: 2007 MAS DEL PERIE CAHORS 'LA ROQUE'
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 2007
WELL HUNG WINES CHARDONNAY
Aside from the fun label and the infinite number
of crass jokes and double entendres that inevitably come with
it (as I write these notes, I’m humming ‘Do your wines
hang low, do they swing to and fro,…’), this new Virginia
wine producer actually has the quality where it counts, INSIDE
the bottle. Crushed and bottled with the help of winemaker Michael
Shaps at Virginia Wine Works, the fruit come from the home vineyard
of viticulturist Amy Steers and her husband Bill (an urologist,
which adds yet another layer of humor to the name…) and
along with their Cabernet Franc they are creating some very well
priced wines. Bright ripe apple citrus aromas on the nose with
just the slightest notes of vanilla from the oak, and an impressively
warm, inviting fullness of fruit in the mouth provide everything
you would hope for from a Virginian Chardonnay. It would be very
easy to find more expensive Chardonnays that don’t provide
the enjoyment found here, and if you’re feeling a little
juvenile the label will give you a few giggles as well.
Regular price $16.99, $14.44/case
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2007 QUPE SYRAH CENTRAL COAST
Recently both the Wine Advocate and the International Wine Cellar
reviewed this wine, and they came away with very different impressions;
an ‘austere, one-dimensional’ 79 points (C+ at best)
from one, and a ‘pleasantly clean and brisk’ 87 points
(solid B to B+) from the other. For our tastes, where nothing
makes it in this store unless it’s at least a solid B, they’re
both off, though one significantly more so. Owner/winemaker Bob
Lundquist is one of the true Rhone Ranger originals, and he builds
this Syrah in the French model, emphasizing earthy subtlety over
rich fruit. Initial aromas of dried black fruit, cherry pits,
smoke, and pepper are slowly joined by cherry and cola notes,
and completely avoids any sign of heat on the nose from higher
alcohol levels or extremely ripe grapes that can sometimes plague
Californian Rhones. The French influence is even more present
in the mouth, with lots of tart cherry skin, cocoa, and herbal
fruit notes lying in a wine that is moderate in weight but not
extracted or thick tasting, as well as a pleasantly bitter finish
long on the pepper and savory. To us this is great find in Californian
red wine that, for those that enjoy it, will bring loads of pleasure
at a terrific price.
Regular price $16.99, $14.44/case
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2008 VERA DE ESTENAS UTIEL-REQUENA RED
While the warm, dry region of the Levant on Spain’s southeastern
coast has grown to be most famous for the Monastrell based wines
from Jumilla (see for example the on later in this Select Six)
and Yecla, the wines from the northern section of Utiel-Requena
have improved y leaps and bounds. Much of this success has centered
around the improved use of a native grape called Bobal, a hearty
grape which has spent much of its history used for blending with
lighter regional wines. The intense climate gives the grapes plenty
of color and strong fruit, but without careful management can
lack complexity and tannins to help the wines survive for any
length of time in the bottle. Over the last decade more and producers
have tried to shed the bulk wine label, and the quality for wines
like this has improved dramatically. This entry level bottling
is predominantly Bobal with the balance an equal blend of Cabernet
Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo, and Syrah, which provides a great
introduction to the grape and the region. Moderately ruby in color,
the Bobal fruit shows through on the nose with smoky aromas of
plums, earthy red fruits, and an almost dusty sense of cocoa powder.
The texture in the mouth is full and almost surprisingly silky
considering how awkward and chunky hot climate red wines can be,
with complex red fruits filling the mouth through to a fairly
intense finish. Yet another unique source from Spain for tasty
value wines.
Regular price $14.99, $12.74/case |
2008 SHAYA VERDEJO OLD VINES
(International Wine Cellar 89points)
The Rueda region first became an important winemaking region during
the Middle Ages as a source for Sherry styled oxidated wines while
the Moors were still occupying southern Spain. When the Jerez
was liberated, Sherry returned to the rest of Spain and the wines
of Rueda were largely forgotten until the 1970s. Technology at
that time had evolved to help the local Verdejo grape from oxidizing
so easily, enabling winemakers to create refreshing table wines
that could actually survive being exported to other countries.
The wines bear a strong similarity to Sauvignon Blanc, so much
so that some producers have taken to blending Verdejo and Sauvignon
Blanc together, which has helped introduce the wines to much of
the public. But the true success of these wines have been when
they stand alone, especially when they are made from older vines
that help bring an added layer of intensity. Brightly colored
in the glass, the aromas have an almost creamy note behind the
lemon and lime citrus. In the mouth the flavors flesh out even
more, providing surprisingly bright acidity that livens up the
tropical fruit. If you are a fan of Sauvignon Blanc, you will
enjoy trying this and other Verdejo to liven up your drinking
rotation.
Regular price $14.99, $12.74/case
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2008 DOMAINE LAFAGE COTE EST CATALAN BLANC
(Wine Advocate 90points)
The wines from the Catalonian part of France has
grown in reputation in much the same way the wines from across
the Pyrenees in Spain have. Known through much of their history
for their fortified wines, the quality of the red and white table
wines have improved with better technology and vineyard practices,
and the attention many reviewers have brought has helped bring
the focus of the wine drinking public here more than ever. This
is a unique blend using native grapes Grenache Blanc, Marsanne
and Grenache Gris with some Chardonnay, all aged in tank to preserve
the grape’s natural freshness. The juice is also aged sitting
on what is called ‘fine lees’, which are the silty
bits of pulp and yeasts that settle out of the wine during fermentation,
which help add extra richness and complexity to the wine before
bottling. An, oh, what complexity lives here. Brilliant zesty
citrus and tropical fruit aromas with background notes of herbs
and cool mint gives a refreshing start, and the fruit is very
round and juicy in the mouth, yet still surprisingly brisk. Easy
drinking enough to splash around for any crowd for casual sipping,
but complex enough to hold a seasoned drinker’s attention
with lighter seafood and poultry dishes.
Regular price $11.99, $10.19/case |
2007 BODEGA OLIVARES ALTOS DE LA
HOYA OLD VINES JUMILLA
(International Wine Cellar 91points)
Spain is still one of the greatest sources in the wine world for
full flavored great values, but we may have reached the saturation
point of new brands in the marketplace. We’re starting to
see more and more ‘brands’ and ‘labels’,
contrived and manipulated, with formulaic flavors manufactured
to ride the cresting wave of momentum the Spanish wine industry
has built over the last decade. While none of these wines will
kill you, and some may even be serviceable, it’s a shame
to fill your glass with wines like that when there are so many
great wines like this still out there that really deliver the
value. For the better part of a decade, this has been one of the
best and most consistent band for the buck wines going; the only
way anyone would not enjoy this wine is if they just don’t
like the Monastrell (or Mourvedre), or if they just don’t
like the new wave style of Spanish wines. Dense purple to black
color that just erupts with blackberries, sweet road tar, and
surprisingly exotic spices. The mouth is equally intense, to be
expected, but what really pulls this wine from the ordinary to
the extraordinary is the level of acidity present. One would expect
wine from such a warm, dry region to be much fatter and flabbier,
but the Monastrell grape keeps its acids and firm tannins quite
well in these conditions, and the high altitude of the vineyard
allows for some cooler than expected evenings. This drinks like
a much more serious and expensive wine, and at this price you
will be able to find many reasons to enjoy it again and again.
Regular price $11.99, $10.19/case
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