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Dominio de Malpica Cabernet,
2000 Dominio de Malpica is a line of Spanish table wines produced by Osborne, a venerable Spanish company best known for their excellent Sherries and brandies. They have made traditional table wines for many years, but have recently begun an enormous project to produce wines that are more international in style. The company purchased over 1000 hectares (2500 acres), making it one of the largest wine estates in Europe, and built an impressive, modern winery in Malpica de Tajo. The spotlessness of this winery stands in marked contrast to Osborne’s Sherry facility in Cádiz where the unpainted, unwashed, fungus-covered walls help to maintain proper humidity levels. Dominio de Malpica Cabernet comes from Tierra de Castilla which is located in Castilla La Mancha just south of Madrid (a region best known as the home of the fictional Don Quixote). After crushing, the grapes were fermented for twenty days at a controlled temperature of 82 F, and the cap of skins was frequently pumped over to enhance the extraction of color and flavor. Once the spontaneous malolactic fermentation concluded, the wine was transferred to new American oak casks where it aged for 12 months. After a light fining and filtering, the wine was bottled and given additional age before release. With over five years of bottle age, it shows maturity and complexity. This Cabernet has a brilliant cherry-red color. The compelling bouquet shows the spice characteristics of Cabernet with subtle toasted notes and nuances of vanilla that are faintly reminiscent of a good quality Bordeaux! Rich and mouth-filling, this is a wine with intense fruit and a ruggedness when first opened that softens into something surprisingly refined and balanced with airing. Serve it with red meat, game, or Chicken in Sherry Sauce. Osborne y Compania was founded in 1772 by Thomas Osborne Mann, a young Englishman who owned an export agency in Cádiz. He enjoyed early success through his friendship with a British consul who allowed him to store his wines in the consulate’s personal cellar. Today the company has about 700 employees and is headed by Tomas and Ignacio Osborne who represent the sixth generation of Osbornes. Allesverloren Shiraz, 2005 Shiraz and Syrah are different names for the same grape. In California and France’s Rhone Valley, the grape is called Syrah. In Australia and South Africa, it is referred to as Shiraz. Allesverloren Shiraz comes from South Africa, a country with a long history of wine in general and Shiraz in particular. Situated on the southeastern slopes of the Kasteelberg Mountain near Riebeeck West, Allesverloren is the oldest wine estate in the Swartland Wine of Origin district which lies 65 miles NNE of Capetown and only 35 miles from the Atlantic Ocean. The farm dates to circa 1696 when the governor of the Cape left it to a widow named Cloete. This courageous woman was one of the first settlers in the then backward Swartland region. To purchase tools or even attend church, the settlers had to undertake a long and arduous wagon journey along primitive roads to Stellenbosch. On their return from one such journey in 1704, the settlers found their house burned to the ground and the farm destroyed. Hence the estate’s sad name. “Allesverloren” means “all is lost” in Dutch (and not coincidentally in German). All was not lost. The farm was restored and expanded, and by 1806 Allesverloren’s owners had harvested the estate’s first grapes. Daniel Francois Malan acquired Allesverloren in 1872, and it has remained in the Malan family for five generations. The present owner is Fanie Malan. Her winemaker son Danie won the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year award for his 1996 Shiraz. The grapes for this wine were sourced from trellised, south-facing vineyards planted in shale 60 to 300 meters above sea level. The low-yielding vines were planted in 1969. Each block of hand-harvested grapes was vinified separately. The grapes were fermented on the skins in open tanks at 25° C for five to seven days and left on the lees for four months to impart intensity of color and flavor as well as to ensure sufficient structure for aging. After malolactic fermentation, the wine was aged in a combination of new, but mainly second and third-fill French oak and a few new American oak barrels. The result is a smoky-scented wine with good fruit concentration, some aging potential, and surprising quality for the price. The flavor profile features ripe plums and berries. Serve it with traditional South African Bobotie Meat Pie or other flavorful meat dishes.
Bodegas Marco Real Taurus,
2004 Marco Real’s Taurus is a perfect example of the wonderful values coming from Spain. The Toro DO was established in 1987 and is located in the western part of central Spain, just west of the Rueda DO. Toro, Rueda, Bierzo, Cigales and Ribera del Duero are the five Denominacións de Origen within the larger Castilla y Leon region. Referred to as Tierra del Pan (“Bread Country”) for the ubiquitous, expansive tracts of rolling wheat fields, the Toro region has an agricultural economy firmly based on grain and wine production. The town of Toro is only forty miles east of the Spanish-Portugese border. The “extreme continental” climate features cold winters (low temperatures around 10º F) and hot, dry summers (highs reach 105º F) that are somewhat moderated by the 2000-2500 foot altitude. Average rainfall is a stingy sixteen inches per year; sunshine is a very high 2600 hours per year. The poor, well-drained soils are limey and stony, composed of sand and clay which greatly contributes to the formidable structure, alcohol, and tannins in Toro wines. In 1988 a group of Spanish enologists in Navarra formed Bodegas Marco Real. They bought vineyard land and built a winery so they could control every step of the process. After success in Navarra, they opened a facility in Toro and bought several vineyards with forty- to fifty- year old, bush-planted (head-trained) vines. The 2004 Taurus is the second vintage of this wine made exclusively for the U.S. market (Eric Solomon, importer). The wine was made from 100% Tinto de Toro, the local variant of Tempranillo that has adapted to local soils and conditions. It was aged in 100% new French oak but for only four months, so the wood does not intrude upon the fresh, floral aromas and flavors. Taurus has a deep cherry red color with violet shades. The expressive nose shows blackberries, plums, and a touch of menthol. The fruit is complemented by a fine toast in the background as a result of its short aging in high quality oak. The finish is silky, elegant, and persistent. In general it is much more refined than most wines from Toro. Serve it with medium-intensity meat dishes. Finca el Retiro Malbec
Traditional, 2004 Argentina makes some of the best wine values in the world. For the first time in many decades, this South American country has had a prolonged period of political and economic stability. Using Chile as a model, progressive wineries have focused on export markets which has forced them to concentrate on quality as opposed to quantity. In addition, Malbec, the grape that is the mainstay of Argentina’s production, has gained international acceptance and respect. Enrique Tittarelli, aged 17, left the poverty of his native Italy and landed in Buenos Aires in 1900. He heard that Mendoza had welcomed other European vineyard workers, and he headed in that direction. Bautista Gerónimo, whose Swiss-born father decided to return to Switzerland after building a wine estate, hired Enrique to manage his property and winery. By 1915 Enrique had married and saved enough money to purchase three hectares (over six acres). He planted vines, bought more land, planted olive trees as well as vines, built a winery, and over the years established a major land holding with extensive vineyards and over 150,000 olive trees. Enrique passed the property on to his children in 1952 and died in 1962. Pacifico Tittarelli, Enrique’s eldest son, obtained an enology degree and became the new head of the estate. He introduced innovative techniques in the vineyards and progressive social programs for his workers, building them houses and schools, which was unheard of at the time. The third generation took over after Pacifico’s death in 1978. By 1980 the business owned over 2500 acres of irrigated land which annually produced over a million cases of wine and over a million pounds of olives. In the 1990s Tittarelli began to focus on quality wines. Winemaker Graciela Reta brought in Italian consultant Alberto Antonini in 1998. He created the Finca el Retiro label for export using a specific 325-acre property with its own winery. Finca el Retiro Malbec Traditional is the baby brother of our outstanding Tittarelli Malbec Famiglia Reserva. Although lighter in style, the Finca el Retiro still has plenty of flamboyant character and is a terrific wine with attractive aromatics and bright, juicy flavors. It saw no wood, but it has none of the tank-aged awkwardness that afflicts so many inexpensive wines. This wine is great with Bourbon Mustard Chicken and most red meat dishes.
Pomelo
Sauvignon Blanc,
2006 Pomelo is a 100% Sauvignon Blanc, cold tank-fermented,
unoaked beauty made by Randy Mason. Mason Vineyards makes a terrific (and more
expensive) Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc, but this offering is from grapes
purchased from three young vineyards in Kelsyville, Lake County, an
up-and-coming region that is just over the hill from Napa's
St. Helena. Relatively low yields - five tons per acre is
unusual for a wine in this price range - are part of the reason for the intense
flavor and appealing texture of this wine. With a clear, silvery straw color,
Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc has a stylish bouquet of grapefruit, lemon grass, and
star anise. This unoaked wine is snappy, fresh, and clean. It has great
herbaceous character, but it avoids the aggressiveness of many Sauvignon Blancs.
The high quality of this wine belies its moderate price.
Serve it with a wide range of salads, pastas, chicken, and seafood. It's
particularly good with Pasta with Smoked Salmon. Why the name Pomelo? The pomelo is a giant type of citrus fruit native to Malaysia and thought to be an ancestor to the grapefruit. The wine has such lovely nuances of grapefruit that the name and the three colorful pomelos on the label are entirely appropriate. And “Pomelo” is just fun to say (pronounced Pom-a-low). The label was created by a San Francisco artist, Ann Rea, whose color saturated landscapes and contemplated still life paintings are commended by Wayne Thiebeaud. Randy Mason has worn many hats since earning degrees in Fermentation Science and Animal Science at UC-Davis. Although he had planned to be a veterinarian, like many others he was bitten by the wine bug and went to work at Chappellet Winery, eventually becoming their vineyard manager. Randy later designed the new Lakespring Winery where he became their general manager and winemaker. In 1993 he went to work for the Pelissa/Hoxsey family to reconstruct and convert an old Inglenook winery in Oakville into a premiere custom crushing winery. He served this Napa Wine Company as general manager and C.E.O. At the same time, he and his wife, Megan, founded Mason Vineyards.
Averill
Lake Petite Sirah, 2004 Petite
Sirah is a grape varietal with a long history, but a murky origin. It is
frequently confused with Syrah (Shiraz) since it sounds so similar. Yet Petite
Sirah was long thought unrelated to Syrah. A generation of wine educators and
retailers dutifully explained to consumers that Petite Sirah was a misnomer.
Recent DNA research by Dr. Carole Meredith at the UC-Davis, however, shows they
are related after all. Meredith determined that 90 percent of what is called
Petite Sirah in California is really Durif, a grape developed in France in the
1880s. Durif
was created from a seed parent grape called Peloursin, but the identity of the
pollinating grape was unclear until DNA-typing positively identified it as
Syrah. “Peloursin is definitely a parent of Petite Sirah, as is Syrah,”
Meredith says. Although it never caught on in France, Durif was widely planted
in California early in the 20th century and referred to by most growers as
Petite Sirah. Known for its dark hue and firm tannins, it has most often been
used as a blending wine to give color and structure to lighter wines. On its
own, Petite Sirah also can make a hearty, age-worthy wine, but few experts
consider it as complex as Syrah itself. Like Syrah, California Petite Sirah can offer great value simply because it is not much in demand and because the grape grows well in many parts of California that are too warm to produce fine Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, or Chardonnay. Averill Lake Petite Sirah is such a value. It is made by the Plata Wine Group, a large outfit that owns thousands of acres of California vineyards as well as a central coast winery. This is a limited production wine (only 535 cases) that is very deep in color and flavor. Both the bouquet and the flavor show beautiful notes of wild blackberries, raspberries, cassis, spice, and vanilla that are nicely integrated. The wine is dense and jammy. It is nicely balanced and has a relatively long, pleasing finish. Enjoy it with roast pork, pasta, lamb chops, or cheese. The winemaker, Bruce Townsend, also makes the wonderful Starry Night Zinfandel.
Five
Rivers Cabernet Sauvignon, 2004 Five Rivers is a label and winery owned by wine and spirits giant Brown-Forman ($2.1 billion in 2005). B-F also owns and markets Korbel, Bolla, Fetzer, Sonoma-Cutrer, Bonterra, Jekel, and Fontana Candida. B-F also controls such liquor staples as Jack Daniel’s, Southern Comfort, Finlandia, Early Times, Appleton rum, and Chambord. They just announced the acquisition of Herradura tequila. Brown-Forman has enormous resources, access to numerous vineyards throughout California, and the economies of scale to keep prices relatively low. Although they usually focus on mass-appeal wines, they sometimes come up with higher-than-expected quality such as this fine little Cabernet from Paso Robles. After a three-day cold soak to maximize flavor and color extraction, the fermenting juice was racked daily and pumped over twice a day. The wine was aged 14 months in 50% new French, American, and Hungarian oak. Try it with grilled beef or lamb. The name “Five Rivers” pays homage to the five major rivers that define the essence of the Central Coast of California: the San Benito, Salinas, Santa Maria, Santa Ynez, and Sisquoc Rivers. Over time the Central Coast mountain ranges have folded, faulted, and metamorphosed into a unique geology creating a winemaking ecosystem like no other. The cool sea air of the Pacific Ocean strikes a balance with the intense summer heat creating an ideal climate and long growing season for growing intense varietal wines. Head winemaker Steve Peck, who has lived his whole life in Five Rivers country, describes himself as a former wild child and surfer. He modeled himself after Sean Penn’s character in the 1982 hit film Fast Times at Ridgemont High before getting serious about life and wine. After graduating from UC Davis with a degree in winemaking and chemical engineering, Steve worked three years at Joseph Phelps Vineyards before moving to Brown-Forman.
Sella & Mosca “La Cala” Vermentino, 200 6$12.99/bottle $140.99/case Sardinia, the second largest island in the
Mediterranean, is one of Europe’s most desirable holiday destinations. It
boasts more than 1,800 km of coastline contoured by rugged cliffs, hidden coves,
and glorious beaches. Sardinia’s history can be traced back thousands of
years, and the island is rich in archaeological sites including dolmen stone
relics and nuraghe - squat, round stone towers believed to be ancient forts.
Originally settled by the Phoenicians, it was later occupied by the
Carthaginians, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Saracens, Pisans, Spanish,
Austrians, and the Kingdom of Savoia. It finally becoming a self-governing
region of Italy in 1948.
Wine has been made here since long before the
Romans arrived in 238 BCE. By the 16th century, Sardinia was known as insuli
vini (wine island). By the 20th century, it was exporting its powerful wines to
France and “the continent” (as the islanders call the Italian mainland) to
boost the weaker northern wines. High yields and bland but strong wines ruled
until the 1980s, when lower yields and native character began to be emphasized
by a handful of wineries. Today more than 70 estates produce quality wines. The largest of these (and the second largest
contiguous vineyard in Italy) is Sella & Mosca, an historic estate situated
in the northwest corner of Sardinia. The estate was begun by two Piedmontese
businessmen in 1899. Messrs. Sella and Mosca are revered to this day for their
prominent roles in the Risorgimento (Italy’s 19th-century unification
movement). With 1600 acres, over 1200 acres of vines, and total production of
500,000 cases of wine, S&M was among the first to export the native white
Vermentino wine while most producers were still selling in bulk. The property is
now owned by Campari. Winemaking is supervised by Mario Consorte.
The La Cala brand is the ultimate definition of the Vermentino grape. It is named
for a small, secluded cove on the edge of the estate. Few wines rival La Cala
for its exceptional affinity with shellfish and seafood thanks to the very
subtle presence of natural salinity in the wine. This Vermentino is elegant and
supple with a fullness of flavor and good underlying acidity. Vinification is
somewhat unusual in that after harvest, selected grape bunches undergo a brief,
natural drying process before pressing.
Ochoa
Graciano/Garnacha, 2002 Bodegas
Ochoa is a family winery based in the Spanish city of Olite, the ancient capital
of the Kingdom of Navarra. Navarra lies adjacent to Rioja in northeastern Spain.
One of the oldest wine producers in this region, the Ochoa family can be traced
to the 14th century. A fascinating document exists stating that Ochoa de Ayanz,
wine master of Olite, was to be paid 36 libras (pounds) and 20 sueldos for 216.5
carapitos of wine. The bill is dated 1370 and made out to the first-born
daughter of the King of France, who had become Queen Juana of Navarra, Countess
of Evreux, and wife of Carlos II of Spain! The
family, curently headed by Javier Ochoa, owns 143-hectares (350-acres) spread
over several vineyards. The oldest vines are beside the new, modern winery in
Olite and also at their Finca El Bosque estate at Traibuenas where most of their
vines are planted. Traibuenas is an upland nature reserve a few kilometers south
of Olite at an altitude of 400 meters. The lime and clay slopes here face south
giving optimum exposure to the sun. Very low rainfall naturally reduces the
grape yield. The family practices hands-on viticulture. They plant their own
rootstock, carefully selecting specific clones that are perfectly adapted to the
various microclimates and variations in soil on their properties. Cuttings from
the oldest vines are then carefully grafted onto the rootstock. Many of Bodegas Ochoa’s cuvées emphasize the traditional Tempranillo grape, but our featured wine is a new blend of 50% Graciano (used in Rioja for added color) and 50% Garnacha (the same as the Rhône’s Grenache) from the Finca El Bosque vineyard. Aged for four months in new French and American oak barrels, it has a beautiful color and rich, ripe fruit. It is soft and balanced with hints of peppery spice. Serve it at around 60 degrees with grilled meat, stew, or cured cheese. More information can be obtained at www.bodegasochoa.com.
It’s
no coincidence that five of our “Wine of the Month” selections in the last
year have been Spanish wines. Spain is quite simply the source of some of the
world’s best wine values. Many of the inexpensive ones are aged in large inert
tanks as opposed to small oak barrels. The advantages of tank aging are much
lower cost and preservation of fruit. But tank-aged wines never have a rounded
texture. They have an abruptness and awkwardness not found in the better and
generally more expensive wines. Ramon
Canals Canals is a Penedès winery so close to Barcelona that it carries a
Barcelona address. It was founded in 1903 with only one Canals in the name. The
winery produced bulk wine until 1975 when a Cava (sparkling wine made in the
Champagne method) was released. In 1978 Ramon Canals, the grandson of the
founder, married Angels Canals Duran, a distant cousin. He whimsically changed
the name of the winery to Canals Canals
El
Coto Rioja Crianza, 2003 Just when you thought you were safe from Spanish
wines, along comes another beauty. It’s been a long time since we’ve been
able to find a good Rioja in a price range appropriate for our Wine of the Month
program. The Spanish wines we’ve featured over the last two years have been
the new style from warm regions. They feature intense, ripe fruit and
substantial alcohol. El Coto Rioja is a more traditional, elegant red
wine. Because of its high altitude, Rioja is one of Spain’s coolest wine
regions. Tempranillo, a varietal that has had little success in other countries,
shines here with its interplay between delicate berry fruit and spicier, more
leathery flavor components. When made traditionally with extensive oak aging, it
is rounded in texture with soft tannins, versatility, and appealingly ripe but
not heavily extracted fruit. Many Rioja producers blend other grapes with
Tempranillo, but El Coto Rioja Crianza is 100% Tempranillo. Serve it with veal,
chicken, pork, or grilled vegetables. Decant
or air it at least one hour. The Wine Enthusiast rated the 2001 El
Coto Crianza a “Best Buy - An easy and simple display of Rioja in fresh
form,” it won the 2004 Critic’s Challenge International Wine Challenge
“Critic’s Award,” and the Wine Spectator called it “a silky red,
light but graceful, with focused flavors of cherry, spice, and vanilla flavors.
In the traditional style, but fresh and clean.” Alaia, Castilla y León, 2002 Spain continues to make wines of exceptional
value. Unlike Australia’s inexpensive wines, Spain offers a wide variety of
styles and flavors. Our latest find comes in a very distinctive, eye-catching
package and features an unheard of grape varietal. The varietal composition of
Alaia has varied in the few years that it has been made, but Prieto Picudo (dark
Picudo) has always played a significant role. The 2002 edition is made from 35%
Prieto Picudo, 60% Tempranillo, and about 5% Merlot. It was aged several months
in new American oak. This wine’s full name is Dehesa de Rubiales
Viño de la Tierra de Castilla y León Alaia. You can see why we call it Alaia
for short. The geography and nomenclature are confusing, but the winery is
located in the town of Villacalviel-San Esteban and carries the Denominación de
origen of Tierra de Castilla y León (León for short). León is part of the
larger region called Castilla y León which is well north of Madrid and includes
Ribera del Duero (Vega Sicilia and Pasquera) as well as the Rueda subdistrict
which is known for modern, inexpensive white wines. León contains numerous castles perched above
the villages and towns. These defensive structures have a fascinating variety of
features. Valencia de Don Juan, Alija del Infantado, Grajal de Campos, Laguna de
Negrillos, and the Palacio de Toral de los Guzmanes exemplify the monumental
wealth of this area which stretches to the El Bierzo region and includes the
fine fortress built by the Knights Templar in Ponferrada and the castles of
Corullón and Vega de Valcarce. Alaia has a deep color, a wonderfully fragrant bouquet, and some toasted notes, but fruit is what really shows through. At 13% alcohol, it has good body and very fine balance. The Wine Spectator described the 2001 vintage, “Lively, with a juicy texture and gentle but firm tannins. Plenty of cherry and vanilla character. A friendly quaff with a little extra.” The 2002 has a lot extra! The Prieto Picudo grapes that form the backbone of this wine are from 50-year-old vines. Serve Alaia with steaks, pasta and sausage, or Spain’s ubiquitous Paella.
Adagio Pinot Grigio, 2006 Adagio (a-dá-jo or a-dá-je-ó) - [Italian ad-, at + agio, ease] 1. Music. A slow passage, movement, or work, especially one using adagio as the direction. 2. Dance. A section of a pas de deux in which the ballerina and her partner perform steps requiring lyricism and great skill in lifting, balancing, and turning. At ease, lyricism, balance: the perfect summer concept! The Botter family winery is a significant winery in Fossalta di Piave near the Piave River, about 20 miles northeast of Venice. They produce custom blends of high quality for numerous importers such as Verdoni Imports in Hawthorne. I’ve known Anthony Verdoni for 25 years, and we’ve shared a love of wine for all that time. A Renaissance man, he formerly sang opera and taught classics. Now he’s an importer of Italian wines. Who knows what’s next! Anthony contracts with the Botter family to
provide this delicious wine. We get it directly from the importer, so the price
is great. The grapes originate on the slopes with the best geographic positions
near the Piave River. The grapes are rushed to the winery, cold-fermented, and
aged in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks to preserve their fresh,
fruity character. Adagio Pinot Grigio has the texture and structure to grace
fish or fowl dishes; yet it is light enough to enjoy as an aperitif. Its clean
taste and mouth-filling texture are followed by a crisp finish. Try it with Orzo
Pasta Salad Pinot Grigio is technically a red varietal which lost its pigmentation due to the spontaneous and frequent mutation of Pinot Noir. Grigio translates as “gray.” The grapes are mostly gray, but the color is inconsistent, ranging from pink to pale gray to dark gray. Pinot Grigio grows throughout northern and central Italy where it does very well at high altitudes. It has become almost ubiquitous throughout Europe under the name of Pinot Gris in most of France, Tokay D’Alsace in Alsace, Malvoise and Pinot Belrot in the Loire, Rulander in Germany, and Szurkebarat in Hungary. Enjoy it chilled and young. Haselgrove Sovereign
Chardonnay, 2004 Haselgrove Sovereign Shiraz,
2004 Haselgrove
(pronounced Hazel Grove) Wines is located in the heart of McLaren Vale, a
premium wine region of western South Australia. Famous for its sandy loam soil,
McLaren Vale is home to prestigious wineries such as Beresford, Chapel Hill,
d’Arenberg, Hardy, Oliverhill, Rosemount Estate, Shingleback, Shottesbrooke,
Simon Hacket, Tintara, and Yangarra Estate. McLaren
Vale lies in the Fleurieu Zone and runs along the Gulf of St. Vincent, starting
just below Adelaide and ending just below Aldinga Beach. The Sellicks Range
forms the southeast boundary. It’s most important grape varietals are Shiraz
and Cabernet Sauvignon. Chardonnay plays a significant role, while Malbec,
Merlot, Semillon, Grenache, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, and Verdelho are also
grown. The diversity in the grapes reflects the diversity of soil types and
topography. Sandy soil is on the coast, ironstone is in the hills, and red/brown
earth is on the flats. The altitude also varies from the coast to the Mount
Lofty Ranges at around 1100 feet.
Lockhart Merlot, 2005 What a pleasure it is to find a modestly priced
California Merlot that has fruit, tastes good, and actually tastes like Merlot!
The vast majority of Merlots under $15 are very disappointing. The problem is a
variation on supply and demand. Demand for this varietal is still so high that
winemakers must pay astonishing prices for grapes. The imbalance caused many
growers to plant new vineyards in the last 10 years, but often the decision on
where to plant was driven by land values, not potential for quality. The result
is that much of the new Merlot coming “on stream” is of inferior quality.
Duke Ellington once said, “If it sounds good, it is good.” My version: “If
it tastes cheap, it doesn’t matter how cheap it is. It’s still too
expensive!” Lockhart is a label made by Briggs Cellars. Joe
Briggs (owner/winemaker at August Briggs Winery in Calistoga) is sourcing some
very good lots of wine on the bulk market and releasing them under several
negoçiant labels. Joe received his degree in enology from Fresno State
University in 1984. With an eye towards making wine in the Napa Valley, which he
visited with friends during college, he began a career as a self-described
“gun for hire” - a freelance winemaking consultant. He acquired a diverse
range of winemaking skills at several Willamette Valley wineries in the 1980s
and at La Crema Winery in the early 1990s. Success and a growing reputation during this period allowed Joe to make the
leap from consultant to proprietor. In 1995 Briggs & Sons Winemaking Company
released two Pinot Noirs and a Zinfandel under the August Briggs label, and in
1999 he released an outstanding Cabernet. In an even more ambitious step in
2002, Joe purchased a piece of property on the Silverado Trail in Calistoga and
began work on a state-of-the-art winery which opened in 2003. Total annual
production is currently 4400 cases. See www.augustbriggswines.com.
Château Haut Claribès, 2005 In an August New York Times article, Frank Prial discussed the inability of Bordeaux producers to sell their least expensive wines. It is true that many of these wines lack the fruit that even inexpensive wines from Australia and Chile usually possess, but there are exceptions. Because these exceptions are also not selling well, they can represent great value. One such wine is Château Claribès, a medium-sized estate in the town of Sainte-Foy Bordeaux, one of the grape growing regions upriver from St.-Emilion. Most neighboring regions carry the generic “Bordeaux” appellation, but Sainte-Foy Bordeaux is considered prestigious enough to qualify for its own appellation. It even has its own web site (http://www.saintefoy-bordeaux.com) and its own technicians (analogous to a University extension) who consult with the vintners. Château Claribès’ plantings consist of 66% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Franc, and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon. Because most of the eastern part of Bordeaux is at a higher elevation and thus is cooler than the Haut-Médoc, Cabernet Sauvignon doesn’t ripen as consistently here. Merlot and Cabernet Franc do, so they are more commonly planted. The 2003 Château Claribès shows this unusual vintage at its best. In 2003 record heat and record drought affected most of Europe. Many vineyards were so stressed that the vines shut down their metabolic activity, and the grapes never ripened properly. This wine, however, has deep, ripe fruit and real Bordeaux character. It saw no oak treatment. Its initial darkness and hardness have mellowed nicely since I tasted a sample in June. It will continue to evolve for 6 months to a year. Serve it with a hearty meat dish such as Lamb Chops.
Arrogant Frog
Ribet Red, 2005
Temporarily out of stock. We are waiting for Palm Bay, the importer, to get their act together! The
cynics were proved wrong when they looked askance at Big Moose Red, our June
selection. “How can we take a wine with such a frivolous name seriously?”
they asked. Oh they of little faith! Don’t they know that the wine industry is
full of people who don’t take themselves too seriously? Don’t they know that
it’s time to lighten up a little? Have they no faith in Beekman’s selection
process? (It’s not really a process: it’s more like a “Wow, this is
yummy!”) Today the Paul Mas Winery, a 330,000 case operation, is managed by Jean Claude Mas. He believes that by using the facility to bottle wines for others he obtains the economies of scale to produce his own high quality wines at very reasonable prices. This and Jean Claude’s attention to detail are the reasons that the Arrogant Frog is a real prince! Kiss one tonight.
Torre
di Luna Pinot Grigio, 2007 Pinot
Grigio now rivals Chardonnay for popularity among white wines. The vast majority
of wines made from this grape come from Italy, but its origin is actually in
France’s Burgundy district. Pinot Noir readily mutates, and centuries ago,
when a newly planted Pinot Noir vine began producing grapes, they were found to
be without color. This curiosity was named Pinot Gris. Other mutations came
along and were named Pinot Blanc (Bianco*) and Pinot Auxxerois. These varietals
were not taken seriously in Burgundy, but they found a home in Alsace, and Pinot
Gris found popularity in northern Italy where it was called Pinot Grigio. Pinot
Grigio grows best in Italy’s cool north-eastern regions of Trentino and Alto
Adige. Torre di Luna produces 15,000 cases yearly of this 100% Pinot Grigio in
Trentino. Their 31-acre southwest-facing vineyard is at an altitude of 300
meters. The grapes are hand-picked, and the best are used for the Torre di Luna
label. The rest are sold off. Oenologist Goffredo Pasolli ferments at controlled
temperatures for 8-9 days in stainless steel vats. The wine is then aged on the
lees for 6 months, cold-filtered, and bottled. The lees aging adds to the
wine’s character and its gold highlights. On the palate, it is dry,
full-bodied, and harmonious with a delicate aroma. Robert
Parker raved about the
2003: “85.
Consistently one of the best bargains in high quality Pinot Grigio. Torre di
Luna’s fresh, lively, medium-bodied, soft 2003 possesses good fruit as well as
an easy-going personality designed to please both neophytes and connoisseurs.” Torre di Luna rightly suggests serving this wine at 50˚ F! Many people serve their white wines too cold (and their red wines too warm) and thus miss out on some of the delicious flavors and balance that are evident at the proper temperature. Torre di Luna Pinot Grigio would be delicious with Fish Tacos or other light to medium fare.
Li Veli "Passamante" Salento Rosso, 200 5$12.99/bottle - $139.19/case The
Romans called Apulia “Enotria,” or the land of wine. Enotria was the most
important vineyard in the empire; it was the Left Bank of Imperial Rome. To deal
with Apulia’s hot, windy, and stressful climatic conditions, the ancient
Romans developed a unique trellising technique. In the ‘alberello’ system,
the vines are very close to the ground and are head-trained whereby no wires are
used. Four shoots are allowed to grow at angles that keep the bush symmetrical,
and the shoots are kept closely pruned. The vines are planted in a pattern of
equal-sided triangles creating a hexagonal arrangement where one plant has eight
others all around it. Although
Apulia was the jewel of the Roman wine empire, the regions of northern Italy
later surpassed it, and by the 19th century Apulia and the rest of southern
Italy had a reputation for rustic, coarse, “red sauce” wines that couldn’t
compete with northern wines for finesse and balance. In fact, in the days when
regulations were ignored with impunity, many southern Italian wines were used to
‘beef up’ the weaker but better known northern wines. Li
Veli is the result of a partnership between three families: Guercia-Sammarco,
Maci, and Falvo. The Falvo brothers, Ettore and Alberto, are also the owners of
the famous Vino Nobile (Tuscany) property Avignonesi. The three families
purchased an historic farm in Apulia that had old vines of mostly Negroamaro,
which translates as “black and bitter.” At the beginning of the 20th
century, a famous Italian economist, Marquis Antonio de Viti de Marco, had
dreamed of turning this farm in Puglia into a model winery for the whole of
southern Italy. Li Veli Passamante Salento Rosso is made from 100% Negroamaro grapes from two separate DOC regions, Salice Salentino and Squinzano. This is a rich, robust, and flavorful wine that has remarkable elegance and balance. It would be perfect with Mushroom-Stuffed Eye of Round Roast
Salmon Run “Cold Brook White” Salmon Run is a label of the Dr. Konstantin Frank
Winery in New York’s Finger Lakes region. When Dr. Frank arrived in New York
City in 1951, the eastern U.S. wine industry was in a state of happy mediocrity.
Three of the 19 N.Y. wineries were the biggest in the United States (Taylor,
Great Western, and Gold Seal - none of which exist as wineries today)! They
believed that fine wines produced from the European Vitus vinifera grapes could
never be made in New York’s harsh climate. Dr. Frank introduced Riesling,
Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Gewürztraminer, Cabernet Sauvignon, and the exotic
Rkatsiteli. The moderating influence of the lakes and special vineyard
techniques developed by Dr. Frank led to such success with these varietals that
most of the wineries east of the Rockies now have the confidence to grow
vinifera varieties. Gran Viña Jara, 1999 Along with Australia, France, and Chile, Spain
offers some of the best wine values today. Where $10 Australian wines have a
sameness about them, and Chilean producers are still struggling to eliminate a
hot climate earthiness from their $10 wines, numerous Spanish wines in this
price range are exceptionally good. And Gran Viña Jara is the best we have
tasted!
Georges Vigouroux Cahors
“Gouleyant,” 2003 Vines flourish in scattered areas
south of the great Bordeaux vineyards. Each area has strong local
traditions and a nearby river - its link to distant markets.
Cahors is the most highly regarded wine in this “High
Country.” Its wines were excluded from the port by jealous
Bordeaux merchants until their local wine was sold. They also
blocked Cahors from receiving Appellation Contrôlée status
until 1971. In Cahors, however, they will tell you that centuries
ago it was their wine, not the Médoc’s, that was most in
demand when foreign buyers came to Bordeaux.
$13.99/bottle - $149.99/case For all its
popularity, most people aren’t aware that Pinot Grigio
actually mutated from Pinot Noir in France hundreds of years ago.
The resulting grapes range from grey-blue to brown-pink and are
called Pinot Gris (grey) and Tokay in Alsace, Pinot Beurot in
Burgundy, and Malvoisie in the Loire. The wine made from this
varietal was admired for its softness and gentle perfume in
France, but its greatest popularity came from its introduction
into northern Italy where it was renamed Pinot Grigio. The
Italians tend to harvest it early to prevent its characteristic
rapid decline in acidity with full ripening in warm areas. This
is one reason many of the inexpensive Pinot Grigios are so light
and thin; most are grown in warmer climates and the grapes do not
really reach physiological maturity before they are picked.
$10.99/bottle - $118.69/case Sicily is a part of Italy that
many lovers of Italian wine do not take seriously. It is known as
the home of Corvo, a pleasant enough if unexciting wine. Sicily
is certainly one of the warmest parts of Italy. This alone would
put it in the “also ran” department, as hot climates
usually produce coarse wines. However, parts of Sicily and its
nearby islands are actually mountainous, with elevations and
cooling breezes that offer hope. In addition, the local varietals
are well suited to the conditions.
$16.79/bottle - $179.99/case This wonderful wine
is our best-selling Chianti and shows
the intense fruit of the vintage at a modest price for a Classico.
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