The PRIMA Monday Vini VINE, October 21st
The PRIMA Vini VINE
Monday, October 21st
PRIMA Vini Dublin- 6890 Village Parkway, Dublin, CA 94568, 925-945-1800
Closed Mondays Through Today
Tuesday through Saturday, 10–6, Wine Bar Friday Nights Until 8 PM
Open 24-7 at www.primavini.com
He’s baa-aack! Didja miss me? My three weeks in Italy went by wa-ay too fast. After a few days in Bologna to calibrate our stomachs for the pasta and wine-driven onslaught ahead, we rolled down to Le Marche for a week in Verdicchio country. The Adriatic coast of Le Marche features miles and miles of tourist-free, sugar-sand beaches, incredibly fresh and delicious seafood and a fabulous history, but if you drive just a few minutes away, you will find yourself deep into the mountains where, on the scores of hilltop towns, wild boar and rabbit replace dorata and scampi on the menus and a different sort of Le Marche emerges. The vineyards in the hills are planted mostly to white and mixed with all kinds of other agriculture and the winemakers here are fiercely independent, producing wines of extraordinary character and verve. We filled the fridge of our house with wines from some of the smallest, most exquisite producers in the region and cooked to them, coming home with a deep appreciation for the rugged individualists working here. After Le Marche, it was off to Piemonte and PRIMA’s annual tour of the Langhe. We, of course, hit many of our favorites like Oddero, Settimo, Deltetto and Produttori del Barbaresco, but also found time to add up-and-comers like Conterno-Fantino to the list as well as make the pilgrimage to visit with the philosopher-king of Barolo, Massimo Martinelli, at his redoubt in Vicoforte. Hats off to Denise Pardini and her amazing staff at Castello di Sinio, the Langhe’s very best lodgings and kitchen, and to Leslie Rosa at La Dolce Vigna, for the wonderful job she does leading us around. We ate well, drank a lot and fell back in love with one of the most beautiful and soulful places on earth!
But now it’s back to the grindstone and I look up to see it’s almost Halloween! Can Thanksgiving and (gasp) the Holiday Season be far behind? We want to take this moment to remind you that our small, family-owned business exists only to help you, and is here to provide personalized, professional care to your holiday gifts, both personal and corporate. Give us a call or e-mail and let us give you the white glove treatment! And, in the meantime, come in and enjoy our fall schedule of events in the store and wine bar. This Friday, Norbert Reinisch of the venerable Braida estate in the Asti province of Piemonte will be here to remind you what a special wine Barbera can be. And this Saturday, get your Halloween partying schedule off to a great start with Fran and company at our afternoon bash. And we presume you’ve already marked your calendars for December 7th…….
Ah, it’s great to be back home…..
ON THE PRIMA Vini Calendar
All Friday Night Tastings are $25 at the door and run from 5:30-7:30 PM
THIS FRIDAY, October 25th- An Evening in Piemonte with Giacomo Bologna-Braida
5:30- 7: 30 PM
The late Giacomo Bologna did more to promote the Barbera grape to the world than anyone else in his native Piemonte, and his daughter Raffaella and son-in-law Norbert continue to carry the flag.
These are an incredible set of ground-breaking wines that redefined for us what is possible in the Asti region. Join us as Norbert pours a selection of Braida favorites including the transcendent Bricco dell’Uccellone, one of the world’s most dynamic expressions of Barbera, as well as some off-beat rarities like Braida’s delicious Timorasso and the delightfully sweet bubbly Brachetto.
Come as you are- no tickets or reservations required.
Pouring for your pleasure:
2023 Langhe Nascetta ‘La Regina
2022 Grignolino d’Asti ‘Limonte’
2023 Barbera del Monferrato ‘La Monella’
2021 Barbera d’Asti ‘Montebruna’
2020 Barbera d’Asti ‘Bricco dell’ Uccellone’
2023 Brachetto d’Aqui
THIS SATURDAY, October 26th-
PRIMA’s Annual Halloween Bash
It’s PRIMA’s Third Annual Halloween Costume Party and Open House! Come meet your PRIMA brethren, imbibe a potentially deadly Dracula Spritz or choose from our special selection of Halloween wines and wine-based spirits to celebrate the spookiest day of the year. Scary pricing on some wine specials in the store too. The fun starts at 2 PM and continues until close. Come as you are, no reservations (or costumes) required and prepare to have a good time!
Saturday, December 7th- PRIMA’s 37th Annual Champagne Extravaganza
The highlight of PRIMA’s social calendar is not that far off! Mark your calendars….
ANY TIME WE’RE OPEN
COME SEE WHAT WE’RE POURING IN THE PRIMA Vini WINE BAR!
We change the wines we pour by the glass week frequently so there’s always something interesting and fun open. Or pick a bottle up off our shelf, wine fridge or Enoteca! If it’s under $50 on the shelf, there’s only a $15 corkage and if it’s over $50, hey, we’ll waive it! Or do what the ‘Back to School Moms’ did last week and bring your own group, a bunch of your favorite fixins’ from one of our fine local restaurants and take over the place! And, coming soon, the East Bay’s first Italian Pizza Vending Machine. Whaaaaat?
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PRIMA WINE BAR’S BY THE BOTTLE SPECIALS
We’ve chosen a half dozen really special wines you can enjoy at our tasting bar with no additional corkage!
Order a pizza or some takeout to be delivered here and ask us to pop a bottle of one of these half dozen really special wines you can enjoy at our tasting bar with no additional corkage! These are not available by-the-glass so bring a friend or two or come thirsty~
2018 Antica Fratta Franciacorta Saten $45
2023 Spottswoode Sauvignon Blanc, Napa/Sonoma Counties $48
2020 Fattoria Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva $40
2022 A. Rafanelli Estate Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley $60
2022 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley $65
2019 Oddero Barolo Classico $67
PRIMA’s Wines of the Week
2022 Jim Barry Lodge Hill Riesling, Clare Valley
Either/Or $21.99
2017 Jim Barry Lodge Hill Shiraz, Clare Valley
Either/Or $21.99
Been a while since we’ve had some good ol’ fashioned Aussie treasures to trumpet but Jim Barry’s Jane Ferrari’s visit last Friday gave us a chance to sink our noses into two truly wonderful values from the Clare Valley. This venerable producer purchased these old vines in the coolest eastern side of the valley back in 1977 and have been producing these under-the-radar gems ever since. The Riesling is classic Clare- from vines at 480 meters, it’s a beautiful spot; absolutely perfect for this late-ripening, difficult to master variety. Gorgeous Riesling peach pit and spice aromatics, bone dry and scintillatingly bright and exciting, this reminded more than one taster of the Grossets’ Watervale or Polish Hill Rieslings from nearby, just at under half the price! Drink now in the backyard all by itself or pair it with all sorts of fare. I bet if you lost a few bottles for a few years in the back of the cellar, it wouldn’t be a crime either. Such a good wine and the tasters last Friday all voted with their pocketbooks too! But wait! Isn’t Jim Barry better-known for their wonderful Shirazes and Cabs? Oh, yeah! The Barrys planted Shiraz in the same range of vineyards as the Riesling and have produced one of the best cooler climate versions of Clare Shiraz we’ve tasted in a while! Dark and earthy with a gorgeous mélange of black raspberry, mulberry, potpourri, melted tar and mineral on the nose, it’s not too big but not at all light either. It’s juuuuuust right! Lovers of Aussie Shiraz will find an awful lot to relate to here as will those whose jam is more the Northern Rhone Valley. Best of all? The price! Seriously. This drinks with a lot of the Aussie Big Boys at a fraction of the price. Both are very highly recommended. Not only by Jane…….
2023 Evening Land Salem Wine Company Pinot Noir, Oregon
Regular Price $28.00,
Your Next House Pinot? $24.99
Anyone making their own wine should think of their wine label as a sort of business card. It creates a first impression and, as they say, you only have one chance to make one. This wine, created by our very good friends at Evening Land Vineyards, was presented to us several vintages ago and, though we thought the wine was excellent, the package was, shall we say, drab. Well, maybe even worse than drab. But when the newest vintage of the same delicious wine was presented to us the other day, we had a completely different impression. This was a label I would love seeing on the counter anytime! And with the quality of the wine even better than the last time we tried it and a price tag equally as compelling, I think this could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship! The picture on the label, of course, finds its inspiration from ‘The Red Fuji,’ one of Hokusai’s 36 Ukiyo-e woodblock print views of Mount Fuji made during the early nineteenth century. Here, though, the iconic mountain is replaced here with Oregon’s own Mount Hood and, wrapped around this excellent bottle of Pinot, well, I think I am in Willamette Valley heaven. Bottled as a sort of second label for Evening Land, this too is 100% from the Seven Springs Vineyard, the Eola-Amity Hills vineyard that has been the heart and soul of Evening Land from the start. Essentially a barrel selection of wines that don’t make it into the other cuvees, like its far more expensive brethren bottled under the Evening Land label, it too was farmed organically and biodynamically and saw sixteen months in wood before bottling, although, in practice, none of it was new. Made in a take-me-now style for immediate gratification, this is a Pinot all about its snappy, front-and-center dark, mulberry-infused fruit, its focused and forward aromatics and its crunchy, lively finish. Fun and fruity enough to enjoy all on its own in the backyard with your feet up (and dreaming of Mount Fuji), there’s plenty enough chutzpah as well to make it a fine partner with grilled salmon, all sorts of poultry dishes and even some burgers off the grill. Priced very well, this is one to buy by the case and drink a ton of over the next three or four years.
2018 Hanna Winery Zinfandel, Sonoma County
Regular Price $42.00,
Our Crazy Good Deal: $24.99
with shipping Included on 6 bottles or more
Frank Rothstein, PRIMA’s ‘Minister of Value’ has uncovered a particularly exciting deal on this delicious old school Zinfandel from the Hanna Winery, located in the picturesque Alexander Valley of Sonoma County. Hanna Winery, established by Dr. Elias Hanna in 1985 and now managed by his daughter, Christine, made the wise decision years ago to concentrate on developing the best estate vineyards in the rocky hills that surround their winery and hospitality center. They also had the foresight to hire a very talented and progressive winemaker, Jeff Hinchcliffe, who developed and advanced sustainable practices (now certified) throughout the entire winemaking process. Over the years, Hanna has grown in size, now owning 600 acres, of which 230 acres are planted to vines, in appellations that include Alexander Valley, Bradford Mountain in Dry Creek Valley, their Home Vineyard in Russian River Valley and the Moon Mountain AVA in Sonoma Valley. Their reputation has also grown, beginning with their award-winning Sauvignon Blanc and now producing excellent, terroir-driven Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and other reds. For us, though, it was always their SB and Zin that we loved the most. The 2018 Hanna Zinfandel, Sonoma County, is sourced from six separate and distinct blocks all on mature vines. The winery style has always been to create a brighter style of Zin; one with forward fruit, supple texture and moderate tannins and alcohol strength. This particular bottling, a classic of the old school style we associate with Hanna, was originally destined for the European market, but when the COVID19 pandemic shut everything down, the winery set it aside in the aging cellar. This Hanna Zin, now with a few years of bottle age, has developed into a beautifully complex and silky red wine, a wonderful example of the excellent, very balanced 2018 growing season. The thing about Zin like this, as it ages, it becomes more and more like a fine bottle of Bordeaux or Cabernet Sauvignon than a full-throttle, in-your-face Zin and that’s a good thing! It’s now a delightful red that can be enjoyed on its own or with all kinds of food. We immediately imagined burgers off the grill but I think anything with lots of savory or moderately spicy flavors would work. You decide. Released at over $40, the winery made us an offer we couldn’t refuse and we get to offer the 2018 Hanna Zinfandel at only $24.99 per bottle with shipping on six. You’d be wise to respond quickly and take advantage of this offer before the inventory is totally depleted. Believe me, it won’t take long. – Frank Rothstein, Minister of Value
2019 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
Regular Price $99.00, INSIDER SPECIAL PRICING-
$79.99, 6 bottles $450/$75 per bottle with shipping Included
Decanter: Aged in 50% new and 50% second-use American Oak from the Duncan family's The Oak cooperage in Higbee, Missouri. Matt Duncan joined me for my tasting, and he says the Petit Verdot in the blend, of which there is 0.4%, is co-fermented with the Cabernet Sauvignon, intended to bring focus to the Cabernet fruit. A compelling, brooding, muscular rendition of Cabernet from Alexander Valley with gorgeous boysenberry notes, black currants, and rose petals laced with vanillin notes and toasty oak. Medium to full-bodied with black currants, ripe blackberry and black cherry notes framed by velvety tannins laced with that irresistible vanillin note. Toasty oak spices lend a hint of sweetness, balanced by grippy acidity. Long and complex, revealing umami, garrigue, and crushed slatestone on the finish. It's a terrific wine from the Alexander Valley. 95 points