An unforgettable lunch and wine

A personal slice of lunch with lunch at the home of Daniele Cernilli’s parents.

A few days ago, Daniele Cernilli and his wife Marina called to invite me and Irina to have lunch at Daniele’s parents’ home. “You know, my father is almost 98 years old, my mother eight years less, but aside from the odd minor complaint, he is still with it. And plus, my mother is an excellent cook!”, he told me.

We were met by two smiling and welcoming faces. It was a clear, October day and, being on an upper story, their home was full of light. The walls were covered with everything imaginable: paintings, knickknacks and even a pair of boxing gloves that had belonged to Daniele’s maternal grandfather, the famous Erminio Spalla who was the first Italian to hold the European heavyweight crown. Many of the paintings on the walls were done by him as were the bronze sculptures placed on the dressers and tables. Erminio was truly an amazing character who after boxing became an opera singer and an actor appearing in 53 films. He worked with directors like Dino Risi and Vittorio De Sica, who directed him in Miracle in Milan.

Not a bad setting for a great lunch, right? Alfredo Cernilli, Daniele’s father, was a professor of economics and later sold furniture. He was a childhood friend of Marcello Mastroianni and went to university with Cesare Romiti. The conversation immediately turned to politics and even if he held different views we were on the same wavelength: I was a communist and he a member of the Partito d’Azione and later the Italian Republican Party. There were no two ways about it, we were both the products of the 20th century and still had that mindset, still obsessed with the Second World war and the consequences of the difficulty of making ends meet, which included celebrating Easter with boiled broccoli, which was in itself a luxury.

Irina and I told them about our love story, how we met at sunset in Montepulciano, at the Fortezza, after a beautiful spring day. It was love at first sight and we didn’t even have to say a word, our eyes said it all. After only a few minutes it was a done deal. And how did Daniele’s parents meet? Gioietta, Daniele’s mother, was the one to answer, telling us how she was the prettiest girl in school. Alfredo, who was eight years older than her, was her economics professor and she was the one who made the first move. And six months after she earned her degree they were engaged. And now they have been married for 66 years!

For lunch, this wonderful 90-year-old prepared tagliatelle noodles with a light tomato sauce, fresh sautéed and cubed porcini mushrooms, boiled string beans, meatloaf with roasted potatoes and her own personal recipe for centopelli tripe, truly extraordinary. Everything was cooked to perfection and could rival anything a celebrated chef could make.

We brought dessert, while Daniele provided the wine. Among these was his last bottle of Vintage Tunina 2014, a wine his father adores, and a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 1975 Fattoria dei Barbi. It was the last of the case of 12 that he was given in 1988 for winning, along with Carlin Petrini, the Premio Barbi Colombini prize for coming out with the first edition of the Guide to Italian Wine (1987). A first edition of the guide is proudly displayed along with the other family mementos.

When I got home I quizzed Stefano Cinelli Colombini about the 1975 vintage and he told me it was one of the best of the past century. Below you will find my tasting notes on it. What else can I add but that this has been a truly unforgettable lunch!

Brunello di Montalcino Riserva 1975 Fattoria dei Barbi

99/100 – Not on the market

The level of wine in the bottle was a tad low but still reached the neck and while the cork broke during opening it was still in good condition. The wine had a truly typical color with an edge that was orange but not too much so. The impact of the aroma was decidedly tarry but this little by little dissipated to leave room for notes of fruit, spice, dark flowers, perhaps violet, and at the end there was a lovely balsamic sensation. The mouthfeel was lively, taut and fresh with tannins that were as silky as they were elegant, all leading to a long and multifaceted and persistent finish. A bottle that was truly, incredibly good.

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