August
30, 2007
Barolo:
Summer's Unlikely Hero
In This Issue
A Note from Sergio
Every autumn that I pass through the Langhe Hills, I
stop off in the village
of La Morra just for its panoramic view. From this
hilltop, you can see the
patchwork quilt of land below—the fields of
green and gold, the limestone
soil, the trimmed vines, the trees shedding their red
leaves.
Here in this
quaint village, I will often find myself at
Ristorante Belvedere,
where they serve classic Piemontese dishes:
tartare di fassone con tartufo
bianco d’Alba, ravioli del plin,
brasato al Barolo.
And of course, I drink what I always considered the
finest wine to drink in
the fall and winter: The King of Wines, Barolo.
But I've changed my mind about Barolo's seasonality.
I no longer think it is
fair to classify it as a cold weather wine, and
apparently, I'm not alone.
Recently we have put together three tasting
events—IWM's Barolo Vintage
Streak Seminar, Babbo's Vintage Barolo
Dinner,
Babbo's 1998 Barolo Dinner—and
they all sold out. At IWM's upcoming Barolo Vintage
Streak Seminar (encore), only limited
seating remains. All of this in the middle of the
summer.
So the conventional wisdom is being challenged.
Maybe it's because wine drinkers
are becoming more flexible. Or maybe it's because
the Langhe produced a six-year
streak of incredible wines, from 1996 to 2001. For
connoisseurs it may be old
news, but the fact remains, it's a wine phenomenon.
Mother Nature may have
granted her blessings in pockets
(1885–1887, 1978–1980,
1988–1990),
but never for six straight years. Maybe it's too hard to
resist such greatness,
even when it's hot outside.
Whether you are a collector or an enthusiast, whether
you want to save your
bottles for winter or rebel and drink them now, there
really is no better time
to buy Barolo. Today, I'm offering the vintage streak
sampler for the aspiring
enthusiast and some insight on Granbussia 2000
and the revered 1990 for the
collector.
Enjoy your Barolo, whenever you like.
My best,
Sergio
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Barolo Vintage Sampler
This is the ideal sampler for the enthusiast who
wishes to
experience six sensational vintages that
celebrate
Barolo's story with rare panache. This
special period
in Piemonte’s wine history—spanning
1996 through 2001—ordained weather that
sanctioned the delivery of wines
collectively evoking the breadth of
Piemonte’s
terroir and communes,
as well as the stylistic range authored by its
producers.
This sampler comprises all six years,
allowing you to
explore the distinct
merits of each, as well as the two primary
classifications used to define these
years: the ripe and approachable
contingent—represented by 1997, 1998,
and 2000—and the structure and finesse
captured by 1996, 1999, and 2001.
The selected bottlings, of course, serve as
some of
the most eligible ambassadors
of their respective years, including Bussia
Soprana,
Aldo Conterno’s
introductory Barolo; Vigna d’la Roul,
Rocche
dei Manzoni’s elegant single-vineyard
Barolo;
Bovio's classic and aromatic
Rocchettevino; the dense and modern Vigneto
Terlo
Ravera of Abbona; the lush and layered
Corino Barolo Giachini; and Virna’s
elegant yet
rich Cannubi Boschis,
one of only two cru representations
of this
famed site. No better way to toast the new
wine for all
seasons….
Barolo Vintage Streak Sampler Includes:
Rocche dei
Manzoni 1996 Barolo 'Vigna d'la Roul' $68.00
Bovio
1997 Barolo ‘Rocchettevino’
$68.71
Corino 1998 Barolo Giachini $58.95
Aldo Conterno 1999 Barolo 'Bussia Soprana'
$69.50
Virna 2000 Barolo
'Cannubi
Boschis' $54.70
Abbona 2001 Barolo 'Vigneto Terlo Ravera' $49.95
Detailed Map of Barolo's Communes (Click to View)
Barolo Vintage Streak Sampler for the Enthusiast...$369.81*
*Free Delivery in Manhattan
Wine Collector's Corner
This offering marks the second release of
a new
section that will appear in
our e-Letter, dedicated to the collector and
our Cellar Management Program. Each selection represents
a wine of restricted availability—often
a vintage
or limited production
release. These are wines that you may (or may
not)
find at an auction house;
however, our offering ensures the provenance and
integrity of Sergio’s
Cellar.
Last week’s offering of the
Altesino Brunello Riserva spotlighted the
heralded vintage
of 1990. We remain
with this impeccable year for a second week,
illustrating its character through
Aldo Conterno’s
Granbussia. Released on the market a decade
ago,
it has appreciated 350%, retailing
now for $479 a bottle. Moreover, it is
quite unlikely
that you will find
it elsewhere, as 600 cases constitute the
typical
case production—and
1990 is considered by many to be the
wine’s
marquee offering. We present
the Granbussia along with its current release
counterpart—representing
2000, another stellar vintage
release—so you
can consider some investment
options for your cellar.
It should be noted that vintages 1990 and
2000 share
similar characteristics
with respect to levels of ripeness, and
both derive
from an early harvest precipitated
by a warm growing season. With almost two
decades of age, the 1990 is drinking
brilliantly right now, although the
fruit’s
vibrancy intimates its promise
for years to come. The 2000 offers the
Granbussia
signature—sweet young
fruit accompanied by nuances of vanilla,
spice, and
licorice that render this
wine prematurely accessible in its youth.
Avoid
temptation: cellar the 2000
Granbussia and look to the 1990 for current
drinking,
or explore Aldo’s cru Barolos
(Cicala, Colonello, Bussia Soprana, and
Romirasco)
from select vintages for
value. Contact a Portfolio Manager to learn
more
about this producer.
Aldo Conterno
2000 Barolo Granbussia Riserva $279.00
Aldo Conterno 1990 Barolo Granbussia Riserva $479.95*
*Available as Prearrival
Saturday Tasting Events
A
Taste of
the New Wine Club
September 1, 1:00–3:00 pm, $50.00
The word Club might imply
members-only, but
this tasting of wines from
the IWM Wine Club is open to all seeking
serious
involvement with stellar wines. In
fact, the only exclusive
element of this tasting is the wine list,
which features
coveted bottlings that you'll likely never
see poured at
another public tasting. This is a rare
opportunity to
gain exposure to a group of high-caliber
wines that
collectively represent all tiers of
IWM’s Monthly
Wine Clubs. Highlights this
month include a Valpolicella bottling from cult
producer Romano
Dal Forno; Argiano’s
famed Super-Tuscan, Solengo; and the
critically
acclaimed Bob Dylan wine—Planet
Waves—produced
by the Le Terrazze estate. We're also
bringing to the
table Casisano-Colombaio's Brunello
from the benchmark 1997 vintage and
Roagna’s 1996 Barolo—an outstanding
bottling from the vintage that marked the
commencement of
Barolo's six-year Vintage Streak. Don’t
miss
this opportunity to
taste these standout selections from IWM’s
Wine Club!
A Taste
of Wine and Cheese Pairings
September 8, 1:00–3:00 pm, $50.00
Today, the pairing of wine and cheese is
considered
an art form. However,
this classic pairing is something that
Italians have
perfected over the years
and demonstrate a natural inclination for.
From a very
young age,
Italians are taught
the importance of how a great pairing can
enhance
the flavor of the wine, while
improving the taste of the cheese. To be
sure, that very
first drop of
wine that most Italian kids receive from an
elderly
relative “to help them
grow” was most likely accompanied by a
hearty
chunk of a particular special
cheese. So how does the young Pecorino
complement the Chianti or the Super-Tuscan? Does
the aromatic Gorgonzola have the presence to
take on
and show well against the
opulence of an Amarone? What types tend to
hit it off,
making for some
palate sparks? Learn how to match fine
Italian wines
and artisanal cheeses
effortlessly with IWM.
A
Taste of
Second Labels
September 15, 1:00–3:00 pm, $50.00
With a generous offering of world-class
labels to
choose from, Italian wine enthusiasts may be
surprised to discover what's inside their
favorite
producer's so-called "second-label" wine.
Because
they come from the same vineyards and are
made by
the same winemaking team as the estate's
first wine,
second-label wines are usually intended to be
more
approachable in price and drinkability. Yet,
they
nevertheless
capture the individual style of the estate
and the
distinctive taste of the soil—or what
Italians
refer
to as territorio. This tasting will
explore
the
second bottlings of top Italian producers
such as
Tenuta San Guido, Montevertine, Aldo
Conterno, and
more.
A
Study of
Barolo's Vintage Streak (Encore Presentation)
September 22, 1:00–3:00 pm, $75.00
Produced in the Langhe Hills of Piemonte,
Barolo is
Italy's "King of Wines." This powerful,
full-bodied wine
can display elegance, depth, and bold aromatics.
Made from Nebbiolo, a thin-skinned, late-ripener
requiring high altitude, exceptional
exposure, a unique
soil composition, and a cool climate, it is
rarely
perfected outside of Piemonte. At the close
of the
millennium (1995–2001), Mother Nature
blessed the
Barolo region with some exceptional weather,
yielding
fruit that produced some more-than-perfect
wines.
Taste this outstanding vintage streak with IWM.
Participants Receive:
Tasting Booklet that includes IWM’s
proprietary notes
Sampling of regional foods prepared
by IWM
chefs paired with each wine tasted
To learn more about IWM's Studio Regionale
Saturday
Tasting Series, or to
make a reservation over the phone, contact
Michann
Thompson at 212.473.2323,
x106.
Newport Mansions Event
Newport Mansions Wine & Food
Festival
If you are in the Rhode Island area, we
invite you to
join us at the 2007
Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival in
Newport. IWM will be participating
in several events from September
27–29.
VIP Wine Dinner: Toscana vs. Piemonte
Thursday, September 27, 6:30 PM
Rosecliff Dining Room
Limited to 10 guests, $250 per person
Join Sergio Esposito for an intimate
six-course dinner
featuring a variety
of vintage wines from Toscana and Piemonte.
The
selected wines have been paired
with a special menu from Fine Catering by
Russell
Morin. Sergio will
discuss the fine art of matching wines with
food to
create the perfect meal.
Wine Collector Seminar with Sergio
Esposito: The
Reclusive Masters of the
Boot
Friday, September 28, 12:00 PM – 1:00
PM
Rosecliff Dining Room
Limited to 25 guests, $125 per person
Gravner, Mascarello, Salvioni, Manetti,
Quintarelli,
Bea—these are a few of the iconoclastic
names
in Italian winemaking. Each
has produced a wine that
allows the individuality of the artist to
show through,
leaving comparison to any wine
difficult. They
disregard the status quo and market demand,
paradoxically joining the avant-garde by
reverting to
time-honored methods
or to Nature's own auspices. Their
guidelines often
include low yields, choice
grape selection, open vat fermentation,
extended
maceration, long maturation,
and respect for tradition, releasing wines
when they
themselves deem it appropriate,
not when the media or consorzio
does. IWM is
pleased to showcase some of these
avant garde and most difficult-to-obtain
handcrafted
wines of Italy. Each wine
demonstrates the unique style of the
producer, from
the powerful and complex
whites of the reclusive Josko Gravner to the
signature sediment trademark of
Paolo Bea.
Grand Tasting
Saturday, September 29, 12:00 PM –
4:00 PM
Marble House Lawn
$55 for Preservation Society Members, $65
for Non-members
IWM will be on-site at The Grand Tasting,
pouring
wines such as vintage Barolo, limited production
Brunello, an esoteric Friulian white, and more.
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