Wines and Beers of the Week

Founded in 2010 by enologist Luca Faccenda and engineer Carolina Roggero, Valfaccenda is a certified organic estate dedicated to crafting low-intervention natural wines in the steep, sandy hills of Piedmont's Roero region. While their estate wines emphasize local parcels, the approachable 'Bis-Lacco' Vino Bianco belongs to their experimental "Bis" lineup, which seeks out alternative territorial expressions. To produce this specific bottle, Valfaccenda sources fruit from trusted organic grower friends located along the Monferrato border. This collaborative approach pairs Cortese grapes grown in chalky soils with Arneis grown in sandy plots, yielding a highly refreshing and lively entry-level blend.

The Colline Pescaresi Passerina by Ciavolich is a fresh and essential white wine made entirely from the grape variety of the same name. A true expression of its territory, it stands out for its straightforward, clean style and distinctive mineral character. The nose offers delicate herbal notes interwoven with prominent citrus sensations of grapefruit. On the palate, it is balanced and smooth, revealing a fresh and mineral taste that leads to a pleasantly savory finish.

100% Nebbiolo. This is Valfaccenda's "picnic wine," meant for drinking immediately. It comes from all the young vineyards at the estate, plus some fruit from some cooler pockets in the oldest vineyard holdings. As a result this is a light, chillable, extremely drinkable expression of Nebbiolo with perfumed red berry aromas and extremely soft tannin.

The Sangiovese Romagna Predappio is darkly intense, with a youthfully brooding bouquet of crushed ashen stones and flowery underbrush complicating a mix of blackberries and rosemary. It's lifted and graceful in style, soft textured yet slender, with tart wild berry fruits and salty mineral tones guided by a core of brisk acidity. The wine leaves the palate drenched in primary concentration and a coating of fine tannins, austere yet still juicy, as a pleasantly bitter tinge fades slowly.

Archetypal traditional Barolo from a vigneron who simply stopped selling the grapes from his single parcel of Brunate. Low tech cellar work and a farming first approach, via The Green Experience. Aromas of cherry, red currant, rose petals, violets, and white pepper, with subtle notes of tobacco and forest floor. Silky and refined on the palate, with fresh acidity, fine tannins, and a long, elegant finish. A classic and sophisticated Brunate.

American Pale Ale - 5.3% abv Berkshire Brewing Company's flagship brew is a light colored, medium bodied ale exhibiting exceptional freshness through its 2-Row Pale malt backbone and signature hop flavor and aroma. The Craft Beer Geek sez: Berkshire Brewing Company's flagship brew is a light colored, medium bodied ale exhibiting exceptional freshness through its 2-Row Pale malt backbone and signature hop flavor and aroma. In the words of renowned beer writer Lew Bryson, Steel Rail EPA is “what the water in heaven oughta taste like.”

The Craft Beer Geek sez: Alpenglow is a crisp and complex Amber Ale. MA-grown, floral-forward Teamaker hops and a hint of bitterness balance notes of stone fruit and hazelnut. With its unique flavor profile and drinkability, this beer is a complement to any New England adventure.

The taste is smooth and crisp with a medium body. It retains some bready sweetness because of the wheat malts with flavors of ripe fruit and a hint of caramel. There are subtle spice flavors present, including clove. Tucher Dunkle Hefeweizen is balanced and finishes clean. The Craft Beer Geek sez: Tucher started in 1672 as the municipal wheat beer brewery of Bavaria. This darker take on their traditional wheat beer bumps up the body, while still showcasing the classic notes of clove, with a little bit of dried fruit and rye bread on the finish. All without feeling super heavy!

A dunkel brewed to meet the taste of the German coast. This beer is well attenuated which makes it drier than other German Dunkels. Superior caramel malts provide the amber color and elegant smoothness. A gentile hop bitterness, coupled with the lighter mouthfeel makes for a very refreshing dunkel. Flensburger Brewery is proud of the unique fresh taste of their beers using water that originates from the underground glacier streams of northern Scandinavia, that is totally free of pollutants. That’s one secret to the consistently fresh premium-quality beers they have been producing since 1888. The Craft Beer sez: While people often think of dark beers as heavy, dunkels are one of the styles that prove it doesn't have to be so. Flesburger Braueri has been brewing their beers since 1888, and the signature flip-top bottle ensures the smooth, crisp, malt-forward flavor of their dark lager can be enjoyed even the day after.