Over the Holidays, I had an opportunity to serve a 2011 Odoardi “GB” Giovan Battista vini di Calabria to a group of family and friends – to much appreciation.

My wife and I were introduced to this supple red wine at a pre-theatre meal in the Grill Room at The Four Seasons Restaurant in Manhattan last November. We were looking for a medium to full-bodied red (it was a cold night after all) to pair with crisp farmhouse duck and grilled branzino, and the table captain suggested this Italian gem ($90 on their wine list). We were very impressed to say the least, as were our dining companions.

So, while later contemplating a Holiday meal of mustard-crusted beef tenderloin and roasted root vegetables, we decided we needed an elegant red wine with good structure, but one that was not overly tannic – something that would pair well with the meal, but would be “sippable” enough to permit plenty of languorous conversation afterward. We thought GB would be a perfect match. Unfortunately, GB is from southern Italy’s Calabria wine region, so it’s difficult to find in local wine shops. (Calabria produces very little wine in general, and only 260 cases of the 2011 GB were imported to the States.) In the end, we tracked down 18 bottles at Mister Wright Fine Wines & Spirits on the Upper Eastside, much to my wife’s delight.

According to the Odoardi website, GB honors Giovan Battista, a key figure in the Odoardi family’s long history (in 2013 the Odoardi farm celebrated its 500 year anniversary). GB is a blend of Gaglioppo and Magliocco (the two principal red wine grapes of Calabria), Cappuccio and Greco Nero. The grapes were grown in the mixed gravel, clay and limestone soils typical of Calabria. After fermentation in stainless steel vats, GB was aged in barriques for 12 months and then bottle aged for an additional 6 months before its release.

GB is a well-balanced red that displays elegant notes of blackberries, figs and dark cherries, with underlying hints of dark chocolate, vanilla and espresso. GB has the structure to stand up to roast meats, but it still delivers a long, aromatic and silky sweet-tannin finish – so it was a perfect accompaniment to our Holiday celebration. Wine Spectator suggests drinking the 2011 GB now through 2021, but I’m not sure my bottles will make it through the year – it’s just too inviting already.

Salute!

Suggested pairings:

The Nearness of You – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong (1956)
Autumn in New York – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong (1957)