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Home , Langhe, Petit Rouge

Langhe Rossese Bianco DOC

Giovanni Manzone – Monforte d'Alba

Why We Chose This The talented and down to earth Manzone family is still under the radar in Monforte. Their are fantastic but there is one surprising white wine that stands out! Rossese Bianco's roots have been traced back to and its plantings eventually spread all the way up the Ligurian coast and inland to . The village of Monforte d'Alba seems to have been the perfect spot for this grape in the late 19th century. In the 70s,a handful of winemakers like Manzone started to take the grape seriously and make delicious from this rare grape . In Piemonte, the vines were so old and the history was so long that it was recognized as an official Piemontese grape varietal. In 2011 it was granted the official Langhe Rossese Bianco DOC status. There are only approximately 25 acres total of this grape cultivated in Piemonte! The name can be confusing because it sounds like a “red-white” but is thought to have obtained this name for its pinkish tones on the grape while ripening in the sun. The grapes have a good sugar content while maintaining nice acid. The wines are usually quite high in alcohol with intense nose and flavors of green apple and citrus with a nice body and persistence on the palate.

Winemaking Soft press and fermentation in stainless steel with a few hours of skin maceration. Aged in barrels for 1 year with batonnage on the lees and natural decantation in stainless steel tanks with no filtering or clarification.

Tasting Notes Straw yellow with golden tones. Cedar and orange blossoms, acacia and juniper with hints of citrus. Full bodied, soft with fruity flavors of honeydew and white peaches. Long finish. Pairing White meat, fine cuisine with shellfish.

GRAPE 100% Rossese Bianco

VINEYARD LOCATION The original Is located in Castelletto MGA Barolo cru with Eastern exposure and a younger vineyard facing west.

AGE OF VINES 10-38 years

DRINK OR HOLD? Drink

SERVING TEMPERATURE 10-15°C/50-58°F Rosé Valle d'Aosta DOP

Les Cretes – Valle d'Aosta

Why We Chose This Wine When we promoted the Rose packs last summer, we were surprised by the customers' interest and became enthusiastic about continuing our search for unique Rosés to add to our selections. As we were packing the rosé wines at the shipping warehouse last year, an employee creeped over and handed us a bottle from Les Cretes. He whispered in my ear that THIS is the best rosé ever and loyal customers travel from all over the world to buy these wines in Valle d'Aosta. We didn't hesitate to open it that same night and loved the minerally fresh flavors coming from this Northern Alpine wine. The idea to introduce a new and lesser known wine producing region to the club really excited us and we hope you feel the same! Petit Rouge is thought to be native to this region and is usually used as a blending grape to add aromas and color. Hopefully you will feel the crisp flavors coming from Piemonte's neighboring Alps and enjoy this refreshing wine!

Winemaking 3 hours of whole cluster cold refrigerated maceration. 12 day fermentation in stainless steel with 2 months of aging on the lees.

Tasting Notes Delicate floral nose with red fruits like strawberry and cranberry. Crisp on palate with white peach, nice structure and acidity and the signature salty finish.

Pairing Appetizers, finger foods, sushi, shellfish.

GRAPE VARIETALS Petit Rouge (indigenous red variety) and from old heirloom clones.

BOTTLES PRODUCED 550 cases

VINEYARD LOCATION The grapes are found in the vineyards of Sarre, the historical vocational area of the Torrette, with south exposure, in the vineyards of Aymavilles and Gressan.

AGE OF VINES 20+ Years Old

AGING POTENTIAL Drink

SERVING TEMPERATURE 10-15°C/50-54°F d'Alba DOC

Flavio Roddolo – Monforte d'Alba

Why We Chose This Wine Reserved, gruff with white hair and always dressed in his coveralls uniform, Flavio Roddolo will skeptically squint from the window as you pull up the driveway. In his isolated old farmhouse on the border of Monforte d'Alba, he makes some of the most honest and authentic old-school wines you can find today. He is a living legend with no family, a type of Lorenzo Accomasso for you Barolo lovers and collectors out there. He makes the wines the same exact way his father and grandfather did for decades. There is no rush. You must visit his winery multiple times to finally catch him in a good mood and maybe come back with just a few bottles after hours of lending an ear to his laments and observations. His current releases are: Dolcetto is 2016, 2011, Barolo 2012! His wines many not be the “cleanest” but they speak of the land and the history of Barolo area. Monforte d'Alba borders known for its terroir most suitable for Dolcetto. We are so proud to have just enough bottles for you. Winemaking Unfiltered, natural yeasts, old barriques some of which are 20-30 years old! Tasting Notes Intense earthy aromas of dried Autumn leaves and forest floor with ripe cherries and wilted roses.Structured and juicy on the palate with a fruity and strong backbone. This is a Dolcetto that was given the right importance by Flavio which this grape is often neglected.

Pairing Salami and cheese.

GRAPE VARIETALS 100% Dolcetto d'Alba

VINEYARD LOCATION Monforte d'Alba near his house/winery in Bricco Appiani sub-zone.

AGE OF VINES 70 years old

DRINK OR HOLD? Drink but give quite a bit of oxygen.

SERVING TEMPERATURE 15°C-18°C/59°F-64°F Barbera d'Alba “Pozzo” DOC

Renato Corino – La Morra

Why We Chose This Wine With so many Barberas out there, we really wanted to put something special in this case even if this really isn't your “every day” kind of wine. This small vineyard plot of Barbera has been in the family for half a century and would be a shame to rip out for just some more plantings. What I love about Renato is his fun sense of humor and giant smile. Furthermore, today so many winery owners call themselves winemakers but Renato truly is. He is a hardworking vintner/farmer known for his giant calloused hands which you can see printed on the labels. Every time you drive up the street in Annunziata or visit the winery, you will run into Renato working out in the vineyards or driving the tractor. Renato's peppy wife Liliana is just as outgoing and loves hosting visitors around their kitchen table. It is funny watching them bickering back and forth but with love in their eyes like so many married couples! The winery itself is small and picturesque but is also their home. This is what it feels like when you visit, like you are a friend coming over to chat, and oh yeah, drink some wine too.

Winemaking Fermentation in stainless steel with temperature control for a week. Malolactic in large oak barrels and then aged in oak for 18-20 months in different aged and sized casks.Unfiltered.

Tasting Notes Dark ruby red with violet tones. Stewed plums with hints of smoke, sweet spices and licorice. On the palate, rich and concentrated with a beautiful finish of roses, tobacco and dark chocolate.

Pairing BBQ meats and grilled vegetables.

GRAPE VARIETALS 100% Barbera

BOTTLES PRODUCED 250 cases

VINEYARD LOCATION La Morra

AGE OF VINES 60 years old

DRINK OR HOLD? Drink

SERVING TEMPERATURE 18°C/65° F Nebbiolo d'Alba “Valmaggiore” DOC

Mario Marengo – La Morra

Why We Chose This Wine “Marco Marengo is one of ’s emerging superstar producers. Although the Marengo family has made wine here since 1899, it’s as if someone turned on a switch a few years ago, when the wines – the Barolos in particular – went from excellent to outstanding, a level they have maintained ever since.” Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate March 2010

It seemed that no one ever paid much attention to the appellation on the other side of the river, despite it being a Nebbiolo grape growing area. In time, it actually became more popular for its native white wine, . However, some visionary Barolo & winemakers like Sandrone and were some of the first to see the potential in a very special vineyard site in Roero called “Valmaggiore”. They saw the beauty in its finesse and silky elegance which set it apart from the more muscular Barolos making it perfect for an every day wine. “Langhetto” Marco was a lucky man to marry his wife Jenny whose family had property right in Valmaggiore. They were quick to add this wine to their line-up! This name might not be as famous as the ones mentioned above but we believe it is just as good. One day when my husband Claudio was eating with clients at their hang out spot More e Macine in La Morra, he quickly pointed to this wine on the list. Unfortunately the restaurant was out but that didn't stop him. Claudio tried calling Jenny to see if she could bring one down to the restaurant and she was there in person in less than 10 minutes! How many winemakers do you know who would do that? Winemaking Fermentation in stainless steel and aged in used casks. Tasting Notes Notes of ripe strawberry with dried flower potpourri and licorice spice. Balanced an dynamic on the palate with important with silky fine tannins. Medium-bodied with long finish. Pairing Grilled meats and cheese.

GRAPE VARIETALS 100% Nebbiolo

VINEYARD LOCATION Valmaggiore in Vezza d'Alba in Roero. Known for its steep slopes and full south exposure.

DRINK OR HOLD? Drink now or hold

SERVING TEMPERATURE 17- 19°C/ 63-66F°° Pinot Nero Revei Valle d'Aosta DOP

Les Cretes – Valle d'Aosta

Why We Chose This Wine Since we wanted to introduce a variety of wines from Valle d'Aosta this season in our club but were not allowed to drive out of our region, we had to taste 12 samples of reds and whites from home. We know this sounds like a tough job! Pinot Noir grows extremely well in the cooler micro-climates of the Swiss – Italian border. It is actually only about 3.5 hours to Burgundy! I knew in my mind that I wanted to offer a Pinot Noir from Valle d'Aosta but when I ended the tasting with this “riserva” it blew my mind. When we read the tech sheets I nearly jumped out of my seat when I found out that this was the first year of production and there were only 900 bottles made! We were quite sure there would be none left for us but we were wrong. We are so grateful to have this and really feel like we stumbled upon a gem for you. The name Revei in dialect means clock. The Pinot vineyard is dominated by a medieval clock tower where during those times there was a well known hermit clockmaker who was a reminder for the people about the value of time and important link between nature and mankind. This wine is a product of great experience and waiting for the wine to age, showing the best expression of mountain Pinot Noir possible! Winemaking After a careful selection of the best grapes, they are refrigerated, de-stemmed and cold macerated for 2 days. Then they ferment in stainless steel for 12 days. Aged 18 months in used tonneaux and bottled without filtering or cold stabilizing. It spends 18 months in the bottle before release. Tasting Notes Bright ruby red. Very fruity nose with ripe red fruit, berries and hints of cocoa powder. It is savory on the palate with nice acidity and velvety tannins. Smooth and balanced with long finish. Pairing Venison, red meats, beef jerky, aged cheeses.

GRAPE VARIETALS 100% Pinot Noir

BOTTLES PRODUCED 75 cases

VINEYARD LOCATION Aymavilles

DRINK OR HOLD? Drink

SERVING TEMPERATURE 14-16°C/57-60°F