Special Events - Wine Dinners - Tasting & More

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Italian Wine Education Tasting

Tuesday June 25th 6pm @Vinous Wine Bar

Sophie Barrett (Haw River Wine Imports)

$35 Per Person – Reservations Required

Send Reservation requests to – 

carolinawinemerchants@gmail.com

Come spend your Sunday afternoon with me (Jake) and Italian Wine Expert extraordinaire Sophie Barrett of Haw River Wine Imports as we take you on an educational tour of the fascinating wines of Italy.

We will dive deep into each individual wine with the history, terroir , wine growing methods, winemaking techniques and proper way to taste and evaluate.

It’s going to be a fun, educational day of wine tasting!

1. Coffele Soave Alzari Classico 2021

Bouquet : The nose is intriguing; it seduces by its gradual evolution in the glass. At first, it shows aromas of mountain herbs, green tea and mineral notes. Ripe Williams pear, dried fruits, toasted nuts, and honey unfold over the course of some minutes.

Tasting notes : A dry wine that caresses the palate and offers volume and softness balanced by a distinct saltiness. Elegant and harmonious, with good structure, it has a pleasant length at the finish.

2. Fontanavecchia Rosato Aglianico 2023 

Very pleasant rosé wine made from 100% Aglianico grapes. Beautiful coppery pink color; soft and delicate. Aromas of small red fruits, cherries and raspberries.

3. Lenuzza Schiopettino di Prepotto 

A new addition to CWM portfolio of great wines this one has quickly become a customer favorite.

Schioppettino wines were once outlawed in favor of international varieties. Luckily, the tide eventually changed, and Friuli’s ancient native red grape survived to tell the tale. This flagship mono-varietal is alluringly herbaceous and peppery, tempered by rustic restraint.

It is their Grand Cru and oldest indigenous variety. Aged in Burgundy barrels with 4 months additional bottle age before release. Schioppettino is a thin-skinned grape that makes a light-bodied peppery red.

4. Vallone di Cecione Chianti Classico 2022 

The estate's '22 Chianti Classico is a formidable wine that showcases perfectly ripened blue fruits paired with more complex notes of lavender, spice, anise, and tobacco on the nose and palate. Quite full, deep, and energetic, it's one of the finest Chianti Classico values out there.

5. Garolfoli Piancarda Rosso Conero 2020 

The 2020 Rosso Conero Piancarda, a varietal Montepulciano, lifts from the glass with a dusty mix of dried roses, red currants and hints of nectarine that form a truly inviting bouquet. This is silky and elegant, nearly creamy in feel, yet elevated and cool-toned, with mineral-laced wild berries and a salty flourish that adds a savory sensation toward the close. The 2020 leaves a coating of fine tannins, as inner florals arch across the palate, and a caking of minerality slowly fades away. The warm vintage has imparted an extra suave character here, yet the Piancarda’s structure and acidity are nicely balanced and should promote medium-term cellaring. Lose a few bottles in the cellar; you’ll thank me later.

6. Tezza Valpolicella Brolo Delle Giare 2018 

This red blend used to be a Ripasso wine, and the grapes are still dried on the rack. The juice spends 24 months in French barrique before being bottled. The resulting wine is complex, you’ll find notes of sour black cherry and toasted vanilla followed by a rich palate that includes flavors of cinnamon, more black fruit and dried herbs.

Italian Wine Tasting Dinner Menu

Wednesday, June 5th 7pm (Reservations Required) – 

Email carolinawinemerchants@gmail.com

Seating Limited to 24 People - $75 Person

First Course

Whipped White Bean & Pesto Crostini

Umani Ronchi Terre di Chieti Pecorino 2022

Pecorino from Terre di Chieti IGT, Abruzzo, Italy

A nice combination of bright, citrusy fruit and savory mineral character here, which is typical for pecorino. Floral notes add further interest. Medium-bodied with a tight and tasty palate and an enduring lemon and lime finish. Super standard bearer for this local grape.

Second Course

Aubergine Fritters with Marinated Mushroom & Olive Salsa

Tiberio Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo 2022

The 2022 Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo seduces with its perfumed blend of crushed cherries and strawberries, complemented by rhubarb, violets and sweet smoke. It's racy and sleek, built on energy, with a mineral core that grips the palate. A cascade of wild berries is excited by tantalizing acidity. This finishes dramatically long, lightly structured and full of zesty tension as salty nuances combine with tart red fruits and hints of sour citrus. The 2022 takes Cerasuolo to a whole new level. This is more a red than a Rosé, and with a bouquet to match.

Third Course

Beef Involini (braised beef roulaude) with Asparagus and Rosemary Potatoes

Ca del Baio Langhe Nebbiolo Bric del Baio 2022

A vibrant, medium-bodied red from Piedmont with no oak contact. This wine features bright cherry along with the earth and tobacco finish of good Nebbiolo.

Fourth Course

Strawberry, Basil & Ricotta Cake with Strawberry Balsamic Drizzle & Fresh Cream

Ca del Baio Moscato d'Asti 2023

Brilliant straw yellow color, animated by fine and persistent bubbles; intense, aromatic aroma, typical of the grape of origin, with fruity notes that recall apricot and linden flowers; sweet, light, good acidity, fresh and persistent aftertaste. Italian sweet wine par excellence!