and more:
• Tour of Italy Samplers
• How You Can Help Victims of Katrina Today!

A Note and Special Request from Sergio

Certain wines demand the respect of time. This week I address drinkability and provide six-packs of Barolo, Brunello, and other Italians based on their status of ready-to-drink now versus those that need to mature. You can read more on this topic below and find out which recommendations are ideal for cellaring and which for immediate consumption.

My focus now is on a much more serious subject: Hurricane Katrina Relief.

No more than three weeks ago, I received a call from my business partner, Joe Bastianich, stating that Ruth Reichl was proposing to get a team of industry professionals together to develop a benefit for displaced restaurant workers of New Orleans. They wanted to know if I'd organize an auction at the dinner. There is always something to donate to and my charitable organizations budget is maxed out till 2007, but without hesitation I agreed. I immediately cancelled a planned trip to Barolo and started soliciting my friends and clients for donations.

As a lover of Italian culture I value all culture. The effects of Hurricane Katrina have been especially devastating to the Crescent City, which has long been recognized as a food and wine capital and one of America's most unique food cities. With approximately 10,700 food service establishments employing 200,000 hospitality workers, the hurricane left a staggering number without jobs or housing. In an effort to rebuild the city's food and wine culture, my team at IWM, in conjunction with a list of industry all-stars headlined by Emeril Lagasse, Mario Batali, Lidia Bastianich, Joseph Bastianich, Ruth Reichl of Gourmet Magazine, and Barbera Fairchild of Bon Appetit, have been tirelessly involved in putting together an event of significant proportions for October 11th. Our target is to raise $500,000 through sponsorships, generous donations, and an auction that includes vintage wines from Angelo Gaja and others, dinner at Nobu Fifty Seven and tickets to Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, an exclusive dinner prepared by both Emeril Lagasse and Mario Batali at IWM, a dinner at Per Se with $40,000 worth of wines, a preview dinner with Lidia and Joe Bastianich at Del Posto with 18 wines from 1961 to the 1990 vintage, a trip to California for a Bon Appetit wine weekend, a cruise in the Mediterranean with Cipriani Venice and Louis XV Monaco, and many other rare lots.

All lots will be auctioned off at both a live and silent auction on October 11th at Otto Restaurant, and the proceeds will go to benefit the New Orleans Hospitality Workers Disaster Relief Fund.

If you would like to participate in this auction, please read on below for details on how you may contribute, attend, or bid (absentee bidding welcomed) through either the live or silent auction.

Click here to download the auction catalog!

My best,
Sergio Esposito

Barolo Samplers

Approachable Six-Pack: Barolo
The approachable Barolo in this six-pack sampler provides a smooth introduction to this King of Wines. Perfect for the enthusiast eager to try new wines today, these bottlings are showing nicely now. Each one will help you understand how different elements contribute to the approachable drinking side of Barolo. A culmination of the ripe 2000 vintage conditions and a short maceration incorporated by both Conterno-Fantino and Abbona provide for rich and concentrated but forward-drinking Barolos, a departure from the usually reserved wines found in Monforte (see Barolo map). Further north in the Serralunga zone, Massolino’s single vineyard Margheria simply personifies the Serralunga style, with concrete structure and developed tertiary flavors. Even further north in Castiglione Falletto, Cascina Bongiovanni’s cru Barolo is made from select fruit left on the vines for several extra days after the regular Barolo is harvested for even greater concentration and approachability, especially in 2000. Continuing west to the La Morra township, the ripeness of 1997 vintage can still be found in more feminine style Barolo, while Corino’s modern approach in 1998 brings out more rounded fruit characteristics for this region.

Abbona 2000 Barolo ‘Pressenda’ $48.95
Massolino 1998 Barolo 'Margheria' $45.00
Conterno Fantino 2000 Barolo ‘Parussi’ $64.95
Bovio 1997 Barolo ‘Arborina’ $68.00
Corino 1998 Barolo ‘Arborina’ $58.95
Cascina Bongiovanni 2000 Barolo 'Pernanno' $52.95
Approachable Barolo Six-Pack (1 of each): $338.80*
Approachable Barolo Case Sampler (2 of each): $623.40*
*Free delivery in Manhattan

Cellar-Worthy Six-Pack: Barolo
While the wines above may provide instant gratification, collectors will appreciate the anticipation that comes with the careful cellaring that the bottles below deserve. Most of these cellar staples honor the classic style of Barolo, which creates great depth and complexity that reward patience. It is not uncommon to see enthusiasts uncorking the outstanding 2000 Barolo 'Falletto' from traditionalist Bruno Giacosa. The press loved it, Bruno endorsed it, but it is by no means intended for consumption now despite being a product of a ripe vintage. Time will soften the overwhelming tannins and bring them into harmony with the acidity, fruit, and other components of the wine. And just as a certain vineyard site and vintage character can create approachable wines like those above, other sites and vintages demand time and proper care over the long term. Even from typically modern producers like Clerico and Conterno-Fantino, which provide more approachable wines than Giacomo Conterno or Bartolo Mascarello, a quality Barolo from the 2001 vintage requires cellaring before it will truly reach approachability. All of the bottles below are favorites that have graced Sergio's cellar for years, showing yet again that IWM choices foreshadow what will later be known as the great wines of Italy!

Giacomo Conterno 2001 Barolo Cascina 'Francia' $89.80
Clerico 2001 Barolo 'Ciabot Mentin Ginestra' $64.95
Conterno Fantino 2001 Barolo ‘Vigna del Gris’ $89.95
Bruno Giacosa 2000 Barolo ‘Falletto’ $104.00
Bartolo Mascarello 2000 Barolo $89.00
Aldo Conterno 2001 Barolo 'Colonnello' $89.00
Cellar-Worthy Barolo Six-Pack (1 of each): $526.70*
Cellar-Worthy Barolo Case Sampler (2 of each): $1,024.77*
*Free delivery in Manhattan
**Please note that some of today's featured cellar-worthy wines are future arrivals.

Click for more Barolo from IWM!

Brunello Samplers

Like the winemaking region of Barolo, certain characteristics associated with Brunello can be broken down by zone or township. Brunello grown on a vineyard in the central west section of the Montalcino region at an altitude of 400 meters is more likely to yield structured wines of ageability than those at 190 meters in the southwest zone of this region which takes on more Maremma characteristics than Montalcino. This example here epitomizes the Brunello of Biondi-Santi, Pertimali Sassetti, Case Basse and Fattoria Barbi versus the Brunello of Argiano, Castello Banfi, and Col d’Orcia, with the later three typically providing more fruit upfront and less acidity than the preceding four. This is best represented by looking at a map of Montalcino.

Now add producer technique (maturation, fermentation, aging technique) to the vintage conditions and you get two completely different expressions from the same Sangiovese grape under the same label - Brunello di Montalcino.

All the wines below will provide for an ideal Brunello experience. Please take note that the highly anticipated 1999 Riserva from Il Palazzone has arrived. You should also take note that the 2000 vintage incurred a heat spike in the late summer months and as a result the some wines lack the acidity of previous vintages and will generally produce a softer wine, making them ideal for early consumption. Click here for more on the 2000 offering.

Approachable Six Pack: Brunello di Montalcino
Ciacci Piccolomini 1999 Brunello di Montalcino $56.00
Argiano 1999 Brunello di Montalcino $42.96
Nardi 1999 Brunello di Montalcino $49.50
Lisini 2000 Brunello di Montalcino $49.99
Tenuta La Fuga 1998 Brunello di Montalcino $59.00
Casanova di Neri 1999 Brunello $56.50
Approachable Brunello Six-Pack (1 of each): $313.95*
Approachable Brunello Case Sampler (2 of each): $592.54*
*Free delivery in Manhattan

Cellar Worthy Six-Pack: Brunello di Montalcino
Altesino 1999 Brunello Montesoli $82.50
Case Basse di Soldera 1999 Brunello di Montalcino $198.00
Il Palazzone 1999 Brunello Riserva $106.92
Livio Sassetti "Pertimali" 1999 Brunello Riserva $98.95
Pieve Santa Restituta 1999 Brunello 'Sugarille' $125.00
Il Poggiolo 1999 Brunello Beato $84.00
Approachable Brunello Six-Pack (1 of each): $695.37*
Approachable Brunello Case Sampler (2 of each): $1,377.30*
*Free delivery in Manhattan

Click for more Brunello di Montalcino from IWM!

Tour of Italy Samplers

Approachable Tour of Italy Six-Pack
Like the other approachable samplers featured here, this one comprises wines that will allow you to explore your palate today. It includes a medley of regions, varietals, and producer styles for the enthusiast interested in finding new (and often less famous) expressions of the fruit of the vine. All these wines personify big Italian reds but provide their own unique nuances to make each memorable.

From Campania, we provide a great example of Aglianico the “Nebbiolo of the South” from Castello Ducale which accents its dark fruit with notes of minerals and roasted meats. This is the perfect entry to Italy’s take on Syrah from her hottest region, Sicily and producer, Planeta. In Central Italy, we visit Le Marche’s signature wine and grape, Rosso Conero made from Montepulciano, from her most reliable producer Le Terrazze. Next, we travel on to Umbria where Riccardo Cotarella performs his magic with the Bordeaux trio. Heading north we finish in Piemonte, where Bovio scores with a declassified Barolo in his 2001 Nebbiolo Annuziata and Angelo Gaja takes the same noble varietal and incorporates it into his claret blend.

Castello Ducale 2001 Aglianico Contessa Ferrara $36.35
Bovio 2001 Nebbiolo 'Annunziata' $27.50
Le Terrazze 2002 Sassi Neri $43.73
Sportoletti 2001 Villa Fidelia $54.00
Gaja 2001 Sito Moresco $59.50
Planeta 2002 Syrah $36.95
Approachable Tour of Italy Six-Pack (1 of each): $258.03*
Approachable Tour of Italy Case Sampler (2 of each): $489.32*
*Free delivery in Manhattan

Cellar-Worthy Tour of Italy Six-Pack
Find out what deserves to be collected outside of Barolo and Brunello di Montalcino with this Tour of Italy sampler. From Barbaresco, the Queen to Barolo's King, to the quirky uber-natural Breg from iconoclast Josko Gravner, the wines in this sampler will stun even the experienced connoisseur as the wines are uncork over the years. Each one reveals a different side of winemaking and unveils a new piece of the land and character of Italy. It should be noted that even the ever approachable Valpolicella produced in the modern style demands cellar ageing to fully deliver its hedonistic pleasures. Be patient and these wines will reward. To explore the uniqueness of each of these wines through both the producer and the varietal(s) used, please click on the links provided below.

Bruno Giacosa 1999 Barbaresco 'Asili' $109.00
Romano dal Forno 2000 Valpolicella $97.50
Gaja - Ca' Marcanda 2001 Camarcanda $112.00
Gravner 1998 Breg $89.87
Imparato 2001 Montevetrano $79.00
Caprai 2001 Sagrantino 25 Anni $94.50
Cellar-Worthy Tour of Italy Six-Pack (1 of each): $581.87*
Cellar-Worthy Tour of Italy Case (2 of each): $1,149.36*
*Free delivery in Manhattan

Click for more wines from IWM!

How You Can Help Victims of Katrina Today!

HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Purchase a ticket at 212.674.2044 x16 to attend the live auction, submit a bid with the absentee bid form, or make a donation. For more information on the auction lots as well as event itself please click here.

EVENT SUMMARY:
Date & Time:
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
6:30pm: Cocktails, Hors d'Oeuvres & Silent Auction
7:30pm: Dinner & Dessert
9:00pm: Live Auction

Venue:
Otto Enoteca Pizzeria
1 Fifth Avenue (at 8th Street)

Event Goal:
To raise $500,000 to benefit hospitality and restaurant workers displaced by Hurricane Katrina, through:
- Corporate Sonsorship
- Ticket & Table Sales
- Silent & Live Auction

Foundation:
100% Tax Deductible donations to benefit The New Orleans Hospitality Workers Disaster Relief Fund, Established and administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation.

For more information:
www.hopeandhospitality.com

Ticket Price:
$1,000 Individual Tickets
$10,000 Tables of Ten
$15,000 Celebrity-Hosted Tables of Ten

Click Here for the Auction Catalog
Click Here for the Absentee Bid Form