October 2025 Bottle Club Selections

October 9, 2025 / Michelle Schaber

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Hidden Gems of Piemonte — and a Bourgogne Jewel

This month’s Bottle Club brings something truly special — exclusive Italian direct imports that you won’t find anywhere else in the U.S. From the crisp elegance of Roero Arneis to the depth of Barolo, and the debut of Bertolino Barbera (never before shipped to America), these selections showcase Piemonte at its most exciting, capped with a Bourgogne Premier Cru for contrast.

Casetta Roero Arneis 2024

Varietal & Style: 100% Arneis (Roero DOCG)
Tasting Notes: Expect a pale straw-yellow with green highlights. On the nose: white flowers, citrus peel, perhaps a hint of green almond. The palate is crisp, lean, with vibrant acidity and saline/mineral lift on the finish.
Food Pairings: An ideal aperitivo, but also with shellfish, delicate white fish, grilled vegetables, risotto with asparagus or peas, goat cheese salads.
Why It Matters: A young vintage like 2024 will capture the pure, fresh essence of Roero’s white soils. This wine gives you a chance to see how modern Piedmontese Arneis can express elegance and minerality.

Casetta Roero Arneis Mumplin 2023

Varietal & Style: Same Arneis but from the “Mumplin” vineyard / special cuvée
Tasting Notes: Slightly deeper aromatic complexity—ripe stone fruit, subtle almond, herbs. The acidity is a bit rounder, texture more layered than the base Roero Arneis.
Food Pairings: Richer shellfish dishes, sole, poultry with cream sauces, soft cheeses.
Special Note: Because it’s a more selective parcel (Mumplin), this bottling tends to show more personality and aging potential than the standard. It gives you a taste of vineyard-driven nuance.

Casetta Roero Arneis Mumplin 2017

Varietal & Style: Same vineyard, but with 8 years of age
Tasting Notes: Now evolving—expect notes of baked apple, dried apricot, beeswax, honeyed almond, and a touch of oxidation complexity. The palate softens a bit, but still retains saline minerality and refreshing acidity.
Food Pairings: More robust pairings—scallops with brown butter, chicken in cream sauce, mild shellfish in bisque, aged cheeses.
Why It’s Special: Aged Arneis is rare in the U.S. market. This bottle gives you a chance to witness how the variety evolves with bottle age—something most never see.

Casetta Pelaverga Colline Saluzzesi 2023

Varietal & Style: Pelaverga (rare red grape native to Saluzzo / Cuneo)
Tasting Notes: Bright ruby with garnet edges. On the nose: fresh red berries, cracked pepper, gentle spice, red florals. The palate is light to medium bodied, juicy red fruit, moderate acidity, softly textured tannins. The peppery note (a hallmark of Pelaverga) comes through elegantly.
Food Pairings: A fun, food-friendly red—try with charcuterie, salumi, peppered steak, pork tenderloin, mushroom dishes, lighter pasta.
Why It’s Memorable: Pelaverga is obscure outside its home region—this wine gives you a true “Piemonte secret.”

Casetta Nebbiolo d’Alba 2018

Varietal & Style: 100% Nebbiolo (Nebbiolo d’Alba DOC)
Tasting Notes: Garnet hue. Aromas: bright red fruit, rose petal, dried herbs, light tar. On the palate: moderate structure, silky texture, savory lift, balanced acidity and soft drying tannins. A more accessible, earlier-drinking Nebbiolo.
Food Pairings: Grilled meats, mushroom pasta, pizza, aged salumi, medium cheeses.
This wine is a more approachable, earlier-drinking Nebbiolo—a gateway into Barolo territory.

Bertolino Barbera d’Asti Superiore Sola 2021

Varietal & Style: 100% Barbera (Superiore)
Tasting Notes: Bright ruby red. Aromas of red cherry, plum, blueberry, subtle spice. The palate is expressive, lively acidity (classic Barbera trait), moderate but firm tannins, juicy red fruits, slightly savory notes, and length.
Food Pairings: Pasta al ragu, pizza with salami, grilled pork, roasted chicken, medium cheeses, vegetable stews.
Why It’s Special: As a “Superiore,” it has longer aging and stricter selectivity.

Bertolino Barbera d’Asti Superiore Giuseppina 2020

Varietal & Style: 100% Barbera (Superiore, “Giuseppina Pia”)
Tasting Notes: Rich ruby red with garnet hints. Aromas of darker red fruits with spice, a touch of vanilla. The palate is broader and deeper than the Sola 2021: more mid-palate weight, supple tannins, balanced acidity, and a lingering finish with hints of cocoa, tobacco.
Food Pairings: Hearty pasta dishes, roasted meats, lamb, grilled beef, aged cheese pairings, mushroom risotto.
Why It’s Memorable: The 2020 vintage gives some age—in a good Barbera, that can bring extra polish and integration.

Casetta Roero Superiore 1997

Varietal & Style: Nebbiolo from Roero
Tasting Notes: Rich garnet-orange. Dried cherry, leather, underbrush, tobacco, forest floor, dried flowers. The palate is silky, savory, elegant—more mature than youthful Barolo.
Food Pairings: This is a contemplative wine—serve with slow-braised lamb shank, stews, aged cheeses.
Why It’s Awe-Inspiring: A 1997 Roero Superiore is extremely rare. It offers you a living piece of Piemonte’s past, showing how Nebbiolo from Roero can evolve gracefully for decades.

Casetta Barolo Cerviano Merli 2015

Varietal & Style: 100% Nebbiolo (Barolo DOCG), “Cerviano Merli” parcel
Tasting Notes: Deep garnet, evolving into garnet-orange rim. Aromas of red cherry, dried rose petal, tar, truffle, earth, leather. On the palate: fine-grained tannins, lifted acidity, savory complexity, lingering balsamic notes. At 10 years, this is entering its optimal drinking window.
Food Pairings: Classic Barolo fare—braised beef, aged cheeses.
Point of Distinction: A vintage well matured—you can see the early development and structure from Casetta’s hillside Nebbiolo.

Casetta Barolo Case Nere 2016

Varietal & Style: 100% Nebbiolo (Barolo DOCG “Case Nere” parcel)
Tasting Notes: Structured and youthful but already expressive: red cherry, wild herbs, tobacco leaf, blood orange peel, forest floor. The tannin backbone is firm but fine. The finish stretches with lingering mineral and earth tones.
Food Pairings: Rich meats, stews, truffles, mushroom risotto, robust cheeses.
Why It’s Clever: The contrast between the 2015 “Cerviano Merli” and 2016 “Case Nere” is a beautiful vertical-style tasting within Casetta—you can compare how different parcels or vintages express terroir.

Casetta Barolo 2016

Varietal & Style: 100% Nebbiolo (Barolo DOCG)
Tasting Notes: Bright garnet with some brick tinges. Aromas: red cherry, raspberry, rose, tar, licorice, spice. On the palate: full body, vibrant acidity, structured yet elegant tannins, depth of red fruit and spice emerging. Long, saline finish.
Food Pairings: Classic Piedmontese pairings: beef braises, truffle pasta, aged cheeses, Pecorino with black pepper.
Why It Matters: This is the flagship Barolo of the estate.

Domaine Pernot Belicard — Beaune Blanc 1er Cru “Pertuisots” 2023 (France)

Varietal & Style: 100% Chardonnay (Beaune 1er Cru – Pertuisots)
Tasting Notes: On the nose—ripe yellow fruit, white flowers, subtle citrus peel. On the palate: round, creamy texture, brightness from citrus, well-integrated oak, mineral drive, crisp finish. It balances power and finesse, freshness and depth.
Food Pairings: Shellfish, grilled fish, chicken in creamy sauce, veal, soft cheeses, mild seafood risotto.
Why It’s a Fit: Although not new to the store, this white gives you a Bourgogne counterpoint to the Piemonte Arneis. It offers comparison—“Old World Chardonnay with Bourgogne pedigree” vs. fresh Italian white. This contrast helps illustrate terroir and varietal expression.

All featured wines are a part of our wine club where our members receive new and exclusive bottles each month as well as a in-store discounts at higher levels.

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