The folks at Alessandria in Barolo have done it again – delivered one of the most compelling white wines of the summer – this time from local grape “Favorita.” A white with fresh aromas, lush, lip-smacking fruit in the mouth, and powdery minerals on the finish. A great pairing with the underground runaway hit PELAVERGA red.  It doesn’t get any better than this — blow away your hosts or guests; serve ALESSANDRIA Pelaverga Verduno $19.99 and Langhe Favorita $19.99 at your next social opportunity! Chill the red and the white for best results!

From LIGURIA –
2008 COLLE DEI BARDELLINI Pigato $17.99 (Liguria) “the ultimate summer wine”
Grown in vineyards along the Italian Riviera, PIGATO is one of the best pairings for fish, seafood and shellfish. Also shines with pesto and lighter pasta dishes. A fresh, briny character, citrus fruit with aromas of sage and thyme. Beautiful minerality lends a crisp yet silky finish. One taste, and it will be easy to find many occasions to enjoy PIGATO!

From Veneto -
NEW & EXCLUSIVE! 2007 OTTELLA Lugana Superiore “Molceo” $25 “Tre Bicchieri”
We are very pleased to offer the U.S. debut of the “Molceo” white wine from OTTELLA – winner of this year’s “Three Glasses” award. Beautiful pale gold color; rich and powerful fruit character followed by clean, refreshing minerality. A perfect partner for the red “Campo Sireso” Cabernet & Merlot blend.

From Umbria –
2009 PERTICAIA Trebbiano Spoletino (Umbria, Italy) $22 Exotically delicious!
This estate in Montefalco, Umbria has once again produced a beautifully-balanced, rich white from Trebbiano Spoletino. Pale gold with green highlights. Tropical fruit notes– papaya & mango — ripe fruit and freshness. Swordfish, scallops, seafood pastas or an aperitif. Delectable!

Wine Tasting Sat. May 15, 2-5pm, Concord
NEW & EXCLUSIVE FROM ITALY

2008 MASARI Agnobianco $19.99 EXCLUSIVE (special 20% off case!) Elegant blend of Garganega and Durella from the Soave area of the Veneto. Intriguing tangerine rind, papaya and bitter almond notes in a silky delivery system with driving minerality.

2009 LE FRAGHE Bardolino Chiaretto Rose “Rodon” $14.99 From Matilde Poggi at Le Fraghe, this Chiaretto (or rose) is a blend of Corvina and Rondinella. Cherry red with purple highlights, Rodòn offers delicate notes of wild rose followed by wild strawberry and redcurrant. Crisply refreshing with a persistent finish, “Rodon” is a perfect balance of delicate flavors and inviting minerality.

2008 Fra. ALESSANDRIA Verduno Pelaverga $19.99 EXCLUSIVE
Hands down, the most intriguing “summer red” we’ve tasted! But don’t be deceived by the light color of this wine from the Pelaverga grape grown only in the town of Verduno in northern Barolo. This aromatic red develops in the glass showing beautiful plum and currant flavors, with a hint of white pepper on the long finish! molto buono!

2008 LUCIANO SANDRONE Dolcetto d’Alba $22
From one of the modern masters of Barolo, the 2008 Dolcetto d’Alba is a pretty, medium-bodied red with appealing dark fruit, licorice, spices and a characteristic pleasantly bitter note on the finish.

2005 SAN FEREOLO Langhe Nebbiolo “Provinciale” $28 EXCLUSIVE It’s not surprisingthat this debut bottling from Nicoletta Boca at San Fereolo with a little help from her friend Giuseppe Rinaldi, has yielded an amazingly delicious nebbiolo that approaches the depth and complexity of a young Barolo!  Dark brick, opaque color, earthy elegance, rich aromas, hint of licorice and blueberry, nice tannins on finish. Let it evolve in your glass, decant, or revisit the next day or three for best results. A drinker & a keeper!

Need a couple of great bottles to enjoy during the week? Looking to upgrade your ‘house’ wine selections?
Then don’t miss our April Wine Dog Deals! 

Every month, Ferdy the “Wine Dog” sniffs out great deals for you to take home and lap up!  Often exclusive—always exceptional values. Woof.

20% off solid cases of our current Wine Dog Deal!

This month, Ferdy recommends a Red and a White from one of our favorite wine regions, Piedmont, Italy:

2008 GUIDOBONO Langhe Nebbiolo $11.99
20% off Case Price: $9.59!

Guidobono is known for cultivating textbook examples of traditional Piedmont varietals that are still great values!  With a classic nose of earth and violets, you won’t find quality Nebbiolo for this price anywhere else—a real steal from the Langhe!

2008 LA COLOMBERA “Bricco Bartolomeo” Cortese $11.99
Case Price: $9.59!

Young winemaker Elisa Semino has crafted this single-vineyard Cortese offering crisp, citrus notes with some floral hints—perfect for appetizers, lighter fare, and “buona e semplice beva” (good and simple drinkability)!

WINE TASTING: Conti di Buscareto from Marche, Italy

FRI. Nov. 6, 4:30-6:30pm Concord
Sat. Nov. 7, 4-6pm Belmont
with Mr. Claudio Luconi, director

Claudio Luconi from at the Conti di Buscareto estate in Italy’s Marche region, will be in the Belmont store on Saturday, Nov. 7, 4-6pm. Claudio will present and discuss the featured wines:

2007 CONTI di BUSCARETO Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi “Ammazzaconte” $22
Luscious, late-harvest verdicchio

2006 CONTI di BUSCARETO Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi “Ammazzaconte” Special price on 6-pak at tasting: $16.99/bottle

2007 CONTI di BUSCARETO Lacrimo di Morro d’Alba Rosso $17.99
Aromatic red with soft plum fruit

2008 CONTI di BUSCARETO Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi $13.99 Crisp, complex, great minerality

WINE DOG DEALS!

2007 VILLA ROSA “Poggio al Rovi” Toscano Rosso $11.99 (red)
We’re faced with many decisions when it comes to buying wine, some very basic; ” Does the wine taste good? Is it worth the money? Will people be happy with it? Will they come back for more? These are all issues that we consider with regard to our customers. Regarding the producer there are other questions to consider. Is the wine unique? Is it authentic or is it an approximation of the genuine article? Was the wine created to supply a vague world demand for a certain style? Or was it simply made, the way wine has always be made, for generations, for millennia, true and pure. A real wine. 

2007 VALLE REALE Trebbiano d’Abruzzo $12.99 (white) The Pozzoli family is proud of their vineyards located in the “green heart” of Abruzzo, on the hillsides above the hot coastal plains. Valle Reale vines benefit from a cooler microclimate with calcareous soil rich in fossil material, more extreme temperatures and longer maturation of the grapes. The trebbiano has a late-harvest quality, a little richer, ripe orchard fruit, supported by underlying minerality and salinity. A tremendously satisfying white for the money!

WINE TASTING: Sat. Oct. 17, 3-6pm Belmont
Chateauneuf du Pape & Alto Adige

An odd couple indeed — Rhone & Alto Adige. Yet, both of these regions strongly rely on aromatics to set the stage for what’s to come. From the pristine Alps to the rugged mountains surrounding the Rhone valley, these whites and reds deliver!

ABBAZIA di NOVACELLA (Photo: Celestino Lucin, 2009 Winemaker of the Year from Gambero Rosso)
“Abbazia di Novacella in Alto Adige is located in one of the most breathtakingly beautiful corners of Italy. In particular, the wines made from indigenous varieties are well worth seeking out. These wines beautifully express the unique qualities of their respective varieties and the unique Valle Isarco terroir.”–WA

2007 ABBAZIA dI NOVACELLA Pinot Grigio $22
“The 2007 Pinot Grigio is a delicate, perfumed white with well-articulated fruit and pretty aromatics.”–WA

2007 ABBAZIA dI NOVACELLA Sylvaner $22  Reveals lovely detail and nuance in a layered expression of fruit. Admirable length and complexity.

2007 ABBAZIA dI NOVACELLA Kerner $25  “It beautifully marries the detail that many of these wines have with a ripe, generous expression of fruit. Citrus peel, melon, spices and mint are just some of the notes that can be found in this beautiful, absolutely delicious white.” –WA

REDS- CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE
2006 DOM. MONPERTUIS Chateauneuf du Pape $45
“Fresh red berries on the nose, with complicating notes of rose, lavender and smoky minerals. Gains power on the broad, penetrating finish while maintaining freshness and clarity.”–IWA

2006 LE VIEUX DONJON Chateauneuf du Pape $69
“Intensely perfumed aromas of Asian spices, garrigue, red berries, smoke and minerals. This elegant wine calls to mind pinot noir in its weight and texture. Sweet, palate-staining raspberry and cherry flavors are enlivened by juicy acidity. Very pure and seductive wine with no gamey qualities and a long, sweet finish.”–IWA

2005 CLOS du MONT OLIVET “La Cuvee du Papet” $68
“(95% grenache and 5% mourvedre) Inky ruby. Stunningly fragrant bouquet of fresh red berries, cherry, minerals, Asian spices and fresh flowers; with its combination of power and purity, this smells like a Musigny. Deeply concentrated raspberry and cherry flavors are complicated by anise, cinnamon and floral pastille, with big but interwoven tannins adding grip. Finishes with outstanding silky persistence and a strong red berry character. 94 pts.” -IWA