The Leonard Cohen of Nebbiolos - Beloved by True Connoisseurs. The Most Ageworthy Nebbiolos on Earth

 Marco Arluno's Journey

 - Brilliant Winemaker

 - He Partnered to Build the Stunning Success of Il Chiosso

 - He's Upgraded His Family's Estate (Miru)

 - Now Producing World Class Wines There

 - Better Facilities Have Created Supremely Elegant Wines

Ghemme Riservas

 - Aged for 48 Months

 - Can Age Longer than Barolo and Barbaresco 

 - If You Want to Buy an Old Nebbiolo at Auction, the Ghemmes Are Always the Safest Bet 

2015 Miru Ghemme Riserva Vigna Cavenago

 - A 40+ year Wine

 - Nose: Haunting

 - Volnay-Like

 - Ethereal Cherries like Nothing you've Ever Smelled Before

 - Leather and Glorious Spice

 - Rose Petals, Cherry Flowers and Tar

 - Off the Charts Clarity

 - Moss, Sous Bois, Minerals

 - Day 2: Chestnut, Tar, Saline and Iodine

 - Sick, Sweet Cherry Fruit

 - Finesse is Top, Top Notch

 - Loads of Deep Spice and Cherries

 - Refined and Gentle 

 - Will Last 40+ Years

 - Last Riserva Was 7 Years Before This One

 - A Wine to Sock Away A Case of in the Cellar

Leonard Cohen

Most of you have heard of Leonard Cohen by now. He became increasingly popular over the years although always in a cultish kind of way. He appealed to true connoisseurs of music and lyrics. He was considered one of the great lyricists and poets of his generation. His most
famous/popular song was Hallelujah, which was performed by 200 artists in multiple languages. It's a beautiful song which likely contributed to its popularity, but much of the rest of his music is more soulful, profound, serene and elegiac. It's almost spoken poetry put to music and the work of a great artist. There's a reason he's been beloved by a relatively small group of highly knowledgeable enthusiasts for decades.

Ghemme - The Longest Ageing Nebbiolos

Ghemme can and will age longer than Barolo and Barbaresco. Similarly to the works of Leonard Cohen, Ghemme has always been the wine that Nebbiolo's most serious collectors have hoarded in their cellars. It's the safest bet if you see a bunch of inexpensive older Alto Piemonte wines from producers you've never heard of to grab the Ghemme. They are some of the longest aging red wines in the world. It ages much longer than its more famous neighbor Gattinara. The only other Ghemmes that I've had as refined as today's wine were other Riservas that went for $75 and up 10+ years ago. 

Ghemme, I feel can only be elite and refined if it is a "Riserva." In Ghemme in order to be a Riserva you need to have the wine aged for 48 months before release.  

A Father and a Son - The Perfection of the Family Estate

Now here is the inside scoop. As of a few years ago, Alto Piemonte wines were not very popular and incredibly cheap. The wines of Gattinara had some demand but most of the wines were really cheap and Ghemme was towards the bottom. Marco is a brilliant winemaker and Miru is his family's estate. The winery at Il Chiosso (where he partnered with a successful Gattinara grower) is modern and stunning. Miru was very basic. It was almost impossible not to make rustic wines there.  

Marco is now a highly successful winemaker at Il Chiosso. Yet his heart always tugged him back to Ghemme and his family estate. And he has finally used all of his skills and resources to make a brilliant Ghemme Riserva that is on a par with the Gattinaras he still makes at Il Chiosso.

The Wine

The 2015 Miru Ghemme Riserva for $39.99 a bottle on a 4-pack is the one. It's a shockingly brilliant wine. I could not get over how great it is and what a terrific value this is. Make no mistake this wine had the refinement of an elite Barolo or Barbaresco. This will improve for 40+ years. It's actually accessible now but in 10+ years it will be crazy. The last Riserva wine I've sold from Marco Arlunno was the 2008 Il Chiosso Gattinara Riserva which is a legendary wine in the Fass Selections Canon. The last Ghemme Riserva they made at Miru was also 2008. 

What a nose. Wow. Sick. Holy smokes. Ethereal cherries like nothing you've ever smelled before. Cherry flowers. Leather and glorious spice. Rose petals and tar. It's so detailed and the clarity is off the charts. Wow. I'm really blown away as this Ghemme is on another level. Moss, sous bois, minerals. Mulch. So complex and haunting. Volnay meets Ghemme. Terrific on day 2. Nose of chestnut, tar and a hint of leather. Very clean. Very pretty. Saline and iodine. Lovely complexity. Leather comes out more with coaxing. Super floral. Dried roses. Super elegant and fine. 

What a palate. Sick. Sweet, lean, precise cherry fruit. Mid season and some sour cherries. Amazing clarity to the fruit. Gorgeous sweetness. So, so elegant. This is the best Ghemme I've ever had. What sweet and velvety tannins and such purity. This is amazing. So balanced, so fresh, so energetic and deep.

The finish hits every nook and cranny. The finesse is top top notch. Mind blowing wine and it hasn't even aired out yet. So juicy. So refined for a Ghemme but has a certain rusticity as well but even that is refined. This is a benchmark. After air this is dizzying. Loads of deep spice and cherries. Minerals. Cherry cough drop. So aromatic. Wow. Leather. Like saddle leather. Palate has loads of sweet fruit and amazing tannins. So juicy. So refined and gentle for a Ghemme. Profound. 

I'd drink one young but wait 5-10 years on the rest and then it will be crazy.  

2015 Miru Ghemme Riserva "Vigna Cavenago" - $41.99 ($159.96 4-pack)