North Berkeley Wines: The Italians

So I just returned from North Berkeley Imports annual portfolio tasting in San Francisco and all I can say is I was WOWED by the breadth and quality of the current offerings. Definitely customers of Cork & Bottle and Clever need to stay tuned for much more to come from North Berkeley Imports at Cork & Bottle.

What is NBI you ask? Well, its an import company owned by my friend Billy Weiss and his company has been for a long time one of my most important Burgundy and Rhone importers. North Berkeley primarily offers “Cuvee Unique” wines which are certain barrels of wine that they personally go over to France and hand select. To say their line-up of French wines, in particular Burgundy and Rhone, are a study in perfection is an understatement. Moreover, within the last few years NBI has expanded to include a line-up of estate grown Italian wines made organically and biodynamically, in other words, wines that are painfully pure and true to region and type. At the portfolio tasting last week Billy rolled out about 80 or so wines from his line-up and I am here to announce that I am more excited about this import book than EVER. The French wines are as solid as ever, but the real exciting stuff is going on in the Italian line-up and after hitting up his tasting last week I immediately made plans to start bringing in these new wines post haste.

You’ll be hearing a good deal more about these wines coming up soon, but here are a few Italian selections of his that just blew my doors off and wines you definitely need have on your radar.

2006 Josetta Saffirio Nebbilolo, Langhe Monforte d’Alba

Brilliant Wine!!! Its declassified Barolo and really shows the style and strength of Barolo. Elegant, structured, silky and long on the finish. For about $35 this is a steal of a wine and a chance to have the Barolo experience at half the cost.

2007 Tenuta Alberice Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso

Dark Color, very rich hue. Spicy fruit on the nose, intense dark fruit too. GREAT acid on finish and suprisingly light and deft on the palate. Great food wine, great wine for New Orleans weather.

2006 Perticaia Rosso di Montefalco

Made from mostly Sagratino this wine has a great color and fresh dark fruit just jumps out of the glass. Explosive wine, a real wild ride but still very much in balance.

2008 Destefanis Dolcetto “d’Alba ‘Bricco Galluccio

Brilliant fruit and earthy truffle on the nose, a touch light and one note on the palate but this is a textbook Dolcetto d’Alba and for about $14 is a very classy wine. Well done.

2007 Novaia Valpolicella Classico.

Lively color, deep finish with a little tobacco on the nose. Clean and easy on the palate but there’s still some lushness there. Best part: the fruit’s not burnt or muddled as so many Valpolicellas in this price point are. Very pretty wine. Good food wine.

2006 Ronchi Barbera d’Alba

I’ve always loved this guy’s wines and this Barbera with its soft, spicy nose and round fruit on the finish is another winner. Maybe a little one note, but this wine has all those ‘push button’ flavors you want out of a good Barbera.

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