mIXED PIEDMONT WINES SELECTION

WHY WE CHOSE THIS WINE

Sparkling wines have been exploding in Piemonte for the last few years. Pietro Colla (b.1894) from Poderi Colla was one of the first to experiment with sparkling wine after studying the French methods and working with the Pinot Noir grape (unusual for the Langhe area). The Colla family has some of the oldest Pinot vines in the area. This unique passion has been passed on to the following generations of the family!

TASTING NOTES

Rich complex bouquet with crusty bread notes, white flowers and aromatic herbs. On the palate, bone dry, with important structure and a full body. It has a harmonious balanced acidity with hints of strawberry, bread crust, orange zest and ginger!

PAIRING WITH

A full course meal. Because this wine is a Blanc de Noirs (made from just red grapes) with Nebbiolo and also an Extra Brut (no res. sugar), it is more structured and dry than most sparkling wines. It can stand up to any dish according to Pietro Colla. The Colla family loves drinking this specifically with salty breaded and fried porcini mushrooms!

GRAPE VARIETAL: 90% Pinot Noir – 10% Nebbiolo

BOTTLES PRODUCED: 0 – 650 cases (depends on the vintage)

VINEYARD LOCATION: San Rocco Seno d’Elvio village, in Barbaresco production area.

ALTITUDE: 280 – 350 m

WINEMAKING: 2 years on the lees in bottle (Traditional method) with refill of the same wine (no liqueur di expedition)

AWARDS: 93 Points Wine Enthusiast

WHY WE CHOSE THIS WINE

Dolcetto, once the most popular wine in the Langhe, is now often overlooked and overshadowed by Barbera and Nebbiolo. However, when you eat a light meal in the summer but want a red wine, this can be perfect! The grapes are grown within the Barbaresco District from the same soils as Nebbiolo for Barbaresco. Usually Dolcetto is planted in the least ideal vineyard sites but this one is given the opportunity to best express itself by having the correct soils and exposure. Treiso village has always been known for their Dolcettos despite being in the Barbaresco production area. It is light, fruity and a great wine to pop and pour!

TASTING NOTES

This Dolcetto shows a beautiful bright ruby red color with deep violet highlights, with an explosive and fruity floral aroma that evokes blackberries, wild strawberries, ripe black cherries with a hint of violet. On the palate it is dry and fmedium bodied, elegant and round, with notes of fruit and a wonderfully almondy finish.

PAIRING WITH

Jole, the owner’s daughter, loves to make torta salata with this wine. Torta salata is similar to a quiche. She prefers ricotta and spinach with egg in a pastry crust.

GRAPE VARIETALS: 100% Dolcetto

BOTTLES PRODUCED: 415 cases

VINEYARD LOCATION: Treiso village, in Barbaresco production area.

ALTITUDE: 240 – 360 m

WINEMAKING: Stainless Steel

DRINKING WINDOW: Drink now

AWARDS: 90 Points James Suckling

WHY WE CHOSE THIS WINE

We were only familiar with Le Piane’s famous Nebbiolo based wine – Boca from Northern Piemonte near Lago Maggiore. When the rep came with the whole range of wines, we weren’t expecting to be so impressed by the white! Erbaluce is one of the lesser known grapes in Piemonte which was first cited in a wine document in 1605. The local dialect calls the wine “Greco Bianco” which is why the letters are in Greek. Infact, it is thought to be related to Greco di Tufo, a well known white from Southern Italy. We loved the complexity and uniqueness of this wine and decided to add it to our shipment! We hope you enjoy it.

TASTING NOTES

A wine of great structure, with an open nose of dried Alpine flowers, pears, honey. On the palate it is delicate and savory with a nutty finish.

PAIRING WITH

Battered and fried trout or white truffle dishes.

GRAPE VARIETALS: 100% Erbaluce

BOTTLES PRODUCED: 650 cases

VINEYARDS LOCATION: Boca area

ALTITUDE: 360 – 570 m

WINEMAKING: Full cluster fermentation and aging in big barrels and cement.

DRINKING WINDOW: Drink now

WHY WE CHOSE THIS WINE

We just love this family! They are hard working with a great passion for what they do. This is the first vintage that the Bordini wines were made in the traditional oak “tinos” (fermenting conical oak barrels) rather than small casks. This single vineyard cru is called Bordini. It is uncommon because only 1 other notable winery labels it as a single vineyard. The wines from this area are known for being austere and powerful. The vintage is a collector’s item so I would suggest keeping this wine in the cellar for a few years.

TASTING NOTES

Nose of underbrush, balsamic minty notes, new leather and roses. Tight and assertive, the linear, full-bodied palate offers dried cherry, licorice and espresso framed in firm acidity and youthfully austere, close-grained tannins that leave a tight, rather austere finish. Give this time to fully unwind and open up (Kerin O’keefe). A wine of great structure, with an open nose of dried Alpine flowers, pears, honey. On the palate it is delicate and savory with a nutty finish.

PAIRING WITH

Matteo says his family usually drinks this wine with fresh ravioli pasta with meat filling or when they do a barbeque.

GRAPE VARIETALS: 100% Nebbiolo

BOTTLES PRODUCED: 500 cases

VINEYARDS LOCATION: Bordini Cru – Neive

ALTITUDE: 300 m (Age of vines 30 years old)

WINEMAKING: Fermentation in conical oak “tinos” and 15 months of oak aging (BIG and Small)

DRINKING WINDOW: Hold

AWARDS: 94 Points Veronelli | 93+ Robert Parker

WHY WE CHOSE THIS WINE

We tasted this unknown wine in the Cantina Comunale with clients and preferred it hands down when compared to other 2014 Barolos that we sampled. As you may know, it was a tough vintage. This proved that the “newcomer on the scene” Cristian Boffa, together with his father, had some talent! We were interested! After visiting this shy and humble young winemaker, I found out that he was bottling a single vineyard cru Barolo called Capalot. Capalot was made famous by the La Morra legend, Roberto Voerzio for his Vecchie Viti Barolo. Otherwise not historically considered a “grand cru”, young up and coming producers are realizing the potential of this vineyard site and are no longer just selling their grapes, but making their own wonderful wines! We love supporting the underdogs, especially when the product is high quality. Boffa doesn’t even have a website yet and this is his first vintage with a single cru. It represents pure, traditional and fresh fruit and floral style of La Morra. You are one of the few in the world to taste it!

TASTING NOTES

Intense yet delicate nose with aromas of blackberries, plums, wild strawberries and vanilla. On the palate, structured with delicate tannins, red and black berries and vanilla with long finish.

PAIRING WITH

Cristian loves opening this bottle when his mom makes roasted rabbit!

GRAPE VARIETALS: 100% Nebbiolo

BOTTLES PRODUCED: 72 cases

VINEYARDS LOCATION: Capalot Cru – La Morra

ALTITUDE: 320 – 330 m (age of vines 15 – 20 years old)

WINEMAKING: 15-20 days macerat ion in s t a i n l e s s – s t e e l, ma n u a l pumpovers, selected yeasts. Aged in big Slavonian oak barrels for 20-24 months Full cluster fermentation and aging in big barrels and cement.

DRINKING WINDOW: Drink now or hold

WHY WE CHOSE THIS WINE

Claudio and his wife run this extremely small winery. The only wine they make is Barolo! Boggione is undeniably under the radar but Barolo lovers “in the know” and specialized importers have had their eye on him for years. His one and only Barolo comes from the single vineyard Brunate, considered a “grand cru”. Most people think of La Morra village when they read Brunate but there is a tiny part that extends down the hill just into the Barolo village. This is where Claudio has his land. The obvious choice for us to buy would have been the 2013 or 2015 but we trusted our palates and chose the 2014, despite being a criticized year. It stands out for its drinkability with earthier characteristics that speak of the wet and damp weather in that vintage. In fact, Boggione won the Silver Medal from Decanter Magazine for this wine. When you are awarded as a standout in a difficult vintage, it signifies so much more and shows the talent of the winemaker. We hope you like it too!

TASTING NOTES

On the nose, ripe red fruits, roses, violets and licorice with a touch of earth and forest floor. On the palate, smooth tannins, dry and full bodied.

PAIRING WITH

 A cheesy or mushroom risotto.

GRAPE VARIETAL: 100% Nebbiolo

BOTTLES PRODUCED: 500 cases

VINEYARD LOCATION: Brunate Cru – Barolo (vines are 10 to 60 years old)

WINEMAKING: Traditional fermentation with spontaneous yeasts in big oak barrels for approx. 25 days. Moves to stainless steel for pump-overs and then back in oak for 3 years. Unfiltered. 

DRINKING WINDOW: Great Now!

AWARDS: Silver Award – Decanter