Vikas Sharma

My wife and I took another hit at Published on Main. We loved it so much when we visited in the autumn that she booked us in for seconds this winter.

While the food was bang-on, the star of the evening, for me, was the bottle we selected: Tenute Guardasole Pio Decimo.

A bit about the vineyard.

First – for those who care – Tenuta Guadasole is an organic vineyard, which is run by young winemakers Marco Bui and Annalisa Gri.

Second – they grow their fruit on just two hectares of land. That’s about 200,000 feet squared.

Third – the DOC, Boca, is in the Alto Piemonte region … and yes, there’s a difference between Piemonte and Alto Piemonte.

As you may have figured, Alto Piemonte means “higher” Peimonte, which has a cooler climate than Piemonte and a later harvest; this has brought more attention to the area from growers.

The wines from this region have good acidity, which adds to the structure in order to age the wine well.

It’s also Nebbiolo country – which means it’s a great region for me to enjoy what they have to offer.

On to the show:

Wine: Tenute Guadasole Pio Decimo

Region/Appellation: Alto Piemonte (Boca)

Grape(s): Nebbiolo

Vintage: 2018

Style: Red

Price: $50 to $75 USD (I don’t think you could buy it anywhere in Canada besides in a restaurant)

The Visual: Oily viscosity in the glass – medium-minus intensity in colour, which was ruby with a clear rim.

The Aroma: Medium intensity in aroma, with a tasty-plus impression. The nose contained notes of Tobacco, Prune, Plum, and Dark Berries.

The Flavour: Was medium in intensity, and was medium-bodied. With supple tannins, and flavours of Black Currant, Plum, slight Brine, and a bit of Umami.

Alcohol: medium at 13.5%.

Balance: The flavours were very well balanced with a medium finish.

Other notes: Dry – with a strong structure coming from the acidity. Very pleasant aromas and flavours indicative of Fruit, Oak, and Spice. My guess is that you could age this wine 20 years.

Food pairing: We had this wine with some very earthy foods – lots of herbs, vegetables, and chocolate.

Final Comments: I loved how the wine opened up rather quick. I was out with some work colleagues a few days before and ordered a Langhe, and it probably took about 30 to 40 minutes to open up. If you’re lucky enough to see this on the wine list when you’re out, grab it!

Cheers – Salud – Salute – Živeli – Prost – Na Zdrowie – Skål – Santé