We thank all of you for your support in 2008, and wish all of you the very best in the year ahead.

May we make a few bubbly suggestions?

Excellent NVs

EGLY-OURIET NV Brut “Tradition” Grand Cru $72
75% pinot noir; 25% chardonnay. Pale, vivid gold, with a frothy mousse. Energetic lemon, peach pit, pear, redcurrant and honeysuckle on the nose. Spicy, finely etched orchard fruit flavors are given depth and a refreshingly bitter edge by fruit skin and quinine. Gains weight on the broad, chewy, impressively persistent finish.

GUY LARMANDIER NV Brut Vertus 1er Cru $50
Pale silver-straw color, with an energetic mousse. Aromas of talc and mineral salts along with yellow apple, yellow plum and orange oil. Initially firm and crisp on the palate but opens up to show fine-grained apple and white peach flavors that continue to build through the finish. Deceptively powerful and concentrated Champagne with excellent potential.

ROGER COULON NV Brut 1er Cru $50
Yellow-gold. Smoky peach and poached pear aromas are complemented by exotic cherry pit and green cardamom. Fleshy and ripe, with gently ripe orchard fruit and melon flavors supported by soft acidity. Finishes supple and long, with a lingering melon quality.

Superb Sparkling - Burgundy, France

DOM. ALAIN GUILLOT St. Genevieve Extra Brut $33 100% Chardonnay, this Brut sparkling wine is made with no dosage (added sugar), and is aged on the lees for a full five years. The Extra Brut livens the palate with its fine mousse, crisp fruit flavors and great length.

DOM. ALAIN GUILLOT St. Genevieve Brut Rosé $33 From 100% Gamay, with only 6 grams of dosage, this lovely deep salmon-colored rosé is aged on the lees for 48 months. Restrained, elegant style with amazing mineral length, the rose offers red fruit flavors and refreshing acidity. Citrus and stony notes on the finish.

SPARKLING SPECIAL — Champagne Method from Trento, Italy

2000 DORIGATI “METHIUS”Brut Riserva was $66; now 20% off at $52.80!
Produced with 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir; the wine is re-fermented and aged in bottle for about five years. The Methius offers complex and compelling flavors of honey, grapefruit, apple and hazelnut, that linger on the very long finish.

2003 VALDCAVA BRUNELLO di MONTALCINO 95 pts.
2003 VALDICAVA Brunello di Montalcino $129 

“Enticing aromas of meat-and-mushroom pie mingle with rich plum and spices. Full-bodied, with silky, caressing tannins and intense fruit and mineral flavors. Well-crafted, finishing long. The flagship Brunello in 2003. This is the wine of the vintage. Best after 2010. 2,800 cases made. 95 pts.” –W.S.

VINTAGES has best selection of 2004 BAROLO & BARBARESCO in the state! Browse our inventory by clicking on the “Best in Show” tab.

Just Arrived! 2007 VIGNERONS du CARACTERE Cotes du Rhone 3 Liter Box $30!
What is 3 Liters? It’s four bottles of wine! In a vacuum-packed, eco-friendly  box. Drink a little; drink a lot. Maintains freshness for one month after opening. Such a deal!

“Tasty, with a mix of black cherry, graphite and spice notes followed by a solid, medium-weight finish. Blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault. Drink now.” –W.S.

VINTAGES is offering our signature Wine Gift Duos in beautiful Italian window wine carriers! VINTAGES’ Wine Gift Duos are two bottles of wine from the same estate — often a red & white– with a colorful wine information sheet rolled up like a scroll and tied with a red bow. Choose from a Burgundy, Natural, or Black wine carrier, finished with a festive, oversized bow!Here are four different Duos to choose from:

1. MARISA CUOMO Amalfi Coast, Italy. 2005 Furore Rosso & 2006 Ravello Bianco $50

2. LOPEZ de HEREDIA Rioja, Spain. 1998 Gravonia white & 2002 Cubillo Crianza $50

3. CANTINA del PINO Barbaresco, Italy. 2005 Barbaresco & 2005 Barbera (both red) $75

4. CLOS du MONT OLIVET Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France. 2006 Rouge & 2007 Blanc $75

(See more details on these packages…) Continue Reading »

NEW ARRIVAL: Aged to Perfection!
Produttori del Barbaresco
Cellar-aged Barbaresco from the Produttori:
A VINTAGES’ holiday tradition!

There is no wine adventure more dear and meaningful to VINTAGES than the discovery of the “older” Barbarescos from the Produttori del Barbaresco. As long-time readers of these newsletters know, the nebbiolo grape in Barbaresco and Barolo is completely transformed through traditional methods of long-term aging. The powerful tannins and primary fruit transform into the exquisite, complex aromas that are the hallmark of these wines.

Uncorking hidden treasure
While the unprecedented string of excellent vintages in Piedmont (1996-2001) have been exciting and enjoyable even in their youth, we couldn’t help but wonder — how do these wines age? On one of our many visits to Barbaresco to see our friend, Aldo Vacca, director of the Produttori, we were directed to a local restaurant that still cellared a number of older vintages, and we purchased several bottles out of their cellar. At lunch the following day with Aldo outside in the village square, we decided to try them. All of us were surprised and delighted at the age-worthiness of the Barbarescos; even the “normale” bottlings in average years had something to say, often something very profound! The following year, we had twelve cases of aged Produttori Barbarescos shipped for us, and we were blown away by the response from our customers. For the last three years, it has become an annual tradition that we, and many of our customers, look forward to.

Heritage you can taste
Many thanks to our dear friend Aldo Vacca for taking the time to “test” and hand-select the bottles we are offering. And thanks to those customers who have supported these wines, and those who attended the “Four Decades of Barbaresco” Seminar with Aldo Vacca at Barbara Lynch’s Stir in Boston earlier this year. We salute these “wine adventurerers!” A percentage of the sale of these wines is sent to the Produttori to help them continue to preserve their heritage wines.

The “new” old wines
VINTAGES is thrilled to offer a limited quantity of winery-cellared Barbarescos. All bottles were hand-selected by Aldo Vacca, director of the Produttori del Barbaresco. Fills were checked to insure the highest quality possible. Wines have been stored in the cellars of the Produttori del Barbaresco since their original release and imported by VIAS imports exclusively for VINTAGES- Adventures in wine. Just in time for holiday gifts!

All prices are net; no further discounts apply.
1999 Moccagatta Riserva $80 net
1985 Barbaresco ‘La Torre’ $200 1.5 ml
1982 Cavalieri di Tartufo $138
1979 Asili Riserva $138
1979 Montefico Riserva $138
1978 Special Gold Label for Guido di Costiglione $138
1970 Rabaja Riserva $138

See Aldo Vacca’s notes below for more information on the older vintages.

Continue Reading »

NEW RELEASES from Produttori del Barbaresco– Great wine at very special prices!
Because of our close relationship with the importer, VINTAGES worked a deal to offer special pricing on these new releases. The Produttori del Barbaresco is one of our very favorite wines — we want it to be one of yours, too! Our shelf prices on the 2005 Barbaresco and 2007 Langhe Nebbiolo are already 10% off! When you apply our everyday discounts, any six bottles will get you 10% more off! That’s, let’s see….20% off for just a six bottle purchase! And 15% more off for a case!

2005 PRODUTTORI DEL BARBARESCO “normale” Special pricing: $34 ($28.90 for case purchase)
“Once again, the Produttori have turned out a gem in their 2005 Barbaresco. A beautiful, perfumed Nebbiolo, the wine flows effortlessly from the glass with captivating notes of crushed flowers, raspberries, sweet herbs and spices. This classic, mid-weight Barbaresco possesses plenty of clean, bright fruit framed by elegant tannins, showing notable harmony. Simply put, this is a classic wine Piedmont lovers won’t want to miss. Ideally, the wine should be cellared for a few years, but readers will have a hard time exercising such patience. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025.” 91 pts. –Wine Advocate

“2005 shows great finesse and harmony. Riper and rounder fruit than 2004.”–Aldo Vacca, director, Produttori del Barbaresco

2006 PRODUTTORI DEL BARBARESCO Langhe Nebbiolo Special pricing $19.99 ($16.99 for case purchase) Readers who want to get an early idea of the 2006 vintage in Piedmont will want to check out Produttori del Barbaresco’s terrific 2006 Nebbiolo delle Langhe. The wine shows the super-ripe qualities of the vintage in its sweet dark fruit, licorice, tar and spices. …This is a sexy, perfumed Nebbiolo to enjoy over the next few years. As is the case with the more important wines here, the Nebbiolo was aged in cask, six months in this case. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2011. –Wine Advocate

Power & Finesse in Tuscany:
CASTELL’IN VILLA, Castelnuovo

Castell’in Villa is a medieval hamlet dating back to the 1200’s. The medieval stone tower is the home of Princess Coralia Pignatelli della Leonessa. The princess is never in a hurry to release her wines, as the current releases demonstrate. But they are regularly worth waiting for, as the Princess is a perfectionist and her vineyards are some of the best in all of Chianti Classico.

“Super-Tuscan” Santa Croce
2003 Castell in’Villa “Santa Croce” $75
The Castell’in Villa Santacroce is a thoroughly complex wine — considered a super-tuscan- combining both the old and new styles of contemporary wine making. The 2003 is the first vintage since 1997 for the Santa Croce.

1997 Castell in’Villa “Santa Croce” $95
The 1997 Santa Croce (50% Cabernet Sauvignon and 50% Sangiovese) is another wine that beautifully integrates the generous qualities of the warm vintage with a classic conception of structure. It offers varietal Cabernet notes on the nose along with plenty of sweet dark fruit, spice and tar notes that develop in the glass, underpinned by the acidity from the Sangiovese with a lingering note of sweetness on the long, elegant finish. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2022.

Chianti Classico Riserva
“Castell’in Villa is an excellent source for traditionally- styled Chiantis. The highlights of this line-up are the Chianti Classico Riservas, which are capable of
developing gracefully in bottle for decades. Each year the estate re-releases a few of its older vintages, which gives consumers the rare ability to purchase lovingly-stored collectible wines with perfect provenance, something that has become all too rare in today’s world.”– Wine Advocate

1986 Castell in’Villa Chianti Classico Ris. $95
1993 Castell in’Villa Chianti Classico Ris. $75
The Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico Riserva is made of Sangiovese grapes entirely from our best vineyards. The wine is blended and aged in oaks for 2-3 years. The Riserva is concentrated, with substantial tannins and an elegant fragrance. The taste is complex, showing ripe fruit, black cherries and some deep earthy spicy tones.

These traditional, artisanal gems and many others, are imported by Jeannie Rogers, Adonna Imports & Il Capriccio restaurant. Enjoy!

2006 CLOS MOGADOR $90
Located in Gratallops, in the heart of the Priorat hills, Rene Barbier, one of the founders of the Priorat revolution, creates his intensely concentrated wine from a blend of 40% Garnacha (from 80 year old vines), 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Syrah and 5% Pinot Noir, Mourvedre and Merlot. This distinctive blend balances the power and massive structure typical of Priorat with an elegance and finesse that belies its aging potential. While the Clos Mogador will continue to improve for 10 years or more, it is delicious now. Vintage after vintage, this wine has consistently achieved the region’s highest expression (and scores). Super-concentrated, sweetly-fruited, and complex, this is a tour de force of a wine.

ROSENTHAL WINE TASTING, Part II (Concord)
Fri. Dec. 12 4:30-7:30pm with Eric Broege
SAT. DEC. 13, 2-5pm with MICHAEL KANE of Rosenthal
Please join us for another taste of the distinctive, terroir-driven wines of Rosenthal Wine Merchant. For thirty years, Neal Rosenthal has carefully selected artisanal wines that profoundly express their origins and traditions. The informative and inspiring MICHAEL KANE of Rosenthal will be at VINTAGES’ in West Concord on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2-5pm to present the wines.

PAOLO BEA, Montefalco, Umbria
“Paolo Bea’s wines represent the finest of the artisan approach to winemaking. Bea farms his vineyards naturally. The wines are made in a traditional style that calls for extended periods of skin contact and several years of aging. At their best these are finessed, expressive wines of the highest level in a style that recalls the Brunellos of Soldera or the Barolos of Giuseppe Rinaldi, to name just two producers with a similar aesthetic.” – Wine Advocate