Hello, Feastlings.
Paul Rickert has long been a buddy of Feast’s. As a brand manager at one of our distributors for years, we’ve always admired his palate and his wine knowledge, as well as his charm, but when he partnered up with one of our long-time favorite importers of Italian wine, Enotec, the whole was greater than the sum of its parts. On Sunday, July 29th, at 3:30 pm, Paul will be in town trotting out six selections from Enotec’s delicious portfolio, a smattering of wines from all over Italy. The tasting is $30 plus tax and tip, and it includes the customary food pairings, one amuse-bouche with each wine. Reservations are a necessity, and because web and email reservations won’t hold you a seat, you’ll need to call us 326-9363 if you’d like to join us for this worthy endeavor. If you’re on the fence, maybe this list of the wines and their descriptions will help sway you:
Trust Your Importer- Enotec
2016 Gagliardo ‘Fallegro’ Favorita, Piedmont $16.00
The Gagliardo family is the first winery to reintroduce this grape back in 1974 – they are true pioneers. Favorita (Vermentino) made its way to Italy over 200 years ago and was so well-received as the favorite wine of the Piemontese that they nicknamed the grape Favorita! Halfway between still and sparkling, this lovely, crisp wine has just a bit of frizzante, with notes of green apples and ripe pears.
2015 Ronchi di Pietro Sauvignon, Colli Orientali $19.00
“The Soul of Our Land” written in Friulian “L’Anima Della Nostra Terra” on every label, properly describes Ronchi di Pietro’s passion for their wines and terroir. As you raise the glass to take in the aromas of this wine, recall the sensation of plucking a fresh tomato from the garden for your caprese and the bright aromas of its scent…welcome to Sauvignon from the Colli Orientali region.
2015 Degani Valpolicella Classico, Veneto $17.00
A real life Unicorn! The Degani brothers produce roughly 8000 cases per year, a tiny quantity in comparison to the “big name” producers of the region. A bright and fresh wine that showcases the spicy notes of the Corvina grape. A throwback wine in a number of ways, as it strives for balance and shuns excess.
2007 Rodano Chianti Classico Riserva ‘Via Costa,’ Tuscany $42.00
Rodano is a top source for classically made, user-friendly and complex Chianti. Located in Castellina in the heart of the Chianti Classico district, the estate dates back as a wine-producing property to the sixteenth century. A rare treat here for the tasting, and the last of it’s kind! The 2007 vintage was comprised of 45-50 year old-vine Sangiovese, and then was replanted after the harvest. This south facing single vineyard of old vine Sangiovese was used to produce a Riserva only a few times per decade. A deep concentration of Sangiovese flavors of classic cherry, earth and a hint of smoky pistachio nuts.
2014 Antica Masseria Primitivo, Puglia $17.00
Antica Masseria del Sigillo was founded in Guagnano in 1989 with the idea of producing hand crafted wines in an area that had been taken over by large industrial operations. In 2005 Claudio Quarta, a businessman who respected this philosophy, purchased the property with the aim of continuing this approach. The 2014 Antica Masseria Primitivo vintage saw the culmination of his dream, as it found a spot amongst “Wine Spectators Top 100”.
2013 Palladino Barolo ‘Serralunga,’ Piedmont $56.00
“We’re in the heart of Serralunga d’Alba, one of the most evocative places in Italy as far as fine wines are concerned. The terroirs available to this interesting Langhe operation are first class, yielding a range of wines with great depth and personality. Their style shuns excess, seeking instead balance and elegance as its defining characteristics. Brilliantly accompanied into the present by Maurillo Palladino, the arrival of the new generation has marked the estates consecration as one of the elite producers of the Langhe wine world”. – 2016 Gambero Rosso