Last week, we opened the last in a series of Harrington wines I'd found a few months back at a local shop; this one was the Harrington 2013 Paso Robles Nebbiolo from the Luna Matta and Berardo vineyards -- not the Terrane, but the sulfured bottling. Last night, we cracked a G. D. Vajra 2013 Langhe Nebbiolo. Although they weren't tasted side-by-side, the comparison was still interesting. Both were identifiably Nebbiolo, the Harrington mainly from the floral lift on the nose. And both were ripe, but in totally different ways: as if the ripeness in the Harrington extended evenly, all the way through the wine (which was relatively dark in its fruit tones: black cherry and plum and some spice), while the ripeness in the Vajra was most evident in its top layer, an almost candied super-ripe red-cherry flavor, with an accompanying plump mouthfeel, which then gave way to a more austere midpalate and a somewhat chewy finish. In retrospect, and analytically, I'd say the Harrington is the "better" wine -- and yet it was also a less interesting drink at the time; so, as usual, it all depends what you're looking for.
Overall, I've liked Harrington's wines -- I think the four we tried were Trousseau, Teroldego, Carignane, and Nebbiolo -- but, given the prices (the Nebbiolo was $37, the others were high-20s to 30s) I also haven't felt compelled to rush back for more of any of them except the Teroldego, which really knocked my socks off; too bad it's the last vintage. But if this shop keeps selling them, I'll keep trying them!
