Join us for an exciting series of wine adventures! Tastings are held in the Belmont and/or West Concord stores. And stay tuned for Winemaker Dinners!

September

MARISA CUOMO: A Taste of the Amalfi Coast

FRI SEPT. 10, 4-7pm  Belmont
SAT. SEPT. 11, 2-5pm Concord

The “Soulful Side” of BORDEAUX

FRI. SEPT. 17, 4-7pm  Belmont
SAT. SEPT. 18, 2-5pm Concord

BAROLO: Alessandria & Burlotto

FRI. SEPT. 24, 4-7PM Belmont
SAT. SEPT. 25, 2-5PM Concord

October

GIUSEPPE CORTESE, (Piedmont, Italy) Barbaresco, Nebbiolo, Barbera

FRI. OCT. 1, 4-7pm Belmont
SAT. OCT. 2, 2-5pm Concord

Poderi ODDERO: Barolo, Barbaresco & more

FRI. OCT. 8, 4-7pm Belmont
SAT. OCT. 9, 2-5pm Concord

Robust wines of SOUTHERN RHONE: Vacqueyras, Gigondas

FRI. OCT. 22, 4-7pm Belmont
SAT. OCT. 23, 2-5pm Concord

BURGUNDY, Thy name is Value!

VERGET, Burgundy

2009 VERGET Chablis “Vaillons” $30

Eric tasted with Jean-Marie Guffens at his cellar in February and selected a few 2009 Chablis to be imported for our customers.
“Ginger and apple aromas are lifted by stony minerality. Broad, concentrated and ripe, with an open-knit texture in the style of the year. This sweet, supple wine is not especially high in acidity but offers a more pleasing balance than the 2008 version. Finishes with impressive length. 92 pts.”-Tanzer, IWC In-store now!

HENRI PRUDHON, Burgundy
Special price on 1er cru white burgundy!

2003 HENRI PRUDHON Chassagne-Montrachet “Chenevottes” Special $35

“Very ripe orchard fruit aromas that are fresh, expressive and nicely complex, complemented by the expressive, yet concentrated and powerful flavors that display excellent precision and solid overall harmony. This is the class of the cellar today and should reward a year or two of bottle age. Drink 2006+.”  –Burghound

Notes of crème brulee, round and lush, and showing the distinctiveness of this noble 1er cru. Ready to drink – limited quantities.

First shipment arriving this week – reserve yours today! 978-369-2545

JEAN-MARC BURGAUD, Beaujolais
“Cuvee JAMES” Morgon

Amazingly beautiful and perfectly balanced Beaujolais – ripe fruit, suave, powerfully structured.

Jean-Marc Burgaud

2008 DOM. Jean-Marc BURGAUD Morgon Cote du Py “Cuvee James” $28 ($23.80 by the case) JEAN-MARC BURGAUD, a signature Beaujolais producer from Morgon, is upping the ante and laying his land out there for all to taste. Yeah, it’s good. Continue Reading »

VINTAGES in WineZag
What an inspiration to meet ADAM JAPKO recently, a dedicated oenophile who documents his wine experiences in his blog WineZag. Well-written with an informed and refreshing point of view, it rewards investigation. Adam wrote these kind words about Eric Broege and VINTAGES after stumbing into one of our typical over-the-top tastings of Barolo, and a days-old bottle of 1991 Clos Centeilles Minervois.
“I owe the discovery of this wine to Eric Broege, President and Wine Director at Vintages. I break habits hard, so I only recently connected and started doing some business with Eric at his shop in West Concord which appears exclusively stocked with wines he wants to personally drink, especially the deep Barolo, Barberesco, and Burgundy inventories. He travels to Europe regularly and clearly searches out honest, natural, artisan wines that express their unique geographies.  It does not take long to see that Eric’s passion and knowledge are respectively effusive and deep; both impressive and most certainly infectious.”

Click to read the article

NEW & EXCLUSIVE: DEVOIS du CLAUS
Pic St. Loup, Languedoc
Scents and flavors of summer!

Eric originally visited this tiny cellar in Pic St. Loup five years ago. We purchased the wines and featured them in the Concord store where they were well-received. When we tried to order the next vintage, no one could get in touch with the winery; it seemed to simply disappear! This February, Eric returned to southern France and attended VINISUD, the major wine expo of the region. He was pleasantly surprised to see that DEVOIS du CLAUS had a booth there. All the wines were just as good as he remembered — this time we were able to place the order and now, after several years’ hiatus, they’re back!!

2007 DEVOIS de CLAUS Pic St. Loup $22
90% Syrah, 10% Grenache Deep, deep dark red and black berries. Wow! Tremendously rich and powerful wine. Tremendous concentration, depth of fruit and unctuousness. Ripe and full cassis flavors. 833 cases produced.

2008 DEVOIS de CLAUS Blanc “Cuvee Luca” $22
100% Grenache Gris. Deep, ripe, pit fruit– white nectarine, white peaches. Nose reminiscent of Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc. Big, powerful, concentrated rich, white wine. Pair with swordfish, lobster or other flavorful seafood. 58 cases produced.

It’s time to DRINK PINK!

Summer has just begun, but Rozay season is well underway! VINTAGES offers up to a dozen different ways to drink pink while beating the heat! If you want to try them all, now’s the time to get started!

FRANCE
NEW! 2009 CHAT. EPERONNIERE Rose de Loire $17.99 (Loire Valley)
Aromas of strawberry and pear. Fresh fruit flavors through to the finish, with a perfectly fresh and dry landing.

2009 COTEAUX du VENDOMOIS Lieu-dit Cocagne Rose $9.99 100% Pineau d’Aunis, this bargain rose packs a sophisticated punch. Pale salmon color, racy acidity. Mouthwatering!

2009 MAS AMIEL “Le Plaisir” Rose $14.99 (Roussillon, France) EXCLUSIVE
Just arrived, the delightful rose “Le Plaisir” from the historic Mas Amiel property in Roussillon, southern France. From 70% Grenache Noir, this rosé delivers crushed berries, pomegranate, racy minerality, and wonderful complexity. A zesty finish guarantees pure pleasure!

2009 DOM. du BAGNOL Cassis Rose $28 (Provence)
This exquisite rose evokes the scents of the delightful seaside town of Cassis. Sweet currant, strawberry and herb flavors. Very well-balanced and graceful, lively with firm minerality.

2009 CHAT. PRADEAUX Bandol Rose $30 (Provence)
Bandol is the King of Rose, with 60% Mourvedre and 40% Cinsault leading the charge. Enticing aromas of redcurrant and cherry, with complicating notes of herbs, white flowers, anise and minerals. Smooth & fleshy with berry and blood orange flavors and tangy notes of white pepper and quinine.  Offers superb complexity and is very flexible at the table. Tremendous!

ITALY
2009 PROPRIETA SPERINO Rosa del Rosa $14.99 (Piedmont) Nebbiolo blend named for Monte Rosa, the 2nd highest peak in the Alps. Drinks like a juicy watermelon!

2009 LE FRAGHE Bardolino Chiaretto Rose “Rodon” $14.99 (Veneto) This Chiaretto (or rose) is a blend of Corvina and Rondinella. 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.

REFRESHING NEW ARRIVALS from the legendary LA TOSA!

Wines known for purity of fruit, and pure enjoyment!

2009 LA TOSA “Valnure” Frizzante $14.99 is back!!!
Finally it’s here — and just in time for the long weekend.  Party-starter in a bottle, LA TOSA is a summer time essential. What is it? A blend of malvasia, ortrugo & magic.

2008 LA TOSA “Riodeltordo” $14.99 EXCLUSIVE
A “still” version of La Tosa’s famous “Valnure” — same blend of grapes, but vinified tranquilo. Equally delicious, with more flexibility at the table.

2008 LA TOSA “Sorriso di Cielo” Malvasia $25 EXCLUSIVE
Yet another irresistible white from LA TOSA. Fully fruited mango, quince, papaya – a succulent, lush expression of malvasia. A nice afternoon sipper. Great with a cheese course or to finish a meal. Once you taste it, you’ll find more reasons to open it.

New from CLOS CENTEILLES Minervois
(Languedoc, France)

Reviving the varietal heritage of this region

We call them the “Burgundy of Minervois” to characterize the elegant, smooth and perfumed nature of their wines. Yet age-worthy elegance for a bargain price is just not enough for Patricia Boyer-Domergue. With 13 ha and 15 grape varieties, the Boyer-Domergues at CLOS CENTEILLES tirelessly forge ahead with their mission of reviving lost local grapes and wines to the Minervois. This year, a project begun in 1986 has yielded its first wine — the debut of the Clos Centeilles “C” Blanc.  All three wines are VINTAGES EXCLUSIVES!

2009 “C” de CENTEILLES Cotes du Brian blanc $19.99 Debut release of this white wine from a new planting of old local grape varieties carefully selected to thrive in this terroir and combine for a harmonious wine! A blend of 25% Araignan Blanc, 30% Riveirenc Gris, 30% Riveirenc Blanc and 15% Grenache Gris. Orchard fruit flavors, rich and ripe, with an intriguing green almond skin finish. Calls to mind a cross between Manzanilla sherry and Arneis. Total production 300 cases.

Patricia Boyer

2006 CLOS CENTEILLES Campagne de Centeilles $13.99 The classic Cinsault rouge that begins its bottled life as a lithe and lively red, and fleshes out over time. Clos Centeilles was the first estate dedicated to making an age-worthy wine from Cinsault, a notoriously difficult grape to cultivate, requiring a very specific set of conditions and constant vigilance. A delicious, fascination wine at an unbeatable price!
1991 CLOS CENTEILLES “Clos Centeilles” $40 / $80 1.5L Special “Library Release” shipped directly from the cellar to VINTAGES. The estate’s top wine is a traditional blend of Mourvedre, Grenache noir, and Syrah planted in limestone. This wine is designed to mature gradually, evolving in compelling complexity over time. Drinks like an old Barolo, beautiful, elegant and lilting, yet firm and austere in structure with notes of mint, cured meat, soy and mushrooms. Vividly demonstrates the quality and aging potential of Minervois.

New from KERMIT LYNCH! DOM. de FONTSAINTE Corbieres Reserve – special price $14.99!

2007 DOM. de FONTSAINTE Corbieres “Reserve la Demoiselle” Reg. $18; Now $14.99! For fans of the “regular” Fontsainte Corbiere, try this amped up model from Bruno Laboucarie. A ripe blend of 60% Carignan (100 yrs old); 30% Grenache Noir & 10% Mourvèdre. Undergoes long maceration and fermentation in vat before aging 12 mos. in French oak barrel. Aromas of red fruit, pepper and nutmeg, along with an undercurrent of garrigue herbs. Elegant and ripe berries in the mouth, with savory tannins and crushed almonds on the finish. Great with charcuterie, grilled skewers and meats.

NEW from MONTEFALCO, UMBRIA!

2006 PAOLO BEA “San Valentino” Umbria Rosso $30!
Tremendous wine — incredible price.
If you are FAMILIAR with the legendary Montefalco wines of PAOLO BEA and you just received this on your smart phone, then you’re already on your way over to load up! If you have even a tiny bit of curiosity about Montefalco or Paolo Bea wines, don’t wait too long. The 2006 Paolo Bea “San Valentino” Umbria Rosso at $30 is a great value — the Bea’s line-up generally starts at $50 for the white and goes up from there.

Giampiero Bea, son of Paolo, pursues a natural, non-interventionalist approach to winemaking – a risky venture that yields tremendous rewards when nature is generous. The San Valentino Rosso is Sangiovese and Montepulciano from a 50+-year-old vineyard in which all the grape varieties are planted together. Aromas of cherries, herbal scrub, tobacco and spice jump

from the glass; concentrated dark fruits and very elegant tannins offer great appeal. Continue Reading »