NEW ARRIVALS:  LOIRE VALLEY whites
Newly arrived: crisp, classy summer whites from the LOIRE VALLEY- excellent values! Stock up for your summer destination, pool, or patio.

2007 DOMAINE de REUILLY Pinot Gris $17.99
It’s pink, but not a rose. “Pale orange-pink color. Delicate tangerine and redcurrant aromas are complicated by honeysuckle and dusty minerals. Impressively pure and brisk on the palate, with tangy blood orange, red berry and talc flavors. Finishes dry and clean, with excellent clarity and refreshing cut. This is delicious!” —IWC

WEST CONCORD WINE TASTING
SAT. MAY 2, 2-6pm: NEW ARRIVALS

Three whites from LOIRE VALLEY:
2007 DOMAINE LUCIEN CROCHET Sancerre $25 #1 in NY TIMES!
This Sancerre from Rosenthal sold out instantly following the recent NY Times review. Get yours before it runs out!  “Our No. 1 [Sancerre was] from Lucien Crochet… and it was our best value. Pungent and distinctive with mineral and grapefruit flavors; great depth and texture.” - Eric Asimov, NY Times, 4/15/09

2007 DOMAINE de REUILLY Sauvignon Blanc $17.99
Another success from Denis Jamain. “Black currant and juniper berry, grapefruit and lime inform the nose. Resinous, zesty, and redolent of juniper and mint on the palate, this finishes with invigorating intensity and lasting, tactile pungency.”- WA

2007 DOMAINE de REUILLY Pinot Gris $17.99 It’s pink, but not a rose. “Pale orange-pink color. Delicate tangerine and redcurrant aromas are complicated by honeysuckle and dusty minerals. Impressively pure and brisk on the palate, with tangy blood orange, red berry and talc flavors. Finishes dry and clean, with excellent clarity and refreshing cut. This is delicious!” —IWC

2005 BELLE PENTE Pinot Noir “Belle Pente” $42 (Willamette Valley, Oregon)
Belle Pente owner BRIAN O’DONNELL stopped by VINTAGES this week with some knock-out Pinot Noir. One taste and you’ll know why we ordered this estate bottling for immediate delivery– a very compelling expression of the Yamhill-Carlton district. “Powerfully-scented bouquet offers kirsch, blackberry, Asian spices, wilted rose and pungent herbs. Sappy dark fruit flavors show palate-staining depth and good mineral bite, picking up dusty tannins on the back end. Balanced, sweet and pure, with admirable energy on the finish.” -IWC.”

2006 CLOS ERASMUS “Laurel” Priorat $50 (Spain)
The “Laurel” cuvee from Daphne Glorian at Clos Erasmus is produced 100% from the Clos Erasmus vineyards (from more recent plantings) and is the result of declassification of Clos Erasmus. The wine is aged for 16 months in one-year oak and bottled without fining or filtration. The blend is 65% Garnacha and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon with tiny yields of 14 hl/ha (about 1 ton an acre).
“Purple-colored it offers up a classic bouquet of smoke, cedar, mineral, black cherry, and black currant. Smooth-textured, rich, and deceptively easy-going, this full-flavored lengthy effort will evolve for 4-6 years but who will want to wait that long?”–Wine Advocate on 2005 Laurel

BARBERA & ROSE WINE TASTING
Spring Fever hits!
FRI, April 24, 4:30-7:00pm and
SAT. April 25 12-5pm in Belmont & Concord

2004 SAN FEREOLO Langhe Barbera “AUSTRI” $25
From Nicoletta Bocca “Austri” is an earthy, rich red made from Barbera grapes grown in Dogliani. Beautiful deep berry and plum flavors, rich and lush, a hint of minerals and wildflowers.

More seats available… see new menu below!
BARBARESCO WINE DINNER with ALDO VACCA at the newly opened IL CASALE, Belmont on SAT. MAY 9, 7:30pm
BARBARESCO DINNER @ IL CASALE, Belmont, Sat. May 9, $125 all-inclusive
Featuring ALDO VACCA, director, Produttori del Barbaresco

WHEN: Sat, May 9, 7:30pm
WHERE: Il Casale Restaurant,
50 Leonard Street, Belmont Ctr.
WHAT: Five-course meal with 6-8 wines $125/person, all-inclusive
RESERVE: Email or call VINTAGES 617-484-4560

VINTAGES is hosting a BARBARESCO WINE DINNER with ALDO VACCA at chef Dante deMagistris’ new restaurant, IL CASALE! The Produttori is a top producer of Barbaresco, recognized for its traditionally-made, long-aging wines. Mr. Vacca will guide us through a tasting of Nebbiolo and Barbaresco, discussing the impact of vintage and vineyard on these outstanding wines of Italy’s Piedmont region.
Chef Dante deMagistris, chef/owner of dante’s in Cambridge and the newly-opened Il Casale cucina & bar in Belmont, has prepared a mouth-watering menu for our group that will pair beautifully with the nebbiolo wines. A great opportunity to enjoy these superb wines paired with the exquisite “cucina italiana” of chef Dante. Please join us!

VINTAGES Wine Dinner Menu, May 9 @ Il Casale 

Note: This is a recently updated “tasting menu” prepared by chef Dante to pair with the Barbarescos.

BARBARESCO Wine Dinner Menu, Sat. May 9 at Il Casale 

sfizi
chef’s selection of assorted antipasti
~
gnocchi
porcini crema, peas, asparagus, fava beans
~
minestra
slow braised escarole & dandelion greens,
pigs feet, cornmeal “pizza”
~
agnello
wood grilled lamb chops, braised hearty greens,
eggplant sauce
~
bistecca
australian wagu sirloin, funghi trifolata, vincotto
~
panna cotta
strawberries, balsamic, basil

wines
aperitif: 2007 BROGLIA Gavi di Gavi $22 (white)
2007 Produttori del Barbaresco Langhe Nebbiolo $22
2005 Produttori del Barbaresco “La Torre” $34
2004 Produttori PAJE Riserva $68
2004 Produttori OVELLO Riserva $68
2004 Produttori MONTEFICO Riserva $68
2001 Produttori RIO SORDO $60

 A credit card is requested to hold the reservation.

 Call VINTAGES to reserve: 617-484-4560

Wake up and smell the PRODUTTORI
Barbarescos old and new available at VINTAGES

“Produttori del Barbaresco is one of the few estates in the world that continues to produce fine, age worthy wines at consumer-friendly prices. Although the Produttori’s Barbarescos - the Riservas in particular - age extremely well, until recently the wines haven’t been considered collectible. Because of their reasonable prices, most of the wines have long been drunk up by the estate’s loyal supporters, making older vintages nearly impossible to source, even in the secondary market.”-Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate, April 2009 Continue Reading »

PRIORAT’S “PERFECT” WINE

CLOS ERASMUS 2006
Daphne Glorian, owner/winemaker of Clos Erasmus, is one of the pioneers of the PRIORAT appellation. Clos Erasmus was begun with the purchase of some old vines of Garnacha by Daphne Glorian, who happened to be in the area visiting some friends. What started as a “fun” project in 1990 soon became a very serious endeavor as the Priorat rapidly ascended to world-class wine status. Clos Erasmus is now considered a benchmark of the region and has recently received consecutive 100 Point scores from the Wine Advocate (2004 & 2005), the only wine of Spain to ever achieve such critical accolades.
We were delighted to catch up with Daphne recently at a tasting in Boston, and even more delighted to be able to offer her new 2006 releases.

2006 Clos Erasmus $200 ($170 case purchase)
75% Garnacha, 15% Syrah, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon.
“Think of your wildest fantasy coming true and you may be able to conjure up the pleasure [Clos Erasmus] delivers now and will continue to deliver over the next 12-15 years.” - Wine Advocate on 2005 Clos Erasmus, 100 pts.

2006 Clos Erasmus ‘Laurel’ $50 ($42.50 case purchase)
The “Laurel” cuvee is the result of extreme triage in the vineyards and cellar. It is produced 100% from the Clos Erasmus vineyards but from the more recent plantings and is the result of declassification of some of the barrels of Clos Erasmus. The wine is aged for 16 months in one-year oak and bottled without fining or filtration. The blend is 65% Garnacha and 35% Cabernet Sauvignon with tiny yields of 14 hl/ha (about 1 ton an acre).

“Purple-colored it offers up a classic bouquet of smoke, cedar, mineral, black cherry, and black currant. Smooth-textured, rich, and deceptively easy-going, this full-flavored lengthy effort will evolve for 4-6 years but who will want to wait that long?“-Wine Advocate on 2005 Laurel

NEW ARRIVALS from BURGUNDY
From zen-like purity to explosive power

DOM. GHISLAINE BARTHOD, Chambolle-Musigny
Since 1986, Ghislaine Barthod has brought new vigor to every area of the domaine from vineyard management to vinification, but always with the profound regard for the purity of pinot noir and the character of the wines of Chambolle. Under her leadership, the reputation of this estate has grown internationally. The Domaine Ghislaine Barthod is now a standard bearer for the great wines of Chambolle Musigny.

2006 GHISLAINE BARTHOD  Chambolle-Musigny “Les Cras” 1er  $135 ($114.75 case purchase) “The most elegant wine in the range with its superbly expressive and perfumed nose of airy red berry fruit that serves as the perfect introduction to the strikingly detailed, understated and pure flavors that seem chiseled directly from liquid limestone on the linear finish. This is like rolling rocks around in your mouth with Zen-like harmony as a kicker. An exceptionally impressive wine for the vintage. 94 pts.“-Burghound

“Ghislaine makes wines that are so shimmeringly pure that in many ways they epitomize what Chambolle-Musigny and hence, Burgundy, is all about.  Chambolle-Musigny is known for the delicacy and elegance of its wines, and Ghislaine’s wines really capture that.”
-Eric Asimov, NYTimes

“Ghislaine Barthod continues to render some of the purest, most expressively fruity and consistently excellent as well as age-worthy Pinots in Burgundy.” -Wine Advocate

DOM. ROBERT CHEVILLON, Nuits St. George
“I like the (2006) wines as they’re fresh, balanced and energetic and remind me somewhat of the 2000s in the sense that they will offer early drinkability though they’re definitely more classic in style.” — Bertrand Chevillon

2006 DOM. ROBERT CHEVILLON Nuits-St.-Georges “Les Cailles” $105 ($89.25 case purchase) Good deep red. Brooding aromas of black cherry, black raspberry, licorice and smoky minerals are reticent but pure, with a chalky nuance emerging with air and carrying through onto the palate. Impressively rich and dense, offering superb depth of fruit with considerable power. The big, spreading tannins saturate the palate. 92+ pts.”–IWC

2006 DOM. ROBERT CHEVILLON Nuits-St.-Georges “Les St. Georges” $105 ($89.25 case purchase)
 “Good ruby-red. High-pitched, pristine nose offers raspberry coulis, minerals and fresh flowers. Wonderfully fine-grained and sweet but with a medicinal reserve today. This very rich, superripe wine offers insinuating intensity. Its superb underlying fat is hidden by tangy acidity and firm structure. Finishes very sweet, stylish and long. An outstanding showing, and a classic example of this vintage at its best. 94 pts.”–IWC

2006 DOM. ROBERT CHEVILLON Nuits-St.-Georges “Les Vaucrains” $105 ($89.25 case purchase)
 “Aromas of dark berry liqueur and bitter chocolate are sappy and liqueur-like but with outstanding energy. Quite full and powerful for a wine from this cellar, with outstanding sweetness and breadth to its flavors of blackberry, chocolate and roast coffee. Downright explosive on the finish, the noble tannins totally buffered by a wave of fruit. 95 pts.” –IWC

Report from Montalcino & Vinitaly

VINTAGES’ intrepid wine director Eric Broege traveled to MONTALCINO in Tuscany last week to visit many of the top estates in the region. While he has tasted these wines in other contexts, it is certainly invaluable to have an in-depth conversation with the winemaker in their own cellar. A couple of brief observations: the top Brunello winemakers hold very different views and follow divergent practices — with each winemaker deeply committed to their method and philosophy. There’s no single best way to make outstanding Brunello; these cellars have a vision for their wine and know how to best capture the distinctive characteristics of their land and their wine.
Two examples of stylistic extremes of equal quality Brunello are VALDICAVA and SOLDERA (Case Basse). Vincenzo Abbruzzese of VALDICAVA extracts the richer, fruitier violet-hued aspects of sangiovese, in contrast to Gianfranco Soldera of CASE BASSE, who aims for an ethereal, infinitely delicate but equally profound expression. Eric met with Giulio Salvioni of SALVIONI di CERBAIOLA, and Diego Molinari of CERBAIONA, two of the greatest traditional cellars Montalcino has ever known. Both create singular wines, unique expressions of Sangiovese made with the highest level of quality. Eric also visited LA TORRE, FULIGNI, ALTESINO, and CASNOVA di NERI, not to mention MONTEVERTINE in Chianti on the way to Verona.
Eric will be updating the website with more photos and info over the next week.

Stay tuned for 2004 Brunello offers from these estates and more.

BARBARESCO DINNER @ PREZZA Restaurant, Boston
Mon. May 4, 7pm   $175/person, inclusive
Featuring ALDO VACCA, director, Produttori del Barbaresco

WHEN: Monday, May 4, 7pm
WHERE: Prezza Restaurant, Boston
24 Fleet Street, North End
WHAT: Five-course meal with 6-8 wines $175/person, all-inclusive
RESERVE: Email or call VINTAGES 617-484-4560

ALDO VACCA from the PRODUTTORI del BARBARESCO is visiting Boston in May to introduce the 2004 Barbaresco Riservas. At Prezza, Mr. Vacca will guide us through the flights of Barbaresco, discussing the impact of vintage and vineyard on these outstanding, yet often unfamiliar, wines of Piedmont.
Chef Anthony Caturano of PREZZA will create an exquisite menu to complement the nebbiolo wines. Please join us for this delicious and enlightening event!

M E N U

 Antipasti of Prosciutto, Buffalo mozzarella, roasted peppers and olives
 Fried zucchini blossoms over creamy polenta and roasted tomato
 Egg Ravioli with brown butter and sage
 Wild Mushroom risotto
 Rotisserie Rack of Veal with mashed Yukon potatoes and broccoli rabe
Cheese assortment

This dinner will feature wines from the Produttori del Barbaresco.  A credit card is requested to hold the reservation.