| If you've been around the shop for a while, you know we have a bit of a "connection" to the wines of Iuli. Summer and Fabrizio come to the Finger Lakes every year, this is where Summer grew up, and her roots and family are still here. When she comes back, we always welcome them to the store and plan an event around it. Our connection goes a bit deeper than this yearly "meeting" though, as even before we started hosting them, we were buying their wines. There is no doubt in my mind that Fabrizio is a master of Barbera. His firm family history in the hills of Monferrato in Piedmont and dedication to this grape along with a deep respect for his soils, vines, and overall health of his whole ecosystem through totally organic farming and minimal intervention winemaking, is the reason. Fabrizio also has a love for reviving long lost varieties of his home, as you'll see there are some new wines offered from the Baratuciat and Slarina varieties. There is a serious demand for his wines, as they never stay in stock long, but lucky for us, they've just arrived, and we've got an allocation. The Barberas and Nebbiolo are no-brainers, and we are really excited to try his new grape varieties. Here's a little background on Iuli.... |
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Is there another grape that delivers like Barbera does? It's most often treated as a "mere" workhorse grape while Nebbiolo takes the spotlight. But I don't know if there's any other variety that more frequently rises above a lowly status to produce outstanding wines at stunning values (okay, maybe Cab Franc). And Fabrizio Iuli is an undeniable master of Barbera. Secluded in the hills of eastern Piedmont, Fabrizio is turning out some of the best Barbera (and Nebbiolo, and Pinot Noir, and Grignolino) we know of.
Today, we're pleased to offer a wide range from Fabrizio Iuli.
Barolo and Barbaresco get all the attention, but as a winemaking region Italy's Piedmont is incredibly diverse. A little over 50 miles from Barolo lie the Monferrato hills. Here, while there's plenty of Nebbiolo, the best sites are given over to Barbera. Indeed, genetic profiling indicate that Barbera was born in Monferrato and migrated west. And Monferrato Barbera is special: when given prime plantings and old vine material, it takes on an extra dimension of floral and fruity complexity to balance its always-sturdy acidity.
Fabrizio Iuli lives in the tiny town of Montaldo di Cerrina with his wife Summer Wolff (a Finger Lakes native!) and their two children. There's no more than 100 people in the town, and the Iuli family is vital to its history. Fabrizio's grandfather planted the first vines – Barbera and others – in the 1930s. Fabrizio took over the winery in 1998 and continues to protect the winemaking traditions of the region. In addition to Barbera, he also cultivates Nebbiolo, Grignolino, and Slarina and Baratuciat, two ancient Piedmontese varieties found nowhere else.
These incredible plantings have been farmed organically from the get-go and have never seen any chemicals. Traditional practices extend to the cellar as well, with only spontaneous fermentations and aging in larke oak botti. These wines are utterly Piedmontese, balancing seriousnesss and complexity with sheer drinkability, mineral depths with lifted elegance. All are delicious now, but will continue to reward any time you can give them in the cellar.
To order, please click here. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reply to this email or call us at (607) 319-0500.
Wines arrive on Wednesday, curbside pickup and shipping options available at checkout.
1) Iuli Vino Bianco Baratuciat "Barat" 2018 750ml - 24 bottles available
Sale Price: $26.99/btl!! BUY NOW
Automatic 10% off any 6 or more bottles!
Automatic 15% off any 12 or more bottles!
Barat is the latest addition to Iuli's range. It is made with 100% Baratuciat, a nearly-extinct variety originally from the Val di Susa, west of Torino. In the area's dialect, the name means "the cat's testicles," in reference to its oval-shaped berries. The vines for Barat were planted in 2015, making the 2018 the first release. Fermented spontaneously and aged in concrete vats until the Spring. Very exotic, good spine, nice textural dimension. Look for licorice, tangerine oil, vanilla, hazelnut, lychee and spiced ripe pear flavors with a great texture, oily but clean crisp and delish.
2) Iuli Vino Rosso Slarina "La Rina" 2018 750ml - 36 bottles available
Sale Price: $24.99/btl!! BUY NOW
Automatic 10% off any 6 or more bottles!
Automatic 15% off any 12 or more bottles!
La Rina is 100% Slarina, another indigenous Piedmontese variety that had nearly disappeared. Fabrizio is a believer in this grape and he planted nearly a hectare and half of it in 2013. With such a large surface area (for Slarina), he jokes, "I am the most important producer of Slarina in the world." Vinified in concrete with 10 days of maceration on the skins and aged in concrete til the Spring. This is super pretty aromatically and fairly delicate on the palate, he treats it like pinot more that a typical Piedmont wine.
3) Iuli Vino Rosso Grignolino "Natalin" 2018 750ml - 36 bottles available
Sale Price: $21.99/btl!! BUY NOW
Automatic 10% off any 6 or more bottles!
Automatic 15% off any 12 or more bottles!
Natalin is made with 100% Grignolino. Natalin was also Fabrizio's grandfather's nickname and Grignolino was the wine he loved the most. This wine comes from a few different vineyards, planted in 1970, 1990, and 2016 with east, west, and north expsoures. Fermentation in concrete vats with 12 days of maceration; aged until the Spring in concrete. Deceptively light yet incredibly complex with aromatic notes of tobacco, black tea and wild herbs all seemingly macerated with brambly red fruits and a hint of fresh tilled soil. Has great character and finesse for a grape that can be quite rustic.
4) Iuli Vino Rosso Nebbiolo "Malidea" 2017 750ml - 36 bottles available
Sale Price: $31.99/btl!! BUY NOW
Automatic 10% off any 6 or more bottles!
Automatic 15% off any 12 or more bottles!
Malidea is 100% Nebbiolo. It's also the name of the hill between the cantina and where the Nebbiolo vines were planted, in 1999. "Mal' idea" in Italian means "bad idea," an apt name for a Nebbiolo wine in the land of Barbera, but a challenge Fabrizio wanted to take. The south-facing vineyard was harvested during the first week of October. Vinified in concrete with 21-31 days of maceration. Aged at least 16 months in large Slavonian oak casks of 2500L, followed by 6 months of bottle aging. Fine, persistent red-berry and floral notes backed by crunchy minerality and lifted acidity. A bit more rustic that its southern cousins, but clearly Nebbiolo to the core.
5) Iuli Vino Rosso Barbera "Umberta" 2018 750ml - 60 bottles available
Sale Price: $20.99/btl!! BUY NOW
Automatic 10% off any 6 or more bottles!
Automatic 15% off any 12 or more bottles!
Umberta is 100% Barbera and the so-called "entry-level" wine at Iuli. Coming from south-facing vineyards planted between 1940 and 1999, it is typically harvested the first week of October. Vinified in concrete with 20 days of maceration. Packs all the fruitiness you’d expect from barbera, but with so much more besides. There’s the richness and complexity Iuli brings by allowing the grapes to ripen fully. There’s the crunchy minerality from the white clay soils. aged in concrete for 10-11 months, with an additional three months of bottle aging. Has great freshness and drinkability.
6) Iuli Vino Rosso Barbera "Rossore" 2016 750ml - 36 bottles available
Sale Price: $23.99/btl!! BUY NOW
Automatic 10% off any 6 or more bottles!
Automatic 15% off any 12 or more bottles!
Rossore, 100% Barbera, was Fabrizio's first wine. The name refers to the red flush on one's cheeks after drinking it. It comes from different south-facing parcels planted between 1985 and 1990, harvest at the end of September or beginning of October. Vinification is in concrete with 21-28 days of maceration. Aging is in large Slavonian oak cask of 1700L-2500L for 24 months, followed by 6 months of bottle aging. This is the most traditional/similar to the style his grandfather made. The fullest and most serious of the Iuli wines, with deep dark earth, classic Piedmontese woodsy notes, and great floral lift.
To order, please click here. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reply to this email or call us at (607) 319-0500. |
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