"NV Quattro Mani Franciacorta Brut DOCG
80% Chardonnay, 10% Pinot Bianco, 10% Pinot Nero.
This dry sparkling wine shows aromas of freshly baked Italian brioche, preserved lemons and smoke. The palate strikes a nice balance between fruit, acidity and chalky minerality. This is a gorgeous stuff for the price!
The wine is made Methode Champenoise using sustainably farmed estate fruit with primary fermentation occurring in stainless steel tanks, followed by secondary fermentation in the bottle, then allowed the wine to rest for three years in the bottle before release. The Quattro Mani Franciacorta is part of the “four hands” project started a few years ago by wine importers Domaine Select Wine Estates with the goal of creating great wines that reflected terroir but at the same time were affordable. The Franciacorta is the sparkling wine of the project and it is made by Mario Falcetti, a pioneer of Franciacorta who spent almost two decades at Conatdi Castaldi, one of the top wineries in all of Franciacorta.
2008 Mario Schiopetto Tocai Friulano Collio DOC
100% Tocai Friulano
The color is yellow-gold, with greenish tones. The nose shows intense floral notes with hints of pears and red apples. The full bodied palate is all about explosive tropical fruit with almonds and pears that are present on the dry finish, especially with a little bit of age.
Schiopetto is one of the oldest wine estates in the Collio area and the late Mario Schiopetto is credited with modernizing wine making in Friuli. This benchmark producer’s 75 acres of vineyards cover the fertile estate surrounding the former residence of the Bishop of Gorizia in Capriva del Friuli, and Podere dei Blumeri.
2010 Alain Brumont Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne Rosé
1/3 Tannat, 1/3 Syrah, 1/3 Merlot
This wine has a pale pink color. The nose shows bright raspberry and a savory, meaty note. On the palate, the wine is round and rich with a fresh finish.
Alain Brumont was elected “The best Wine Grower of the 80’s” in 1991 by the Gault Millau and received the Légion of Honor, the highest decoration in France in 1999.
2009 Clos du Tue-Boeuf Touraine "La Butte"
100% Gamay: No sulfur on vinification and less than 15mg SO2 before bottling
The nose shows musky cherries and white pepper. Bright red fruit and pepper are echoed on the palate with a nice spine of minerality and juicy acidity. This is a nice summer red with complexity that is perfect for that 4th of July picnic or barbecue.
Owned by brothers, Jean-Marie and Thierry Puzelat, there are records about the lieu-dit “le Tue-Boeuf” and its excellent wines which were enjoyed by the local nobility and the kings of France in the Middle Ages. The name Puzelat is mentioned in 15th century documents about the area.
2008 Provenza Rosso Garda Classico DOC
40% Groppello, 20% Marzemino, 20% Sangiovese, 20% Barbera
The nose is all ripe black fruit, tobacco and spice with smoky plum and red fruit on the palate balanced by nice natural acidity.
Lake Garda is characterized by compact clay layers or soil and is the result of erosion dating back to the two last two ice ages, which created the large moraine basin shaping the landscape around the southern shores of the lake. Thanks to the beneficial contribution of the temperate lake climate, this land is the ideal location to cultivate indigenous varieties. "
ABBIE & MATT's additional notes:
-Quattro Mani means "Four Hands"
-Tocai Friulano for Wine #2 is the varietal in Italy. They may not be able to keep that word on the label though. Hungary has a style of dessert wine-making called "Tokaji" which is pronounced the same, and they are very attached to this word, thus they do not like it when others use it. the method is to pile grapes on top of each other, and the weight of the grape is the "press", this Hungarian Dessert wine can easily run about $100/bottle and historically was only served to the dying rich on their deathbed. Now you can have some if you can afford to buy any.
-The "La Butte" Gamay wine was just stupendous! Layers of flavor, and then a dry finish. I had to buy a bottle right then and there. This isn't your Thanksgiving Gamay, this is one to enjoy year round!
-The Rosso was also fantastic. Matthew can't wait to have a cigar while enjoying a glass of this masculine red wine.
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