Page 60 - Blog

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

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." 

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.

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 is

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

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

The 2009 Prunotto Mompertone is a very unique blend of 60% Barbera and 40% Syrah. Wine critic Antonio Galloni said, "?A combination that as far as I know has not been tried elsewhere in Piedmont."  I'm not a huge fan of Piedmontese blends. Each varietal that is indigenous to Piedmont merits its own defining characteristics and is rarely blended. Grapes that grow in Piedmont thrive there because of the unique terroir, and most times do not grow outside of Piedmont for that very reason. Barbera and Nebbiolo are two of the biggest examples.

Alfredo Prunotto seemed to find a blend that simply works in the Mompertone. This wine is juicy, complex and stunning.

2009 Mompertone
Prunotto's Mompertone comes from vineyards located in Calliano (Asti), in the Basso Monferrato zone, 300 meters above sea level. The terroir consists of clay soil with veins of sand. 2009 had an unsteady start, with a harsh winter, finally calming

Daron Watson, one of our private wine consultants, catches up with Pepe Raventos, manager, oenologist and wine grower at Raventos I Blanc. One of the initial families involved with wine in Catalunya and most known for Cava, Pepe discusses the history of the winery as well as the direction they are headed.

Q: How long has your family been making wine at the Raventos I Blanc estate?

A: Since 1497

Q: Would you please briefly explain the Raventos relation to the Codorniu family?

A: My grandfather Josep Maria Raventós i Blanc was partner and winemaker at Codorniu for 40 years, until 1982, when he ended that partnership and started to produce wines from his historical vineyard.

Q: What

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. 

To bring in the spring season with some style, I recently opened a bottle of 2010 Bruno Colin Chassagne Montrachet En Remilly (93 Points - Wine Spectator). 

This is a high quality and rich textured white Burgundy, and you immediately notice the apple and lemon up front.  At its long finish, it's the classic limestone/mineral characteristics that I've grown to love in white Burgundies.  It's also very balanced which is how I prefer it- It has the fruit, the acidity, and the minerality in great harmony.

It should be noted that 2010 was a spectacular vintage for white Burgundy.  Across the board, everyone who knows Burgundy is raving about 2010.

Dave Sokolin is quite fond of the outstanding 2010 Burgundy vintage.  He enthusiastically stated, "2010 is the best vintage of White Burgundy ever?like a combo of the power of 1990 and the honey/richness of 1989."

Burghound.com reported, "?the 2010 white Burgundy vintage