TO TASTE ALONGSIDE THIS DELICIOUS WINE, GET THE LA ZERBA GAVI DI TASSAROLO DOCG BIO, 2023 LOT 5206, PAGE 26.
Gavi wine, made with a refreshing and citrus-scented Cortese grape, is a much respected and enjoyed white from Piedmont – where reds rule – but it’s not really famous for its ability to age. Mildly aromatic and usually made in unoaked style, it is typically enjoyed within a couple of years of the vintage, and there are very few mature examples around to prove otherwise. However, here is our chance to see what a well-made wine is capable of. Seven years on, we have an opportunity to see for ourselves what happens to a good Gavi as it ages – at its producer’s facilities no less, rather than an intriguing but chancy item on a wine list, or a dusty bin-end bottle. It is certainly a rare occasion, and even at this age the wine needs no excuses. To make it a further interesting proposition: there also is a current vintage of the same wine in the catalogue (Lot 5206, page 26) to not only provide you with the goal posts of starting and destination points but to also offer a preview into the development of the young wine, should someone be inclined to lay it down in their cellar.
This is a Gavi with several years of bottle ageing, not often seen on a market, a special offer from the winery. It shows a light lemon-yellow appearance and medium-intensity, mature and complex aromatic profile with dried marigolds and camomile, dried starfruit and yellow plum, pickled lemon, goldenrod pollen and honey; then, lemon oil and wax with air. The palate is dry with medium acidity, medium extract, a soft texture, medium body and lovely length and intensity of dried flowers and fruit-flavour spectrum: yellow plum, yellow apple, starfruit, pickled lemon and honey, closing with a medium finish. 2025-2026–ir
By Michael Lutzmann and Greg Rinehart, Opimian Managing Directors
Last year, when we were in Piedmont to meet our producers and visit prospective ones, we were hosted by Ida and Livio at La Zerba . While touring through the vineyard and compact production facility, we noticed a small number of cases tucked away in a corner of the climate-controlled cellar. "What's that?" asked Greg. "Oh, just some 2017 Gavi waiting for the right moment. It will be perfect in a year or two." came the answer. We bought it all! Treat yourself to a wine that you simply won't find anywhere else on the planet at a price that even we couldn't believe. It's the featured wine on page 4. The 2023 vintage is also available this year on page 26. If you get both, you can taste the progression yourself.
New to Opimian, you can now discover the remarkable wines of the tiny production - fewer than 15,000 bottles a year - of Azienda Agricola Vigin . This winemaking family has discovered a way to make Barbaresco comparable to no other. That earned it a Coups de Coeur accolade from our Masters of Wine.
Wine connoisseurs around the world have always known that Alto Adige in northern Italy was something special. Well, now the rest of world is catching on. You have a front-row seat with the wines of Kellerei Meran Affordable and world-class, these wines are made to express the unique terroir of this 'German-Italian' wine region. Read about why it's so special on page 8.
Now on to the wines of Sardinia made by returning partner Dorgali . Yet another emerging hotspot whose wines are wonderfully approachable and priced to please. Not to be confused with Corsica and Sicily, when this gorgeous island is fully discovered, you'll be paying more.
Mention the name Nicodemi in wine circles, and heads turn. We are so proud that Elena and Alessandro chose Opimian to be their sole Canadian distributor. As leaders in a storied and respected region like Montepulciano, they take the native fruit to very lofty heights. Be prepared to fall in love.
Two more to mention here and then you're on your own to explore this exciting Cellar. The wines of Sorrentino are from grapes grown on the famous Mount Vesuvius. The unique and delicious experience that began with the volcanic soils cannot be compared and elicited very high scores from the MW's.
By now, Cabutto needs no introduction. The street to Barolo is literally named after the Cabutto brothers. Add the Barolo to your cellar for sure but also join Founders Choice to get their Nebbiolo from a foudre (think of it as a giant barrel) that we snagged before they knew how good it was going to be.
Happy reading and sipping!
Michael & Greg
Let yourself be inspired by Opimian’s Masters of Wine. Our custom chart features a list of symbols to help guide your selection. Still unsure which wines to order? Contact us!
There are three ways to order. The last day to order for each Cellar Offering can be found listed on the cover. No orders will be processed after this time.
The wines featured on this Cellar Offering are still at the producers’ wineries when you order them, so it is normal that the process takes a bit of time and effort on our side.
Release dates are dependent upon actual arrival dates, distance from port of entry to liquor board and processing time required by each liquor board.
Once the wine arrives at your local liquor store or distribution centre, you will receive a Pick-up Notice with the specified date (the Release Date) and your pick-up location. Let us handle the rest.
British Columbia and Ontario members, your wine will be delivered to your door.
Toronto-based Igor Ryjenkov MW was the first in Canada to earn the prestigious Master of Wine credential in 2003. His wine business expertise has been informed by 24 year in the Ontario trade, first in retail, then in key buying positions, and lastly, in projects, most notably, developing the new 5-dot wine style matrix. Igor is one of Opimian’s Masters of Wines.
Jacky Blisson MW is an independent wine educator, writer, and consultant with over two decades of experience in all facets of the global wine trade. She is the first Master of Wine in Québec and one of only ten across Canada.
By Igor Ryjenkov, MW
Alto Adige is a cool spot, in all the senses of the word. Landlocked in the north of Italy, the province sits atop of the country and nearly atop the world, thanks to its proximity to and its share of the Alps. All this makes its climate one of the coolest in the country. It is also a bit more of an outlier –all parts of Italy are different from each other and the rest of the country, but Alto Adige is a bit more different than all the rest.
Its other name is not an English translation of its Italian one but a reference to its heritage, location and history – Sud Tyrol, German for “South Tyrol”. Already populated even before Egypt’s pyramids were built, it was under Rhaetians’ and Romans’ influence between 400BC and 5thC AD, still seen today in Ladin, the third official local language, spoken in a couple of valleys. It became a part of Habsburg Empire in 1363 and was annexed by Italy only in 1919, post WWI. So, it had been Austrian for much longer (about 550 years) than it has been Italian. Along with Ladin, Italian and German coexist today as the other main official languages.
The Alps define the climate, the topography and the agriculture of the region – it has a Mediterranean climate in the valleys, but cool alpine climate in the foothills. It enjoys a lot of sun hours and just enough precipitation. The arable land is scarce and the best plots are given over to the most prized crops – like apple trees on the valley floors that can be mistaken for vines from a distance.
The grapes are planted on the slopes and in the foothills where little else can be cultivated. Viticulture was practiced here as early as 5C BC. Alto Adige is one of the smallest wine producing regions in Italy: it has only 5,700 ha planted with 20 different varieties, 5,000 grape growing operations but 98% of the region’s wine are of DOC level. Given the number of small-holders that would otherwise struggle to make ends meet on their own, co-ops play a big role here and are responsible for 70% of all wine production. The quality of the co-ops’ output is very high, with many wines receiving awards and glowing reviews. Because the labor and farmland are more expensive here than in other parts of the country – mountains, again – the wine prices are usually higher even for an entry level, but the wine quality is also pretty high across the board.
The wine color split skews towards whites - 65% of the production. The signature grapes are Pinot Grigio (12% of planted area), Traminer Aromatico, aka Gewurztraminer (11%), Chardonnay (10.6%), Sauvignon Blanc (8.2%), Muller-Thurgau, Kerner and Riesling. The whites tend to have pure, crystalline expressions, refreshing acidity, but with a nice weight and fully developed aromatic profiles. For the most part, fruit character retention is at the fore of the winemaking decisions, with only an occasional barrel use for an ambitious Chardonnay.
Reds are based on local Lagrein (9%) and Vernatsch/Schiava (8%), along with Pinot Noir (10%), Merlot and Cabs. Their styles – cool climate, sometimes alpine reds. Pinot here is quite promising, if at almost Burgundian prices. The Cabs and Merlot ripen well in the valleys. Largein and Schiava grapes, usually unoaked, are responsible for lighter, summer-time geared reds, that in the past were hard to explain to consumers – not dear but not cheap either, they tend to have good acidity, lighter body and uncomplicated fruit, which was antithetic to the preferred styles of the day until recently. However, now this is the very style that the markets are shifting towards and everyone is trying to emulate. These wines are really best understood not only in the context of where they are from, but also of the regional cuisine.
Like the region itself, the food tradition here is a cocktail of Italian, Germanic and Alpine influences – rich dairy from the cows pastured on the Alpine meadows, cheeses, cured meats, rich, cream-enforced dishes to warm and nourish you in the winter and on the cool summer nights. Among the region’s specialties are speck, apples, apricot dumplings, spätzle, alpine herbs, local grey Alpine cattle and sheep. The local reds are tailor-made for this spread, cutting through the richness of the food, and yet light and refreshing enough to work well in the sun-drenched summer days. Served chilled on the mid-summer afternoon puts these wine in their element and the brightness these wines can add to the plate of charcuterie is super refreshing.
Alto Adige is arguably lesser known abroad than the rest of Italy and its main wine- making regions. Partly this is due to its smaller production. Partly, it is probably because of a “step-brother” syndrome until recently, with its one foot firmly in Germanic tradition. Partly, because it was not one of the key sources of diaspora during late 19th and early 20th centuries, certainly not of Italian diaspora, so it did not have a ready market in the New World. Also, it does not quite have an emblematic wine or grape to anchor its storyline to, like Nebbiolo, Chianti or Amarone. But on the flip side, all of that makes it a very cool, under-the-radar part of Italy to discover and explore. Cool in all the senses of the word.
The land ownership in Alto Adige, Italy’s most northern province, is quite fractionalized and as a result the wine cooperatives play a large role here. This is not the only spot on the wine map where that is the case, but few other places can boast about the quality credentials of their leading co-ops. One such winery is Merano Kellerei, based in the eponymous historic spa town. A result of a 2010 merger of two co-ops, the older of which dates to 1901, today it counts 360 growers among its members.
The grapes from their two main zones – the milder sub-alpine/Mediterranean conditions of Merano and the more extreme alpine climes of the Vinschgau area – impart to their wines varietal purity and high-altitude clarity and freshness. Many of them regularly feature in the top ranks of prominent Italian and European wine guides, like Falstaff and Gambero Rosso.
Gewürztraminer
It’s highly likely that Alto Adige is this grape name's origin. Cold-macerated prefermentation for 12 hours for a greater aromatics extraction. A light lemon-yellow hue. It leads with high-intensity aromas of rosewater, linden blossom and ginger cake – really lovely. It is dry on the palate offering medium acidity, medium-plus extract, a soft texture, medium-plus body and a nice length with a coating, fragrant fruit presence of linden, rosewater, ginger cake and aloe notes tailing off on a long finish. Very pretty: textbook Gewürz with a nice acidity. 2025-2026–ir
SCAN HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MERANO KELLEREI
5163 FESTIVAL PINOT GRIGIO, ALTO ADIGE DOC, 2023
A light lemon-yellow robe here. The nose has medium-plus intensity aromas of oil, pasta dough, chalk and a hint of yellow apple and aloe. Dry with medium-plus acidity palate shows medium-plus extract, a soft texture, medium body and lovely length and persistence of pickled lemon, yellow apple, aloe, pasta dough and chalky flavours, and a medium-plus finish. Not Alsatian, stylistically, but not run-of-the-mill Italian either. Quite big with presence and class. 2025-2026 –ir
5164 FESTIVAL MERANER, ALTO ADIGE DOC, 2023
Schiava
46 $ 276
Both the grape responsible for this light red and the wine itself are somewhat a local specialty. From 20- to 40-year-old vines. A medium-plus deep ruby color in the glass. The nose features medium-intensity notes of plum cheesecake, gingerbread, oil, dough and chicory root. It is dry with medium acidity, medium-minus extract, light medium-textured tannins and mediumminus body with elements of red plum, chicory root, gingerbread, dough and pink grapefruit preceding a medium finish. A nice summer red, lightly chilled with a cold antipasti and salumi plate. 2025-2026 –ir
Plum cheesecake, gingerbread, oil, dough and chicory root
Red plum, chicory root, gingerbread, dough and pink grapefruit
Antipasti e salumi
Jacky: My tastes have definitely changed over time. I was attracted to ripe, rich, heady wines early on. Today, I much prefer a lighter, fresher wine style. I am always looking for vivid flavours, balanced freshness, and notable depth and texture on the palate.
Igor: I love French classics, find German off-dry style absolutely delicious, respect and admire Italian key sources and styles, then there are Portugal, Greece, Spain – the list goes on. Not just limited to those, but I appreciate an authenticity, a story-telling ability, a balance, a harmony and especially, the rarest of all, an effortless grace in the glass. PLEASE KEEP YOUR CREDIT CARD INFORMATION UP-TO-DATE
YOUR SELECTION OF WINE AND SPIRIT ON PAGE 41!
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Producer Tastings Coming to a City Near You!
These events are a chance to taste last year’s vintage of a range of wines in the current cellar. Each tasting will focus on several producers and may include special guests!
Wine Tasting & Movie Night with Meldville Wines Winemaker
September 18, 2024 - Elora, ON
Join us for a winemaker tasting and screening the classic British comedy, Withnail and I, with Winemaker and owner of Meldville Wines, Derek Barnett.
An Exclusive Evening with Te Mata Estate New Zealand's finest wines
October 2024 - Midwest
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THIS CELLAR'S FAVOURITE WINES BY OUR MASTERS OF WINE
Ah, Sicily! Rolling hills and towering volcanic mountains, olive groves, citrus trees and vineyards as far as the eye can see. This incredibly fertile Mediterranean island, just off the toe of Italy’s boot, is home to a whopping 96,000 hectares of vineyards of which more than 30% are certified organic. Growing conditions vary widely from the cool climate heights of Mount Etna, with
its volcanic soils, to the hot, arid hills and coastal limestone, marl-rich areas tempered by regular sea breezes. Originally best known for its fortified Marsala, Sicily is now equally revered for its crisp, fresh whites from native grapes like Catarratto, Grillo, and Carricante and its range of local reds from fresh, elegant Nerello Mascalese or Frappato, to bolder Nero d’Avola.
Nero d’Avola is the most widely planted red variety in Sicily, prized for its bold character and bright acidity. This medium-bodied, quaffable red is a good introduction to the grape: spicy red and dark fruit flavours are lifted by lively acidity on the palate. Finishes dry with subtly chalky tannins. 2025-2028 –jb
FAMILIAR LABEL FAVOURITE GRAPE BEST SELLER
Organic viticulture, sustainability, vegan friendly: these are just a few of the watchwords for the team at The Wine People. The group specializes in five Italian wine regions: Veneto, Abruzzo, Puglia, Sicily and Tuscany. They work closely with growing partners in each of these areas to offer great value wines that represent the typicity of their local grapes and terroirs.
SCAN HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE WINE PEOPLE
$ 34 $ 204 $ 24 $ 144
Confusingly, the term “Extra Dry” in sparkling wines refers to bubblies with a subtle sweetness. This does not make the wines taste overly sweet but rather gives it a riper fruit character and a rounder finish. The Dea del Mare Prosecco is great for everyday celebrations with its smooth bubbles, exuberant orchard fruit notes and soft finish. 2025 (Drink now) –jb
A classic Sicilian blend of native white grapes Catarratto, Inzolia and Grecanico. This is the sort of uncomplicated, refreshing white to drink on a terrace, soaking up the sun. Lithe and lifted on the palate, with pleasant citrussy, herbal notes and a dry, taut finish. 2025-2026 –jb
Enjoy as an aperitivo on a sunny, warm
$ 27 $ 162
The ubiquitous Pinot Grigio grape takes on a forward, fruity charm under the Sicilian sun. This unoaked 2023 vintage from Colpasso is bursting with orchard fruit and citrussy aromas, backed by a supple, lightweight palate. Light and fresh with earthy hints on the finish. 2025-2027–jb
Fiano is one of the most ancient Italian white wine grape varieties. Some experts suggest that the earliest plantings date to Greek antiquity. The grape produces aromatic white wines and is mainly found in hot, southerly regions like Campania and Sicily. The Colpasso has a heady, lush profile with nutty, herbal and tropical fruit nuances. Drink now. 2025-2026 –jb
$ 24 $ 144
The Fedele Rosso is a blend of Sicily’s major red variety, Nero d’Avola, with Syrah and Merlot. Among international varieties, Syrah is particularly well suited to Sicily’s climate and is the island’s fourth most planted grape. This organic red wine offers an array of black and blue fruit against a taut, medium-bodied frame. Slightly chewy tannins mark the finish. Pair with summer barbeques. 2025-2026 –jb
red &
Veal Marsala
Cerasuolo di Vittoria, located in southeastern Sicily, is the island’s only Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG): the highest quality designation for an Italian vineyard area. The warm, sunny climate, moderating sea breezes and the fine clay-limestone soils here combine to produce vivid Nero d’Avola and Frappato blends. This 2022 cuvée is amply proportioned and lifted by very juicy, tangy plum and berry fruit. Overall, a finely structured, persistent and very harmonious red. 2025-2032–jb
Appassimento refers to the process of partially drying wine grapes before fermentation. This causes water to evaporate, concentrating grape sugars and flavours. This youthful 2023 cuvée is dense and brooding, with oaked aromas over ripe dark fruit. The palate is firm with bright red and dark fruit, underscored by savoury notes. Bold tannins frame the finish. 2025-2029 –jb
Tangy red and dark fruit,
Pasta Bolognese
Giovanna Cortese is described as a “formidable matriarch.” In an era when women were rarely afforded leadership roles in wineries, Cortese ably managed her estate until she sold it in 2016. New owners Stefano and Marina Girelli carry on her legacy, respecting the terroirs of Vittoria and the greater Ragusa region by growing grapes according to organic and sustainable-certified principles.
SCAN HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT CORTESE
5184
CORTESE NOSTRU FRAPPATO TERRE SICILIANE IGP
5185
The Frappato grape, when vinified as a single-variety wine, is prized for its freshness, pure-fruited aromas and light body. The “Nostru” cuvée from Cortese is a great example with its open-knit structure, juicy red fruit, floral tones and supple tannins. A pleasant, lighter red wine to serve chilled. 2025-2028 –jb
CORTESE SABUCI CERASUOLO DI VITTORIA CLASSICO DOCG ORGANIC WINE, 2022
Nero d'Avola, Frappato
The “Sabuci” 2022 is quite a firm, weighty style of Cerasuolo di Vittoria from the most historic Classico part of the appellation. Complex aromas and flavours of ripe, dark fruit mingle with hints of olive, exotic spice and layers of oak-derived toasted notes. Very youthful and fresh at present with bold, sinewy tannins. Great moderate-term ageing potential. Best with a few years’ additional cellaring. 2026-2035 –jb
al forno with
5186
A great opportunity to compare two refreshing white wines from Sicily, made from signature native grapes Catarratto and Carricante. The first is lighter and more fruit-driven for aperitivi, while the second has an earthier, more structured appeal that makes it a true food wine. EXPAND YOUR WHITE WINE HORIZON
CORTESE NOSTRU CATARRATTO LUCIDO TERRE SICILIANE IGP ORGANIC WINE, 2023
Catarratto Lucido
Lucido is an increasingly prized clone of Catarratto, Sicily’s most popular grape. This easy-drinking white wine is immediately enjoyable with its uncomplicated ripe fruit and floral aromas. The palate is mediumbodied, smooth and rounded with pleasantly crisp acidity. 2025-2027–jb
CORTESE NOSTRU CATARRATO LUCIDO/CARRICANTE CASE3 BOTTLES EACH:
CORTESE NOSTRU CARRICANTE TERRE SICILIANE IGP ORGANIC WINE, 2023
Carricante
The Carricante grapes for this lively white wine are grown at 400 metres above sea level. The higher elevation here, coupled with limestone-rich soils, give zesty acidity and mineral-laced aromas. A bold yet broadly proportioned wine with exuberant fruit and refreshing herbal bitters that lift and lengthen the finish. 2025-2029–jb
Pear, fresh herbs, tea leaf, lemon
Sardinia is located due south of Corsica, some 200 kilometres off the western coast of mainland Italy. Successive waves of Roman, Vandal, Byzantine, Arab, Spanish and Austrian rulers left the island with a truly unique culture, reflected in its art and architecture, as well as the Sardo language. This is a rugged territory with granite and schist mountains dominating the landscape; pasture lands for sheep and
goats, fruit trees, olive groves and vineyards share the arable land. Despite the benevolent Mediterranean climate – and range of soils from granite, limestone and sandstone to mineral-rich clays and freedraining sands and gravels – Sardinia’s total vineyard size is far smaller than Sicily. Major grapes include Cannonau (a.k.a. Grenache) and Vermentino.
$ 30 $ 180 $ 30 $ 180
Crisp, mineral Vermentino wines are one of Sardinia’s great strengths. The Calaluna 2023 vintage is a definite crowd pleaser with its rounded, supple character, bright fruit and balanced freshness. Enticing citrussy, mineral, herbal aromas give way to riper, more overly fruity flavours on the palate. Unoaked and very easy drinking. 2025-2028 –jb
The Tunila cuvée has an immediate charm with its pretty red fruit and floral aromas. On the palate, the fruit takes on a more intense, baked quality underscored by spicy flavours. A fresh, full-bodied red with a creamy textured mid palate, tapering to firm tannins. Best served slightly chilled to temper the warming finish. 2025-2028 –jb
Abruzzo is something of a diamond in the rough among Italy’s numerous wine-producing regions. Located on the Adriatic coast, due east of Rome, Abruzzo is a highly mountainous area – home to the Apennine Mountains’ highest peak. Montepulciano is the major grape variety here (not to be confused with the “Vino Nobile de Montepulciano” wine region in Tuscany). This red cultivar produces textural, earthy wines with dark fruit, bright acidity and fine tannins. Fattoria Nicodemi is one of Abruzzo’s finest wine producers. Their organically-farmed estate sits in the prized Colline Teramane DOCG appellation, just 10 kilometres from the Adriatic coast. Sea breezes cool the vineyards at night, prolonging the growing season for optimal ripening.
SCAN HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT NICODEMI
5194
NOTÀRI COLLINE TERAMANE MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO DOCG, 2021
$ 56 $ 336
The Notàri vineyards sit at 300 metres above sea level on ideally oriented southeast-facing slopes. The vines are over 40 years old, yielding small quantities of concentrated, richly flavoured fruit. This 2021 vintage was one of my favourite wines from the tasting, with its complex hightoned aromas, its chiselled structure and elegant tannins. A very fine, age-worthy example of Montepulciano. 2025-2035 –jb
5195
LE MURATE COLLINE TERAMANE TREBBIANO D'ABRUZZO DOC SUPERIORE, 2023
Trebbiano
Trebbiano d’Abruzzo is perhaps the most esteemed “member” of the Trebbiano family of white wine grapes. In the clay-limestone soils around Teramane, it gives a broad, earthy expression with tangy, citrussy fruit. Quite weighty on the palate with a clean, smooth, dry profile and lingering bitters. 2026-2032–jb
5196
TERRANA MONTEPULCIANO D'ABRUZZO DOC, 2023
The “Terrana” cuvée is produced from the estate’s younger vines. This is an earlier drinking, unoaked style of Montepulciano with intense blueberry and blackberry fruit, with tempting chocolatey notes on the palate. Very refreshing and bright with fine tannins and a dry, precise finish. 2025-2029 –jb
Blackcurrant, blueberry, plum violet
Dark fruit, dark chocolate
Grilled sausages, peppers and onions
5197
DOCG, 2022
Le Murate is one of the estate’s older vineyard sectors in the Teramo hills with vines trained on overhanging pergolas as well as more recent, trellised plantings. The 2022 vintage is quite a brooding, densely woven red wine with layers of earthy, savoury flavours underlying its dark fruit. It needs a couple of years to soften but should be worth the wait. 2026-2034 –jb
5188
5189
DEA DEL MARE CATARRATTO PINOT GRIGIO TERRE SICILIANE IGP, 2023
Catarratto, Pinot Grigio
$ 20 $ 240 $ 20 $ 240
An affordable, unoaked white wine blend from Sicilian native grape Catarratto and global favourite Pinot Grigio. This is a good weeknight white wine with its low alcohol, light body and lively acidity. An easy choice to sip while preparing supper or chatting with friends. 2025-2026 –jb
Lemon, apple, earthy
Lemon, peach, melon, apple [4.80]
For sipping while preparing supper
DEA DEL MARE PINOT GRIGIO TERRE SICILIANE IGP, 2023
The Dea Del Mare Pinot Grigio is a light, quaffing wine with a pleasantly silky texture. While the nose is discreet, the flavours really shine ranging from zesty citrus notes to tart green apple, and finally to riper stone fruit. Finishes smooth and dry. A nice everyday, low-alcohol option. 2025-2026 –jb
PERENNIAL MEMBERS' FAVOURITE
DEA DEL MARE WINES WITH A MODERN LABEL!
Montepulciano
$ 20 $ 240
Montepulciano d’Abruzzo is a broad-ranging appellation that can offer everything from great-value pizza wines to premium, cellaring reds. This cuvée is firmly in the first camp but offers a lot of enjoyment. It is very straightforward with an abundance of dark fruit and a pleasantly fleshy frame. Brisk acidity and subtly chalky tannins bookend the palate, bringing a nice balance overall. 2025-2028 –jb
TO SAVOUR ANY DAY OF THE WEEK
Piedmont’s DOCG-tier Dogliani appellation is dedicated to the Dolcetto grape. This deeply coloured, moderately tannic red variety is native to northwestern Italy. The Mito 2023 vintage is youthful and fragrant, with pleasant herbal notes mingling with its tangy fruit. This is a good value red with fine regional and varietal typicity. 2025-2028 –jb $ 23 $ 276
Lees, metallic/steely, chives, aloe, pasta dough, floral, yellow plum
$ 44 $ 264
and jicama salad with mango
From 20-year-old Cortese vines from south- and southwest-facing plots. It has a pale platinum yellow color, and medium-intensity yet subtle fruit on the nose: lees, slightly metallic/steely, chives, aloe, pasta dough, faintly floral with yellow plum at first, more so with air. Dry with medium-plus acidity and a soft texture, the palate shows medium extract and body, a lovely length and an attractive fruit intensity with floral/daisy notes, aloe, pasta dough, yellow plum and lemon with pith flavours appearing before a mediumplus finish. 2025-2028 – ir
Lombardy is the north-central, well-industrialized province of Italy with Milan as its centre. It is also another distinct wine-making region with Franciacorta and Valtellina as probably the most recognizable names, yet with a number of historic and quality-focused DOCs and zones, often based on local grapes. The Lugana area, south of Lake Garda in the eastern part of the region, relies on Turbiana (a.k.a. Trebbiano di Lugana), a grape more related to Verdicchio than other Trebbiano varieties but a stand-alone cultivar with its own unique identity. Nunzio Ghiraldi, the grandfather of the current owner and also Nunzio, bought the property in the Lugana sub-zone Sirmione in 1953. Today, this family winery makes wine from 35 hectares of their own vineyards, ranging between 15 and 60 years of age and tended to with an integrated viticulture approach and focus on modern expression of the essence of the soil and the grape of their home.
5198 IL GRUCCIONE LUGANA DOC NUNZIO GHIRALDI, 2023
Trebbiano di Lugana
It has a light lemon-yellow hue and a medium-plus intensity of nasturtium, pasta dough, fresh field cucumber, dill and chives aromas. The palate is near-dry and shows medium acidity, medium-plus extract, a soft-plus texture, medium-plus body and lovely length and fruit intensity with pasta dough, yellow flowers, cucumber, dill, chives and oil components, and a medium-plus finish. Mostly savoury. 2025-2026 – ir
Nasturtium,
Pan-fried whitefish with a vegetable sauce
5165 VESUVIO 'A RENA NERA VESUVIO BIANCO DOC, 2023
John Szabo, MS and author of “Volcanic Wine: Salt, Grit and Power,” is a recognized expert on volcanic wines. He defines them as originating from vineyard soils formed from volcanic parent material. These soils can form in a variety of manners, from slow flowing lava and the expulsion of rock fragments from a volcano’s vent to settling ash, and so forth. Though they can have many different properties, volcanic soils tend to be mineralrich with good drainage – and are thought to give a certain brightness and minerality to wines. Famous examples include the pumice, lapilli, and windblown volcanic ash of Mount Etna and the prized tufo (compacted volcanic ash) in parts of Campania.
In the shadows of the ancient Mount Vesuvius, this Campanian vineyard grows the centuries-old, near-forgotten cultivars of Coda di Volpe and Caprettone. The blend is weighty, ripe and overtly fruity with layers of spice and refreshing herbal hints. Finishes with markedly refreshing acidity. Best decanted and served with food. 2025-2029 –jb
5166 VESUVIO 'A RENA NERA VESUVIO ROSSO DOC, 2023
Piedirosso, Aglianico
Piedirosso means “red feet” in Italian. The name refers to the three branches and red colour of the grape’s stem. This ancient Campanian grape is blended with the more prevalent local grape, Aglianico, in this bold, taut red wine that is refreshing with a firm structure and herbal bitters. Its earthy rusticity may not appeal to all but should please lovers of dry, savoury red wines looking to step off the beaten track. 2025-2032–jb
plum,
Tart red and dark fruit, cloves, dried herbs
Grilled portobello mushrooms with herb stuffing
5199 EUDES MILLEOTTOCENTOQUARANTA ETNA ROSSO DOC, 2020
Nerello Mascalese, Nerello Cappucio
Top Etna Rosso wines are often described as a cross between the finesse of Pinot Noir and the structure of Nebbiolo. This is certainly the case here, with aromatic notes of both varieties. Vivid and highly compelling with pure fruit flavours, huge concentration, soaring freshness and a sinewy, finegrained profile. An organic red grown at over 700 metres altitude from venerable, 120-year-old vines. 2025-2035 –jb
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Piedmont, located in northwest Italy, is one of the country’s most revered and diverse winemaking regions. Its vineyards span over 55,000 hectares of land, with prominent appellations like Barolo and Barbaresco producing iconic Nebbiolo wines known for their power and aging potential. Barbera and Dolcetto thrive here, offering approachable reds, while the crisp,
light Cortese grape excels in Gavi. Piedmont is also home to the sparkling powerhouse wine region, Asti, with its popular offdry, softly effervescent wines. Piedmont benefits from a continental climate, moderated by the Alps and Apennines, and varied soils such as calcareous marl, clay and sandstone, contributing to the unique character of its wines.
The 2020 vintage Tenuta La Volta Barolo is an incredibly powerful, dense and fullthrottle red wine. Its aromatic range is seemingly limitless, with wave after wave of earthy, tangy fruited, herbal, floral and savoury nuances. The palate is equally impressive with its very precise, lifted acidity, concentrated core and grippy tannins: a masterful example of Barolo that requires a little patience to reach its lofty peak. 2030-2045 –jb
The Cabutto family have been making wine in the Langhe hills for almost 100 years. Their estate, Tenuta La Volta, is in the highly regarded Barolo sub-region, Castiglione Falletto. This limestone-rich area makes particularly long-lived, high-toned Nebbiolo. The estate ages their wines in traditional, large format Slavonian oak barrels to preserve their purity and terroir expression.
5167 VIGIN MY RUBY BARBERA D'ALBA DOC, 2023
Based in the village of Treiso, in Barbaresco, and in Viglino family hands since 1947, Agri Vigin and company did not make wine until 2002: it was Davide, the grandson of the founder and the graduate of the wine school in Alba, who changed that. The wines come from the 70% of the six hectares the company owns that are planted to vines, and while they make a range of other strong small-lot crafted red and white wines, the crown jewels of the range are their Barbaresco offerings.
A very deep ruby, opaque appearance followed by medium-intensity aromas of cream, red plum, wild strawberry preserve, toffee/chocolate chip cookie, ink and chokeberry; a ripe pomegranate emerges with some air. Next comes the palate: dry, with medium acidity, medium extract, medium fine soft-textured tannins, medium body and nice length and fruit of wild strawberry preserve, red plum, toffee and chokeberry flavours fading with a medium finish. 2025-2027– ir
5168
VIGIN BARBARESCO CASE, COTTÀ AND MONTERSINO3 BOTTLES EACH
$ 77 $ 462
THE WINES FROM THIS TINY VINEYARD HAVE CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF YOUR MW'S.
Here we have two single-vineyard expressions of a site-sensitive Nebbiolo grape from the same successful, age-worthy yet approachable vintage from two of the three key Barbaresco villages. The soil differences are less pronounced in Barbaresco – it is a much smaller zone than Barolo – but the wines from Nieve are found to be tannic and powerful and those from Treiso village, responsible for only 20% of the area production, are lighter and have more finesse coming from higher elevations. This is your chance to judge for yourself.
Nebbiolo
A single cru from the village of Nieve. This has a deep ruby core with a garnet rim. The nose offers medium-intensity aromas of red cherry reduction, tar, tea, rose and black raspberry with stalk – quite an attractive set. The palate is dry with a medium build: acidity, extract, fine-textured tannins and body, complemented by a lovely length and a persistent intensity of black cherry reduction and compote, cherry pit, fleshy red plum, tar and black raspberry with stalk flavours; in other words, a really fleshy fruit all the way through along with a mediumplus finish. 2025-2030 – ir
This single vineyard is located near the village of Treiso. A deep ruby appearance with a garnet rim. It shows mediumintensity aromas in the glass – a hint of camphor, black cherry, red plum, dried leaf, wild strawberries, ripe pomegranate skins and arils, and mint. Dry with a mediumminus acidity, the palate has a medium extract, medium medium-textured tannins, medium body and a nice length and fruit. It peels open, with a darker fruit here: black cherry, blue plum, pomegranate, roasted fennel and dried mint, closing with a medium finish. 2025-2028 – ir
cherry reduction, tar, tea, rose, black raspberry with stalk
Black cherry reduction and compote, cherry pit, fleshy red plum, tar, black raspberry with stalk
Wild mushroom and sausage penne rigate
Parmigiano Reggiano
The Langhe DOC was created in 1994. It covers a vast stretch of hillside vineyards, primarily in the province of Alba but also in neighbouring Asti. The goal of the appellation was to raise the quality levels of well-situated vineyards previously sold as “vino da tavola” (table wines) in the areas surrounding famous appellations like Barolo and Barbaresco. In recent times, the Langhe DOC has been synonymous with highquality, affordable alternatives to these toptier vineyards. Nebbiolo, Barbera and Dolcetto are the appellation’s major grape. The nearby Alps and Tanaro River moderate the climate, allowing for a long growing season lasting well into the fall.
5202
This is textbook Nebbiolo with its signature tar and roses perfume, its full body and marked tannins. The level of complexity and grip is on par with Barolo – for a fraction of the price. This was another personal coup de coeur from the tasting. Best with a few years’ additional bottle ageing. If you can’t wait, decant! 2027-2040 –jb
5203 TERRA LANGHE DOC DOLCETTO, 2023
Dolcetto
The Terra Langhe Dolcetto boasts such a pretty floral fragrance that it is worth taking some time to simply enjoy its aromas before knocking back your glass. This is the kind of wine to serve chilled to enhance the juicy, dark fruit and brisk acidity. Finishes with ripe, chalky tannins. Drinking well now. 2025-2030–jb
Barbera is the most planted red grape in Piedmont. It produces unabashedly fresh, fruity, full-bodied red wines with moderate tannins; they are a great counterpoint to Nebbiolo’s more grippy, powerful profile. This youthful cuvée has well-delineated red and black fruit flavours, with a full-bodied yet quite lithe and energetic character. Smooth and well balanced. 2025-2030 –jb
Noi Vignaioli Piemontesi, established in 1977, is a large combine of a company: it unites 38 coops and 400 small estates, in total responsible for a third of Piedmont’s vineyard area and wine output. It provides a vast range of technical, legal, promotional and other services to its members and other wine and agribusinesses, with a separate branch dedicated to production of flagship regional DOC/DOCG expressions under its own label.
5169
From the core of the historic production area, 30% of the wine was aged in small Allier barrels, with the rest spending some time in larger casks. The wine shows a very deep, opaque ruby robe, and medium-intensity aromas of woodsy/mastic notes, hickory, smoke, black plum, dried blueberries and black olive. The palate is dry, has a medium acidity, a medium extract, medium finetextured tannins, a medium body, and attractive presence and persistence of dried blueberries, black plum, black olive, tar and smoke flavors, and a medium finish. Stays quite tart on the finish. 2025-2026 –ir
blueberries,
PRODUCER FOR THIS CELLAR
5173
NOI VIGNAIOLI PIEMONTESI
PIEMONTE DOC ROSATO, 2023
Barbera and other Piedmontese varietals
$ 30 $ 180
Beetroot, red plum with skins and pit, cranberry, grapefruit and watermelon
Beetroot, pink grapefruit, cranberry and watermelon
Summer salad with watermelon, arugula and feta
A medium ruby rose here. The nose shows medium-intensity elements of beetroot, red plum with skins and pit, cranberry, grapefruit and watermelon. The palate is dry, has a medium acidity, a medium extract, a medium texture, a medium body and attractive fruit and length with flavors of beetroot, pink grapefruit, cranberry and watermelon and a medium finish. A pretty flavorful rose. 2024-2026 – ir
5170
LANGHE: A LESSER KNOWN DOC BUT EXCELLENT QUALITY NONETHELESS 12.5%
NOI VIGNAIOLI PIEMONTESI
LANGHE DOC NEBBIOLO, 2023
Nebbiolo
$ 52 $ 312
A deep ruby hue in the glass. A mediumintensity aromatic signature on the nose with pomegranate, fresh batter, sugared red plum, tart cherry and mint notes. Dry, the palate offers medium-plus acidity, medium extract, medium fine mediumtextured tannins, medium body and nice length and fruit – pomegranate, tart cherry, mint, sugared red plum – along with a medium, warm and slightly tart finish. A nice introduction to the charms of Nebbiolo. 2025-2027– ir
Pomegranate, fresh batter, sugared red plum, tart cherry and mint
Pomegranate, tart cherry, mint, sugared red plum
Rigatoni alla salsiccia
5171
The wine shows a deep ruby garnet color and medium-intensity aromas of red fruit: cherry, red plum, pomegranate skins and arils, and rosehip. Dry with medium acidity, it has a medium-sized frame –extract, medium-textured tannins and body – wrapped with a lovely length and fruit intensity of red cherry, red plum, pomegranate and mint flavours preceding a medium finish. 2025-2027– ir
5172 NOI VIGNAIOLI PIEMONTESI BAROLO DOCG, 2019
A deep ruby garnet robe here. We find welltyped medium-intensity aromas on the nose: tar, black cherries, smoke, toffee, roasted fennel and mint. The palate is dry, has medium acidity, medium extract, medium fine-textured tannins, medium body, and nice presence and intensity with flavours of tar, hint of smoke, toffee, cherry, rosehip, pomegranate, roasted fennel and mint, and a medium finish. 2025-2027– ir
and mint
Tar, smoke, toffee, cherry, rosehip, pomegranate, roasted fennel and mint
Roast lamb shoulder with rosemary and garlic
Cultivate your curiosity while building a balanced cellar.
Cellar Up! has been designed to offer you the full Opimian experience. A mix of classics and must-haves, sprinkled with new products and unique tasting experiences.
Impress your friends by serving this lesserknown variety when the party calls for a heavy red. You'll be amazed by the depth of flavour.
PIEMONTE
ROSATO, 2023, LOT 5173, P37
At a recent event, we put out the white, red and rosé for the Members to choose from. Before we knew it, the rosé needed replenishing. This charmer is a great way to add this style to your cellar.
FESTIVAL GEWÜRZTRAMINER, ALTO ADIGE DOC, 2023, LOT 5162, P8
Your MW describes the palate of this fabulous wine as 'very pretty' and the food pairing is 'hot buttered popcorn with truffle salt'. How can you go wrong?
DOCG, LOT 5194, P22
Many of your fellow Members are collectors of Montepulciano wines. This one is going into their cellars for immediate drinking and aging for up to 10 years. Start your collection today!
2020, LOT 5200, P31 $ 1370
Good things come to those who wait. Put this world-class wine down for five years and you will be rewarded with the best that Barolo has to offer. This is what Wine Clubbing is all about!
At the time of your order, the wines are still with the producers. Orders are placed directly with our independent winemakers, who carefully bottle your wines and prepare your cases.
C320
NEW ZEALAND, AUSTRALIA, BOURGOGNE & FRANCE
Opens: October 22, 2024
Last day to order: November 25, 2024
Expected release: Spring 2025
C321
SOUTH AFRICA, TUSCANY, VENETO, AND SICILY
Opens: November 26, 2024
Last day to order: January 6, 2025
Expected release: Summer 2025
C322
ARGENTINA, CHILE, ALSACE & LANGUEDOC
Opens: January ,7 2025
Last day to order: February 10, 2025
Expected release: Summer 2025
C323
THE RHÔNE VALLEY AND CHAMPAGNE
Opens: February 18, 2025
Last day to order: March 24, 2025
Expected release: Fall 2025
C324
SPAIN
Opens: March 25, 2025
Last day to order: April 28, 2025
Expected release: Fall 2025
C325
BORDEAUX, BERGERAC, BEAUJOLAIS, AND AUSTRIA
Opens: April 29, 2025
Last day to order: June 2, 2025
Expected release: Spring 2026
C326
ITALY AND GERMANY
Opens: June 3, 2025
Last day to order: July 7, 2025
Expected release: Spring 2026
C327
LANGUEDOC-ROUSSILLON, LOIRE, PROVENCE & CORSICA
Opens: July 8, 2025
Last day to order: August 11, 2025
Expected release: Spring 2026
C328
CALIFORNIA, PORTUGAL, AND BORDEAUX
Opens: August 12, 2025
Last day to order: September 15, 2025
Expected release: Spring 2026
C329
PIEMONTE, SICILY, & CANADA
Opens: September 16, 2025
Last day to order: October 20, 2025
Expected release: Spring 2026
Expected release dates and regions may change without warning.
3678
Chardonnay
Pearl Morissette is one of Niagara’s star wineries, a favourite with sommeliers across the country. This Chardonnay is a real stand out for me. Neither Burgundian nor New World in style, Pearl Morissette has carved out a style all their own. Racy, precise and very focused with high, crystalline acidity, earthy, savoury flavours and lingering mineral brightness. (Don’t be put off by the cloudy appearance.) 2025-2035 –jb
4664
PEARL MORISSETTE FURIE RED BLEND, VQA
Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc
Vegetable-pistachio terrine
Ambient yeast, no new oak and extended lees contact make this quite unlike most Bordeaux blends you’ve encountered, so it is best to approach it as advertised – a red blend. Stylistic choices aside, it is still clearly a quality wine. It has a deep opaque ruby appearance, the nose offering mediumintensity aromas: a balsamic element, notes of tomato leaf/tomatillo, sour black plum, chokeberry, wood spice/clove, a touch of game, bell-pepper stew and pickling spices appear with some air. On the dry palate, it shows a medium-plus acidity and a medium-plus frame: extract, super-fine powdery tannins and body, a nice length and intensity with replays and echoes of the aromas – dark fruit, balsamic notes, graphite, earth/beet juice, game and tomato, and a long finish. An introvert for sure, it has a poise, a breed and a persistence. 2025-2028 – ir
1110
Whisky
Balsamic, tomato leaf/tomatillo, sour black plum, chokeberry, clove, game, bell pepper stew and pickling spices
Dark fruit, balsamic notes, graphite, earth/beet juice, game and tomato
Grilled bone-in ribeye with blue cheese
A nice medium-amber pour. The nose shows medium-intensity notes of vanilla, honey, butterscotch, dried fig, pear eaux-de-vie, bitter chocolate, rancio, fusil oils and smoke. The palate opens with a soft attack and a nice glycerol presence warming up slowly over time, is light to medium in weight, developing nicely into elements of honey, dried fig, poached yellow plum/ pear and smoke, and then exiting with a warm, long butterscotch finish with a low-key coffee/chocolate wafer afterglow – ir
Vanilla, honey, butterscotch, dried fig, Poire Williams, bitter chocolate, rancio, fusil oils and smoke
Honey, dried fig, poached yellow plum/ pear and smoke
Warm long butterscotch finish, with a coffee/chocolate wafer afterglow
Meldville wines are the brainchild of Derek Barnett, a British ex-pat and a decades-long presence on the Ontario wine scene. Meldville, launched in 2015 and named after Barnett’s childhood home, is a virtual operation. No vineyards or buildings on its capital-expenses sheet mean that the savings are passed onto the customer and allow the winemaker a flexibility of sourcing, plus a near-complete freedomof-expression of one’s vision. And Derek certainly has some ideas to express, given his track-record: a self-taught vintner with an “Ontario Winemaker of the Year” award in the early 2000s and “Wine Person of the Year” recognition in 2015, he made wines for the highly respected Southbrook Farms and the original Lailey Vineyards. His expertise is put to good use today by several other Ontario wineries. Meldville is a small-batch, limitededition range with a very light winemaker’s touch gently steering the wine to its optimal expression.
PLEASE SCAN TO LEARN MORE ABOUT MELDVILLE WINES
5208 MELDVILLE BARREL SELECT CHARDONNAY, VQA LINCOLN LAKESHORE, 2022
Chardonnay
This wine was barrel-fermented and then rested for 19 months in 3rd fill French barrels. It has a medium lemon-yellow hue. The nose offers a medium-intensity multifacetted aromatic set of custard, cream, vanilla, smoke, yellow plum preserve, (a bit sharpish, acetic), golden raisins, yellow pear, lemonade powder and caramel. Dry, the palate has a low to medium acidity, medium-plus extract, medium texture and medium-plus body with nice length and intensity of custard, crème brulée, hazelnut milk, smoke, pear and yellow-plum preserve flavours, a cushy/fleshy presence on the palate, and a medium-plus finish. 2025-2028 – ir
5209
MELDVILLE SAUVIGNON BLANC SPARKLING WINE, VQA
Custard, crème brulee, hazelnut milk, smoke, pear and yellow plum
[Sugar content currently unavailable]
3-year-old Canadian Cheddar
Made in a Charmat method to better retain the grape’s signature flavours. A pale platinum-yellow appearance here. The nose shows medium-intensity, savoury aromas of aloe, chives, musk, wax, fresh camomile tea/herbs, yellow gooseberry, white currant and papaya. On the palate, it is near-dry, has a medium-minus acidity, low-key foamy mousse, medium-minus extract, soft texture, medium-minus body and elements of pear, herbs and papaya and hints of red and white currants unfolding towards a medium finish. 2025-2026 – ir
Aloe, chives, musk, wax, fresh camomile tea/herbs, yellow gooseberry, white currant and papaya
Pear, herbs, papaya, hints of red and white currants
Garlic prawns
From a strong vintage, sourced from 22-yearold vines, it was aged for 16 months in small French oak barriques post-fermentation. It has a deep ruby color and medium-intensity aromas of cedar, bell pepper jelly, tar, smoke, parsnip, pencil shavings and tart red plum preserve. Dry with medium acidity, the palate has a medium-sized structure – extract, mediumtextured tannins and body – and the matching medium-plus length and intensity with red plum, dried bell pepper, tar, smoke and roasted carrot flavours and a medium finish. Pleasantly vegetal, maturing, in “dried fruit” zone now. 2025-2026 – ir
A nice deep pomegranate ruby robe here. The nose leads with medium-intensity notes of drying black cherry, beetroot, nettle, cola/root beer/wood spice with lifted, floral and minerally overtones. The dry palate follows with medium soft acidity, medium-plus extract, medium fine mediumtextured tannins, medium-plus body and lovely length and fruit with drying black cherry, cola/wood spice, boiled beetroot, blood orange and floral components, and a medium-plus finish. 2025-2028 – ir
Drying black cherry, cola/wood spice, boiled beetroot, blood orange and
Grilled quail with beetroot-radicchio salad
It has a deep ruby, nearopaque appearance in the glass and a medium-plus intensity, lifted spectrum of dried blackberry, chokeberry juice, pencil lead and shavings, a hint of green peppercorn, then floral, sappy and smoky notes. Dry with a medium acidity, the palate is made up of a medium-plus extract, medium finetextured tannins, medium body, and nice length and flavour persistence of blackberry and chokeberry preserve, nettle/leaf, sap, plum pit and iron filings, and a slightly tart mediumplus finish. 2025-2026 – ir
Aged in second fill oak for about 20 months. A suave medium-ruby robe here. The nose opens with medium-intensity aromatics: hint of smoky, creamy, cherry soup, custard, lifted, blood orange peel, ripe cranberry cocktail, black raspberry stalk and vanilla. The dry palate continues with medium acidity, medium extract, medium fine-textured tannins, medium body, medium and slightly warm alcohol, and lovely length and fruit featuring cherry soup, custard, vanilla, cardamom and a hint of citrus. Closes with a medium-plus to long finish. Quite refined with class, polish and poise. 2025-2028 – ir
A deep ruby, near-opaque appearance. The nose offers medium-intensity aromas of pencil shavings and lead, dried blackberry and chokeberry, dried leaf, ink, a hint of celery salt, a hint of meat jerky and a balsamic note. The palate is dry, has a medium acidity, medium extract, mediumplus medium-to-firm textured tannins, a coating presence, medium body and nice length and intensity of tart, dried chokeberry and blackberry, tart red plum reduction and inky fruit complemented by wood spice and just a hint of smoke, trailing off to a medium-plus tart finish. 2025-2028 – ir 5213
5214
Tournedos with mushrooms and white wine-shallot
Tenuta Santa Caterina has been growing grapes in the Monferrato region for almost 300 years, with the 60-hectare estate dedicated to indigenous Piedmont varieties. They are one of the rare wine producers in the area to reveal the full potential of the Freisa grape, an ancient red cultivar prized for its vibrant acidity and distinctive red berry aromas. The Tenuta’s acclaimed SorìdiGiul Freisa d'Asti Superiore is made from handharvested grapes, fermented with native yeasts at low temperatures before gentle pressing and extended ageing in French oak casks. This iconic cuvée ably displays the depth and power of Freisa when grown on prime terroirs and skillfully made.
Freisa
Sorì, in the lexicon of Piedmontese grape growers, refers to the best-exposed vineyards, oriented to receive abundant sunshine: Freisa grapes, often relegated to less well-situated plots, come into their own here. The 2017 SorìdiGiul is powerful, dense and tannic with a fantastic balance of aged and fresh, fruity aromas. After seven years in bottle, it is still remarkably youthful with complex, layered flavours and notable depth. 2027-2037– jb $ 83 $ 249
SANTA
NAVLÈ TENUTA SANTA CATERINA MONFERRATO ROSSO DOC, 2015
Navlè Monferrato Rosso is the estate’s cru Nebbiolo wine, made from one of their top limestone-marl terroirs. This commanding red wine is reminiscent of fine Barolo with its weighty profile and complex, savoury flavours and powerful tannins. After a long, slow maceration, the wine is aged for three years in French and Slavonian oak barrels, and over two years in bottle. Nearing its peak, with ample holding potential. 2025-2035– jb
Lingering herbal, cocoa, minty notes
Risotto alla Milanese
Introducing our Everything but Red where you can discover exceptional wine with each shipment, whether it’s white, rosé, or sparkling, all with the ease of one convenient subscription.
Introducing our Everything but Red subscription program, where you can discover exceptional wine with each shipment, whether it’s white, rosé, or sparkling, all with the ease of one convenient subscription.
In each case, you’ll discover:
In each case, you’ll discover:
6 bottles of delicious wine (surprise, it can be white, rosé, or sparkling!)
6 bottles of delicious wine (surprise, it can be white, rosé, or sparkling!)
A personalized message and tasting notes from the producer
Exclusive wine not found in the cellar offerings
A personalized message and tasting notes from the producer Exclusive wine not found in the cellar offerings
Subscribe now and receive 10 surprise cases of Opimian wines per year, expertly curated by our team!
Subscribe now and receive 10 surprise cases of Opimian wines per year, expertly curated by our team!
In 2015, three of his wines from the 2013 vintage received a rating of 100 points from The Wine Advocate; thus his nickname, “Mr. 300 points” (Herr 300 Punkte in German). We are pleased to announce that Opimian has secured a small allocation of these outstanding wines from this brilliant winemaker. Don’t miss this opportunity to get your hands on these top-scoring wines, as they usually sell out in record time!
