Muddy Boots

Starting the Year Off Right

Just a quick note to alert you to a terrific blog post by Cincinnati-area retailer,our amico Kevin Keith of DEPS Fine Wines in Covington, KY. 

Entitled "Starting the Year Off Right", the piece does a nice job of describing the qualities of several of Domenico Selections' newer wine offerings:

* Casale Pozzuolo's Rosso della Porticcia, an unoaked, 100% organic Sangiovese in purezza from southern Tuscany (Montecucco zone).

* Three unoaked, organic white from Aquila del Torre in Friuli - a Sauvignon Blanc, a Friulano and, yes, a Riesling. Kevin awards all of these "Outstanding," one with a + accompanying it. You have to go to the post to find out which one it is.

* The much-loved Freisa from Cascina Gilli, "Vigna del Forno" - unoaked, gorgeous fruit, sapid. Which is the opposite of insipid, just in case you didn't know.

Check out Kevin's blog Under the Grape Tree for a trove of wine reviews and aperçus and cranky opinions that would do Ron Paul proud. 

 

 

93 Points to Cascina Roccalini Barbaresco 2007

Cascina Roccalini has been awarded another 93 points by Bruce Sanderson in the Wine Spectator (31 December 2011). Link here to review. 

To those of you who don't know this already, Cascina Roccalini's wines are made by the young and very talented Paolo Veglio with the close collaboration of Dante Scaglione, the one and again enologo of Bruno Giacosa.

This time the 93 was given to the Barbaresco 2007, which some have tasted and declared it was "infanticide" to drink so soon. Sanderson does say the wine will be best between 2014 and 2025.  (Pictured label is for the 2005, to which Sanderson gave a 92. Consistency at this level is a fine thing.)

Yes, the wine is still youthful and bursting the young vitality. It hasn't yet knitted together as well as it should be within a couple of years.

Our advice: Stock and store. 

Or drink now. It's interesting to taste a fine wine in its obsteperous youth, no less than to drink it with appreciation of its development over a number of years. It's too delicious to pass up at any time.

Ode to Falanghina

Yesterday Franco Ziliani, well-known Italian wine critic and blogger (vinoalvino.org), published what I can only call an ode to Falanghina -- namely the Falanghina produced by the Mustilli family in the province of Avellino. (Link to article in Italian here.)

In the piece, Franco, pictured here, explores the various suggested etymologies of the word Falanghina, and then provides a bit of history of the grape, with its "modern era" starting with the research and advocacy of Leonardo Mustilli. (Blessed be he.)

I won't go into the etymological side of it, since the evidence that Franco presents -- like many others' before him -- strikes one as equivocal. To me it's Category We Really Don't Know. But that makes no difference to one's appreciation and enjoyment of one of the great white wine grapes of southern Italy. (Maybe one should just say Italy, no qualifiers.)

Anyway, allow me to translate Franco's enthusiastic review of the Mustilli Falanghina, with all my difficiencies as translator on display (spiacente!).

Cascina Roccalini. Again! Bis

Just a link to a rave review of the beautiful and still very young Cascina Roccalini Barbaresco 2007: link here.

Sorry to have been so lax about posting, but at this time of year it's run run run. 

Ciao a tutti!

Freisa in the news!

When we held our portfolio tasting in late September we had little idea that Cascina Gilli's Freisa "Vigna del Forno" would be the standout review hit of the day. 

But then that's not accounting for the informative charm of Chiara Martinotti, who represented Cascina Gilli at the event, and whose passionate advocacy of Freisa is undeniable.

In the past two days her "Vigna del Forno" 2008 has won rave reviews from Bill Tish of New York Wine Salon and Elin McCoy, who contributes wine articles to a range of print and online publications, including Bloomberg News and Zester Daily.

In his review (click here), Tish waxes rhapsodic about the wine:

"This is a wine that could enthrall connoisseurs and neophytes alike. A worthy fill-in for its Piedmontese compatriots Barbera and Dolcetto. Might be my Thanksgiving red...."

McCoy concludes her information-rich piece (click here):

"The 'Vigna del Forno' bottling isn't aged in wood, so the fruit flavors are bright, intense, and immensely appetizing. Now a firm Freisa fan, I urge you to give it a try."

For Cascina Gilli and for Domenico Selections these are reviews that help validate the advocacy we've done on behalf of this lovely wine. Mom couldn't have written better ones. 

Now, we're ready to write your order.

   

Aquila del Torre: Good vibrations on Tanzer's site

If you follow Steven Tanzer's reviews at all, you quickly realize that he and his reviewers are not ones to indulge in grade inflation. Wines that others may deem a 92, Tanzer & Co. seem to mark 3-4 points lower. They do not subscribe to the Lake Wobegon philosophy of "illusory superiority."  

So it's with pride and pleasure that I inform you of some excellent scores and reviews by Ian d'Agata, Tanzer's man in Italy, frequent contributor to Decanter and Director of the International Wine Academy of Roma.

Aquila del Torre in late February. All organically farmed,

vineyards are set within a nature preserve

Recently, on Tanzer's wineaccess.com site, reviews of three of Aquila del Torre's wines were published. We applaud this, to us, new and very impressive producer from the Colli Orientali district of Friuli.

Here are the reviews, along with links to wineaccess.com. 

Friulano 2010 -- 88 points

<http://www.wineaccess.com/expert/tanzer/ecommerce/product.html?product_id=11281000>

Green-tinged straw-gold. Rich nose of fig, lime blossom and almond. Fat, thick and sweet, with an almost syrupy texture to its apple and almond flavors. An impressively rich and big Friulano, but compared to the sauvignon it comes across as slightly blurry, in need of a little more acidity (or less alcohol) for better definition. Finishes long and rich, with hints of lime oil and cut grass.

Sauvignon Blanc 2010 - 89 points

<http://www.wineaccess.com/expert/tanzer/ecommerce/product.html?product_id=11280999>

Pale, straw-gold color. Fresh nose verges on the exotic, offering pineapple, grapefruit, green fig and lime skin notes. Solidly built, but with lovely delicacy to the pineapple and grapefruit flavors. Has the flesh to support its very good acidity. Nicely done: Aquila del Torre, long known for an excellent picolit (the Savorgnano subzone is an absolute grand cru for the variety), actually makes one of Friuli's more interesting sauvignons as well.

Picolit 2008 - 90 points

<http://www.wineaccess.com/expert/tanzer/ecommerce/product.html?product_id=11281072>

Bright yellow-gold. Pure aromas of lime oil, mango and ripe yellow peach complicated by dried apricot. Bright and sweet, with lime and honey flavors on entry, then rather gently styled in the middle. Could use a bit more length, but it's so pure and varietally accurate that it rates an outstanding score.

We have in stock the Friulano and the Sauvignon Blanc, as well as the relatively unsung Riesling, but the Picolit wasn't available when we placed our initial order in the summer. That luscious nectar, bright with enough acidity to make you want another glass, then another, will be here early in 2012.

Terra di Vento in Vini d'Italia Guide for first time

We've always been big fans of the organic wines of Terra di Vento, which is located near the sea in southern Campania. Under Roberto Nicodemo, the winery has gone from strength to strength the past few years. The 100% Aglianico "Petrale" and the 100% Fiano "Faiano" have great fruit and balance, and they really sing their terroir. For the quality of the wines, they are an exceptional bargain.*

Imagine my delight this morning when I found an email from Roberto with the newest "results" of the 2012 Vini d'Italia, which is one of the better ones in the country, published by the magazine L'Espresso.

Below is a picture of the guide's review of Terra di Vento and the wines that it reviewed.

Enjoy! And brush up on your Italian...

"A brilliant debut in this Guide for this winery at the foot of the Picentine Mountains..."

*Note that the Italian prices to the consumer in euros are very similar to shelf prices here in dollars. We're lookin' out for ya.

In the Decanter tome

Some days ago I received the October issue of Decanter. Due to busyness and the intimidating bulk of the issues 376 pages, I didn't open it till today.

Among any of the Domenico Selections producers who may have submitted tasting samples to Decanter, Cascina Gilli came up smelling like a rose. Or, rather, a "ripe grapey nose with floral notes," as was used to describe their Silver-winning Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco 2010 (page 182).

Cascina Gilli also fared well with the first wine of theirs that we championed, the Freisa "Vigna del Forno" 2008 (page 183). The description: "Inky, rosy, with herbal notes. Raspberries with freesia [!] and liquorice palate. Satin texture with coffee finish."

Let's hope some discerning folk in Our Leading Restaurants and Wine Stores read Decanter deeply enough to open their minds to this very charming grape, and the winning way Gilli has with it. It's a shame that Freisa is so little known or understood. On the bright side, Decanter's Ian D'Agata notes that 40% of the Piedmont winners of awards and recognition this year are not Barolos and Barbarescos. In truth, Piedmont is about lots more than all-singing, all-dancing Nebbiolo, or Barbera, a grape more sinned against than sinning.

To conclude with comments from Ian D'Agata's lead-in, under the subhead "What should we buy from here?" he singles out the Malvasia with this comment:

Even better, Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco, made with the Malvasia di Schierano grape, is a lightly alcoholic (5.5%!) sparkling, sweet red that's hard not to fall in love with.

And under "What should we keep an eye on?" he again mentions both Freisa and specifically the Malvasia from Cascina Gilli. About Freisa in general:

Freisa has a lot to offer, with both a light sparkling version [which we don't bring in -- yet] and a more important oaked one [ditto]... 

Well, we are abashed in that we currently offer neither the vivace nor the oaky versions at this time. The Freisa Vigna del Forno is unoaked and, as Ian writes, has a "satin texture with coffee finish." 

This Freisa really is Nebbiolo in a bustier.

 

  

 

Jancis likes the Aglianicos. And one of them is ours

Our excellent biologico producer of Aglianico and Fiano, Roberto Nicodemo of Terra di Vento, sent us a link to Friday's article in the Financial Times. Jancis Robinson wrote an even-handed article about Aglianico, that noblest of Southern Italian grapes, in its Taurasi and Vulture (Basilicata) versions. (Link to article here. Link to the new Terra di Vento site here. Note the stunning new "agriturismo" -- which is of a very high class indeed.)

Interestingly enough, she lists as a "pick" the Terra di Vento Petrale 2007 even though the property is far from Vulture and Taurasi. In fact, Terra di Vento is a few kilometers from the sea in the area not far from Salerno (hence the appellation "Colli di Salerno") and the Amalfi coast.

The soft coastal climate and chalky soils make Petrale far less tannic and tough early in its life than wines from Taurasi and Vulture -- there is more immediate fruit on the palate and nose. It's extremely approachable. 

We love all versions of Aglianico. We value Petrale for its pleasing, up-front drinkability and its versatility with a wide range of food than the big, sometimes rather overpowering brothers up in the volcanic hills.

Buon lavoro, Roberto e Fortunato!

 

Lettie Teague in WSJ: On Soave. One of them's ours

There was a nice video and print review of Soave in general and several Soaves in particular in Saturday's Wall Street Journal, as presented by Lettie Teague. The title of the piece is "Italy's Soave White Wine Makes a Refreshing Return." For the past few years now wine writers have been heralding the new wave of Soaves, wines of much higher quality than was associated with the region for decades. And they've been correct.

Here is the link to the article.

Note that our producer, I Stefanini, is mentioned in the main body of the piece as well as at the end, where four specific wines are reviewed. In this case it's their wonderful cru, Monte de Toni. 

We deeply appreciate Lettie's solid review and her enthusiasm for the Stefanini wine.

 

"Hidden Treasure at Otto"

The recently-launched New York Wine Salon, masterminded by the ubiquitous W. R. Tish, has been publishing lots of short, snappy reviews of wines the Tish and his contributors have actually found at NY eateries and shops. One such "hidden treasure" was discovered by Richard Vayda at one of the most popular Batali-Bastianich outposts, Otto.

The wine in question: The Villa Monteleone Campo San Vito 2004 -- a real ripasso with real character and a sense of terroir. Here is the link to the piece: Click!  The wine happens to be one that we, Domenico Selections, bring into the NY/NJ area, and beyond.

Grazie del shout-out. And please, look for either the San Vito or the lighter Valpolicella Classico, Santa Lena. Both are rather rustic, highly traditional expressions of Valpolicella.  

 

A winery of the year

Tom Hyland has just published a short post listing his top Italian wineries of the year. We're pleased to see the inclusion of -- no, no, I can't divulge it. You'll have to go directly to his article to find out which of our familiar names this is. Click here.

Grazie, Tom. Your samples await you in New York!

A Dolcetto that's "everything a Dolcetto should be"

This just in

Cascina Roccalini's Dolcetto 2008 is "Today's Featured Wine" on Wine Review Online. Click here for Ed McCarthy's full review of this "brilliant effort."

Grazie, @EdChampagne.

 

Cascina Roccalini. Again!

After being felled by a cold/bronchitis for 10 days and not in the mood to gin up a post, this morning I was greeted by a terrific article by Tom Hyland (click here), who visited Paolo Veglio at Cascina Roccalini a few months ago (and before Wine Spectator's Bruce Sanderson).

The topic of this posting is "Best Values of the Year -- Italian Reds," and Tom touches on several of the Roccalini wines. He concludes the piece with this rousing praise for the fresh, beautiful and unoaked Roccalini Barbera d'Alba 2008:

"The Barbera is the best of all – there is subtle spice, but this is all about varietal purity and outstanding concentration. This has layers of flavor and outstanding complexity and is a impressive a Barbera as I’ve had in years. This is not only an excellent value at $27, it’s also one of the best wines of the year!"

As they used to say in 1930s movies, "We like it!" 

The terribile news is that we're plumb out of it.

The great news is that more is expected on these fair shores by the end of December.

Many thanks to Tom Hyland for being an early advocate of these sensationally accomplished wines from the young Paolo Veglio. 

Now this is something to be thankful for!

Happy Thanksgiving to all Americani.

Before we head out to New Jersey for Thanksgiving dinner, I want to share something that we at Domenico Selections are really thankful for:

Bruce Sanderson of Wine Spectator posted a terrific little post about our new star producer, Paolo Veglio, and his Cascina Roccalini. Here is the link to the piece, although I'm not sure everyone can access it, since it's behind a pay wall:

http://www.winespectator.com/blogs/show/id/44123

If you can't access it, let me share a few morsels.

Headline and subhead:

Day 3 in Piedmont: Small Is Beautiful

At Cascina Roccalini, Paolo Veglio makes Dolcetto, Barbera and Barbaresco of great finesse and purity

"Great finesse and purity." Oh yes, amici miei.

...There's nothing fancy here. The Dolcetto and classic Barbera see nothing but stainless steel. The Barbera Superiore is aged for a short period in cask. The Barbarescos also see large, neutral oak casks for two years.

The malolactic conversion is very late and the Nebbiolo is racked only before the assemblage and bottling. There is no fining or filtration, just a long, natural clarification and stabilization.

Sanderson then goes on to record, very briefly, his impressions of the wines still in tank and cask. (He's more up to date than we are. We were last at Cascina Roccalini at the end of February.)

And here's his conclusion, where he's referring to the 2007 Barbaresco, still in cask:

 ...gorgeous nose of cherry, strawberry and floral perfume with a touch of herbs. It has the trademark Roccalini elegance and finesse, with a mineral finish.

This is an estate to watch.

Indeed it is. 

All my pretty ones. Pic stolen from Kevin Keith, who also wrote on his blog:

Roccalini Barbera d’Alba Superiore 2007.  This brand new Piedmonte producer comes to us from ...Domenico Selections.  This is one of the most phenomenal Barberas I have come across since my first introduction to La Spinetta years ago.  Winemaker Paolo Veglio is one to watch in the years to come, mark my words. 

It's funny but Roccalini was one of the few wineries we've gone to for a first meeting and tasting where we took one taste, looked up and telegraphed one another: We have to have these wines. No doubts, no haggling, no nothing. We had the essentials of the deal down before we left Paolo on that fateful day. It helped that Paolo was realistic about pricing to start with.

And I love the distillation of Roccalini as Sanderson phrases it here: the trademark Roccalini elegance and finesse.

"Elegant" was the first word that popped into my head as we tasted through the four wines. "Beautiful" came to mind too. 

MORE NEWS ABOUT CASCINA ROCCALINI

Although we have run out of our very small allocation of the rated wines, we will have another shipment of same on our shores before the end of the year; Hong Kong didn't take its allocation, for which we are very grateful. 

Paolo has also told me that he is bottling a Nebbiolo Langhe this year. Now, I love Nebbiolo Langhe (who doesn't), but you know this one will be both elegant and beautiful. Stay tuned...

 

 

Wine Spectator & Cascina Roccalini

Yesterday we at Domenico Selections were thrilled to hear, through a customer, that Bruce Sanderson of Wine Spectator had published reviews of two more of the Cascina Roccalini wines that are a new addition to our portfolio. After having awarded a 92 to the Roccalini Barbaresco 2005 (November 30 edition), he went on to score the winery's two Barberas. For a tiny, unknown winery, such reviews are manna from heaven, no matter what your opinion of scores or the Spectator. They make a huge difference in the wines' sellability and the outlook of the producer. Facts trump attitude every time.

By the way, its says at the end of each review "25 cases imported." That's soon changing as the allocated amounts of the reviewed vintages have been increased and will arrive on these shores later in the winter.  

93 BARBERA D'ALBA 2008 Terrific harmony and expression of fruit highlight this pure red. Floral, raspberry, black currant and mineral notes match the silky texture, with light-grained tannins for support. The finish may be its best feature. Drink now through 2015. 25 cases imported. –BS

 90 BARBERA D'ALBA SUPERIORE 2008 Cassis and blackberry pie flavors mark this exuberant Barbera, which is bright and juicy, with firm tannins and mineral gracing the finish. Not the length of the best, but impressive. Drink now through 2014. 25 cases imported. –BS

92 BARBARESCO 2005 Though firmly structured, this is bright and fresh, with floral, cherry and tar flavors. Elegant and well-balanced, this just needs time to come together. Best from 2012 through 2025. 25 cases imported. –BS

I must add a personal observation here. The style of these wines is diametrically opposed to the blowzy, fruit-bomby stuff that Mr. Sanderson's predecessor preferred. I am hopeful that these reviews signal a long needed change in the Spectator's appreciation of Italian wines and what makes them distinctively Italian and not French or Californian wines manqués. 

When points are good

Yesterday's news of 92 points from Wine Spectator for Cascina Roccalini's Barbaresco 2005 was welcome and a cause for jubilation. Not because we revere points and judge a wine by the number someone attaches to it. But because, for a small, new producer, it's very hard to crack the barrier into the old boys' club. Such a producer isn't likely to be photographed on the cover of the Spectator wearing an ascot.  

I imagine you've noticed it. Year after year the review roundups assign similar points to big-name producers -- or a preponderance of three glasses or whatever -- in pretty much the same words. If a new, small "reality", as they say in Italy, makes an appearance at all it's usually as an 89-pointer or 2 glasses at the end of the chapter. Words of encouragement and some conditional praise accompany the mini-description. 

When your emerging producer breaks the all-important 90-point barrier, therefore, it means something. In this instance, WS's Bruce Sanderson reviewed 7 Barbarescos, awarding scored from 93 (Fattoria San Giuliano 2006) to 89 (a Ceretto 2007). The fact that Cascina Roccalini, with its tiny production and zero clout, showed so well is a testament to the land and the work of Paolo Veglio and his enologo, Dante Scaglione. What this indicates, or should, is that the Roccalini wines are very fine examples of their place and typology, whether it's the Barbaresco or the Barberas or the Dolcetto. That this is a producer to watch. That Paolo is, if you will permit me, a contender.

This is when points are useful and good: they alert us to something new, something valid, a realtà to be followed with interest. The specific number -- a 92 or 91 or a 93 -- matters a great deal less than the relative "height" of a score suggests underlying strengths that will not be affected by a poor harvest one year or an unsuccessful experiment with a blend or wood treatment another.   

  

This just in -- WS 92 for Cascina Roccalini Barbaresco 2005

Just got a phone call from our Ohio distributor, John Hughes, who told me his new issue of Wine Spectator arrived today with very good tidings.

The Barbaresco from young Paolo Veglio at Cascina Roccalini scored a 92 and was described as being best between 2012 and 2025. 

More details to come. 

Meanwhile, congratulations to Paolo and Dante!

Geek Wine: Gary Vaynerchuk Edition

Synchronicity at work!

Today we posted a geek wines post. And this evening Jeff passed on a new Wine Library podcast in which Gary V. tastes and describes Cascina Gilli's Vigna del Forno Freisa d'Asti 2007 and a wine from Languedoc-Roussillion. Click here to see it. 

The Cascina Gilli Freisa is available at WL for $18.98.

Gary called the Freisa a "nerd" wine -- "geek" in others words -- and also likens it to a lumberjack and the Flintstones. You had to be there. 

I'll say this: the wine will show better in several weeks, since it came into the country very recently. The rough edges will definitely soften. 

Try it, you'll like it.    

Valpolicella's big moment, again

Lucia Raimondi of Villa Monteleone alerted us to today's article in the Washington Post (click here) devoted to Valpolicella -- the wines and the wine-tourist destination. The reporter's time with Lucia is most favorably presented at the beginning of the piece, so we are all delighted with the line inches her winery received.

A view of the grounds at Villa Monteleone

The entire story is really a love letter to a beautiful area that has suffered for decades under the onus of -- how shall I say this diplomatically -- Bollaism. Bolla is, as we all know, the huge producer that popularized, and watered down disastrously, all the hallowed Veronese names back in the '70s and '80s. Valpolicella. Soave. Bardolino. All those production areas became synonymous in America with the inferior product Bolla pumped out by the millions of cases.

It has taken years of hard work by individual producers like Lucia at Villa Monteleone, and our Soave producer, I Stefanini, to begin to reverse these impressions. The consorzi (trade associations) have labored hard as well, and I think their brand-reclamation efforts have been moderately effective.

But the proof, always, is the wine in the glass. 

Cin cin, Lucia!