January
15, 2008
Wines
for All Occasions
In This Issue
A Note from Sergio
Most people think that I have the most
glamorous job
in the world—a misconception even I had
when
I first
found out there was an occupation such as a wine
merchant. What's better than traveling
through Italy,
tasting the very best wine from the most
exclusive
vineyards, and bringing these wines back to
introduce to
discerning customers like you? It's hard to
argue with
the pure
glamour of that surface image, but the truth
is that my
day starts at 8:00 a.m. and often ends when I
make it
back to my hotel room at 1:00 a.m. In those
intervening
15 hours, I might travel 200 kilometers
to meet
with eight different producers, with whom I taste
twenty
different wines, or I might sit in a cold
restaurant with a
handful of other people and taste two to
three hundred
wines in a day. Either way, it's a lot less
glamour and
romance and a lot more sleepless nights than
you'd
expect.
Just as most people think my job is an
endless hot-and-cold running romantic stream of
exquisite
food
and exceptional wine, people also think that the
bottles I open at home are nothing but the most
expensive and rarest wines. This too could
not be
further from the truth. When I get home after
work— and I work like I'm running a
sprint for
eight or more hours: I don't eat lunch; I
don't hang
around the water cooler; and I hardly take a
bathroom
break— the last thing I want is a
serious wine.
Instead, I reach for a simple wine, something
that
won't overwhelm me, something that doesn't
feel like
work.
At home, nestled in the company of my
beautiful wife
and kids, eating dinner that she or I have
cooked, I
invariably drink something wonderfully
ordinary: a
really delicious, simple wine. Like those
little old
Greek men, I drink it out of little glasses,
and I don't
stop to swirl and smell it every five
minutes. It's true:
unlike most people I have lots of bottles of
wine
around my apartment that I keep open for
weeks or
even months at a time in order to revisit them
and see
how they've changed. However, when I'm
relaxing at home, I'm not drinking a serious
wine that I
have to commit to, that I have to form a
relationship
with, that I have to train myself to forgo my
likes and
dislikes about and learn to respond to on its own
merits. I reserve that kind of involvement
for holidays
and special
occasions.
There's a time and a place for serious wines,
but
when I'm at home I drink for health, for
simplicity, and
for taste, because wine, like family, should
be both a
pleasure and a comfort. Enjoy this week's
special
selection of wines
for all
occasions, some serious and some simple, to buy
and enjoy when you're at home.
My Best,
Sergio
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Wines for All Occasions
Not having wine inventory on hand can often result in
two scenarios—prematurely
opening a wine that you want to save for a special
occasion or even overwhelming
a dish with the wrong pairing. Take comfort in having
variety, versatility,
and simplicity on the shelf.
The samplers below offer a smart approach for
restocking—taking you into
2008 with wines that are ideal to have on hand for
simple food-and-wine pairings
and entertaining. Many overlap the two categories,
satisfying both needs at
once. The Sorito Mosconi Barbera impresses in the
entertainment realm,
but its adaptability suits it to the casual pasta night
as well. Our half bottle
of Roagna’s 1996 Barolo gives us the
characteristics that we seek in
a 12-year-old Barolo (at an exceptional value) and
will do particularly well
for the odd evening when a full bottle is just too
much. Prosecco is simply
the all-purpose wine—great for kicking off a
gathering or pairing it
up with everything from Prosciutto di San
Daniele (our choice) to shellfish.
Stock up with these wines for comfort and flexibility,
and leave your cellar
wines to a conversation with our Portfolio
Managers.
Food-Friendly Wines
1. Ruggeri NV Prosecco…$18.15
(Veneto—Prosecco)
This is the perfect all-purpose
wine. Prosecco’s casual,
laidback approach makes it the perfect
gem to set
off a weekday night with the kind of style
that only a sparkler can deliver.
With versatility to spare, Prosecco is the
ultimate multitasker—adept
at taking you from the opening glass to the
closing pour with delightful charm.
It remains IWM’s best seller for a
reason—a value that delivers
more than you might expect.
2. Bastianich 2006 Tocai Friulano…$15.95
(Friuli—Tocai Friulano)
The synergy Italy realizes between its
regional foods and wines is more developed
than that of any other wine region.
Friuli’s Tocai participates in one
of those ideal, almost intrinsic matches,
serving as the quintessential accompaniment
to salumi and prosciutto,
though it also works well with a wide
range of fish, veal, and chicken dishes.
3.
Clerico 2005 Dolcetto Visadi…$19.99
(Piemonte—Dolcetto)
Barbera and Dolcetto—Piemonte’s
main everyday pours—have
long been typecast: While Barbera steals
all of the pairing scenes, Dolcetto is
often left on its own, relegated to quaffer
status. There are several interpretations,
however, that simply don’t fit into
this broad, all-purpose formula,
and Clerico’s Dolcetto is one of
these defiant types, drinking outside
the grape’s textbook profile and
casting itself in a scene that features
something as sizable as the rustic
hamburger, dressed up with all of the main
toppers.
4.
Alfredo Roagna 1996 Barolo 'La Rocca e La
Pira' (.375ml)…$29.98
(Piemonte—Nebbiolo)
How many times have you left an unfinished
bottle for tomorrow, only to never
make it back? Enter the half
bottle. This 12-year-old Barolo
from the structured 1996 vintage displays a
classic interpretation at a remarkable price.
We recommend
decanting for two hours and enjoying it in the
company
of a steak in a simple preparation of salt and
olive oil.
5. Villa Mangiacane 2003 Chianti Classico Riserva…$35.75
(Toscana—Sangiovese)
Sure this Chianti can turn pizza night into
a comforting Trattoria experience, but
this
Sangiovese provides more than that.
It’s a sleek and sophisticated
style—just what you would expect
from an estate built by members of the
eminent Machiavelli family, owned by
the aristocratic family of Mazzei for over
three centuries, and thought to
have been designed, in part, by
Michelangelo.
6.
Bruno Giacosa 2005 Barbera d'Alba…$34.50
(Piemonte—Barbera)
This is, perhaps, the truest expression
of the Barbera grape. Giacosa creates a lean,
restrained,
high-acid style that shows its full
merit only when presented in the context of
food. It’s not a difficult
wine to match, however, as it accommodates
a wide range of options—creating
made-for pairings with a menu-sized list of
pasta dishes and regional specialties,
such as Piemonte’s Bagna Cauda. This is a Barbera from
Piemonte’s master—a textbook
version that
translates the grape with detailed
precision and finesse.
Crowd Pleasers for 2008
1.
Valentino 2000 Barbera d'Alba Sorito Mosconi…$35.75
(Piemonte—Barbera)
Every once in a while, a wine such as
this comes along—it’s almost
surreal
and almost unclassifiable, yet fascinating
nevertheless. It’s opulent, slightly funky, and
possesses moderate acidity. Clearly,
this isn’t the type of Barbera that
follows the way of tradition. An
unabashed member of Barbera’s
modernist school, it achieves greatness in the
company of a
chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano with its lavish,
raisined fruit and earthy dimension. We return to it
often—and will continue to do so—for
its exceptional maturity, value, singular
quality,
and testament to craftsmanship of
a rarified class.
2. Movia 2000 Chardonnay…$37.13
(Friuli/Brda,
Slovenia—Chardonnay)
You might wonder what a white wine iconoclast
is doing with a ubiquitous
type like
Chardonnay…. As you might expect,
however, the Chardonnay of Movia's
Ales
Kristancic doesn’t
join the grape’s rank-and-file.
Rather, it’s a distinctive interpretation
that reflects Ales’ highly
individualistic biodynamic interpretation
and the unusual, though thoroughly
successful incorporation of late-harvest
grapes. Eschewing Burgundian, Californian,
and Australian paradigms in a complex
persona that juxtaposes fleshy fruit and
an almost counterintuitive acidic
streak, this is Chardonnay reinterpreted,
reconceived, and perhaps, for some
of us, reclaimed.
3.
Massolino 2003 Barolo…$57.75
(Piemonte—Nebbiolo)
The Massolino estate did a great thing in
2003—it poured the best grapes from its
cru
vineyards all into one wine, providing for
exceptional
value as well as approachability. It offers
plenty of soft
red fruit from the hot vintage, accompanied by
powerful tannins that make it fit to take on
a fatty steak.
Note: It is easy to oversimplify 2003,
classifying it
as an accessible vintage, given the extreme
weather;
however, many of the wines are prohibitively
tannic,
demanding cellar time. Talk to a Portfolio
Manager
about what Barolo makes sense for you.
4. Bastianich 2003 Calabrone…$77.00
(Friuli—Refosco, Merlot, Cabernet
Franc, Pignolo)
You might not think of Friulian reds as
being the entertaining sort, given
their fairly high acidity levels, yet
Calabrone is compelling in its use
of dried grapes (appassimento; only
Merlot doesn’t participate here).
Its opulence and luxury is further
intensified by the aging regimen, which
entails two years’ aging in
barrique on the lees followed by three years
in bottle. Calabrone achieves an extremely
demonstrative expression in ’03,
yet the structure is there to support
robust dishes that overwhelm wines of more
retiring characters.
5.
Quintarelli 1999 Valpolicella
Superiore…$85.95
(Veneto—Corvina, Rondinella,
Molinara)
Just a few hundred cases of this baby Amarone
make it into the States, a fact that adds to
the allure of
this artisanal wine. It is consistently a crowd
favorite at IWM tastings, given its opulence
and versatility. Thus, it's ironic
that some members of the trade bestowed upon it
just 85 points. We have seen this happen
before, and
it immediately brings to mind
Sergio's article entitled
"When 84 Points is Better than 100." Don't let
the rating system cheat you out of a
tremendous wine experience.
6. Bruno Giacosa 2001 Spumante Brut
(1.5L)…$79.95
(Lombardia—Pinot Nero)
Just like the more modestly sized
half-bottle format, the magnum fills an
important—albeit
different—need in your vino affairs.
While the
former caters to more personal interests,
the latter is what you need for
the party scene—when you need to
maximize the number of pours.
There are many wines that you could choose
to feature in magnum form, but
surely none possess the all-around appeal
and partnering panache of the sparkling
set. Giacosa crafts his elegant Spumante
in Lombardia, Italy’s premier
zone for bubbly. Comprised wholly of Pinot
Nero, this metodo champenoise sparkler
ages on the lees for a minimum of two
years prior to release, acquiring an
appealing sophistication.
Collector's Corner:
Monfortino & Granbussia
This edition of the Collector’s
Corner focuses on two monuments to Barolo
from the estates of two
brothers—Giacomo Conterno’s
Monfortino
and Aldo Conterno’s Granbussia, both
of which represent the ripe 2000
vintage.
We talk about these wines in the same
breath as the 1955 Biondi Santi and
the 1945 Château Mouton-Rothschild,
as they reflect the potential of
these established monuments. They are
wines of longevity and blue-chip
staples that have earned their prominent
positions (refer to our Wines
of Longevity article). They are classic
expressions that integrate acidity,
tannins, and fruit, intimating their future
brilliance upon release and showing
their full merit only after several
years—sometimes decades—of
cellaring.
Sure, they will appreciate in
value—take the 1985 Monfortino, which
displayed characteristics in common with
the 2000 vintage. It has appreciated
more than 900% since its release to the present. The
laws
of supply and demand dictate that
the same will result from this recent
vintage. Only 700 cases of both the Granbussia
and Monfortino were produced (to put that
in perspective, Château Mouton-Rothschild
released 22,000 from the same vintage).
However, we wait for them to age because doing so
lets us experience them in their
most perfect, revealing, and moving form.
The Monfortino will most likely outlast
the Granbussia, given its lengthy
maceration of 32 days (compared to
Granbussia’s
period of ten days) and a maturation period
of seven years in cask (Granbussia
ages for 30 months in cask and three years in
bottle), making it the iron horse
of the region. However, Granbussia’s
strength resides in its elegance
and approachability.
We are offering these wines in a special
assorted case (six of each),
as that is ideally how they should be
purchased—if the budget allows.
Enjoy these over the years, as you watch
them evolve to perfection.
Conterno 2000 Case: Monfortino and
Granbussia
2000 Monfortino and Granbussia Case (six of
each)…$3,901.50*
*Free Delivery in Manhattan
IWM Wedding Registry
How nice would it be to celebrate your 20th
Wedding
Anniversary with a properly aged Conterno
2000 Barolo Granbussia? That’s what
IWM’s Online Registry is all
about—matching couples with the right
wines
for all the times through
the years, from the celebratory to the
casual.
The concept of the wedding registry has
broadened
beyond household goods and
kitchen appliances. In our experience,
it has
become common for couples
to move away from traditional items, as
many already
have what is needed for
their house or apartment. In seeking
something that
is both exciting and unique,
they have turned to building a collection
of wines that
can be shared
together over the years, storing them in a
wine fridge
or cellar and putting
the basics on the shelf. IWM’s
approach allows couples to enjoy
the process of selecting wines for their
future through
a host of services
and products, including:
Online Registry
Includes:
- Anniversary Wines (wines for the
10th to
20th anniversaries)
- Wine Clubs that provide an
educational
approach to new regions and
varietals
- Cellar Builder Kits to store wine
information
and purchases online
- Wine Pairing for the Bride and
Groom
- Glassware and Regional
Cookbooks
Your registry begins to evolve over a
glass of wine in
IWM’s Vintage
Room, where your
dedicated Wedding Sommelier will meet with
you to
discuss your gift objectives.
The sommelier will assist you in
formulating a list of
gift wines
that both complement your palate interests
and cellar
needs and accommodate
your wishes with respect to price points.
IWM will
establish a secured page
(password-protected optional) that features
the wine
list, accessories, ordering
procedure, and contact information for your
sommelier.
Wine Experiences at IWM
A Study of
Barolo and Barbaresco
January 26, 2008 1:00–3:00 p.m.,
$75.00
Come experience two of Italy's most revered and
highly-sought
after wines—Barolo and Barbaresco.
Produced in
Piemonte’s Langhe Hills, both
are made from
the Nebbiolo grape—a thin-skinned,
late-ripener
that requires high altitude, exceptional
exposure, a
unique soil composition, and a cool-climate.
Barolo reigns eternal as Italy’s
“King of Wines”— a
powerful, full-bodied expression that displays
elegance, depth, and bold aromatics.
Barbaresco shares the varietal throne as
Barolo’s Queen, exhibiting a
style that is fundamentally similar, while
offering a
finer, more elegant interpretation
of Nebbiolo that is typically less tannic
and thus,
more approachable at an
earlier stage of its maturation. Join us as
we pour
some of Italy's most respected producers of
Barolo
and Barbaresco.
Space is
limited. Please reserve today.
Collector’s
Tasting Seminar: How to Buy
Brunello,
Super-Tuscans, and Barolo
February 2,
2008 1:00–3:00 p.m.,
$95.00
You are cordially invited to join us for a
special tasting
dedicated to Italy’s
elite Super-Tuscans, Brunellos, Barolos,
and more.
This seminar provides a
compelling and rare tasting of
Italy’s most
sought-after wines, including
recent releases of the revolutionary
Super-Tuscan
Sassicaia;
Conterno’s benchmark Barolo
Granbussia; Poggio
di Sotto’s cult Brunello di
Montalcino;
Giacosa’s
single-vineyard Barbaresco Asili;
and
others. Which
wines are ready to uncork? Which belong in the
cellar? How long should they
be decanted? Why don't their scores matter?
Experience
their distinctions as you taste:
You’ll emerge
with a better sense of
the wines that are right for you and your
collection.
The insight
provided concerning vintage variation
and the pedigree of the wines makes this
presentation particularly rewarding
for serious wine enthusiasts and
collectors. Indeed,
all participants will
receive a complimentary IWM Cellar Account
(for a
duration of one month)—an
industry-defining tool that enables you to
manage
and analyze significant aspects
of your cellar in a virtual environment.
Tasting notes,
maps, and additional materials will
complement the
sommelier’s presentation
and provide further insight into these iconic
bottlings.
Participants Receive:
• Tasting Booklet that includes
IWM’s
proprietary notes
• Sampling of regional foods prepared
by IWM
chefs paired with each wine tasted
• Complimentary one-month online cellar
account
To learn more about IWM's Studio Regionale
Saturday
Tasting Series and the special Collector's Tasting
Seminar, or
to make a reservation over the phone, contact
Michann Thompson at 212.473.2323, x106.
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