Friday, May 18, 2012 at Del Posto, New York, New York

As time goes on, it becomes increasingly clear that 1978 was one of the monumental vintages in Piemontese history, at the same towering level as 1958, 1964, and 1971. And for drinking today at the peak of its glorious maturity, 1978 looms especially large.

The key to 1978’s greatness and present perfection can be found in the year’s tiny crop of small thick-skinned grapes. Winemakers always knew they’d made something special, but it was a secret that long eluded many consumers. First of all, the bottles were always hard to come by in this small-production year. And for many of the ’78 Barolos, we had to wait up to two decades for the wines to shed their tannins and reveal their deeply concentrated fruit and infinite nuance.

On Friday night, May 18, at Del Posto, we will explore this important vintage, matching Mark Ladner’s superb cuisine with a stellar line-up of Barolos and Barbarescos, both famous and obscure. The line-up—all from our usual impeccable sources—included:

1978 Barolo

Bartolo Mascarello Barolo
Giuseppe Mascarello Barolo Villero
Brovia Barolo Rocche Riserva
Francesco Rinaldi Barolo Cannubbio Brunata
Oddero Barolo
Fontanafredda Barolo Vigna Gallaretto Riserva Speciale
Pio Cesare Barolo
Renato Ratti Barolo Marcenasco Conca
Scarpa Barolo Le Coste

1978 Barbaresco

Bruno Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano Riserva Speciale (Red Label)
Gaja Barbaresco
Francesco Rinaldi Barbaresco
Ceretto Barbaresco Bricco Asili
Franco-Fiorina Barbaresco Riserva Speciale