WORLD WINE

The Frascati region, in the Castelli Romani hills outside Rome, produces Lazio's most well-known wines. But other regions in Lazio also deserve attention, as these bottlings prove. Although he's only 33 years old, Damiano Ciolli is possibly the greatest interpreter of Cesanese, the delicate red variety that's local to eastern Lazio.

JAMES SUCKLING 94 POINTS - "This shows a lot of muscular and toned personality with dark-berry, wet-earth and bark character. Full and lightly chewy with pretty tannins and a long, flavorful finish. A serious red. Delicious now."

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.

JAMES SUCKLING 95 POINTS - "This is a stunning Ribera that shows a plethora of finely judged mulberries, blackberries, oyster shell, rust, iron, citrus, vanilla, undergrowth and licorice. Full-bodied and powerful with muscular tannins, but a wealth of dark fruit. Long and chewy on the finish. Drink in 2025."

WINE ADVOCATE 93 POINTS - "Selección Especial is Abadía Retuerta's reliable red blend produced in enough quantities to have good availability and with an approachable and easy-to-understand profile that reached great quality with the 2016 Selección Especial, from one of the best vintages in recent times in the region. It's 75% Tempranillo, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 9% Syrah, 3% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, a blend that can change with the conditions of the year, as it's decided by tasting the wines. If in the past this wine was quite oaky, this 2016 feels quite integrated and balanced, ripe and medium-bodied, with a soft and tender palate, round tannins and moderate influence from the élevage of 13 months in French and American oak barrels."

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."

Bodega Granbazan is located in Tremoedo, in the Salnes sub-zone of Rias Baixas. Owners Manuel Otero and his nephew Jesus Alvarez own 17 hectares of 30-year-old Albarino vines that is supplemented by long-term contract with growers. Grapes are hand-picked, de-stemmed and undergo six to eight hours of cold maceration, while fermentation is undertaken in concrete and steel tanks using both natural and cultured yeast. I adore their evocative, rather old-fashioned labels with their maritime-themed drawings and equally, more importantly, I loved the wines inside. These are pure Rias Baixas Albarinos that brim over with crispness, flavor and authenticity.

Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc

This is a ripe and moderately rich coastal Tuscan red, with enough extract to give a little velvety texture and structure. Driven by fruit (like plum, black cherry, and blackberry macerated in spirits), dried herbs, and a touch of vanilla from the year in oak. The finish gives you some pleasantly ripe fruit skins. A good wine for drinking on its own or partnering with moderately rich dishes.

This estate has been bringing us incredible value since the 90's with the help of the late legendary winemaker of Ornellaia, Tibor Gal, who assisted them in the start of their own winery. The Pellegrini estates include vineyards in some of the most reputable spots in Bolgheri. The home to some of the most well-known Super Tuscans in the world including the highly regarded, Sassicaia. The one place where Bordeaux varietals take precedence over any native Italian grape.

The Pellegrini family have been grape growers for many generations and have sold their grapes to some of the Top Super Tuscan houses for many years. Their property, Casavecchia, is adjacent to the highly regarded Ornellaia and shares many attributes of its more famous neighbor. Somehow, even in this high rent district, Aia Vecchia has brought us an affordable interpretation of this fantastic Mediterranean climate location. This fantastic Super Tuscan is drinking exceptionally well right now!

Alamos Malbec captures the spirit and terroir of Argentina’s signature variety. Grown at high-altitudes, the 2018 Malbec offers layers of dark cherry and blackberry and a velvety mouthfeel. Aromas of violet intertwine with spice and vanilla, while balanced tannins create a velvety mouthfeel and expansive finish. The 2018 Malbec delivers a complex fine red wine that pairs beautifully with a wide range of cuisine and goes beyond the expected.
90% Malbec, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Syrah

Appearance: attractive straw color with hints of green in the rim. Clean and brilliant.Nose: very expressive and harmonious nose. Fine notes of white fruit (green apples, pear) and lemony aromas. Hints of herbs (basil) and flower blossom base notes. Surprising aromatic intensity.Palate: Clean and textured. Seductive exotic palate of pineapple and mango intermingled with refreshing citrus flavors amplified by minerally accents. Silky but yet full bodied, with long lingering finish. Round and very tasty.

A blend of 80% sangiovese and 20% merlot. It presents aromas of dark berries and savory, rustic notes. On the palate, sour cherry, plum, herbs, gentle acidity and tannin.

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.

WINE ADVOCATE 96+ POINTS - "Monvigliero in the Verduno township is quickly becoming one of the most celebrated and talked about crus in Barolo. The Fratelli Alessandria estate was among the first to understand its potential, and indeed, this wine was first released in 1978. Fast forward to today and you will find that the 2015 Barolo Monvigliero is an absolutely classic interpretation that stays faithful to past incarnations. The wine offers pretty berry aromas intermingled with spice, licorice and crushed stone. A floral aroma of red rose also appears. The tannins are solid and will require extra years of bottle aging."

WINE ENTHUSIAST 96 POINTS; CELLAR SELECTION[$90 list]- "From one of the most celebrated vineyards in the denomination, this opens with alluring aromas of rose, menthol, perfumed berry, pine forest and new leather. Structured and loaded with finesse, the compelling palate delivers juicy Marasca cherry, crushed raspberry, licorice and cinnamon along with crushed mint. Tightly knit, fine-grained tannins and fresh acidity provide ageworthy support and tension."