Retail: Arrivals
Three exceptional products have recently caught my attention, both for their high quality and distinctiveness in the glass.
The shop has been buzzing with classes and subscriptions lately! New products sometimes arrive and depart without ever making an appearance here, but I am committed to changing this! Presenting one vermouth and two reds that truly stand out among the rest.
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Istine NV Vermouth Rosato - $64
Istine is a rising producer of quality Chianti Classico in Radda. However, owner Angela Fronti has been obsessed with the explosion of quality vermouth on the market, much like myself. After years of attempting to produce one of her own, definitely not like me, she elected to lean on the maestros at Bordiga (Piemonte) to create this stunning rosato vermouth. Lean, lightly sweet, herbaceous, and unendingly lovely, I pour an ounce or two in the glass adorned with ice and citrus and let the weekend unfold.
Geatano di Carlo 2024 Nero d'Avola - $27
Reaching the top of the leaderboard of a recent sold-out Sangiovese class, this Nero d'Avola took us all down: "I loved the Faro, Etna, etc... but the Nero d'Avola was so damn good!" Grown on really unique soils for this area, few Nero d'Avola have such clear and precise expression in the glass. Gaetano di Carlo is a young producer (2019) from the village of Corleone, yes THAT Corleone. On the verge of chill-able, this Nero d'Avola is charming, taunt and fresh, words I never associate with Sicily's top red grape.
Flavio Roddolo 2012 Barbera d'Alba Superiore - $64
I've tasted the wines of Flavio Roddolo many times in my career. He is a reclusive and uncompromising winemaker occupying high-altitude vines in the Monforte d'Alba of Barolo. In their youth, Roddolo wines are nervous and fragrant, embodying the promise to one day fully reveal themselves. That day came last week when I pulled the cork on this 2012 Barbera. Gone were the chalky tannins of youth, making way for a seductive and layered tasting experience. Macerated cherries, black tea, Aleppo pepper... Ever had aged Barbera?
