Meroi Nestri

Vintage: 2004
Varietals: 100% Nestri
Country/ Region: Northern Italy
Tasting Notes: This is all about terroir, terroir, terroir. Nèstri is a second class grape but in the hands of Meroi, it shines as brightly as any noble grape while pointing undeniably to a time and region in northern Italy that makes this one of the most unique wines around.  Think of it as Italian Burgundy. The cultivation techniques are completely organic, without any use of pesticides and herbicides. Ruby, with a nice profile of red fruit and tones slightly herbaceous and refreshing. Velvety in texture with tannin just mentioned and refreshing from first dishes to meat.

Basilisco Aglianico del Vulture

Vintage: 2004
Varietals: Aglianico
Country/Region: Italy
Tasting Notes: The farm is in the territory of Barile, a small town in Southern Italy, north of Basilicata and two kilometers from Rionero. The estate of about 20 ha. is set in a landscape of striking beauty, on the slopes of Mount Vulture. In this land volcanic extraordinarily suited to the particular microclimate is grown grape Aglianico, the ancient Greek, transplanted from the Greeks. The vineyards, happily exposed, gently decline from 450 to 300 m. altitude. The vinification and conservation of the product in oak barrels, occur in a nice cellar of 400, fully excavated in the tufa and temperate course, respecting the culture and traditions of the place. "A wine of beauty and balance, with lots of ripe, dark fruit flavors, and that tell tale volcanic earth notes classic in wines from Vulture. This should age very nicely as well."

Riecine Chianti Classico

Vintage: 2006
Varietals: Sagniovese
Country/Region: Italy
Tasting Notes: Located in the heart of Tuscany, in the small community of Gaiole in Chianti, Riecine takes its place among the finest vineyards in all of Italy and continues to progress as a classic winery. Gary J. Baumann, an American who resides in Milan, is the proprietor of Riecine, which he acquired in 1996 from its original founder, John Dunkley . The main property consists of close to 30 hectares (about 75 acres) of vineyard, olive groves, woodlands, and the winemaking facility. This is where the original vineyard that has been producing Riecine grapes for more than thirty years is located. Riecine Chianti Classico is Sangiovese made in a classical style, medium bodied with lots of fruit character, light tannins and a spicy finish. Reicine’s vines are carefully tended by hand and all of the farming techniques are 100% organic with biodynamic processes being introduced.

Clot de L'Oum 

Vintage: 2004
Varietals: Carignan, Grenache
Country/Region: France
Tasting Notes: Clot de l’Oum (Valley of the Elms) is located on a high range of gneiss hills immediately overlooking the snow-capped Pyrennes and the Spanish border. There are three Clot de l’Oum cuvées, all marked by amazing density of black fruits, spicy, ripe and roasted, yet restrained and not at all jammy or sweet, together with an almost austere expression of stone licking minerality.  Compagnie des Papillons has a plush, refined palate with no superficial sweetness but impressively layered with black fruits, minerals, herbs and meat. Infectiously juicy throughout, it nevertheless finishes in anything but simple fashion, with impressive salt, stone and graphite minerality, subtly sweet cassis and blackberry fruit, and deep meatiness.

u k i a h  c e l l a r s

Vintage: 2005
Varietals: 89% cabernet sauvignon, la ribera; 5% zinfandel, calpella; 5% syrah, mcdowell; 1% viognier
Country/Region: USA Mendicino California
Tasting Notes: Our Ukiah Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with small parts Zinfandel, Syrah and Viognier to produce a pleasant lighter-bodied wine that can be enjoyed on its own and paired with foods. Produced from a set of small vineyards in inland Mendocino County, Northern California, this fruit-forward wine with soft tannins is a great everyday wine. Sustainably farmed.