November 2024 | Terroir Wine Club

Sergio Arcuri 2018 “Piu Vite” Ciro Riserva

Calabrian wines rarely receive the acclaim they deserve; in an area known more for its chilis than wine, it’s no surprise these often fly under the radar. With that said, the main grape, Gaglioppo, deserves a loving place in any cellar. I can safely say, if this wine was scattered about a blind tasting, I would call it Barolo every time (and obviously be wrong). In the glass the wine is light red and almost orange in hue with a highly perfumed nose of rose petals, sandalwood, and beach sand. As time opens the wine, the glass throws notes of clove, cinnamon, and potpourri. The aromatics alone show remarkable evolution, and the backbone of the wine is strong and pervasive. On day two the wine becomes an entirely new being with notes of white cherry, pomegranate, caramel corn, and mushroom; it’s almost like you’re drinking an entirely new wine (buy one, get one free wine?)! For serving, I would open this 1-2 hours before you want to share the bottle, and serve alongside raw tuna, margherita pizza, or grilled octopus. Drink now – 2038 and serve in large bowl stemware at cellar temperature.

Nicolo Grippaldi “Le Domeniche di Teo” 2020 

This cuvee comes from a modest 2.6 ha vineyard planted exclusively to Nerello Mascalese and Nero d’Avola. Grippaldi himself comes from an academic background of philosophy and has opted to express that through the lens of wine. Guided in part by intuition and part by rational, Grippaldi sculpts this masterful cuvee made from biodynamically farmed grapes with native ferments and gentle extraction and elevage. Right out of the gate the wine is ripe with figs, quince paste, dried herbs, and cinnamon oils. Over time the wine shifts to a stronger fruit profile of black cherry, marionberry, and bramble pie flesh. The longevity of the wine is noteworthy holding true to form and perhaps even elevated with a note of sarsaparilla and chicory. I very (very) easily enjoyed this wine over several days and am already dreaming of enjoying alongside aged parmesan, grilled game, or olives and cured meats. Drink now – 2034 and serve at cellar temperature in all-purpose stemware.

Alzinger 2022 Ried Loibenberg Federspiel

Gruner Veltliner is one of my favorite go-to wines for a holiday dinner table when you’re trying to pair everything from brussel sprouts to cranberry sauce. The profile of the varietal allows the wine to shape-shift and almost masquerade itself in a dish dependent manner. This selection comes from one of my favorite Austrian Producers, Alzinger, and from one of my favorite vineyards, Loibenberg. Loibenberg is a warm site with stony soils to reflect the Austrian sun and thus ripening the grapes to full phenolic potential. The wine is still young and has a long life ahead of itself, easily noted by the tight profile upon opening. The wine is clean and lean with notes of white pepper oil, Buddah’s hand citrus, baby powder and green cotton candy. The minerality of the wine is intense and moves in waves over the palate with rock and salted lemons. On day two, the wine opens even more; so much so that I prefer it on day two right now! A definite nod to the longevity of these wines. The wine is tropical fruit, lemongrass, and fuller in body. While this wine can stand up to a holiday table, I would love to enjoy this alongside buttered greens with lemon zest, hard cheeses, or pork chop. Drink now – 2042 and serve in all-purpose stemware just above refrigeration temperature. If consuming young, open the wine 2-6 hours prior to drinking.