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IWM
e-Letter: December 15, 2004
Sergio's Year in Review |
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| In
this Issue:
• Reflecting
on 2004
• Brunello: A Year in Review
• Barolo: A Year in Review
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and
more:
• Toscana
IGT and Super Tuscans
• 2004 Favorites from Tasting Events
• Holiday Gift Section
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Reflecting
on 2004
For
enthusiasts of Italian wine, the past 12
months have been tremendous. We have seen
the rewards of exceptional growing conditions
that have graced both Piemonte and Toscana
in the latter part of the nineties as well
as the second coming of antique and indigenous
varietals like Lagrein, Aglianico, Fiano,
and others. IWM has responded by extending
services to include a unique wine tasting
experience through Passport:
IWM’s
Patron Wine Club and by constructing an
on-premise, private Vintage
Tasting Room lined with old wines dating back to 1959,
including gems from Mascarello, Gaja, Quintarelli,
Giacomo
Conterno, Tenuta
San Guido, Sandrone,
Aldo
Conterno, Ornellaia, Antinori, and
more. These wines can be fully experienced
with your own in-house sommelier in this
unique space with up to four guests.
We recognize the positive energy around
Barolo 2000 and Brunello 1999, which the
press has reacted so strongly to, but we
are cautious to back what appears in print.
These areas require critical selection based
on palate preference and buying objectives,
as there is much misleading information on
many of these valuable wines. In addition,
there is much to discover and learn as we
have shown through Sergio's
weekly e-Letter over the course of the year.
Today, we list highlights
from 2004's Weekly e-Letters in the areas
of Brunello and Barolo
as well as Super Tuscans and other IWM favorites
from around the Boot. These wines are available
for gifts by the bottle or in recommended
six packs or cases that can still be delivered
by December 25th. To order these recommended
wines, please contact our Portfolio
Managers at 212.473.2323 or use IWM’s Fax Order
Form by clicking on the appropriate links
below!
Click
to view Gift Ideas for the Holidays!
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Brunello:
A Year in Review
The press has brought a lot of attention
to the 1999 vintage, often misleading consumers.
This is an exceptional vintage that should
have produced exceptional wines of ripeness
and richness. However, many of the wines
do not offer the full character potential
of Brunello and are offered at a price that
does not respect the consumer. Therefore,
careful selection in this area is critical;
in addition there are many more irregular
styles of Brunello - which Sergio screens
out in his selection.
IWM strongly recommends discussing Brunello
di Montalcino with our Portfolio
Managers to help you make the right investment for
your palate and buying objectives. Here is
a list of exceptional Brunellos that have
been featured over the past year, produced
by estates and artisans that give us exceptional
wines even in off vintages.
Solaria 1999 Brunello di Montalcino $54.00
Talenti 1999 Brunello di Montalcino $54.95
Ciacci
Piccolomini 1999 Brunello di Montalcino
$56.00
Cerbaiona 1999 Brunello di Montalcino $94.70
Santa
Restituta 1999 Brunello di Montalcino
$125.00
Soldera 1999 Case Basse Brunello di Montalcino
$198.00
IWM Brunello Six Pack (6): $582.65*
IWM Brunello Case (12): $1,147.70*
*Free delivery in Manhattan
Click
here for more of Sergio's recommended
Brunello!
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Barolo: A Year
in Review
This year IWM has featured Barolos ranging from
the long-cellared 1964 Bartolo
Mascarello to
the collectible 1998 Gaja Conteisa and the ready-to-drink
2000 Famiglia
Anselma. Like the 1999 vintage
in Brunello, the 2000 Barolo vintage has received
a lot of attention in the media. This ripe vintage
has critics raving as many of the wines are accessible
now. But to understand Barolo is to understand
patience, tertiary flavors, and, most importantly,
that 2000 is just one of six vintages (1996-2001)
that have created a range of magical wines.
Unlike many merchants, IWM carries an extensive
line-up of these vintages. That is why we have
offered much more than just the 2000 vintage
over the past twelve months. We offer a deep
understanding of the producer, the style, the
vintage, and the age-ability of each wine, which
allows us to guide you to informed selections.
Here are some highlights featured over the past
year.
Famiglia
Anselma 2000 Barolo $44.95
Clerico 2000 Barolo Pajana $64.95
Scavino 2000 Barolo Bric del Fiasc $87.00
Aldo
Conterno 2000 Barolo Colonnello $89.00
Giacosa 2000 Barolo Falletto Serralunga $104.00
Sandrone 2000 Barolo Cannubi Boschis $129.00
IWM Barolo Six Pack (6): $518.90*
IWM Barolo Case (12): $1,016.37*
*Free delivery in Manhattan
Click
here for more of Sergio's recommended Barolo!
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Toscana IGT
and Super Tuscans
Featured highlights in
the Super Tuscan or Toscana IGT category
include an emphasis on single varietal
wines, from the Merlot-based Masseto, Messorio,
and Redigaffi to the 100% Sangiovese-based
Flaccianello, Fontalloro, and Petrucci.
Blends we have featured include Ornellaia and Solaia, which have lived up to the
reputations built up around them.
Other featured claret blends
produced exciting results, led by Castello
dei Rampolla’s
Sammarco (Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese),
Tua
Rita’s Giusto di Notri (Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc), Le
Macchiole’s
Paleo Rosso (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet
Franc) and Scrio (Syrah), Ca
Marcanda’s
Magari (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot), and
Podere
Forte’s Guardavigna (Sangiovese,
with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit
Verdot) – a wine to cellar from a producer
worth watching.
Fattoria
di Felsina 2000 Fontalloro $43.07
Tenuta
Fontodi 2001 Flaccianello $59.00
Tua
Rita 2002 Giusto di Notri $79.69
Tenuta
dell'Ornellaia 2001 Ornellaia $125.00
Antinori 2001 Solaia $150.00
Le
Macchiole 2000 Messorio $249.69
IWM Super Tuscan Six Pack (6): $721.36*
IWM Super Tuscan Case (12): $1,426.39*
*Free delivery in Manhattan
Click
for more recent offers from IWM!
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2004
Favorites from Tasting Events
Over
the course of the year, several hundred guests
have tasted
wines at IWM’s Studio
del Gusto and Vintage
Room Tasting Events. We have accumulated these
reactions, in addition to our own, so that we
may share wines that show well at tastings with
others. Note, these are wines outside of Barolo,
Brunello, and Super Tuscans, which have been
featured above.
Highlights from these tasting
include wines made from partially dried grapes,
including the
classic of the Veneto, Quintarelli’s Amarone,
as well as Sandro Fay’s Sforzato from Lombardia
and the infused Valpolicella Ca del Merlo (which
is another IWM favorite from Quintarelli made
through the ripasso method). Recent selections
also include the elegant Hofstatter Pinot Noir
from Alto Adige, the barrique aged Barbera from
Coppo, and the big red favorite from Sardegna,
Argiolas' Turriga. These wines will impress easily.
Hofstatter 1999 Pinot Noir Barthenau $54.72
Argiolas 1999 Turriga $59.50
Coppo 2000 Pomorosso $59.95
Quintarelli 1997 Ca del Merlo $65.00
Sandro Fay 2001 Sforzato Ronco del Picchio $65.45
Quintarelli 1995 Amarone $265.00
IWM Favorites Six Pack (6): $569.62*
IWM Favorites Case (12): $1,139.24*
*Free delivery in Manhattan
Click
here for more IWM favorites!
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