Vinopolis Tuesday Newsletter 1-26-2021

Abbatucci remains the premier producer of aristocratic Corsican wine—noble expressions of a wild island. We’re offering you a great deal on two vintages of their “Faustine” blanc—always one of the best examples of Vermentino in the world. This is a wine that is somehow both powerful and delicate, a rare combination in the world of white wine. These were already amongst the smartest buys in the shop before we further reduced our national best prices. Now they’re absolute steals.

“In the colorful, picturesque city of Ajaccio, capital of Corsica, you can’t get very far without seeing the name Abbatucci. There are streets, monuments and plazas that carry the name, which is normal given that General Jean-Charles Abbatucci from Ajaccio was a hero of the French Revolution and comrade in arms of another local hero, Napoléon Bonaparte. Step into a wine bar or a restaurant there, chances are these days they’ll pour you a glass of Domaine Abbatucci. The domaine is run by Jean-Charles Abbatucci, a direct descendant of the General, who has now become a local hero of another kind for providing the local populace with its most sought-after libation. Corsicans are proud defenders of their traditions and environment, and with Abbatucci they indulge guilt-free. His wines are certified biodynamic, and he believes in following even the most far-out biodynamic practices to the letter. On his large estate south of Ajaccio he keeps a pristine poly-culture ecosystem in place, complete with herds of sheep foraging through his vines, groves of olive trees on ancient terraces, and large swaths of untouched forests. His vines come from cuttings of indigenous grapes, sourced decades ago high up in the isolated and mountainous interior of the island from elderly peasant farmers, effectively saving several native varieties from extinction. To keep his vines happy, he’s known to drive his tractor out to his vineyards and play traditional Corsican polyphonic songs over loudspeakers for their benefit. After the harvest he’ll treat his cellar to the same music as his grapes ferment and come of age. All part of the terroir, he says. Does all this have an actual effect on the wine? Have a taste for yourself. The proof just might be in the pudding.” –Kermit Lynch Wines

In Stock Now:

Domaine Comte Abbatucci Cuvee Faustine Vieilles Vignes Blanc 2016 750ML ($49.95) Was $29 Now $24, 31 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “At the domaine, Jean-Charles Abbatucci often greets his guests with copious platters of Corsican charcuterie: heaping piles of coppa, lonzu, panzetta, and prisuttu saturated with wild, smoky, gamy flavors. Made from nustrale black pigs, a breed exclusive to the island, these meats feature savory, salty flavors that inspire gulp after gulp of crips, stony Vermentinu or spicy, juicy reds from native grapes. This delicate, floral white guarantees palate-cleansing refreshment when heavenly Corsican meats and cheeses are on the table.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA.
Now even lower!
The next best price nationally is $39.99

Domaine Comte Abbatucci Cuvee Faustine Vieilles Vignes Blanc 2017 750ML ($49.95) Was $29 Now $26, 25 bottles in stock now
Importer Note “Summing up Jean-Charles Abbatucci’s contagious energy in just a few lines is virtually impossible. The best way to experience it is to stand in his vineyards in central Corsica and feel it radiate through your body from the ground up. Luckily, that energy finds its way into every bottle he makes, and this gentle, breezy white from old-vine Vermentinu delivers it without compromise—each sip is like a gust of warm Mediterranean air flooding your senses with a perfume of flowers and wild maquis.”

This was the lowest listed price in the USA
Now even lower!
The next best price nationally is $32

“The Col d’Orcia winery and vineyards are located in the southwest of Montalcino. All 152 hectares of vines are certified organic and biodynamic within a larger farm encompassing 520 hectares, where the estate tends olive groves, raises vegetables and grazes livestock to create the biodiversity which they believe is essential. I’ve had the pleasure of tasting through many vintages of both the Brunello and the Poggio al Vento Riserva, one of the region’s first single-vineyard expressions, with Francesco Marone Cinzano over the years. In fact, it’s not uncommon to find Cinzano pouring multiple and often mature vintages alongside his current releases, just to show his belief in the quality and staying power of Col d’Orcia Brunello. It’s quite an experience, really, as you can actually follow the stamp of terroir and the estate’s signature from vintage to vintage, in spite of the large production here. The fact is that the house Brunello is easily one of the best buys year after year. It’s a classic expression of southern Montalcino fruit with a balanced structure to carry it for two decades or more, considering the vintage.” – Eric Guido, Vinous

In Stock Now:

Tenuta Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($59.95) $49 special, 23 bottles in stock now
Eric Guido – Vinous 94 points “At first, the 2015 Brunello di Montalcino is quite closed in the glass, to the point I move on to the wine next to it… However, upon returning to the glass a few minutes later, I come to realize that the 2015 simply needs time to come to life; and once it does, watch out. Here I find a gorgeous and intense display, mixing savory and sweet, as well as, earth and fruit, as dusty cedar and spice give way to ripe strawberry with a hint of citrus, with wild herbs and a hint of animal musk adding further depths. On the palate, silky textures meld into woodland red berry fruits, zesty spice, hints of cedar, savory herbs, saline minerals, and mounting tannins. The finish is long and structured, yet there remains enough primary fruit to balance it all out, as well as resonating acids, intriguing hints of citrus, and spice. This is remarkably balanced, singing already, yet it’s full of potential for the cellar.”
Wine Spectator 94 points “This combines the best characteristics of Sangiovese, with cherry and strawberry fruit, earth, leather and iron notes and balsamic elements of wild thyme, rosemary and Mediterranean scrub. Shows a bit of heat on the finish, yet remains fresh and long. Best from 2023 through 2042. 16,600 cases made, 3,000 cases imported. — BS”
Wine Advocate 93 points “The Col d’Orcia 2015 Brunello di Montalcino (made with organic fruit) has a very distinctive aromatic profile with subtle hints of rusty iron and moist potting soil. However, this wine also shows an impressive evolution in the glass with those earthy and sanguine notes lifting to reveal sweet oak tones of vanilla and baking spice that remain pronounced in a second underlayer. To me, Col d’Orcia’s wines are almost always characterized by a medicinal or balsamic element, and the primary fruit is downplayed as a result. This vintage puts on a good show with wild berry, blackcurrant and dried blackberry. That said, this wine is more ethereal and spicy than it is fruity per se.”


Tenuta Col d’Orcia Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($27.95) $21.90 special, 27 bottles in stock now
James Suckling 92 points “A soft, delicious red with crushed berry and cherry character. Full body, round, velvety tannins and a flavorful finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.”


Pre-Arrival ETA May:

Tenuta Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2016 750ML ($59.95) $44 pre-arrival special
Eric Guido – Vinous 95 points “Dusty earth gives way to dried roses, incense, hints of cedar, sage, currants and black cherries in a display that makes the 2016 Col d’Orcia Brunello di Montalcino a very special experience. It’s nuanced and perfumed from start to finish, boasting silky textures contrasted by tart berries and minerals, but with sweet tannins that frame the expression perfectly. Its inner sweetness is balanced by bright acids, creating an almost-juicy sensation, right up until the moment you realize that your palate is aching with youthful tension. There’s so much going on and much more to come, making me wonder what the Poggio al Vento might offer in the 2016 vintage. For now, that doesn’t even matter, because the 2015 Col d’Orcia impresses on nearly every level.”


Love Brunello? We have over 50 Brunellos in stock now. Shop the entire selection, including famous names like Casanova di Neri, La Fortuna, Sassetti and more, on our web store now.