What's New?

Glad I asked. Although this is shut-down week for many of our product distributors, a few new items found their way into our stores. We think you'll want to know about these great products.

Carne Humana

Your blogger wasn't too sure about the name, until it was learned that this comes from the Wagner Family of Wines. They're the folks who produce Caymus, Meiomi, Conundrum, and so many other outstanding wines.

Carne Humana is a Proprietary Red Blend from the Napa Valley, featuring Petite Sirah (for structure, chocolate notes and the inky color), Zinfandel (for lively acidity and dark red fruit), Petit Verdot (for firm tannins, plus violet and anise notes), and Syrah (notes of bacon, blackberry and black pepper).

There's blackberry, dark chocolate, black licorice, ripe cherry, hints of black pepper and cured meat on the nose. On the palate, a hint of sweet tobacco, maple, cherry pie filling, black licorice and an enlivened, bright acidity on the entry that is quickly followed by rich, dark fruits, dried cranberry and sweet oak. Lingering finish. It's rich and bold, balanced by acidity and integrated tannin. $29.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Giuseppe Cortese Rabaja Barbaresco 2010

This amazing wine ranked #37 on the 2014 Wine Spectator Top 100, at 94 points, and never got fewer than 92 points from any professional reviewer.

Barbaresco wine, made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes, must undergo a two-year ageing process, of which one at least in barrel. The maximum yield per hectare is not allowed to exceed 80 quintals of grapes, equivalent to 56 hectoliters; minimum natural alcohol content is 12%.

The Wine Spectator review: "Bright, with cherry, strawberry and floral aromas and flavors, this is backed by a firm yet integrated underlying structure. Beautifully poised for development, so hands off for now. Juicy and long, delivering a lingering aftertaste of cherry, spice and mineral. Best from 2015 through 2027."

And the winery tasting notes: "Barbaresco Rabajà is our most important wine and has an intense and ethereal perfume with fresh notes that evolve into scents of spices, tobacco and brushwood notes as it ages. A dry, full and robust flavor with a rich and harmonious structure; garnet red color."

The release price for this wine was $55, but it's on sale in the Bottle Club® for $46.99.

So while it was a light week in quantity, the quality of these wines more than compensates.