Going to VinItaly? ViniVeri? VinNatur?

Meet me there?  Taste with my people?  Taste with me and my people?  Saturday I will be at ViniVeri and may take a detour to VinNatur and then Sunday through Wednesday, I will be in Verona at VinItaly.

Text me or email me if you want to do a quick tour of my people and taste their new vintages.

VinItaly - Verona

Abbazia di Propezzano -  Hall 12 E3-E4 - Abruzzo

Aia dei Colombi – Hall B, Stand Benevento #25 - Campania

Monte Santoccio - Hall 4 stand b6  - Veneto

Verdugo – ViVit Hall 8 stand F8-H10 -Veneto

Santa Caterina – ViVit Hall 8 stand F8-H10 - Liguria

Tre Monti - Hall 1 stand B8 - Emilia-Romagna

Cantina Favaro -  Hall 8 Collettiva FIVI Stand B8/B9 Posizione 11 - Piemonte

Vettori - Collettiva Hall 8 Colletiva FIVI padiglione 8 Stand B8/B9  - Veneto

G.D. Vajra/Luigi Baudana -  HALL 10 STAND M4 - Piemonte

Davide Carlone - Hall 12 Stand D4 - Sunday Only (at the Le Piane stand . . . )

Vini Veri - Cerea

Praesidium - Abruzzo

Ronco Severo - Friuli

VinNatur - Villa Favorita

Verdugo - Veneto

Outside the Fair - PIAZZETTA MUNICIPIO, 8 - VERONA (THIRD FLOOR) - After Hours Relax

Agricola Cirelli - Abruzzo

Ayunta Artisan Wines - Etna

The next generation

Little Aldo and big Giuseppe.

Slow Wine San Francisco . . . good fun was had by all . . .

A whole bunch of wines from my portfolio were selected for the Slow Wine guide this year but it is pretty expensive for the smaller producers to make it over this way and to NY etc so usually it is just G.D. Vajra that decides to make it.  And frankly, it is better for me to just have one of my guys here as it would get really complicated otherwise.  But maybe next year I will have them all come over and we can put them all on one side of the room and see how that works out.  In the meantime, here below are some pictures from before the tasting.

Bringing out the big map!

You are not funny, Justin!

Slow Wine likes G.D. Vajra

2013 Dolcetto Coste e Fossati

2010 Barolo Ravera - first vintage and sold out!

2010 Luigi Baudana "Cerretta" tastes really expensive.

Tre Monti - Slow Wine Guide 2015

Interview of me by Eric Guy of Protocol Wine Studio and True Wine Culture podcast . . .

This is a good way to get to know about how I got started in the business and how my business works and will give you a good idea of what I do exactly.

Click "here" to follow the link.

2002 Comte Armand Pommard Clos des Epeneaux

Tasting pretty fantastic right now.  Very dark with lots of mint and root beer in the nose.  Clean and lively on the palate but pretty weighty.  Excellent.

How to draw a kitty . . . and other ways to kill time while waiting for an appointment at Chez Panisse

While waiting to taste with J at Chez Panisse last week, the kids of one of the employees taught me how to draw a kitty and a dolphin. My week was made.

Vini Praesidium from the Abruzzo . . . coming to our shores . . .

I tasted these wines first five or more years ago or so at ViniVeri, one of the shadow conventions that take place the same time as VinItaly in Verona.  ViniVeri producers are usually practicing organic or biodynamic but aren't dogmatic about it like the producers at some of the other upstart fairs.  

At the time, I was just starting to import Italian wine and these wines caught my taste buds because they weren't like any other wine I had tried before . . .  or since.  But at the time, I just couldn't swing a brand like this and I was already selling the famous and respected wines from Emidio Pepe through another portfolio I represented, so it just didn't make sense.  And I only had tasted their current vintages at that time and not any of the older vintages.

I stopped by this year to taste their wines again, fully expecting that someone else would have picked them up by now, and to my surprise, they were still free on the West Coast, and they had their current selections, 2009 Montepulciano and 2013 Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo . . . but even more fascinating, they had some older vintages, the 2006 and the 2001.

And they blew my mind.  

The 2006 was as fresh as most wines straight after the harvest.  The flavors were so strong and so primal that I thought I was tasting a wine that was much younger. It all started to make sense.  This is what Montepulciano can be . . . a certain style to be sure, and not the last word on it, but wow!

The 2001 vintage had so much balance and so much finesse but at the same time power.  The expression "the iron fist in the velvet glove" sprang to mind and I couldn't get the taste out of my mouth. It lingered on my tongue and in my soul.

The next day, I had the pleasure of crashing a retrospective tasting of Emedio Pepe wines to celebrate his 50th year making his iconic Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.  We tasted: 1967, 1975, 1985, 1993, 2001, 2003, 2007. The wines were lovely. Some, of course, better than others. The 1967 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d'Abruzzo was the highlight.  A wine that had aged perfectly. 

Emidio Pepe- truly a lion of the wine business

But I must say, I couldn't get the Praesidium wines out of my mind.

Sometime your first instinct is the best instinct and I knew then that I had to have these wines for my portfolio.  Totally different from the wines of Francesco Cirelli which are made on the coast and are what I would call almost an avant garde representation of Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, the wines from Praesidium are the exact opposite.  They need years to become accessible.  Years to open up and show their true character.  Years to blossom from something shy and awkward into something shining and true and good.

So here they are:

2013 Praesidium Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo                             
2009 Praesidium Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva
2006 Praesidium Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva
2001 Praesidium Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva 
1998 Praesidium Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva

The 1998 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva, the 2001 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva  and the 2006 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva, are older vintages, always kept in their cellar, hewn from rock in the mountains.  The 2009 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo Riserva is their current vintage, just released.  "Riserva" because it stays in the winery for five years before being released in the world. Two years in tank, two years plus in a mix of old slavonian botte and older barrique and then a year in bottle.

And of course, they make a Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo to rival all other Cerasuolos.  Bled off the fermenting Montepulciano after two days on the skins, it is almost too intense, more like a red wine than a rose` and will also reward a few years in the cellar.

From the winery: “We aim to create a true expression of the wine of this unique area using traditional and artisan methods in the vineyard and the cellar. We think that the wine, being a cultural product, born from the interaction between man and nature, has its own unique personality and it is necessary to allow the wine to express itself in the most spontaneous and natural manner. Our philosophy originates from the lifestyle led by our family since the beginning and passed down through the decades of farming work. In the vineyard, we have always tried to understand the needs of the land, by work that is aimed to assist nature, without forcing or manipulating it, and definitely without the use of synthetic chemical products. From having both the utmost respect of an area of land particularly appropriate for growing the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo vines, and the continuous research into the quality of the grapes, we reinforced the idea that the quality and the healthiness of the wine are strictly related. The artisan work in the cellar consists of reducing the operations to its essentials, which allows us to pursue our objective: produce, from the vinification of a single vine variety, a Montepulciano d’Abruzzo wine that is the most authentic expression of its native land.”

What I learned at VinItaly this year . . .

New wines from Abbazia di Propezzano arriving May 15th 

Hi,

Back from VinItaly.  I go every year and every year I have some sort of sickness that prevents me from fully enjoying the week but this year, I was good, and it was amazing to be (almost) in full form for the fair.  I was sick the week before so was still recovering a little but it turned out great.  The only thing that I didn't like was that I missed my family very much this year.  A week away is rough on my lovely wife and a week away is a long time for the children, who grow so fast and change so fast.  It is tough to leave them, but hopefully worth it so I can try to make a good living and give them a great environment of love and security as they grow and mature.

Things I learned this year:

1. Doing my research before arriving is key to having a successful fair.  I pinpointed a few needs in the portfolio and went out and found them after researching beforehand.  I picked up four new producers that will be arriving in the fall.
2. Don't trust other importers to be as honorable as you are or do what you would do in a given situation.  It is a competitive marketplace out there and good wineries of a certain size and style are actually not that easy to come by.  All is fair in love and wine importing but I guess I am a little old fashioned and try to not cross certain lines.  Others importers may not see the same line in the same place as I do.  
3. Use the resources I have in the country to my best advantage.  With some of the hottest producers in Italy in my portfolio, I need to use them to find and attract other talented winemakers to my portfolio.  And it works.  
4. Always stay the whole fair.  I confirmed two of the four deals I made at the fair on the last day. The crowds are gone and people are relaxed and the masks come off and you can really talk with people and connect.
5. Remember why I go in the first place.  I love the Italians, I love the food, and I love how I feel when I am in Italy.  I feel like I am nineteen years old again and having the experiences of a lifetime ahead of me.
6. Lastly, I need to remember to trust my gut.  Whatever my first instinct of a brand is usually the best and most clear picture of them I am going to get, before I get influenced by them, by others, by the urge to do right by people and to be nice and to be seen as a nice guy.  That doesn't make for good decisions.  And this year, I think I avoided most of that.

When I started this five years ago, only one of my wines was imported by other importers in the U.S.  Now, almost all of them are in NY/NJ and some others are in multiple states.  I am proud of them and hope that their success continues to expand.  Producers like Cirelli went from being totally unknown to being one of the producers with the most "buzz" at the fair.  It is thrilling to see a producer grow and change and become something prized in the market.

The wines of Francesco Cirelli.

2005Château St. Marie Bordeaux Superior

Nine years under screw cap and it is fresh as a daisy.

2000 Les Héretiers du Comte LAFON Macon

Thrilling. Golden in color. Crèmes brûlée and nuts in the nose with baked apples.  Medium plus acidity, a full mouth.  Rich and round but the finish is endless.  Damn.  This is good. 

Karyn is off at a business dinner so it is just me and the little ones tonight.

Barbecue lemon marinated chicken with carrots and broccoli for us and I think this will go great.

2011 Philippe Alliet Chinon Vielles Vignes . . .

Open for three days already when we had it with a steak the other night and it was amazing.  I love warm vintages of cab franc from the Loire.  They take the herbal edge off of the usually pretty weedy unripe wines and make them lush and softer in the mouth than the normal vintages.  Don't get me wrong.  I will drink those wines, too.  But I just get that something extra from warm vintages like 2011, 2007, 2003.  This wine is just hitting the market now so if you are interested, email me and I will tell you where you can buy it.

Here is some more information on the producer, Philippe Alliet

A birthday gift for Francesco Cirelli

Davide Carlone Wines . . .

So far, what I like about these wines best, is that they are easy to drink.  Not quaffable, per se, but definitely all the parts are well integrated and you won't feel bad for drinking them now.  And the great thing is that no one knows about these (and the production is so tiny that most people will never know about it.).  But for you first early adopters, you can taste wines that are beautifully made, have a sense of place and are a real pleasure to drink.

Call me or email if you want to find out where to buy these great wines.  (310) 270-3747 or justin@rinascimentowineco.com

Boca doc

Vitigni: Nebbiolo 70%, Vespolina 30%

Epoca di Vendemmia: 10 Ottobre

Fermentazione: 8/10 gg sulle vinacce

Malolattica svolta al più presto con l’innalzamento della temperatura nell’ambiante cantina. A

seguire precipitazione statica naturale

Affinamento: 3 mesi in vasche d’acciaio, due anni e mezzo in botti da 10 hl. in rovere di Slavonia

Resa per ha: 70 q.li

Bottiglie: 2000 a 5000

Boca DOC

Grapes: 70% Nebbiolo, 30% Vespolina

Harvest Date: October 10th

Fermentation: 8 to 10 days on the skins

with malolactic following as soon as possible with the raising of the temperature in the winery.

No filtering or fining

Aging: three months in steel tanks, two and ½ years in large Slavonian casks of 1000 liters.

Yield per acre: 3,000 lbs

Cases produced: from 166 to 400 depending upon the vintage

Croatina Colline Novaresi doc

Vitigni: Croatina 100%

Epoca di Vendemmia: 10 Ottobre

Fermentazione: 8/10 gg sulle vinacce

Malolattica svolta al più presto con l’innalzamento della temperatura nell’ambiante cantina. 

A seguire precipitazione statica naturale

Affinamento: solo acciaio

Resa per ha: 80 q.li

Bottiglie: 2000 a 3500

Croatina Colline Novaresi doc

Grapes: 100% Croatina

Harvest Date: October 10th

Fermentation: 8 to 10 days on the skins

with malolactic following as soon as possible with the raising of the temperature in the winery.

No filtering or fining

Aging: only stainless steel

Yield per acre: 3,500 lbs

Cases Produced: 166 to 300 per year depending upon the year

Santa Caterina Vermentino 2012 Poggi Alti

All white pepper and fresh peach this is about as clean and crisp as you can get but the extra nine days on the skin during fermentation make the weight and body deeper than one usually associates with Vermentino.  Excellent.

found at Ava Gene's in Portland . . .

2001 G.D. Vajra Barolo Bricco delle Viole

2012 Favaro Erbaluce di Caluso Le Chiusure . . . the best yet?

Made from the vineyard right in front of the winery, it is the flagship of the winery.  Tre Bicchiere two years in a row, it has now become the star that other Erbaluce makers follow in hopes of reaching the same heights.

In 2012, you can feel the vintage more than in 2011.  While 2011 was slightly hot and the flavors muddled, the 2012 is crisp and intense, the aromas of gooseberries and hay jumping from the glass.  In the mouth it is zesty and firm and lingers instead of fading away, inviting another sip.

Just arrived on our shores it will be in short supply.  So seek it out.

Aglianico Rosato you say? Why not?!

Musto Carmelitano Maschitano Rosato 2012.  New in California.  Never seen on these shores.  Get some before it is gone.

Waiting for the action to start at The Wine Country in Signal Hill

G.D. Vajra Barbera d'Alba 2010
G.D. Vajra Dolcetto d'Alba Coste & Fossati 2011
G.D. Vajra Langhe Nebbiolo 2010
G.D. Vajra Barolo Albe 2008
G.D.Vajra Moscato d'Asti 2011

In the bag today . . .

A good mix for being on the street today selling wine.  Some summer whites, a rosè, some cru Beaujolais, Italian Pinot(!) And some Barolo . . . as nothing says summertime like Barolo!  ;-)