Page 19 - Staff Tastings

Jean-Marc Blain met his wife Claudine Gagnard while they were both studying Oenology in Dijon. They both come from a long line of grape growers and producers.  Jean-Marc’s family is from Sancerre where his family owns and operates a vineyard.  Claudine’s grandfather was Edmond Delagrange, and it is through him and her parents, Jacques and Josephe Gagnard, that they inherited about 75% of their vineyards.  After spending time at vineyards in Australia and New Zealand, their son, Marc-Antonin, now spends his time at the Domaine helping out.

Jean-Marc and Claudine currently have vines planted in three Grand Cru sites, including Le Montrachet, and 4 Premier Cru sites, one of those being La Boudriotte, which I had the pleasure of trying.  La Boudriotte is a subsection of Mourgeot in Chassagne-Montrachet and can typically yield a more full-bodied wine than some of his other sites.  However, the vintage always plays a part in that as well.

2010

California has been producing fantastic Chardonnay and Cabernet for years, and I think it’s time for Pinot Noir to join the mix.  The Neely family purchased the Spring Ridge property in 1995 and had the forethought to plant Pinot Noir grapes to expand their vineyard.  After discovering the benefits of the climate and the property’s protection from extreme weather, the Neely family decided to plant their first block of Pinot Noir in 1997 to an already established rootstock that has been there since 1981.

With the help of famed wine producer Bob Varner, who also produces Varner Chardonnay, they were able to produce stunning Pinot Noir wines by using only estate grown grapes from the Spring Ridge property.  The 2011 Neely Pinot Noir Upper Picnic Spring Ridge Vineyard is definitely a wine you don’t want to miss. 

My family and I decided to pop a bottle of the 2011 Neely Pinot Noir Upper Picnic Spring Ridge Vineyard with friends for a holiday

Almost everyone knows James Bond's famous line, "shaken, not stirred," obviously how he prefers his martini, not wine.  But believe it or not, in the original books written by Ian Fleming, James Bond actually enjoys Champagne more often than martinis.  And what was his Champagne of choice?  Bollinger, one of the Champagne region's greatest family owned Champagne houses. 

Champagne Bollinger, founded in 1829, is one of Champagne's few remaining family-owned Grande Marque houses.  Their Special Cuvée is the result of the delicate blending between harvest grapes and a majority of reserve wines, including some aged in magnums for more than 15 years in Bollinger's cellars before they are blended into the final cuvee.

Cellar aged for more than twice the time required by the appellation, it is a magnificent

Chateau Canon has a long history in St Emilion, dating back to the early 18th century, including a period of disrepair and neglect. Saved from this fate by the Wertheimer family, who also own Rauzan Segla in Margaux, and manager John Kolasa, Canon now enjoys the reputation as one of the finest properties in the region and one of the most fascinating for visitors. In addition to seeing completely restored structures and vineyards, tourists can walk through caves below the property and pass to those under adjoining Clos Fourtet and  Beau-Sejour Becot. The properties are literally separated by gates alone on this level!

Just as fascinating is the wine they produce, known to be a muscular, masculine style intended for long cellaring. Keeping this in mind, I selected a half bottle of the 2006 Canon to enjoy recently as the smaller format lends itself to a quicker maturation. I am also a fan of the 375 ml –

Among Wine Spectator’s Top 100 List, this 2012 beauty is one wine you don’t want to miss.  The 2012 Tenuta Delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso Guardiola shows dark red fruits on the nose with a hint of vanilla and leather.  It is an easy drink with notable minerality and complexity that ends with a long, sweet finish.  This bottle is truly a treat to taste, especially when paired with a light snack of Asiago cheese and grapes.  I intended to save a glass to taste with the main dish of homemade sweet sausage, but once my family members had a sip, they insisted on finishing the bottle.  The 2012 is fresh and full of energy with its rich character.  It is young and absolutely approachable now. 

Sitting on the hills of Mount Etna, atop an elevation of almost 1,000 meters in southern Sicily, the Guardiola vineyards contain young and old vines of Nerello Mascalese,

As I was contemplating what wine I was going to serve at our weekly Sunday dinner with family, I decided to serve the 2010 Giacomo Brezza Barolo Sarmassa.  How can you go wrong with a wine that some say is the wine of kings, and the flavor and texture is like an iron fist in a velvet glove?  I thought the same thing.

The Brezza Estate is located directly in the town of Barolo and really dials in on the tradition and natural flavors that the Nebbiolo grape has to offer.  The Brezza Estate dates back all the way to 1885.  Giacomo and his father Antonio first bottled their first offering in 1910.  They own about 18 hectares all over the region, and 15 of the 18 are located right in Barolo.  Now, the 4th generation of Brezza’s are running the show and are becoming a force to be reckoned with in all of Italy.  Most who live, drink, or work in the

Believe the HYPE!  It’s always natural to be a little skeptical when the critics come out raving about a vintage and calling it one of the best in history.  There were many glowing articles written about the 2010 Barolo vintage, and one quote in particular stuck out from Antonio Galloni: "Simply put, 2010 is the greatest young Barolo vintage I have tasted in 18 years...”  With a quote like that, it definitely grabs your attention and makes you wonder are the wines that great?  Well I’m here to tell you that they are!  We just started receiving some of our allocations, and we’ve been very impressed with what we’ve tasted thus far.

First, let me give you an overall synopsis of the vintage.  Temperatures were cooler than normal, and it was a mid-October harvest for Nebbiolo.  The 2010 vintage benefited from the cool temperatures and mid-late harvest.  The wines have bold aromatics,

“Vilmart & Cie. is not only one of the greatest grower-estates in Champagne, but one of the finest champagne producers of any type in the region.” - Peter Liem, Champagneguide.net

“Organic viticulture, (truly!) low yields, remarkable polish of fruit, and the deliberate patient pursuit of a vision of perfection make Laurent Champs’ estate a gemstone gleaming among the chalk.” - Terry Theise, Importer

Laurent Champs was the fifth family member to take the reins at Vilmart et Cie in 1990, 100 years after Desire Vilmart founded this Champagne House. Located in the heart of the district of Montagne de Reims, they own 11 hectares of 1er Cru vineyards in Rilly-la-Montagne,

Much has been written about the 2011 vintage Ports, only the third vintage declared in the last 12 years. The growing season left a great deal to speculation until harvest, with some fearing that the juice would ultimately be destined for commercial brands. Most Port houses were aware that it was a year when the oldest vines would prove to be the most successful as the summer was quite dry.

August proved to be the vintage’s savior, and the 2011s are already being praised for their classic style and structure, less fruit-forward than the last vintage, 2007. I was able to find out for myself on a recent evening when my husband hosted his brothers and close friends for the annual “Port and Cigars” evening at our home.

2011 Grahams Vintage Port is a balanced and pleasing blend of blackberry, citrus and spice with beautiful structure and an amazingly long finish which included a bit of a chocolate note.

At this point, it’s no secret that Spain, specifically Ribera del Duero for me, has been producing magnificent wines for longer than you and I have been on this earth.  For several generations, the Calvo Casajus family has produced quality wine in extremely limited quantities and has saved them in underground cellars, mostly for their own enjoyment.  But in 1993, Jose Alberto Calvo Casajus founded Bodegas J. A. Casajus Calvo, using modern, more advanced techniques, but always keeping with the family traditions.  Up until recently, they went unrecognized globally and were known only locally for producing magnificent wines.  That is until Neal Martin from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate had the opportunity to taste through the wines.  I enjoyed a bottle this week that I paired with my slow cooked short ribs recipe.  When it comes to value, Bodegas Casajus Calvo delivers two-fold!  This is a perfect wine to pour over the holidays or to gift to the