Vincenzo Abbruzzese, Valdicava

2010 BRUNELLO di MONTALCINO PRE-ORDER OFFER: ends FEB. 14. 

15% off Pre-Orders, no min. order

A great opportunity to reserve 2010 Brunello with no money down, while saving 15%! With so many tantalizing choices, it's difficult to pick. Click here  for reviews of many of these wines listed below. 

2010 VALDICAVA BRUNELLO di Montalcino 99 pts. $135; OFFER $114.75

2010 CASANOVA di NERI Brunello Tenuta Nuova 99 pts. $110; OFFER $93.50

2010 SALVIONI BRUNELLO La Cerbaiola $200; OFFER $170

2010 CIACCI PICCOLOMINI BRUNELLO Pianrosso 98 pts. $70; OFFER $59.50

2010 FOSSACOLLE BRUNELLO 97 pts. $75; OFFER $63.75 

2010 SAN FILIPPO BRUNELLO 97 pts. $60; OFFER $51

2010 SAN FILIPPO BRUNELLO Le Lucere 98 pts. $70; OFFER $59.50

2010 ALTESINO BRUNELLO 95 pts. $68; OFFER $57.80

To place your 2010 Brunello order, CALL and RESERVE with CREDIT CARD: 978-369-2545 or 617-484-4560. Credit card WILL NOT BE CHARGED until wine has arrived. Estimated Arrival Spring 2015.  

"The 2010 vintage represents a new point for Brunello di Montalcino...This will be the new standard in quality to judge all Brunello."  --Vincenzo Abbruzzese, owner of Valdicava

Get the day off to a bubbly beginning -- or an effervescent evening --with sparkling wine! Surprise your Valentine with a Bellini at breakfast or an elegant Rose Champagne aperitif before dinner. Perfect with oysters as well as chocolate truffles, Champagne is Cupid in a glass!  

Here are just a few of the 20% off bubblies at VINTAGES! 

PHILIPPE FOREAU 2007 Vouvray Brut Reserva $45; Special $36!

PIERRE PETERS Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs $65; Special $52!

CEDRIC BOUCHARD "Roses de Jeanne" Bechalin $100; Spec. $80

ROGER COULON 2005 Brut Blanc de Noir $75; Special $60

EGLY-OURIET Grand cru Brut "Tradition" $85; Special $68

Come on in Fri. Feb. 13 or Sat. Feb. 14 and save 20%! 

2011 MONTEVERTINE Le Pergole Torte 97 pts. $115  

While many wine collectors have predictably filled their 2500+ bottle cellars with the greatest hits in Italy-- Tignanello, Sassicaia, Ornellaia, Massetto-- one wine has quietly risen to the pinnacle: Montevertine's "Le Pergole Torte." What are you really after? Wines made to impress, or wines that express. Le Pergole Torte is a wine like no other, the ultimate expression of a place, a vineyard, a varietal, and the unwavering, stalwart commitment of Sergio and Martino Manetti. Le Pergole Torte is for wine lovers, people who enjoy wine for its unique qualities, its singular character. Le Pergole Torte is for those who are confident in their tastes, unconcerned with its commercial popularity. For those of you, Le Pergole Torte will be among the most rewarding wine experiences you will ever have!

"A vivid, beautiful wine, the 2011 Pergole Torte is superb. The old vines weathered the heat better, resulting in a wine with more body, amplitude and resonance. Rose petals, bright red stone fruits and mint are some of the many notes that grace the super-expressive finish. The 2011 spent one year in French oak barrels and a second year in cask. 97 pts." -- Antonio Galloni, Vinous

Quantities limited, buy today!   

Email or call 978-369-2545 or 617-484-4560. 

A few years ago we visited Giuseppe Vajra in Barolo and tasted through Vajra's extensive portfolio of Barolo, Barbera, Dolcetto, Freisa, Pinot Noir and Riesling. Afterward, Giuseppe offered a preview taste of a new partnership between Vajra and Luigi Baudana. The Baudana Barolos from the 2008 vintage were captivating: quintessentially traditional Serralunga Barolo from an artisan of great commitment to the region's history. The wines were of unwavering character: the tarry richness of Serralunga, the impossible counterpoint of powerful, stony earth and silky rose petals, expressing the signature combination of strength and beauty that makes Barolo like no other wine on earth. Here is the latest 2010 Barolo release from LUIGI BAUDANA produced and vinified by G. D. Vajra. Salute'!

2010 LUIGI BAUDANA Barolo "Baudana" 95+ pts. $75; Special offer $63.75!

"The 2010 Barolo Baudana bursts from the glass with tons of energy and intensity. Black cherries, smoke, wild herbs, licorice and tar form a compelling backdrop of aromas, flavors and textures as this dazzling, explosive Barolo opens up in the glass. The huge, searing tannins are going to require time to settle, so readers need to be patient. This is a classic Serralunga Barolo built on power and structure. Hints of rose petal lavender and crushed rocks add nuance on the finish. 95+ pts." --A. Galloni, Vinous

2010 LUIGI BAUDANA Barolo "Cerretta" 95 pts. $75; Special offer $63.75!

"A darker and more voluptuous expression of Serralunga emerges from the 2010 Barolo Cerretta, which presents softer contours than the Baudana and the straight Barolo. Layers of expressive dark red fruit virtually cover the tannins in a Barolo built on texture and roundness. I imagine the Cerretta will drink well relatively young within the context of 2010 Barolo. 95 pts." -- A. Galloni, Vinous

To purchase, call 978-369-2545 or email. 

While we at VINTAGES need little prompting to uncork a bottle of Nebbiolo, there are still many wine lovers who haven't yet discovered the pleasures of this truly noble grape. This month's "Wine School" column from NY Times Eric Asimov features Nebbiolo, focusing on classics from Piedmont's Langhe region. VINTAGES offers a wide selection of well-priced nebbiolos, and this month, you save 15%! 

2011 VIETTI Langhe Nebbiolo "Perbacco" $26; now $22.10

2012 PRODUTTORI del BARBARESCO Langhe Nebbiolo $19.99; now $16.99

Don't miss these great values in nebbiolo:

2011 ALESSANDRIA Langhe Nebbiolo "Prinsiot" $26; spec. $22.10

2012 CANTINA del PINO Langhe Nebbiolo $25; spec. $21.25

2012 BURLOTTO Langhe Nebbiolo $25; spec. $21.25

2012 BREZZA Langhe Nebbiolo $19.99; spec. $16.99

2011 ALBINO ROCCA Nebbiolo d'Alba $30; spec. $25.50

2009 PRODUTTORI del BARBARESCO "Torre" $35; spec. $29.75

2010 BREZZA Barolo docg $40; spec. $34

Click to see entire article. 

2009 CASANOVA di NERI BRUNELLO 93 pts. Reg. $60; Special $36-- 40% off!

"An impressive and impeccable wine that delivers a slow and sensual progression on the palate. Along the way, it leaves a steady stream of ripe fruit, spice, tobacco, licorice and balsam herb that is both impactful and vibrant. The wine's aromas are very well-delineated, clean and never color outside the lines. The textural fabric of the wine is velvety and rich, thanks to a long 43 months in oak. Drink: 2016-2026. 93 pts." --WA

2009 CASANOVA di NERI BRUNELLO Tenuta Nuova 93 pts. Reg. $110; Special $66--40% off!

"Vivid red. Captivating aromas of raspberry, sour red cherry, redcurrant, brown sugar, cinnamon and minerals, lifted by a strong note of fresh citrus fruit. Vibrant flavors of red and black fruits, pink peppercorn and sweet spices are wonderfully pure and juicy. This sneakily concentrated yet refined wine shows a rare blend of power and delicacy and finishes extremely long, with very fine-grained tannins and truly mind-blowing purity of small red fruits and violet. Impeccable balance only adds to its star qualities. One of the best young Tenuta Nuovas I have ever tried and it's also one of the two or three best Brunellos of the vintage. 93 pts." --Vinous

Come in or call 978-369-2545 or 617-484-4560 to get these great savings! Both stores. 

While Boston was blanketed by yet another storm, VINTAGES owners Eric & Carolyn escaped to NYC for the San Leonardo seminar hosted by Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga. Anselmo set the scene recounting the rich history of this grand estate in the Dolomites, and guided us through 15 wines, including a vertical tasting of nine vintages of their flagship San Leonardo IGT red, from 1994 thru 2008. While we are very familiar with San Leonardo, this vertical presentation was incredibly impressive. The 1996 and 1994 are amazingly youthful, with greater complexity  and nuance than more recent vintages. But the lineage was clear; the identity of this wine was established from the start and the quality and character is unwavering. Solid, seamless, consistent quality, perfectly expressive of the Bordeaux-style varieties (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Carmenere, Merlot) and the terroir. This constancy of quality is something few wineries ever achieve.   

2007 SAN LEONARDO Vigneto Dolomiti 94+ pts. WA $60; $51 ea for 6 bottle case 

ARRIVING NEXT WEEK!