This Thursday evening we are lucky enough to again welcome Davide Sada, patriarch and owner of Agricola Sada, and his son Alfonso here to host a five course wine dinner at Tomasso. If you’re one of the lucky guests attending you will get to spend an evening enjoying Tuscan fare and seriously good Tuscan wine. If you are not able to take part in the dinner, don’t worry, we are going to pour the same wines for this weekends tasting.

The Sada estate has been around for quite some time and is renowned for producing high quality olive oil. But this didn’t seem to satisfy Davide Sada and who could blame him? Olive Oil is the corner stone of any meal in Italy but then again so is good wine. In 2000 Davide embarked on his wine making adventure. He spent countless hours seeking out ideal locations for his vineyards in the Bolgheri and Maremma(the land of Super Tuscans) regions of Tuscany. Read the rest of this entry »

This week we are excited to share with you the wines of Mise Imports. Mise (pronounced meeze) Imports is a new company created and founded by our good friend David Mitchell. David has been selling wines to some of the best restaurants and wine retailers in and around the Boston area for over 10 years now. In addition to having an excellent palate, David also has an earnest philosophy, knowledge, and passion for wine. We first met David a few years back when he was working with Violette Imports of Cambridge, and we immediately recognized his sensibility for wine and how his approach to working with wine and offering it to people was very much in line with our own ideals. In David’s own words “Over time I have come to realize that the wines I love share 3 common elements, these are: natural farming, small production, and minimal interventions both in the vineyard and cellar. These elements are what make a wine real. Mise is dedicated to wines that have these important elements.” Over the last year-and-a- half David has been diligently working to create his own company and import wine from estates that he has discovered over the last decade, and now we get to enjoy the fruits of his labor. Here is a little detail on two of the wines we will feature for this week’s tasting. Read the rest of this entry »

This week it’s all about one grape: Pinot Noir. Pinot Noir is the backbone of some of the most compelling wines found and quite arguably the world’s most important grape. With the regions of Burgundy and Champagne to showcase Pinot Noir’s grace, influence, strength, and versatility, it seems as if this grape is predestined to create great wine. To further highlight the beauty of this varietal, we will showcase its many forms and expressions for this week’s tasting. Below are three estates that are working wonders with Pinot Noir.

Movia
The Movia winery was founded in 1700. In 1820 the Kristancic family purchased the estate. Today Ales Kristancic farms 37 acres of vines. His meticulous low-yield farming allows for the production of barely 6,000 cases of wine annually. Still Movia manages to cultivate plots of Ribolla, Tokaj, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Nero, Cabernet, Merlot, and Pinot Grigio. Ales’ mastery of this dynamic range of varietals is evident in each bottle, but it’s the Pinot Nero that we find most charming. To sum up the palate of this wine is somewhat difficult, but let us say this: it’s untamed, unusual, and unforgettable.
what we will taste: 2005 Movia Pinot Nero $50

Grosjean
Of the best producers in Valle d’Aoste is Grosjean, and this is amongst our favorites in all of Italy. Grosjean Feres is a small estate located high in the Alps that works magic with the challenging terrain and climate. The soils here are rocky and semi-fertile; the summers in Aoste are short and very hot. The rest of the year is cool to cold to very cold with a healthy amount of snowfall all of which aids in the creation of quality wine (vines love to struggle). These conditions help create wine that is very expressive without being aggressive or overbearing. Let’s talk specifics: a truly remarkable wine to start with is the 2010 Grosjean Pinot Noir ($29). This is a perfect example of how unusual yet fantastic the wines of Aoste can be. The nose is fragrant and smells of spice and rose, and the palate is well-layered and long and is reminiscent of Burgundy with its well-balanced notes of black tea, cassis, and raspberries (an incredible find for under $30).
what we will taste: 2010 Grosjean, Pinot Noir $29

Martilde
In Lombardy in the town of Rovascala resides the winery of Martilde. Martilde is the combined effort of husband and wife team Antonella Tacci and Raimondo Lombardi. The wines of Antonella and Raimondo are a perfect reflection of the rustic and charming countryside where they are produced and of the couple themselves. This past January I was able to visit with Antonella and Raimondo at their home atop the vineyards of Martilde. The visit was a reminder that any good (or even great) wine is an expression of the land and (maybe more important) the people behind them. All the wines are labeled with Antonella’s artwork, and all the artwork is of their beloved pets and family members. Once opened you can taste the generous and artistic nature of the people behind the wines they create. Martilde’s Pinot Nero, Nina, is a “young” Pinot Noir, which is not aged in barrique but spends only a few months in a barrel. It is bottled before the summer following its vintage. It is an easygoing but distinguished wine with a delicate bouquet.
what we will taste: 2010 Martilde, Nina Pinot Nero $19

We strongly urge you to come by the tasting table this weekend and explore the many delicious sides of Pinot Noir. We look forward to seeing you this weekend.

Cheers!
Fred Mullins

When faced with the choice of what to drink, the world’s wine geeks and connoisseurs alike have literally thousands of options – from the ancient and iconic wines of Europe to the younger wines of the New World. But does Massachusetts really ever make that list? With our cold winters and mild summers, New England is definitely a far cry from the Mediterranean or the valleys of California. The common opinion that Bay State wines are lifeless and lack quality is proven wrong with these lively vintages from Westport Rivers’ winemaker Bill Russell. This week’s four pack aims to show even the more experienced oenophile that New Englanders do not have to travel far for quality vino – it’s here, right in their backyard. Two unique bottles of bubbly, a crisp rosé meant for the summer, and the debut release of a juicy Pinot Noir are just a taste of what Westport Rivers has to offer. There is really no need to go into flowery prose to describe these wines; just know that they are good and worth every penny.

2000 Westport Rivers, “Blanc de Blancs” Ultra Brut, Westport, MA (chardonnay)

2006 Westport Rivers, “RJR” Westport Brut, Westport, MA (pinot noir /chardonnay)

2010 Westport Rivers, Pinot Noir Rosé, Westport, MA (pinot noir)

2010 Westport Rivers, Pinot Noir, Westport, MA (pinot noir)

Regular Retail Purchase Price (all four bottles): $113 The “Friday Four Pack” Price: $85

Many people do not realize that there is wine being made in Massachusetts. Or if they do, they assume that it must not be very good. Well we have what is arguably one of the best producers of sparkling wine in the States in Westport Rivers Winery. So for the tasting this week, we will be featuring the efforts and talents of this local winery: Westport Rivers of Westport, MA. I would like to say that we are careful to choose which wineries we work with. We focus first on quality, then value, and if the wine makes the grade we will purchase it because it’s good wine. This is where Westport Rivers comes into effect: they make very good wine at a fair price.

It may seem that our weather would be unsuitable for growing grapes, and while I’ll agree that New England climate is hard to get along with, it is similar to regions in Northern France and Italy. There are differences in our climate and soil from theirs, but that is what imparts each area’s characteristics (Terroir) to each region’s wine and allows for great diversity. Read the rest of this entry »

This year, green is growing around us faster than usual; the abundance of life and spring is at our doorstep and wishing to say “hello”. This week’s wines are synonymous with that abundance; their character, lush fruit, and rich tapestry of flavors make for some incredible wines.

The first bottle is the 2010 Villa Pillo Cingalino, a blend of Merlot and Cab Sauv; the 2010 vintage is wonderful; abounding with red fruit and possessing a rich mouthfeel, this wine is easy to drink, no matter the temperature.

Second is the 2010 Le Sciare Chardonnay. A beautiful little wine, this bottle emphasizes the wonderful white fruit that comes with Chard, when there is a deft hand making wine without relying on an overabundance of oak.

Next is the 2010 Fuso Barbera; this is a bottle full of good things. Red fruit and a nice balance of acidity and alcohol are its’ hallmarks; Like the Cingalino, this bottle’s character make it an excellent anytime wine.

Last is the 2010 Ottella Lugana. Made from a Trebbiano variant, the bottle is rich in flavor; the citrus character makes this bottle a great fit for seafood, pork, or just drinking on its own.

Cheers!

Jake Yerdon

2010 Villa Pillo, IGT Toscana Rosso “Cingalino”, Tuscany, Italy $14

2010 Cantine Due Palme, “Le Sciare” IGT Salento Chardonnay, Apulia, Italy $13

2010 Massa “Fuso” Barbera, Piedmont, Italy $16

2010 Ottella Trebbiano di Lugana DOC, Veneto, Italy $17

Regular Price: $60

Friday Four Pack: $50

Rosés are now in full bloom…“This early?”, one might question…well, yes: if you’re speaking about wine. This is a glorious time of year when all those fantastic rose/rosato wines start pouring in (pun intended). As the weather persists with warm sunny days that fade into cool nights, roses are a refreshing choice. Put to rest the notion of any link or similarity between white zin and rose. Rosés are not sweet flabby wines without charm; they are, however, vibrant food-friendly wines with broad appeal. Rosés can range in style from fresh and citrus-forward to lush and fuller-bodied wines with decent tannin. Serve with a light chill and pair with foods like citrus salads or seafood (think steamed mussels or freshly shucked oysters). They also work brilliantly with grilled meats and poultry like pork and chicken and (of course) they are fantastic with pizza. Another user- friendly quality that roses tend to offer is great affordability. Most really good roses come in under $15. If you’re still not convinced, keep reading. Read the rest of this entry »

Sicily is hot: literally and figuratively. Sicilian wines are ever more present on wine lists and shelves of wine shops worldwide. The wines coming out of Sicily are more diverse and expressive than ever before. Amongst the plethora of top notch talents and estates producing wines there are a few that make my “must haves from Sicily” list, and they are: Case Ibidini, COS, and Occhipinti. So for this week’s tasting, we will pour a wine from each of these producers to allow you to get better acquainted with their talents.

COS
Azienda Agricola COS was founded in 1980 by Giambattista Cilia, Giusto Occhipinti, and Cirino Strano: three friends who wanted to go over what had once been the work of their ancestors. The acronym of their surnames (Cilia-Occhipinti-Strano) gives rise to the name of the company (still a partnership). The company follows the principles of biodynamic viticulture to the vineyard to help find and keep the balance in harmony with nature so the wine can express the character of its soils. They use clay anforas for vinification and aging. Read the rest of this entry »