Tag Archives: italy

2015 Burlotto Barolo

2015 G.B. Burlotto Barolo

6-2-19

G.B. Burlotto was considered among the absolute greatest winemakers in the world for the seventy plus years he was at the helm of the estate. After his passing in 1927, the winery and his hometown of Verduno slipped into obscurity. Now Fabio Alessandria, the great-great-grandson has taken over and Burlotto is among the best small producers in the Piedmont.

2015 Burlotto Barolos Arriving in July:

G.B. Burlotto Barolo DOCG, Piedmont 2015 750ML
Antonio Galloni 92 points “Burlotto’s 2015 Barolo is absolutely gorgeous. Pliant and open-knit, the straight Barolo captures all of the natural richness of the vintage. Succulent red cherry, plum, lavender, rose petal, spice and new leather all meld together in a supple, inviting Barolo that will be impossible to resist in its youth. This is such a beautiful and alluring wine. The base of the Burlotto Barolo is built on Breri, which is adjacent to Monvigliero, plus the portions of Rocche dell’ Olmo and Neirane that don’t make it into the Acclivi. This is a positively stellar wine. Don’t miss it.”
James Suckling 92 points “Very aromatic with sliced strawberries and cherries and hints of tangerines on the nose. Full body. Rich and juicy and a flavorful finish. Drink in 2022.”

G.B. Burlotto Barolo ‘Acclivi’, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML
Antonio Galloni 94 points “The 2015 Barolo Acclivi is another stellar wine from Fabio Alessandria and Burlotto and is a blend of fruit from Monvigliero, Rocche dell’ Olmo and Neirane, all in Verduno. Bright, perfumed and silky on the palate, the Acclivi is a jewel of a wine. Floral notes appear in the glass, adding lift, perfume and sensuality. All the elements are in the right place. Today, Burlotto’s Cannubi and Monvigliero have become hard to find, but savvy readers will want to focus on the Acclivi, a wine that offers superb quality for the money. Another few years in bottle should help some of the fruit soften.”

G.B. Burlotto Barolo Monvigliero, Barolo DOCG 2015 750ML
Antonio Galloni 98 points “The 2015 Barolo Monvigliero is a wine of pure and total seduction. The warm vintage has filled out the wine’s frame beautifully. The interplay of ripe, succulent 2015 fruit and aromatic intensity from the whole clusters yields a positively stunning, breathtaking wine of the very highest level. Once again, Burlotto’s Barolo Monvigliero takes a place among the most compelling wines of the vintage. Readers who can find it should not hesitate!”

For pricing & availability, shop the complete list of Burlotto wines on our web store.

The Outstanding 2014 Produttori Crus: May 2019

“this is one of the most consistently outstanding set of Riservas I can remember tasting here”–Antonio Galloni

Produttori del Barbaresco is revered for producing classically-styled Barbaresco and Riservas of uncompromising quality and transparency. It’s a miracle that these wines are still affordable and available, especially when compared to the skyrocketing prices of Barolo. You’d be hard-pressed to find such consistent quality and complexity out of such an extensive range of single-vineyard Nebbiolos anywhere else. We are pleased to present the 2014 Crus – a range already receiving rave reviews from Italian expert Antonio Galloni.

Consider yourself warned: These are HIGHLY limited in comparison to prior vintages (Rabaja in all formats is already sold out). Shop the complete list on our webstore now by clicking here or view them all below:

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A Trove of Tuscan Treasure

August 30th, 2018

New Releases From Felsina and La Gerla

Arriving in September

Recent vintages have been kind to Tuscany. 2012, 2013 and now 2015 have all been marked successes, delivering wines of opulence and class. Whether you prefer Brunello, Chianti or Super-Tuscans, there are a multitude of brilliant wines across the region that all deserve your attention. We have a set of classic producers we love and new releases from two of them arrive in September.

La Gerla makes fantastic Brunello in a traditional (yet approachable) way. The wines always have striking purity of fruit and elegant structures but are free of the sweet tinted oak that masks many “easy drinking” Brunellos. The pricing is on-point and the combination of all of the above has turned the estate into a Vinopolis staple. We have their epic 2013 Brunello and 2012 Riserva arriving this fall and both are some of the best wines ever produced by the estate.

We also have some of the higher end 2015’s arriving from Felsina—a winery that needs no more introduction at this point. They’re reference point Chiantis and the lower-tier wines from 2015 were stunning, so the Rancia and Fontalloro should be some of the best in years. Both the Rancia and Fontalloro are 100% Sangiovese, but the latter is more of a modern, Brunello/Super Tuscan-styled wine. These are wines to collect, savor and treasure.

Arriving ETA September:

La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 750ML ($59.95) Buy Now: $45 pre-arrival special
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 375ML ($29.95) Buy Now: $26 pre-arrival special
La Gerla Brunello di Montalcino DOCG, Tuscany 2013 1.5L ($119.95) Buy Now: $99 pre-arrival special
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 94 points “The 2013 Brunello di Montalcino is elegant, balanced and bright. The pretty luminosity of the wine’s appearance helps to underline this positive impression. The bouquet is nuanced and layered with dried fruit aromas that segue to spice, tar and balsam herb. You get sassy aromas of licorice, tar and cola on the close.”
Ian D’agata-Vinous 93+ points “Bright red. Pure and very flinty nuances complement aromas and flavors of strawberry-rhubarb and wild berries on the nose and palate. Dense and juicy and boasting a focused, penetrating mouthfeel, this finishes long and clean with a very strong note of licorice. Best classico Brunello from La Gerla in some time.”

La Gerla Riserva gli Angeli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 750ML ($99.95) Buy Now: $69 pre-arrival special
La Gerla Riserva gli Angeli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 1.5L ($219.95) Buy Now: $159 pre-arrival special
La Gerla Riserva gli Angeli, Brunello di Montalcino DOCG 2012 3L ($499.95) Buy Now: $319 pre-arrival special
Ian D’agata-Vinous 95 points “Bright medium ruby. Very clean and fresh aromas and flavors of red currant, cherry pit, flowers and blood orange jelly. Bright, juicy and very light on its feet, offering superb vinosity and clarity of flavor, this conveys an impression of real underlying density and a multilayered mouthfeel. A knockout wine of outstanding energy and class, finishing with polished tannins, uncanny sweetness and lovely subtle persistence, not to mention outstanding balance (it hides its 14.5% alcohol very well).”
Monica Larner-Wine Advocate 95 points “Here is a dense and meaty Tusan red that flaunts its immediate power, structure and intensity. The 2012 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva gli Angeli is robust and deep thanks to a generous offering of dark fruit, spice and tar-like aromas. Fruit is carefully selected for this wine, and the grapes are fermented in stainless steel. Post fermentation, the wine goes into large Slavonian oak casks for four years. The finish is soft and supple with sweet berry flavors. This wine has made an impressive jump forward in this vintage.”

Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2015 750ML ($59.95) Buy Now: $45 pre-arrival special
Felsina Berardenga Rancia, Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2015 1.5L ($139.95) Buy Now: $115 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 94-97 points “The 2015 Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia is one of the most finessed young Rancias I have ever tasted. Silky, aromatically precise and nuanced to the core, the 2015 is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine. This is an impressive showing.”

Felsina Berardenga Fontalloro Toscana IGT, Tuscany 2015 750ML ($69.95) Buy Now: $49 pre-arrival special
Antonio Galloni-Vinous 92-95 points “Another impressive 2015, the Fontalloro is a wine of breadth, power and persistence. Today, the oak is still not fully integrated, but there is more than enough depth and resonance in the fruit to make me think that will happen. I can’t wait to taste the 2015 from bottle.”

Wine of the Day: Three Friulian Whites from I Clivi 6-15-16

I Clivi di Ferdinando Zanusso ‘San Pietro’ Friulano Colli Orientali del Friuli, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2014 750ML ($24.95) Buy Now: $21.90 special

I Clivi di Ferdinando Zanusso Ribolla Colli Orientali del Friuli, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2014 750ML ($24.95) Buy Now: $21.90 special

I Clivi di Ferdinando Zanusso RBL Brut Spumante, Friuli-Venezia Giulia NV 750ML ($27.95) Buy Now: $24 special

Fruili Colli Orientali, old vines, organic viticulture, small producer, no malo or oak: Italian white wine in its pure nature, like Boticelli’s Birth of Venus. Ferdinando Zanusso has been making his I Clivi wines for some 25 years now, with devotion to the land, the Friulano and Ribolla grapes, and the traditions of Friuli. The results resonate with character, elegance, and precision. My one-word description of these wines: lithe.

The Friulano San Pietro 2014 shows only the slightest yellow hue. Its body is just as light, but its aromatic weight – lemon, almonds, white flowers – dominates the palate and nose with each sip. Equally as fresh and stunning, the Ribolla Gialla shows a citrus character, with zingy acidity. In case bubbles are in order, the Ribolla Brut Nature offers the same airy, citric brilliance, in a wine as dry as the limestone that raised it. All three wines long to accompany antipasti, seafood, or creamy cheeses. Forza Friuli! – Daniel

Wine of the Day: Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG’, Piedmont 2011 5-31-16

Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG’, Piedmont 2011 750ML ($37.95) Buy Now: $29 special

Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG’, Piedmont 2011 1.5L ($69.95) Buy Now: $59 special

Two of us from the shop opened this 2011 Barbaresco from Produttori del Barbaresco on Thanksgiving eve, pouring little tastes as we mapped out what would become a lovely dinner with all sorts of dishes, new friends, and a wide array of wines. This one was truly one of the standouts, so much so that we had to hide the bottle so as to not drink it all before the dinner even came to fruition.

As cooking began and thirsts resurfaced, this humble bottle from the legendary Produttori estate came back to reward our efforts. Overnight, the bright strawberry fruit held strong while secondary notes of cedar, blackberry, baking spice, and mocha emerged. The spice and earth, tannin and texture intermingled in a way that was so surprising and yet familiar; a reminder as to why we spent so many hours studying and seeking out wines to begin with. There are, occasionally, wines which take us back like that – hitting the ‘reset’ button, before you’d had anything that tasted quite similar. How rare and how lovely, the catharsis of wine… – Tyler