Still known as the "King of Barolo" in Italy, Aldo Conterno passed away in 2012, leaving behind a legacy of wines and winemaking. Today, I'm delighted to revisit two of the last wines that began under his watchful eyes, the 2005 & 2006 Barolo Granbussia Riserva. Aldo Conterno's 2005 Granbussia Riserva represents the crème de la crème of Barolo and certainly one of the premier wines of Italy. The quantities are miniscule with the average production hovering around 250 cases. These highly collectable and fervently sought after wines are made for the ages.
Gianfranco Soldera is arguably Italy's greatest living producer. Even before the 2012 act of vandalism that decimated six years of Soldera's production. I'm happy to offer Case Basse di Soldera 2003 Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, a wine of incredible charm and dimension. This unusually approachable eleven year old, from a very warm vintage offers wonderful accessibility to its sublime fruit.
One of my favorite rosé Champagne's for every day drinking is Alfred Gratien NV Rosé Brut. This fantastic bubbly has earned its place at the top of my list for its versatility in pairing with different foods, its outstanding and its quality.
