You wouldn’t think the noble Nebbiolo vineyards of Monforte d’Alba, right in the heart of Barolo’s most important growing zone, would also be a hotbed for the production of something as prosaic as Chardonnay … but they are! The limestone and clay marls here are very much reminiscent of those in Burgundy, and some of the aspects and exposures are, perhaps, even better.
One of the best Chards in all of Italy (maybe the world), for example, the so-called ‘gold of Bussia’ grows at the highest point of the Bussia cru in Monforte and is bottled by Aldo Conterno. This powerhouse of a wine now costs close to $100 a bottle and is, in the best of times, almost impossible to get. Right down the other side of the Bussia hill, in the middle of the equally august Ginestra cru, though, is another planting of great Chardonnay, albeit made in a style with a little more restraint—a little bit less pedal to the metal. It belongs to the Grasso family. It was father Elio who first planted the Chardonnay back in the mid-1980s because, he says, he thought by planting an earlier-ripening white, he could learn more about his vineyards to help him better farm his Nebbiolo. Besides, Elio’s son and current owner Gianluca laughs, the ol’ man really loves drinking Chardonnay.
Elio called the wine he made from these vines Educato in honor of the education he hoped to gain from his little experiment. Its production now in the hands of Gianluca, Educato continues to be far more than a vineyard experiment and an adjunct to Grasso’s world-famous Barolos. In fact, as time as gone on, its miniscule 7,000-bottle production has become about as allocated as the famous Grasso Barolos as the quality of this relatively inexpensive, great-drinking Chardonnay is no longer a secret.
Educato is all Chardonnay, fermented and then aged in French oak barriques for seven months. Unlike Conterno’s aforementioned Bussia d’Or, Gianluca eschews lees stirring in the barrel as his goal is to focus on pure fruit rather than the extra weight and grainy, nutty texture that process can impart.
The resulting Educato is bright and fresh with fresh apple fruit that barely hints of the tropical—the tiniest hint of pineapple, perhaps. The 2023, from a nice, warm harvest, also shows a dash of lime or, if there were such a thing, lime custard. So delicious! Mid-weight and quite elegant on the palate, its best French correlate would be, I think, Pouilly-Fuissé, thanks to that wonderful mineral finish and lively mouthfeel.
Ready to go when you are, it’s a proven winner alongside a variety of poultry dishes, scallops, crab and even a nicely grilled pork chop! It’s still a fine deal!
