n.v. Rosavica Benotti, Bruno Chinato, Roero, Piemonte, Italy.
The dark ruby and brick edged Nebbiolo Roero fueled Bruno Chinato by Rosavica Benotti is wildly aromatic stuff with loads of vivid and bitter mountain herbs, crushed flowers, grilled orange, sour rhubarb, cardamom, cinnamon, cola and a background of tart cherry, damson plum, truffle and licorice. This speciality liqueur is a Piemonte rarity and most famously made with Barolo in the best versions and is a noted health digestive, but would be brilliant in a Negroni! Rosavica Benotti, who make one of my new favorite Nebbiolo wines, uses a proprietary blend of Nebbiolo wine, fortified spirt, sweetener, a blend of selected herbs and spices, including gentian, cinchona (china) bark, orange peel, vanilla, cloves, and other local botanicals. This edition of Bruno Chinato NV was made using a base of 2017 vintage Roero Nebbiolo, which adds a certain pedigree and gives depth and complexity that is highly appreciated by lovers of this lovely after dinner treat. Chinato can be used for cocktails, or as an aperitif, with soda and lemon slice, but traditionally it is a digestif or paired with a dark chocolate dessert.
Rosavica Menotti’s winemaker, Ermanno Cordero, as I understand it, like many Piemontese, has long been an admirer of traditional Chinato, an Amaro like fusion of wine, sweetener, herbs and spirt, especially the one by legendary Barolo producer Augusto Capellano, whose grandfather is believed to have been the originator of the recipe for Barolo Chinato. In my long experience in wine, only a few Chinatos have made me go mmmmmm, one of those was the legendary Capellano Barolo Chinato and more recently G.D. Vajra’s own Barolo Chinato, so I was intrigued by this one from Rosavica Benotti, which is more vividly expressive than the other two mentioned, but one I would go again. The very limited Rosavica Benotti Bruno Chinato is finished at a local distillery in nearby Calamandana, where some top quality local Vermouth is made. Chinato, less sweet than vermouth, bitter and herbal, will not appeal to the masses, but luckily, Rosavica Benotti does an exquisite selection of Roero Nebbiolo, a fine Langhe Nebbiolo, Langhe Dolcetto and Barbera d’Alba, all of which I highly recommend. This winery is a fabulous new discovery for me, it dates back to the mid 1950s, though didn’t start bottling their own wine until 2015, and is now a label to watch!
($68 Est. – 750ML) 94 Points, grapelive