Page 28 - Blog

As cold weather approached this weekend, I was thinking about drinking something that would not only pair well with the hearty meal I was preparing, but would pair well with my soul.  Then it hit me!  A warm California Cabernet Sauvignon. Truly heavy enough to warm me up and charming enough to take me away to the hills of Sonoma and forget about this cold weather.  So I chose the 2012 Bucklin Old Hill Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Bucklin Old Hill ranch is the oldest ranch in Sonoma County and dates back all the way to 1885.  Some of the original vines are still producing to this day.  Otto and Anne Teller purchased the Old Ranch in 1981 and the four siblings are now running the winery since 2000, creating some of the finest wines in Sonoma County.  With the help of Will Bucklin training at the famous Lafite Rothschild, his style sure shows through in his wines.  One of the most interesting aspects of this vineyard is that they do not water the

Coming from an eight-acre parcel of Fourchaume Premier Cru that is directly next to the Grand Cru Les Preuses, it’s no surprise the Vaulorent is considered the "baby Grand Cru" at Fevre, and it consistently outperforms Grand Crus that cost many times more. 

William Fevre continues to be one of the premier Chablis producers today, second only to Raveneau and Dauvissat. Thankfully, the wines of William Fevre are much more available than the others, especially the Grand Crus. Last night I had the opportunity to sample the 2012 Vaulorent, pairing it with a traditional French dish, chicken francaise. For me, this offering never fails to deliver. Layered and rich, oyster shells coupled with explosive mineral characteristics. It complemented this dish with perfection. Always affordable, this Premier Cru could easily be mistaken for a Grand Cru. Scoop some up and see for yourself.  

2012

Henri Boillot is a 5th generation vigneron whose family has been farming in the Cote d’Or since 1885. In 2005, he bought out his brother and sister and changed the name of the estate from Domaine Jean Boillot to Domaine Henri Boillot to eliminate confusion with his brother’s estate Domaine Jean-Marc Boillot. The domaine has about 14-15 hectares under vine in Cote de Beaune, fairly evenly split between white and red, a majority of the best reds being mostly 1er Crus in Volnay. 

Les Caillerets is considered by most to be one of the finest 1er Crus of Volnay. Historically, it was given the highest Tete de Cuvee status by Jules Lavalle in his 1855 Histoire et Statistique et des Grands Vins, and Camille Rodier in his 1920 Le Vin de Bourgogne. More recently, Jasper Morris MW classified it as one of four Exceptional 1er Crus, and Clive Coates MW said it was one of five climats “a head or so above the rest…of course.”

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,