WIMPS Piemonte, Trompette, 29/9/22

We may not have had the glamour of some other tables but we had the same excellent repast as them, so there!

I'm relieved that Greg has hopped so gracefully across the river to keep the flame so convincingly alive

Canape and Raviolo both vg.

I wasn't as keen on the cauliflower as some - think it needed truffles with more scent.

Beef v well executed, especially the galette and cep. I never order beef due to its environmental dodginess but my fault for not saying this in advance.

Figs worth the detour too although I wasn't sure about the rubble.

Team Trompette as a whole seemed to be generally zinging!

Duval Leroy Pur Chardonnay - a bit too pure for my taste.

Mestres GR Brut Mas Via 2004 - odd but in a quite pleasing way - reminds me of those milk bottle sweets from 40 years ago.

Brovia Villero 2006 (mine), balanced, low key, probably best of the reds.

Marcarini Serra 2011 initially clunky but gradually tar and interest emerged.

Trediberri barolo 2010 normale - I know people follow them but I haven't been blown away to date. This was, however, a decent showing and speaks of the quality of 2010.

Manzone Bricat 2007 - a bit stolid even though I like his wines.

Scavino Ambrogio 2005 - I haven't had this cuvee before, feels a bit 90s.

La Morandina Moscato d’Asti ‘Canelli’ 2020 - thank you Alistair, what a refreshing way to finish!
 
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Fabulous lunch, one of the most enjoyable, thanks to Donald & everyone at La T and esp. new chef on first WIMPS - amazing job! Also to my dining companions for your company!

The privilege and pleasure on Biella was a glorious selection of typical wines that each did pretty much what they should. I didn’t take notes, so hopefully others will add some sensible thoughts so just a few random things while I’m on the train…

The two Nebbiolo flights were exceptional. First…

2014 Giovanni Canonica Barolo Paiagallo
2011 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero
2011 Cappellano Barolo Pie Rupestris

…were so contrasting and all wines that demanded attention and had compelling characters in their own ways. Cappellano and Burlotto indivisible in deliciousness but quite different, as expected, a great vintage comparison and it really shows how far out Burlotto are in their approach with Monvigliero - Cappellano as properly traditional as can be and Burlotto like a wild flight of fancy.

This…
2004 Giacomo Borgogno & Figli Barolo Riserva
2001 Gaja Barbaresco
2001 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe
1998 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Villero
…was also an exceptional flight - everything in good condition and doing what it should. The Gaja the most modern in terms of (integrating) oak - Cavallotto and Brovia proper traditional maturing Barolo.

The 2012 Dom Pérignon was a great treat to start and thanks to Filippo for the 1999 Auslese which we enjoyed with dessert, despite Filippo’s absence.
 
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Having just got home now from lunch (diversion via a local pub & chippy) I'll decipher my scribbles on the wines/post some thoughts tomorrow.

In the meantime I'd like to pass on my thanks to Greg, Donald, Kern and the rest of the La Trompette team for a splendid lunch today. The menu in particular was well conceived and executed to perfection. For me personally there was a signature running through each dish and that was of a lightness of touch, depth of flavour and texture. Roasted Cauliflower a brave dish to "kick off" a first WIMPs lunch which I feel was elevated by the salty flavours of the cashew nuts. Rabbit Raviolo a delight with every morsel consumed; pasta wafer thin. After a great pasta course I often find that the main course struggles to hit the same "dizzy heights". This was not the case here. The Beef fillet was soft, succulent and probably the most flavoursome that I've had in a long time; a great dance partner with crispy potato galette and earthy ceps. Great crunch on the hazelnut financier and such a silky smooth ice cream. Favourite Dish; all of them :)
 
Less dodgy than imported, grain-fed but still dodgy.
Could be worse, could be several hundred thousand tonnes of methane leaked into the baltic sea… never mind, half expect we will be annihilated by nuclear war come Sunday. Happy days abound…

Jokes (I hope) aside, I do take your point on beef, although I do feel grass fed and British is the best we can do if partaking - which I do.
 
Having just got home now from lunch (diversion via a local pub & chippy) I'll decipher my scribbles on the wines/post some thoughts tomorrow.

In the meantime I'd like to pass on my thanks to Greg, Donald, Kern and the rest of the La Trompette team for a splendid lunch today. The menu in particular was well conceived and executed to perfection. For me personally there was a signature running through each dish and that was of a lightness of touch, depth of flavour and texture. Roasted Cauliflower a brave dish to "kick off" a first WIMPs lunch which I feel was elevated by the salty flavours of the cashew nuts. Rabbit Raviolo a delight with every morsel consumed; pasta wafer thin. After a great pasta course I often find that the main course struggles to hit the same "dizzy heights". This was not the case here. The Beef fillet was soft, succulent and probably the most flavoursome that I've had in a long time. Great crunch on the hazelnut financier and such a silky smooth ice cream.
I’d agree with all of that Mark. I did note at the time just how flavoursome the fillet was, notably because it’s a cut I normally avoid due to its general lack of flavour. I would happily become vegetarian (well for a little while at least) if the cauliflower dish was the sort of fare that was served up to me. The velouté with the pasta was also noteworthy. I sat next to Colin W and we both happily mopped up the remaining sauces of the first two courses with the bread. It’s not exactly the done thing in polite circles, but hey it was worth it!
 
Over on the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola table. We had a super lunch battling with a wall of Barolo.

The magnum of NV Etienne Calsac Champagne L'échappée Belle Brut Blanc de Blancs was a handy cut through between Barolo sips. And a lovely match to the cauliflower.

Probably WOTD was the 2008 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero which seemed to be giving more and more.
The 2010 Luigi Bandanna Barolo Baudana and 2012 Enzo Boglietti Barolo Fossati flight a contrasting pair. Baudana more tannic even closed, the Boglietti modern touches of vanilla even. Both
2006 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Vignolo and 2009 Elio Grasso Barolo Gavarini Chiniera impressive but so structured. As I said a Barolo wall, could be an Oasis song.

Nice to finish with a Moscato D’Asti.

Most of all a great table of stories and wine. The food was perhaps the best I’ve had. Rabbit and beef were stunning.
 
Thanks to Don, La T and my most lovely and generous dining companions on Cuneo for another cracking lunch.

If the guilty groans of joy emanating from our table's rabbit raviolo-stuffed mouths were anything to go by then I think it's fair to say that Greg has hit the ground running.

Our wines showed rather well and I was particularly impressed with the class of the first flight of reds. The gorgeous Lessona and surprisingly approachable Barbaresco Rosé were the standouts whilst the wonderfully strict Burlotto Pelaverga would certainly be worth revisiting in 3-5 years.

Interesting to note another slightly iffy bottle of Monprivato 2004, not the first reported here in recent months.

Also delighted to meet Andrew and Rebecca - their first of many WIMPS lunches, we hope!
 
Thanks to Don, La T and my most lovely and generous dining companions on Cuneo for another cracking lunch.

If the guilty groans of joy emanating from our table's rabbit raviolo-stuffed mouths were anything to go by then I think it's fair to say that Greg has hit the ground running.

Our wines showed rather well and I was particularly impressed with the class of the first flight of reds. The gorgeous Lessona and surprisingly approachable Barbaresco Rosé were the standouts whilst the wonderfully strict Burlotto Pelaverga would certainly be worth revisiting in 3-5 years.

Interesting to note another slightly iffy bottle of Monprivato 2004, not the first reported here in recent months.

Also delighted to meet Andrew and Rebecca - their first of many WIMPS lunches, we hope!
Yes, interesting on the Monprivato front. I haven’t followed the story, but have noted vague rumbles of discontent about the wine/s over the past couple of years. On the nose I found it wonderfully perfumed and so much more so than any of the other wines yesterday. It really powered out of the glass. I thought the tannins very fine and wonderfully integrated, yet the wine seemed to lack any drive through the mid-palate and didn’t seem to finish with any of the authority that the nose suggested. It certainly wasn’t closed, nor was it in any obvious way faulty. Maybe it suffered by being served after a couple of quite powerful wines and we were guilty of expecting more fireworks when the wine was more about subtle charms. Either way, it was a bit of an enigma and I was left with the impression that a question mark was the appropriate note in the margin.
 
That's a fair assessment, Mark. I hadn't had the 2004 so couldn't really comment on how quickly it appears to be ageing. I think we're in agreement that it was at least a bit mute and underwhelming in the mouth, and being sandwiched by such a buxom pair was never going to be hugely flattering. Rupert also noted that the fading colour was completely different to the vibrant purple of his most recent bottle.
 
That was a superb lunch. I would never have ordered either the cauliflower starter, nor the fillet but both were excellent. The rabbit raviolo and the figgy pudding were both stunning. Thanks very much to Don and at La T Donald and all what I understood to be the newly transferred brigade.

For the reds, inevitably they all showed better with air and the advantage of slightly fewer wines meant bigger pours and more chances to revisit the bottles.

Most importantly it was great fun,even if I did demonstrate my lack of couth by not only wearing brown shoes but mopping my plate. But seriously, none of that sauce was making it back to the kitchen.
 
Over on the Verbano-Cusio-Ossola table. We had a super lunch battling with a wall of Barolo.

The magnum of NV Etienne Calsac Champagne L'échappée Belle Brut Blanc de Blancs was a handy cut through between Barolo sips. And a lovely match to the cauliflower.

Probably WOTD was the 2008 Comm. G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero which seemed to be giving more and more.
The 2010 Luigi Bandanna Barolo Baudana and 2012 Enzo Boglietti Barolo Fossati flight a contrasting pair. Baudana more tannic even closed, the Boglietti modern touches of vanilla even. Both
2006 Cavallotto Barolo Riserva Vignolo and 2009 Elio Grasso Barolo Gavarini Chiniera impressive but so structured. As I said a Barolo wall, could be an Oasis song.

Nice to finish with a Moscato D’Asti.

Most of all a great table of stories and wine. The food was perhaps the best I’ve had. Rabbit and beef were stunning.
I'd agree on the Monvigliero as probably my top wine from our selection of Barolos - my 2015 Burlotto Acclivi was really lovely when first poured but rather tightened up by the time I'd finished the first course, so probably best to give it another 5 years or so.
As far as the food went, I couldn't find the love for the cauliflower dish that others have, but that's just a personal preference; although I'm perfectly happy to eat it I've never yet found a cauliflower dish that I would choose to try and cook myself. On the other hand, both the rabbit and the beef were outstanding.
 
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