WORLD WINE

JAMES SUCKLING 91 POINTS

90% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot and Syrah - The wine is ruby red in color with aromas of ripe red fruit and well amalgamated notes of vanilla and coffee. The palate enjoys a notable support from the acidity, which maintains a pleasurable freshness and persistence of flavor along with soft and sweet tannins which guarantee excellent drinkability.

Importer: Jenny & Francois
No temperature control.
Organic/Biodynamic
Total Sulphites: 7 mg/L (LOW!)
This wine is fermented spontaneously.

A blend of Muller-Thurgau and Silvaner, aged on the lees in stainless steel tank, unfined and unfiltered with no sulfur added. At first, the lactic note cuts through and gives the wine a citrus-laced sour, salty beer (Gose) vibe when first poured. Then, the palate fleshes out into juicy tart underripe peach, starfruit and pineapple, and evolves onwards to notes of olive brine and key lime curd.

Winemaker Andreas Kontozisis made this delicious orange/amber wine from organically farmed Roditis. The grapes were macerated for 35 days in stainless steel; the fermentation, with the indigenous yeast, lasted 15 days. The wine was bottled unfiltered and without added sulfur.

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 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.

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."

A delightful dry white from Slavonia (Eastern Croatia), this Grasevina (a.k.a. Welschriesling)was fermented in stainless steel with its native yeasts. It is light, fresh and fruity. Excellent with shrimp, fish, cured ham and hard cheese.

'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...

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!

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 SPECTATOR - 92 POINTS Offers aromas of quince and honey, with the quince note continuing on the palate and combining with nervy citrus accents. Very suave and smooth, showing enough acidity for balance and dense flavors that carry through the finish. Drink now through 2031. 90 cases imported. — AZ

MOSEL FINE WINES 93 POINTS "The 2017er Urziger Wurzgarten Spatlese “Urgluck” was harvested at a whopping 96 Oechsle, i.e. well into Auslese category. It delivers a captivating and elegant nose of flowers, minty herbs and candied grapefruit. These are joined by riper scents of whipped cream and vineyard peach as the wine gains from airing in the glass. This delightful Auslese in all but name shows quite some creamy and ripe fruits on the palate yet remains at all time very delicate and refined. A touch of exotic fruits and honey make for a smooth and juicy feel in the long finish. A hint of zest comes through in the after-taste. This is a gorgeous Auslese-style wine in the making! 2027-2047."

Terry Theise note "Probably the masterpiece of their vintage, but not an “easy” wine. Extreme sassafrass, and very stony, but a hyssop-y spice trails along a subtle vein of fruit. Mosel at its most masculine, but hugely impressive, with its serious “resting face.”"

WINE SPECTATOR - 93 POINTS Graceful, with crunchy minerality and vivid acidity paving the way for elderflower, bergamot, vanilla and poached pear flavors. Shows great balance between sweetness and acidity. This is almost ready to drink now, but should integrate more after several years in the cellar. Best from 2023 through 2038. 198 cases imported.

NOTE: THIS WILL BE THE LAST COMMERCIAL VINTAGE FROM MERKELBACH