Colonia Las Liebres Bonarda- zing!

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If the Colonia Bonarda could make a noise, it would be “ZING!”  Why??  I’ll level with you, kiddies- this is probably the best $10 wine I’ve had this year.  I wouldn’t lie.  It really is.  Why should you listen to yours truly?  Like you need another reason?  Well, here’s one- remember when I freaked out about the Bodegas Borsao Campo de Borja last year?  GUESS what was just rated … drumroll please… THE NUMBER ONE BEST BUY of 2010 by Wine Enthusiast?!  That’s right.  Never let it be said that I don’t know a killer bargain when I taste it.  Actually, quite a few wines that we’ve had at Cellar made it on to the list.  Okay, that’s enough horn-tooting for today.  Moving on to said Zing…

Why, you ask, am I imagining this wine saying “Zing?”  Because it is just screaming “In ya FACE!” or “BOOYA!”  but I think Zing is a much cooler way to say it.   I learned the term Zing a few years ago from my friend Greg, who was and still is a master of Zings.  For those of you who don’t know, a well-timed Zing is pretty priceless- if someone makes a stupid comment that you can quickly, succinctly and intelligently put down and then you smile and say “Zing!” you will never be the same. 

But back to the wine.  Quite simply, this wine is a badass.  So if other, more expensive wines are making fun of it because it’s only $10, it’s flamboyant fruit flavors just leap out with a giant ZING and put them in their place!  Juicy plums, dense dark blackberries and cassis, chocolate, licorice, black pepper and earthy spice.  This wine is unoaked, too, which I love.  It’s all fruit and spice and no flab whatsoever.  It has great tannic/acidic structure as well- just enough to give that pleasant “smack” in your mouth.  Pizza, pasta, burgers steaks, this wine is pretty much perfect for anything.   Here it is on it’s little display right when you walk in the door at Cellar on Greene:

And a closer look.  Note the sweet 87 point Wine Spectator Rating!  And of course, your old friend Opala there on the right…

Did you know that this past week, this wine was available as part of our $90 Mystery Case that we offer through wine club?  No?  well it was.  And still is!  You didn’t know it was possible to get a case of wine for less than $100 bucks?   Yup.  Here’s a brief plug, if I may: every week we send out an email with the $90 Mystery Case offering, plus any other fun and exciting new wines we’ve picked up recently that we’re just dying to tell you about.  If you want a Mystery Case, you pick five of the (around) 25 different choices that can make up the Mystery Case.  Then we fill in the other seven.  The grand total is $97.60, bringing the per bottle cost to $8.14 cents with tax.   How is this possible?  Is it schwag wine?  No!  I promise!  The fact is, because we’re a restaurant we can offer you better quality wines for the same price that you might pay at the Piggly Wiggly!  So stop, stop buying wine there!  Just take a chance and buy a case.  And as an added bonus, both myself and Ricky have freakish memories when it comes to what people like… so if you say hey guys, I really prefer dry whites… than chances are you will often find drier whites in your case.  And so on. 

Check out our website to see what else this week’s choices are.  Okay, end of shameless plug.  The Colonia Las Liebres Bonarda, 2008 Mendoza is currently being poured by the glass at Cellar, too!  So stop in for a glass sometime soon!  Oh and PS- the Borsao wines will be back in stock SOON, so keep your eyes peeled!

Wines of the Week!

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I’m a little ADD this week… I just couldn’t decide on one wine.  So I picked two.  On the one hand, I am loving this most recent Gruner Veltliner from Cobenzl- but considering that it’s fall and how long we here in SC have waited for cooler weather, I know people are itching for red wine.  But the fact remains this Gruner is awesome.  And on the other hand, the Ramon Bilbao Crianza has been flying outta here the past two weeks and it’s freaking awesome, too!  Here they is:

Weingut Cobenzl Gruner Veltliner, 2009 Austria.  I’ve been looking at Weingut Cobenzl’s website and drooling for the better part of 30 minutes… BEAUTIFUL, beautiful, beautiful…

It’s just dawned on me that I allowed the entire hot, brutal summer to pass me by without writing about a Gruner Veltliner.  This is an abomination of the highest proportion.  But better late than never, I suppose- and while Gruner is a perfect summer wine, it has fantastic versatility, so it’s definitely not strictly a summer wine.  Gruner is something of a trendy grape, especially over the last 3-4 years.  When I started waiting tables at Solstice (gah!  almost 5 years ago) we were the only restaurant in Columbia to serve a Gruner by the glass.  It had recently hit the Charleston wine scene and was developing it’s cult status as a cool grape.  As a testament to it’s coolness, The Shop Tart LOVES Gruner.  And she is mad cool.  Check out a spot she filmed this summer at Cellar where she tastes a Gruner! 

This particular Gruner really is one of the best I’ve had this year.  It offers a touch more elegance while maintaining it’s Gruner characteristics of pure minerality, spice, stone fruits, and notes of apple, quince, and citrus.  Exceptionally clean and almost virginal.  Despite it’s youthful personality, it also possesses a nice stylistic degree of maturity and a longer finish that is a testament to some kick-ass winemakin’!  You can find this wine by the glass at Cellar, and you can also take a bottle home for $15!

Ramon Bilbao Crianza, 2006 Rioja is now added to my “I’m a sucker for a good Tempranillo” list.  I suppose I should be less predictable, but I. Just. Can’t. HELP IT!  Tempranillo is amazing.  There very few grapes that, in my opinion, can offer such a consistently drinkable everyday wine for $10-12!  Try to think of one.  And not just drinkable- like GOOD drinkable, not something you would open when someone stopped by just to be nice- something you would actually look forward to opening, and would look for excuses to open.  Actually- Garnacha is a pretty consistant everyday drinker, too… okay, you got me.  I got myself.  Ahh, whatever… on to the wine!  A bright, deep cherry red, aromas of black beries, balsamic, licorice, tobacco, vanilla and smoke leap outta the glass.  A perfect acidic balance really allows this wine to stand on it’s own two feet.  14 months in American Oak make it hearty and ready for cooler weather, but the oak manages to be perfectly integrated and not hit-you-over-the-head, which I am not a fan of.    Oh, did I mention that this bottle retails for $12??!  Yes, it does.  You can also grab a glass of it at Cellar for the forseeable future– in fact, it would taste pretty fantastic with our new Panzanella-Proscuitto Salad… this wine and cured meats are a match made in heaven…

Ramon Bilbao also won a Winery of the Year award in 2009, although I’m a little unclear as to who the award was from… but as an added bonus, the guy all the way to the right in this photo of them receiving the award is pretty hot: 

And on that note, I sign off for today.  Happy drinkin’ and thanks for reading!

Top Five Wine Sale Picks!

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In an effort to keep you readers on your toes, I’m switching it up this week- I will not prattle on about one particular wine that I’m obsessing over that week.  Fun as it may be for me, I recognize that not all of you want to scrutinize details about every wine out there.  Nerds like me enjoy getting verbose and creative, but sometimes you just need the facts: will I like it, and can I afford it.  So that’s what we’ll do today!  I’m hoping to make this a pre-wine sale tradition.

First up is the delicious and quaffable Barone Fini Pinot Grigio, 2009 from Alto Adige, Italy (way way north).  I like this wine for several reasons, number one being that’s is fun to say- you can’t just say “Baron Fini,” you have to exclaim with all the enthusiasm you can muster- “Baron-ah Feenee!” and with the best Italian Grandpa accent you can imitate.  Ricky is quite good at it, and I’m sure if you ask him tomorrow, he’ll say it for you.  Did you know he’s part Italian?  Yes, it’s true.  Shoot!  I forgot I was supposed to be all succinct today!  Getting to the point…

What’s it taste like? This is a worthy contender to the infamous Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio- a more stately, substantial style of Pinot Grigio.  It packs a bit more weight and depth than many of it’s brothers and sisters.  It offers a round texture, with notes of pear, quince, ripe apples, straw, minerality and a lengthy finish.  Not as much citrus as you might find in many Pinot Grigios- it is, for lack of a better term- a wine drinkers Pinot Grigio.

Can you afford it? Mos’ def!  While Santa Margarita averages in the $20 range, you can have the wee Barone here for $14 at the Wine Sale tomorrow!  Can’t beat that!

Next we have a truly gorgeous Italian white from Feudi di San Gregorio, their Lacryma Christi. I love many of the Feudi wines- in true Italian style, they make wine out of grapes you probably haven’t heard of- Falanghina, Greco di Tufo, Aglianico, Fiano, etc.  I tasted the Lacryma for the first time last night having no idea what grape it was… my best guess was a Falanghina/Trebbiano combination (and, okay I admit it- I guessed Trebbiano because it’s a widely planted grape, not because I really had a clue).  But I was 20% right!  This is a blend of 80% Coda di Volpe (how’s THAT for a grape you’ve never heard of?) and 20% Falanghina.  But it is 100% fantastic!

What’s it taste like? A pretty, floral nose of white peaches, apricots and citrus peel, a crisp palate, and way-too-elegant-for-it’s-price-range finish.  So Can You Afford it?? Absolutely!  This wine comes in at a killer $13 a bottle! I love it!

One last white- the Foris Gewurztraminer, 2007 Oregon.  Never heard of Gewurztraminer?  Or as I like to call it, Guh-wurtz?  It’s a cool little grape.  It likes cool climates, so you’ll often see it from Alsace, Northern Italy, Germany, and of course Oregon and Washington.  It has a naturally high sugar content which means it can also be made into a delicious dessert wine.  It’s one of the most aromatic white wines you’ll find- notes of spice, with lychee, rose petal, and passionfruit.  Despite all it’s sweet tendenceies, this is an off-dry wine with fantastic acidity and just the right amount of fruitiness and hints of ginger.  Gewurz is often hailed as a perfect Thanksgiving wine because not only does it get along well with all fall flavors, it’s a nice light palate cleanser for your feast.  Yes, it’s only October… but it doesn’t hurt to get some ideas! 

Can you afford it?  But of course.  Foris is just $10!  Holla!

Moving on to some REDS!  I’ve mentioned this wine before (see here) but it really is that good, and we’re moving it at a killer price break this weekend!  Fat Barrel Pinot Noir, 2007 Willamette Valley.  It’s a great expression of Willamette at a great price- light cranberry, raspberry, toast, light oak and a Burgundian “demure” personality that I find quite pleasing.  It’s true to it’s nature, which is becoming more of an issue in Pinot Noir Nerd land.  More on that here.  Sooo… YES you can afford to drink a great bottle of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, because this Saturday it’s down to $17 a bottle!

 

Well this has already turned must more wordy than I anticipated, so we’ll finish up with the last wine, which I just tasted and am pretty sure will sell like hot cakes tomorrow- the Tamas “Double Decker” Red, 2008 California.  How do I know this?  Wellll based on my observation, we always sell out of juicy, mouth-filling, fruit-forward little Cali Red Blends that cost around $10.  It’s just what people (at least OUR people) like- I call it “Tuesday” wine- wine you don’t feel guilty opening on a Tuesday night when you’re on the couch watching TV and eating frozen pizza and doing your nails… or something like that.  This is a cool blend of Cabernet, Petite Sirah and Barbera.  It’s neutral oak content gives it a nice medium body, notes of blackberry, plum, black cherry and overall an adventurous spirit.  Plus the label is attractive which never hurts! 

Can you afford it?  You might have learned, now that you’re at the end of this post, that I tried not to write about any wines that were high-priced today, so YES- Double Decker Red is only $9!  As Stump would say, “Alll-riiight!”    Hoping to see many of you at the WINE SALE tomorrow, October 2nd from 12-2 in your favorite corner of Greene St!  Drop in, pick up a couple bottles, then off you go to the Annual Chili Cookoff that also takes place tomorrow- one of my favorite Five Points events!

Colterenzio Muller-Thurgau, 2009 Italy. Muller-Thur-what??

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“Umm.. ex-squeeze me?”  The great Wayne and Garth get straight to the point.  Huh?  Muller?  Thurgau? 

So let’s start at the very beginning… a very good place to start, as Julie Andrews would say.  How the heck do you say this?  Well, to further confuse you, I’ve had two people in the business whose opinion I would trust pronounce it two different ways.  MULL-er Thur-gow and MEW-ler Turr-go.  The “u” is supposed to have an umlaut over it regardless, but I don’t know how to get my keyboard to do that.  My best guess would be that Mew-ler Turr-go is correct, if you were trying to be fancy about it, but that Mull-er is an acceptable Americanization that will not get you laughed at. 

Mew-ler grapes

 Here they is- cute little green grapes.  More about the actual grape- Muller is what I like to call a “test tube baby”- created in 1881 by a guy named Hermann Muller- who wanted the intensity and sharpness of Riesling, and an early ripening season.  Wikipedia says “…Although the resulting grape did not entirely attain these two qualities, it nonetheless became widely planted across many of the German wine-producing regions.”  Interesting!  I guess he just got lucky.  Must be nice.  Apparently many people think Muller is a cross between Riesling and Silvaner- but is in fact a cross between Riesling and “Madeline Royale”- which I never would have guessed was a grape.  Who would name a grape a person’s name?  Bizarre.  Anyhow, there you have it. 

Moving on, this Colterenzio Muller Thurgau has got to be one of my favorite whites that we’ve poured by the glass this year!  Now, to be fair- I am a total whore for unusual, offbeat, acidic white wines, and this is no exception.  It might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but in my effort to make everyone in the world appreciate the exact same wines I do (kidding), I wanted to write about this wine.  It hails from a little region in northern Italy called Alto Adige (AHL-to Ah-deejay).  This part of Italy used to be part of Austria which makes it a very unique spot.  Even the bottle- and all the Colterenzio bottles- have a distinct look to them that differentiates them from other Italian wines. 

This is such a beautiful wine.  I love a white wine that really captures a degree of elegance and purity, and this one is just that.  It would likely go overlooked at one of our Saturday wine sales, especially if it were placed next to something much more “new world” in style.  It takes a bit if concentration to appreciate this wine, because it’s not very forthcoming with it’s presence.  Light notes of wild flowers reveal themselves, especially after the wine warms up just a touch.  Honeysuckle and white peach show up as well, and the palate is steely, quenching and refreshing with citrus and minerality.  Fantastic. 

This wine makes me want to be here:

 And based on looking at photos of the Alto Adige region, this is pretty much what it looks like.  Green grass, wildflowers, mountains, clean air… and Julie Andrews basking in all of it.  Grab a bottle of this wine for just $13 next time you’re at Cellar!  Which will be soon, I hope….

Royal Chenin Blanc, 2009 South Africa

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I said to myself- “Self?  What should I write about this week?”  How about the most underappreciated wine on our list, my Self answered.  Why yes, I replied.  That sounds good.

This wine has quietly been on our by the glass list for several months, and also hung out at all the wine sales, selling for a mere $9 a bottle- and yet, has gone unnoticed.  Why?  I wondered.  Because it’s from South Africa?  Because it’s so inexpensive that you think it couldn’t possibly be very good?  Because it’s Chenin Blanc and maybe you haven’t heard of Chenin Blanc?  Because the bottle design isn’t the greatest?  (Really, I love this wine, but the label makes it look like it belongs on a cruise ship).  All these forces combine against poor Royal.  It’s also been one of those wines that I periodically forget about- and then I revisit it and remember how awesome it is.

This wine is so vibrant, it’s aromas pretty much fly out of the glass- tropical fruits like pineapple, ruby red grapefruit, lime zest, guava, gooseberries (what is a gooseberry?  kind of like a fuzzy, tart little grape- see below), and a crisp, tangy finish with notes of green apple and honeysuckle.  Fresh, lean, crisp, breezy and charming!  It hints more towards the French Vouvray style of Chenin Blanc than anything else, meaning that it is not over-the-top with it’s fruit characteristic, instead just offering them up gracefully.  You really can’t go wrong with this wine- it’s an amazing value and a perfect end-of-summer sipper that will go nicely with a porch swing and a sunset.  Or a backyard and the smell of cut grass.  Or a dusty parking lot while that September sun beats down as you prepare to watch some Carolina football.  Okay, that was the last comparison- although I could very well go on!

a gooseberry

Suffice to say, you should grab a bottle or two of this before Summer is completely gone!  I’m gonna keep it short for this Friday morning, but stop in to Cellar any time for a quick taste to confirm everything I’ve just said, and then off you go!

Two Frenchies! Okay, Deux Frenchies!

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Whatever, y’all- I don’t speak French.

I don’t write about French wine all that often.  Not because I don’t like it- in fact, I love it.  It’s just that when I truly LOVE a French wine, it is usually very- you guessed it- expensive!  Of course I could write a blog about amazing wines that I’ve been fortunate enough to try (usually at trade shows or on someone else’s dime) that you, dear average reader with student loan payments, probably cannot afford- but where’s the fun in that?  So that’s why it’s so exciting to me when I find great French wine that is reasonably priced!  So this week I bring you not one but TWO French reds that have colored me truly impressed!

First is the Domaine LaLaurie Marselan, 2007 Vin de Pays.  What on earth, you ask is MARSELAN?  This is the exciting part- Marselan is a true wine baby!  Not just a pretend baby that I like to imagine.  Marselan is a cross between Cabernet and Grenache!  How do they do it?  How do they make wine babies?  I’ve been told that you can literally “marry” grape vines- that is, they’ll grow together somehow… oh, I don’t know- someone told me that and I don’t really get how it works, but that person knew what they were talking about.  But was Marselan more of a test tube baby?  Created in a labratory?  Or did they just leave the Cabernet and Grenache together in a room with a disc full of Lionel Ritchie and lots of candles?  Who knows.

In any case, they did sumpin’ right with this one, because I LOVE this wine!  It has a nice bold nose of cigars, coffee, tobacco, vanilla, cloves, plums and a nice light oak.  It has a pretty finesse, along with that awesome acidic “grip” that I love in a wine.  I don’t know how else to describe it, but I love when a wine really grips the inside of your mouth <insert “that’s what she said” quote here>.

I could sip this one all evening, or enjoy it with food.  It’s pretty versatile- it would stand up to a a steak- maybe a grilled one with a spicy espresso-rub?  That would be nice.  Fall/Winter fare would be great too- roasted root veggies or roasted meats.  Perfect.  Speaking of Fall/Winter fare- IT’S SEPTEMBER!!!  We’re almost there!  The Summer is drawing to a close!  Woohoooooooo!  That might be a little too much enthusiasm for 9:00am on a Wednesday morning, but I guess that ‘s what happens when you taste wine before breakfast.  Oops!!

Okay, I’m getting a little wordy, so let’s move on to Frenchie number two!  Chateau le Breuil Renaissance, 2007 Medoc (which is in the Bordeaux region).  So yes, this is a Bordeaux blend.  This particular one is comprised of 60% Merlot and 40% Cab.  From my experience with our customers, people really WANT to like Bordeaux, they think they SHOULD like Bordeaux… but a lot of times they don’t.  And they feel guilty about it, like maybe they’re missing some crucial element of wine-enjoyment.  After all, wines from Bordeaux are some of the most expensive and sought after wines in the world, right?  So if you fall into that category, have no fear- I believe you will like this one.  It’s friendly, gentle, and pleasant.  Notes of leafy cedar, light stone fruit (ie cherries), a hint of something minty- maybe spearmint, and nice earth.  Despite it’s fairly earthy-crunchy exterior, this wine sips beautifully and has a very smooth, polished finish.

Okay, I’m going to show off my new iPhone app for a minute:  here are the wines, looking sophisticated and edgy:

The Domaie Lalaurie retails for $13, while the Breuil Renaissance comes in at $16. Currently Lalaurie is being poured by the glass, and come tomorrow (Thursday the 2nd) so will the Renaissance!  So that means you can stop by Cellar and ask for a taste any old time you want!  Can’t beat that!  Thanks for reading, happy drinking and HAPPY (almost) FALL!

Here a Pinot, there a Pinot…

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… everywhere a Pinot!

Admit it.  You love Pinot.  This finicky grape enjoys immense buying power pretty much everywhere it goes.  Did you know that it’s one of the most difficult grapes to grow?  Yup.  ‘Tis.  “God made Cabernet Sauvignon whereas the devil made Pinot Noir,” says Andre Tchelistcheff, Vice President and Chief Winemaker at Beaulieu Vinyards from 1938 to 1973.  It seems to inspire a particular sort of passion among winemakers, probably because it is such a challenge.  Never let it be said that winemakers aren’t an obsessive bunch.  But that is a good thing for you!  Because they keep trying and trying to make the best Pinot possible.  And many times they succeed!  Like with these three Pinots that I present to you on this Monday afternoon- three recent favorites, of mine personally and of staff and customers!

First up is the Sean Minor “Four Bears” Pinot Noir, 2008 from Carneros.  We have been killing it with this wine at Cellar for a few months now.  It’s the friendliest of the three, and it really captures the sunny, warm, inviting characteristic of Carneros Pinot Noir.    I get lots of vanilla on the inhale and it’s pretty darn sexy.  A plush wine, with juicy blueberry notes, plums, laced in with toast, black tea, a little spicy nutmeg and the aforementioned vanilla.  This is a Pinot that’s been told to behave and smile- and it certainly does.  It smiles real pretty with a dimples on it’s cheeks.  At $16 a bottle, this guy is a real steal.  Wine Enthusiast gave it 91 points, to boot.

Next up is the Maysara “3 Degrees” Pinot Noir, 2008 Oregon.  I’ve been a fan of Maysara’s wines for some time now- and then recently found out two new fun facts about them- 1.) the winemakers are three sisters and they are currently the youngest female winemaking team in the country! (according to northwest-wine.com) and 2.) they are certified Biodynamic and employ Organic farming methods!  So you can feel good about this purchase, especially when you can buy it for $19 at Cellar!  Maysara makes lots and lots of different wines- Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, a delicious Rose of Pinot Noir, as well as lots of different single vineyard Pinot Noirs.  This is the first release of the 3 Degrees.  (check out their other wines here.  it’s worth a visit just to see the beautiful label art and cool names).

Anywho- the 3 Degrees is a light juicy little wine- only 12.5% alcohol.  Beautiful black cherry, cream soda, hints of fir tree, and a lean tart cranberry finish make my mouth quite happy.  This wine is a touch more demure than the Sean Minor, slightly more feminine, graceful, and yet perky.  YUM.  Can’t wait for the Advintage trade show so I can revisit all the Maysara wines!

Last but not least is the Fat Barrel Pinot Noir, 2007 Willamette Valley.  This one is a cross between a Oregon Pinot fan’s Pinot and a Burgundy fan’s Pinot.  To me it smells like Oregon and sips like Burgundy.  Vanilla, raspberry, cranberry, toast, black pepper and wood are what it’s workin’ with.  The reason I think it sips like a red Burgundy is that it’s a touch more refined and subtle.  If the Sean Minor has a bright dimpled smile, than this wine has more of a wink… and than sneaks you a smile a few seconds later.  Sexy.  We only have about a case of this wine available, and you can grab one for $24 a bottle ASAP!  As an added bonus, the folks at Fat Barrel give 10% of their sales revenue to local community organizations to help those with less.  Yet another bottle you can feel good about buying!  Happy Pinot Drinkin’!

Grey Stack Rose, 2009 California

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I never thought the day would come- the end of summer is *in sight*!  Granted, we still have another good 6 weeks of the heat to look forward to, but it IS in sight!  I don’t know about anyone else, but this summer has been one of the most uncomfortable that I can remember.  Constant air conditioning problems at the restaurants have not helped.  So, in celebration of the Summer of Rose coming to a close, I give you one more Rose to get you through the next few weeks!  This one is freaking fantastic, too.

Here it is on my ottoman, unglamorously posing next to my purse, headphones, and a Mr. Friendly’s t-shirt.  And yes Mom, I know I really shouldn’t sit beverages on the ottoman because they might spill.  I’m living on the edge this morning.  Hopefully no one can tell that my wine glass has some watermarks on it, too.  What can I say, I ain’t perfect.  Here’s a slightly better picture that I took at the restaurant the other day:

But dear God if this isn’t as close to a perfect of a California Rose as you could find!  I can’t think of a better way to start my Friday then with a little Johnny Cash, a pound cake in the oven, and sneaking in a little half-glass of Rose before I’m even out of my pajamas!  I mean, come on- it’s Friday the 13th!  That definitely calls for wine before noon.  Get this- only 110 cases of this stuff were made! That’s ridiculous considering it’s $18 price tag.  I know, I know… sometimes $18 seems like a lot.  Poor Grey Stack has sat completely ignored at our last two Saturday wine sales because it’s surrounded by $8-$10 bottles.  Sad, sad, sad.  It’s seriously been one of the best wines on the table and I don’t know if we’ve sold one bottle.  Don’t get me wrong- I love an $8 bottle of wine as much as the next guy, but when a wine is this good $18 is a pittance.  You won’t find it anywhere else, either.

But I guess now that I’ve talked it up, I should tell you what it tastes like! It’s a blend of 55% Grenache, 35% Syrah, and 10% Viognier, just to mix it up a little.  Amazingly fresh and vibrant, you inhale a gush of fresh, juicy watermelon as soon as you take a whiff.  The kind of watermelon you daydream about in mid-February when you haven’t seem the sun in a week and it won’t quit raining. Now I’m starting to feel bad that I’m hating on Summer.  I love Summer’s ripe fruits and general carefree attitude.  But you gots to admit, these Columbia summers can be a bit much.  Back to the wine- watermelon and strawberries dominate the fruit characteristic, with hints of melon, grapefruit, and a beautiful floral bouquet thanks to the Viognier addition.  After several deep inhales, I got some lovely notes of Vanilla, too.  Natural, clean Vanilla Bean.  Yum.

Instead of a celebrity, I’m going to associate this song with perhaps my favorite Summer memory- I was thinking of it last night, and in an interesting coincidence, it just came on my Pandora station as I sit here- no lie!  Summer of 2005 at Telluride Bluegrass festival- one of the most amazing places of Earth, or at least the continental US- Emmylou Harris and … I’ll be darned if I can remember who she was singing with, but I was probably the likes of Jerry Douglas- singing The Weight as the sun set over the mountains.  I was with a good friend who had almost missed the set and I told him how glad I was that he was there for it.  He said “Me too” and gave me a big hug (mind you, he’s not much of a hugger).  This wine should make you want to “take a load off”, take a deep breath, and have people you care about around.  I really wish I had a good picture I could upload- but here’s one I found that *almost* does that moment justice…. In the meantime, enjoy some wine as the summer dies, hopefully you’ll give Grey Stack a try!  Ciao!

Vi d’Agulla Avinyo, 2009 Spain

/ thewinesnob / 2 Comments

I just love it when wine makes babies.  No, really- they can!  If you don’t believe me- you must try this Avinyo, and I’m sure you will be convinced that this wine is truly the love child of the Opala Vinho Verde and a Cava Brut.  This was truly a marriage made in heaven if you ask me!  In no way am I taking away from the genius and popularity of the Opala- it still remains my most visited and commented blog post- but kids, if you were looking for a worthy contender to match the Opala in almost every facet- this just may be your lucky day.

First, how to pronounce- it looks like a mouthful, I know-  the winemakers must have seen this coming because they have a handy little phonetic guide on the back of the bottle for us!  “Vee-da-goo-ya” Avinyo.  See- we’re only on the second paragraph of this entry and already you can sound smart when you come in looking for this wine.  Repeat a few times to yourself so it sinks in.  Vee-da-goo-ya-Vee-da-goo-ya.  It’s fun!

Next, on to this wine’s many uses.  This wine is so versatile it’s practically preposterous.  Like the Opala, it’s extremely low in alcohol- 10.5%- which makes it a perfect AFTERNOON wine!  That’s right- as the last 6 weeks of this Columbia summer is prepared to rear it’s ugly head, you know there’s nothing better than a chilly glass of white wine with lunch.  It’s aromas of spring flowers, tropical fruits, green apple and citrus zest are followed up by perfect minerality and a brisk, frothy, fizzy and thirst-quenching finish.  Perfect with any kind of light fare, in my mind- salads, anything involving citrus (ceviche, a citrus marinade or vinaigrette, etc), and I think it also a perfect apertif wine-  a clever fellow wine writer that I discovered this morning calls it a perfect “close the deal” wine.  Kudos to that one- I wish I’d thought of it myself!  Check out his website here.

Wine Advocate gave this wine a cool 88 points!  Not bad considering it’s only 12 bucks a bottle!  Gotta love that.  In case any of you wine nerds were wondering- the grape in this wine is Petit Gran Muscat- that might make it seem like it’s a sweet wine, but trust me, it’s not- it does, however, have some lovely muscat-like aromas- ie honey, flowers, etc.  But it’s allll fizzy-clean-crisp-deliciousness on the inside. 

I’m not trying to start a War of the Wines here, BUT- I do challenge all of you Opala-drinkers out there to give this one a try!  It really is Spain’s answer to a Vinho Verde, and Spain can make some good wine, y’all.  But you already know this, since you read my blog and you know that I’ve written about more Spanish wines than anything else.  What can I say?  I love ’em.  You can snag this bottle at the Wine Sale TOMORROW- August 7th for the aforementioned price of $12.  Yes, it’s two more dollars than the Opala, but still it’s a steal. 

One more thing- if you’re out and about and shopping for a sparkling wine and you see the Vee-da-goo-ya’s sister wine, the Avinyo Cava Brut– definitely give it a try, too.  It’s a consistant go-to sparkler that always scores well.  Basically these people know what they’re doing.  Hope to see lots of faces at the sale tomorrow!  And PS- we’re going to have LOTS of awesome reserve wines open tomorrow!  Paul Hobbs Pinot (94pts), Swanson Chardonnay (winery only) and I am anxiously awating the arrival of a few cases of EL NIDO this afternoon!  That’s CLIO’s big brother!  Serious stuff.  And who’d have thought- it’s Spanish, too!   Gotta come check this one out.  Cheers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Feraud-Brunel Cotes du Rhone Villages, 2007

/ thewinesnob / 4 Comments

I LOVE Cotes du Rhone!  LOVELOVELOVE.  Most especially when they come in at a whopping $18 a bottle!!  And are rated 91 points like this one from Feraud-Brunel!  And it’s a 2007, which all the wine nerds out there know was a great year in the Rhone, and as such, it can be pricey to acquire a higher-end Chateauneuf du Pape and the like.  Not as pricey as these 2009 Bordeaux futures are looking (scroll through this for an example, but get ready to have a tear in your eye)… aaaand that’s enough wine-nerding for today.

Moving on to wine we can actually afford in this lifetime- this Feraud-Brunel Villages is a truly exceptional wine.  Robert Parker gave it 90 points, and Wine Spectator gave it 91.  It has the wild, exotic characteristic that French Rhone wines can so often have (it is a blend of 70% Grenache, and 30% Syrah).  Brambly, with an up-front taste of raspberries and blackberries, hints of vanilla, cloves and figs, a pleasant amount of wood (that’s what she said- boo-ya!- that was for you, Florence Wine Guy), dark chocolate, graphite and licorice.  Absolutely awesome. 

Here it sits, amidst my Monday list of things to do- which is remarkably short today- a good thing, I suppose, since I am sipping wine in the middle of the day:

If you can see that far, notice that “Saturdays” appears on my to-do list.  Why?  because we have had several abnormally quiet Saturdays in a row here at Cellar on Greene.  Busy all week, then Saturday just falls on it’s face.  I know there’s lots to do in Columbia, but do any of my faithful readers care to venture a guess about why Saturdays seem to be our slowest nights?  Or any suggestions on what you would like to see us offer that’s exciting and different on a Saturday?  Anyway, back to the wine… here is an up-close of the label so you know what you’re looking for:

Now let’s think about food pairings, just because I love food.  Would you just look at what popped up during my google search for this wine?!  One word: SAUSAGE!  Oh yes.  This wine would be perrrfect with some grilled sausages like THESE:

I could probably do without the black-eyed peas that these are sitting in, but thanks for the picture anyway, Epicurious!  I like black-eyed peas, but if a bean isn’t the toughest thing to pair with wine, I don’t know what is.  Maybe Indian food?  But the sausage sure looks delicious, doesn’t it?!  Lamb sausage would be exceptionally good, given the classic pairing of Syrah and Lamb.  This wine has such a nice spicy, smokiness to it, it would really be perfect with anything off the grill in the Summer- or if you can wait that long- something slow-roasted or braised with wine and herbs in the Winter. 

I’m trying to get back into my Celebrity comparisons that I used to do with the wines, and this one might be a bit of a stretch, but I just can’t help myself.  Since this wine is sleek and somewhat intellectual in it’s packaging, and yet also sort of a “bad boy” given it’s wild, spicy, gamey and untamed character, I’m gonna go ahead and say this wine is Robert Downy, Jr.  What?  No, I most certainly DO NOT have a long-standing love affair with him, and I HAVEN’T been just itching to compare a wine to him just so I could search for the absolute best pictures I could find!  Why on Earth would you think that?!  Well, since I must illustrate with photos, here we go:

First, here he is looking sleek and intellectual and polished:

Next, much like the wine, he reveals more of his brooding demeanor, with a hint of muscle:

And then- WHOA!  he takes his shirt off for an unexpected fight scene in Sherlock Holmes and catches you totally off guard!  Much to your surprise, he reveals himself as a total badass while still being smart and polished!  How in the WORLD did he do that?!

I can’t even get into any Iron Man comparisons… we’d be here all day and Ricky would begin to question whether I did any work today whatsoever.  So just buy the wine, show your love for RDJR, for the love of God.  Happy drinking!