Lonardo & de Venoge Sale 12-4-24

“… you only have to taste the wines of Contrade di Taurasi/Lonardo, Guastaferro, and Mastroberardino, for example, to realize that world-class wines could be made with the Aglianico grape” – Ian D’Agata, Vinous
 
Sandro Lonardo makes some of the best values in powerful, Italian red wine. Based in Taurasi, he works primarily with the local Aglianico grape to produce wines that combine power and intensity with site-specific nuance that rival the best wines in Barolo and Brunello, yet without the high price.
 
To Italian insiders, this isn’t news. After all, Campania, the area around Naples, has been famous for its wines since the Greeks settled it. There are numerous references to the quality of the wines in Roman writings. If more of the wines were at the level of Cantine Lonardo, the region would be as famous as Barolo, Barbaresco, or Brunello.
 
Sandro Lonardo is a schoolteacher who also makes wines, both from vineyards he farms and from grapes he buys from local farmers. His commits to traditional practices in the vineyard and winery. Lonardo’s Taurasi wines are made from ancient Aglianico vines planted at 1300 feet above sea level, grown organically in a tall pergola in ancient volcanic ash with a base of limestone and clay. The very best lots are kept separate and released as single vineyard bottlings.
 
In the winery, he limits the use of barrique and new wood, yet the wines aren’t rustic monsters. There is a unique freshness and approachability, especially given the reputation of the grape and the warm climate it calls home.
 
We’re offering rare library stock for his two single vineyards, Coste and Vigne d’Alto, and special reserve bottlings. The 2011s—a warm year that produced exceptionally powerful reds—have just entered their drinking windows, but will comfortably age for another decade. The 2012s on offer are full of energy. Snag at least two bottles, one for short term consumption and the other for longer aging. These prices will look laughably low in a few years.
 

5% off any 3-5 in-stock bottles from Cantine Lonardo
10% off any 6 or more in-stock bottles from Cantine Lonardo
 
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Sale ends Saturday, December 7th at 9 am Pacific.

 
We offer five Lonardo options on sale now, including:
 
Contrade di Taurasi Cantine Lonardo Vigne d’Alto, Taurasi DOCG 2011 750ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off, 2 bottles in stock now
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 94+ points “Deep ruby with a purple tinge. Reticent nose at first, only hinting at dark cherry, sassafras and sandalwood. Then very concentrated and dense, displaying almost opulent, sweet nuances of oaky torrefaction to the coffee, cocoa and dark cherry flavors. This outstanding Taurasi finishes extremely long, rich and seamless. It’s virtually impossible to pick between Lonardo’s two crus in 2011, and both will have many admirers.”
 

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

 
Contrade di Taurasi Cantine Lonardo Vigne d’Alto, Taurasi DOCG 2012 750ml Displayed Price: $59, that’s $56.05 at 5% off and $53.10 at 10% off, 5 bottles in stock now
Kerin O’Keefe-Wine Enthusiast 95 points “Perfumed and loaded with finesse, this single-vineyard wine opens with enticing scents of violet, ripe black-skinned fruit, new leather and baking spice. Made with 60- to 100-year-old plants, the smooth, delicious palate delivers succulent Marasca cherry, plum, licorice and nutmeg framed in velvety tannins, making it one of the more elegant expressions of Taurasi out there. A mineral note energizes the lingering finish. Drink through 2032.”
 

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

 
Contrade di Taurasi Cantine Lonardo Coste, Taurasi DOCG 2011 750ml Displayed Price: $69, that’s $65.55 at 5% off and $62.10 at 10% off, 27 bottles in stock now
Ian D’Agata-Vinous 94+ points “Deep ruby. Floral nuances complicate the red and dark berry, ink, sweet spice and flinty aromas and flavors. Dense and seamless, showing a multilayered personality and remarkable complexity of flavor. Finishes very long and with repeating, lingering hints of ink and flint.”
 

This is the only listing in the USA today!

 
Contrade di Taurasi Cantine Lonardo Taurasi Riserva DOCG 2011 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 22 bottles in stock now
Eric Guido-Vinous 96 points “The 2011 Taurasi Riserva pulls you close and holds your attention firm with its deeply alluring bouquet of crushed black cherries, plum sauce, autumnal spices, woodland herbs and hints of animal musk. This fills the palate with rich, pliant textures and ripe red and blue berries, as nervous acidity maintains wonderful freshness, and sweet notes of cinnamon, clove and tobacco form toward the close. There’s plenty of tannic grip here, yet it’s balanced by the 2011’s mix of opulent, concentrated fruit and contrasting sour citrus tones that resonate for what feels like a full minute. Even as you contemplate the experience, minerals, hints of iodine and rosy inner florals can still be sensed upon the palate. Make no mistake, this is a full-throttle expression of Taurasi, but it will win the hearts of collectors who enjoy a bigger and old-school style.”
 

This is the lowest listed price on the West Coast!

 
Contrade di Taurasi Cantine Lonardo ‘T31’, Taurasi DOCG 2012 750ml Displayed Price: $119, that’s $113.05 at 5% off and $107.10 at 10% off, 12 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “The new T31 is from 100+ year old ungrafted vines on a mix of limestone and volcanic soils, elevage 3 years in tonneau with another 5 years aging in bottle.”