INSIDER'S PICK: 2016 MASSIMO RIVETTI PINOT NERO LANGHE $24.99

At a time like this, it's pretty much impossible to be 'normal'. But it is important to try and keep what you can as close to normal as you can while you can. Even though we will not be doing the public tasting portion of the Insider's Pick until further notice, we will still be offering the wine for purchase with the usual 10% discount on Thursday and Friday. The wines will still be ones we highly recommend, and the tasting notes will still be our own. We hope you are able to come by and get some wines to enjoy.

We have always taken great pride in having our store set up to display our wines by region, believing the environment and culture of where the wine is grown is paramount in shaping what the wine becomes. If there is one flaw to this methodology, it's when we have a great wine using a grape that isn't historically part of that region's reputation. Pinot Nero, or Pinot Noir, is cultivated in spots of Italy, mostly across the Northeast and Lombardy where it is used as the base of many sparkling wines or fairly basic reds. Nowhere does it take on the structure and seriousness that the varietal finds in Burgundy, yet amid the famous Nebbiolo vineyards around Neive in the heart of Barbaresco we find this fascinating example. If we were to sort by varietal here, this would sit proudly among our many Bourgogne Rouge selections and nobody would bat an eye at it being misplaced. Polished, elegant fruit with very little oak intrusion, fine earthy tannins that bring out the savory fruit and truffle-y flavors. Perhaps a touch of Italian wldness in the mix to make it stand differently than a Bourgogne, but every bit as tasty and every bit worthwhile for Burgundy fans to try at this price.

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