Indigenous Selections Wine tasting with Special Guest Giorgio Rivetti at WWWB

"Once, during Prohibition, I was forced to live for days on nothing but food and water."
~ W. C. Fields

We are very excited about having our good friends from Indigenous selections here next week.  We did a very special dinner last year with Giorgio on a Monday night - I will only work on Monday night for a few people and Giorgio Rivetti is one of them and we drank several old bottles of La Spinetta from my cellar including a few that I got in the Piedmont when visiting Rivetti. 

You know you that the line-up here on this e-mail is only a starting point and we will be Popping some older examples of these amazing single vineyards Barbarescos and Barolos to showcase just how well these wines age and that’s why you pay $100+ for a bottle of wine… because you can keep it in your cellar for decades and watch it mature.

We have been on board with these wines from the very beginning and I still have a few bottles of the 1996 Gallina Barbaresco in my stash which is the first vintage La Spinetta started the Barbaresco project.  I think I also have a bottle of the 2000 Campe Barolo which is the first vintage of this wine which scored (98 points) in the Wine Spectator.  We will be busting out at least one of these for another “Once in a Lifetime” tasting with Giorgio next week as I always say- “Drink the Good Stuff First”!

We only have 16 spaces available for this tasting so you don’t want to wait too long to reply to this e-mail as Giorgio has a lot of fans here in South Florida.  Wine Watch sends a lot of people to see La Spinetta Winery when they are visiting the Piedmont and our “Wine Drinking People” always come home big fans of the Piedmontese as well as the Barolos and Barbarescos.

Toni Lampasone will be making a special menu featuring the white truffle from Alba to complement the wines this evening and the fee for this tasting is $195 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

La Spinetta Wine Tasting with Special Guest Giorgio Rivetti
Thursday, November 9th
7:30pm

Contratto Millesimato Brut 2011         
Price: $28.00       Sale $24.64

This is the Rivetti's newest project, Giorgio has always been a big fan if great Champagne and sparkling wine and there is great potential for Sparkling wine in the Piedmont, Contratto was founded in 1867 by Giuseppe Contratto and the winery is known as the oldest producer of sparkling wine in Italy. So this was a natural choice for them when the estate became available. The Millesimato Brut is 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay. The wine spends almost four years on the yeasts before disgorgement and is finished with a dosage of 5g/l. This wine has a nice developed bouquet of almond, white flowers, pear and apple fruit on the nose. A smooth and creamy mouse on the tongue with layers of flavors on the finish and nice freshness with good minerality showing through the finish.

La Spinetta Barbera d’Asti Ca Di Pian 2013         
Price: $27.00       Sale $23.76
   
Aromas of blueberry, wet earth and a hint of orange peel. Full body with bright acidity and lots of intensity but balanced andsilky-textured, an ultra-fine Barbera that combines richness withfinesse.

          
La Spinetta Langhe Nebbiolo 2013     
Price: $34.25       Sale $30.14

The La Spinetta Nebbiolo Langhe comes from the youngest part of the Starderi vineyard in Neive. The vines are between 5-7 years old and grown at an altitude of 270 meters on in the same vineyard that produces the Starderi Barbaresco. Harvest usually happens in the middle of October, after which time, the grapes are fermented in rotofermentors for 7-8 days. The wine is then aged in part new, part neutral, medium toast, French barrique. It is then aged for another 2 months in bottle.

This wine is made with the young vines from the Starderi Vineyard in Barbaresco. Aromas of strawberry, wild herbs and flowers and tobacco spice. Sweet berry fruit intermixed with a lovely spice and zesty acidity, an elegant wine with minty notes on the finish. Finish 40+ Excellent

                            
La Spinetta Barbaresco Bordini 2013       
Price: $61.50       Sale $54.12
           
La Spinetta Bordini vineyard Barbaresco comes from a 4 hectare vineyard on the western side of Nieve facing south. The vines are 20-25 years old and grow on calcerous soil at 270 meters above sea level. Harvest usually happens in the first or second week in October, after which time, the grapes are fermented in rotofermenters for 7 to 8 days. The wine then ages for 20-22 months in half neutral, half new, Medium toasted French oak barrique. Bordini Barbaresco is then aged for another year in bottle before its release. The wine is not filtered of clarified.

                                      
2013 La Spinetta Barolo Vigneto Garretti
Price: $72.00       Sale $63.36

Winemakers notes: Light red color, typical of Nebbiolo. The bouquet is firm with raspberry and cherry character, hints of lemon rind. Intense and rounded taste with a lovely juicy palate that holds blackberry and violet notes. It provides great complexity and depth with fine tannin structure.

La Spinetta Barbaresco Gallina 2012     
Price: $177.00    Sale $155.76

(93 Points) The 2012 Barbaresco Gallina Vürsù is a gorgeous expression that marches to the beat of its own drum (as do all of Giorgio Rivetti's fascinating wines). The wine delivers intensity, density and freshness in equal measure throughout its balanced presentation. The perfumed bouquet offers dark fruit and dried cherry with subtle touches of cinnamon and dark cola in a background role.  The Wine Advocate

                             
La Spinetta Barbaresco Starderi 2012   
Price: $177.00    Sale $155.76

Dense red with aromas of raspberry jam, wild flowers, spiced mint and cinnamon. Dark cherries, plums and raspberry are some of the many fruit notes that wrap around the palate in this fleshy, beautifully resonant Barbaresco. The 2012 Starderi is rich and ample, with terrific balance and plenty of class.
                                

La Spinetta Barbaresco Valeirano 2012               
Price: $177.00    Sale $155.76

Rose petal, bright red fruit and sage all this add nuance as this precise, classy Barbaresco shows off its tremendous appeal, layers of vibrancy through the mid-palate and finish leave a very lasting impression        

            
La Spinetta Barolo Campe 2012      
Price: $195.00    Sale $171.60

(94 Points) The 2012 Barolo Campè is tannic and imposing, with less near term appeal than is typically found here. Beams of tannin give the 2012 much of its shape and overall energy, but it is the translucence of the fruit that is the most unique signature. The stylistic shift that has taken place over the last few years is evident. Red raspberry, mint, rose petal, sweet tobacco and French oak meld into the deep, layered finish.  Vinous / Antonio Galloni

                                                                        
La Spinetta Moscato d’Asti Bricco Quaglia 2016              
Price: $21.50       Sale $18.92

Yellow color with green reflections. Sweet and sexy, dried apricots and crisp pineapple this wine surprises with its remarkable freshness and brilliant fruit flavors, bright acidity and a zingy finish drink young.

Menu
Tuna Crudo with white Truffle
Bone Marrow with white Truffle Risotto and Brioche Toast
Ricotta and Egg Ravioli with Kerry gold Butter and White Truffle

The fee for this tasting is $195 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.