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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Feeling Thirsty?

JM Sélèque Solessence MAGNUM (2018) NV

Champagne | Champagne, France

Brut Nature wines by default have nothing to hide behind so the fruit has to do the talking ... JM's is positively SHOUTING! Based on the 2018 vintage and disgorged in November 2020 with two grams per liter dosage, Sélèque's latest NV Extra Brut Solessence is showing very well, bursting with aromas of white flowers, pear, crisp stone fruits and almond paste. Medium to full-bodied, ample and fleshy, it's lively and saline, with a pillowy mousse and chalky grip on the finish.William Kelley
$219
$212ea in any 3+
$205ea in any 6+

Pyramid Valley North Canterbury Pinot Noir 2020

Pinot Noir | South Island, New Zealand

Showing much more freshness & red fruit profile than the atypical 2021, sits fine and velvety on the tannin profile. Long and even. Plush and refreshing. Gently spiced. Elegant flavourful. Harmonious and integrated. Layered complexity with eathiness and a well balanced stalk use adding intrigue. A lovely perfume dancing over the top.
$68
$65ea in any 3+
$62ea in any 6+
Here too there is moderate oak influence surrounding the aromas of poached pear, white flowers, crushed fennel and a lovely spicy quality. There is outstanding volume and density to the markedly powerful mineral-driven flavors that deliver excellent persistence on the youthfully austere finale. Pougets generally gives a relatively elegant CC but this version is muscular and while not exactly robust, it isn’t especially refined. Even so, I very much like this and in particular for its evident d
$762
$742ea in any 3+
$722ea in any 6+

Dönhoff Estate Riesling 2019

Riesling | Nahe, Germany

Wow! This takes refreshment to a new level! Lime fest with the zest! So many elements that you could choose to pull out, the pop of spice, hit of musk, the slatey phenolics, juicy acid, and multi-layered fruit. A superb, together Riesling. Dry and 11.5% making for a next-level thirst quencher. Great now, it will live for a long time, showing different personalities as it ages.If this what Dönnhoff have pulled off with the entry level gear, the top stuff is going to be insane.The Nahe re
$58
$55ea in any 3+
$52ea in any 6+