Huntington Quarterly Summer 2022

that are widely available in the U.S. are Gaja Barolo Conteisa, Pio Cesare, Paolo Scavino and Vietti. There are of course many more, but that’s a nice start. I recommend sampling some pricy Barolos at restaurants for special occasions before taking the purchasing plunge, just so you know what you’re get ting into. To be honest, Barolo is an acquired taste. In this sense, Barolo is so serious and food sensitive that it makes an ideal wine-club wine. Gather some pals and alert them that Barolo is on the menu, and then sit down for a few hours of cerebral investigation of all this downright aristocratic wine has to offer. Sniff for a long time before committing to that first sip and savor literally every drop. Serve with a little prosciutto on the side to take the edge off the tannins. You might even want to lose the weekend shorts and T-shirts and dress up a bit. Because in the end, Barolo is less about being fun and friendly and more about making you think. It encourages you to rise to the moment and use all your senses, including the more poetic sides of your intellect, to make sense of its refusal to be easygo ing. In a world where too many wines taste the same and hope to please all customers, Barolo retains a throwback austerity that assumes you’re interested in working for your pleasure — and the rewards that come with it.

MATTHEWDeBORD , a native of Huntington, is a former associate editor at Wine Spectator magazine and the author of several books on wine. He currently resides in New York City and is the senior editor for the Transportation & Lifestyle section of Business Insider — a busi ness, celebrity and technology news website.

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