The Perfect Breakfast Wine
by Cynthia Sin-Yi Cheng
June 30, 2008
Bar Milano [CLOSED]
323 3rd Ave
@ 24th St
New York, NY 10010
212-683-3035
Sfoglia
1402 Lexington Ave
@ 92nd St
New York, NY 10128
212-831-1402
Okay, I know it sounds very hedonistic for me to talk about “breakfast wine,” but you’ve always known that I celebrate a life well lived. Recently, I had my first breakfast wine with the Piedmontese winemaker, Oberto Marco of Ciabot Berton winery. I assumed this was going to be a bit much and that I would spend the rest of the day kind of regretting such a pleasurable but foolish invitation. But I was wrong. We met at Bar Milano (where else could one pull off something like this?) and had a very lovely first meal of the day. I ordered poached egg with speck and fontina ($13) and with it a glass of 2005 Rutuin Dolcetto d’Alba Oberto brought. I was completely taken by this perfect union; it seemed so natural for this to be the accompanying beverage to my egg dish.
This elegant Dolcetto is lush but not heavy. From fifty-year-old vines, the balance of this concentrated wine is kept in check by just the right dose of acidtiy, making it perfect for food pairing. I’d run to Sgfolia, which is currently serving the 2004 vintage of this wine by the glass ($13), and try some pairings on your own.
P.S. Bravo! Oberto’s 2003 Barolo Roggeri was recently chosen for the business class wine list on British Airways’ New York – London route.
