December 26, 2008
Entertainment Wines, Grappa and More
In This Issue
A Note
from Sergio
Today’s newsletter finds us sitting in
what I consider the sweet spot of the
holiday season. Wedged between the
gift-giving holiday of your choice and the
revelry of New Year’s Eve, this week
rests like the calm center of the storm.
It’s a time that invariably causes me
to pause and reflect, to sit and
watch–however
briefly–my family and to feel the
immense gratitude and love I have for
them.
This week, I hope you find yourself in a
similar position, one that catches
you in the wonder and the warmth of being
surrounded by your family and friends.
To encourage you to prolong that moment, we
at IWM are offering a stellar Entertainment
Case and an assortment of Liquori, a first
for us; it’s the best excuse to make
your friends and family a little happier
and to keep you all together a little
longer. I know that it has been said many
times and many ways, but I–and all
of us here at IWM–wish you and yours
the very happiest of holidays.
My Best,
Sergio
For more accounts of Italian wine, food, and life reserve
my new book:
Passion
on the Vine: A Memoir of Food, Wine, and Family in the Heart
of Italy.
Wines for Entertaining: Ca' del Merlo to Villa Fidelia
In order to help you make the most of the
holiday season, we’ve packaged
a spirited wine collection that will add
holiday cheer to your home entertaining,
or help you with those last-minute gifts
for those dinner-party hosts. From
Campania to Alto Adige and from Falanghina
to Lagrein, we’re covering
a lot of regions and grapes, wrapping it
all up with some stellar bottles from
two qunitessential cult producers like
Quintarelli and Montevetrano.
| Wines for Entertaining Case
(includes one of each from below) |
Bruno Giacosa 2003 Spumante Brut
Alois 2005 Campole
Sogno Due 2005 Falanghina
Hofstätter 2006 Pinot Bianco
Donnas 2005 Vallee d’Aosta Rosso
Cantalupo 2004 Ghemme
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|
Muri Gries 2006 Lagrein Rosso
Tua Rita 2005 Perlato del Bosco
Sportoletti 2004 Villa Fidelia
Silvia Imparato 2006 Montevetrano
Querciabella 1999 Camartina
Quintarelli 2000 Ca' del Merlo
|
Entertainment
Sampler Cost…
$546.23 $464.30
(Special Holiday Price)
Bruno
Giacosa 2003 Spumante
Brut…$42.99
(Lombardia—Pinot Nero)
Although Bruno Giacosa is one of
Piemonte’s foremost producers (of Barolo
and Barbaresco), he elects to produce this
100% Pinot Nero spumante in Piemonte’s
neighboring region of
Lombardia—formerly a part of
Piemonte—in the Oltrepò
Pavese zone. While many styles of wine are
permitted in this region, the DOC
regulations specifically provide for a
metodo classico spumante composed of
70% Pinot Nero. First bottled in 1983, the
initial fermentation of this sparkler
is carried out in stainless steel.
Following secondary fermentation in bottle
and hand riddling, the wine ages on the
lees for a period of 24 to 30 months
prior to release. Subtly delineated by
scents of fruit and yeast, Giacosa’s
Brut is elegant and marked by a persistent
perlage; it is dry and lively on
the palate. This wine is maturing now
through 2014.
Alois
2005 Campole…$24.75
(Campania—Aglianico,
Casavecchia)
The perfection and passion that the Alois
family has maintained for centuries
in the textile industry have spilled over
into their passion for wine. Marrying
modern technology with ancient and almost
forgotten varieties of Campania, the
Alois use biological techniques of
cultivation and vinification with the help
and experience of oenologist Riccardo
Cotarella and agronomist Nicola Traducca.
The intricate grace of 30% Casavecchia
slides over the unleashed power of 70%
Aglianico. Licorice and black and purple
fruit burst on the nose and palate
with hints of nuts and dark flowers. Full
and concentrated, with textured tannins
and a long finish, the Campole exudes a
beautifully loyal expression of the
terroir. This wine is maturing now through
2011.
Sogno
Due 2005 Falanghina…$29.70
(Campania—Falanghina)
Savannah Samson knows a thing or two about
the labor of love. The legendary
adult-film-actress-turned-wine-producer
crafts one of the finest artisanal expressions
of pure Falanghina. An archaeological
varietal, Falanghina thrives in the volcanic
soils of Campania. Savannah Samson’s
Sogno Due—Dream Two—derives
from her second collaboration with Roberto
Cipresso, an icon in the Italian
winemaking world. The tiny 400-case
production is sourced from 70 to 85-year-old
ungrafted vines and, captures the grape's
trademark acidity and pear flavors.
A lively tropical freshness emerges over
mature white fruits. This wine is maturing
now through 2010.
Hofstätter
2006 Pinot Bianco…$24.75
(Alto Adige—Pinot Bianco)
Given the diverse microclimates and soils
that figure in Hofstätter’s
vineyards, the estate represents a
microcosm of Alto Adige's vast breadth of
varietals. While there have been many
unexceptional examples that belie Pinot
Bianco’s ability to go beyond a
simple, crisp quaffer, when fully ripened
grapes are sourced from a low-yielding
vineyard, Pinot Bianco’s narrow
flavor profile broadens to heighten the
nuttiness that is only faintly perceptible
in lesser examples. The Hofstätter
decidedly conveys this more evolved
character and offers an aromatic nose of
white flowers that is echoed on the
medium to full-bodied palate and accented
by subtle spice and honey notes. This
wine is maturing now through 2009.
Donnas
2005 Vallee d’Aosta
Rosso…$28.60
(Valle d’Aoste—Picontendro,
Freisa, Neyret)
We really can’t remember when we last
offered a wine from Valle d’Aosta,
the smallest of Italy’s regions. The
tourists are a big part of the problem;
they simply don’t leave much to
export of what’s already a scant
production. You could say that it’s a
case of “when in Valle
d’Aosta…”
but the truth is that the region’s
rich cuisine virtually demands the
modest, simple reds that are the specialty
of the producers in this northerly
outpost. This rare acquisition is
predominantly Picontendro, another alias of
Nebbiolo, which takes a break here from its
high-profile Piemonte career. If
you’re looking for an unpretentious
wine to complement the hearty foods
of winter, this is Rosso will give you an
easy-going—and rare—answer.
This wine is maturing now through 2011.
Cantalupo
2004 Ghemme…$39.99
(Piemonte—Nebbiolo)
One of the best-kept secrets in Piemonte in
a ripe vintage is Ghemme. While
Nebbiolo attains its apogee in the
monovarietal wines of Barolo and Barbaresco,
this sensitive and demanding varietal can
perform north of its best-known ground,
and here Nebbiolo takes the name of Spanna.
Its ripening issues, of course,
intensify in the DOC zones of Carema,
Gattinara, and Ghemme, where the
varietal’s
struggle becomes most notable in the
wine’s higher acid profile and assertive
tannins. In an effort to ameliorate these
elements, winemakers frequently blend
Spanna with local natives such as Bonarda
Novarese and Vespolina. But not the
Cantalupo estate: It produces four
pure-Spanna bottlings under the Ghemme DOC.
What’s more, it treats
Vespolina—the supporting
varietal—similarly,
vinifying it as a monovarietal wine.
Partner the Cantalupos’ Spanna style
with the 2004 vintage: Together, the two
take the reserved Ghemme and allow
it to find—if only for one
vintage—its inner ripeness. A tenure
in the cellar should see maturing from
2008-2014.
Muri
Gries 2006 Lagrein Rosso…$19.99
(Alto Adige—Lagrein)
While coping with competition from
international reds Cabernet Sauvignon and
Pinot Nero, Alto Adige’s Lagrein has
been asserting its indigenous roots
for awhile now and, what’s more, it
has been gaining a foothold on the
international scene. Like Trentino’s
Teroldego, Lagrein was quite nearly
lost but Martin Foradori of the
Hofstätter estate—the cousin of
Teroldego
savior Elisabetta Foradori—began its
revitalization in the 1990s through
the single-vineyard Steinraffler bottling.
This wine delivers Lagrein’s
dark fruit , spice, and slightly herbaceous
dimension in an engagingly concentrated
style that seem to borrow, if only a little
bit, from Hofstätter’s
flagship. This wine is maturing now through
2010.
Tua
Rita 2005 Perlato del
Bosco…$42.99
(Toscana—Sangiovese, Cabernet
Sauvignon)
Perlato started its career as pure
Sangiovese, and it showed well for itself
by capturing the grape in rare, extroverted
form. Though a powerhouse without
the assistance of other varietals, Perlato
got off the monovarietal track and
brought in some Cabernet Sauvignon for the
2003 vintage. Now a few vintages
into its role as a blend, Perlato
hasn’t looked back, least of all in
’05, that has shifted from the
high-powered ’04 model into a suave,
streamlined style, artfully driven by
persuasive, delineated aromatics. The
Cabernet, as you might expect,
doesn’t just go along for the
ride—flavors
of cassis weave in and out of
Sangiovese’s red fruit spectrum, and
amplify
the wine’s body, while a penetrating
minerality drives straight through
the middle. Case production hovers around
1,250. A tenure in the cellar should
see maturing from 2009-2015.
Sportoletti
2004 Villa Fidelia…$39.99
(Umbria—Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon,
Cabernet Franc)
The Sportoletti family acquired intimate
knowledge of the land through decades
of farming, affording them a smooth
transition into winemaking. Notably aided
by riccardo Cotarella, who joined the team
in the mid-1990s, the business is
currently run by Ernesto and Remo
Sportoletti, who have enabled it to become
one of the region's most respected
wineries. Fifty acres of vines are owned
by this estate, and new grape clones were
recently introduced, further enhancing
the high quality of Sportoletti wines.
Serving as the flagship of the Sportoletti
estate, Villa Fidelia interprets the
traditional Bordeaux blend via Umbrian
terroir. Full bodied with fine-grained
tannins, it exudes dark fruit aromas
on the nose that are accented by notes of
chocolate and roasted espresso. A
lengthy tenure in the cellar should see
maturing from 2009-2024.
Imparato
2006 Montevetrano…$89.99
(Campania—Cabernet Sauvignon,
Merlot, Aglianico)
While indigenous grapes are at the
forefront of Campania’s contemporary
viticultural scene, plantings of Cabernet
and Merlot are increasing, and Silvia
Imparato makes the most of these
international varietals. The Montevetrano
comprises
60% Cabernet and 30% Merlot. Aglianico
realizes a fairly minor role at 10%.
Avidly sought by collectors around the
world, this limited production wine is
sourced from a 4-acre vineyard, and has
been the recipient of the wine industry’s
most distinguished accolades. While the
wine debuted on the market in 1993,
it was first produced in
1991—exclusively for the friends of
Silvia Imparato.
This premiere bottling was comprised of
Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) and Aglianico
(30%), and winemaking expert Riccardo
Cotarella credits the experience with
marking a turning point in his career,
exposing him to Campania’s potential.
Evidencing little substantive variation
from vintage to vintage, Montevetrano
consistently delivers a profile marked by
concentrated flavors of blueberry
and black raspberry, as well as striking
purity. Despite its rich character,
it is elegant on the palate, providing
beautifully integrated tannin, acidity,
and oak. The 2006 is young, and should be
cellared now through 2020.
Querciabella
1999 Camartina…$79.99
(Toscana—Cabernet Sauvignon,
Sangiovese, Merlot, Syrah)
While Querciabella’s story began with
its Chianti Classico—one of
the region’s finest expressions and
most consistent performers in both
quality and typicity— estate owner
Giuseppe Castiglioni desired to figure
in the Super-Tuscan movement a revolution
that would segue directly from an
inchoate state into an international furor.
Camartina—the flagship of
Querciabella—was Castiglioni’s
first contribution to this dynamic
and historic phenonmenon. Camartina
continues to be a defining example of the
Super-Tuscan genre, a position that it has
earned, in no small part, due to
oenologist Giacomo Tachis’
involvement. This wine is maturing now through
2010.
Quintarelli
2000 Ca del Merlo…$82.50
(Veneto—Corvina, Rondinella,
Molinara)
The Ca’ del Merlo (meaning House of
the Blackbird) is a single-vineyard
Valpolicella. Because the grapes for this
Valpolicella derive exclusively from
one site, the wine expresses the influences
of a specific terroir, yet it also
represents the composition and vinification
method (ripasso) utilized in the
crafting of Quintarelli’s other
Valpolicella. A lengthy tenure in the
cellar should see maturing from
2008-2020.
Grappa
 In time to round out the season, IWM is
delighted to add to your festivities
by offering a special range of Italian
liquori from Grappa and Amari. Traditionally
enjoyed by Northern Italians, the origin of
grappa is unknown, however written
word traces it to the mid-fifteenth century
when the liquori were distilled
in the Italian Alps. Grappa is a no waste,
stem-to-pip use of grapes left over
from the winemaking process. Though
formally recognized as a national spirit
in the 1900s, its modern phase only
commenced in 1989 when grappa became the
exclusive province of Italy under European
Union legislation. Its presence on
many international menus belies these
humble beginnings.
Nardini grappas have been produced since
the 18th century and the estate’s
family is known for having revolutionized
the process, by birthing modern Italian
distillation. The Poli distillery, founded
in the late 19th century, produces
grappa exclusively in the fall from fresh
grape pomace left over from the vintage
harvest. Grappa is an aredent spirit,
delivering a lively sting together with
complexity and depth. It provides the
quintessential closure to an Italian meal,
and with its crystalline hue grappa is the
Italian way to relax and enter a
moderate euphoria after a meal.
The history of Amaro spans back to the
Middle Ages when monks created bittersweet
Italian concoctions used as medicine to
treat nearly every type of ailment.
For centuries, distillers refused to reveal
the ingredients of this unusal aperitif;
all that is known of the recipes
surrounding these magic elixirs is that they
consisted of around 40 different herbs,
fruits, and spices that are steeped
in grain alcohol or grape brandy. Amari
delivers a flavor profile of layered
herbs and spices that can be enjoyed
sipping alone or complimented by fruits
such as lemon and orange. Italians believe
Amari not only stimulates the appetite,
but that they also aid in digestion,
offering a perfect way to “fade out”
of a meal.
IWM Gift Cards
Looking for the perfect gift? The IWM gift
card is an ideal gift solution for the
budding wine enthusiast or the seasoned
collector. What better way to give more? Give and IWM
Gift Card and you will give the recipient freedom to select from
IWM's extensive portfolio of wines,
accessories and books, and to create an ideal
experience. The card is presented in a gift box with a
personalized card—a thoughtful gift that
makes a lasting impression.
Click to purchase a gift card.
Winter Tasting Events
A Taste of Celebratory Sparklers
Saturday, December 27, 2008 1:00-3:00
P.M. $50.00
A Taste of Toscana: Chianti to Vin
Santo
Saturday, January 3, 2009 1:00-3:00
P.M. $65.00
Amarone to Teroldego:
Exploration of Italy's Alpine Regions
Saturday, January 10, 2009 1:00-3:00
PM
To learn more about IWM’s Studio Regionale
Saturday Tasting Series, or to make
a reservation over the phone, contact Maryellen
Philipps at 212.473.2323, x129.
News from Italy
For Italian wine followers wanting to stay in
the know, we’ve launched a Daily
Wine News section that dials you into the
latest news, trends, innovations, and
often bold new projects of our producer
friends in Italy. It’s a window into the
past, present, and future of all things
Italian wine. Written from a local perspective,
these articles offer a daily dose of snippets
from the world of Italian food and
wine that we think you will enjoy.
2008 Holiday Catalog
We’re not returning to the same holiday terroir that you’re accustomed to. Rather, we’re going to show you the finest of IWM–our classic wine offerings featuring significant producers and programs that have redefined the wine-tasting genre. Our working philosophy at IWM continues to evolve even as it retains Sergio’s pre-eminent challenge to present to our clients "Italian wines as they’ve never been presented before." With our robust on-line wine shop, interactive Cellar Management and exclusive events suite, we’re working to surprise you, our IWM clients, with the very best wines–better, faster, and more easily than ever before.
Holiday
Catalogue/Downloadable PDF
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