Page 25 - Blog

With 20+ years of professional experience in the wine trade and a few more years on top of that of shear wine appreciation the Southern Rhone remains close to my heart and a region I always gravitate towards. Janasse, Telegraph, Pegau, they all have their place but their luxury cuvees tend to be a bit expensive. The “Reine De Bois” from Mordoree comes in at a more modest price point and delivers the same quality as the big boys on the block. With holiday parties in abundance I decided to bring the 2012 Mordoree Reine De Bois to a new friend’s house to compliment some lovely appetizers and good conversation.

The derivation of Domaine de la Mordoree comes from a wild game bird, known as a woodcock, hence the logo on the label. In keeping with that same tradition, their high end luxury cuvee which made its debut in 2003 is called La Reine des Bois, which translates into “Queen

According to their website, Paolo Conterno founded the Casa della Ginestra back in 1886. Always focused on the high potential that the various parts of the Ginestra hillside could provide, the Conterno family has been producing wonderful wines from Dolcetto, Barbera and of course Nebbiolo ever since. They are fortunate to own roughly “ten hectares of calcerous-clayey loam…at an altitude of between 300 and 360 metres, arranged on slopes of up to 38%, prevalently exposed to the south and in part to the south east,” perfect for the production of Nebbiolo.

Antonio Galloni includes the Ginestra Cru as one of ten receiving his Highest Classification of Exceptional. He finds it can produce “generally big, broad-shouldered wines with firm, chalky tannins and the structure to develop beautifully in bottle,” with dark spices, balsamic-inflected nuances and dark fruits being typical to the wines. 

He also finds the 2007

With the holidays quickly approaching, it’s time to start planning what gifts you will be giving to loved ones, coworkers and everyone in between.  If you still haven’t decided on the perfect bottle of wine, look no further than the latest release from Waterstone Winery, the 2012 Waterstone Cabernet Sauvignon.

Year after year the Waterstone Cabernet is one of our best-sellers and the reasons why are simple: this wine is fabulous and always a great value. As Dave Sokolin said about the 2012 vintage, "It tastes like a California Cult wine, and there is some cult wine in the blend. Only this one is $25.95, and not $700/bottle!" This bottle should be on every wine-lover’s mind and table this year.

The 2012 growing season was ideal for producers in California, harvesting large quantities of quality fruit which excited the North Coast. Upon tasting my first bottle of the

In 1990, Jaboulet produced a stellar Hermitage Thalabert that had Parker proclaiming it was the best since 1978. Then nearly two decades of less than impressive results - the vintages were all scored 90 or below and in 1993, all of the fruit was declassified and no Thalabert was even produced. In the late '90s Gerard Jaboulet passed away. To say that the future looked bleak might be an understatement. The wine world may have forgotten this Northern Rhone producer and the 112 acre Domaine de Thalabert had it not been for Caroline Frey who also does amazing work at La Lagune in Bordeaux.

Her hard work combined with an amazing 2009 resulted in the highest scored Thalabert in history! Parker awarded it 95 points and added "If you have been off the Jaboulet bandwagon over the last decade or so, now is the time to jump back on..."  For Syrah lovers, the news couldn't be better - Jaboulet delivers amazing quality for the price.

Having all of this in mind, I quickly

This week’s selection may be a bit foreign to many of you, but wine exploration and searching out new and interesting regions, grapes and winemaking techniques is what this is all about. Hence, I’m introducing you to the 2008 Mastroberardino Taurasi Radici Riserva Antonio. A vintage dedicated to and named for Antonio Mastroberardino, who passed away in early 2014 at the age of 86.

Antonio Mastroberardino's legacy has left an undeniable mark on Italian winemaking, as well as the world's perception of the wines that hail from southern Italy. This gem is produced from Campania’s native Aglianico grape. In the post WWII era when many producers were abandoning their native grapes and replacing them with lower quality, higher yielding vines, Antonio remained steadfast having the vision and commitment to the traditional grapes of his homeland. Now in its twenty-second

Usseglio, though an Italian name, quickly conjures up thoughts of France’s Rhone valley for those in the wine world. In 1931 Francis Usseglio left Italy for work in Chateauneuf du Pape and shortly after WWII became a tenant farmer producing his own wine.  Francis had two sons Pierre and Raymond. Pierre took over managing the family vineyard, and after buying more plots founded Domaine Pierre Usseglio which eventually became known for the special cuvees Mon Aieul and Reserve des Deux Freres. Raymond purchased his first vineyard in 1962 and in 1964 established Domaine Raymond Usseglio. Currently the domaine is run by Raymond’s son Stephane with consultation from Xavier Vignon and there are basically 3 red and 3 white Chateauneuf du Pape wines currently being produced. 

Beginning in 2007 a limited cuvee known as La Part des Anges has been produced focusing on the Mourvedre grape, but it is their Cuvee Imperiale that most customers seek out. From vines planted

I was very excited to try the new release from Tyler Winery – the 2013 Tyler Pinot Noir Santa Barbara County that was given a 92 point rating from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. Friday nights in my house usually consist of friends, steak and wine.  What better way to welcome the weekend than with a hearty cut of sirloin accompanied by a full bodied Pinot Noir.

Tyler Winery is one of my favorites from California. Their focus is on producing delicate, balanced wines that drinkers will love, which is precisely why I continue to drink their Pinot Noir. Each sip is a wonderful experience that transports you to the coast.  

Dark fruits and a bouquet of flowers greeted me upon opening this bottle.  It was a little bit tight at first, but showed much promise.  With a few swirls and some time to breathe, the wine did exactly what I hoped; it opened up

Argiano may be one of the most picturesque estates in Montalcino beginning with a lane lined with beautiful cypress trees. The 17th century villa on the property is now available to guests, allowing Brunello enthusiasts the opportunity for an unforgettable Tuscan experience. Daily wine and olive oil tastings are offered - and who would turn either down? - and the property also features gorgeous, lush gardens and a petite, enchanting chapel. The staff there promises memories to last a lifetime...

If traveling to Tuscany is not an immediate possibility, a bottle of their 2010 Brunello di Montalcino is! I opened a bottle recently on a quiet weeknight when my husband and I were both in the mood for Italian. Handmade semolina gnocci and a hearty meat sauce were pulled from the freezer and while those began to bubble in the oven, we talked over the day's events and assembled a simple salad of romaine and baby portabellas. All of this gave the wine plenty of time to open up before we sat

The 2012 vintage in Napa is going down with some of the other great age worthy vintages, such as 2001 and 2007, but can be enjoyed right away as well. So I was happy to have the opportunity to try this classic vintage with the 2012 Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa Valley, which coincidentally can trace its beginnings back to Petrus, another age worthy wine. 

Ramey was founded in 1996 by David Ramey and his wife Carla. However, before there was Ramey Cellars, David worked for a short while for the Moueix family at the legendary Chateau Petrus, where he brought what he learned there in winemaking back to California. David has helped establish such vineyards as Matanzas Creek, Chalk Hill, and Dominus Estate (which is owned By Christian Moueix of Petrus), before starting his own winery in 1996. David Ramey is known as one of the great California winemakers. Robert Parker has said that

“I have always found Branaire Ducru to be curiously underrated, undervalued, and somewhat forgotten whenever Bordeaux enthusiasts discuss their favorite wines.” 

“2000 was the first vintage to demonstrate that numerous high quality Bordeaux wines can be made in all price categories.”

In short, these two quotes by Robert Parker are the reason we recently purchased 2000 Branaire Ducru.  

Chateau Branaire Ducru is located in the southeastern portion of St. Julien, across from Chateau Beychevelle which it once was part of up until 1680. The winery’s vineyards located throughout the commune contain various amounts and types of gravel in the clay soil, allowing for beneficial drainage of the vines, about 70% of which are Cabernet Sauvignon. The current owner and winemaking team at Branaire feel these vines perform best at an age of 35 years and gently renew portions of the vineyards