Old School, New Concept

Donnachiara's new Concept winery is located in Montefalcione (Avellino), with vineyards that stretch along the hills that are typical of the Irpinia. The winery's location is south-central Italy, east of Naples. Donnachiara produces white wines and red wines of high quality including Greco di Tufo, Fiano di Avellino, Taurasi DOCG and also sparkling wines like Santè Falanghina.

Donnachiara is a family owned and operated business, relying on values that only a family can express. Five generations of experience in quality wine means a wealth of knowledge, proper care and attachment to one’s work that exceed the economic return of any single project.

Another key aspect of the Donnachiara philosophy is the attention to the environment. The sensitivity to the culture and the concern for the landscape.  We pay strict attention to detail and  respect nature and sustainable production. For nearly a decade, “integrated management” has been the rule. This strategy eliminates plant disease. Our energy needs are produced by solar power at the winery. Water is recycled even though there is an  abundance of local springs. The vines are tended like window boxes even though the locations can be distinctly challenging. This process makes for superior vines, grapes, and ultimately, wines.

James Suckling rates the 2013 Donnachiara Falanghina Beneventano at 92 points: "Beautiful aromas of mangoes, dried papaya and hints of cream follow through to a full body with dried apples and minerals. Lots of lemon zest. Excellent Falanghina. Drink now."

Made from 100% Falanghina grapes, this pairs with pasta with light sauces, seafood and fresh cheese. Only $9.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Many Happy Returns

This familiar holiday greeting also effectively communicates what we often experience, namely, the return of a favorite wine after a hiatus. There are too many reasons to explain as to why a wine might not be on our shelves from one vintage to the next. However, when it's an outstanding wine from a favorite winery in Tuscany, we simply celebrate it's return.

San Felice is that favorite winery. Agricola San Felice is recognized as an innovative estate, partly because of its ability to spot trends before they develop and partly because of its intense research and experimentation. At the same time, however, its production style accentuates the uniqueness and typical character of its territory by retaining a close attachment to tradition.

We've long enjoyed their Chianti's and Rosso's. For their Brunello, the Campogiovanni vineyards are situated on the southern side of Montalcino, where the unique combination of microclimate and soil composition create the ideal ripening conditions for sangiovese. Campogiovanni is a traditional Brunello, conditioned for an average of three years in Slavonian oak barrels and 500-liter tonneaux, and then for 12 months in the bottle. It stands out for its finesse and longevity.

The 2010 San Felice Brunello di Montalcino Campogiovanni is something you should consider adding to your collection. 96 points from James Suckling: "Perfect aromas to this red with licorice, stone, peach pit, plum, leather and iron. Full body, fine, silky tannins that support a deep, rich fruit concentration showing black fruit, Tuscan dust and oyster shell. Needs four or five years to soften but an amazing finish."

95 points from Wine Spectator. "Black cherry, black currant, cedar and tobacco flavors highlight this firm, dense red. This has the fruit, structure and harmony to develop, with a juicy finish and a lingering wild herb and mineral aftertaste. Best from 2018 through 2033."

While our weekly feature is the 750ml size; this is also available in the 1.5 liter Magnum size.

Double New from Italy

Some of our favorite table wines come from Italy. With one of the world's oldest winemaking traditions, you can always find something that's new and tasty, but still a value. That's true with Re Storto Pinot Grigio.

Re Storto Pinot Grigio is sourced from vineyards in the Northeastern provinces of Trento, Veneto and Friuli-Venezia-Giulia, Italy's best area for white wine. The grapes were destalked and fed into a pneumatic press,  where they remained for several hours. This pre-fermentation maceration of berries and juice results in a better extract and more aromatic development. Subsequently, the grapes are gently pressed and the juice is fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks. After the alcoholic fermentation the wine remains for a brief period on the fine lees in stainless steel tanks.

The finished wine is a pale straw yellow. It has a fresh white and tropical fruit nose, with zippy acidity and a fresh fruity finish. Italy’s most famous white wine, Pinot Grigio makes for a refreshing aperitif and is equally delicious with vegetable dishes and shell fish.

We also carry the companion Re Storto Montepulciano D'Abruzzo, another outstanding value Italian red table wine.

A Classic Region Returns

Like a refreshed classic cocktail, some older wine regions are producing superior wines today, and so it goes with Soave. Re Midas Soave hails from the Veneto, a region located in Northeast Italy with a deep winemaking history. This expansive region with sunny hillsides is home of the delicious Soave wine. Re Midas Soave fully expresses the Veneto region’s luscious fresh fruit flavors.

Re Midas Soave has a nose of wild flowers and ripe lemons. On the palate, it's bright, clean, delicious palate bursting with layers of fresh fruit and citrus overtones; crisp minerality, hints of toasted nuts and a nice lingering finish. Enjoy with seafood and shellfish, grilled vegetables, grilled chicken and pork.

As the myth goes, everything that Re (King) Midas touched turned to gold. Re Midas wines are an example of this “golden touch.”

100% Garganega.

Best of all, we are able to offer a steeply discounted Bottle Club® price of $3.98 for this summertime wine.

White Is In Season

The Chloe Wine Collection is created for sophisticated wine enthusiasts who appreciate all things extraordinary and timeless. Specially crafted by winemaker Georgetta Dane, the Chloe Wine Collection – Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio are currently in stock at Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge – offers the structure and depth of exceptional fruit from the world’s preeminent wine regions. Named after the ancient word “blooming,” Chloe wines are radiant and burgeoning with
beautiful aromas and luxurious flavors.

Chloe Pinot Grigio originates in Italy's cool-climate Valdadige DOC, and offers exceptional quality for an everyday price.

Its alluring aromatics lead into a fruit-forward palate with crisp, racy acid and a generous mouthfeel.

Chloe also displays flavors of ripe, juicy white peach, melon and apple with beautiful honeysuckle and subtle Meyer lemon. Chloe is fermented in 100% stainless steel, ensuring the prominent role of the fruit. It is bright, classic, and has a refreshing and pure panache.

Only $15.99 in the Bottle Club®.

High Score, Low Price

We're finally confident that the weather will continue to warm, so we wanted to feature this outstanding Italian white wine today.

Old World wineries often trace their beginnings back a couple of hundred years. The history of Count Saladini Pilastri dates back to the year 1000; a noble family from Ascoli Piceno that boasts of a rich and fascinating past whose ancestors were priests and leaders. The deep antique roots of the family are a heredity for the present; it is a heredity of long lives of tradition over the centuries of history.

Vineyard in the Marche

The vineyard activity has always coincided with the value and culture of the land from which it belongs. Count Saladini Pilastri's farm began three centuries ago; the land has always produced wine. Originally the tenant farmers gave up their wine to the Counts so they could age it in the so called "barriques", the famous durmast barrel.

From the 1970's new vines were planted; the present canteen was constructed beside the old one so that all the production could be kept in the same place. The Saladini Pilastri winery binds the knowledge of an antique tradition with the guarantee of advanced technology. It is a matter of fact the wines born on this small parcel of Marche land are exported to America, Europe and Asia and they are appreciated by the most sophisticated palates.

The flavor of this wine unites the perfumes and colors of its land; the care with which it is produced and the knowledge of an antique art. In addition to wine, Saladini Pilastri also produces olive oil and Grappa.

The Saladini Falerio dei Colli Ascolani is produced from an ancient mixture of grapes from Trebbiano, Passerina and Pecorino. Its typical straw-yellow hue and delicate bouquet are due to the excellent position of the vineyards. Elegant and full-bodied Falerio makes an excellent accompaniment to fish, soups, delicate sauces, white meats and Ascolani green olives.

Priced in the Bottle Club® at only $6.96, it still rated 90 points from Tanzer/IWC. You'll want a case of this for the upcoming warm weather.

Beat The Snow!

Like everyone else, we've been seriously disrupted by the snowy, messy winter. Delivery schedules are off, the staff can't get to work some days, and can't get home on others. With all that going on, we've had some new products come in that we haven't even had time to talk about yet. So let's fix that now, before we get stuck in the house again.

Both the Lawrenceville and Woodbridge stores have the Jenna Sparr Cotes du Rhone Villages 2011 in stock. We last had the 2009 vintage of this wine, and it was a proven winner. This wine has earthy aromas of prunes, stewed fruit and licorice. It is full-bodied with plum, licorice and spicy flavors. At only $9.96 in the Bottle Club®, this Grenache-Syrah blend is a perfect anytime wine.

With the threat of a pretty major storm arriving during the night, some of our team like nothing better than to sit at the window at home and watch it snow while sipping on a serious single malt Scotch. If you're like us, then the just-added Glengoyne 18 year old Highland malt is for you.

The slowest distillation process in Scotland. Six years spent preparing the perfect oak casks before they receive their first drop of spirit. Barley dried by air, never peat. Glengoyne gives you pause to reflect that it's only by investing valuable time and infinite care that you can create something of real worth. Glengoyne - it's worth the wait.

This dram has spicy vanilla fruit, ripe apples and a rich, luxurious mouthfeel. This is the result of 18 long years and a generous proportion of first-fill sherry casks. And of the patience Glengoyne takes over the slowest distillation in Scotland. 43% ABV. Only $97.49 in the Bottle Club®.

We also find that red wine warms us on these cold nights, and a newly-arrived Italian red should do the trick. The Masseria Trajone Salice Salentino comes from Apuglia, in Southeastern Italy, and is a blend of Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera grapes. The wine is medium-bodied, with flavors of dark berries, allspice and raisins, with soft tannins partnering with notes of black pepper on the long finish. You'll find a touch of smokiness on the nose as well. This is also an everyday red, with a tasty price point of  $8.96 in the Bottle Club®.

Lastly, let's note the arrival of the Charles & Charles Red Cabernet Sauvignon Blend, vintage 2012. This wine scored 90 points from Wine Spectator. The Charles & Charles project is a collaboration between Charles Smith and Charles Bieler of Three Thieves, Bieler Père et Fils, and Sombra Mezcal. The aromas have the same signature blackberry, violet, currant and mocha that it's had in previous vintages but also takes on more of a cigar box component. The price? Only $9.69 in the Bottle Club®, making this another great option as an everyday red.  

Since the snow isn't supposed to start until after our regular closing time, we hope you'll take advantage of the weather window and take a bottle home with you. It'll make being snowed in tomorrow much more fun.
 

Greatest Hits

We routinely introduce you to new products. Given that some are available in limited quantities, we think it's important to get that information out as quickly as we can. That being said, we're also going to re-visit some of the items that we currently carry, as a reminder that we have the best variety and value in New Jersey!

With Valentine's Day coming up next Friday, a sparkling wine is a great place to start this review. We know that lots of sparkling wine will be opened on February 14, and we think you ought to start with a Champagne.

L. Aubry Fils Champagne has already established itself as a top seller, and it's a great value as well. This non-vintage Champagne rated 92 points from Wine Advocate, and is only $34.99 in the Bottle Club®. That great price point makes it one of our most affordable true Champagnes. Citrus and mineral notes take the lead with green apple and pear flavors in the background.  A slight ginger note takes hold on the finish.  Aubry has a dry, clean style that has a very attractive green apple juiciness that keeps you coming back for more.

From the Wine Advocate review: "This contains just one-quarter each Chardonnay and Pinot; 45% Meunier; and a mixture of Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Fromenteau (a.k.a. Pinot Gris). Nearly half of it is reserve wine, and more than half of that from a solera going back to 1998. If that sounds like a recipe for delivering complexity, you’re right and won’t be disappointed! Bittersweet perfume suggestive of gentian and iris mingles with intimations of fresh lime and sea breeze that in turn manifest themselves on a seductively silken palate in both juicy, vivacious exuberance and mouthwatering saliva-inducement. A scallop-like sweetly saline and mineral amalgam takes hold in a vibrant finish that leaves me caught between the urge to linger and the urge to take the next sip. This exceptional value by appellation standards is almost sure to prove worth following for several years, even if, sadly, few wine enthusiasts are likely to put that prediction to the test."  

A personal favorite is the Mocali Fossetti Rosso. As an everyday wine, this hits the intersection of quality, value and taste just about perfectly. This is 100% Sangiovese Grosso, the grape used to make Brunello.  This smells like a Brunello and even drinks like one, but the Bottle Club® price of $10.46 can’t be beat.

The 100% Sangiovese Grosso in fermented solely in stainless steel.  This is a deep hearty glass of Tuscan wine with wonderful freshness of fruit.  Made from all Montalcino fruit; it's an incredible value from this zone.  Sangiovese Grosso has thicker skins and smaller berries, yielding a more structured wine with deeper fruits, all that is present here with spiced aromas and dusty tannins.  A wonderful introduction to the wines of Montalcino.

Italian wines are all about Amore, and that's perfect for Valentine's Day.

Of course, the French know about love as well. If you want a very nice red wine for dinner, after the Aubry Champagne aperitif, the Pierre Henri-Morel Côtes du Rhône Villages Signargues is a great choice. Signargues is the furthest South of all the appellations in the

Côtes du Rhône, and consists of four communities.

This also scored 91 points from Wine Spectator, making it another great value at only $13.96 in the Bottle Club®. From their review: "An elegant style, with silky texture and pure, unadorned bitter plum, blood orange and singed alder notes all racing along through the rooibos tea-tinged finish, revealing a buried mineral accent. Drink now through 2016." Our team adds, "Very silky and interesting.  It keeps changing in the glass.  Enjoy with pork, chicken or beef stews."

Our posts haven't given enough love to our beer department, so we want to mention one of our newer beers, Miller Fortune. Chris Spicacci, the Beer Supervisor at our Woodbridge store, just enjoyed a 6-pack and had this to say: "Miller Fortune is a golden lager brewed in part with Cascade hops to give it a citrusy bite and caramel malt to impart an amber hue. The flavor is moderately bitter with hints of sweetness, resting somewhere between a full-flavored craft beer and a light lager. 6.9%ABV."

Miller Fortune is available in 12 ounce bottles, 6- or 12-packs, as well as 24 ounce cans. The 6-packs are priced at $6.99, the 12-packs at $13.49, and the cans are $1.79 each. Miller Fortune is about instigating whatever the night has in store.

We hope that our gentle reminder about Valentine's Day will be helpful. As always, if you have questions, please ask our store staff.

Tasting with the Stars

Having the opportunity to taste great wines is one of the good things about this job. Our wholesale suppliers offer large-scale portfolio tastings annually, and other trade groups have tastings throughout the year. Few other industries have professional development opportunities that are as tasty.

It is, of course, necessary to distinguish "tasting" from "drinking". If you're a professional, attending a tasting event to improve your own palate while learning more about your portfolio, then "tasting", spitting out the wine, is what's required. Really, when there are a few dozen participating wineries, each offering samples of two or three different wines, "drinking" would render you unable to stand before too long, let alone be able to evaluate the nuances of the wines.

Benvenuto Brunello

That's the background to my experience at the Benvenuto Brunello tasting event in New York City on January 27. Hosted by the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino, the Italian trade group for Brunello producers, the tasting was pegged to the release of the 2009 vintage Brunello and 2012 Rosso. And with very few exceptions, that's what was available for tasting among the 50 or so participating wineries. And, no, that is not a complaint!

Amy Ezrin, about to pour Sassetti

There was something of a mix of vintages and styles for the Brunello's. Some 2008's were also available for tasting, as well as some Riserva-level wines from 2004. Quite a few participating wineries had notes stating that they were "looking for an importer," so nearly everyone there was shopping for something!

I was prepared for a long day of tasting, although the crowds presented a challenge at times. The event was held at Gotham Hall, which is at Broadway and 36th Street. While it didn't impact the tasting, ESPN was setting up their music stage in the street right in front of the building, and their TV studio was one block south, also right in the middle of Broadway.Since the game is in New Jersey, some Super Bowl-related activities had to be in New York. I guess.

Banfi

Entering the ballroom, you found the wineries were arranged more-or-less alphabetically, which gave Banfi the first table on the right. Since we carry about a dozen different Banfi products, including their Grappa, they were on my to-taste list. I was fortunate enough to have visited the Banfi winery in Tuscany, and tasted pretty much everything there. Here, I sampled the Brunello's, and they certainly started me off the right way.

At Joe Canal's, we carry Banfi wines starting at under $10. Especially in this weather, those everyday red wines will help thaw you out.

My strategy for events like this is to first taste wines that we already carry. I want to be as conversant as possible about our brands, and sometimes speaking with the rep will give me some added insights. It can mean circling the room a few times, working my way through the crowds, but it's worth the effort.

Paul Costilla, Folio Wines

Still on my first pass, I next encountered our rep from Folio wines. Paul tasted me through his wines, and also talked up another Italian wine, Dal Forno Romano, in addition to their other wines. The Frescobaldi Giocondo Brunello was one of my top wines of the day.

This is as good a place as any to talk briefly about the process by which many products get to the shelves at Joe Canal's. Our team of buyers evaluates the products before approving them for sale at the stores. The team works exclusively for Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge, so they also know the similarities and differences of the shoppers at the two stores. Maybe my palate is just aligned really well with theirs, or maybe they're good at their jobs, but with one exception, my favorite wines of the day were wines that we already carried. And the one that we didn't carry is one of the wineries looking for an importer.

I didn't have the opportunity to get pictures of the fruit & cheese trays that the organizers had set in the middle of the tasting area. The area was always crowded when I went past, and I never saw the displays looking anything other than picked-over. But you needed a bit of a palate-cleanser as you went through the tasting. Most wineries did have small bits of bread at their tables, and many offered olive oil samples as well.

The contest was very close, but my favorite wine of the day was the Sassetti Livio Pertimali Brunello, 2008, pictured above with our sales rep, Amy Ezrin. It's in stock in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge for only $49.96 in the Bottle Club®. Wine Spectator rated it 94 points, saying, "Aromatic, suave and silky, boasting aromas and flavors of flowers, cherry, strawberry and leather, all boosted by bright acidity and firm, well-integrated tannins. Refined and long, with a lingering finish of mineral and spice. Best from 2016 through 2035. 700 cases imported." It was drinking beautifully at the event, and now I have to run over to the store and grab a bottle for myself. Considering that this wine hasn't scored under 90 points since about 1995, the Sassetti team knows how to make a great wine.

While this event was limited to people in the trade, there are similar events throughout the year that are open to the public. Some are listed on web sites like Local Wine Events, others are in Wine Spectator, and you can search the web as well. Being able to taste so many different wines is a great way to improve and expand your palate, while having a great time. And it might be on a smaller scale, but don't forget that Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge offer wine tastings nearly every Friday and Saturday. Our web site has a specific page devoted to our weekend wine tastings, and we also have special guest tastings during the year. For details about these and our other tastings, please consult our main Events page.

By and large, the Rosso's were drinking well. The Brunello's, beyond the few that were my clear favorites, showed a lot of promise, and are definitely worth buying, provided you can cellar them, or aerate/decant for drinking soon. But now I need to find a big plate of pasta.

New Stuff for the New Year

Every year in mid-January, a number of our wholesale distributors close for a week. For that time, we don't get any products from them, let alone new items. But it's a good opportunity for all of us to get our storage areas in order, following the business of the holiday season.

Thank goodness that's all behind us, so we can continue rolling out new products.

For the Scotch lovers out there, we're now stocking the Springbank 9 Year Old Gaja Barolo cask. Springbank is one of the few distilleries left in Campbelltown, and this whisky marries their complex and rich spirit with a fine wine cask, adding flavor and nuance. Limited production means limited availability, and it's priced at $97.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Speaking of Barolo, we also just received very limited quantities of the 2004 Azelia Riserva Barolo Voghera Brea. This received 97 points from Wine Spectator. Their review: "A seductive red, this boasts a pure bouquet of cherry and cherry jam flavors. Rich and expressive, unfolding on a bed of firm, supportive tannins, with lively acidity and a long, lingering aftertaste of fresh cherry, tobacco and mineral notes. Best from 2015 through 2033. 350 cases made." It's produced from vines that are more than 75 years old, and released after 6 years in the cellar. This fine wine is currently in the Bottle Club® at $104.99.

Due to arrive any day now is the 2012 Butter Chardonnay, from Jam Cellars. This wine has an ethereal creaminess on the palate, woven with smooth vanillin scented oak. Tropical flavors of pineapple and honeydew intertwine delicately on the mid pallet and linger on to the finish. Priced at only $14.89 in the Bottle Club®, we will also have limited quantities of the Butter.

Also due to arrive within the next day or so is the 2008 Santa Rita Triple C, from Chile. It rated 93 points from Wine Spectator, placing #47 in the 2013 Top 100. Their review: "A powerful red, with a surplus of dark plum, blackberry and dark currant flavors that are pure and focused, wrapped in layers of vanilla and cream. The long finish is filled with dark chocolate and wild herb notes. Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Carmenère." Our regular price is $34.99, and it will be on sale  in the Bottle Club® for only $29.99.

Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge are your best bets during the Big Game week, and all through the year.

There's Still Time, But Not Much!!

Our stores will be open until 7pm on Christmas Eve, and now you have only six more days to shop. We'll have regular hours (9am-10pm) today through Saturday, 12/21. On Sunday, 12/22, our stores will be open 9am-9pm, offering two extra hours of shopping time. Monday will be 9am-10pm, and Tuesday, 12/24 we'll have an early start, opening at 7am, but closing early, at 7pm.

What else is new? Here's how we can answer that question:

Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve

Johnnie Walker Gold Label Reserve is a bold, confident Scotch whisky as luxurious and indulgent as its name suggests. A multi-layered blend, it offers a smooth balance of sweet fruits and creaminess that evolves into deeper honeyed tones before finishing in lingering waves of wood, fruit, and light,
sweet west coast (of Scotland)smoke. This is on sale at $69.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Best enjoyed with soda, this vibrant blend is perfect for celebration, landmark moments, or any spirited
occasion shared with friends and family.

Domaine Marc Roy Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Prieur 2011

This delightful Burgundy received 92 points from Wine Spectator. Their review: "Smooth and fleshy, with macerated cherry and currant flavors that show hints of sandalwood and licorice. Graceful and beautifully integrated, with a long aftertaste of spice. Best from 2016 through 2025. 250 cases made." With that kind of cellaring potential, this is a great gift for the wine lover, as long as you keep one for yourself. Available in very limited quantities for $55.99 in the Bottle Club®.

The crop is 100% destemmed and slightly crushed before to be transferred into stainless steel tank. The punching of the cap is done twice a day BY FOOT.   The wine is then aged in French oak barrels (70% new) for 12 months.

Ruby color with black cherry hue.  Delicate nose which increases in intensity as the wine is opens. The nose reveals a beautiful red fruit bouquet where the morello cherry dominates, completed by a touch of backcurrant and cherry pit.  The tannins are delicate and ripened, and the wine, even if young, is very promising.  

Siro Pacenti Brunello di Montalcino 2008

To say that every reviewer loved this wine is to state the obvious: WA: 95 points; WS:94 points; WE:93 points; IWC:91 points; JS:93 points; AG:95 points. From Wine Spectator: "Violet, black currant and cherry aromas and flavors define this supple, harmonious Brunello, which is elegant and intense, with dusty yet ripe tannins lending support. It all comes together on the lingering, spice- and mineral-tinged aftertaste. Best from 2017 through 2035. 2,500 cases made." You can find this elsewhere for around $95.00, but at Joe Canal's it's only $61.99 in the Bottle Club®.

Bodegas El Nido Clio 2011, 1.5L

This classic Spaniard is 70% old vine Monastrell and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon. It offers an intense nose of ripe black fruit, showing finesse and elegance. The wine is rich with roasted berry and cassis aromas and flavors, with accents of anise and espresso. A powerful, decadent wine.And because it's the 1.5 liter bottle, this will age very well, but it is better to share something like this. There are very limited quantities of this available as well, and it's priced at $79.99.

If you're still struggling with the exactly perfect gift, you can always see one our our friendly cashiers to purchase a gift card in any denomination of your choosing.

No ugly sweater, and it will be the right size!

Beat The Wine Shortage!

Yesterday, there was a news story about an impending wine shortage. We posted a link on our Facebook pages, and you can easily do a web search for the item. If the facts are correct, then we have a suggestion on a good building block for your "shortage stash". And since the suggestion comes from Brandon Bartfalvi, Senior Wine Manager at our Lawrenceville store, you can count on it being an outstanding choice.

 Brandon, in front of the Fine Wine case.

"Definitely start with the 2008 La Rasina Brunello di Montalcino. You get a rich and generous red, offering flavors of dark fruit, coffee, chocolate and spice with a lengthy finish.  Those deep, dark flavors are inviting and concentrated and the supple tannins add to the finesse of this approachable Brunello.  Decant and enjoy now, or drink over the next several years."

La Rasina is located on the fine southeastern slope, or morning side, of Montalcino in the Brunello DOCG area. Rolling hills with roses climbing over the old walls of the main house create an atmosphere of loving attention in this small family run property. Separate buildings on the estate have been restored for Agri-tourism. There are fewer and fewer of them, but this estate is still a true Montalcino born, family-run estate.

La Rasina was founded in the early 1970′s by the grandfather of the Mantengoli family, Santi. Later managed by Vasco, his son, and now by Marco, his grandson, the estate shows the dedication and excellence of an endeavor kept in the hands of one hardworking family over many years. Recent recognition given to Marco Mantengoli at La Rasina included top ratings and awards at literally every wine review published on Brunello. 

Regularly priced at $51.99, the 2008 La Rasina Brunello di Montalcino is available at Joe Canal's in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge at the Bottle Club price of only $40.99! 

Steve Wernick's Trip to Italy, Part 1

Working in this business can present some great opportunities for professional development. We really do have to taste hundreds and hundreds of products every year, so that we can properly represent what we sell. With our weekly wine tastings and presentations from the sales reps, we work hard to stay informed.

That’s the mind-set I took on a recent vacation to Italy. Prior to reaching the Tuscany region, I’d made appointments to visit several wineries. Seeing the grapes growing and talking with winery workers would give me important additional insights into Italian wines generally, and wines that we sell specifically.

Let me say this about wineries in Tuscany: They’re not easy to find. Castello Banfi has an enormous property by any standard, and even that was a challenge. Getting from town to town was a relatively simple process, but finding that one turn on a country road that isn’t well-marked can be, well, interesting. On the other hand, there are tasting rooms all over Tuscany, and wine is sold in virtually every place of business, including rest stops on their turnpike, the Autostrada.

Our first winery was Castello di Bossi. The winemaker lives in a beautiful old castle on the property, where they’ve been making wine since the 1980s. Wine-making at that parcel, however, goes much further back. We carry their Chianti Classico, as well as their Corbaia blend, and they were among the wines I tasted there.



Before we tasted, of course, there was time to walk around the property. We had the chance to grab a couple of grapes right off the vine, and the Sangiovese tasted surprisingly sweet. Coming back into the main building, we got to walk through their old bottle room. Here, there were stacks of wine bottles that were filled as far back as the 1960s. Some were simply stacked one bottle atop another, rather than sitting in a rack.



These preliminaries were useful, but the main event, the tasting, awaited us. First up was the Chianti Classico, which we sell for about $17.00 in the Bottle Club. The Chianti starts with notes of toasty oak, joined by ripe cherry and a touch of violet. It’s a well-balanced wine, with the tannic structure helping to integrate the alcohol and the darker fruit notes that cross the palate ahead of a long finish.

Next, we stepped up to the Berardo, their Chianti Classico Riserva. This was, by a very slim margin, my favorite of the table wines we tasted. Hints of menthol are intertwined with decadent spices. It’s full-bodied and structured, with loads of dusty black fruit. 100% Sangiovese, Berardo spends 18 months in barriques.

Castello di Bossi also does some great work with international varieties, as evidenced by the outstanding Girolamo, which is 100% Merlot. Ripe red and blue fruit jump out of the glass, with raspberry being especially notable. It’s medium- to full-bodied, yet silky across the palate.

The final table wine was the Corbaia, their Super Tuscan, which blends Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s a complex wine, with a black fruit jamminess beautifully co-existing with notes of tobacco and coffee. Corbaia is strong across the palate, and the sharp tannins suggest cellaring for a couple of years. Corbaia spends 24 months in barriques. The 2004 vintage is currently on the shelf in Lawrenceville and Woodbridge, and it earned 94 points from Robert Parker. The ensuing three vintages scored 94, 95 and 96 points respectively, showing clearly that Castello di Bossi’s Corbaia is a true world-class wine.

Castello di Bossi is located in Castelnuovo Berardenga, the warmest and most southerly of the Chianti Classico villages in Tuscany. That’s why they don’t offer a white wine. They do, however, offer an amazing dessert wine called Vin San Laurentino. This was the final wine in our tasting, and well worth the wait. This more resembles a port than a traditional Italian Vin Santo, with notes of sweet stewed plum, and a softness that is irresistible. The blend is Sangiovese, Trebbiano and Malvasia Bianca. It offers a kind of basalmic sweetness and freshness, which is stunning when you consider that it spends 8 years in a barrel called a caratelli. The 1999 through 2003 vintages scored from 93 to 96 points from Robert Parker. The bottle is hard to find in the US, but it’s as good a dessert wine as you can find.

A few words about our host, Lauretta Pianigiani. According to her business card, her title was “Sales,” but she was more of a brand ambassador. Of course, she knew the wines we were tasting, and could explain the nuances in perfect English. She was very accommodating with regards to our running a bit late (I did say the wineries aren’t easy to find), telling us that in Italy, 15 minutes late is actually early.

As our time at Castello di Bossi drew to a close, we were able to take a few pictures before piling back into the Fiat Panda for the next stop, Poggio San Polo.