THIS WEEK’S WINE TASTING
Indigenous Selections
Welcoming Special Guest Adam Hoffman, Eastern Regional Sales Manager
“INDIGENOUS Selections is a highly-specialized import firm owned by Giorgio Rivetti of La Spinetta. Our company represents a collection of carefully selected Italian wineries that produce the finest, most authentic Italian wines with an emphasis on competitive pricing and unmatched customer support.
Our mission is to showcase some of Italy’s most captivating winemakers who produce outstanding, terroir driven wines from their respective regions. It remains our goal to provide our customers, as well as Italian wine enthusiasts, wines that truly honor indigenous Italian grape varieties and Italian winemaking.
With our expertise and substantial presence in Piedmont and Tuscany our portfolio includes a thoughtful selection of the very best wineries from these regions, as well as from Campania, Sicily and Elba. Our portfolio currently includes: La Spinetta and Casanova della Spinetta, Contratto, BiancaVigna, Alice Bonaccorsi, Rocca del Principe, Malvirà, E. Pira by Chiara Boschis, Cocito, La Colombera and Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona.”
Adam Hoffman
“A native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Adam stumbled across an opportunity to relocate to Las Vegas, Nevada with his best friend to pursue a career in Business Management at The University of Nevada Las Vegas. He would go on to achieve his degree in Business Management, but not without discovering his true passions in life, Italian food and wine.
Upon moving to Las Vegas, Adam landed an entry-level position at the highly reputable family owned Ferraro’s Restaurant. He found himself weaving through the ranks at Ferraro’s until he achieved the highest rank of General Manager and Wine Director for Ferraro’s 1,200 bottle award winning wine list.
In 2005, It was at Ferraro’s restaurant that Adam met Giorgio Rivetti and would go on to visit Giorgio’s wineries, host La Spinetta winemaker dinners and happily feature and represent La Spinetta’s amazing wines on his list over many years.
In spring of 2011, Adam left Las Vegas and Ferraro’s restaurant to explore La Spinetta’s wineries and Italy to its full extent. He worked for the renowned Bistrot de Venise in Venice, explored many of Italy’s breathtaking regions, and then re-located to Terriciola, Tuscany, home of Giorgio Rivetti’s Casanova della Spinetta estate. It was at Casanova that Adam become intimately familiar with La Spinetta’s impressive philosophy of vineyard work and wine making.
Following the unparalleled experiences in Italy, Adam would return to the United States landing in Brooklyn, New York. He would continue his career as a wine professional with Vias Imports and what would soon prove to be an important steppingstone for his future. After one year of experience in sales with Vias, Giorgio and Adam would cross paths again furthering their successful friendship and business relationship by Adam becoming a member of the Indigenous Selections team.”
La Spinetta
“Giorgio Rivetti’s magic touch with Moscato, Barbera, Nebbiolo and, more recently, Sangiovese, Colorino, Vermentino and Sangiovese Rose has taken the wine world by storm. He produces approachable yet age-worthy wines that command the attention of wine critics and consumers alike, year-in and year-out; their lushness, concentration, aromatics and length are unrivaled. Rivetti’s speedy ascent, from Moscato producer in the 1970’s, to venerated Barbaresco and Barolo vigneron today, is studded with success.
The genius of La Spinetta encompasses a vast array of great wines, all boasting Giorgio Rivetti’s inimitably approachable and voluptuous style.
From Moscato to Nebbiolo to Sangiovese, whatever Giorgio touches turns to gold. His pioneering single-vineyard Barberas and Barbera/Nebbiolo blend Pin are considered to be the best of the Langhe. His Barbarescos and Barolo are at the very top of their category. In fact, his wines are among Italy’s most celebrated, as he has attained the coveted “Tre-Bicchieri” award for more than 30 of his wines throughout his relatively short career.”
La Spinetta Moscato d’Asti DOCG Bricco Quaglia 2013
Piedmont. “100% Moscato. Vineyard: Bricco Quaglia. The first single vineyard Moscato in Italy. Fermented for one month in autoclave (closed tanks) and bottled in January. Color: yellow with green reflections. Bouquet: crisp, sparkling, delicately sweet, yet light. Taste: a wine that surprises by its remarkable freshness and brilliant peach and pair flavors. Pairings: traditionally as a desert wine, but also for aperitif, afternoon refreshment or with Sunday brunch.” $19.99
La Spinetta Casanova Della Spinetta Vermentino IGT 2011
Tuscany. “100% Vermentino. Aged for 4 months in steel on yeast. Color: light golden color. Bouquet: rich yet complex with scents of pine and sea grass. Taste: a perfect example of what Vermentino should be, brimming with fruits and floral notes adding minerals at the end. Medium-bodied with fresh peach and lime. The crisp acidity and long finish help show this wine’s true indigenous Tuscan class. Pairings: poultry, fish and any type of appetizers.” $19.99
La Spinetta Barbera d’Asti DOCG Ca di Pian 2009
Piedmont. “100% Barbera. Vineyard: Castagnole and Costigliole. Age of vines: 25-30 years. Aged for partly in new, partly in used medium toasted French oak for 12 months then transferred to stainless steel vats for 6 months before bottling, and aged in bottles for another 2 months. Color: ruby red with purple reflections. Bouquet: Beautiful and complex aromas of black currant, dried plums and Indian tea. Taste: complex, vibrant, focused wine with refreshing acidity and ripe fruit. Pairings: all kinds of appetizers and soft cheeses.” $25.99
Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona
“The origin of the Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona estate dates back to the 17th century. Located in southeastern Montalcino in the beautiful village of Castelnuovo del Abate, it has breathtaking views of the Orcia Vally and Mount Amiata. The oldest part of the property is the Palazzo (meaning Palace), erected by Montalcino’s Bishop, Fabivs de’ Vecchis, Abbot of Sant Antimo abbey. Over the course of time, the Palazzo became the property of the Montalcino diocese and was auctioned according to Italian law regarding ecclesiastic property.
Today, the Bianchini family owns the Estate. Guiseppe Bianchini managed the farm for the Countess Ciacci Piccolomini. He lived on the land with his family and oversaw the day-to-day operations of food and wine production. His children were born on the Estate, and grew up in the vineyards and olive groves with their father. Guiseppe was willed the property in 1985, when Countess passed without any heirs. Prior to this, the farm made wines for personal and local consumption. The Countess was never interested in making Brunello for the larger market. However, it had always been a dream of Guiseppe’s to produce great Brunello. After selling a portion of the Estate to pay for inheritance taxes, he set about farming the most perfectly situated plots of land for classic Brunello production.”
Ciacci Piccolomini d’Aragona Toscana Rosso IGT 2011
Tuscany. “85% Sangiovese Grosso, 15% Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. A blend of estate vineyards including: Massi, San Martino, Conte, Fonte and Vigna Lago. Aged for roughly 4 – 6 months in Slavonian oak barrels and French and American oak barrels (international varietals). Fruity, lightly herbal and enriched by hints of spices. This wine is ready to drink, full-bodied, quite soft and well-balanced.” $13.99
Malvira
“Malvirà was established in the 1950s by Giuseppe Damonte, at a time when the Roero’s potential was yet unrealized. Giuseppe had a great passion for farming and wine, a passion that he passed on to his two sons, Roberto and Massimo. In 1974, Roberto and Massimo took the reins and began slowly turning the family’s bulk wine business into an Estate focusing on quality wine production. Over the course of the next 30+ years, the brothers Damonte worked tirelessly to improve the quality of wines at Malvirà. They recognized that great wines come from meticulously farmed Estate vineyards.
Today, Malvirà’s wines are produced from Estate fruit, organically farmed across 104 acres and 6 vineyards. Over the years, they have been one of the most ardent proponents of the Arneis grape. 42 of their 104 acres are devoted to the propagation of Arneis. It is the wine for which Malvirà is renowned. In 2007, the Damontes purchased the Renesio vineyard, which they leased since 1983. Renesio is the cru from which the Arneis grape was identified in 1478. In fact, it is unknown which came first, the name of the vineyard, or the name of the grape!”
Malvira Roero Arneis DOCG 2011
Piedmont. “100% Roero Arneis. Vineyard: Trinita, Saglietto, Bordoni and Prarino. Fermented for 10 days in steel tanks, followed by 6 months of aging in steel tanks followed by bottling. Elegant, floral nose with hints of citrus, and notes of white flowers, melon, peaches and lemons on the palate. Vintage Characteristics: Lower yields than usual due to rain during the early stages of harvest, but a beautiful vintage nonetheless. Resulted in wines of great elegance with lovely floral qualities- very similar to 2009. Pairings: Light antipasti, fish, shellfish, crudité, poultry, salads, light pastas and young, fresh cheeses.” $17.99
Malvira Roero Nebbiolo 2008
Piedmont. “100% Nebbiolo. Vineyard: Trinita, Mombeltramo and Renesio. Aged 18 months in double French oak barrique (450 ltrs)– 50% new oak and 50% 2nd passage. Lovely balanced tannins with nice, youthful freshness; red and black fruit, hints of tobacco, spice and mint. Vintage Characteristics: A warmer vintage with warm days and evenings- resulting in a ready-to-drink bottling, even in its youth. Pairings: Grilled meat, ragu sauces, and game.” $24.99