June 7th
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93
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Alma Rosa
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$23
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2007 Santa Rita Hills El Jabalí Vineyard Chardonnay
Richard and Thekla Sanford founded Alma Rosa in 2005, after 24 years at Sanford Winery. They based their new project on 100 acres of organically farmed vineyards in the Santa Rita Hills. This chardonnay is a selection from vines planted in 1983, cold fermented without malolactic. Only 30 percent of it rests in new oak. The fruit comes through in citrusy flavors of pink grapefruit, orange and a hint of salted caramel. It's clean and firm, with the warm/cool zest of the Santa Rita Hills. A beautiful young chardonnay to chill for any fresh shellfish. (500 cases)
Alma Rosa Winery & Vineyard, San Luis Obispo, CA
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93
I
Santadi
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$13
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2007 Carignano del Sulcis Grotta Rossa
From carignano grown in a mixture of clay, sand and limestone, this wine is aged in cement vats prior to bottling, so there's no oak to get in the way of the scents of wild thyme, coastal breezes and black, earthy fruit. It's a savory, mouthwatering red, lasting on elegant minerality. Levi Dalton, then sommelier at Convivio in NYC, suggested this would work well with a dish such as the restaurant's fusilli with braised pork shoulder, tomato and caciocavallo.
Empson USA, Alexandria, VA
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