In 2010, Eric Asimov of The New York Times and his informal wine panel tasted twenty bottles of 2005 Barbaresco and decided that their “No. 1 bottle, the Vicenziana from Silvio Giamello, was clearly an old-school wine.” Not only did they rate Giamello’s Barbaresco the best among those tasted, but they also named it the best value.
     If Silvio had been a savvy marketer with a flashy brand, he probably could have leveraged this to become a renowned maker of Barbaresco. But Silvio doesn’t calculate that way. Ten years later, he remains a humble traditionalist, hardly known to anyone in his own region, much less internationally! That is extremely fortunate for you and me, because his wines have retained their outrageously good value. His 2017 Barbaresco remains $45 per bottle, the same price that Asimov paid for the 2005 in 2010.
     This Langhe Nebbiolo, meanwhile, comes from the same parcel as his Barbaresco and therefore could qualify for the Barbaresco DOCG. He prefers to keep only the most outstanding, age-worthy juice for his Barbaresco, however, leaving out the remaining, still-tremendous juice for this bottling, which costs half the price. How many producers do you think can affix a more prestigious label to their wine—and make more money—but choose not to?
     More approachable in its youth than both Barolo and Barbaresco, Giamello’s Langhe Nebbiolo is fresh and vibrant, evoking cherries, roses, and a touch of tar. Nebbiolo’s natural acidity makes this wine incredibly versatile at table, pairing well with roasted squash, sautéed mushrooms, roast fowl, polenta, and pizza, among many other dishes. This just might end up being our value of the year.