Three Absolutely Stunning (90 Point) Italian Reds
Marziano Abbona
Marziano Abbona, Winemaker
Meet Marziano Abbona. His estate is located in the Dogliani region of Piedmont, bordering Barolo's famous Monforte commune.
Italy's most important wine reviewing organization, Gambero Rosso, awarded two glasses (out of three) to each of his wines in this email. This is no small achievement. You will soon find out that the American Press is just as smitten.
"The [Abbona] wines maintain excellent quality across the board " ("Italian Wines 2011" by Gambero Rosso)
Nebbiolo D'Alba Bricco Barone 2007 (DOC)
This entry level Nebbiolo is an amazing value.
"The 2007 Nebbiolo d'Alba Bricco Barone offers up ripe, juicy red fruits, flowers, licorice and spices in a fairly rich style. A seamless finish rounds out the Bricco Barone nicely. Readers looking for a Nebbiolo that won't break the bank will find much to admire here. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2017." (Wine Advocate)
Wine Advocate: 90 points
"Rich and extracted in style, yet full of sweet blackberry and black cherry fruit, with a hint of sweet licorice and spice flavors. This is on the soft side, but long and full of sweet fruit on the finish. 250 cases imported." (Wine Spectator)
Wine Spectator: 90 points
Gambero Rosso: 2 Bicchieri (Very Good to Excellent!)
$23.99/bottle or $230.30/12pack case ($19.19/bottle) or just $19.19/bottle in a mixed case of wine.
Barbera D'Alba Rinaldi 2008 (DOC)
We had this wine last night with an Italian polenta and meat ragu dish. Absolute perfection.
It is outrageously good.
Decant it an hour before drinking it and you will be rewarded with a very sultry wine.
"Abbona's 2008 Barbera d'Alba Rinaldi is equally delicious. Juicy dark cherries, licorice and French oak burst from the glass in this sumptuous Barbera. The Rinaldi is truly impressive; in fact, the 2008 is the best vintage I can remember tasting of this wine. The Rinaldi is aged in a combination of 225-liter barriques and larger 500-liter tonneaux. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2016." (Wine Advocate)
Wine Advocate: 90 points
"Dark and oozing with blackberry, chocolate, violet and spice aromas and flavors, this red has a nice grainy feel. The wood is well-integrated, lifting the fruit to the forefront, with a lingering aftertaste. 400 cases imported." (Wine Spectator)
Wine Spectator: 90 points
"Smooth and sophisticated with rich blackberry and plum aromas backed by oak-driven tones of spice and leather, this is a very rich expression of Barbera (that sees eight months in oak barrels). The overall effect is excellent." (Wine Enthusiast)
Wine Enthusiast: 90 points
Gambero Rosso: 2 Bicchieri (Very Good to Excellent!)
$24.99/bottle or $239.90/12 pack case ($19.99/bottle) or just $19.99/bottle in a mixed case of wine.
Dolcetto di Dogliani Papa Celso (DOCG) 2008
Dolcetto (aka, the "little sweet one") has high tannins and low acidity (at least relative to Barbera) which is why it is considered dolce (sweet) to the Piedmontese palate. The most prized growing area in the world is Dolcetto di Dogliani Superiore or simply "Dogliani" which was elevated to DOCG status in 2005.
Papa Celso is a rare, single vineyard Dolcetto Superiore made from 60 year-old, low yielding vines.
"The 2008 Dogliani Papa Celso comes across as dark, brooding and powerful, all qualities that are typical of Dolcetto from Dogliani. The Papa Celso is a bit taut in this vintage, but it nevertheless delivers tons of quality for the money. Blackberries, violets, tar and smoke sit on a mineral-infused frame of notable length. This is a fabulous effort from Abbona. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2016." (Wine Advocate)
Wine Advocate: 90 points
"The Dogliani Papa Celso 08 is as marvelous as ever." (Gambero Rosso)
Gambero Rosso: 2 Bicchieri (Very Good to Excellent!)
$23.99/bottle or $230.30/12pack case ($19.19/bottle) or just $19.19/bottle in a mixed case of wine.
Savvy wine enthusiasts might wonder why there is something familiar about these wines. This is because the same artist for Abbona, Gianni Galli, designs the Vietti wine labels. For this series, the Nebbiolo and Barbera feature a species of bird which is found on the estate's vineyards, while the Dogliani features an image of Marziano's famed father, Papa Celso.
P.S.
Purchase one bottle of the Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Dolcetto at the same time before June 1 and receive 20% discount on all three wines. A fantastic way to sample some of the best Italian reds we've tasted in a long time.
P.P.S.
This week alone we are bringing in over 45 new wines, so there is a lot to explore. Come and visit soon to make some exciting new discoveries. We are closed (by state law) on Monday (Memorial Day) so stock up!
P.P.P.S.
Our summer weekend wine tastings kick off this weekend. Every Friday from 4-7 and Saturday from 3-6 from now through Labor Day we will be hosting a free wine tasting with lots of incredible wines to enjoy. Please join us for the fun and tell your friends too.
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