And the day came fat with an apple in its mouth…
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- By Catherine O'Rourke & Mabel FIscher
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Our Dahling Wine Bundle this month is full of Cider… one from Normandy, one from Basque Country, two from Sonoma- all steeped in tradition. We love apples- the Big One, the one a day, the ones that fall as near or far from the tree as they may. Our window features apple-y things like Orchard Hill cans, a favorite poem by Frank O'Hara, and two “bear chairs”, one made by our dear friend, John…which has nothing to do with apples, aside from how John and his wife are American Treasures (and we highly recommend their new album!) and how bears like to eat apples (aw!).
Tastings are back (find the sched below!). Reds from light to hearty are rolling in- a lithe Grignolino from a variety with thin skins yet more seeds per berry than most, which gives it snap and makes it lovely with a chill, salty cheese, and charcuterie…Grosjean's Torrette, a plush blend of mountain grapes from the high altitudes of Valle d'Aosta in the Italian-French Alps…Cima Corgo, a chorus of native varieties harvested along the Duoro Valley, the same river valley the shad fish on the label swims, is flowing again, as rustic and driving as ever… Fabrizio Pratesi's “Locorosso” is well stocked and ready, steady for your red sauce night- it's from Carmignano, an appellation just outside of Florence where the Medici planted a flag for Cabernet Sauvignon though Pretesi defiantly shares a varietal wine featuring the presence and profound precision of 100% Sangiovese on its home turf…Bastide Blanche's Bandol Rouge is back all dark and heady and simply perfect for a roast…Castello di Verduno's Pelaverga Piccolo with its white pepper and rose petal wings has graced our shelves again, it's rare and quite special…along with Benoni's Pinot Noir from Oregon's Red Hill, an entire appellation that lives on one little (red) hill. It's rather autumnal, so is our tissue paper with its map of mushrooms, our menu, our mindset…
We'll see you at the shop!
September's Dahling Bundle includes four ciders- a Poire cidre from Normany, a farmy, zippy traditional Basque cider, and two expressions from foraged heritage cider apples in Sonoma, CA….playful pairing cards and a built-in 10% discount, always.
We've been building a “Cellar Wall” of curated collectibles- some with age already “under the belt”, some with great potential for more.
They make thoughtful gifts for curious collectors, novice and expert alike…or a solid something for yourself.
Not a big banner name, but anyone who knows will whisper that Ettore Germano's wines are some of the truest of Serralunga. Here are notes from the importer…
Since 1856, the Germanos have farmed vineyards in Cerretta, one of Serralunga d'Alba's most prestigious Crus. Francesco Germano, Sergio's great grandfather, and his grandfather, Alberto, sold the grapes to friends and neighbors. His father, Ettore, for whom the estate is named, was the first to sell wine in bottles. But Sergio was the first to bottle the entire production of the estate, beginning in 1993. He is the perfect example of a modern, scientifically trained winegrower who is grounded in the traditions of his region. His goal, he says, is to express in his wines the character of each vineyard, of each grape variety, and of each vintage, as well as the “connection between Sergio Germano and Serralunga d'Alba.”
The Barolo Cerretta 2013 is a fascinating, powerful wine in a very great vintage: hand-harvested from 65-year-old parcels on a southeast facing hillside of fine clay and limestone; the grapes macerated on the skins for forty days during and after fermentation, after which the wine matured in neutral 700 liter oak barrels for two years, and in bottle for an additional fifteen months before its release. In the glass, the limpid ruby-garnet Nebbiolo color warms to bright mahogany at the edge. Aromas of sun-warmed ripe amarena cherries, faded rose petals, and fresh sweet tobacco move in and out of the foreground, sometimes alternating with fleeting suggestions of dried pine needles, black licorice, incense, and Darjeeling tea, as the nose evolves over time. On the palate, the wine is muscular, sleek and vibrant, with laser-cut red fruit flavors and spices that echo the nose, all punctuated by a lingering, firm, yet beautifully silky finish, marked with a cooling note of wild spearmint and eucalyptus.
Drink now–2045
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