The New Vintage of Our Best-Selling Italian Wine of the Decade is Here! (And it is FREAKING fantastic...)
Vin Chicago's most beloved Barbera is back! The numbers don't lie. Giuseppino Anfossi's Ghiomo "Lavai" Barbera is our top-selling Italian wine of the decade! Over the last five years alone, you all have snapped up over 14,000 bottles of this tasty gem. Unbelievably, that is roughly a quarter of Giuseppino's entire production!
In 2023, our friend Giuseppino has bottled absolute magic. Read on for our tasting notes on this oh-so-delicious Piedmont red, and for a look at the new vintage of his delightfully crisp and fresh "Inprimis" white, then click the Big Yellow Button to get in on the love!
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2023 Ghiomo "Lavai" Barbera d'Alba
Piedmont, Italy
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Versatile and alive, the 2023 Lavai boasts beautifully integrated flavors of cherry, dried strawberry, sage, mushroom, and fennel that entice the palate. This wine is SOOOO much more intricate than its $18 price would indicate! Boasting extremely supple tannins and Barbera’s famous acidity, it unfolds with complexity and charisma leading to a savory, mineral-tinged finish.
We've previously called Lavai the Swiss Army Knife of wines, and that statement rings true with this beautiful new vintage. Perfectly appetizing all on its own, it is also a winner with sausage and peppers, pizza, sage and brown butter pasta, and just about ANYTHING ELSE you can think to pair with it. The versatility of this wine simply cannot be overstated.
Giuseppino produces 1,000 cases of this wine each year. Unbelievably, we have not missed a single vintage since we began carrying it with the 2006 bottling. Equally impressive is that the price has only gone up by a few bucks that entire time.
If you are one of the thousands of people who have enjoyed prior vintages, then there is not much more we need to say. If you've not yet learned what this handcrafted wine is all about, now's your chance! Bring a few bottles to family gatherings and to share with friends. This nuanced, approachable and ridiculously delicious wine is what Vin Chicago is all about!
Vin Chicago Price: 17.99
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Plus Giuseppino's Swiss Army Knife White!
2023 Ghiomo "Inprimis" Arneis
Langhe, Piedmont, Italy
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Effortless and inviting, the 2023 Inprimis perfectly treads the line between being serious and being totally fun to drink. Perfect to pair with shellfish, grilled peach and goat cheese salad, just about any appetizers, and all sorts of main dishes, it in many ways is the white wine equivalent to Lavai when it comes to versatility.
Made entirely from Arneis harvested on the Ghiomo property, it completely captivates with juicy peach, pear, lime zest, and papaya notes. Wet stone minerality and a hint of herbs follow all the way through the round, lush finish. This wine is so complete from beginning to end!
Last year, our founder - Bud Schwarzbach - picked the 2022 Inprimis as his Wine of the Year, declaring, "This Arneis from Ghiomo is just about the perfect wine." We think this year's bottling is even better.
Production of this wine is even smaller than Lavai, and we are thrilled to bring it to you today!
Vin Chicago Price: 19.99
