When the season turns to fall, almost no other dish seems to embody the season quite like roast chicken. In the summer, no one wants to turn on the oven, allowing it to heat up an already overheated house, but as the air turns crisp, a warm oven is a welcome occurrence. But even if you’re not in the mood to roast a chicken yourself, and instead plan to pick one up on the way home, roast chicken should be in your meal repertoire in the fall, as should a good bottle of red wine. Crisp skin, succulent juices, these flavors are begging for a delicious bottle of red, and Barolo delivers.
Barolo, from the Italian region of Piedmont, delivers aromas of rose petals and cherries, and has a beautiful bright acidity that perfectly harmonizes with the chicken. While much Barolo can be quite expensive, high-quality bottles can be found at more affordable prices. Damilano Barolo Lecinquevigne is one of those bottles.
While thirty-five dollars is still a lot of money for a bottle of wine, finding a great Barolo even in this price-range can be very tough, even tougher when the producer is as highly regarded as Damilano. This Barolo delivers on both fronts. One of the most celebrated producers in Barolo – many of Damilano’s single-vineyard bottles reach into the three figure price range – this Barolo is a blend created from five of Damilano’s vineyards – which is what makes it more affordable – and the results are wonderful.
In the glass the wine has a beautiful ruby color and the quintessential Barolo aroma of roses, with a hint of leather and mushrooms. When consumed, it possesses flavors of bright cherries, raspberries and nice tannins. And while it’s great to drink now, this wine is going to get even better as it ages over the next ten to twenty years. But why wait? It’s a wine that’s just begging for the roast chicken that’s in your oven.
