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THE 2014 VINTAGE IN BAROLO

The 2014 vintage, despite being one of the most complex to manage in recent years, gave way to very pleasant surprises as a result of favorable end of season conditions, which gave us high quality in the vinified grapes.

The spring, following a mild winter, came rather gently but prematurely. The amount of rainfall in the summer was above average, with real “cloud bursts” on a few occasions, quite contained yet intense. Particularly significant were the rains on the 23rd and the 29th of July, which however had profoundly different outcomes; in some areas 63 mm of rain were recorded in a single day, while just 15 km away only 13 mm. The month of September was undoubtedly positive from a climate point of view, with good diurnal temperature shifts, significantly contributing to grape quality and phenolic maturation. Nebbiolo is the varietal that responded best to the beautiful climatic conditions at the end of the maturation period. Thanks to our diligent thinning and cleaning of the bunches during the vegetative cycle, excellent results were achieved.

Harvesting operations began on October 10 and lasted until October 18.

Aleste Barolo 2014

Heart and Continuity

ALESTE is the natural continuity of Luciano’s first wine, the Barolo Cannubi Boschis. Giving all the experience, knowledge, patience and passion of his many harvests, Luciano pays tribute, with boldness and sensibility, to the next family generation: “ALESTE” is in fact the combination of the names of his grandchildren ALEssia and STEfano.

An Iconic Wine

From the very first bottling in 1985, Luciano always believed in the unique and distinctive potential of the Cannubi hill, and that he wanted to express this potential by way of a separate vinification. This bottling pays homage to the richness and elegance of the favored Cannubi site in the heart of the Barolo. The optimal soil and climate conditions, harvest after harvest, have brought forth a wine that has drawn international attention since its first release.

Tasting Notes

Sandrone ALESTE 2014 is a wine of elegant personality, ageable and able to transform and transmit over the years of maturation the nobility of its character, origin and style. In the glass, the color is beautiful and brilliant garnet red. The fragrance, rich and complex, begins with floral notes – iris, aromatic herbs and dried hay – then raspberry and wild strawberry, finally ethereal spice notes of cinnamon and green peppercorns as well as tobacco. The flavor is rich and precise, enveloping and warm, with notes that recall the aromas of spice and jams, herbs and tobacco. It is a dense, structured and long-lived wine, yet one of elegant character; the acidity and tannin give balance to the wine, and the finish is velvety.

– Barolo DOCG

– 100 % Nebbiolo

– Spontaneous fermentation from indigenous yeasts

– Maceration and alcoholic fermentation in open steel tanks

– Malolactic fermentation and ageing in French oak tonneaux of 500L

– Aged in bottle for 18 months before release

– From the first vintage of 1985: Cannubi Boschis, from 2013 and beyond: ALESTE

– Vineyard in the village of Barolo: Cannubi Boschis

– Alcohol: 14.0 %

– Recommended drinking time: 2025 – 2045

“The 2014 Barolo Aleste is a wine of exquisite finesse and grace. Soft, understated and classy, it is a terrific example of the vintage at its best. Bright red cherry and red plum fruit give the wine its vibrant feel.”

– 93 Points Vinous Media

Le Vigne Barolo 2014

Ancient Art

Le Vigne Barolo interprets the ancient handed-down wisdom and tradition in Langhe and Barolo of assembling the Nebbiolo grapes from various vineyards. We interpret this historic practice by working only with indigenous yeasts and by keeping the grapes of each vineyard separate during the fermentation and barrel aging, rather than combining them during fermentation.

A Perfect Diagonal

We meticulously selected four vineyards so as to bring out all the characteristics of the Barolo area. The vineyards of Baudana in Serralunga d’Alba, Villero in Castiglione Falletto, Vignane in Barolo and Merli in Novello form a perfect diagonal across the area which encompasses different terrains: light and sandy, more compact and deep, and all at different altitudes and exposures.

Every Year is a New Discovery

Harvested, vinified and aged separately, only the best lots are mixed together during the assemblage so as to express the uniqueness of the vineyards and enhance the particularities of each vintage.

Tasting Notes

The Sandrone Barolo Le Vigne 2014 surprises with its intense garnet color, alive and beautiful. As it ages, it will slowly fade in intensity and gain subtle orange-brick hues. The scent, broad and persistent, first shows fruit notes of wild strawberry and raspberry, then floral notes including wild flowers and dried roses. Spice aromas of cinnamon and star anise emerge at the finish. With time we expect secondary and tertiary aromas and flavors to evolve, such as elegant vanilla notes and then dried mushrooms, leather and truffles. The flavor is rich and intense, with youthful expressiveness in the tannin and acidity. Time will bring greater harmony, resulting in a more complex and balanced wine. It is a young, solid and promising Barolo, born of an ancient process which combines knowledge of the territory with the ability of the various characteristics of each vineyard site to meld into a harmonious whole.

 – Barolo DOCG

 – 100% Nebbiolo

 – Spontaneous fermentation from indigenous yeasts

 – Maceration and fermentation in open steel tanks

 – Malolactic fermentation and aging in French oak barrels of 500L

 – Aged in bottle for 18 months before release

 – First vintage: 1990

 – Vineyards in the villages of Serralunga d’Alba: Baudana, Castiglione Falletto: Villero, Barolo: Vignane and Novello: Merli

 – Alcohol content: 14%

 – Recommended drinking time: 2022 – 2045

“The 2014 Barolo Le Vigne once again shows the wisdom of blending fruit from different sites. If there is a vintage where blending has the potential to be the difference-maker, 2014 is it. So it is hardly surprising to find the 2014 Le Vigne in such great shape. The red cherry jam, mint, cedar and floral notes are all finely sketched. Medium in body and classy, the 2014 is beautifully textured and inviting from start to finish. All the elements are simply in the right place. Vineyard sources are Merli, Vignane, Villero and Baudana.”

– 96 Points Vinous Media

Valmaggiore Nebbiolo D’Alba 2016

The Amphitheater

The Valmaggiore vineyard in the Roero hills, on the left bank of the Tanaro river, is one of the best historic sources of origin and quality. Already in the Nineteenth Century, the Nebbiolo grapes grown in this vineyard were so highly regarded that they dictated the price for the entire territory. In the 1990s, the first sight of Valmaggiore was like a bolt of lightning for Luciano, Luca and Barbara: they fell in love at first sight. This was not only for the history and the long viticultural tradition, but also for the particular uniqueness of those sandy soils combined with the microclimate.

All “Hand-Made”

Our Valmaggiore is an amphitheater facing the south, with full exposure to the sun. Here, nature is rich and vigorous. The ground is soft and sandy, the slopes extremely steep. Already in the planting of the vineyard, the respect for nature and tradition was strategic. This respect is present every day: we cultivate by hand, row by row, from bud break to when we harvest the ripest grapes; we make our vineyard a laboratory for healthy and well-cultivated fruit.

The Nebbiolo in Roero

In Roero, a significant historic agricultural richness has been preserved, and not only in viticulture. Here, Nebbiolo is distinguished for its finesse and elegance and we, like those in the past who were also proud and convinced, wish that our Valmaggiore wine expresses all the grace and refinement of Nebbiolo.

Tasting Notes

Nebbiolo d’Alba Valmaggiore 2016 is a noble wine, exemplified by its natural elegance and complex character. It has a ruby color that shows the first garnet reflections. The aromas are full and complex. Fragrant notes recall iris and aromatic herbs, then wild strawberry, pomegranate and candied raspberry. This is followed by evolved, complex fruit stucture with red fruit jam and dried apricot, followed by spicy notes of cinnamon and vanilla. The taste is dry, elegant, warm and persistent. The alcoholic structure and acidity hamonize successfully and show finesse in their character. The wine will improve with proper cellaring, growing into its aristocratic heritage: complete, authoritative and harmonious.

– Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC

– 100% Nebbiolo

– Spontaneous fermentation from indigenous yeasts

– Maceration and fermentation in open steel tanks

– Malolactic fermentation and aging in French oak tonneaux of 500L

– Aged in bottle for 9 months before release

– First vintage: 1994

– Vineyard in the village of Vezza d’Alba: Valmaggiore

– Alcohol content: 13.5%

– Recommended drinking time: 2018-2030

A digital version of Chateau de Naly’s brochure is now available here or by clicking on the image below.

ROTAVAL ABOVE ALL

Pretty high praise from James Molesworth of the Wine Spectator on this Instagram post, namely “Mounir Saouma’s Chateauneuf-du-Papes are a new paradigm for this storied southern Rhone appellation”.

Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia’s Development

We believe Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia occupies a unique position in the Italian wine landscape.  Along with several leading estates in Bordeaux, it is a “second wine” that given the advances in viticulture over the last two decades and the commitment to rigour and precision that this caliber of estates carry out, has become a spectacular wine in its own right.  Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia is today arguably as complex and refined as the Ornellaia first wine from the 1980s and 1990s.

While some second wines today are based around certain plots, the estate likes to say that every single grape on the estate has the potential to be included in Ornellaia.  The estate has 70 vineyard workers full time, an almost unbelievable number, affording intimate knowledge and interaction on a vine by vine basis.  What comes to bear most years is that Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia is composed primarily from the Ornellaia’s younger vineyard sites, with Merlot in a dominant role in contrast to the Cabernet Sauvignon of Ornellaia.  This results in a wine with that combines generosity and depth of flavor with an engaging and vibrant personality, more approachable, yet delivering the quality experience of Ornellaia.

And having a little fun with the second wine comparison, see a little chart below of the 10 consecutive vintages (from 2005-2014) as reviewed in the Wine Advocate.  The estate is rightly proud that their climate of Bolgheri offers consistency of outstanding quality virtually year.

The 2015 Vintage

64% MERLOT
17% CABERNET SAUVIGNON
10% CABERNET FRANC
9% PETIT VERDOT

After an unusual year in 2014, 2015 proved to be a very normal wine-making year, almost textbook. After a normal winter, wet and mild but with some days below 0°, germination arrived on time during the first few days of April. Spring was characterized, by dry and sunny weather, ideal conditions for normal vegetative growth that led to quick and full flowering at the end of May. From June water stress steadily arrived. July will be remembered as particularly scorching hot and dry, with temperature highs consistently above 85°F on every single day of the month. The heat wave, together with the lack of rain gave rise to fearing that ripening would be blocked and that early harvest would be necessary. Fortunately the rain arrived around 10th August with heavy rainfall that unblocked the ripening process, bringing with it some much fresher weather during the final phase of ripening. This cooler but sunny weather lasted for the entire harvesting period, allowing us to harvest very slowly, waiting to make sure that every vineyard had arrived at the perfect point in the maturing phase, uniting a fresh and lively aromatic quality with a perfect phenolic maturity with plenty of tannins yet still silky and soft. Beginning on the 29th August with the Merlot, the harvest came to an end on 12th October with the last Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.

Availability

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A Different Kind of Pinot Grigio

Attems Pinot Grigio defies stereotypes by offering a surprising weight and body that wine connoisseurs can take more seriously than the variety is often considered. The climate of Friuli and the Collio in particular is perfectly suited to creating white wines with those characteristics: the effect of the sunlight from the nearby Adriatic Sea gives the Collio a particularly intense and unique luminosity, which, coupled with the region’s warm, temperate weather, helps create riper grapes that provide more fruit and body. The area also boasts a unique terroir that helps to balance the fruitiness and supple body of the wines: the Attems vineyards are made up of ponca soil, rich in sandstone, that gives the Pinot Grigio an acid lift and crisp minerality that perfectly complements the elevated body and alcohol of the wine. The particular balance of body and acidity make for a wine that is versatile and more food friendly at the table, while at the same time offering an amazing drinkability that makes it a pleasure to enjoy on its own.

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A worthy follow up

After the 2008, perhaps the greatest La Grande Année to date, in some ways it makes sense that Bollinger waited until the next great vintage, 2012, to release. That commitment to the very best is, of course, a clear representation of Bollinger’s reputation.  The first review, a terrific 95 Points from the Wine Advocate, testifies to this point.

This wine is typically made of roughly two-thirds Pinot Noir and one-third Chardonnay. It is produced only when the harvest reaches a perfect balance. This wine ferments entirely in oak barrels, and undergoes its second fermentation under cork instead of crown capsule. It’s filled with aromas of honey, gingerbread and cinnamon, and offers a core of pastry and candied orange flavors on the palate.

In 1976, Bollinger Vintage became Grande Année; then, in 1997, “La” Grande Année, a name simple enough to illustrate its exceptional status.  This prestige cuvée made its silver screen debut two years later, in James Bond’s Casino Royale.

The magic in the cellar

Bollinger is legendary for a reason. La Grande Année is vinified entirely in older oak barrels, specifically used 228 liter barrels and 400 liter casks that are up to 40 years old. The wine remains in barrel for 6 months, undergoing both alcoholic and malolactic fermentation in barrel, a point of distinction from the minute remaining producers who do ferment in barrel. The wine is then bottled under cork to undergo its secondary fermentation, rather than crown capsule. As a result, every bottle has to be hand-riddled and hand-disgorged. The wine spent over 9 years on the lees, and has a moderate dosage of 8 grams per liter. Needless to say, this is not an efficient way to produce Champagne. Quality is the only objective.

Champagne Bollinger Barrel Aging

2012: 95 Points Wine Advocate

At Bollinger, only very high quality harvests become a vintage; in 2012, the remarkable maturity of the grapes combined with a phenomenal acidity have produced a wine that is simultaneously full, fresh, and complex.

Wine Advocate – “Showing well, offering up an incipiently complex bouquet of crisp yellow orchard fruit, fresh peach, orange oil, toasted walnuts and dried apricot that’s still quite reserved with less than a year on cork. Full-bodied, deep and muscular, the 2012 is blockier and broader-shouldered than its 2008 predecessor, with a weightier and even more concentrated palate built around a bright spine of acidity, concluding with a chalky finish that carries appreciably dry extract […] A superb effort and obviously built to age.”

Hand Riddling Champagne Bollinger R.D. 2004

A vintage with concentration and power

The 2018 vintage is one of the best vintages in recent years resembling the great 2015 vintage.

We were lucky to taste the entire range during a barrel tasting and the wines are very well balanced, expressing the richness of the vintage but really keeping the wonderful finesse of Domaine Chanson. This vintage will age very well too! Not a vintage to miss!

A benchmark estate in Beaune

Domaine Chanson is one of the great historic producers in Burgundy. Founded in 1750, they are 1 of only 6 producers in the region still remaining from the 18th century and earlier.

Chanson has extensive holdings of over 111 acres of exclusively Premier and Grand Cru vineyards in the heart of Burgundy. This includes 62 acres of Premier Cru vineyards in the Côte de Beaune, making them one of the leading Premier Cru specialists in the appellation.

Requiring diligent viticulture and perfect ripeness, they vinify all whites and reds 100% whole cluster at their state of the art facility on the outskirts of Beaune. They age the wines in barrel, with no more than 30% new oak for the reds and 20% new oak for the whites.

Availability

See presell Offering

Delivery expected in June/July