FURLANI, VINO SPUMANTE 'ANTICO,' 2018... $34.00
Matteo Furlani is one of Italy's brightest lights when it comes to bottle-fermented bubblers, turning out an almost dizzying array of wines from his property high in the Dolomites. Comprising entirely alpine specialty, Nosiola, the fruit here sees a 10 day maceration after pressing, lending some added fruit richness and texture to traditionally racy and mineral forward varietal. Toasted hazelnut, salted meyer lemon, and mountain wildflowers dominate the nose, winding their way through a palate that maintains the precision, drive and focus expected at these cool-climate altitudes.
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SIEMAN, 'CAMALEONTE' FRIZZANTE, 2016... $26.00
It's no surprise that the 3 young lads behind Sieman are just as handy when it comes to brewing delicious farmhouse style beers, when they're not busy tending to their parcels of vines in the Colli Berici. And while the Camaleonte definitely stands clear as one of their grape-based endeavors, those preferential to the world of cider and bottle-fermented beers will find plenty to love here. Dominated by Garganega, with smaller portions of Incrocio Manzoni and Tai Rosso, the Camaleonte brims with golden orchard fruit and fruit skin - nectarine, white peach and yellow plum. Add in some nuanced aromatics of fresh hay, dried white florals and sourdough and you've got yourself a killer bottle.
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PORTA DEL VENTO, 'VORIA FRIZZANTE,' 2018... $25.00
Technically, this is the kind of wine you should be drinking with your toes in the sand, a plate of shellfish on your lap, and the warm breeze of the Mediterranean tickling your neck but... who are we to judge? Hailing from the outskirts of Camporeale, on Sicily's north-western tip, Porta del Vento's 'Voria' comprises entirely of the local Catarratto grown in sandy, coastal soils and fermented in bottle. The wine is dominated by taute and racy citrus, green almond and sea salt, all collaborating to lift an almost creamy softness in the mouth.
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Importer Tasting: Francesco Rinaldi (Barolo)
Friday, December 6: 5-8pm
SAN FRANCISCO
$20 TASTING FEE (waived for Wine Club members)
The estate of Francesco Rinaldi e Figli is one of the greatest names in Barolo. Period. Since its foundation in 1870 by the man himself, the Rinaldi family's wines have marched steadily through the decades, upholding the unique, hyper-traditional styles of Barolo championed by other great names of Piemonte - Bartolo Mascarello, Bruno Giacosa, and of course their cousins at the Giuseppe Rinaldi estate. One hundred and fifty years later, much of the same techniques are still used in the family's cellars to produce some of the region's most sought after and comparatively affordable bottles. No new oak, long macerations and long aging in large Slavonian oak botti prior to bottling. This will be very a special evening with a chance to look at a broad cross-section of the estate's wines, including a number of their Barolo wines. 5 wines.
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SF Importer Tasting: Cantina Annesanti (Umbria)
Tuesday, December 10: 6-8pm
SAN FRANCISCO
$15 TASTING FEE (waived for Wine Club members)
Some off-the-cuff Umbria for your Tuesday night with the West Coast debut of the wines of Annesanti! From the mountainous heart of his native Umbria, Francesco Annesanti has set about turning out distinctive and super fresh low-profile gems; having inherited a scant, 1 hectare parcel of fruit from his grandfather, Francesco has now expanded his holdings, built his own cellar, and invested in a number of Tuscan-made amphora in which to age his creations. If you fancy some wines with soul and sunshine at their core, come stop by and take a look at the line up. 5 wines.
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Importer Tasting: Fattoria di Lamole (Chianti, Tuscany)
Friday, December 13: 6-8pm
SAN FRANCISCO
$15 TASTING FEE (waived for Wine Club members)
In this day and age of fly-by-night globalism and hyper-connected-ness, it is hard to fathom that there are still producers and wines to be found that cause one to sit up straight, take pause, and rattle off a list of joyous and incredulous expletives. That would seem to ring even more true in a region so saturated and thoroughly picked-over as Chianti Classico... Yet, there is Paolo Socci and the wines of his Fattoria di Lamole estate. I'm going to say it: these are some of the most jaw-dropping interpretations of classic Tuscan Sangiovese to land on US shores for a very, very long time and Friday, December 13th marks their official debut on American soils. We often look back at now-cult wines from our past and wish that we had bought more (especially at those prices) - this will surely be the case for the wines of Fattoria di Lamole. Seriously.... they're the Sh%@! 5 wines.
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Want to chat about planning an upcoming event? Reach out to us HERE!
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