Page 30 - Staff Tastings

I was excited when I heard that we would be popping one of my favorite varietals at our Sokolin tasting this evening, a Riesling. I was even more excited when I learned that it would be a 2008 Zind Humbrecht, one of the most well known and highly respected producers of Alsacian wines.

The Humbrecht family has been producing outstanding Riesling, Gewurztraminer and Pinot Gris wines since 1959. It is run by a father and son team, however in recent years the accomplished son Olivier has taken more control of the estate. The men focus on producing wines that are an extraordinary example of the unique terroir in the region.

The family owns plots in some of the most famous parcels in the region: the Brand, the Hengst, the Goldert, the Herrenweg, the Clos Hauserer, the Clos Windsbuhl and the Clos St-Urbain.

Zind Humbrecht wines are perhaps the most 'user friendly' of the sometimes intimidatingly confusing Alsacian wines, which span the range from very dry to very sweet.

When you think of Pinot Noir you may not associate it with Slovenia.  This should all change after you try the amazing Sutor Pinot Noir

My co-worker Summer spends her days traveling around Italy and surrounding countries looking for independent, organic and biodynamic wineries that are of the highest quality but because of their tiny production quantities, remain relatively unknown in the USA.  Sutor is one of these wineries.  Amongst wine producers "in the know" in Italy, they call Sutor the 'Gaja of Slovenia.'

I've been looking for the perfect setting to try this amazing wine.  My family had been planning a trip to the shore in Rhode Island and I thought this would be a great way to try the Sutor Pinot Noir.  Well, my trip was this past weekend so I grabbed a bottle.  We popped it while sitting on the patio overlooking the bay at the Boathouse restaurant in Newport while we enjoyed some delicious seafood!  This wine was medium bodied

Benchmark Vintages seem to be occurring quite often lately.  The 2009 Bordeaux Futures Campaign was on fire earlier this Summer.  2007 supplied us with numerous 'Chateauneuf du Pape of a lifetime'.   Perfect and 'highest ever' scores for various 2007 California wines seem to continually be releasing from the reviewers.

Contemplating these we were reminded of the 2004 vintage in Spain.  This was a vintage that led the Wine Advocate to advise that the top wines "will reward extended cellaring and, with just a handful of exceptions, cost less than $50-$60 a bottle. Let your wealthy friends stock up on $500 a bottle Bordeaux and cult California Cabernets and then shock them years later in blind tastings."

With this in mind we decided to crack a bottle of the 2004 Terres de Vidalba TOCS.  It definitely met the pricing criteria: though Release Pricing was suggested at $65, we currently have this on offer for $34.95, arguably the lowest price in the

I love the early fall - it allows for a myriad of wine drinking options.

Still plenty of warm days to grill (break out the Sancerre) but the nights are getting cooler (here in the northeast, at least) so I've been hitting the Cab based blends.

But this time of year I also find myself reaching for the white Burgundy; great when grilling on a hot day but transitions well into the cooler night time - offering warmth and comfort. 

Thankfully we ALWAYS have some great white Burgundies on hand.  Corton Charlemagne being a personal favorite but so many to choose from:

The REAL DEAL: 2007 Michel Bouzereau Meursault Les Grands Charrons - $35.95.  I've been drinking this wine since the 1999 vintage and it always delivers, in fact it over delivers.  If you like the wines from Meursault you'll love this one.  And if you don't know Meursault yet this is the perfect introduction.  The Burghound tells

We are constantly combing the market for great wines at a great price for our customers.  This week we've scored yet another amazing deal!  Just in time for the holidays and the heartier fare we all look forward to this time of year, we've found an incredible red Burgundy - always a perfect companion to turkey, ham and Fall veggies.

It's the 2007 Nicolas Potel Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Les Petits Monts.  This wine has red fruits exploding from the nose, along with cherry cola, wet rocks, and a stony minerality on the palate.  Full of tart cherries and good acidity, this red has an outstanding length on the finish that lasts for almost a full minute.  Still a baby, this wine has many great years ahead of it - no question. 

Now comes the best part - the price.  This wine has a release price of $93./bottle and an average market price of $80./bottle.  We just cleaned out our distributor of this gem and

Tuesday evening, the team at Sokolin enjoyed a bottle of what we predict to be a best seller this Fall season- The 2007 Vineyard 29 Cru. The wine is made at the same property as the high scoring, but also more highly priced:

Vineyard 29 Cabernet Sauvignon - (98 pts Robert Parker in 2007)
Vineyard 29 Cabernet Sauvignon Aida Estate - (97 pts Robert Parker in 2007)
Vineyard 29 Aida Proprietary Red - (95-98 pts Robert Parker in 2007 )

Vineyard 29 is a veritable cult wine of California. Run by proprieter Chuck McMinn and winemaker Philippe Melka, they fashion some of the finest and most exciting cabs in California at their

It seems like yesterday that 2005 Bordeaux was released yet it was five years ago!
 
Looking back, there are a few 2005's that are relative values despite the fanfare, and the high scores and the lushness of the vintage are making supply go down already! As you might know, five years is the tipping point for prices on futures, and it's usually where much of the price appreciation begins. Here's a unique opportunity to score one of history's best wines.  
 
Here's my experience with Pape Clement:
 
Pape Clement gets on my radar in a big way: I first realized that Pape Clement had become one of Bordeaux's best wines when tasting the 2003 vintage. I was in Bordeaux at the vineyard and I actually thought that I received a doctored sample. I just couldn't believe that the wine had the richness of a Bryant family with the complexity and sense of elegance of Bordeaux! I had never tasted any wine

While searching the latest and greatest on Mr. Parker's site, we stumbled across Terredora's two high scoring Taurasi's from the 2004 vintage.  What would southern Italy have to offer especially the Campania region?

We were very anxious to get an opportunity to try these wines however the Pago Dei Fusi would not be available till October.  Before the arrival of the Pago Dei Fusi and as our excitement grew we decided to pick a bottle of the  Terredora Taurasi for an evening tasting.  What was this wine going to taste like compared to the Pago Dei Fusi?  After our first taste of this wine in the tasting room, I was certain I had to enjoy a bottle of this wine with food.  I took it with me to a local hotspot and enjoyed it with a nice plate of braised short ribs! 

2004 Terredora Taurasi
The Taurasi was massive on the palate and proved to be every part of the 100% Aglianico

I recently poured wines for my client, Joe and his wife at their private wine dinner.  While Joe and I planned the dinner and discussed the wines, the food and who would be attending, I wasn't sure what to expect.  But when Joe exclaimed, "I have an outdoor wood-fired pizza oven, we will do it at my house!" I knew this was going to be the experience of a lifetime. 

I arrived at Joe's house nestled in the mountains of PA, with my dog and seven amazing wines carefully selected to accompany what was about to be one of the most delicious backyard BBQs I'd ever experienced. 

Immediately, I put all of the reds into decanters to let them open up and show their full potential.  And then I popped 2002 Louis Roederer Cristal which Joe's wife paired with a beautiful spread of cheeses - a perfect entre into the