A Trio of New Delights

Today we have a trio of new delights for you from the Italian wine producer Cavallotto.

Cavallotto is a tiny powerhouse Barolo producer who just happens to make a few other very small production wines in Piemonte, Italy.

"Year after year Cavallotto crafts some of the most delicious value-priced wines in Piedmont." (Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate)

The first wine we tasted was a delightful revelation -- a white wine made from the red grape Pinot Noir. Fascinating (and, in case you're curious, it's achieved by eliminating skin contact during fermentation). We were immediately struck by its high acidity and bright minerality. We liked it so much we even brought it to a wine dinner to pair with homemade autumn squash-filled raviolis with brown butter and crispy sage. Our truly wonderful friends who hosted us adored the pairing, and so did we.

Cavallotto Langhe Pinot Nero Bianco 2011

This is a most unusual Italian white wine from Piemonte made with Pinot Nero, which is a red grape variety (the same grape as Pinot Noir). It's a full-bodied white with lively acidity and fruity aromas of lemon, pineapple and almond kernel. It is excellent as an aperitif, and can also be served with fish, white meats, fine cheeses and light dishes in general. Only 450 cases made.

$22.99/bottle or $220.70/12 pack case ($18.39/bottle) or just $18.39/bottle in a mixed case of wine.

Our next white from Cavallotto was another surprise. Aside from white Burgundy, we're not known to drink Chardonnay much. However, this Italian version is clean and bright and packed with fruit. It's elegant and not like any Chardonnay you'll ever taste from California.

Cavallotto Langhe Chardonnay 2011

The aromas are intense, fragrant, clean and persistent, with citrus, green apple, and sage notes. The flavors are soft, warm and full-bodied, with a well-balanced, long finish along with slight almond undertones. Serve with seafood, fresh cheeses and white meats.

$22.99/bottle or $220.70/12 pack case ($18.39/bottle) or just $18.39/bottle in a mixed case of wine.

For those of you jaded "been there, done that" wine fans out there, we have a very unusual grape variety to present to you today. We're pretty excited about it too. We're talking about Freisa, which is one of the oldest and most important grape varieties in Piemonte, Italy. Ever heard of it?

According to our favorite new wine book by Jancis Robinson, called Wine Grapes, "DNA profiling showed that Freisa and Nebbiolo have a parent-offspring relationship, and that Freisa could have a close genetic relationship with Viognier from the Northern Rhone." If you're imagining the combination of high acidity and tannins, along with a distinctly perfumed nature then you're in the right ballpark.

Cavallotto's Freisa is grown on the blessed hillside Castiglione Falletto vineyard, which is also the source for the estate's top Barolo. One of the things we love about this wine is the fact that it's one heck of an argument for the concept of terroir. For such an internationally famous and illustrious vineyard site to produce anything but Nebbiolo for top Barolos, well, we just think it shows in the bottle.

Cavallotto Langhe Freisa 2010

This unusual indigenous Italian red from Piemonte is vinous and elegant with characteristic ripe fruit aromas, along with black pepper and cloves. The flavors are warm, round and quite soft with nice tannins and an almond note on the finish. Serve with red meats and medium-aged cheeses.

This wine is sure to spark up a conversation with your Italian wine loving friends.

$22.99/bottle or $220.70/12 pack case ($18.39/bottle) or just $18.39/bottle in a mixed case of wine.

We also have a bonus wine from Cavallotto which has been on our shelves for quite some time. It's one of our favorite Italian reds. Sadly, the vintage is on its way out and we only have a few cases remaining.

Cavallotto Vigna Scot Dolcetto 2009

"The 2009 Dolcetto d-Alba Vigna Scot flows with gorgeous dark fruit, tar, licorice and underbrush. As always, this is a beautiful, supple Dolcetto with superb purity in its fruit, beautifully articulated aromatics and terrific overall balance. It is highly recommended. It's tough to go wrong with pretty much anything from Cavallotto these days. The estate's entry-level wines offer nearly as much pleasure as the higher-end wines, but at far more soothing prices." (Wine Advocate)

Wine Advocate: 90 points

$17.99/bottle or $172.70/12 pack case ($14.39/bottle) or just $14.39/bottle in a mixed case of wine.

P.S.
We're getting ready for our big 12/12/12 sale. Please stay alert for updates on this fun day. If you've been thinking about special ordering wine for the holidays, we suggest you place your orders by December 4 and pick it up on the 12th so you can take advantage of our extra special wine sale.

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