Sandro Fay “Cà Moréi” (Valtellina Superiore Valgella 2011)

$40/bottle – SOLD OUT

Less than 20 miles from the border of Switzerland, the upper Adda valley of Lombardy is a unique habitat for Italy’s northernmost wines produced from the Nebbiolo grape variety (locally known as Chiavennasca). The Valtellina zone stretches above the small, alpine town of Sondrio across terraces exposed to the south on pebbly soils of siliceous clays. Day-night temperature fluctations can be sharp in the summer but air currents from nearby Lake Como have a moderating effect that allows for slow, even ripening in the durable reds produced there.

Azienda Agricola Fay has long been a firm believer in the potential of the Valtellina sub-zone of Valgella, enhancing their holdings by meticulously preserving older vineyards and making daring investments. Founded in 1973 by Sandro Fay, today the estate is run by Sandro’s son, Marco, whose agronomic research has always paid close attention to the effect of altitude on the quality of the wines. They are committed to promoting single vineyards that produce wines with distinctive characteristics.

The six acre Cà Moréi vineyard is located at close to 1700 feet elevation. The grapes (100% nebbiolo) are hand-harvested in the second half of October. After two weeks fermentation in stainless steel tank the wine is aged for 12 months in barriques. The result is loads of rich forest berries with a structure and freshness like no other nebbiolo-based wine we’ve ever had.

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Posted on 2015.06.10 in Italy, Lombardy  |  Read more...

A White & Red Tour of the Abruzzo Hills of Italy

Tiberio “Pecorino” (2013 IGP Colline Pescaresi) ~$23/Bottle – SOLD OUT
Tiberio (2012 DOP Montepulciano d’Abruzzo) ~$18/Bottle – SOLD OUT

The small medieval village of Cugnoli sits about 20 miles west of the Adriatic Sea among the rolling Abruzzo hills. To the west are the majestic Gran Sasso and Majella mountains of the Apennines range, and beyond, the eternal city of Rome. It was in this cool, windswept landscape at around 1000 feet of elevation where Riccardo Tiberio discovered a plot of old Trebbiano Abruzzese vines and decided to swap a career in wine export for running a family winery.

In 2008, Riccardo handed over the reins of Agricola Tiberio to his daughter Cristiana and son Antonio. The role of viticulturalist goes to Antonio while Cristiana handles the winemaking duties. She is a chemistry graduate with training stints in Champagne and Australia backed by repeated visits to the Mosel and Chablis. She took over all the winemaking duties in 2011 and is now solely responsible for the wines made at the estate. The siblings main goal is producing wines that clearly speak of the land they come from.

Their philosophy is evident in the glass. The most respected and influential Italian wine guide, Gambero Rosso, has bestowed Tre Bicchieri (Three Glasses, their highest rating) for the 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013 vintages of Pecorino. Indeed, all of their wines for each vintage have been rated at least Due Bicchieri.

Despite its name, there is no direct link between the Pecorino grape and Pecorino cheese. According to local legend, Pecorino gets its name from the sheep (pecora) who would snack on the grapes in the vineyards. The variety was thought to be extinct until it was found growing wild just north of Abruzzo in Marche and began a revival in the 1980s. Tiberio’s seven acres of Pecorino vines are planted on 20 foot deep limestone soils over clay and compacted sand and are some of the oldest in the region. The vines are naturally low yielding with a high total acidity so while production is low, the wines show a thrilling combination of rich texture and energy, green grass, flowers, salt, stone, and sunshine. Pair it with pan-fried whitefish for dinnertime bliss.

If grilled lamb burgers are called for, try the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Cristiana and Antonio seek to express freshness of fruit in this wine made from 29 acres of 50-year-old Montepulciano vines grown in clay-calcareous soil. With intense aromas of cherry fruit and flint and a snappy finish, this is a red wine that won’t become ponderous when summer finally arrives, and it might just become one of your go-to patio reds.

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Posted on 2015.06.03 in Saturday Sips Wines, Italy, Abruzzo  |  Read more...

From the Cellar: Savigny-lès-Beaune (1995 to 2011)

Special Prices on All Vintages from the Burgundy Commune of Savigny-lès-Beaune
$45-$100/bottle

We’re always talking about terroir, that particular combination of soil, climate, sun exposure, and heritage that gives certain wines their distinctive character — their sense of place. And Burgundy, with its geological complexity and nuance recorded over centuries of winemaking, is the model for this concept.

But quite often this expression of terroir isn’t as evident in wines that are newly released. Particularly with wines that have the concentration and structure that allow them to develop in the cellar. It doesn’t mean these wines aren’t good to drink early, it just means that they may have the capability to transform into something that encapsulates the terroir and the particulars of the harvest year in sometimes clearer ways.

Join us this Saturday to explore the terroir and vintages of Savigny-lès-Beaune expressed through wines that have developed through proper long-term storage in our shop.

The commune of Savigny-lès-Beaune starts about a half mile south and west of the Côte de Beaune grand cru of Corton-Charlemagne. It is a tale of two different terroir: plush wines from Narbantons and Dominode vineyards near the town of Beaune, and across the valley where the Rhoin stream flows, delicate yet sturdy wines from the Serpentières, Lavières and Vergelesses vineyards nearer to the hill of Corton. Because the commune is somehow still under-the-radar when compared to the bigger names in Beaune, there can be exceptional values in Savigny.

We’ll have a selection of Savigny-lès-Beaune wines from a range of vineyards and top-tier producers covering the vintages of 1995, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, and 2011. To name a few: Domaine Albert Morot’s La Bataillère aux Vergelesses 1er Cru 2002 (SOLD OUT), from a mid-slope, southeast facing monopole vineyard owned exclusively by Domaine Morot, is now optimally balanced with plenty of fruit and the tertiary aromas and flavors of earth and spice. The structure from 1/3 new oak barrel aging in Pierre Bitouzet’s Les Lavières 1er Cru 1995 should be well resolved by now. From Domaine Antonin Guyon we’ll have the 95, 96, and 97 vintages of their commune level Savigny-lès-Beaune that comes mostly from the Goudelettes lieu-dit.

And if you just can’t decide what you want, we’ll offer a Savigny-lès-Beaune sampler mixed 6-pack of vineyards, vintage, and producers.

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Posted on 2015.05.27 in Burgundy  |  Read more...

Refreshing Reds & A Crisp White for Memorial Day Weekend

~$18 Jean-Paul Brun Blanc (Beaujolais 2013) – SOLD OUT
~$26 Kevin Descombes (Morgon 2013) – SOLD OUT
~$26 Noëlla Morantin Mon Cher Gamay (Loire VdF 2013) – SOLD OUT

Aside from the holiday’s ceremonial importance, Memorial Day weekend means one thing to most people – the unofficial start of summer. Tis’ the season of backyard barbecues, hanging out on the patio, picnics in the park, and any excuse you can find to enjoy the outdoors with friends, family, and wine.

While this is certainly the time of year when white and rosé wines shine, it’s not only color that should guide your choice of warm-weather wine. The cool climates of Beaujolais in Burgundy and Touraine in the Loire have long been known to create red wines from the gamay grape variety that are lighter in body with an energizing finish.

Although Beaujolais is known for red wine it shares many of the same climate and soil characteristics of the southern reaches of Mâconnais. There are even vineyards where Beaujolais and the appellation of St-Véran overlap. A quick hike a little further north and you’re into Pouilly-Fuissé. The chardonnay grape is a natural here.

Stop by this Saturday to sample these two refreshing reds and crisp white and get your unofficial start of summer kicked off strong.

Jean-Paul Brun Blanc (Beaujolais 2013)

Jean-Paul Brun is one of the region’s champions of what might be described as traditional Beaujolais. His wines are all fermented with natural yeast and he tends to make wine at slightly lower degrees of alcohol than many other producers. The 2013 Beaujolais Blanc is produced with juice from older chardonnay vines growing on limestone soils. Aged in stainless steel tanks the wine is simultaneously fresh and rich from extended contact with the lees (yeast). Compared with wines from Mâconnais a bit north, this is a fantastic value.

Kevin Descombes (Morgon 2013)

Kevin “Ké Ké” Descombes wrapped up his first vintage (2013) at the tender age of 21. He couldn’t ask for a better mentor than his father Georges, one of the most well-known and regarded producers in Beaujolais. Georges gave up about seven acres of his Morgon vines where Kevin now produces a gamay wine with aromas of violet and earth, a mouthful of lush fruit, and a long, electric finish. Kevin’s winemaking style shows a bit more youthful exuberance when compared to his father’s Morgon but it will hold up to some of the more robust proteins off the grill.

Noëlla Morantin Mon Cher Gamay (Loire VdF 2013)

Noëlla Morantin quit her day job in 2001 to follow her passion for making wine. She interned with with the beloved Agnès and René Mosse in the Coteaux-du-Layon and became head of the now defunct Les Bois Lucas before eventually renting 21 acres of vines from the lieu-dit Clos Roche Blanche in Touraine to produce her own wines. Not wanting to deal with AOC politics, Noëlla intentionally declassifies all her cuvées to Vin de France. Mon Cher is 100% carbonic maceration and made to express the lighter and aromatic side of gamay. This a red wine that will easily take a chill and pair beautifully with a grilled chicken salad.

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Posted on 2015.05.20 in France, Saturday Sips Wines, Beaujolais, Loire  |  Read more...

Red Pineau des Charentes – Not Just for Dessert Wine

Paul-Marie & Fils Red Pineau des Charentes Vieux Fut #8
Price: $79 – SOLD OUT

The words “dessert wine” on a label can be misleading. It conjures images of intricate cut glass tulips filled with syrupy-sweet wine and paired with elaborate confections. But many so-called dessert wines are far more versatile. With a deep chill, Pineau des Charentes’ marriage of sweet, dried fruit flavors, nutty complexity, and balancing acidity will make for elegant drinking in countless settings.

The geographical zone authorized for the production of Pineau des Charentes AOC is practically identical with that for Cognac. But if you’ve never heard of it, the reason is probably due to the fact that ninety percent of the Pineau that’s made in the Charentes region is consumed in the Charentes region. Of the remainder, approximately eighty percent goes to Belgium. There’s precious little Pineau left to export to the rest of the world. Especially a Pineau this special.

Sourced and bottled in minute quantities (760 bottles), Paul-Marie & Fils Red Pineau des Charentes Vieux is made by adding Grande Champagne Cognac (the highest level Cru within Cognac) to lightly fermented sweet grape must from Merlot grapes. No added sugar is allowed in the process, so the grapes must be of the highest quality. It is certified “Vieux”, meaning that, by law, the blend must have been aged in oak casks for a minimum of five years where it develops its stunning complexity. These particular casks came from a cellar in the village Segonzac, the heart of the Grande Champagne cru, where they have been resting for 15 years.

The result is a remarkable drink, colored a rusty scarlet with reflections of copper, and overflowing with aromas of dried berries, maple syrup, and pressed flowers. While it’s a fantastic aperitif (which is how it is used in Cognac country) it will also make an excellent pairing with charcuterie and pâté, all types of cheeses, especially Roquefort and soft, double and triple-crème. Much in the way of Sauternes, anything rich and salty is fair game. Even the common fried chicken will be elevated by a glass of Pineau. Moreover, it makes an impressive gift for the Cognac drinker, cigar smoker, or anyone that appreciates a special bottle of wine.

And you needn’t worry about having to drink the entire bottle immediately after opening. This wine will keep in the refrigerator for months before losing any of its character.

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Posted on 2015.05.14 in France, Saturday Sips Wines, French Rarities  |  Read more...

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