Eric Olof has mastered the Nebbiolo grape.
Oh, you might point to greater achievements — painting the Sistene Chapel, perhaps, or picking up that third Michelin star; maybe stepping in as quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys, even serving as editor of the … no, any hack could handle that role.
Consider, however, the diabolical bent of the famed Italian varietal. On the nose Nebbiolo whispers promised of lilting wines with an ethereal floral charm. But take a sip and the wine turns on you, riling into a dark, leathery, brooding thing. And for winemakers it tempts them to fret over barrels and bottles, waiting for the that snarling tannic streak to soften into prized Barolos.
So Olof’s deeds should not be underestimated. He produces a standalone red varietal, of course. He also crafted a white Nebbiolo through some form of alchemy.
And he just released a sparkling wine.
Olof’s 2009 Fira is a celebratory Nebbiolo, riven with fine bubbles and boisterous in body. Yet it remains an expression of the varietal. So it teases with aromas of fresh red cherries and soft rose petals drifting from a tray of unwrapped hard fruit candies before plunging on the palate. Because the winemaker work with Ployez, employing the traditional methode champenoise, a heady mineral note and beckoning aromatic hints of salt crusted bread drift under the bright fruit.
The wine quickly deepens when sipped. Instead of ripe red cherries, it descends into dark plum and black cherry before settling into Nebbiolo’s fundament — worn leather and sun baked adobe.
Yet here’s where Olof’s craft — his confidence with the grape — begin to show. A hard candy notion rides between the promise of the bouquet and the settle wealth of the palate, complementing each aspect.
It’s a deftly balanced sparkler — festive and contemplative, dry with just a faint trace of pleasant sweetness.
“We wanted something between brut and extra dry,” Cindi Olof observed.
For Vikings of yore, Fira translates as “celebration” — which, in Viking terms could mean anything from pillaging hapless villages to guzzling by the barrel in tapestried halls. But the 2009 Olof sparkler is far to sophisticated for such associations.
“It’s not made for quiche,” Cindi Olof assured, conceding that the wine pairs wonderfully with upscale holiday fare, including smoked salmon or oysters.
Olof rested the Nebbiolo in oak for two years. He then took it to the Ployez facility in Lower Lake for the classic French treatment. The wine fermented a second time and then developed through a course of riddling.
It’s a beautiful sparkling wine. At the same time it is very much a Nebbiolo, a connoiseur’s sip. Yet it also fits the celebratory nature of the season.
Yes, the winemaker’s achievement indeed deserves acclaim.
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
