23 Nov Please The Palate Wine of the Week: Giornata 2018 Nebbiolo Luna Matta Vineyard, Adelaida District, Paso Robles

Words like violet, red berry, earthy, leather, full-bodied and intense, complex, and elegant are used to describe Barbaresco. And, as I stuck my nose in the glass, I would have guessed that is what was in there. But, while it was a Nebbiolo, it was not a Barbaresco. Rather it was the Giornata 2018 Nebbiolo from the Luna Matta Vineyard in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles, the Please The Palate wine of the week.

About Giornata

Giornata is owned by Brian and Stephy Terrizzi. At Giornata they are dedicated to exploring the potential of Italian varieties in Paso Robles by using traditional, old-world winemaking techniques and minimal intervention to express the character of grape variety, terroir, and vintage. The first wine that Brian and Stephy made in 2005 was a barrel of Nebbiolo. More than a decade later, the 2018 Giornata is from the Luna Matta Vineyard in the Adelaida District in Paso Robles. Luna Matta has 34 planted acres that include Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, and Aglianico. The vineyard, which sits at an elevation 1750 feet above sea level and is primarily dry farmed, has been certified organic through CCOF since 2010. Sadly, the Luna Matta Vineyard was recently sold and all of the wonderful Italian varieties will be replaced by Cabernet Sauvignon. While this is unfortunate, the Terrizzi’s have a 4 acre vineyard on their home property which was planted in 2015 to Friulano, Ribolla Gialla, Sangiovese, and Nebbiolo so soon they will produce Nebbiolo from their home vineyard.

Tasting notes

The Giornata 2018 Nebbiolo, Luna Matta Vineyard, Adelaida District, Paso Robles ($50) is a structured wine with beautiful aromas of strawberry, cherry, underbrush, rose petals, and a touch of flint. Tart cherries and earth flavors on the palate with smooth, drying tannins and a juicy finish.

Food pairing with Nebbiolo

Nebbiolo’s high tannins and high acid make it a very food-friendly wine that pairs with a variety of dishes, from chicken and meat to pizza and cheese. Try a mushroom pasta or a pasta with ragù made with pastas from Stephy and Brian Terrizzi’s pasta company Etto Pastofocio.

Where to purchase

You can purchase direct from the winery at Giornata.com.

Meet the winemaker

Listen to the interview I did with Stephy Terrizzi on the Wine Soundtrack USA podcast.