WORLD WINE

GAMBERO ROSSO GUIDE - 3 GLASS AWARD

Almost no one celebrates Verdicchio... as a white wine that can age to an impressive depth and complexity. Yet it can. And it does.... Garofoli, among others, are creating Verdicchios capable of being taken seriously. Matt Kramer, Wine Spectator

100% Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore DOC The Podium is an intense, elegant wine with loads of complexity, structure, and potential to age. The estate ensures these qualities by maintaining low yields of very select grapes and maturation in steel tanks of at least one year before bottling. If properly laid down, this wine will drink beautifully over the next 6-10 years.

WINE SPECTATOR 94 POINTS - "Exotic aromas of rose, peony, raspberry and kirsch are shaded by juniper, wild thyme and tar accents. This is an elegant red, firmly structured yet balanced and long, with a persistent, detailed finish. Best from 2022 through 2036. 1,080 cases made."

JEB DUNNUCK 95 POINTS - "The 2015 Aalto is a gorgeous wine, and even at the retail price of $50, is a value. Loaded with notions of blackberry and cassis fruits, vanilla, graphite, and high-class oak, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, has beautiful concentration, and ripe, polished tannin. It certainly has a modern slant, yet is balanced, has terrific purity, and a great finish. Give it a few years."

Bodegas y Vinedos Aalto is a partnership between legendary vigneron Mariano Garcia and Javier Zaccagnini, former President of the governing body of the Ribera del Duero DO. Aalto is sourced from 7 different villages on a variety of soils with vineyard age ranging from 40-100 years and was aged for 24 months in French and American oak.

WINE ADVOCATE 93 POINTS - "The single vineyard Tempranillo is the 2012 Pago Negralada, a plot at 760 meters altitude on deep gravel soils covered with sand; it is a relatively warm soil that provides good homogeneous ripeness of the grapes, vintage after vintage. As with all of the single vineyards, it fermented with indigenous yeasts and went through malolactic fermentation in brad new French oak barrels, where it had an upbringing of 18 months before bottling after a clarification with egg whites. I found the character of orange peel that I frequently saw in the Ribera del Duero reds in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with some rusticity and a little dustiness, with character. There are fine-grained tannins, good balance and a dusty texture that fills your mouth. It has very good balance and it will age nicely. 5,700 bottles, 275 magnums and 18 double magnums were filled from the 22 barrels in one single lot on June 17th 2014."

Abadia Retuerta is part of the prestigious 'Golden Mile' (La Milla de Oro) of wineries located along the Duero River in the autonomous community of Castilla y Leon. La Milla de Oro has a special microclimate and is home to some of Spain's most renowned wineries including Vega Sicilia, Dominio de Pingus and Bodegas Mauro.

JAMES SUCKLING 94 POINTS - "The black-cherry, warm-earth and delicate, smoky notes on the nose make this enticing. On the palate, there’s great balance between ripe and dry notes, the generous tannins polished and already well integrated. Long, silky and subtle finish."

WINE SPECTATOR 93 POINTS - "Rich and dense, this red shows a brooding character, with woodsy and loamy earth notes framing a core of currant and tar. Muscular tannins are well-integrated, and juicy acidity keeps this lively. Harmonious. Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. Drink now through 2030. 30,000 cases made, 5,000 cases imported."

This incredible white is composed of 90% Assyrtiko, 7% Aidani and 3% Athiri grown in vineyards located adjacent to the villages of Pyrgos and Megalochori, Santorini. The vines are ungrafted, dry-farmed and over 80 years old. The microclimate in Santorini is characterized as semi-desert, hot during the day and cooler at night. The vineyards benefit from the sea air and humidity. On the nose you find aromas of lemon-lime zest and pure volcanic earth. Chalky saline notes and crisp minerality in the mouth lead to a long finish.

PRACTICING ORGANIC

Working organically since his first vintage in 2004, all the grapes are hand-picked. Vinification is traditional (small wooden press), there is a very prudent use of oak 'a good barrel is a barrel you cannot taste' says Albert, it should 'help the wine express itself not actually add its own mark to the juice'. All wines are then bottled without fining or filtration, making them the most exciting and expressive wines we have tasted from this upcoming region.

80% Carignan, 20% Garnacha 10 months in 1-3 year old French oak barrels 40-75 year old vines Primary violets, black cherry, raspberry, herbs & oak, palate has vim & vigour, rich, broad black fruits, fennel, floral, plum and dark chocolate

We recently held a comprehensive tasting of Proseccos for our staff in order to upgrade our selection of this increasingly popular genre. The winner, especially when price was considered, was this delightful “Garbel” bottling by Adami. “Garbel” is a word from arcane Veneto dialect that means a dry, crisp, pleasantly tart wine. All the Prosecco grapes for this fizz were sourced exclusively from preferred hillside vineyards in the Colli Trevigiani district. Garbel’s 13 grams of residual sugar places it between the Brut and Extra Dry styles giving it the versatility to be enjoyed with a wide range of foods including antipasti and mildly spicy Pacific Rim fare.ROBERT PARKER 88 POINTS - The entry-level Non-vintage Prosecco 13 Garbel is pretty and focused in its floral fruit. This delicious Prosecco shows plenty of energy and focus in an easygoing style. Anticipated maturity: 201 2-2015 .

WINERY NOTES-"Bosco di Gica is the ancient name of the area where the family's best vineyards are located. A blend of 93-95% Prosecco with 5-7% Chardonnay this bubbly displays a straw yellow hue and a fine gentle mousse. The nose is deep with excellent fruit, along with scents of yellow apple and peach plus notes of wisteria and acacia blossom. Wonderful balance and elegance complement a pleasurably crisp spiciness while while displaying a crisp, savoury mouthfeel. Its generous, lingering flavours nicely mirror the nose and achieve perfect balance."

VINOUS MEDIA 90 POINTS - "Bright straw-yellow. Mineral-tinged orange zest, pear and jasmine scents are complemented by a subtle touch of quinine. Shows very good clarity and tension to its juicy citrus and orchard fruit flavors, which deepen slowly on the back half. Lingers with strong persistence, leaving floral and orange notes behind. (All stainless steel.)"

This portable potable sake by Kikusui has a richer flavor than the yellow can. Rich, bold and delicious!

'Bricco Blina' is the name of the vineyard. This wine is a direct, straightforward rendition of the Barbera grape. Fresh acidity and berry flavors are the hallmarks of Barbera, but low yields and old vines give this wine very good depth and concentration, too. Fermentation and aging are completed in stainless steel.
The wine is a bright red color with a violet rim; aroma of red berries and mineral; palate is classic Barbera, bright raspberry/cranberry flavors with a very long finish. A classic that is wonderful with a variey of foods. Pizza, pasta, meats, cheeses...

The purple-colored Malbec Blend contains 5% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Bonarda. The wine was aged in French and American oak. It offers up a nose of cedar, black cherry, and plum leading to a dense wine with plenty of savory black fruit flavor, a forward personality, and good length.

This organic wine is stored in American and French oak barrels for nine months; a quarter of this time is spent in new oak barrels. Rich dark violet colour. Intense aroma of dark berries and plums. The taste has elegant tones of concentrated fruit, coffee and tannins.

Winemaker's Notes The grapes are hand picked. The whole cluster grapes are directly pressed in a pneumatic press with a long and soft pressing, hence the coral/ light pink salmon color. Cremant Rosé is made by the Champagne Methode. The second fermentation takes place in the bottle. Afterwards it stays on its lees for 9 months follow by the remuage and disgorging.

WINE SPECTATOR 95 POINTS - "Camphor and leather notes introduce this rich red that transitions to cherry, licorice, spice and tobacco flavors. It's firm and intense, with a lingering aftertaste of mineral, licorice and spice. Terrific now, but even better with time. Best from 2021 through 2042." 400 cases made.

WINE ADVOCATE 94 POINTS - "The 2013 Barolo Bussia Colonnello is the most ethereal and delicate of the Bussia series of wines. Fruit is sourced from a portion of the Bussia vineyard that is located closer to the village of Barolo (one kilometer away) than it is the village of Monforte d'Alba (five kilometers away). The sandy soils found here make for softer and tamer tannins especially when compared to the other parts of Bussia. The bouquet opens to aromas of blue flowers, spice, wild berry, licorice and white truffle. This is a softly nuanced and finessed Barolo made with fruit from 45-year-old vines."

The Conterno family has been making wine since the 1700’s and Aldo Conterno is regarded as one of the greatest producers of Piedmont. As a young man, Aldo worked with his brother, Giovanni before striking out on his own in 1969. He developed a reputation as an innovator with a focus on quality and attention to detail and passed this dynamism on to his three sons who now run the business.

Aldo’s small property on the hill of Bussia in Monforte D’Alba has grown into a marvelous 25 hectare estate. The Aldo Conterno Barolo’s are intense and concentrated examples of perfectly ripened Nebbiolo grapes from superior terroirs, grown at a gentle altitude that allows for optimum finesse. The three top ‘Crus’ on the famed Bussia slope produce the three flagship Barolos of the estate.

The Conterno family has been making wine since the 1700’s and Aldo Conterno is regarded as one of the greatest producers of Piedmont. As a young man, Aldo worked with his brother, Giovanni before striking out on his own in 1969. He developed a reputation as an innovator with a focus on quality and attention to detail and passed this dynamism on to his three sons who now run the business.

Aldo’s small property on the hill of Bussia in Monforte D’Alba has grown into a marvelous 25 hectare estate. The Aldo Conterno Barolo’s are intense and concentrated examples of perfectly ripened Nebbiolo grapes from superior terroirs, grown at a gentle altitude that allows for optimum finesse. The three top 'Crus' on the famed Bussia slope produce the three flagship Barolos of the estate.

Radiant and succulent red and blue fruits, new saddle leather, cigar wrapper, violet petals, baking spices and loam waft from the glass of this spellbinding ’13 Barolo Bussia. This wine shows impeccable balance, unfurling on the palate with energy and focus to reveal a seamless structure and silky texture.
While you’ll want to drink this wine right away, time in the cellar will make it more harmonious and refined. Once simply Aldo Conterno Barolo and now called Barolo Bussia, this entry-level Barolo from Aldo Conterno has garnered a reputation for being a generous, open, genial wine; it’s a perennial IWM client favorite. Deriving from 12 acres of plots in Bussia Soprano with vines aging between 35 and 40 years, the carefully selected grapes ferment for thirty days, and the wine ages for 27 months in cask, followed by twelve months in bottle before release.

WINE SPECTATOR 94 POINTS - "A fragrant style, offering rose, cherry, earth, mineral and cumin aromas and flavors. Young and tense, yet shows fine potential, with complex flavors, good structure and a long aftertaste. Best from 2023 through 2040."

WINE ADVOCATE 93 POINTS - "It may be a so-called entry level Barolo, but the 2013 Barolo Bussia definitely delivers the goods. Fruit is sourced from three separate points within the larger Bussia cru. These sites are characterized by clay soils with southeast exposures and approximately 25-year-old vines. The quality of fruit is very intense and defined with dark cherry and dried blackberry. Yet the mouthfeel is ethereal, light and buoyant. Keeping in line with the vintage, the tannins are firm and slightly rigid. However, they are well absorbed by the exuberant nature of the fruit. The wine's personality is reminiscent of the Barolo Bussia Cicala."

WINERY NOTES - The grapes used to make “ Il Favot” come from vineyards which have undergone periodical implantations, and so have a maximum age of 15 years. The skin contact is limited to 6-8 days so to extract few tannins and more colour from the skins themselves, with the result of getting a well-coloured wine with a remarkable softness.

When sipping Aldo Conterno's Barbera one word that comes to mind is delicious. Inky purple in the glass and silky smooth on the palate, this wine is deeply tasty, very complex and thoroughly enjoyable. On the palate it is concentrated and full-bodied. Promiment flavours are blackberries, savoury spice and nutmeg blended with ripe plums and supple tannis. Long, elegant finish.

Classic quality Sanlúcar nose with lots of saline maritime yeastiness and all the dry grassy herbal strawy, overripe apple notes one would expect, but this is serious with lots of acelaldehyde, gently oxidative and with slight almond notes. It smells very yeasty yet not particularly bitter as some of that is from the bottom of the butt and much more complex, and it would really like to become a natural Amontillado, only they keep refreshing it, almost monthly.Full and intense, dry and tangy, saline with a faintly rancio mineral note. It is virtually a Manzanilla Pasada with all the wonderful nuances that entails. Acidity is fairly low yet it is enough, along with a hint of bitterness, to balance beautifully with a trace of glycerine and that cabezuela character. It even has a modest texture giving it feel which adds a dimension to its great length. Superb.

ANTONIO GALLONI; VINOUS 92 POINTS - "I harbor fond memories of halbtrocken Merkelbach Wurzgartens long past, so perhaps you’ll think I was overly influenced simply by having once again seen those words on a bottle of their Riesling. But its contents certainly left me wishing that they would let this happen in their cellar more often. A classic Wurzgarten nose of fresh strawberry and lime adds hints of more Erden-typical tarragon and sassafras. Subtly silken in feel, this finishes buoyant and lusciously long, with animating, bright primary juiciness and transparency to shimmering impingements of stones and mineral salts. Incidentally, it weighs in at a mere 10% alcohol, a reminder that the Merkelbachs pick for Spatlese at must weights that most of today’s top Mosel growers would deem appropriate for Kabinett. A prime example of what I call “hidden sweetness” – residual sugar playing a supportive and catalytic role while not engendering any overt sense of sweetness – this will perform brilliantly at table as well as in your cellar."

MOSEL FINE WINES 89 POINTS - "This offers a nice nose of peach, cassis, wild strawberry, white flowers and fine spices. The wine is delicately zesty on the palate and leaves a clean and playful feel in the long and nicely spicy finish. This beautifully expression of off-dry Riesling will appeal to lovers of classic light-weighted Mosel wines. Now-2026"

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