Bastianich Calabrone
"Wine is an integral part of Joe Bastianich's complex life... father, restaurateur, author, TV personality, musician and marathoner. With partners Lidia Bastianich and Mario Batali, Joe operates eighteen successful restaurants across the country, including Babbo and Del Posto in NYC, and Carnevino in Las Vegas."
The Bastianich winery, founded in 1997, strives to understand the history and culture of Friuli-Venezia Giulia in northern Italy and take it to a new level. This includes a limited production of Calabrone - an estate reserve released only when an excellent vintage is followed by a dry and mild September and October, when a precentage of the Refosco and all of the Schioppettino undergo appassimento (drying).
"The nose is filled with chocolate, coffee, spices and mature red fruit. The palate has considerable power and grip while maintaining elegance. Calabrone will surely benefit from additional cellar time, at least 5 years."
Calabrone is consistently awarded 89 points and above by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.
$74.99
Ca' del Sarto 'Ardente'
We just love finding inexpensive wines that over-deliver! Veteran Denver restaurateur, Blair Taylor, has scoured the Italian countryside in search of fun, delicious, and affordable wines to import. 'Ardente' is the latest edition to an expanding portfolio.
This Tuscan red blend delivers deep and dark aromas of black fruit and amarena cherries. The wine is weighty on the palate with texture and grip, and offers the unmistakable flavor of cocao.
For you lovers out there, you'll be pleased to know that 'Ardente' translates to: fiery; aglow; burning hot; filled with strong emotion.
On promotion for only $9.99!
Rotllan Torra Priorat
Priorat is a small and relatively new Denominacion in Spain's rugged and mountainous north east. This high altitude wine growing area is known for its unique terroir of black slate and quartz and yields elegant and structured blends based on the varietal Grenache. It is one of only two wine regions in Spain to qualify as DOCa, the highest qualification level for a wine region according to Spanish wine regulations, alongside Rioja DOCa.
This Priorat delivers both Old World and New World characteristics, offering an approachable fruit-driven profile. Licorice and dark cherry fruit aromas fill the glass while velvety tannins add weight and texture on the palate. $18.99
The 2006 vintage earned 90 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate!
Scholium Project 'The Gardens of Babylon"
''The wine is not the tannic monster that is has been in the past. It is much more subtle, elegant, and fresh. In some ways, it is most marked by the Cinsault-- the smallest component in the blend. You might even say that the wine is "lovely" and mean something wholly good.'' Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, Carignon, Syrah $34.99
Gaga 'Rouge'
Sorry, this is not Lady Gaga's wine label. Rather, it's a fun and value-driven California red that delivers sensuous aromas of black plums, fall spices, and dried black figs. The fig theme carries on the palate along with a stewed red fruit flavor, which hails from an abundance of Zinfandel. This is a great option when all you want to do is stay indoors and watch the leaves blow around. $12.99
