Debut Release: Ellena Giuseppe 2009 Barolo - A Star is Born! Ellena Giuseppe Barolo 2009 - $39.99 per bottle on sale (reg $55), $35.99 per bottle on six or more! Last week I was lucky enough to meet a new up and coming Piedmontese winemaker Matteo Ellena and taste a selection of his very first release wines - a collection that made us all sit up and take serious notice! While some of the facts were a little grey (translation issues - why didn't I learn Italian?!), the gist of the story is that his family purchased the property in 1966, but his grandfather had been growing grapes since at least the 1950's. It is about 15 hectares (about 37 acres) located in La Morra, with five hectares planted to grapes and the rest woodland and Hazelnuts. Originally it was more mixed farming, including breeding cattle, orchards, and arable land for crops, but now the focus is mainly on viticulture. Until 2009 the grapes were sold off, and Matteo, who decided early on that his goal was to create a small domaine from the family farm, worked learning his craft at both Giacomo Bologna and Elio Altare, as well as attending University. As he says "My decision to try this new experience was dictated by a strong passion for the land that my grandfather and my father sent me over the years - The values in which I believe and the passion for my job allowed me to go beyond the opinions of those who don’t recommend this business". Despite the advice from some not to go into the difficult wine business, he came back to the family farm and in 2009 made his first estate wines. They refitted an old barn to serve as the winery and restructured their 19th century cellar for aging the wines. The philosophy here is a focus on the land and vineyards, with sustainable, natural farming practices, very low yields, and minimal intervention in the winery to create beautiful, balanced wines that are not rustic, but are certainly traditional in their style and inspiration. Today's offer is the culmination of that dream, and an outstanding effort at that! The 2009 Barolo is exceptional, with lovely dried red fruits, earth and spice nuances, complimented with higher tones of rose petal and violet. It has a great texture and mouth-feel on the palate, a hint of cocoa powder and great energy and drive through to the finish. Seamless, balanced and detailed, this is an exceptional debut wine, with a finesse and subtlety that seems to have a much older soul. It is a blend of three parcels, with an average vine age of 25 years, 30-35 day fermentation and maceration, and aging in barrique and large 1500 Botti. Approachable now, it will be even better with 2-4 years in the bottle and most likely drink great for a decade or more. And the best thing about this new discovery? It is under $40 retail! Just one of the advantages of be able to discover a great new winery before the hype and press drive prices up. Wine arrives Friday March 15th. To Order: Click on the link below, reply to this email or call us at 908.953.0900. Please provide credit card for billing and shipping/pickup details. Like us? Want to keep informed of new wines, travel and events? Follow us on Twitter and Facebook
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