In This Newsletter:Close-Out Sale: Save Big on the Biggest Names in Barolo and Barbaresco
Featuring Vietti, Aldo Conterno, Luigi Baudana, Paolo Scavino, and more! We’re making room for more wine… That means big savings for you!
…featured Close-Out wines:
Vietti.
In the minds of wine lovers, Vietti is what they think of when they think of Barolo. Proclaimed a Historical Brand of National Interest by Italy’s Minister of Economic Development, Vietti represents Italian wine itself to its core: expressive, dramatic, and graceful with incredible depth as it comes of age.
2018 was the very first year that Vietti produced their Cerequio bottling and this wine came out of the gates swinging. Due to its finesse, elegant perfume, and near immortality in the bottle Cerequio, a Cru split between Barolo and La Morra, is considered by many to be one of Barolo’s premium terroirs and its wines one of the most classical representations of the region as a whole.
WAS $219Vietti Cerequio, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2018 750ml $199 special, 7 bottles availableAntonio Galloni-Vinous 97 Points “Soaring aromatics and bright, red-toned fruit give the Cerequio its effusive personality. Nuanced and deep, with tremendous complexity and tons of character, the Cerequio is dazzling. This is everything a great Barolo from Cerequio should be. In other words: textbook.”
Poderi Aldo Conterno has been producing remarkable wines ever since it was created in 1969 by the man whose name is on the label. Sick of fighting with his brother over the winemaking style to be used at the family’s estate, the venerable Giacomo Conterno, Aldo left and never looked back. Over the course of the next several decades he established the winery as one of the most important in Italy. Today the company is run by three sons of Aldo: Franco, Stefano and Giacomo who followed in the footsteps of their father to carry on the family tradition. WAS $89
Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Bussia DOCG, Piedmont, Italy 2017 750ml $79 special, 2 bottles availableMonica Larner-Wine Advocate 92 Points ” …the Poderi Aldo Conterno 2017 Barolo Bussia shows a dark but busy quality of fruit that speaks more to the power of this hot vintage than it does the nuanced side of Nebbiolo … broad layers of dark cherry, cassis and plum. There is some tannic tightness that leads to sour berry.” Was $179
Poderi Aldo Conterno Bussia Cicala, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2017 750ml $149 special, 2 bottles availableWine Spectator 95 Points “A solid, powerful style, this expressive red is well-marked by new oak, with plum, cherry, cigar box, menthol and sun-kissed hay flavors. Balanced and lively, with refined tannins and a long, spice-infused finish.” WAS $179
Poderi Aldo Conterno Bussia Cicala, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2017 750ml $149 special, 6 bottles availableMonica Larner-Wine Advocate 94+ Points “The Poderi Aldo Conterno 2017 Barolo Bussia Colonnello shows good focus, structure and a sharper character that is often the distinguishing factor in this wine. The bouquet is redolent of dark fruit and plum, but it also shows a solid framing of iron ore and dark stony mineral. These give the wine greater lift and contoured edges. This is not the first time that Colonnello is my favorite wine in this lineup, and I suspect it won’t be the last.”
If you’re not familiar with the Luigi Baundana estate, here’s a quick primer: in 2009, G.D. Vajra was entrusted by Luigi and Fiorina Baudana to carry on the legacy of their cherished garagiste operation upon their retirement. The estate’s holdings don’t exceed seven acres, making them one of the smallest wineries in all of Piedmont. As a result, these are wines made in highly limited qualities and offer a wholly unique interpretation of the varietal. These are wines of elegance and patience, with the underlying boldness that lovers of nebbiolo cherish. The Vajra wines are as lithe and complex as any wine to be found in the Barolo region, while the Baudana wines balance the high-toned energy of nebbiolo with the power of Serralunga’s terroir. WAS $89
Luigi Baudana ‘Baudana’, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2018 750ml $69 special, 32 bottles availableMonica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 Points “With fruit from Serralunga d’Alba, the 2018 Barolo Baudana is a very different wine when compared to the other single-vineyard expressions from this estate. This has to do with site and soil, and in the case of this celebrated subzone, the wines are always more powerful, more structured and mineral-driven.” WAS $79
Luigi Baudana Cerretta, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2018 750ml $69 special, 36+ bottles availableAntonio Galloni-Vinous 93 Points “The 2018 Barolo Cerretta is a potent, searing wine, its mid-weight structure notwithstanding. Scorching tannins wrap around a core of dark red/black fruit, gravel, smoke, crushed rocks, menthol, licorice and game…” WAS $59
Luigi Baudana Serralunga, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2018 750ml $51.50 special, 13 bottles availableAntonio Galloni-Vinous 91 Points “The 2018 Barolo del Comune di Serralunga d’Alba is redolent of savory and ferrous notes woven into a core of dried red cherry fruit. Spice, mint and tobacco develop later, adding pretty shades of nuance. Readers will find a super-classic Serralunga Barolo, but one that won’t need more than a few years to be at its best.”
“The Scavino family (Enrico and his daughters Enrica and Elisa) carry forth an important family legacy with a wide range of cru-specific wines that brilliantly exhibit individual styles.” – The Wine Advocate One of the things we love most about Scavino is their ability to bring forth Barolos that have such depth of aroma and vibrancy at a young age, while still being able to age gracefully. Much of this can be attributed to their envious vineyard parcels, but also a masterful hand at balancing classic and modern production methods. WAS $69
Paolo Scavino Carobric, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2017 750ml $59 special, 8 bottles availableAntonio Galloni 95 Points “The 2017 Barolo Carobric is one of the standouts in this range, as it often is. It has an extra dimension of depth and volume that works so well here. Sweet red cherry, cedar, sweet pipe tobacco, anise and brambly notes build as this striking, expressive Barolo shows off its considerable charm. What a pretty wine it is.” WAS $89
Paolo Scavino Bric del Fiasc, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2017 750ml $79 special, 18 bottles availableAntonio Galloni 95+ Points “The 2017 Barolo Bric del Fiasc is another gorgeous wine in the line up from the Scavino family… Dried rose petal, mint, spice, kirsch and iron all blossom with a bit of coaxing. I can’t wait to see how it ages.” WAS $69
Paolo Scavino Prapo, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2017 750ml $59 special, 9 bottles availableAntonio Galloni- Vinous 95+ Points “The 2017 Barolo Prapò is yet another stellar wine in this range. Dark and brooding in the glass, the Prapò expresses all of the natural weight of this Serralunga cru, but with more overt fruit and a bit less tannic heft than is often the case.” WAS $59
Paolo Scavino Ravera, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2018 750ml $59 special, 22 bottles availableJames Suckling 93 Points “Compact and really focused, with red berries, dried porcini and brighter floral notes. Medium-bodied with a relatively light but firm tannin framework. The flavors remain enticing and fresh. The lighter overall structure reflects the vintage, but there’s room for expansion here, given time.” …but wait there’s more Piedmont to Peruse:
WAS $59
Cantina del Pino Albesani, Barbaresco DOCG, Italy 2017 750ml $49 special, 14 bottles availableMonica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 Points “Fruit from Albesani shows nice sharpness and a compact or complete profile that is typical of Nebbiolo. This site has fared well in this hot and dry vintage with intact aromas of wild berry, mineral and blue violets.” WAS $135
Elvio Cogno Ravera Bricco Pernice, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2017 750ml $119 special, 17 bottles availableMonica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 Points “This is a medium-bodied Nebbiolo from a hot vintage with a ruby-tinged appearance. The 2017 Barolo Ravera Bricco Pernice shows generous inner fiber and richness with dried cherry, blackberry, plum and dark spice. WAS $219
Falletto di Bruno Giacosa Asili, Barbaresco DOCG, Italy 2019 750ml $119 special, 7 bottles availableJames Suckling 98 Points “Sweet and succulent aromas of tangerines, freshly cut ripe strawberries, cherries and flowers follow through to a full-bodied palate with sleek and dense tannins that run the length of the wine and then fan out into a dense, vivid finish of fruit. It’s chewy and seriously structured with finesse and energy.” WAS $59
Luigi Giordano Asili, Barbaresco DOCG, Italy 2015 750ml $49 special, 14 bottles availableDecanter 92 Points ” …the palate is fresh and limpid with very ripe fruits but with no sweetness showing, thanks to the lively acidity. It has some tension, persistence and style, with a long finish.” WAS $69
Marcarini Brunate, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2015 750ml $59 special, 10 bottles availableWine Enthusiast 96 Points “From one of the most celebrated vineyards in the denomination, this stunning red opens with enticing scents of rose, camphor, aromatic herbs and a whiff of sandalwood. It’s nicely balanced by fresh acidity.” WAS $41.90
Paitin di Pasquero-Elia ‘Serraboella’, Barbaresco DOCG, Italy 2018 750ml $38 special, 4 bottles availableMonica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 Points “The 2018 Barbaresco Serraboella has a broad reach, thanks to its balanced aromas of wild berry, dried cherry, crushed roses and violets. The wine spreads cleanly over the palate, thanks to the extra volume offered by its earthy and delicately mineral flavors.” WAS $59
Rizzi Barbaresco Nervo, Barbaresco DOCG, Italy 2017 750ml $49 special, 3 bottles availableKerin O’keefe-Wine Enthusiast 95 Points “Full bodied, supremely elegant and surprisingly fresh for the hot vintage, the savory palate delivers ripe Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice and crushed mint alongside taut, refined tannins. Fresh acidity keeps it impeccably balanced.“ WAS $89
Giovanni Rosso Cerretta, Barolo DOCG, Italy 2016 750ml $79 special, 16 bottles availableKerin O’keefe-Wine Enthusiast 97 Points ” Showing Serralunga’s hallmark of firm structure and finesse, the full-bodied, youthfully tense palate delivers juicy red cherry, raspberry compote, dried mint and licorice set against a backbone of noble tannins. Bright acidity keeps it impeccably balanced.”
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