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Contrada

Italian for single vineyard. Each Contrada will have its own name.

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Italian for single vineyard. Each Contrada will have its own name. Plural = Contrade. Etna’s Contrade have certainly raised knowledge of the term. Each year a tasting, the Contrade dell’Etna, is held to taste the current releases from Etna. The term is used throughout Italy.

Contrade names you might have heard of from Etna: Rampante, Guardiola, Feudo di Mezzo, Acuria, Sciaronuova, Calderara, and Rivaggi. Moving north to Veneto, Gini’s top Soave is from the Contrada “Salverenza”.

 

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Vincent Dauvissat Chablis 1er Cru 'Montée de Tonnerre' 2021
Once again there is a whiff of the exotic on the lychee nut-inflected aromas of white peach, acacia blossom, oyster shell and lemongrass. The wonderfully sleek and refined medium-bodied flavors brim with both minerality and dry extract on the stony, moderately austere and sneaky long finale. I really like the gorgeous mouthfeel and this ageworthy effort is a stunner of a MdT. Drink 2033+Note: from a .30 ha parcel in Côte de BréchainAllen Meadows, Burghound 94 PointsThe seve
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Domaine Didier Dagueneau Buisson Renard Blanc VDF 2022

Domaine Didier Dagueneau Buisson Renard Blanc VDF 2022

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$395ea in any 3+
$375ea in any 6+
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Luigi Pira Barolo del Commune di Serralunga 2020

Luigi Pira Barolo del Commune di Serralunga 2020

Nebbiolo | Serralunga d'Alba, Barolo

I recall being impressed by Pira's 2018 Langhe Nebbiolo a couple of years on and the Barolo 'Commune di Serralunga' is impressing too! Openning in the glass with vibrant red fruits, tea, a little earthiness, slate, licorice and more. The layered density of the fruit with zippy acid has you salivating for more. The tannins are composed and front, mid-palate dominant, that slate comes through here to. Tight at the moment with 3-5 years it should fall into place, the juicy acid marry into the wine
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$126ea in any 3+
$121ea in any 6+
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Auguste Clape “Le Vin des Amis” 2021

Auguste Clape “Le Vin des Amis” 2021

Shiraz/Syrah | Rhône Valley, Cornas

Glimmering violet color. Mineral-accented dark berries and licorice on the pungent, incisive nose. Offers gently sweet blackberry, blueberry and bitter cherry flavors that show very good clarity and spicy lift. A floral note appears on the nicely tannic, persistent finish, which features resonating cherry and black pepper notes.Josh Raynolds, Vinous 90-91 PointsThe least expensive, but still ageworthy, wine is the Le Vin des Amis, a blend of young-vine Cornas and Syrah grown just sou
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$103ea in any 3+
$98ea in any 6+
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