: 2007 PETTRONE SANGIOVESE MENDOCINO COUNTY
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 2009
PENALOLEN SAUVIGNON BLANC CASABLANCA VALLEY
Chile is becoming so much more than the Cabernet
Sauvignon from the Maipe Valley it has been so well known for
over the last century. The improvement of viticulture in cooler
climates in the last few decades has enabled wineries to plant
vines closer and closer to the cooling Pacific Ocean, creating
wines capable of more brightness and acidity than those further
inland. Taking their cue from Californian wine regions like Carneros
and Sonoma Coast which have similar cool conditions, many of these
newly planted vineyards focus on Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, but
Sauvignon Blanc also holds a fairly strong presence as well. The
Sauvignon Blancs here are more similar to those from the Loire,
whereas those from the Maipe Valley are more similar to the rich
round stylings of Bordeaux. From vineyards just a few miles from
the coastline, this wine shows a hint of the seaside in the aromas
behind the bright citrus and round grapefruit aromas and flavors.
The texture is round enough to not be considered lean, but it
does have a brisk, refreshing shot of zest through the finish.
Though the weather outside may not demand it yet, this is a great
wine to have in the rotation for when the springtime sunshine
arrives.
Regular price $13.99, $11.89/case
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2007 BORGO VISCONE CABERNET SAUVIGNON FRIULI GRAVE
You don’t expect to see much great Cabernet Sauvignon or
Merlot coming from the Northeast Italian region of Friuli. The
cooler mountainous vineyards along the Slovenian border are definitely
known for their impressive range of whites using Pinot Grigio,
Sauvignon Blanc, Tocai, Malvasia, and even Chardonnay, and local
softer red grapes like Refosco thrives there as well. But you
wouldn’t expect to see these Bordeaux grapes do well here
considering they do so well in the warmer Tuscan regions. The
lower valley of Friuli Grave is warmer than the surrounding hills,
and the term ‘Grave’ here has the same meaning as
the ‘Graves’ region in Bordeaux, pointing to large
amounts of small rocks and gravel in the soil. This loose, well
draining soil is a type that Cab Sauv and Merlot perform in exceptionally
well, and this wine shows just how strong a deal they can be.
Medium bodied, the wine shows a nose of dried black fruits and
cedar, and a chewy texture on the palate somewhat similar to some
of the Cabernets from Washington State, but not as extracted or
sweet of fruit. Instead the flavors lean more towards the more
refined Bordeaux spectrum, with just a hint of that hard to describe
Italian spiciness that always seems to prevail through most of
their more traditional wines. Far from being a copycat trying
to capitalize of the international recognition of the grape, Cabernet
Sauvignon works here, and fans of it from other regions of the
world are highly encouraged to give it a whirl. You will be more
than a little bit surprised.
Regular price $13.99, $11.89/case
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2007 LA ALDEA MONASTRELL JUMILLA
(Wine Advocate 88points)
It seems we’re saying this every few months or so, but it’s
yet ANOTHER great value wine from Spain, and it doesn’t
seem like they will be running out any time soon. Not only is
the quality getting better and better in all the many regions,
but there is starting to be more and more diversity within each
region. Jumilla is part of the Murcia region near Valencia, and
Monastrell, also known as Mourvedre in other parts of the world,
is by far the dominant grape here. The wines are often intensely
ripe and jammy, almost Australian in many ways, but usually maintain
the grape’s naturally deep tannins and vibrant structure.
The first wave of wines from here brought to the United States
tended to push the envelope of ripeness and extraction, which
is totally fine, but it is nice to see more wines like this that
offer up a bit more subtlety from the grape. While still no shrinking
violet by comparison to most wines in its price point, there is
a notable measure of restraint here, fullness without being sweet,
intense without being overwhelming. Tarry black fruits and warm
spice notes dominate the aromas, and the fruit and the mouth is
full but not sticky, allowing soil notes and hints of herbs to
poke through on the long and surprisingly silky finish. A great
everyday wine for hearty dishes or to help brace against the chill
of winter.
Regular price $10.99, $9.34/case |
NV I MAGREDI PROSECCO 'TOCCO'
Having come out the other side of the holidays in one piece, we
sometimes forget that sparkling wines can still have a place in
our everyday drinking rotation, instead of just for celebrations.
Good Prosecco from Italy fits this bill quite well, coming in
a fairly broad array of fruitiness levels to meet your tastes,
and they very rarely push very far over the $20 mark. We started
working with this little beauty towards the end of last year,
and it really made a mark with many of you. Refreshingly Extra
Dry, meaning it’s just a touch fruitier than a Brut, the
aromas are full of bubbly white citrus and flowers, and on the
first sip the fruit is bright and clean with just a touch of juicy
melon, while the carbonation tingles in the mouth through the
finish to give it more than enough of a dry presence. Light and
fresh enough to do with plenty of simple seafood dishes but also
flavorful enough to sip on by itself just for the fun of it.
Regular price $13.99, $11.89/case
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2006 DOMAINE CAILBOURDIN PUILLY-FUME 'LES CRIS'
Sauvignon Blanc rarely reaches the heights in
the rest of the world the way it does on the upper end of the
Loire River in the regions of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume. Directly
across the river from each other, the wines show remarkably different
character due to their soils. Sancerre is famous for it’s
minerally limestone that brings an almost chalky white presence
to the soil and imbues itself into the flavor of the wines. Pouilly-Fume
shows much more flint, sand, and gravel, producing wines that
are less racy and more fragrant. Many believe the telltale smokiness
of these wines comes from the flint, while others believe it may
be a suggestion of the mind built from the wispy fogs that tend
to linger among the vineyards like smoke from a fire. The vineyard
for this wine comes from just off the banks of the river where
deposits of sand and gravel are more prevalent than flint, which
gives the wine a bit more of a racy mineral side than the more
seductively smoky wines further inland. Having a bit of time in
the bottle, the initial citrus fruitiness is more subdued, with
more zippy and zesty white fruits showing along with hints of
seashell. The flavors are nicely evolved as well, less dependent
on being ripe and flamboyant, venturing more into subtle citrus
skins, minerality, and even some herbal notes. An ideal match
with simply prepared fish dishes as well as the classic pairing
of goat cheeses.
Regular price $12.99, $11.04/case |
2006 RENARD SYRAH SONOMA COUNTY
In California, Syrah has begun to go the way of Pinot Noir, in
terms of mindset at least (though some will argue the Pinot Noir
has gone the way of Syrah, but that’s another battle…).
Because of the prosperity and high scores seen by a handful of
single vineyard wines over the years, EVERYBODY thinks their particular
plot of land has the goods to bring that sort of success. So everyone
manicures and micromanages their Syrah vineyards in hopes they
will get top dollar for wines with their site name on the label,
leading to an almost absurd abundance of $25-$50 wines that are
usually good and ‘unique’, but very rarely ‘different’.
Not only is it difficult to find a Syrah in this range that is
exceptional, it becomes that much harder to find a great value
at the sub-$20 as well. This wine exists on the brink of single
vineyard construction (a blend of two vineyards in Dry Creek and
the Rincon Valley, from which the winery also makes two separate
single vineyard wines) and usually is priced just above $20. At
that price the quality is good, but it isn’t exceptional,
and there are lots of wines out there that are more memorable.
But let’s shave about $7 off that price, and we are now
talking about a whole new level of desirability. The deep purple
color is almost opaque from the minimal filtration, which you
rarely see at this price point, and the aromas of smoky red cherries,
cocoa, and raspberries have a nice intensity. The texture in the
mouth is full with a slight graininess, and the red fruit carries
through with a slight high toned tart cherry note through the
finish. There is plenty to like here for people that favor wines
with a bit more richness, and will fit a great price point while
it lasts.
Regular price $14.99, $12.74/case
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