and more:
• Exploratory Tasting Case
• Exploration Wine Club
• Vintage Babbo with IWM

A Note from Sergio

In the past weeks I have featured the rare wines of Gaja, Quintarelli, Fiorano, Aldo Conterno, and today Soldera. If you have purchased these wines chances are they will join a collection of bottles that go untagged without any indication as to when they will be best for consumption. As a collection builds there is an even more likely chance you will lose track of what is even in your collection, whether it is 50 bottles or 5,000.

I’ve seen this happen to hundreds of enthusiasts. After a few years of collecting it is common not to know the strengths from the weaknesses of your collection and where you should be buying to create the optimal balance of wines for everyday consumption, entertaining, investment and rare occasions. The idea of buying sounds enjoyable – but, organizing, managing and having a well-tailored buying strategy becomes labor intensive. The advent of cellar management software promised to alleviate this, but has neglected the preference of the individual palate and casts away the human factor of wine.

I am pleased to announce IWM’s Cellar Management Solutions - open to collectors and beginners alike.

An integrated Portfolio Manager will catalogue, organize and then analyze your wines and chart out your collection by region, drink-ability, value, and vintage with consideration to your palate. The results, examined in conjunction with IWM's in-house enologist, may surprise you. A classic example might be, you prefer the wines of Paulliac, but 70% of your Bordeaux is from the Medoc and Graves and the remaining 30% from Paulliac won't be ready for consumption for another 5 – 10 years. You want Barolo with the ability to age 15 years, but 80% of your Barolos are from La Morra and the 1997 vintage which is showing now. You have Billecart-Salmon 1996, but you don’t have sparkling wines for the upcoming summer months. We can show you how to save money by not committing the mistakes often made by impulse buying and drinking from an unorganized cellar.

Our focus has always been to provide our clients with the most quality oriented wines of Italy. Our Complete Wine Cellar Service along with our Portfolio Management System offers more quality assured solutions to your collecting needs no matter what wines you have in your collection or in your sights.

Continue reading below to learn about IWM's new cellar management solution, Soldera's 1999 Brunello Riserva, upcoming wine seminars, and exploring Italy. Should you have additional questions, please contact our Portfolio Managers at 212.473.2323.

All the best...Sergio

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Cellar Management Solutions

COMPLETE WINE CELLAR SERVICE
Each collector has a different taste in wine as well as different objectives in starting and managing a wine collection. IWM's Complete Wine Cellar Service handles the specific needs of each collection through the personalized services listed below.

Whether you’re having trouble locating bottles, tracking inventory, determining the value of your collection or evaluating drink-ability, IWM can help tailor a solution.

GETTING STARTED
IWM has created a fast, convenient online questionnaire that pinpoints the crucial aspects of cellar organization and management. Click to get started!

PHASE I - EVALUATE & ORGANIZE COLLECTION
An IWM Portfolio Manager will come to your house to take inventory and discuss your ideas and goals. We will create a spreadsheet organizing your wines by type, country/region, and drinkability that will yield useful bottle tags and a hermeneutic profile of your cellar.

PHASE II - ANALYZE COLLECTION
From the spreadsheet, IWM will develop informative charts showing the distribution of your wines and revealing undeveloped areas of your cellar. Our Portfolio Managers will help you determine drink dates for the wines and appraise their market value.

PHASE III - STRATEGIES & RECOMMENDATIONS FROM
AN IN-HOUSE ENOLOGIST
Based on your goals as well as on the strengths and weaknesses of your cellar, IWM's consulting enologist will help you determine your short and long term needs. He will help you ascertain what wines to buy and when, generate a timetable for unreleased vintages, and rebuild your collection by deciding which wines to keep, sell, consume, and add.

PHASE IV - ONGOING MAINTENTANCE
IWM will manage your ongoing maintenance, updating your spreadsheet as appropriate and providing a digital view of your cellar with a dedicated account. Our Portfolio Managers will carefully follow the development of your cellar, helping you adjust your goals as your cellar develops and changes.

Click here for IWM's Cellar Management Questionnaire!

Soldera's 1999 Brunello Riserva

There are certain wines that are staples for the wine cellar. From Barolo it includes the 1996 Monfortino, from Bolgheri it is 2001 Masseto (if you can get it), in Montalcino it is 1999 Soldera Riserva. These are wines of patience and demand age - the reason for a wine cellar.

Simply put, Gianfranco Soldera is Brunello’s Master! His tiny Case Basse estate is a cult favorite for its powerful, rustic, long-ageing Brunellos. His eccentric winemaking techniques produce exceptional wines even in the poorest of vintages. The vineyards are small, to permit manual cultivation and a short grape harvest; the vines are pruned short in the winter, with another green pruning during the growing season; grape-thinning and limited leaf-stripping in the autumn provide more light for the grape clusters and excellent fruit ripening. In the cellar his practice resembles that of the great traditionalist Bruno Giacosa; he still ages his wine in large oak barrels from Slavonia. Combine his limited production with a devoted following of worshippers, and this wine will be the most sought-after Brunello from this historic vintage.

A whole different view of Brunello, impeccably balanced. The color is a deep garnet with brilliant highlights. An exotic nose of red fruit, sweet spice, minerals, and licorice are ever evolving and explode on the palate. Full-bodied, superb concentration with layers of elegance. Each taste shows more personality and discovery.

Soldera 1999 ‘Case Basse’ Riserva $247.50 (750ml)
Soldera 1999 ‘Case Basse’ $198.00 (750ml)
Soldera 1998 ‘Case Basse’ Riserva $198.00 (750ml)
Soldera 1997 ‘Case Basse’ Riserva $299.00 (750ml)
Soldera 1985 ‘Case Basse’ $390.00 (750ml)

Click for more Recent Offers from IWM!

Exploratory Tasting Case

Lamborghini 2001 Campoleone (Umbria)
Umbria's cult wine from the retired car mogul. Made from Merlot and Sangiovese, the distinguished nose carries through to the palate with notes of saddle leather, smoke, figs, and plums. The voluptuously-rich wine culminates with an explosive finish.

Fontodi 2000 Chianti Vigna del Sorbo (Toscana)
A monumental achievement in Chianti Reserva! A nose of licorice, minerals, and tar. Plums and berries fill the palate. Spicy, dense, and moderately tannic.

Le Terrazze 2002 Sassi Neri (Le Marche)
100% rustic Montepulciano d'Abruzzo. Intense, persistent; black currants and dried flowers with a hint of vanilla. Warm, well structured and fresh with a long finish.

Le Boncie 2000 Chianti Classico Le Trame (Toscana)
Flavors of wild cherry, bay leaf and a touch of leather compose the palate of this lively wine. Well-extracted tannins and good acidity make for a classy, integrated package.

Ciacci 2001 Fabius (Toscana)
Simply put: massive. Voluptuous, thick, and complicated, this Syrah is low in quantity and high in demand. Cassis, bramble, smoked game, and spice.

Colterenzio 2000 Legrein Cornell (Alto-Adige)
The Lagrein variety, which is native to Alto Adige, gives dense, dark wines full of bittersweet fruit.

Damijan 2001 Prelit Rosso (Friuli)
Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Dark forest fruit, fresh herbs, and anise. Big and plush with bright young tannins.

Peter Dipoli 2001 Iugum (Alto-Adige)
A blend of Cabernet and Merlot. Modern and slick. Silky and long.

Fubbiano 2000 Cru San Gennaro (Toscana)
Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Ciliegiolo. Ruby red. Round, with intense sensations of red berries.

Ceuso 2000 Custera (Sicilia)
Nero d’Avola (50%) provides the body and distinct Sicilian personality; Cabernet Sauvignon (30%) offers richness; and Merlot (20%) adds a voluptuous softness.

Torre Quarto 2002 Bottacia Uva di Troia (Puglia)
From Castel del Monte, this rare indigenous Puglian delight is bursting with deeply fruit-driven aromas supported by powerful tannins.

Villa Carafa 2001 Lacryma Christi (Campania)
Perhaps the most mythical of all wine folklore is that of "Christ's tears," or Lacryma Christi. The three grapes varietals that make up this wine, Aglianico, Sciascinoso, and Piedirosso, all come from the volcanic soil on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius near the ancient city of Pompeii.

Click for IWM's Featured Producers!

Exploration Wine Club

The novice looking to discover quality Italian wine will find the perfect match in IWM’s Monthly Wine Club: Exploration Passport. Whether for Dad on Father’s Day or a special treat for yourself, this is a distinct learning experience that will expand the mind and palate. Each month you will receive three bottles representing the many faces of Italian wine, demonstrating tradition and innovation from every region and with an especial focus on unique indigenous varietals. Accompanying the monthly selections are producer and tasting notes on each wine, providing historic background and a guide that will help develop your own observations.

Includes:
- Three Wines per Month
- Prices Well Below Market Value
- Producer /Tasting Notes
- Vino Italiano
- Six Brunello Wine Glasses

Pricing Options:
3-Month Program: $354.00
6-Month Program: $624.00
12-Month Program: $1,164.00

Click here to register for the Exploration Passport!

Vintage Babbo with IWM

IWM is pleased to announce our partnering effort with Babbo to bring vintage Italian wine to the enthusiast. Vintage Babbo is a new wine seminar and tasting series held at our sister restaurant. Presented by Joe Bastianich and Dave Lynch, these Monday evening events are open to the public and feature rare wine selections as well as a tasting menu designed specially by Mario Batali. The tastings are meditations on the history and evolution of Italian wine and present the opportunity to taste the rare, the classic, and the difficult-to-find gems of the Boot - with food that magnifies the enjoyment of each sip!

Brunello di Montalcino 1990
May 23rd, $395 per person
Here we are again with another stellar lineup of ‘90s, this time all hailing from Montalcino in Tuscany. For collectors looking for incredible wines to drink now, 1990 is a vintage not just for immediate gratification but, as these wines will illustrate, for great drinking for years to come. Join us for a Tuscan feast to complement great 1990 Brunellos from an all-star lineup of Montalcino producers. The event includes a tasting menus designed specially by Mario Batali to complement these Tuscan gems.

Italy Takes on the World, Part “Deux”:Taking on the French
June 20th, $495 per person
The last time we had Italy take on the world, we didn’t actually put the Italians up against their vaunted international competition. For this tasting, we’ll break Babbo house rules and allow in some great reds from Bordeaux, Burgundy, and elsewhere. How does cru Barolo stack up against cru Burgundy? How about a Bordeaux-style super-Tuscan versus actual Bordeaux? And for that matter, how does Mario tackle a Frenchified theme like this? Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind event!

HOW TO RESERVE
Contact Caroline Marshall at 917.715.3599 and specify which tasting you would like to attend.

Click for more on IWM Tasting Events!