Wine & Spirits - December 2017 - 87

IMPORTED NEW RELEASES
225896

90 | Gianfranco
Alessandria

225264

87 | Bruna Grimaldi
$25

2016 Langhe Nebbiolo (Best Buy) ^ This
wine's firm tannins make a serious impression, giving shape to its dense core of fruit.
The fruit lasts, with notes of dried tea leaves
and subtle spice gained during six months in
French barriques. Pour it with a rare ribeye,
or even a juicy burger. § T. Edward Wines, NY
224837

90 | Cascina Ca'Rossa

$45

2013 Roero Riserva Mompissano ^ Fruit for
this riserva comes from a vineyard of 60-yearold nebbiolo vines, giving a wine that delivers a blast of concentrated cherry and strawberry flavors tinged with notes of licorice.
The wine rested for 30 months in large Slavonian casks, building a firm structure that
supports those ripe fruit flavors and handles
the ample alcohol that warms the finish. § Vinity Wine Co., Emeryville, CA
225334

90 | Elvio Cogno

$33

2016 Langhe Montegrilli Nebbiolo ^ Valter
Fissore vinifies Montegrilli entirely in stainless steel, allowing the purity and freshness
of the fruit to shine through its firm nebbiolo
structure. Floral scents add lift to the fresh
black-cherry and plum flavors, warmed by
notes of black spice that linger on the finish. §
Wilson Daniels, St. Helena, CA
225568

90 | Travaglini

$60

2011 Gattinara Riserva ^ Travaglini has
bucked the single-vineyard trend in Gattinara, opting instead to continue the tradition
of making a riserva only in the best vintages.
This 2011 shows the warmth of the growing
season in its ample alcohol and baked plum
notes, while herbal flavors bring out classic
notes of truffle and dried leaves along with
the hint of iron characteristic of Gattinara's
volcanic soils. § Palm Bay Int'l, Boca Raton, FL
224812

88 | Matteo Correggia

$24

2014 Roero La Val dei Preti (Best Buy) ^ Correggia's single-vineyard nebbiolo offers flavors of sour cherry and cacao nib edged in
black spice, with supple tannins that allow
the fruit to shine through. It shows good ripeness and depth of fruit for the cool, rainy vintage. § Michael Skurnik Wines, NY
224782

88 | Valdinera

$25

2011 Roero Riserva San Carlo (Best Buy) ^
Fruit from 40-year-old vines lends depth and
concentration to this wine, a richness that's
amplified notes of sweet spice picked up during 18 months of aging in tonneaux. It feels
warm and polished, ready for pasta in a rich
meat ragù. § Peleton Imports, Napa, CA

$22

2014 Nebbiolo d'Alba (Best Buy) ^ Dusty
tannins weave together this wine's tart cherry
and dried herb flavors, ending on lightly bitter cherry-pit notes. § Massanois Imports, NY

VESPOLINA
225769

87 | Ioppa

$20

2016 Verduno Pelaverga (Best Buy) ^ This
feels fresh, its crunchy red-berry flavors
accented by notes of basil and white pepper. It's taut and lively, a terrific by-the-glass
choice for antipasti. § Bacchanal Imports, NY

2012 Colline Novaresi Coda Rossa Vespolina (Best Buy) ^ Vespolina, a northern Piedmont variety that's historically been valued
for the deep color and sturdy tannins it can
lend to blends, is beginning to find its way
into more single-variety bottlings. This one
shows off the variety's aromatic character in
its scents of violets, white pepper and fresh
mountain berries. Its lithe, medium-bodied
frame calls for a light chill and a plate of
salumi and cheese. § Grand Cru Selections, NY

RED BLENDS

ITALY DESSERT

PELAVERGA
226148

91 | Comm. G.B. Burlotto

$23

224326

91 | Le Piane

$29

2013 Vino da Tavola Mimmo ^ Swiss native
Christoph Kuenzli became captivated by
Boca, an appellation in northern Piedmont
that was on the verge of disappearing, when
he began visiting in the 1990s. He acquired a
tiny plot of old vines from Antonio Cerri, one
of the last remaining producers in the region,
and began piecing together other small parcels and reclaiming abandoned terraces from
the forest. He now owns about 20 acres on
Boca's volcanic, south-facing slopes, including some 100-year-old vespolina and croatina vines that contribute about a third of
the fruit to Mimmo, with the balance coming
from nebbiolo that doesn't make it into his
top-level Boca DOC wine. The 2013 Mimmo
has an Alpine freshness, its black cherry flavors enlivened by notes of fresh rosemary
and white pepper. § USA Wine Imports, NY
225721

90 | Le Piane

$22

2015 Vino da Tavola Maggiorina (Best
Buy) ^ Maggiorina refers to the traditional
trellising system in Boca, in which posts
encircle a cluster of three vines, allowing the
canes to spread out in all directions. This
wine is a field blend from those old Maggiorina vines, mostly nebbiolo and croatina with
ten other varieties, including some white
grapes. It feels cool and lively, with scents of
meadow flowers and flavors of brambly berries laced with notes of tarragon and yarrow
tea. It finishes with a salty, sanguine note and
a hint of woodsmoke. § USA Wine Imports, NY

RUCHÉ
225116

88 | Montalbera

$21

2015 Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato La
Tradizione (Best Buy) ^ Ruché's floral, spicy
character shines through this wine's redberry fruit, with scents of rose, mint and pepper that keep it lively. § Soilair Selection, NY

224981

91 | Pio Cesare

$90

Barolo Chinato ^ Pio Cesare resumed production of Barolo Chinato in 2016 after a 60-year
lapse, resuscitating the family recipe that had
been safeguarded by Rosy Boffa, the founder's granddaughter. It feels rich as Christmas
cake, with heady aromas of mountain herbs
and flavors of cinnamon, molasses and cardamom brightened by a spray of orange zest.
Enjoy its warm flavors on a cold winter night
alongside a dark chocolate dessert. § Maisons
Marques & Domaines USA, Oakland, CA

224982

90 | Pio Cesare

$60

Vermouth di Torino ^ This is a blend of Pio
Cesare's white wines steeped in a mixture of
aromatic herbs and spices that create enticing scents of ginger, licorice pastilles and
candied orange peel. It's a delicious choice
to serve at the end of an evening, over ice
and with a twist of lemon. § Maisons Marques
& Domaines USA, Oakland, CA n
WINE & SPIRITS

DECEMBER 2017

87
http://www.mmdusa.net/Pio-Cesare/index http://www.mmdusa.net/Pio-Cesare/index
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - December 2017
