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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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Toro Albalá Don PX Selección 200ml 1980

Toro Albalá Don PX Selección 200ml 1980

Pedro Ximénez | Spain, Montilla-Moriles

17% ABV. “The 1980 Don PX Selección is said to come from a warm and dry year that favored the raisining of the Pedro Ximénez grapes. This has lots of candied fruit and spice and combines the 17% alcohol with a whopping 340 grams of residual sugar. This aged in American oak butts until its bottling in September 2018. It surprised me with a complex and somewhat savory nose, reminiscent of bitter chocolate, licorice and roasted coffee, carob beans and black pepper. It's super concentrated, dens
$245
$235ea in any 3+
$225ea in any 6+
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Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore DOC MAGNUM 2019

Ornellaia Bolgheri Superiore DOC MAGNUM 2019

Bordeaux Blend | Bolgheri, Italy

Ornellaia is undoubtedly the refined lady of the estate. The reviews for the 2019 are full of superlatives. Hope to get a little of this in a glass soon.For a long time I was unconvinced wines made from French varieties made in Italy. One wine stands out as changing my mind, 1990 Ornellaia, thanks Lou!Beautifully balanced and poised it was poured at an open wine night where the only criterion was that it had to be bloody good!62% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot, 3% C
$1,272
$1252ea in any 3+
$1232ea in any 6+
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Domaine Hudelot-Noëllat 'Grand Cru' Richebourg 2021
The 2021 Richebourg Grand Cru is terrific, wafting from the glass with aromas of dark berries, cherries, orange zest, sweet spices, rose petals and licorice, followed by a full-bodied, rich and layered palate that's impressively muscular and multidimensional, built around ripe tannins and lively acids, and concluding with a long, expansive finish.William Kelley, The Wine Advocate 94-96 Points BH 94
$2,485
$2465ea in any 3+
$2445ea in any 6+
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Vietti Barbaresco 'Masseria' 2017

Vietti Barbaresco ‘Masseria’ 2017

Nebbiolo | Barbaresco, Italy

We've seen a lot more 2017 Barbaresco than Barolo, given they can be released 12 months earlier. I've been loving what I've seen thus far. They've been dynamic and full of energy.From Vietti: Ruby-red colour, with light garnet hues. Rich, powerful concentrated nose with hints of ripe fruit. Fresh and bodied on the palate. Notes of red and black fruits (strawberry, blueberry and blackberry). Well-integrated ripe soft and silky tannins. Particular almond note on the finish. It shows an overal
$198
$188ea in any 3+
$178ea in any 6+
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