Sometimes it seems as if Eric Olof can bend the nebbiolo grape to his will. Yet he readily admits learning something from the Italian varietal, almost every year.
Take his 2014 white nebbiolo, for instance. In previous vintages he treated the wine like a fresh chardonnay or sauvignon blanc, first crushing then pressing and finally resting it in stainless steel. This time around, however, Olof opted for a whole cluster press and time in French oak.
A glorious, rich amber-hued wine emerged — full of fascination and charm, like a sepia tone image of a gilded age, unearthed from a forgotten attic trunk. But the tint is something he did not anticipate.
“I’m wondering if that’s from the oak,” Olof said.
His 2013 white nebbiolo offered an alluring petrol note, similar to that found in dry rieslings prized by connoisseurs. Oak treatment provided the 2014 Olof white nebbiolo a beautiful floral embrace, balanced by a sturdy mineral quality.
The aromas drift alongside a sylvan rivulet as it meanders over smooth stone. It soon courses past a grove of blossoming orange trees, dotted here and there with grapefruit, the large globes hanging heavily on branches. Eventually hints of ripening pear nudge your senses, followed by sun-dried herbs.
As the first, olfactory impression wanes, the vision of that wooded stream spills into more rugged, rustic territory, cutting through chalky soil and dusty spice.
Keep in mind all of this wanders through your mind before the first sip. It is a start full of promise and wonder.
On the palate the 2014 white nebbiolo splashes lightly at first — a rock garden after a summer sprinkle, balancing a firm minerality with a drying herbal bite. Indeed, the theme that emerges as the flavors develop is one of deft balance: cured pear and fresh stone fruit parried by dry rub spice; curled citrus zest and hewn oak softened by a mellow, nutty sensation.
The pronounced wood also works as a foil to the dense mineral foundation. And it is something Olof particularly enjoys.
“I like oaky chardonnay — old school stuff,” he observed.
Olof treated the nebbiolo like white grapes on the vine, harvesting at 24 brix. He settled the juice in 100 percent new French oak for 12 months. He sought to temper the wood with a medium toast before barreling the wine.
“With a heavy toast you get your tars,” he explained. “I didn’t want that.”
Although a more thorough scorching may have introduced more density, the Lakeport area winemaker hoped for a lighter body and cleaner fruit.
His treatment produced a graceful and remarkable wine.
But just when you begin — again — to believe Olof has nebbiolo’s measure, the winemaker waves off the notion.
Oh, he admits to a grasp of harvest, oak and aging. But, he adds, “I need to adjust my press.”
Dave Faries can be reached at 900-2016
