Page 60 - Blog

Michel Gassier is definitely on a crazy hot streak with all of the wines he produces in partnership with importer, Eric Solomon, and the Southern Rhone's viticultural aficionado, Philippe Cambie.  He's the same guy that's the driving force behind numerous beautiful Chateauneuf Du Pape wines that everyone loves, such as Clos Saint Jean, Donjon, and Prefert.  Obviously, he also has a very apt hand with his white wines as evidenced by his 2011 Nostre Pais Blanc.

This great find, which incidentally only costs $17.99, is a blend of organically grown, old vine Grenache Blanc (90%), Viognier (5%) and Roussanne (5%), fermented in stainless steel and aged on the lees for 6 months.  "I know some readers will find it hard to believe, but the 2011 Nostre Pais Blanc's aromas and rich, honeyed, full-bodied texture reminded me of the famous white Chateauneuf du Pape made by Chateau Beaucastel, which sells for three or more times the price." 

One of my all time favorite California wineries is , which also happens to be one of the oldest estates in California. It dates back to 1882 when it was purchased by a San Francisco entrepreneur by the name of Alfred Tubbs. He heard Napa Valley was the best place to grow grapes in California, so he purchased 254 acres of rugged land, just two miles north of Calistoga at the base of Mount Saint Helena. The winery got its name from a contracted form of Mount Saint Helena, and it is the seventh largest in the Napa Valley. 

It traded ownership over the years and eventually would be purchased by Lee and Helen Paschich in 1968. They brought in a partner, who at the time was a southern California lawyer by the name of Jim Barrett. Under Jim's leadership, the vineyard

I recently made a roasted chicken with roasted vegetables?carrots, potatoes, onion, garlic, Brussels sprouts, and turnips, made very simple with olive oil, salt and pepper. All delicious in these winter months. I am also a big fan of white Burgundy for this time of year, so out came a great bottle of 2006 Chablis from William Fevre, one of the best producers in Chablis. With seven years on it now, I thought this would be an ideal time to drink it. Boy, was I right! 

The was absolutely delightful and what a great complement to the roasted vegetables and chicken. This Chablis had a nice salinity and citrus note that cut through the richness of the meal. At the same time, luscious aromas and flavors of white peach, yellow plum and honeyed apple came across with an impeccable balance of acidity. This wine is drinking perfectly right now, as I suppose most of the 2006s should be. I highly recommend pulling one from your cellar, or you can still get some here.

Chenin Blanc is a white grape that can be found in most New World countries, but whose ancestral home is the Loire Valley of France. It is in the Middle Loire that Chenin truly shows its versatility, producing magical dessert wines, sparkling wine, and table wines, both demi-sec (off-dry/semi-sweet) and sec (dry). Some of the greatest examples of these table wines come from Vouvray and neighboring Montlouis right across the Loire River, and one of the finest producers of these wines is Francois Chidaine.
 
Montlouis was actually part of Vouvray until 1938, and though both have similar soil compositions, Montlouis is believed to contain a higher percentage of sand and considered less prestigious. However, a vigneron that properly understands this terroir should arguably be able to produce an excellent example

I have to cut to the chase here.  This wine is spectacular!
 
From Rioja, Spain, the 95 point 2001  is packed with red fruit (cranberries and cherries) that can be detected immediately.  It's a smooth, medium bodied wine and even has some spice (cinnamon) too.  The right acid and tannins is present, which will lend to its longevity, but everything is rounded and delicious here.
 
Tondonia is one of Lopez de Heredia's premier vineyards, one that they say is "the bodega's most famous vineyard and product." The 2001 Tondonia Reserve

Daron Watson, one of our private wine consultants, catches up with Michael Twelftree of Two Hands Winery in Australia. As one of the finest producers in not just Australia, but in the world, they have taken a spot on Wine Spectator's list of the Top 100 Wines ten years in a row, and we are amazed at their consistent quality.

Q: So MT, what first brought you into the world of wine?

A: I was 23 and a friend invited me to go with him to a wine shop to buy a few cases of wine. There was a (free) tasting going on and this wonderful world unfolded right in front of my eyes.

Q: When did you first meet Richard Mintz and when did you decide it was time to start your own winery?

A: I met Richard at the time we were both finishing up at school and we were about

It was our last night in our beloved apartment, and I wanted to drink something special for this evening.  With boxes everywhere, it was time to turn off the wine cabinet and pack up the wine and also the time to make the decision on what wine to open. 

I had been reading on Parker's website about the 2008 Clos Des Papes. I'd wanted to try the wine for sometime, but had the inclination that it was too young. The 2008s were not the heralded vintage like 2007 and surely not as stellar as the new 2009s and 2010s, however there were some amazing values. I love the Rhone. In fact, I am beginning to think that it's my new favorite region.  Maybe not so much for the absolute mind blowing experiences that you can get from well-aged Bordeaux, but certainly an everyday drinking wine with tons of character. 

I opened the bottle well before we had dinner. The decanter was packed, so I had to let the wine breathe in the bottle. I wanted to make sure that

We just received our allocation of 2010 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon!  This wine has pedigree, style and remains a great value.  At just $42.99/bottle, this monstrous red wine (93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot) is indeed considered a California Cult for a reason.

Incredible nose of dark, brambly fruits and a hint of vanilla along with some eucalyptus.  This leads into a mouth-coating blend of wonderful raspberry fruit, chocolate and truffles.  With an hour or so of decanting, this wine can be enjoyed now and will continue to drink well for another 10 - 15 years!

This wine also has 92 points from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate and tastes like a California Cabernet with double the price tag.  We only received 10 cases, so get some today and also check out our amazing selection of back-vintage Montelena Cabernets, including the estate bottlings from 1988, 1996, 1998 and 2009.

These Cabernets age like fine Bordeaux. 

Chardonnay is one of the handful of 'noble grapes' and its throne of origin resides in Burgundy. The five major sub-regions of Burgundy are Chablis, Cote de Nuits, Cote de Beaune, Cote Chalonnaise and Maconnais, called 'the Macon' for short for the town it is named after. Finest examples of Chardonnay usually come from the first three, the latter two creating more early drinking or everyday style wines. The Macon in particular is considered the workhorse of the group, producing more Chardonnay than all the other sub-regions combined.

Its soils can be similar to Nuits and Beaune containing limestone and alkaline clay, but not as integral to a specific slope, with flat farmlands mixed in among the vineyards. It lies furthest south of the five sub-regions and therefore, has a slightly warmer climate. These factors combined lend to simpler wines with a focus on fruit, but much less minerality and depth. However, if you were to enjoy a bottle of 2005 Domaine de la Bongran Vire

Last weekend a friend invited my wife and I over for a birthday party.  We were excited to go as he recently built a wood burning oven in his backyard, and we hadn't had an opportunity to stop by and try it out yet.  Multiple pizzas with various toppings would be created, and guests were asked to bring beverages of choice to wash them down. 

Naturally I wanted to bring vino, something I'd enjoy, yet wouldn't "waste" on a portion of the guests there that wouldn't appreciate a good bottle.  Immediately I thought of the 2011 Valdibella Nero. It's 100% Nero d'Avola from a Sicilian cooperative that believes in making natural and pure wine from heirloom varietals using organic farming with hands off cellar practices.  Plummy notes of light black fruits dominate with a finish of wild brush herbs and volcanic rock.  Everyone loved it and inquired about purchasing some.  When I told them the price was only $24.95, they were ALL IN.  Oh yeah,