What a great evening with Luca Currado (above) and a superb flight of his wines last night at Tony’s in Houston! (I’m Tony’s media director.)

The 2010 Barbaresco Masseria was definitely one of the highlights of the flight and was already showing an elegant balance of fruit and earth flavors.

The 2013 Barbera d’Alba Scarrone was also drinking great but, man, that wine, from a great vintage, has so many years ahead of it!

I’d never heard Luca tell the story of how he planted those vineyards to the surprise and chagrin of his father. He had the guests in the palm of his hand as he recounted the tale… He’s such a natural when it comes to the art of enological narrative.

But it was the 2012 Barolo Castiglione that really sang in the glass, with full-throated fruit and umami flavors playing against each other in counterpoint. The Barolo Brunate was the greatest wine on the table, for sure. But it’s still a bit penny wise with its fruit.

Both of the Barolo were superb with the roast rack of lamb, a great pairing on a stormy night in my adoptive town.

But the dish that really thrilled the guests (and me) was the pasta tossed with delicata squash, foie gras, and hen-of-the-woods (below). Honestly, when I read the menu I wasn’t sure how that dish was going to come together but it was wonderful to experience how it “mirrored” the flavors in the wines, especially the Barbaresco Masseria.

There’s so much more to tell from last night’s unforgettable dinner but now it’s time to face the end-of-days rain falling over Houston and go taste a bunch of Brunello at the Benvenuto Brunello event, which has returned to our city this year.

Nice work if you can get it…