobacco, a bit muted.

2006 Boca: very elegant wine, more acidity for sure, nicely structured, less tannic than barolo, much more minerally, a bit gamey, very burgundian

2004 Boca: very interesting nose, very much like a grapefruit being peeled , very fresh, a bit austere in mid palate but very elegant still, lovely

2001 Boca: Much more dense than the 04, condition of the vintage, but interestingly, much more acidic to, has great future ahead. Like other boca's great elegant nose, lifted.

1990 Boca: my second fav in the lineup, very complex nose, slightly stinky, manure that blew off, very savory, wine was a bit cloudy, slightly sweet but completely dry. very powerful wine and yet still very fresh. lovely aromatics.

1985 Boca: What a wine. Almost tea in colour, slightly musty, very fresh still, very complex again in a pinot noir way, but with a slight rusticity that you don't fine in Burgundy any more. This is very interesting and was my wine of the lineup. Absolutely lovely stuff.

KC,

Would you recommend others try these wines if they can find them? I'm of the opinion that these are great wines worthy to stand along side Barolo, Barbaresco in that they are all Nebbiollo but this is a much different take on the grape.

[Kcwhippet]

I would definitely recommend them all. BTW, even the 1985 is available.