Keep the Wines Cool

After six and a half years in the wine biz, we finally broke down and bought a wine cooler. How could it be that after pontificating on end about proper storage – the affects of temperature change and light, and proper serving temperatures, that we only just now became the proud owners of a wine cooler? The answer is elusive to tell the truth. The wine shop (Uncorked – you can click on the link to the right to browse the store website) is always a chilly 68°F so that the wines are at a beneficial storage temperature. Most of the wines sell out quickly – not on the shelf for more than a week or two. But there are those higher-end ones that take time to move out; the older vintage wines, ports and champagnes that really need to be looked after. It’s for their benefit that the cooling system is on the “go.” Given that, we always figured that it was like having a house-sized wine cooler. Why bother buying one? Then last weekend, we just broke down and thought how ridiculous it was that every time we wanted some wine, we had to get in the car and drive down to our wine shop. The thought of it really put a damper on the spontaneity of popping open a bottle of wine. So we did it – we took the plunge. While on the diving board, though, we realized that now that we have a wine cooler, we were missing a wine bar. So off we went to get a wine bar. It’s pretty cool. You can keep it closed to hide your glasses and wine tools or open it up and use it as a bar. These two new fixtures now grace our den and add to the cache of the leather couches, roll-top desk and real, still working victrola. However if we’re really to enjoy the wine bar, we’ll need to get bar stools; they’ll have to be leather to go with the couches. We’ll also need a plant and a new TV stand. I now recall why we waited so long to get the wine cooler. Perhaps the answer wasn’t so elusive. In the meantime, I will fill my cooler with a few new purchases of wine.

NERVI VIGNETO MOLSINO 2000 GATTINARA DOCG
The Molsino Gattinara is a beautiful expression of the noble Nebbiolo grape and was recently awarded the coveted Tre Bicchieri from Gambero Rosso. Nervi was founded in 1906 and owns 24-acres in the Gattinara region of Piedmont. Mineral-rich soils at an elevation of 1,000 ft. make Molsino one of the best vineyards in Gattinara. This wine is garnet-brick red with a nose of blackberries, cherries, smoke, cedar, violets and spice. The wine is full-bodied with firm tannins and moderate acidity. It was aged 4 years with 3 years in Slovenian oak casks.

BRUNELLI 2004 AMARONE DELLA VALPOLICELLA DOC
The Brunelli family has made wine for three generations, produced in the area of San Pietro in Cariano. The family owns 12 hectares of vineyards under the direction of oenologist Luigi Brunelli. Brunelli Amarone della Valpolicella Classico is deep ruby red in color with enticing aromas of blackberries, raisins, cedar, leather, chocolate, and mineral notes. Full-bodied with soft acidity and silky tannins, the wine offers rich flavors of raspberry, black fruits, dates, cedar, coffee and spice. It was aged for 21 months in oak barrels. Velvety and rich on the long, smooth finish.

CASATA MONFORT 2005 TEROLDEGO ROTALIANO DOC
Native to Trentino this vine takes its name from the village of Teroldeghe. The fundamental characteristic of this variety is that it grows and gives its best only in the Piana Rotaliana area whose soil is the result of alluvial detritus deposited by the River Noce.
Teroldego is known for producing wines of considerable character and quality that are heavy and rich with black fruits and spices yet retain a certain ethereal quality from high levels of acidity. Low in tannins, wines produced from this varietal are best consumed young, but when yields are low and production values high they can take to several years of bottle aging. Flavors and aromas of black cherries, blackberries and ripe plums are common.