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| ERBA We’re not ones to repeat ourselves too often, but we recently retasted this 2003 Cab that we wrote up a few months ago, along with a 2003 Merlot and 2003 Syrah. All three were outstanding, balanced, luscious wines with beautiful textures and seductive yet aristocratic fruit. Winemaker Krisof Anderson, who worked with Nils Venge and at Lewis, has a great touch and the wines are all fairly priced. A definite newcomer of the year candidate! |
| MUIRFIELD ESTATE CABERNET 2005 add to cart $2.99 Wines like this are the hardest to kick off, but often are the ‘energizer bunny’ when it comes to sales. Part of the problem is us. We realize that things like ‘two-buck’ Chuck have recieved national attention and that there are times in everyone’s life when they want something solid and at a price where they literally don’t have to give it a thought. On the other hand we are very picky about what we choose ... |
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| ROSENBLUM SYRAH Vintners Cuvee 2004 add to cart $8.99 The Zinfandel version of Kent Rosenblum’s ‘vintners’ value line (actually, if there is only one, is that a ‘line’?) has been a staple for us as long as we can remember. |
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| CLAUDIUS CHARDONNAY 2005 add to cart $6.99 We have had great success with this label over its brief history. Essentially created as an outlet for a group of developing vineyards in southern Sonoma, the label, made by Ken Bernards of Ancien as ‘hired gun’ winemaker, ... |
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| PARADISE RIDGE ZINFANDEL Rockpile 2005 add to cart $28.99 Even though the other Zin cost less and got a sightly higher accolade at the Fair, this juicy gold medal effort was pretty spectacular and had the additional pedigree of one of the region’s more acclaimed vineyards. |
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| PARADISE RIDGE ZINFANDEL Hoenselaars 2005 add to cart $25.99 To get for wine judges to agree on anything is a feat so that’s why the OC Fair denotes such wines with a ‘four star’ designation. Like it’s sibling this would stand out even in a strong field because it is so distinct and true to varietal. Vivid purity and freshness to the fruit a little more red berry notion along with blackberry a ... |
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| PARADISE RIDGE CABERNET Rockpile 2003 add to cart $29.99 This one was perhaps the biggest surprise of the lot because we didn’t really expect anything. We don’t think of Paradise, or the Russian River for that matter, as Cab country. This obviously came from over Dry Creek way but the style template of the area for Cabernet hasn’t really made a lasting impression. That being said, this turned out quite well though ... |
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| WAYNE THOMAS PETIT VERDOT 2005 add to cart $18.99 Though cancer took Wayne Thomas’ life this past April his wines truly do live on. It’s a complete shame that he was taken from us just when he was doing some of his finest work, as this stunning bottle of Petit Verdot can attest. For those less familiar with this little-seen variety it is in fact what most winemakers would refer to as a blending grape. |
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| BERRYS BRIDGE SHIRAZ 2004 add to cart $44.99 The Berrys Bridge 2004 Shiraz is without a doubt the finest Shiraz we’ve ever had from the Pyrenees. No, not those Pyrenees silly, the slightly more vertically challenged Pyrenees in Victoria, Australia. The moonlike landscape and poor soils here force Shiraz vines to work twice as hard to ripen their fruit, making for some pretty concentrated stuff that can tend ... |
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| FRANKLAND ESTATE RIESLING 2006 add to cart $16.99 Completely and utterly charmed. That’s how we felt after tasting this truly delightful bottle of dry Riesling from Australia’s left coast. Barri Smith and Judi Cullam have farmed Riesling since 1988, making the vines in this middle-of-nowhere locale close to 20 years old. |
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| CIGALE BAROSSA GMS 2005 add to cart $16.99 It’s our first go-round with this new limited production label founded by Peter Schell, formerly of Turkey Flat. His initial 2004 release was a wine that we wanted to like better than we actually did, quite honestly. Great package, great vineyards, Peter’s track record, big Wine Spectator score and fair pricing all added up to what should have been one heck of a wine. |
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| YALUMBA SHIRAZ/VIOGNIER 2005 add to cart $6.99 We could have tossed this one on just about any value list for this year up to now and, in fact, it was considered for an even bigger feature. Generating ‘copy’ was probably more of an issue than anything else. |
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| INKWELL SHIRAZ ‘Wild Thing 2005 add to cart $17.99 Americans Karen and Dudley Brown were both bitten by the wine bug in early 2003 and decided to move lock, stock and barrel to Australia’s McLaren Vale to become, as the French say, vignerons, and produce soulful, natural world class wine from their vineyard located, appropriately enough, on California Rd. |
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| MASSENA MOONLIGHT RUN 2005 add to cart $25.99 This wine was the catalyst for Massena, fashioned from notes taken over multiple drives back and forth between their home base in the Barossa and their night job in the nearby Clare Valley. The Moonlight Run is named after that daily drive. Not pretentious yet complex and very flavorful, the enticing blend of old vine Grenache, Mataro, Shiraz and Cinsault impresses with its heady kirsch ... |
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| MASSENA DURIF The Howling Dog 2005 add to cart $39.99 Depending on where you look or how you shop you’ll see this one posted as a “Durif” or Petite Sirah” but they’re one and the same. This is from an experimental planting in the Barossa to which Dan and Jaysen have some inside access. Younger vines but very low yields here ... |
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| MASSENA SHIRAZ 11th Hour 2005 add to cart $38.99 We never get tired of hearing this type of story. The grower for this 60 year old block of Shiraz in Greenock wanted to tear it out due to low yields and the fact that a larger concern that was purchasing the fruit previous wasn’t going to pay him more even though the yields were lower. |
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| DUE DA FRANCHETTI... The mad genius that is Andrea Franchetti has gotten his dander up once again. His success at his out-in-the-Tuscan wilderness Tenuta di Trinoro estate has lead to his recent purchase of another promising, rundown property located on the slopes of Sicily’s Mt. Etna. Same procedure here, lovingly restore the buildings, carefully replant (or newly plant) the vineyard and use a fashionable mix of traditional and cutting edge viticulture and winemaking to produce provocative, supple, thought-provoking generously fruited reds from both locales. There’s a fine line between genius and insanity and it seems old Andrea is doing a fine job toeing it, these are exquisite wines... |
| TENUTA DI TRINORO Le Cupole 2005 add to cart $25.99 Andrea is pretty hands off when it comes to the harvest and winemaking as he really wants the year itself to speak through the wine. That being said, this 2005 is positively screaming as both the Cab Franc and Merlot were harvested under prime conditions. |
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| PASSOPISCIARO 2005 add to cart $27.99 Passopisciaro is the actual name of this 100 acre estate which Franchetti has painstakingly been returning to its former glory. The 35+ acres of old vineyard terraces remained so it was easy enough for him to follow the map and replant them according to his vision. But those vines are still too young so in the meantime ... |
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| AVIGNONESI VINO NOBILE 2004 add to cart $19.99 Just a quick heads up for all you Sangiovese lovers out there as the 2004 vintage in Vino Nobile is going to be turning some heads. We can’t remember a better version of this Wine Exchange staple and flag-bearer for the Vino Nobile appellation ... |
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| VIETTI BARBERA D’ASTI Tre Vigne 2004 add to cart $14.99 We were pleasantly surprised to find a good chunk of this still floating around even after it caught some amazing press from Galloni in the Wine Advocate. Hmmm..great vintage, great winemaker and the specter of a 2005 version of the same wine that will take a pretty hefty price increase. All that adds up to us making a big play on one ... |
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| ANTINORI TIGNANELLO 2004 add to cart $69.99 The 2004 harvest was obviously a special one for Antinori winemaker Renzo Cotarella. He’s wanted to get away from the heavier more over-extracted styles for a number of years now and the cool, balanced, easy 2004 harvest was just the year to do it. This is great Tig, the finest since 1997 in our opinion (though that 2001 is pretty smart). This latest Tig shows more balance, refinement and polish ... |
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| VILLA CAFAGGIO CHIANTI CLASSICO 2004 add to cart $17.99 This classy offering is composed of 100% Sangiovese and was the last wine which the Farkas family harvested. What sets Cafaggio apart from most of its peers is the warm, friendly spicy tone to the flavors, like someone splashed a touch of Vosne Romanee into the mix. |
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| VILLA CAFAGGIO CHIANTI CLASSICO Riserva 2003 add to cart $24.99 Now this is what Riserva-level Chianti is supposed to be, darnit! Take your best fruit, from your finest vineyards and give it a bit of “bling” with some French oak and microbullage. Which is exactly what Cafaggio has done. This is powerful stuff from their best south-facing vineyards. |
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| SCAVINO BAROLO Bric del Fiasc 2003 add to cart $89.99 When it’s all said and done there is a reason why the ‘great ones’ are great. Attention to detail, passion, and a commitment to excellence (no OaklandRaider jokes, please) are required to produce world-class wine in the vintages that are less than ideal. |
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| GINI SOAVE 2006 add to cart $15.99 One thing we noticed, and was particularly evident in the Venica trio we presented last month, is that the 2006 vintage was particularly good for the Italian whites. It’s not the kind of thing that will get its own expose a la a great vintage of Bordeaux or a new vintage of Cabernet. The wines aren’t really for the cellar anyway. |
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| CH. GUIOT ROSE 2006 add to cart $7.99 Definitely on the darker end of the color spectrum for roses among this year’s batch, this perennial value workhorse is once again freh, vibarant and packed with expressive berry fruit. It may not be as complex as a Bandol or as cerebral as some of the Loire versions, but at less tahn half the price of most of them it lays waste to most of the ‘pretender’ competition at this price range out there in the marketplace. |
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| FONTSAINTE ROSE 2006 add to cart $11.99 Called ‘Gris de Gris’, this Corbieres melds bright berry and tropical fruit with the distinctive hints of lavender and stones (the winemaker uses the term ‘tonic’) that are part of this terroir in the south of France. |
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| BOURGEOIS SANCERRE ROSE 2006 add to cart $17.99 Among the many cases of white wine from this Loire producer we have pushed through here over the last couple of years have been a few cases of a really well balanced and compelling Pinot Noir based pink wine. The fruit is perhaps a bit more to the melon side of the flavor wheel, with lovely aromatics of peach, strawberry and floral notes adding interest. |
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| BASTIDE BLANCHE BANDOL ROSE 2006 add to cart $15.99 We aren’t going to argue with anyone that wants to say that Tempier is the standard in Bandol rose. But that kind of consistent performance gets the reputation for the winery, and the corresponding higher price tag. |
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| FAIRVIEW PINOTAGE 2006 add to cart $9.99 If anyone is going to make this South African specialty, a hybrid of Pinot Noir and Cinsault, an option in America, it would be Charles Back. From his creative Goats Do Roam series to his more traditional bottlings, he was one who always realized that, while terroir is important, you need fruit to make it all work. |
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| MAGREZ MALBEC La Bienvenida 2003 add to cart $34.99 As with everything he touches, Bernard Magrez puts his own, elegant spin on it. Here you have 100% Malbec from 50 year old vines harvested at a crazy low 15 hectolitres, it’s all polished and creamy black fruits with nicely inlaid vanillan notes from new French oak. Only about 4000 bottles are made and the quality level easily sits at the level of a Classified Growth Bordeaux. |
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| CONO SUR CABERNET Vision 2005 add to cart $9.99 There are new faces coming from South America all the time these days and the variety and range is much greater. Today value is still a key, but instead of something that is merely ‘cheaper’ than everything else, you have wine that can compete against anything in their price range from anywhere in the world. |
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| MELIPAL MALBEC 2005 add to cart $14.99 This has been a juicy little number since we first ran across it a couple of vintages ago but the 2005 seems to be another step up in quality.Lovely texture, particularly for Malbec in this price range, there is the classic rendition of blackberry fruit with notes of mineral and a touch of that salty notes from the Mendoza terroir. |
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| BEYCHEVELLE 2004 add to cart $34.99 This wine really surprised us at the UGC tasting in San Francisco last January so when we saw it listed on a distributors list near the opening futures price, we took all they had. The estate is located just as you enter St. Julien from the south located next to heavyweight Branaire Ducru and Ducru Beaucaillou. The wines have drastically improved over the years beginning with the 1982, but really started to hit its stride with the 2000 vintage and there after. |
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| DU TERTRE 2004 add to cart $29.99 This estate under the direction of Alexander Van Beek has been consistently one of the greatest values in Margaux over the last five years. Here is another 2004 success story as this hedonistic bottling is quite accessible now. Made in a “new world” style yet unmistakeably Bordeaux, the wine is loaded with black currant liqueur, violets, and licorice wrapped up in a seductive, opulent, medium to full-bodied style. |
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| SENEJAC 2004 add to cart $14.99 It’s fair to say that in general, 03 is a far better vintage than 04, but don’t let the folks down in the southern Medoc hear you say that. In this neck of the woods, the soils have very little if no clay and the vines there had a tough time retaining the much needed water during the heat wave of 03. |
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| DURFORT VIVENS 2000 add to cart $25.99 Okay, here is one of those deals that you can’t pass up. What we have here is a classified “Second Growth” from the much heralded 2000 vintage with a Spectator91 point score and priced well under $30 bucks! No, this is not an error or misprint, this is the real deal. Located smack-dab in the middle of the village of Margaux, this estate is unique due to the fact that it has the highest percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon (82%). |
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| LA BASTIDE ROUSANNE 2006 add to cart $9.99 We have sold Guilhem Durand’s reds a number of times over the years, for the most part varietally labelled Syrahs that were under his name. |
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| APHILLANTHES COTES DU RHONE Vieilles Vignes 2004 add to cart $22.99 We know there are still ‘old timers’ out there that will still grouse that $20 used to buy them Chateauneuf. Well, the world has changed and the dollar is in the tank. More to the point, Daniel Boulle’s Cotes du Rhone bottlings can stand up and usually surpass all but the elite Chateauneufs, and those cost a lot more. |
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| CALLEJO RIBERA 2005 add to cart $16.99 Here’s another new face from Spain in general and the Ribera in particular. The label states”4 meses en barrica” which tells you that is spent four months in oak and that it is technically a tinto joven (young red) because at the next level up, Crianza, the law requires one year in wood. |
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| LEVA DANIEL 2004 add to cart $28.99 This wine, produced under the label Bodega Bernabe Navarro, was made for importer Aurelio Cabestrero and was named for his son. Of course the first question is...Leva? The next is are wines like this one from Alicante and Jimenez Landi from Mentrida going to become the important new movement in Spanish wine? |
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| HACIENDA MONASTERIO RIBERA Reserva 2001 add to cart $59.99 We’re going to go out on a limb here and say that this estate, whose winemaking has been under the guidance of Peter Sisseck, owner/winemaker of Pingus (one of Spain’s elite estates), in one of the exceptional vintage of the last couple of decades, did well in ‘01. In fact, it may be one of the best Spanish wines we get in this year, and given our lineup, that’s saying quite a bit. |
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| VINOS SIN LEY M4 2005 add to cart $9.99 Young winemakers doing side projects and not worrying about the DO laws? Sounds kind of ‘outlaw’ (sin ley means without laws) but its all for a good reason. The ‘M’ series is a study in Mourvedre by several different ‘artists’ and they are numbered (1 through 5) so you don’t get confused (right). All are deep, dark and well endowed as well as very nicely priced. This comes from Bullas near Murcia in southeastern Spain and is all Monastrell (Mourvedre) done in tank. |
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| BOUCHARD With so many different offerings from Bouchard, something had to get overlooked. We have been buying this little Beaune Clos de La Mousse for several vintages and it is consistently the ‘deal’ in the lineup. For what it’s worth, the 2005 (35.99) is the best example of this bottling we had and it’s packed with spicy cherry fruit. |
| COULY DUTHEIL CHINON 2003 add to cart $12.99 Most of the produce of the torrid 2003 vintage in Europe has passed through the marketplace, but the legend lives on in wines like this delightful CHinon. Both purists and novices can enjoy this one because it has a rare ripeness and fleshines that Cabernet Franc rarely achieves yet remains true to its terroir. |
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| DELHOMMEAU MUSCADET Harmonie 2006 add to cart $9.99 You don’t need to have a lot of Muscadets, but the ones we have need to be really good. We were sad to see the last vintage of Domaine Pauvert sell out and were looking for someone small, passionate, and talented who could bring a Muscadet that was both driving and crisp, but that also had enough fruit and richness to achieve the total package. |
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