NOVEMBER 2020 REVIEWS

SPARKLING WINES

ITALY – SPARKLING

NV Guerra Albano, Ribolla Gialla, Brut, Friuli Colli Orientali, Italy (S) 23.99 / 259.09

We adore the rare Ribolla Gialla grape, and nowhere does it reach its aromatic apogee and potential for complexity than in its homeland of the Friuli. Even rarer – and more compelling – is employing Ribolla to make a sparkling wine. A brilliant lemon-gold with green reflections, Guerra’s Ribolla Brut bursts out of the glass with persistent, tiny bubbles and aromas of pear skin, white peach, yellow melon, and crystallized ginger. Brisk on the attack, the wine leverages its persistent minerality and effervescence to propel notes of green apples, pear skin, lemon balm, and menthol. Conveying deft balance and unbridled deliciousness, Guerra’s Ribolla Brut finishes with suggestions of meadow flowers, white pepper, and a finishing blast of fresh ginger. Pair this beauty now and over the coming two years with golden trout, shellfish, sashimi, light poultry preparations, vegetable omelets, and angel hair pasta dressed with lemon cream sauce. It will also make a nice bubbly with which to toast – socially distantly, of course – your holiday guests. Order now for mid-November arrival
Thanksgiving selection 2020

RED WINES

FRANCE – RED

2017 Jean-Michel Giboulot, Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Burgundy, France (O) 21.99 / 237.49

Established in 1935, the Giboulot domaine based in Savigny-les-Beaune has earned a peerless reputation with its superb portfolio of Savigny premiers crus. Jean-Michel Giboulot assumed the reins of the family domaine in 1982 and by 2010 converted his vineyards to strict organic practices. Giboulot’s 2017 Bourgogne Pinot Noir reflects a radiant ruby hue followed by a gorgeously Burgundian nose that alternates impressions of pure, ripe violet-inflected Pinot Noir and the gamy earthiness for which Savigny is celebrated. On the palate, the wine infuses its kernel of raspberry and tart cherry fruit with fine, toothsome tannins, savory notes, and a healthy dollop of Savigny earth. Brisk acidity and hints of cinnamon lift the wine and segue it to a long, earthy, genuinely Burgundian finish. This is a superb entry to Giboulot’s exemplary portfolio and a terrific value to boot! Enjoy it now and over the next five years with broiled salmon, roast chicken, seasonal squashes, and recipes featuring fall chanterelles.

2019 Domaine les Gryphees, Beaujolais, Cuvee les Balmes, Beaujolais, France (S) 13.99 / 151.09

Pierre Durdilly’s venerable domaine is named for the “gryphees” – or seashell fossils – that crunch underfoot as you walk through his vineyards. In local patois, a “balme” is a slope, and this refers to Durdilly’s steeply graded vineyard planted with 90+ year-old vines growing on soils teeming with Beaujolais’ classic “pierres dorees,” a mineral-rich golden chalk that imbues the region’s wines with its persistent minerality. Both these impressive traits are on vivid display in Gryphees’ exemplary Cuvee les Balmes. On the nose, the Gryphees Beaujolais knocks you out with its dense raspberry and plum aromas. The palate saturates the senses with old-vine notes of cherry, plum, and red raspberry infused with savory herbs and fine tannins. On its long finish, the wine leaves that elusive and delicious dusting of minerals on the lips and inner cheeks long after it disappears from the palate. This is great Beaujolais for a song, and a perfect partner for your Thanksgiving turkey, rich potato gratins, fresh cheeses, grilled sausages, charcuterie, mushrooms in a cream sauce, and pan-seared pork chops.
Thanksgiving selection 2020

2019 Christophe Lapierre, Domaine de Chenepierre, Moulin-a-Vent, Beaujolais, France (O)
16.99 / 183.49

Christophe Lapierre’s Moulin-a-Vent is all about its granitic origins. Sourced from 45-year-old vines cultivated at 850 feet on Moulin-a-Vent’s Pic Remont hill, the wine casts a beautiful saturated plum-ruby in the bowl segueing to dark, brooding aromas of black currants, crushed herbs, and smoky minerals. The Lapierre Moulin-a-Vent announces its seriousness with a tense kernel of black currant and black cherry fruit imbued with plentiful fine tannins, licorice, violets, and a persistent smoky, stony granite soil undercurrent. Hints of black pepper, cherry skin, rose petals, and brown spices transition the wine to its long, chiseled, mineral-driven finish. While this beauty will certainly present itself well at your Thanksgiving table this year, it will ideally be aged three to fifteen years in your cool cellar to allow its latent complexity to unfurl. Serve with bœuf bourguignon, rabbit stew, hearty mushroom preparations, and roast squab.
Thanksgiving selection 2020

2018 Mas de Gourgonnier, Les Baux de Provence, Provence, France (O) 21.99 / 237.49

The Mas de Gourgonnier is located in the unique, rocky, high-altitude microclimate of Provence called Les Baux. Farming organically since 1975, Mas de Gourgonnier assembles their best lots of Grenache, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Carignan to fashion this delicious Provencal cuvee. A gleaming translucent black-ruby color, Mas de Gourgonnier’s 2018 casts aromas of black raspberries and red currants perfumed with overtones of sandalwood, lavender, cinnamon, and blood orange peel. Fleshy and generous on the palate, savory tannins and earthy notes of game, leather, and mushrooms complement the wine’s vibrant kernel of red cherry and black raspberry fruit. Framing tannins, brown spices, and crunchy currant fruit segue the wine to its long finish accented by notes of leather, mushroom, and garrigue. This is a classically-styled rouge that will serve as a lovely partner for all things Provencal, especially daubes of lamb or beef, roast squab, braised rabbit, and vegetarian fare featuring potato, mushroom. and eggplant. Enjoy now and over the next three to five years.

2016 Domaine de la Biscarelle, Cotes-du-Rhone Villages, Rhone Valley, France (S)
15.99 / 172.69

Domaine de la Biscarelle’s Cotes-du-Rhone Villages is fashioned from 40 to 70-year old vines abutting the northwestern sector of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Essentially a baby Chateauneuf, Biscarelle’s core of Grenache (55%) is accented by Syrah and Carignan, with a dollop of Cinsault thrown in for extra complexity. A deep, opaque black plum color in the glass, Biscarelle’s 2016 Cotes-du-Rhone Villages opens with Chateauneuf-like aromas of clove-scented cherry fruit accompanied by hints of cinnamon, freshly cracked black pepper, licorice, savory herbs, and Seville orange zest. Deep, intense, and satisfying on the palate, plentiful tannins sneak in and serve to frame the wine’s chewy kernel of black currant and black cherry fruit. A persistent stony soil undercurrent segues the wine to its lingering finish, suggesting nutmeg, cloves, star anise, baker’s chocolate, bitter cherry skin, and garrigue. This is a deep, resinous, and complete Cotes-du-Rhone Villages – and one that delivers way beyond its price tag. We suggest buying this by the case for enjoyment now and over the next ten years with roast herbed leg of lamb, dishes featuring porcini mushrooms, anchovy-rich tapenades, and braised hare.

ITALY – RED

2015 Ezio, Barbera d’Asti Superiore, Terra del Noce, Piedmont, Italy (O) 23.99 / 259.09

This is exceptionally characterful Barbera and a throwback to the great Barbera wines of the past. Longtime readers of this newsletter will recall our featuring in these pages many years ago a particularly fine Barbera d’Asti Vigna del Noce from the Trinchero family. Well, friends, this is the same wine, now crafted by Ezio Trinchero, the son of Renato Trinchero who made the superlative Barberas we featured in the mid-1990s. From vines planted in 1929, the 2015 Terra del Noce Barbera casts a dense plum color in the glass followed by textbook Barbera aromas of plums, licorice, saddle leather, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mushroomy earth. Classical and uncompromising on the palate, impressions of leafy underbrush merge with a kernel of chewy Bing cherry and black plum fruit accented by game, leather, limestone soil, and a wonderful dose of the good ol’ funk. Plentiful fine tannins and bristling acidity lift the wine’s dense core of fruit and lead it to a fantastic old-school Piemontese finish. Enjoy now with braised beef, oven-roasted root vegetables, egg-rich pastas, pizza, marinated flank steak, and eggplant casseroles or grilled pork. For those with patience, Ezio T.’s characterful 2015 Barbera has the structure and poise to ensure five to seven years’ positive evolution in your cool cellar. Limited.
Antonio Galloni, Vinous: 90 points

2016 Montaribaldi, Barbaresco, Palazzina, Piedmont, Italy (S) 27.99 / 302.29

The Montaribaldi estate crafts this delicious, traditionally structured Barbaresco from hillside vineyards in the Starderi subzone of Barbaresco’s esteemed Neive commune. A limpid, orange-rimmed garnet color in the glass, Montaribaldi’s Palazzina – from the critically acclaimed and L&E approved 2016 Barbaresco vintage – casts textbook Barbaresco scents of sour cherries, rose petals, black tea, leather, mint, and calcareous earth. Firm and classically structured on the palate, chewy mouth-coating tannins frame the wine’s deft kernel of red currant and cherry fruit laced with hints of camphor, blood orange, smoke, and tobacco. Cool, long, and satisfying on the finish, Montaribaldi’s Palazzina lingers with a lip-dusting undercurrent of limestone minerality and deep impressions of menthol and mushroom underbrush. The wine will pair well now with hearty risottos, osso buco, and rich lamb preparations, but ideally is best cellared for another decade or two to allow the plentiful dusty tannins to melt into its sappy red-fruited core. Very limited. A steal!

2018 Le Piane, Maggiorina, Vino Rosso, Boca, Piedmont, Italy 17.99 / 194.29

The affable Christoph Kunzli moved to Boca from Switzerland in 1998 to fashion wines worthy of this historically important high-altitude region in the far eastern reaches of Piemonte. Kunzli and his team purchased the venerable Le Piane estate from its octogenarian owner, Antonio Cerri, and vowed to return the wines of Boca to their rightful prominence among Piedmont’s greatest. Le Piane’s fantastic 2018 Maggiorina is crafted from a field blend of mostly 40- to 100-year old Nebbiolo, Croatina, Vespolina, and nine other indigenous varieties. A transparent garnet color, the wine fills the bowl with spicy, cinnamon-tinged pie cherry fruit complemented by notes of lavender, rose petals, geranium, and smoky soil. Deft on the palate, the Maggiorina’s Nebbiolo component contributes just the right amount of tannins to frame the wine’s cherry-fruited core, while notes of smoky minerals, cherry blossoms, rose petals, and bitter herbs serve to make the wine savory, delicious and impossible to resist. With its sub-Alpine purity, soil transparency, and high-altitude tension, this is an especially food-versatile red that can be enjoyed year ’round. We love the Maggiorina and will be pairing it now and over the coming three years with all things Piemontese, especially egg-rich pasta dressed with long simmered sauces, charcoal grilled steaks, mild soft-rind cheeses, and rich potato recipes.
Antonio Galloni, Vinous: 92 points

2016 Tolaini, Toscana IGT, Al Passo, Tuscany, Italy (S) 15.99 / 172.69

The Tolaini estate is located in the Chianti Classico’s southernmost cru, Castelnuovo Berardenga. A blend of equal parts Sangiovese, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon, Tolaini’s Al Passo is a genuine, polished, and delicious example of the Super Tuscan genre at a modest price. A deep young claret color, the wine seamlessly fuses the cedar and tobacco edges of Cabernet Sauvignon with the plummy chocolate notes of the Merlot, complicated by the mysterious wild cherry, leather, and earthiness of the Sangiovese. Tolaini’s Al Passo hits all the right notes from the great 2016 vintage, which offers pure fruit expressions lifted by juicy acidity, and plentiful framing tannins. Enjoy the Al Passo by itself as a top-shelf reward after a hard day’s work, or pair it now and over the coming five years with roast beef, braised lentils, burgers hot off the grill, pan-seared pork chops, and hearty poultry preparations.
James Suckling: 94 points
Monica Larner, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: 92 points

PORTUGAL – RED

2019 Filipa Pato, Bairrada Tinto Baga, Dinamica, Beiras, Portugal (B) 15.99 / 172.69

Wife and husband team of Filipa Pato and William Wouters espouse a simple philosophy: create authentic wines that express the true nature of the vineyards from which they come. The duo focuses exclusively on Bairrada’s indigenous varieties from vineyard sites with soils, microclimates, and aspects ideal for their optimal cultivation. Reflecting a translucent plum ruby color, Pato's Dinamica blossoms with deep aromas of black plums, blackberries, violets, and dried herbs. Wild, spicy, and bristling with energy, the Dinamica layers the palate with gentle mouth-dusting tannins infused in a core of wild blueberry, huckleberry, and tart cherry fruit. The wine finishes long and structured, with chewy tannins and riveting acidity readying the palate for another bite of grilled hanger steak, rustic bean stew, braised short ribs, and stuffed roasted eggplant or red bell peppers. Enjoy now and over the coming two years to capture the wine’s vibrant energy and food-friendly tannins.

SPAIN – RED

2018 Celler 9+ Cantaperdius, Tarragona, Spain (O) 19.99 / 215.89

Celler 9+ is Moises Virgili's personal project at his family vineyards at La Nou de Gaia. With a long career winemaking in places like Chile, South Africa, Priorat, and Penedes, Virgili created the Celler 9+ domaine in 2010 with the idea of making distinctive, organic, and sulfur-free wines from their own vineyards. Celler 9+’s Cantaperdius blend of Sumoi (50%), Ull de Llebre (45%), and Cartoixa reveals a rusty crimson cherry color and high-toned aromas of pie cherries, herbs, and baking spices. Bright and spicy on the palate, the wine offers deft, lithe expressions of red currant, plum, blood orange, and raspberry fruit accented by floral notes and bright overtones of cinnamon and clove. Soft, gentle, yet packed with flavor, the Cantaperdius finishes fresh and savory with a brilliant thrust of red raspberry, tart cherry fruit, and a touch of good ol’ funk. The is a terrific natural wine that will prove a fine partner to vegetable and meat tapas, burgers, pork barbecue and baby back ribs, rustic bean soups, stuffed peppers, and roast duck.

WHITE WINES

OREGON – WHITE

2019 The Eyrie Vineyards, Pinot Blanc, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon (CO) 16.99 / 183.49

Best known for their elegant, racy expressions of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay, Oregon’s pioneering Eyrie Vineyards also fashions what is considered by many to be the state’s finest Pinot Blanc. Eyrie’s just released Pinot Blanc from the elegant, expressive 2019 vintage, casts a medium lemon-gold hue from the glass followed by aromas of pear skin, quince, preserved lemon, and smoky, mineral-rich soil. Zesty and vibrant on the palate, the wine’s crisp, cool acidity propels fresh expressions of yellow apples, linden blossoms, and chamomile. Taut, clean, and focused, Eyrie’s Pinot Blanc finishes with further sensations of crisp Pippin apples, yellow melon, fresh ginger, and lemon balm. This is world-class Pinot Blanc and a terrific choice to savor at your Thanksgiving table and over the coming five years with grilled sockeye salmon, halibut, pan-roasted black cod, light poultry dishes, and grilled zucchini and seasonal squashes.
Thanksgiving selection 2020

AUSTRIA – WHITE

2019 Nigl, Gruner Veltliner, Freiheit, Kremstal, Austria (S) 19.99 / 215.89

Mark our words: 2019 will prove to be a benchmark Austrian vintage, and this is the finest Freiheit in our experience! Nigl, unquestionably one of Austria’s premier wine estates, crafts focused, chiseled wines of impeccable detail and transparency. In the phenomenal 2019 Kremstal vintage, Nigl’s Freiheit coveys the shimmering acidity, transparent clarity, and persistent mineral tension that we so adore. Nigl’s Freiheit – hailing from the deep Löss soils on which the Gruner thrives – casts a pale green-gold hue followed by crystalline aromas of green apple fruit, honeysuckle blossoms, jasmine, lentils, and white pepper. The wine then graces the palate with pure, mineral-driven green melon, lime, and kiwi fruit accented by suggestions of sweet snap peas, blond tobacco, and sweet fresh herbs. Brilliant acidity transitions the Freiheit to its long, zippy finish, which features echoing waves of deep Löss minerality and brisk impressions of citrus and melon fruits. Enjoy the wine now or over the coming five years with sauteed green vegetables, grilled zucchini, braised pork, and roast chicken.
Thanksgiving selection 2020

CROATIA – WHITE

2019 Bura, Rukatac, Dalmatia, Croatia (O) 18.99 / 205.09

Croatia has a 2,500-year viticultural history, and this offering is a testament to the quality and character of the wines that emerge from this important winegrowing nation just across the Adriatic Sea from Italy. The Bura family has cultivated vineyards on the Peljesac Peninsula of Croatia’s Dalmatian coast since 1410. From vineyards located on steep 45-degree southern slopes, Bura produces what many believe are the finest wines to hail from this historic wine zone. Bura’s vineyards are fully organic and are the truest expression of the microclimate and land. Rukatac, also known as Marastina, is an indigenous white grape variety from the Dalmatian coast that has been determined to be closely related to the Italian variety Malvasia del Chianti. Bura’s skin-contact Rukatac casts a deep gold color from the bowl followed by scents of yellow apple skin, apricots, chamomile, and dried bay leaf. Propelled by a saline mineral undercurrent, the wine offers expressions of bitter orange zest, yellow plums, and medicinal herbs. Full, persistent, and compelling, Bura’s Rukatac finishes with further echoes of yellow orchard and stone fruits accented by a dusting of salty minerals and complex notes of bitter almonds and menthol. Enjoy now and over the coming three years with seafood tapas, roasted whole fish, light seafood, vegetarian pastas, and sauteed green vegetables.

FRANCE – WHITE

2019 Francis Blanchet, Pouilly-Fume, Kriotine, Loire Valley, France 18.99 / 205.09

The great Francis Blanchet estate separates its wines based on their underlying terroirs. We’ve featured Francis Blanchet’s Cuvee Silice from flint-rich parcels for several vintages. This month we’re honored to offer Blanchet’s Kriotine from chalky Criot soils, rich in limestone with small white stones strewn about the vineyard surface. Chablis geeks, take note! Blanchet’s Kriotine reflects a limpid green-tinged, lemon-gold hue followed by gorgeous aromas of lime zest, white grapefruit, honeysuckle blossoms, ginger, and crushed oyster shells. Showing exceptional balance on the palate, the wine expresses vibrant notes of green pineapple, lemon juice, grapefruit pith, freshly grated ginger, and chalky minerals. Long, juicy, and impressively energetic, Blanchet’s Kriotine finishes with added suggestions of green apple skin, mint, bay leaf, and quinine before leaving a dusting of chalky minerals on your lips and inner cheeks. Enjoy now and over the coming three years with trout amandine, perch in a beurre blanc sauce, pan roasted monkfish, clams or mussels, fresh chevres, and asparagus in a hollandaise sauce. Sensational Pouilly-Fume!

2018 Joseph Drouhin, Saint-Veran, Burgundy, France (S) 16.99 / 183.49

Saint-Veran in the Maconnais region of southern Burgundy is the source of delicious Chardonnays laced with Burgundy’s inimitable limestone soil signature. In the ripe, yet fresh and aromatic 2018 vintage, Drouhin has fashioned another immediately enjoyable, soil-driven white Burgundy from this under-heralded region wedged between Pouilly-Fuisse and Beaujolais. Drouhin’s 2018 Saint-Veran sports a lovely lemon-gold color in the glass followed by aromas of gunflint, honeysuckle, apple blossoms, and salted lemon. On the palate, Drouhin’s mouth-filling Saint-Veran is packed with delicious suggestions of raw hazelnuts, buttery lemon curd, and white flowers vivified by crisp acidity and a vibrant undercurrent of saline oyster shell minerality. Reprises of honeysuckle blossoms and flinty minerals mark the wine’s long, lip-smacking finish. Enjoy this lovely, authentic, reasonably-priced white Burgundy now and over the coming three years with salmon, pork, roast chicken, duck, boudin blanc, and light pork dishes.

2018 Domaine de Roally, Vire-Clesse, Tradition, Burgundy, France (O) 26.99 / 291.49

Young Gauthier Thevenet took over the reins of the venerable Domaine de Roally in 2000 upon the retirement of the legendary Henri Goyard. Goyard’s tradition, spirit, and passion for excellence continue in Thevenet’s talented hands, yielding one of Burgundy’s most distinctive and compelling Chardonnays. Domaine de Roally’s style is not shy. Roally’s Chardonnays are pruned for low yields and harvested late, which amplifies the wine’s fruit and mineral expressions. Roally’s 2018 Vire-Clesse casts a beautiful lemon-gold color from the glass followed by aromas of honeycomb, ripe yellow plums, gunflint, lemon thyme, and sweet cinnamon. Rich and mouth-filling yet brisk and driven by its mineral spine, the wine fuses suggestions of apricots, ripe Golden Delicious apples with refreshing acidity and a blast of flinty limestone soil. Long and smoky on the finish, the wine revisits its fleshy kernel of yellow fruits lifted by riveting acidity and bristling mineral energy. A white Burgundy of incomparable character, Roally’s Vire-Clesse was made to handle the richest fare: plump briny oysters, lobsters in drawn butter, seared scallops, fatty pates, roasted marrow bones, and fatty Chinook salmon. Enjoy now and over the coming two decades.
Fifteen cases available.

2017 Philippe Ravier, Jacquere, Vin de Savoie, Apremont, Savoie, France (S) 11.99 / 129.49

Like the Cotes du Rhone-Villages, the Vin de Savoie A.O.P. allows certain exemplary villages to append their names to impart special emphasis to the region’s wines. Apremont is one such outstanding cru in Savoie. Fashioned exclusively from the indigenous Jacquere grape, Philippe Ravier’s low-alcohol Apremont brings to mind crisp Alpine breezes and pure, cool mountain spring water. A gleaming lemon-gold in the glass with green reflections, Ravier’s Apremont presents a lovely bouquet of green pineapple, tart plums, pine buds, and flinty minerals. On the palate the wine continues the theme of refreshment with crisp, crunchy expressions of Bartlett pear skin, Pippin apple flesh, lime juice, quinine, and zesty minerals. Bone dry and oh-so-refreshing, this is simply a glorious white for year ’round enjoyment. An outstanding choice as an aperitif and a natural complement to smoked trout, white-fleshed fish dishes in a beurre blanc sauce, oysters, salads, fondue, and cheese plates featuring tomme de Savoie, young Gruyere, and other semi-firm cheeses from the Jura, Savoie, and Switzerland. Enjoy now and over the coming year.

ITALY – WHITE

2019 Iacopo Paolucci, Grechetto di Todi, Umbria, Italy (S) 19.99 / 215.89

We featured Paolucci’s 2018 Grechetto to tremendous customer acclaim, and the estate’s 2019 is even finer! Grechetto, Umbria’s signature white varietal, finds a singular expression on high altitude tufaceous soils around the Perugian city of Todi. The grape is widely believed to be of Greek origin – hence the name – and represents one of Italy’s most distinctive, compelling, and underrated white wines. Paolucci’s 2019 Grechetto begins with a medium lemon-gold color and complex aromas of Bartlett pear, Golden Delicious apple skin, hawthorn blossom, and fresh straw. Crisp and intense, yet refreshing and focused on the palate, the wine complements its juicy core of yellow orchard fruit with juicy acidity, pungent minerality, and complex notes of thyme, fennel, savory herbs, and almonds. Paolucci’s Grechetto di Todi finishes long and refreshing with further notes of juicy pear, honeydew melon, menthol, and crisp fennel. We suggest pairing Paolucci’s superb Grechetto now and over the coming two years with pan-fried trout, sauteed zucchini, seafood pastas, young chevres, and grilled halibut.

SPAIN – WHITE

2019 Mokoroa, Getariako Txakolina, Basque Country, Spain 13.99 / 151.09

Situated just outside of San Sebastian on the coast in the Urteta section of Zarautz, Mokoroa’s seventeen acres of Hondarrabi Zuri and Hondarrabi Beltza vines are planted in the famous Getariako Txakolina D.O. Mokoroa’s Txakoli from the great 2019 vintage opens with a shimmering, pale green-lemon color in the bowl segueing to aromas of lime juice, honeydew melon, green plums, and briny minerals. Propelled by a healthy dose of dissolved CO2, Mokoroa’s Txakoli invigorates the palate with riveting expressions of Key lime juice, green apple skin, gardenia blossoms, and salty sea spray. The wine finishes fresh, saline, and vigorous with layers of citrus zest, gooseberry, quinine, and fresh ginger. Mokoroa has fashioned a very distinctive crisp Txakoli, and an outstanding value for its denominacion. It will prove a superb choice served alone or partnered with artichokes, sauteed green leafy vegetables, grilled asparagus, fresh and steamed shellfish, light squid tapas, ceviches, and delicate white-fleshed fish dishes. Enjoy now and over the coming year.

ROSE WINE

ITALY - ROSE

2019 Calabretta, Rosato, Terre Siciliane, Sicily, Italy (O) 19.99 / 215.89

Are you ready for an autumn rose wine? We’ve featured Calabretta’s deliciously gulpable Cala Cala rosso to great customer response. This month we’re delighted to include Calabretta’s organic Rosato, fashioned primarily from ungrafted vines planted on the sandy, rocky slopes of Mount Etna. Calabretta’s rose opens with a gleaming vermilion color and a soaring bouquet of wild cherries, cured meat, cinnamon, and rocky soil. Fresh and lively on the palate, expressions of spicy cherries, red licorice, cloves, and allspice mingle with Etna’s spicy, peppery soil signature. Fine, savory, food-friendly tannins emerge on the wine’s back-palate and segue it to a long, appetizing finish that reprises suggestions of cherries, red currants, cinnamon, volcanic earth, and peppery salumi. Along with the Alto Piemonte, Etna is Italy’s hippest wine zone right now: with one sip the freshness, brightness, and balance of this Rosado will show you why. It drinks fantastically well by itself, but shows best with food and will prove a versatile partner to roast poultry, eggplant parmigiana, pastas, pizzas, burgers, pork braises, sashimi, and sushi. Calabretta’s Rosado drinks well now but has the poise, tension, and structure to improve for two or three years.
Thanksgiving selection 2020