Thoughts From Northern Italy! 

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What a Wonderful Place - If your luggage arrives!
October 30th, 2009
Greetings!

As many of you know, I just returned from a trip to Italy.  It was fantastic and I cannot thank those of you enough for all of your suggestions on places to visit!  We had a great time and I want to take a few minutes to share with you some of what I experienced during the trip. 

In this week's newsletter I am going focus on where we were supposed to start our Italian tour, in the Piemonte.  (Next week, I'll share some experiences from Tuscany!) I said,  supposed to start, since our stay in Piemonte was cut a little short thanks to an airline I will never fly again!  You know the horror stories you hear about, I have another to add the list.  The airline actually scheduled our flights without consideration of local time changes.  When we landed, on time, we went to our connecting flight and to our surprise our flight already left.  We had to spend the day and night in Athens.  Then, the next day they lost our luggage, no one could answer any questions, and we had to drive back to the Milan airport to get our luggage the following day, (three hours in the wrong direction!)  Finally we were on our way to having fun!  No more craziness!

What I can tell you is that Piemonte is beautiful!  Rolling hills, stunning countryside, and charming towns.  Add fantastic wine to this setting, a delicious dinner, and you have it made. We ate in Barolo at a restaurant with just 6 tables. It was so romantic. For the wine selection they have shelves just about eye level and you pick out what you want to drink.
 
Piemonte is home to many delicious wines including Barolo, Barbaresco, Barbera d'Asti, Dolcetto d'Alba, and more!  I hope to tempt you to try some more wines from Piemonte, so I have included a couple for Friday's tasting.  Details are below.   Just in case you thought we forgot... Happy Halloween!  We'll have some special Halloween treats open in the store tomorrow too!
Wines for Friday's Tasting!
Castello di Porcia Pinot Grigio 2008
$17.99 a bottle, $183.48 for a case, or $15.29 a bottle as part of a mixed case
 
Although not from Piemonte, it is from Northern Italy, but in the east.  Castello di Porcia farms 33 prime hectares in the heart of DOC Friuli Grave, and delivers a wine with a beautiful pale golden-yellow color.  Fresh and fruity aromas and flavors are evident in this dry,but round  full-bodied wine.  This Pinot Grigio is made for this time of the year.  It is just waiting to be enjoyed with your appetizers, soups, white meats and fish topped with sauces.  Everyone who loves Pinot Grigio should try this one! 
Baravalle Barbera d'Asti Superiore Nizza 2005
$27.99 a bottle, $285.48 for a case, or $23.79 a bottle as part of a mixed case

Baravalle is from Calamandara in the heart of Barbera land, a few miles south of Nizza Monferrato, where the hills of chalk and lime give Barbera a particularly well-suited home. The Barbera d'Asti Superiore Nizza DOC exhibits the more serious side of Barbera. Some wood here gives complexity to the wine, yet it still has that refreshing vein of acidity for which Barbera's known. It comes from a special zone called Nizza; a geographic designation that can only be given if the wine come from this small sub-zone and passes a blind tasting of area producers.  On the palate there are black cherries and plums with just a hint of vanilla.  The wine has a terrific length and it lingers.  We suggest that you open it up and decant it for a little while before serving.
Cavallotto Barolo Bricco Boschis 2004
$64.99 a bottle, $662. for a case, or $55.24 a bottle as part of a mixed case

Cavallotto is a producer in the heart of Piemonte who strongly believes in the traditions of Piemonte winemaking.  When we tasted this wine we looked at each other and said, "Delicious!"  It seems the Wine Advocate agreed.  They tasted the wine and awarded it 93 points and wrote, "The 2004 Barolo Bricco Boschis tastes just like it did from barrel, which is to say sweet, layered and totally irresistible. The ripe red fruit is incredibly primary, and this wine is years away from offering its finest drinking, but it is already very impressive at this stage. This is an especially refined, elegant vintage for this wine, and I can only say that I await the Riservas with eager anticipation."  Come in and taste the wine, you'll love it, and at this price,  you'll want a few!
Our Wine Clubs

Selections for October have been made and they are all delicious!

The Boutique Series
$50 a month plus shipping and handling,
complimentary local delivery

This month's selections includes two delicious wines from France: a very rare white from Chinon, Couly-Dutheil Les Chanteaux Chinon Blanc 2008 and from Bordeaux, Chateau La Roncheries Cuvee Seriene 2005. 

Grape Distinctions
$75 - $100 a month plus shipping and handling, complimentary local delivery

This month's selections include 2 wines from Argentina. the first is a blend of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon the Mendel Unus 2006 and the second is 100% Malbec, the Luca Malbec 2007. 

Cellar Collectibles
$100 - $150 a month plus shipping and handling, complimentary local delivery

This month's selections include two unique and rare wines from the Iberian Peninsula:  Flor de Pingus 2007 from Spain and VT 2005 from the Douro in Portugal.

To enroll or if you have questions about the clubs, email us at clientservices@tewksburyfinewine.com or call 908-439-0007.
 
October
Wines of the Month:



Chateau Saint Martin de la Garrigue
Languedoc Blanc 2008
$17.99 a bottle, $184.48 for a case, or $15.29 a bottle as part of a mixed case
 
Saint Martin's 2008 Coteaux du Languedoc Blanc is a beautiful example of a refreshing southern French white. The wine is primarily comprised of three grape varietals that make southern France their home - Marsanne, Grenache Blanc, and Roussanne. These white grape varieties lend a floral aroma with peach and strawberry essence on the palate. The finish is refreshing, with a hint of something reminiscent of champagne - no, not the bubbles - but the crisp, dry finish. 

B.R. Cohn Sonoma County Chardonnay 2008
$21.99 a bottle, $224.28 for a case, or $18.69 a bottle as part of a mixed case

A few weeks ago when Dan Cohn was in the store, he  brought us this delicious Chardonnay to try.  We were wowed!  Pear, apple and citrus aromas, hint at what the first sip will bring.  Rich flavors of green apple with a hint of lemon, surrounded by toasty French oak, are wrapped in rich body.  The wine has an exceptional depth of flavors, all followed by a clean, crisp, lingering finish.

Usseglio Panorama 2006
$13.99 a bottle, $142.68 for a case, or $11.89 a bottle as part of a mixed case

This wine has been so popular this month, it  sold out!  We are keeping our eyes open for the 2007 which should arrive soon!
 
La Calma Latitude Longitude Rioja 2007
$17.99 a bottle, $184.48 for a case, or $15.29 a bottle as part of a mixed case

Rioja has the history and reputation of producing some of the very best wines in Spain.  Over the last twenty years or so, they have experienced a renaissance and now produce a wider variety of styles.  This wine happens to be made mostly of Tempranillo, is very tasty, and a terrific value at this price!  La Calma has many of the flavors that we love in Rioja - deep berry and cherry fruit with herbs and touches of earthiness.  Very fresh and fragrant, the wine is medium-bodied and fantastic paired with food. 

Tikal Jubilo 2006
$49.99 a bottle, $509.88 for a case, or $42.49 a bottle as part of a mixed case

Tikal is owned by Ernesto Catena and they produce delicious, full-bodied blends from Argentina.  Jubilo is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (75%) and Malbec (25%).  It has deep blackcurrant and oak aromas that lead to flavors of black cherry liqueur, red currants, dark chocolate and a touch of roasted coffee.  Definitely lush without seeming heavy, it seems to unfold in layers, keeping the palate excited throughout the lengthy finish. The wine has plenty of tannin for aging without any harsh astringency.  Pairs well with our fall dishes, like duck in a fruit sauce, leg of lamb, Osso Buco, and even a simply prepared filet mignon.

We hope you will try a few wines or even a mixed case of wines, to see what Piemonte has to offer.  We'll open the wines for Friday's tasting around 4:00.  Looking forward to seeing you soon, and most importantly, thanks for your continued support!
 
Cheers and Happy Halloween!
Andrea
Contact Information
Andrea Maranca
One Old Turnpike, PO Box 377, Oldwick, NJ 08858
T:  908.439.0007  F:  908.439.9997     www.tewksburyfinewine.com