Barolo Tour 2011 - Ettore Germano
English version
I have known Sergio Germano for many years now. First time I tasted one of his Barolo's was back in vintage 1998, and I gave it a really good rating.
I think Sergio thought the same, because less than a year after this experience, Sergio suddenly visited my work holding a bottle of Barolo Cerretto 1999. A gift from the family and of course a new vintage to review :-)
Sergio, the importer and I had coffee and less than one hour later, Sergio invited me, my girlfriend at that time and her children on a visit at his property in Serralunga d'Alba. We planned to do it the following summer, where Sergio and I would talk about wine and taste wine, and Sergio's father would take the rest of the family on truffle hunt!
I'm sorry to say, that Sergio's father died in the beginning of the following year, so the truffle hunt never happend, but some years later I started to visit Sergio from time to time, and have been doing that ever since.
Every time it's a really nice day. Lot's of time, lot's of wine and from time to time local dinner in Serralunga d'Alba. Some will remember the story about the famous Carne Cruda from a previous episode of the Barolo Tour :-) Over 30 different wine and 250 grams of raw meat - wow!
Ettore Germano was founded in 1856 and has always been family owned. Grapes were back in time sold to other producers through the years. When Sergio finished his enology studies in 1988, he decided to begin bottling his own wine by inspiration of Carlo Petrini who had incouraged also small wine producers and land owners to bottle their own wine.
It took a few years to go from one system to another, but in 1993 Sergio Germano began bottling the entire production. Ever since that year, Sergio has only had his eyes on developing the quality of the wine and inventing new interesting grape combinations.
I think, it's fair to say that we have tasted all of the different experiments during the years - and never a single miss in quality or believe in the many projects from Sergio's side.
Sergio has an eye for traditional wine from Serralunga d'Alba but also shows great interest in white grapes from Chardonnay to Riesling and types of sparkling wine. I remember one year, where we tasted a sparkling wine on Nebbiolo grape - very classy.
Sergio now has 14 hektars of vineyards - 10 in Serralunga and some far away from the home town, where white grapes are perfect for the purpose of what Sergio intents to do.
Above you see Sergio Germano shaking hands and welcoming us and to the left you see an old bottle of Barolo 1983.
Before we go any further, I will like to tell you that we must not forget Sergio's wife who helps him in the production, and she makes a fabulous special kind of local "marmalade" based on plums, haselnuts and sugar which spends a very long time cooking until the base is reduced into a very thick and small amount of gold. Perfect as supplement for cheese.
It is so thick and sticky that you can build roads out of it. Simply delicious and unique. And a glass will keep for +50 years because of the amount of sugar, so you don't have to eat it all at one time!
Well, back to the wine business.
I have never meet an Italian wine producer who possess so much energy, creativity and curiousity as Sergio. Always on the move, always new ideas. So untraditional in a very traditional part of Piemonte.
The range of wine is very different and the list is long. A mix between traditional Barolo-like wine and new style and future-oriented I hope Sergio forgives me, if this list misses some new, not known wines:
Rosé
Alte Langhe (spumante)
Langhe Chardonnay (white)
Langhe Binel (white)
Langhe Riesling Herzu (white)
Langhe Bianco Nascetta (white)
Dolcetto Lorenzino
Dolcetto Pradone
Barbera Serralunga
Barbera d'Alba Vigna della Madre
BÃ lau
Langhe Nebbiolo
Barolo Serralunga
Barolo Prapò
Barolo Cerretta
Barolo Lazzarito Riserva
As always, Sergio had prepared a very nice selection of wine to taste on the fine and sunny november day in 2011. You see the list below.
If you want to see our review of a particulary wine or more, just click on the wine, and you'll be forwarded to our wine database with almost 5.000 Italian wine reviews:
Rosé 2010, Ettore Germano
Alta Langhe Spumante, Ettore Germano
Chardonnay 2010, Ettore Germano
Langhe Binel 2010, Ettore Germano
Langhe Bianco Nascetta 2010, Ettore Germano
Langhe Riesling Herzu 2010, Ettore Germano
Dolcetto d'Alba Pradone 2010, Ettore Germano
Barbera d'Alba Vigne del Madre 2008, Ettore Germano
Langhe Nebbiolo 2010, Ettore Germano
Barolo Serralunga 2007, Ettore Germano
Barolo Prapo 2007, Ettore Germano
Barolo Cerretta 2007, Ettore Germano
Barolo Riserva Lazzarito 2005, Ettore Germano
Barolo Riserva Lazzarito 2006, Ettore Germano
Barolo Riserva Lazzarito 2007, Ettore Germano
Barolo Riserva Lazzarito 2008, Ettore Germano
As mentioned you can see our reviews of the lovely wines we tasted this day by clicking the wine above.
It's so exiting to taste Riesling, Spumante and Barolo from the same producer! Kind of a unique day :-)
Now it's time to tell you a little about the different wines. How they are made and so on....
Alta Langhe Spumante is made from 80% Pinot Nero and 20% Chardonnay. Production is 3.500 bottles a year.
Langhe Chardonnay is made from 100% Chardonnay. Production is 7.000 bottles a year.
Langhe Binel is made from 70/75% Chardonnay and 25/30% Riesling. Production is 8.000 bottles a year.
Langhe Riesling Herzu is made from 100% Riesling Renano. Production is 13.000 bottles a year.
Langhe Nescetta is made from 100% Nascetta. Production is 3.000 bottles a year.
Dolcetto d'Alba Lorenzino is made from 100% Dolcetto. Production is 8.000 bottles a year.
Dolcetto d'Alba Pradone is made from 100% Dolcetto. Production is 8.000 bottles a year.
Barbera d'Alba Serralunga is made from 100% Barbera. Production is 6.000 bottles a year.
Barbera d'Alba Vigne del Madre is made from 100% Barbera. Production is 9.000 bottles a year.
Langhe Balau is made from 100% Merlot. Production is 5.000 bottles a year.
Langhe Nebbiolo is made from 100% Nebbiolo. Production is 10.000 bottles a year.
Barolo Serralunga is made from 100% Nebbiolo. Production is 7.000 bottles a year.
Barolo Prapò is made from 100% Nebbiolo. Production is 5.000 bottles a year.
Barolo Cerretta is made from 100% Nebbiolo. Production is 12.000 bottles a year.
Barolo Riserva Lazzarito is made from 100% Nebbiolo. Production is 4.500 bottles a year.
This is really a large selection of different types of wine. From Spumante to Barolo Riserva. From white Riesling to red Barbera. This is among other things what makes Ettore Germano interesting from a winelovers point of view. During the 10 years, I have known Sergio, the wine is getting better and better. True expression of the terrior and typical Serralunga d'Alba. But Sergio also has this idea about inventing new grape combinations in the bottles in regard to the white wines and the bubble wine.
As always spending time with Sergio Germano is all about having a nice time, tasting a lot of wine and talking about wine.
But, all good things have to come to an end - also this time. It was time to get back to Barolo main street to dress up for dinner at a local restaurant.
We will be back for yet another visit soon to try the new vintage....
You can find the wines from Ettore Germano in Denmark at Viniropa.
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