Please Join Us Every Friday from 5pm to 8pm for a Free Tasting!

These are informal, informative, fun and very popular tastings of 6 to 7 wines organized around an always changing theme.  Please sign up for our e-mail list for a weekly notification of that week’s theme and lineup.  We hope to see you at our next tasting.  Cheers!

Upcoming Events:

Come Taste with Fattoria Le Terrazze’s Antonio Terni! Tuesday, March 9th from 6pm to 8pm

In the Adriatic hills of Le Marche, the times they are a-changin’, and due in no small part to Antonio Terni.  Terni was born in Argentina and worked as a nuclear engineer before returning to his motherland and taking over his family’s then century-old estate.  His near maniacal pursuit for quality has earned his wines international attention, brought the entire region to new heights, and pushed the issue of creating a DOCG for Conero.  We’re thrilled to have him join us as we taste through a beautiful lineup of his wines. The lineup is still being finalized, but we will definitely have the Rosso Conero, two vintages of Sassi Neri, Chaos and there are rumors of Visions of J and a new mystery wine!!!

Be there — don’t think twice! (Did you catch that he is a huge Dylan fan?)

An Evening in Oltrepo Pavese, Lombardy

Thursday, March 25th, 7pm.

TWO WINEMAKERS
FIVE COURSES
EIGHT WINES
$60 / PERSON!!!

Special guest winemakers Paolo Verdi of Bruno Verdi and Gian Maria Vercesi of Vercesi del Castelazzo will be sharing their wines, including two all-time Wine Bottega favorites, Verdi’s Sangue di Giuda and Vercesi’s “Cla” Barbera.  Call the store at (617) 227-6607 to make your reservation today!

at
Vinoteca di Monica
143 Richmond St.

Wine 101: Go back to school at The Bottega

The first Thursday of every month from 6pm to 8pm

Do you find wine shops intimidating?  When someone asks you “What kind of wine do you like?”, do

you find yourself at a loss for words?  We understand how confusing it can be for someone new to the wine

world to navigate the myriad labels in hopes of finding the right flavor.  I mean, heck, we’ve all been there. With that in mind, we’ve decided to hold a series of tasting seminars geared toward those of you who are just beginning your wine journey.   Seminars will be held on the first Thursday of every month We will limit attendance to 15 people to ensure the best environment to discuss the wines and answer questions.

Six wines will be tasted.  Cost of attendance is $10/person.  Make your reservation today!

Wine Seminars: Graduated from Wine 101 - Try one of these!

New for 2010, we are pleased to offer a selection of wine seminars.  As always at The Bottega these will be fun, informal and informative!  Classes will run from 6pm until 7:30-8pm on the dates below.  Six wines will be tasted along with an assortment of antipasti.  This is an amazing chance to immerse yourself into a whole new world of wine!  Cost of attendance is $25/person.  Be sure to book in advance!

January 14th: A Tour of Tuscany
February 18th: Napoleonic Wines: French Varietals in Italy
March 11th: Movers & Shakers
April 8th: Get Real! Organic and Biodynamic Wines
May 13th: Put a little Sparkle in your Life!
June 10th: The Heartbreak Grape: Pinot Noir
July 15th: Head to the Beach: Island Wines
August 12th: Battle Royale: New World vs. Old World
September 16th: Older & Wiser: Wines with Age
October 21st: Bring on the Funk

Recent Events:

Amarone Abbondanza

Thursday, February 25th from 6pm to 8pm

This is what started it all!  The Wine Bottega’s Amarone Abbondanza, just one year ago, was the beginning of a tradition of exploring the great and rarely opened wines of the world.  Outdoing our lineup of spectacular wines from last year is no easy task, but we have worked hard to ensure that only the most intriguing rising stars and their elusive traditionalist counterparts are well represented.  As tradition has it, we will be opening a no-holds-barred lineup of Italy’s most exciting producers of “dried grape wines”. Ripasso, Sforzato and Amarone will on be on hand with some additional surprises.  This is the time of year that calls for a hearty glass of Italian vino da meditazione while sitting around the fireplace (or space heater) with friends and family.  So make plans to join us for a little adventure in the Veneto!

La Bella Toscana! The Tuscan Abbondanza

Wednesday, December 9th from 6pm to 8pm

I say Italian wine, you think Tuscany! Well, there is good reason for this train of thought.  Tuscany is home to some powerhouses of Italian wine, not to mention that it may be Italy’s most visited (and beautiful) wine region and it has been enjoying the limelight since Chianti bottles held candlesticks.  Tuscany evokes ideas of rolling hills, nestled hill towns, medieval castles and plenty of swirling wine.  You might say, “So what’s so exciting these days about Tuscan wine?” Our response is “Everything!”  If you are a veteran Italophile, you may have moved on long ago from these often well known and all too often, uninspiring wines.  Well, it’s time to revisit the heart of great Italian wine!  To those who wonder what all the hype is about, we will show your first hand!  We will be opening up wines from many of the legendary regions: Montalcino, Montepulcian, Chianti.  In true Bottega fashion,  we will also feature some of the lesser known, artisanal producers and micro-regions.  From Brunello to the Tuscan coast and islands, this promises to be another epic Abbondanza!

Tuesday, January 19th at 7pm

As you know we love wine, even more when it is paired with fantastic food and even more when they are produced with respect to the environment!  On that note, we are pleased to partner with North End coastal Italian eatery, Mare and The CleanFish Alliance, a national seafood purveyor committed to promoting great tasting, sustainably produced, authentic artisan seafood, in hosting a sustainable seafood dinner. For $75.00, guests will enjoy a four-course dinner by Executive Chef Greg Jordan, featuring a selection of sustainable seafood from around the world paired with sustainable wine.

Piedmont Abbondanza:

Thursday, November 15th from 6pm to 8pm

Foothills of the Alps, Land of Barolo and Truffles

As the sweeping plains of the Po River Valley become distant in the rearview mirror, tiny hilltowns begin to reemerge, looming in the famous fog of Piemonte.  The Piedmont is home to Italy’s most powerful, long-lived and elusive wines. The crown jewels are Barolo and Barbaresco, the undisputed king and queen of Italian wine.

• Highlights include older vintages, vineyard comparisons & star producers Mascarello, Roagna, Oddero, Cascina Roera…

While the noble nebbiolo varietal takes center stage, there are myriad other local specialties that appeal both to the seasoned Italophile or the enthusiastic newcomer.  From the juicy and vibrant Dolcetto, to the light and spicy Grignolino we will explore both the iconic wines as well as the cult followed obscure.  More so than any other region, Piedmont is home to legendary winemakers and young rising stars, all of which will be well represented in this epic tasting.  This is an Abbondanza that is not to be missed!  $10/person

Barbera Abbondanza!
Thursday, October 15th from 5pm to 7pm

Our October Abbondanza will feature one of our favorite grape varietals, Barbera. While this Piedmont grape spent many years in the shadow of the famed wines of Barolo and Barbaresco, it has now boldly bounded onto the world stage and captivated the hearts and palates of wine lovers everywhere. Juicy, vibrant, and one of the most versatile food pairing wines out there, Barbera is a must-have weapon in your wine arsenal! $10/person

Loire Valley Abbondanza: Thursday, September 17

We conducted a no-holds-barred survey of the diverse vino-sphere that is the Loire Valley.  From the classic to the other-worldy, Sancerre to Savennieres, cot to grolleau, heads spun as we toured the valley and its myriad delicacies and intricacies.  Standouts included the stunning Chinon Blanc from Jean-Maurice Raffault, the striking orange-tinged white Anjou from legend-in-the-making Mark Angeli, Nicolas Joly’s Coulee de Serrant (of course), the Sancerre Rouge (think Cote D’Or) from Lucien Crochet, and the miraculous 150-year-old micro-cuvee called Clos de Maulevrier, made Chinon producer Marc Plouzeau.  For a customer’s perspective, read on here.

Festa di Terre Nere - Sicilian Super Stars!: Wednesday, August 26th from 6pm to 8pm

Since the inaugural harvest of 2002 the cult favorite Tenuta delle Terre Nere has been changing minds about serious Sicilian wine.  This small estate was been a labor of love and the realization of a dream for Marc de Grazia, Italian wine guru and importer extraordinaire.  Born of the fiery, volcanic ash slopes of the great Mont Etna, “TTN” has quickly become the leading producer of these once isolated and near forgotten wines that are based on the locally prided varietal nerello mascalese.  The wines are often described as combining the elegance of Burgundy with the power and fragrance of Barolo. The Wine Bottega has had the pleasure of introducing the wonders of these Terre Nere wines to many enthusiasts since this estate’s inception but we feel that a true celebration of the exceptional 2007 vintage is in order! So we are doing it Bottega style with a fantastic festa!  Of course will be pulling out all the stops featuring long time favorite “Crus” the Calderara, Guardiola, and the Feudo di Mezzo as well as the cult favorite Prephylloxera.  But wait there’s more! There are some great new arrivals that we are dying to share including the old vine “Vigne Niche”, a pure carricante bianco, as well as the hotly anticipated Cru of Santo Spirito-a miniscule 5,000 bottle nerello production!  Given these wines popularity this should be considered your time to enjoy, taste and either add to or start your very own Tenuta delle Terre Nere collection!

Pretty in Pink! Special Rosé Event: Thursday, August 13th from 6pm to 8pm

The girl from the wrong side of the tracks has finally been invited to the prom! As you savvy Wine Bottega shoppers have long known, rosé rocks! Across the globe, rosé sales have risen dramatically this summer.  The world has finally realized that pink does not equal sweet.  These wines offer tremendous variety, incredible refreshment and of course great style.  Still a Steff to our Blane?  Come taste this lineup of 10+ pinks from Italy, Spain, France, Argentina, Austria, US and see what the cool kids are drinking this summer.

Sicilian Rising Star: Valle dell’Acate Thursday, July 23rd from 6pm to 8pm

Six generations of winemaking, three centuries, two ancient families and one vision: to preserve and share the rich traditions of this special corner of Southeast Sicily.

Please join us in tasting the wines of Valle dell’Acate with Francesco Ferrini.  In 1981, the Jacono and Ferreri families joined their vineyards in the Dirilllo  Valley and launched Valle dell’Acate.  They are committed to working with indigenous grape varietals and most importantly returning the iconic wine  style, Cerasuolo di Vittoria DOC, to its place as Sicily’s greatest wine.  These wines offer a special look into past, exceptional value and a rare treat for lovers of Italian wine!
Wines to be tasted:

2008 Case Ibidini Insolia & 2008 Case Ibidini Nero d’Avola: These two wines come from the estate’s second label meant for every day enjoyment.  They are pure expressions of the authentic native varietals. and incredible steals . The Inzolia is bright, citrusy and refreshing and the Nero D’Avola is a juicy, ruby red delight!

2006 Cerasuolo di Vittoria: With roots dating back to the 4th century BC and the first Sicilian wine to receive DOC status, this is arguably the most important wine in Sicily.  The intriguing blend of nero d’avola and frappato combines the best characteristics of each grape, balancing dark, velvety intensity with fresh, floral vibrancy.

2006 Nero d’Avola “Il Moro” : This is the estate’s single varietal tribute to nero d’avola.  It has all the blackberries, earth and leather you expect with the graceful touch of Gaetana Jacono providing just the right level of restraint.

2004 Tane: The new flagship wine of the estate produced in tiny quantities (only 500 cases are made in the best vintages).  This is the only wine in which non-indigenous varietals are allowed, with syrah contributing to the nero d’avola. Spicy, brooding, dark and bold - wow!

Australian Abbondanza: Wednesday, June 10th from 5pm to 6pm

As we startedto prepare for a feature on Australia we couldn’t help but notice how many ridiculous deals there are on some seriously amazing Australian wines. We realized this was too big to fit in a regular Friday tasting, so we decided to go all out and throw one of our famous Abbondanzas!

As many of you know, Kerri lived in Australia for two years and has the inside track on the incredible regional diversity this country has to offer. Fifteen wines will be available for tasting, showcasing classic producers, new kids on the block, wines with age and unexpected varietals.

This is your chance to taste some of Australia’s best!  $10/person.  Snacks will be served!

Mead Tasting! Wednesday, May 27th from 5pm to 7pm!

Green River We recently discovered some outstanding mead and most exciting, they are local, from Greenfield, MA!

Green River Ambrosia was founded in 2007 with the goal of brewing a fine local mead and they have definitely succeeded!. In case you are not familiar with mead (or if it just conjures up images of bawdy bar wenches and sword fights), mead is honey wine.  Made of honey and water via fermentation with yeast, mead is considered the ancestor of all fermented drinks!  It is found all throughout Europe, Africa and Asia, making it a uniquely multicultural beverage.
We will be joined by Garth Shaneyfelt, neuroscientist, long-time homebrewer, marathoner, gardener, former triathlete, outdoorsman, and un-repentant schemer who finally broke free from his 15 years in the tech world to focus on mead.

This is a FREE Event!

Taste, Snack and Learn: Tuesday, April 28th from 6pm to 8pm

The Wine Bottega is proud to announce our partnership with:

The Beeline Festival: Three Weeks of New Music at The Broad Institute Cambridge April 5th-19th

Taste, Snack and Learn! Tuesday, April 14th from 6pm to 8pm

Explore Tuscany.  Wine Tuesdays at Lucca Restaurant and Bar with The Wine Bottega.  No other place in Italy inspires us like Tuscany.  Whether it’s meandering through the historic hill towns or just sitting in a fantastic trattoria sipping wine and enjoying a meal as the locals rush by.  Tonight we will explore the wines of Tuscany…famous for the Sangiovese grape that makes some of the world’s best wines.

$25/person includes appetizers and wine.  For reservations 617.742.9200

Lambrizzle Festizzle: Wednesday, April 15th from 5pm to 7pm

Come celebrate the wonderfulness that is Lambrusco!  Emilia-Romagna is the gastronomic capital of Italy, the country that is arguable the gastronomic center of the world!  This is the home base of Parmigiano Reggiano, Balsamic Vinegar and Ragu alla Bolognese.  The best thing to pair with all this deliciousness?  Why the local sparkler, Lambrusco of course!  We will be featuring the wines of Fabio Lini and his daughter Alicia, one of our favorite artisanal producers.  In addition to the classic rosso style, we will also be pouring the rare bianco and rosato.  Don’t miss out on the fun!

THE WINE RIOT: Friday and Saturday, April 17th & 18th

This isn’t your parents’ wine event! The Riot will feature 250 wines from all over the globe in a snob free environment. Highlights include crash course seminars, tasty food pairings, twitter tasting and a special seminar VIP night on organic and biodynamic farming. The evening will be documented with a printed wine guide, twitter tasting tweets and photo booth evidence of your evening! Wine Riot is taking place April 17th with a VIP session from 6 -10pm, for $65 and April 18th with Riot 1, 1-5pm and Riot 2 6-10pm both for $45.

Tickets on sale at The Wine Bottega

For more information visit: www.wineriot.com

The Yes, We Are That Cool - Paolo Bea Umbrian Extravaganza!: Wednesday, March 25th from 5pm-7pm:

The Lombardy/Veneto Sforsat & Amarone tasting was such a success, we knew we had to go big to top it.  What could be better than a line-up of Paolo Bea’s extraordinary Umbrian wines, flanked by some of the region’s other top Sagrantinos.  If you are familiar with the magic of Bea, then we need say no more.  If you are a sagrantino neophyte then we look forward to welcoming you to the cult! These are wines that are Italy’s (as of yet) unsung heroes, but we liken Bea to Zeus in our pantheon of wine gods! Dark, brooding, meaty, spicy, tannic to be sure, but texturally fascinating, this is a not to be missed event.  $10/person

Here’s the line-up:

2007 Monastero Suore Cistercensi Coenobium & 2007 Rusticum (ok, so it’s Lazio, but its Giampero Bea)

2004 Paolo Bea Arboreus Bianco, the inaugural vintage!

2000 Lungarotti Rubesco Riserva Vigna Monticchio

1997 Barberani Foresco

2005 Scacciadiavoli Montefalco Rosso

2004 Scacciadiavoli Sagrantino di Montefalco

2003 Terre di Trinci Sagrantino di Montefalco

2003 Adanti “Arquata” Sagrantino di Montefalco

2004 Paolo Bea Montefalco Rosso

2003 Paolo Bea Montefalco Rosso Riserva “Vigna Pipparello”

2004 Paolo Bea Sagrantino di Montefalco Secco

2003 Scacciadiavoli Passito di Sagrantino

Taste the wines of Decanter Man of the Year: Nicolas Catena: Friday, March 27th from 5pm-8pm:

We have been amazingly in tune with (or perhaps leading?) the international wine world this month.  First we decide to do a Sherry Seminar and next thing we know the Boston Globe does a feature on the tremendous value of the wines of Jerez.  Our Italian Regional Focus for March is Umbria and bam! the Quarterly Review of Wines features an article on sagrantino.  Apparently Nicolas Catena should thank us, as our International Regional Focus for the Month is South America, which we are fairly confident led Decanter Magazine to pick him as their Man of the Year for his contributions to the world of wine.  We are excited to pour a line-up of Catena’s stunning Argentine wines for our Friday tasting!

Sherry Seminar: Thursday, March 5th from 5pm to 7pm

Think that Sherry is just a tippler for British grannies? Buckle-up, because your world is about to get turned upside down. These are some of the most interesting food pairing wines out there and have the ability to instantly transport you to another place

Join us for a tasting of the much misunderstood wines of Jerez.  We’ll begin with a sea kissed manzanilla and travel through nutty amontillado, meaty oloroso, palo cortado and finish off with decadent pedro ximenez.  Snacks will be provided as well - these are wines that need to be understood in context.  This event is your key to opening up a whole new world of wine styles! (How au courant are we? The Boston Globe just featured Spanish Sherry as their Plonk of the Month - These good things come in small bottles 2/25/2009

Taste, Snack and Learn! Tuesday, February 24 from 6pm to 8pm

Wine Tuesdays at Lucca Restaurant with the Wine Bottega.  Ever since “Sideways” this wine has left all others in the dust when it comes to popularity.  Taste Pinots from many places and understand why they all taste so darn different.  We will pair the pinots with some tasty appetizers to enhance this great wine experience.
$25/person.

**Lombardy and Veneto Extravaganza**

Wednesday, February 18, 5pm to 8pm

Please join us for a special event!  Our Italian Regional Focus for February is on the regions of Lombardy and the Veneto.  The goal is that by the end of month we will be experts on the wines of that region, who’s up and coming, who’s still on top, what’s new and exciting.  To accomplish this goal, we need to taste A LOT of wine and we thought you might enjoy joining us on the journey!  We will be opening an amazing array of wines from majestic Amarone, stunning Sfursat, a quixotic Quintarelli, silky Soave and many more.  This is a not to be missed chance to immerse yourself in the beautiful wines of these two incredible regions. $10/person

Taste, Snack and Learn! Tuesday, February 10 from 6pm to 8pm

Wine Tuesdays at Lucca Restaurant with The Wine Bottega.  Looking to escape the New England cold? Let us take you on a journey to Southern Italy.  You’ll feel the sun’s rays as we taste the wines of Sicily, Puglia and Campania and sample the region’s antipasti.  $25/person For reservations call: 617-742.9200