$15 regular price/ $13.50 all week long (10% off!)

Late night in Verona, circa 1 year ago: At table with friends enjoying lots of great wine and food when we see a mysterious Italian passing around a giant 3 liter bottle to a couple tables of diners. We smile and say salute then he comes over and pours all of us a hefty glass of gleaming Fiano d’Avellino from the Jeroboam. Something felt right with this guy. Next day we find him (Raffaele Troisi) at his tiny VinItaly stand pouring 1985 greco di tufo…yeah, this was the find of the trip. At long last the amazing wines of Vadiaperti are here, be the first in the US to taste them!

Though predominantly known for their whites, Vadieperti turns to its local Aglianico to make this profound southern red.  Demonstrating the more architectural side of Aglianico, Vadieperti’s red rests on an unshakable black fruit foundation with an elusive, tantalizing aroma.  Though perhaps not the best cocktail wine, this is a magnificent accompaniment to hearty meals with enough structure and intensity to please even the fiercest drinker!

Well!  Among the more intriguing tenets of the approach is to adhere strictly to the whims of Mother Moon.  Everything from pruning to harvesting to bottling is carried out in adherence to the Lunar calendar.  Many devotees to the method also believe the lunar cycle to be an integral consideration when you open a bottle of wine.  This is one avenue to explain what can be substantial variations between separate bottles of the same wine.

It isn’t too complicated though: basically, these nutcrunchy agronomists break down the cycle into four classifications of days.  Each has its own profound effect on the wine and can be used as a compass to determine which of your prized bottles you’d like to drink.

Fruit Days:

These are touted as the best occasions to drink wine.  Any wine.  At all.  The wines are believed to expand exponentially on fruit days, revealing all of their disparate elements in perfect harmony.

Flower Days:

Though Flower days don’t have quite the same reputation as the legendary Fruit Day, they are valuable for different reason.  Rather than offering a polished and masterfully blended rendition of the wine, on Flower days wines demonstrate their more carefree natures.  Flower Days are all about vibrant, joyful aromatics and pulpy fruit tones.  I recommend you drink A LOT of gamay on fruit days.

Leaf Days:

These are situations in which the lunar influence can either be the salvation for a wine or its damning factor.  On Leaf Days, wines are more tightly coiled and intense bearing their tannins and acidity openly.  In this instance, you wouldn’t want to pick out a powerhouse Bordeaux or a gritty Piemontese red but rather an old Burgundy that may have softened a little more than you’d like.  Aromatic white wines are also really great picks because they sometimes like structure.

Root Days:

This is a doozy… most resources on this method of drinking would suggest you avoid drinking on Root Days.  The wines show their most ominous, vitriolic personalities, caring little about whether or not you can ride their wave down the way of destruction.  Perhaps there is salvation at the hands of fruity fun wines that might glean a little sophistication from a brutish realization.

You may be thinking: this sounds ridiculous.  Given our penchant for Biodynamic wines I thought it would be appropriate to reveal another side of the debate that relates to you on a daily basis.  In this case, we aren’t making an argument for the mindset rather than explaining it as objectively as we are able.  To aide you in your quest to figure out whether or not this is utter bullshit we’ve grafted the Lunar cycle onto our calendar so you can easily check what the Biodynamic freaks think about what you’re drinking.  Do some drinking and figure out what makes sense to you!

In case you still have curiosity for this most complex subject here are a few books worth checking out: “Voodoo Vinters” by Katherine Cole and “Biodynamic Wine Demystified“ by Nicolas Joly.  Enjoy!

The Pop-Up Wine Bar works like this: Panza is going to convert into a wine bar for the latter part of the evening (8-11pm) on Tuesday, Feb. 28th. The Wine Bottega crew will be on hand to help pour delicious wines by the glass while you enjoy tasty small bites lovingly prepared by the kitchen. You can do a tasting flight of three wines with a plate for food for just $30.  Then glass pours will be just $5 (!!!) ’till 11 o’clock or the wine runs out. No need to RSVP, just show up thirsty.

Cousin on his horses

Olivier Cousin parlant de ses cheveaux

Cousin’s use of livestock is not the only thing drawing attention: he’s got himself in quite the pickle with the French government.  The basic issue revolves around Cousin’s labeling practices and his unwillingness to pay an organization called Inter Loire (sounds like an evil empire to me!!!) what they have amusingly termed “Voluntary Compulsory Contribution.”  This might not seem like too big of a deal but an odd disagreement has flowered into a full on French scandal!  Check out the article on Decanter and if you’re compelled check out the support site importer Jenny & Francois has erected.

…and just in case you want a more panoramic view of Mr. Cousin and his vines check out this great article on one of our favorite wine blogs: Wine Terroirs!

There is a lot of talk of late, both in the glossy magazines and on the myriad wine blogs, about the merits of “natural wine”. For the non-believers we dare you to try these and not fall in love. These wines achieve a purity and sense of place like few others. They are at once dark and brooding yet remarkably elegant and refreshing to the palate. These are the perfect wines for late winter dining and compliment roasts and game as well as hearty root vegetable dishes. Simply put…drink a lot of these, right now.

We are proud to offer a stunning lineup of Foradori’s latest anfora releases (the first time offered here in the state). Here’s some more information on each cuvee:

Fontanasanta Manzoni Bianco $28

This is a peculiar white wine based on the little known, oft-misunderstood grape variety called Incrocio Manzoni. Signor Manzoni, a well-respected Italian hort iculturalist and botanist turned up with this variety high in the Dolomites many decades ago. It is a hybrid of riesling and pinot blanc that is actually fairly common in the Alto -Adige. Here it is vinified half in anfora and half in stainless steel. The result is a bright, crisp and savory alpine white wine with lots of character. Drink this instead of ANY pinot grigio (please).

Fontanasanta Nosiola $40

This is from an old-vine parcel called Fontanasanta, which is less than 2 hectares in size. Nosiola is a rare indigenous white grape that grows only in the hills around Trento and on the northern banks of Lake Garda, in the next valley over. The wine is vinified in anfora lined with beeswax, which forms a seal on the inside of the clay. Broad, herbal and crisp with lots of texture alongside orange blossom/apricot aromas that linger on the finish. This is serious stuff.

Morei Teroldego $40

Planted in the sandy, alluvial silt deposits left by the glaciers during the last ice age this old vine teroldego is elegant and precise. Smoke, gentle spice and a tannic structure that lets you know it’s there without punching you in the teeth. This wine is very expressive, open and drinking well right now though 3-5 years in the cellar will be rewarded (this is why you should buy three or more bottles!).

Sgarzon Teroldego $40

Arguably the most stout and brooding of Elisabetta’s anfora wines, the Sgarzon is for those looking for a wine with serious intensity and structure. Mineral driven with dark, black fruit tones and that ever-present hint of Alpine smoke. Drink now after decanting and hold a few bottles for the long haul.

Quantities are scant and judging by the number of avid followers Foradori has, these wines will not be in the shop for long. First come first served.

Thursday, February 9^th

6pm-8pm ($10)

Yes, indeed.  The proper stars have aligned in the milky heavens, signalling the time is upon us for our annual parade of Amarone!  In the hierarchy of profound Italian wine, Amarone sits upon an immovable throne of delight.  Fans of this sumptuous, bold wine inhabit every corner of our vast planet, singing the praises of this most exceptional wine in every tongue.  For those of you that are newcomers to the phenomenon that is Amarone, this is an absolute MUST on your calendar.

What sets Amarone apart is, more than anything, this singularity of its process.  The wine hails from a region called Valpolicella in the province of Verona, due East from the stunning Lake Garda.  The place is thick with the haze of wine tradition with references dating back before the Common Era.  Amarone has only been the flagship wine of Valpolicella in recent decades.  The wine was actually discovered by accident!  In antiquity, the renowned Valpolicella wine was called Recioto.  A beautiful sweet wine made from dried grapes, the process hinged on the wine makers care in stopping the fermentation before all the sugars were converted, leaving the wine with a dollop of honey-like sweetness.  As the story goes, Amarone was born from a forgotten barrel hidden in the corners of a cellar.  The wine was allowed to ferment completely and the result was a high octane powerhouse of a wine with curves to make the most stoic of men folk sigh a breath of longing.

This tasting is a celebration of Valpolicella and in its varied iterations.  From the ancestral Recioto, to dry Valpolicella table wines to, of course, the mighty Amarones!  With over $1000 worth of wine on the table, you really get a lot for your 10 bucks!

Drive by Pick Up:  If you’re looking for a quick exchange, give us a buzz and we can put an order together over the phone.  Leave us your credit details and we’ll have the wine ready and waiting for you!  Call us as you head down Hanover street, we’ll be ready.

Parking Validation:  In addition to our “drive thru” service, we also offer validated parking at the Parcel Seven Garage located adjacent to the Haymarket T-Station on New Sudbury St. The validation is good for three hours. Please note that if you remain in the garage for longer than three hours, the validation is no longer accepted and the full fee will be required. Directions?