From the Vault: Italy

Giacomo Conterno
2022 Barbera d’Alba ‘Cerretta’ (Giacomo Conterno)
Regular Price $99.99 – Sale Price $79.99 NET
2022 Barbera d’Alba ‘Francia’ (Giacomo Conterno)
Regular Price $99.99 – Sale Price $79.99 NET
2020 Barolo ‘Cerretta’ (Giacomo Conterno)
Regular Price $349.99 – Sale Price $279.99 NET
Perhaps the most iconic winery in Piedmont. Producers of great Barbera and monumental Barolo.

Quintarelli
2017 Valpolicella Classico Superiore (Quintarelli)
Regular Price $149.99 – Sale Price $119.99 NET
This ultra-traditional producer’s Valpolicella is a near-Amarone, with skillful blending and long aging.

Roagna
2016 Barbaresco ‘Pajè’ (Roagna)
Regular Price $199.99 – Sale Price $159.99 NET
2016 Barolo ‘Pira’ (Roagna)
Regular Price $199.99 – Sale Price $159.99 NET
A cult producer whose prices are soaring. 2016 is a stellar vintage.

Castellare’s Super Tuscan
2019 I Sodi di S. Niccolò (Castellare)
Regular Price $119.99 – Sale Price $95.99 NET
Pure native grapes (85% Sangiovese, 15% Malvasia Nera) from an acclaimed Tuscan producer.

Il Marroneto
2020 Brunello di Montalcino (Il Marroneto)
Regular Price $149.99 – Sale Price $119.99 NET
Il Marroneto’s graceful wines prove that Brunello is not all about power. Every vintage is superb.

Arpepe, Granular Nebbiolo
2016 Valtellina Superiore Sassella Riserva ‘Rocce Rosse’ (Arpepe)
Regular Price $159.99 – Sale Price $127.99 NET
Harvested October 22nd, 2016 from vines an average of 50 years old. Aging in big barrels and bottle for 6 years before release. Serve at 58°F in a Nebbiolo glass.

Ca’ La Bionda
2010 Valpolicella Classico Superiore ‘Decennale/Casal Vegri’ (Ca’ La Bionda)
Regular Price $124.99 per Magnum – Sale Price $99.99 NET
Amazingly fresh single-vineyard Valpolicella, aged ten years in barrel and bottled in Magnums.

Stellenbosch
2024 Stellenbosch Pinot Noir
(Ann Faure Wines)
Sale Price $16.99 – $173.30 case of twelve
On a mission to try more South African wines, we recently found this delightful and well-priced Pinot Noir from the husband-and-wife team of Mick and Jeanine Craven. The organic fruit is sourced from a granitic vineyard in Stellenbosch, and undergoes brief aging in a mix of stainless steel and concrete tanks. Fragrant with cranberry and blood orange aromas, it nicely showcases the fruity and savory range of Pinot Noir. This bright and juicy light red carries an undercurrent of dried herbs, black tea, and smoke with a cool stony finish. We recommend a half hour of chilling and serving as an apéritif alongside cheese, charcuterie, and a crusty baguette.

Napa Noir
2023 Napa Valley Pinot Noir (Elizabeth Rose)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Sub-$20 Pinot Noir can be hit or miss, and we had completely written off the possibility of finding any at that price from the increasingly expensive Napa Valley… let alone a good one! Elizabeth Rose is currently run by the 4th and 5th generations of the Hoxsey family, who also own Napa Valley’s Oakville Winery. The fruit for their Pinot Noir comes from a single organically farmed vineyard on the valley floor in Yountville. A proportion spent a few months in French oak to add soft layers of vanilla and spice to the raspberry and cherry fruit. This smooth and silky Pinot Noir has nicely balanced acidity, and would go well with an herb-stuffed pork loin.

Barbera
2023 Barbera d’Asti ‘Briccomora’ (Scarpa)
Sale Price $15.99 – $163.10 case of twelve
Since Scarpa was founded in 1900, there have only been 4 winemakers, and there has always been an emphasis on Barbera. Their Briccomora is done all in stainless steel to showcase the freshness and purity of the fruit. They consider it the best way to enter the world of Scarpa, which is located in the heart of Nizza Monferrato… more like Pizza Monferrato, am I right? Have this juicy Barbera with pizza.

Rosso di Montepulciano
2024 Rosso di Montepulciano (Gracciano della Seta)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
We’ve been buying the Gracciano wines for decades. Normally we gravitate to their Vino Nobile, but this time we found a lovely wine at a great price in their 2024 Rosso. Starting with gorgeous cherry and raspberry fruit and leading to a firm dry finish, this is a classic Tuscan Sangiovese for everyday bean and pasta dishes.

Falanghina
2021 Falanghina del Sannio (Vigne Sannite)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
We couldn’t pass up a good deal on this Falanghina from Vigne Sannite after past success with their Fiano. This comes from a small co-operative of growers located near Benevento in inland Campania. Their 2021 Falanghina del Sannio is a lovely dry white with vibrant aromas of apple, peach, and crunchy autumn leaves. On the palate the fruit is streaked with minerality and held together by crisp acidity. A nice partner for pasta with clams.

Inland and Upland
2024 Assyrtiko (Kir-Yianni)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
The quality of wines made with Assyrtiko on the island of Santorini was impossible to hide, and now the vine has gone traveling. Kir-Yianni has planted Assyrtiko in the north of Greece. Here at 600 to 700 meters it thrives on the plateau of Amyndeon, an area of raw mountainous beauty. The 2024 is fresh and full, with superb apricot fruit, great structure, and a long stony finish. Have this with a grilled branzino and roasted potatoes.

Sacred Shore
2019 Ribeira Sacra (Aba Solleira)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
Located in the northwest corner of Spain, Ribeira Sacra is known for its terraced vineyards on the steep slopes of two rivers that flow into the Atlantic. There, the family-run winery of Aba Solleira specializes in only two wines, both of which are made from the Mencía grape variety. This 2019 of theirs is a succulent red with pomegranate fruit, flowers, slate, and a touch of spice. With some bottle age, this has developed beautiful texture and richness without losing the freshness that is textbook Ribeira Sacra. We can confidently predict that this wine will sell out. Partly because we were only able to secure a limited amount but mostly because this is a ridiculous price for such a delicious and versatile red. This is normally a $25 wine but its wholesaler needed to offload the last of their stock to make room in their warehouse for new shipments. For lovers of Mencía, this may be the last opportunity to taste this particular Ribeira Sacra as it is no longer available in our market. Perfect with a seared duck breast and rosemary potatoes roasted in duck fat.

Specialty Foods

Fondue? Don’t mind if I do!
Most of us can probably picture this iconic velvety hot pot of melted cheese. Many of you may even have made our house recipe once or twice (especially if you’ve been following our newsletters for a while). It turns out, however, that there are nearly as many regional variations of fondue as there are people with opinions about which one tastes the best. We’ve collected a few recipes that feature cheeses we’ll have in stock all season. Try one of these out or forge your own path!

Moitié-moitié
Gruyère Surchoix AOP ($36 per lb)
Vacherin Fribourgeois ($28 per lb)
Moitié-moitié fondue, or “half and half,” is a classic version of Swiss fondue that combines Gruyère and Vacherin Fribourgeois with white wine. Gruyère imparts the nutty sweetness one expects in a fondue, and Vacherin Fribourgeois lends some wonderful beefy and brothy notes to round it all out. It’s a crowd-pleaser for sure.

Innerschweiz
Gruyère Surchoix AOP ($36 per lb)
Emmental ($22 per lb) | Sbrinz Alpage AOP ($46 per lb)
Innerschweiz fondue originates from central Switzerland and, in addition to Gruyère, includes Emmental and Sbrinz cheeses for an interesting variation on the classic. If you haven’t heard of Sbrinz, now is the time to try it out. It’s bold, sharp, and salty (think Parmigiano Reggiano), and gives a fantastic kick to this recipe. Pair it with Emmental (one of our faves for melting) and Gruyère, and you get a stellar fondue that’s just a bit punchier than the others.

Valdostana
Fontina Val d’Aosta DOC ($28 per lb)
Fonduta Valdostana is an Italian version of fondue that uses Fontina, butter, milk, and egg yolks to create a luxuriously creamy dip. This one is booze-free and ultra rich, thanks to the addition of the egg yolks. Fontina is an excellent choice for fondue as it melts beautifully and has rich aromas and a full-bodied flavor. We recommend Eataly’s recipe, which uses 12 oz. Fontina, 2 cups whole milk, 3 T. unsalted butter, and 4 egg yolks for 4 servings.
• Thinly slice the cheese, combine with milk, and refrigerate at least one hour (up to three hours).
• Strain cheese and reserve the milk.
• Add cheese and butter to the top of a double boiler (kept at a low simmer) and stir until smooth.
• Whisk in egg yolks one at a time then add the milk back in.
• Stir until completely smooth and serve with bread!

https://www.eataly.com/us_en/magazine/recipes/first-course-recipes/fonduta-valdostana