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INSIDER'S PICK: 2014 DOMAINE DUPEUBLE BEAUJOLAIS $15.99

11/19/2015

Today is Beaujolais Nouveau release day. At one point this was the 'It' wine that all the insiders and wine savvy people were drinking, and people reveled in the oceans of the wine (literally bathing in it on occasion) on every release. This popularity can't be dismissed, because the craze and financial attention in all likelihood saved the Beaujolais region from obscurity and ruin. But where Beaujolais was then and where it is now are vastly different animals. Lots of great artisan producers making distinct wines that speak with as much variety from place to place as Burgundy can, and still priced so everybody can experience the full range of potential quality if they so choose. Modern Beaujolais has so much to offer beyond the Nouveau, and the Thanksgiving holiday is a great time to explore.

Domaine Dupeuble is part of the Kermit Lynch portfolio, and while it isn't part of the famous 'Gang of Four' producers that largely jump-started the modern Beaujolais movement in the 1980s (worth reading about on the Kermit Lynch web site if interested) they represent one of the finest values in the region. All of the care and attention found in the top Crus translated into a wine built for everyday consumption. A lovely soft purple in the glass, the nose immediately crackles with cranberry and tart cherry skin aromas, with that tinge of salty/gamey meat that is tell-tale Beaujolais. The palate is plush and soft with just a hint of tannins and unfiltered dustiness left on the tongue, and the natural acidity brings a saliva-inducing tartness to the finish. This is the ultimate snacking wine, perfect for charcuterie as well as the myriad of Thanksgiving dishes enjoyed the day of and for 3-5 days beyond.

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INSIDER'S PICK: 2011 BODEGAS BRECA GARNACHA OLD VINE CALATAYUD (VINOUS 91pts) $16.99

11/12/2015

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For the next few weeks, every wine question you will be asking (and every question we will be hearing) is going to involve what will go with Thanksgiving dinner. So for at least one last day we wanted to break out a wine that was decidedly NOT one for the traditional holiday table. For Thanksgiving you are looking for a wine that would play nice with turkey and the wide variety of side dishes; this would blow apart the turkey with a 12-gauge shotgun, and use the feathers to stuff a pillow. And then hit you with the pillow. A delicious wine in its own right, but built for much heartier foods. Now if a lot of beef or venison is on the menu at your house, by all means keep this in mind, and kudos for resisting the status quo.

Bodegas Breca is owned by importer Jorge Ordonez, who almost single-handedly introduced to this style of Garnacha from Spain over the last two decades. Ancient vineyards of low yielding vines, lots of time in oak, and very little filtration resulting in dozens of full throttle wines that, if you are a fan of the style, deliver huge value. Certain sites have better potential to pull out more complexity than others, and this has routinely shown to be one of the special ones. Deer and dark in the glass, the aromas immediately burst out of the glass with loads of blackberry, dark cherries and mocha. As it opens up more subtle spices and a variety of red and black fruit emerge, dispelling the myth that these types of wines are one trick ponies and all they have to offer is size. The palate is unsurprisingly equally intense, at first full of deep black fruits but becoming drier as it settles in, with a finish mostly of dark roast and pepper. A wine that doesn't apologize for taking no prisoners.

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INSIDER'S PICK: 2014 DOMAINE DUPEUBLE BEAUJOLAIS $15.99

INSIDER'S PICK: 2011 BODEGAS BRECA GARNACHA OLD VINE CALATAYUD (VINOUS 91pts) $16.99

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