Spotlight on: Neal Rosenthal
Neal Rosenthal is a legendary wine importer known for discovering and supporting exceptional growers and producers. His portfolio is packed with excellent European wine.
Amarone della Valpolicella, Clementi – 2013 $79.96
You gotta love wineries like Avinyo. They’re a family estate that’s been around for 14 generations. They are dedicated to organics and sustainability. They harvest fruit from 50 plus year old vines. Despite all this, it is almost shocking that they keep their prices this friendly. Their Reserva Brut Cava shows off the results of Avinyo’s beliefs and practices. The wine is fresh and crisp with straw aromas. Flavors of green apples and limes are heightened with mouthwatering acidity. You’ll find a touch of salinity, a good amount of minerality. It’s a joyful start to any celebration. – Chung Park, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Amigne Sec “1 Abeille,” GC de Vétroz, Cave des Tilleuls – 2020 $56.96
Tasting this wine is like licking imperial velvet. Its supple, round, creamy,and full-bodied characteristics offer a textural experience that is sublime. Hailing from the Valais canton of Switzerland, Fabienne Cottagnoud makes this wine with grapes grown on schist, gneiss, and granite soils. The minerality of this particular vineyard shines through in the elegant and subtle flavors of apricot, honey, and hazelnut wrapped in a finely woven blanket of texture. This has some serious mouthfeel! Amigne is a varietal that is in the Vetroz region of the Valais, and is used to make both dry and sweet wines. Fabienne vinifies this Amigne Sec in a dry style. Why not try something somewhat obscure and truly luxurious? This Swiss stunner will greatly reward the curious drinker. – Vince Grace, Assistant Buyer
Brutto Catarratto Frizzante Ancestrale, Aldo Viola – 2022 $24.96
Aldo Viola comes from a winemaking family in Northwest Sicily. For ten years, he left the family estate to pursue other endeavors (professional soccer and extensive traveling). In the year 2000, the prodigal son regained his senses and returned to Sicily, recognizing that wine was his destiny. Since then, Aldo has been farming biodynamically and vinifying wine using natural methods. It’s his way of giving his wines the character of the grapes and terroir. His Catarratto Brutto is a pét-nat whose juice has undergone a bit of skin contact for texture. The aromas are lush and tantalizing, hinting at yeast and minerals. Its bubbles are silky, the alcohol is 11%, which makes this wine easily crushable. A great aperitif or a pair for pasta and seafood. – Chung Park, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Chassagne-Montrachet Blanc 1er Cru “Chenevottes”, Prudhon – 2022 $81.96
The wines of Henri Prudhon et Fils are an exceeding good value in terms of white Burgundies. I could go on about the terroir, the much more expensive wines from more famous neighboring vineyards, etc, but honestly this is just a fantastic bottle of beautiful Chardonnay. Lemon curd, frangipane, baking spices, and white pepper aromas and flavors flit around this full-bodied and richly textured gem. Intense, viscous, and flavorful, this is a fine example of the bold flavors that Burgundian winemaking techniques can achieve. The forty year old vines don’t hurt either. Pair with intensely flavored cheese, mushrooms, fowl in cream sauces, and many other rich dishes. Prudhon will make your table sing. – Vince Grace, Assistant Buyer
Dolcetto Dogliani, San Fereolo – 2016 $41.99
Female winemaker? Check! Biodynamic vineyard practice? Check! Tête de cuvée made from Dolcetto? What the f? Yes, this beautiful wine is made from 100% old-vine Dolcetto in the Dogliani village, which is located immediately south of Barolo in the Langhe region. Nicoletta Bocca started the conversion to organic/biodynamic 30 years ago when she bought the estate. Only released after nearly 7 years of aging both bottle and barrel, this is a truly special and unique wine. While the wine is recognizable as Dolcetto with the classic upfront fruit, the evolution the wine has gone through takes “the light sweet one” to another level entirely. – Josh Mizrahi, Sales Manager
Saumur-Champigny “Les Sables,” Ch. de Chaintres – 2021 $22.96
Chateau de Chaintres is a seventeenth-century mansion deep in the Saumur-Champigny region. As I have grown to love the grape variety Cabernet Franc, this has become one of my absolute favorite regions for flavorful and affordable wine. Winemaker Jean-Philippe Louis delicately crafts this cuvée, resting it both stainless-steel tanks and terracotta jars before spending 8 months aging in primarily neutral oak.The fruit flavors are mature, landing somewhere between plum and cassis berry. The minerality was expectedly great, coming from the limestone rich soil of Loire. A subtle spice of clove lingers on a truly elegant finish. A perfect wine choice for cheese and hors d’oeuvre or a bistro lunch. But I am taking this home again tonight to pair with spicy stuffed peppers. – Evan Cucciniello, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant