Sass Pinot Gris, 12 Oregon, Willamette

July 1, 2013July 1, 2013 / thewinesnob / 1 Comment

It’s been a while since my last post, but today I am extra-energized as I am fresh from a trip to Willamette Valley for OREGON PINOT CAMP! Yup, it sounds a little dorky. A “camp” for Pinot Noir? Indeed. (Before you get too excited, this camp is invite-only for people in the wine biz. sorry!). I’ll be posting a “picture only” recap of Pinot Camp, most likely later this week. I am now full to the brim with all kinds of wine-nerdy facts about Willamette Valley, and a much deeper love for the area. But for starters, I want to share what was my top Pinot Gris pick before the trip, and remains so after the trip. Which really says something, as I tasted a TON of Pinot Gris while there! Jerry Sass’s remains my fave!

deliciousness.

Overall, Pinot Gris is not always my top pick for a white grape, but when you hit on one that is as exquisitely crafted as this one, they can really wow ya. What makes them different? How to tell them apart? Well, in this case I learned that the silkier texture and beautiful, lingering finish is a result of a longer, slower fermentation process. With a white like Pinot Gris, it can be ready to bottle fairly quickly, or you can take a bit more time (and in this case) a bit of malolactic fermentation; again, adding texture and a bit of richness.

Pinot Gris almost always has varietal characteristics of green apple, green pear, stone fruit and minerality. The perfect thing about this wine is that it has all that and more; gorgeous cooler-climate fruit, a bit of “wet stone” and soft citrus. But the finish is what is truly captivating- a bright creaminess/fresh/floral burst, and a touch of nutmeggy (surely that is not a word) spice at the end. It is equal parts clean and refreshing, yet elegant, soft and fun. A HECK of a freakin’ deal at $15! I consider this wine to be at least $2 underpriced (might not seem like much, but in a sea of Pinot Gris, it makes it stand out). With that being said, I know I would gladly pay $17 or $18 for it, which makes it even more awesome that it is $15.

The OTHER amazing thing about this wine is that he only makes just over 600 cases of it! THAT is awesome! And might partially account for why it is so good. I met so many amazing winemakers at OPC, and the fantastic thing was that so many of them were much like Jerry; mellow, easy-going, yet totally serious about making GOOD wine. And it doesn’t hurt that the Willamette Valley is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been. Even in the rain it is gorgeous. I’m not usually one for being outside in the rain, and I’ll tell you that I didn’t mind it for one second on our trip. I’ll leave you for today with two things: 1.) you should really come grab a bottle of this Pinot Gris, and 2.) a picture of Willamette!

(click on it, it’ll get bigger and you’ll get the full effect…)

Grochau Cellars RED, 2010 Columbia Valley

May 31, 2013 / thewinesnob / Leave a comment

WARNING: this juice is seriously delicious.

As you may recall, one of my absolute favorite things to do (and something I suspect I’m pretty good at) is finding wines that represent truly incredible values. This wine is spectacular because it is just that, and more…

1.) it is an excellent price point of $17.

2.) $17 for a Columbia Valley Red wine, especially of good quality, is somewhat astonishing.

3.) add 1 and 2 together and THEN add in that this wine is very small-production. what do you have? a tremendous value.

4.) GROW-shaw. I had to write that down and say it about 15 times to myself before I remembered.

So, more about this wine; it is a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc. Like the Guild White (here), it is labeled as being from the Columbia Valley- the fun thing about the Columbia Valley is that most of it is in Washington State, but part of it is in Oregon. So the grapes in this bottle are from the Columbia Valley, but you don’t get to know what specific percentages are from each individual state. Kind of a fun way to make wine, in my opinion. John Grochau has been making this particular bottling for several years, and every year the blend is different. He also makes some pretty stellar Pinot Noir- check ’em out.

So moving on to more fun descriptive details about this wine and why you’ll like it! It has a perfect alcohol content at 14.5%, giving it a great balance of fruit that has a little density, but not so fat as to knock you on your ass. It makes a great sipper. There are some beautiful ultra-smooth notes of blackberry, cassis, mocha and a subtle hint of brighter red fruits that really lift the palate up. The most standout characteristic of this wine is definitely its effortless grace, smoothness and length- especially when you (once again) consider it’s pricetag. It makes a great Summer red, too, as it is not tooooo rich- just a pleasant medium body. I personally can’t usually fathom Red in the Summer months; but this one I can do. The other great thing about this wine is its versatility- it is juicy enough to be good with a Wednesday Burger night, but could definitely stand up to a more luxurious Ribeye or other form of pick-your-poison carnivorous indulgence. You could even lighten it up and do grilled Pork Tenderloin with a variation of a berry vinaigrette over mixed greens. Or even Tuna the same way. It covers all the right ground for you to pick up what it’s puttin’ down in all categories!

Here’s another good tidbit: this wine is currently by the glass at Cellar, AND will be at tomorrow’s (June 1st) WINE SALE from 12-2pm. and I’ll go ahead and tell ya- tomorrow’s sale list is looking impressive. Lots of new goodies!

a mighty fine week for French!

May 23, 2013 / thewinesnob / Leave a comment

Let’s talk about France, baby, let’s talk about you and me… let’s talk about all the gooood grapes that. come. from. France. Let’s talk abooouut FRANCE! Let’s talk about France. (that was for you, Blythe)…

Anyway, here’s the news from me this week- two things- 1.) I think Colombard is officially my favorite white grape of Spring 2013! and 2.) Bordeaux is BACK!

frenchie frenchies.

Let us waste no breath in diving into this post- WINE NUMERO UN: Uby Colombard/Ugni Blanc, 2012 Cotes de Gascogne. This is the second Colombard I’ve written about this Spring. It will also serve as the second installment in what I will call my Summer Crack Juice Series (read first one here for definition). We need those! This is the time of year in Columbia where we are all bracing ourselves for Summer to really start. Spring is bittersweet, as it doesn’t last long and in the back of our minds we’re trying to prepare for the upcoming heat. So once it starts, we need to ease our pain with lots of refreshing Summer Whites to get us through until September. Okay, October, really.

So, what’s this wine all about? It is a blend of 80% Colombard and 20% Ugni Blanc. Never heard of Ugni Blanc? Not that shocking. It is known as Trebbiano in Italy, where it is in plentiful supply. Actually, Trebbiano is one of the most widely planted grapes in the world. It makes simple yet refreshing whites, and I think in this case, serves to lighten up this wine overall- the Colombard is very zesty and citrusy, and so the 20% addition of Ugni just mellows it out a tiny bit.

As the label so aptly describes, this wine is fantastically crisp and light; nice tangy notes of tangerine and pink grapefruit are met with exciting flavors of passionfruit, guava, and prickly pineapple. Maybe a touch of fresh flowers, too. Clean, alive and vibrant. Absolutely perfect for Spring, and packs the right amount of acidity to really refresh you once the 90+ degree weather sets in. Definitely make a spot in your fridge for a permanent bottle of this to be open at all times. Even better? It retails for a fantastic $12!

Next? Wine NUMERO DEUX: St. Glinglin “Carte Verte”, 2010 Bordeaux.

So, because I am a spoiled, lucky little General Manager and wine nerd, a few weeks ago I was invited to have dinner with the fellow who makes this wine, Richard Betts, who is a way cool Master Somm. Actually the first MS I’ve properly met, aside from the ones who proctored the Intro Class to the Court of Master Sommeliers back in 07 (I think?). I only remember them as being white haired, wearing suits and not overly memorable. But Mr. Betts was lots of fun and definitely got my attention with his philosophy and energy. And the wine is awesome!

So St. Glinglin roughly translates to “when pigs fly”– hence the cute little piggy on the label. The idea behind this name is that Bordeaux will be accessible and affordable “when pigs fly.” So here we are, with a flying pig! Cuz this wine is both of those things! So accessible, affordable- two attention-grabbing facts about this wine (it retails for $21). And let’s not forget drinkable. Because that is crucial. This wine really grabbed me because it is standing on a very delicate precipice- an old world wine that, while it is attractive to a typical American palate, is also true to it’s roots; it is definitely still a Bordeaux.

This wine is deeply colored and has nice concentration. Initially, it has a solid amount of that French stank that I love so much. Yes, I love a good stanky red wine. A tiny bit funky, a tiny bit musty, a tiny bit dirty. Those bits give way to some nice powerful notes of black cherries, sweet tobacco, very mellow vanilla bean, plums, some bitter chocolate and no shortage of minerality on the finish. This wine spends 18 months in cement, which makes the fruit notes pop, and at the same time really enhances the mineral content. So what is the blend? Wellll, I am debating not telling you. This is a great wine to taste without knowing what’s in it! But, I am not feeling especially cruel today, so I will tell you: it is almost all Merlot with a smidge of Cabernet. (“Smidge” being a technical term). But listen here: ain’t nobody got time for anyone out there sipping on a giant glass of haterade and being all “I hate Merlot!” That time has passed. There’s no more Merlot hatred. You need to get over it.

But in all seriousness, I do believe this wine is something of a trend-setter among a younger generation of wine-drinkers. If you want to really geek out, here’s a few articles that tie into this theme- here and here and here. And here is a piece written by Mr. Betts that will be a fun read for you, too. Also, it should be noted that this wine is currently being poured by the glass at Cellar, and so if you really need to taste to believe, come by at your convenience and do just that.

That’s all for today, cheers and happy French wine drinkin’!

Domaine Sainte Lucie “MiP” Rose, 2012 France

April 19, 2013 / thewinesnob / 3 Comments

In case you haven’t noticed—

This makes me happy. Why? Because Rose is good. And I like good things. Pretty much every wine person I know has a special affinity for a good dry Rose. Why is this, exactly? Why do we all freak out over Rose? Why do we become like fiends, trying to find the absolute most perfect one ever made (that year)?

There are a variety of factors, not all of which necessitate a long conversation. But I should start, of course, with reminding you that if you’re still one of those people that THINK they don’t like Rose, I plea with you; try this one. Especially if you like white wine. If you like white, chances are you like Rose too. You just don’t know it yet. If you think you don’t like white wine?! Well, I’ll work on YOU later…

Allow me to introduce you to my new baby, Domaine Sainte Lucie “MiP” Rose, 2012 vintage from the Provence region of France. “MiP” stands for “Made in Provence”, giving this wine an accessible and memorable package. This picture doesn’t really do it justice; although it does look frosty and inviting, you really have to see this wine in person to appreciate it’s beautiful color. Pale, pale, pale rose petal pink. This is a blend of mostly Cinsault, with a bit of Grenache and Syrah. My favorite thing about this wine is the nose- you’d have to be a crazy not to realize you’re in for something special when you get your first inhale of this wine. It is completely alive, vibrant, and bursting with fresh notes of wildflowers, passionfruit, a little prickly pineapple, wild strawberries and a minerally touch of wet stone. The mouthfeel is silky and addicting. A pleasantly dry body, and a finish that lingers, refreshes, and cleanses. It feels like satin. In my opinion, there is something nothing short of magical in this wine. That which cannot be explained. Must be experienced. But that IS the point of drinking wine, isn’t it?

Which brings me back to my original question- why does Rose captivate us wine-lovers? In essence, I believe it to be because Rose is just fun. Rose reminds us that wine is meant to be enjoyed- today. It’s pink color is flirtatious and suggests an air of frivolity that is not present in other wines. It is inviting. It doesn’t just ask to be drunk, it begs to be. It’s not serious or heavy handed (although, there are of course serious Rose drinkers), it just invites you to come play. NOW.

My Google search yielded no quality results, so that’s as good of an explanation as I think we are going to get:

So, in closing, YOU NEED THIS WINE. And you need it now! It is $17 a bottle and will be in residence at Cellar on Greene and available for sampling until it runs out! Which it will, at some point. So hop to it. You’ll be glad you did.

Spring. Whites. Lots of ’em!

April 13, 2013 / thewinesnob / 4 Comments

Needless to say, I have not been off to a perfect start in 2013 when it comes to blogging.

Truth be told, I have no clue how this year has gone by SO. incredibly. FAST. There hasn’t been a week where I haven’t tried to sit down and write, but… I just don’t know what happened. Not going to waste a lot of breath trying to make excuses. However, one exciting thing that took up most of my energy in March was that I passed the CSW! I spent a lot of free time cramming for that thing in March. I’m relieved to have passed, as that sucker was a combination of extremely easy and extremely hard; for example- one question would be: “Which of the following is a red grape?” with four choices (easy), then the next would be: “Put these Chilean wine regions in order from South to North.” (not exactly easy). But it’s over with and now I get to have CSW next to my name in my gmail signature. Yahoo!

But I am excited to be back in the saddle, especially because SPRING is one of my favorite times for WINE! Why? Well, Spring has that sort of infectious quality where excitement is tangible in the air (along with a healthy dose of pollen). Although we don’t have particularly long winters here, clearly Columbians are fans of warm weather, and everyone gets happy in the Spring. This year we had a freezing cold March, and even though we’ve sort of skipped straight to Summer, everyone is still happy.

And we have some absolutely perrrfect Spring whites in right now! Another reason I love to hunt for Spring whites is that when you find one (or two or ten) that really captures the vitality and aliveness of Spring in a bottle, it is a truly magical event. So here are three to get us started…

First up (far left) is the Guild (Lot #6) Pinot Gris/Riesling, 2011 Columbia Valley (retail $16). This is an effortless, silky little Pacific Northwest white. There is definitely no mistaking that is is 85% Pinot Gris, and the remaining 15% Riesling is artfully blended and adds just a touch more aromatics to the wine as a whole. Oregon Pinot Gris has always been a popular category for us, and stylistically this wine offers just a touch more uniqueness than your typical one. In my mind this makes it a winner. It’s nose is pure and clean, with aromas of white peaches, apricots, honeysuckle, green apples, pears and a touch of tropical fruit. The mouthfeel is equal parts soft, textural and tautly acidic. Finishes with a zip. I would love to see anyone try to have just one glass of this. This wine is made by a co-operative of well-established Pacific Northwest winemakers who combined forces (Thundercats style) to make the best wine they could at the most reasonable cost. They succeeded admirably.

Next up is a new installment of what I like to call Crack Juice:

Crack Juice is a technical term for a white wine that is ideal for warm (and scorchingly hot) weather. It must meet certain criteria, the top two being 1.) it must be thirst-quenching and 2.) it must be easy on the wallet, since we have such long, hot summers here. Survey says? This wine is showing signs of being the number one Crack Juice of Summer 2013.

So what is it? Montgravet Colombard, 2011 France, Cotes de Gascogne (retails for a ridiculous $10). What is Colombard? Well, I’ll tell ya- all you really need to know is that it’s good- BUT, it is a genetic relative of Chenin Blanc, and to me, drinks much like a less-grapefruity Sauvignon Blanc. It ripens early and is popular in California for inexpensive white blends. The Cotes de Gascogne region of South West France is considered the place for Colombards of excellent expression, character and VALUE! This wine is delightfully crisp and clean. Beautiful fruit leaps out- especially vibrant notes of nectarines, a little pineapple, a nice hint of spring flowers; topped off with a slight bite of citrus zest on the finish. This wine hits the nail on the head for a value wine- it does one thing, and does it well. Crisp, pretty, refreshing. Done! $10. Love it.

Finally is a fun little Portugese wine: Serrado Encruzado/Malvasia/Verdelho, 2011 Portugal (retail $12).

This is a funny little favorite of mine- a blend of Encruzado, Malvasia and Verdelho from the Dao region of Portugal. Definitely not grapes you’ll see all over the Piggly Wiggly, but they are fairly common for this part of Portugal. I like this wine because it offers a bit more body while still hanging on to plenty of nice citrus and zestiness. It will definitely appeal to someone who likes Albarino; the viscosity and fruit content are similar, but this wine conveniently comes in a couple dollars less than your typical Albarino- and it’s fantastic! Encruzado on it’s own can, to me, be a little oily. But blended as in this case, that little touch of slickness makes the overall package very appealing. It has a nice golden color, with a big nose of lemon zest with hints of honeydew melon and cantaloupe to follow. There’s a nice richness in here- a bit of golden raisin? I think so, but it’s hard to nail down. Basically I just think this is a way cool wine, a great value, and I love to see weird grapes being embraced by the general public. Come try!

Next week will likely be devoted to Rose, as we are supposed to have a Rose arriving that is so good, it will make you melt. I will speak no more of it until then, but gird your loins, as this one is practically life-altering. No joke. No exaggeration. Happy Spring and happy drinking!!

Goedhart Family Syrah, 09 Washington, Red Mtn

January 24, 2013 / thewinesnob / 5 Comments

So I’ve had to create a new category to file this wine under, for blog purposes. If you’re not familiar with blog-speak, a category is a “tag” that you assign to each post that is sort of a “heads up” to search engines as to what the post is about. So this wine is filed under “Washington”, “Syrah”, and …. “unhealthy obsessions.” The reason for this is that I couldn’t stop thinking about this wine since I first tasted it last Thursday. I could hardly stand having to wait until yesterday, which was our next delivery day. So my adoration for this wine might border on a little intense. But this NOSE, y’all…. once you get an inhale, hopefully you’ll understand.

sexytime

So my interest in this wine has spurred me to research a bit more about the Red Mountain AVA in Washington. And has thoroughly deepened my appreciation for Washington State wines in general. I’ve always had a fondness for Riesling from Washington State, and knew there were amazing reds to be found, but I don’t find our market to be especially “flooded”, the way we are with California wines. Especially top-notch Washington reds get pricey fairly quickly, and sell out fast. Which is why this wine is such a gem.

So here is a map of Washington State wine growing regions (also known as AVA’s):

It’s not a terribly BIG map, but whip out your glasses and take note that the Red Mountain AVA is that teeny tiny little red one- and this wine is from just one vineyard site- Bel’ Villa Vineyard- located within Red Mountain. It is the smallest in Washington at just over 4000 acres, and just 600 of those 4000 are planted with grapes. It is also the most expensive. The Hedges family of Hedges Family Estate, have been making wine in this region since the late 80’s. Sarah Hedges Goedhart (daughter of Hedges founders and also their assistant winemaker) and her husband Brent produce this wine, to quote their website, “in their basement.” Hence, it’s super-small production and hand-crafted. And wicked cool.

So all of these facts contribute to a trifecta of amazingness and here’s why: 384 cases produced? from the most special spot in Washington? AND (drumroll please…) this wine costs a wicked $32 retail!! That’s absurd. If this wine was from the Stags Leap District in California, it would easily set you back $75-$100.

Alright, alright so that’s enough economic/wine-nerdy facts about this wine. I’m sure you’re more than ready to hear me go to town about how freaking RIDIC it tastes. But first the nose. A fellow wine-buyer friend shares my affinity for this wine and stated that when he first smelled it, he just looked at their sales manager and said: “YES.” So simply, YES. yesyesyes. It’s a big nose, and actually it’s gotten a bit bigger this afternoon since I opened this bottle last night. Even now, I can’t smell it without wanting to squeal with delight. It has a great combination of dark fruits with hints of red fruits. This is due to the fact that they pick some grapes early, and some grapes later. I don’t know a ton about this, but once I read it, and tasted it, it kind of clicked. I hope it does to you, too, because it’s an interesting little tidbit. So back to the smell. Dark fruit- blackberry, blueberry, and touches of black cherry. A suggestion of graphite and maybe a bit of smoke. Today, with the overnight to open it up, I get more round aromas of cocoa powder, and some warmth- like blackberry liqueur. And some graceful, feminine floral notes as well. It’s much more forthcoming today. Aged for 10 months in French oak, 30% new, it would definitely age beautifully, as it’s sleepover sluttiness might suggest.

The thing I LOVE about Syrah, and THIS Syrah is that it is a perfect combination of masculine and feminine. This is something I really admire in a wine. It strikes the balance so well. Rough and scratchy like a 5:00 shadow, yet also silky and graceful. Dark colored and deeply flavored, and just 14% alcohol. Lean and mean. Also, a side note- I love this packaging.

I should have an open bottle for sampling purposes all weekend, and we will have a by-the-glass special on it for Friday and Saturday nights! And open at the wine sale this Saturday from 12-2! So that gives you plenty of opportunities to taste it! And swoon over it, and take it home. And promise to love it forever. This is $32 well spent. That’s all I got for today, happy drinking!

Tikves Vranec, 2010 Macedonia, Special Selection

January 17, 2013 / thewinesnob / 13 Comments

Huh?! This one’s a doozy, folks! I’m hurlin’ a double-whammy at you today- new grape, new (to some) country! But it is a new year, after all. So buckle up! I love this wine.

Okay, first things first- what in tarnation is Vranec? It’s the grape! And it’s an indigenous Macedonian one. Vrah-nick is the closest I can reconcile as far as a phonetic pronunciation guide. And the name of the winery (one of the oldest in Macedonia) is Tikves – Tick-vees. This wine is imported by Eric Solomon, one of my favorite importers of mostly French and Spanish wines that all focus on a sense of place; he works a lot with indigenous varietals, so it’s no surprise that he has this funky little wine. It is not listed on their website, so I’m guessing it’s a relatively new acquisition. It was reviewed by Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate in June 2012 and given a sweet little 90 point rating! Which is pretty awesome considering its $12 pricetag!

So not a ton of information exists on this grape, or even on Macedonia as a wine region. According to a bit of Googling, Vranec is a genetic relative of Zinfandel. It grows vigorously, and produces large grapes that are deeply colored with moderate to high tannin. The wine is a deep garnet/purpleish color and has a fairly big nose, mostly of dark fruits- prunes, plums and blackcurrant- but with a pleasant briary and spicy structure. It does indeed reminisce of a Zinfandel, stylistically- but not a stone’s throw from a Zin would be a Primitivo (an Italian cousin of Zin) and to me, it drinks this way. Perhaps due to the oaking and old-world personality. But still, enough up-front fruit is present to appeal to the average New-world wine drinker. It may take a little getting used to, but trust me, this is a profile you’re gonna want to embrace! Eastern European countries are poised to make a real impact on our wine market, and we should definitely take note.

Also, I admit to needing ~~to learn~~ a refresher on where exactly Macedonia is. So, here it is:

It is roughly on the same parallel as Southern Italy, so it’s no surprise that there’s good wine to be found here. I’d like to think of this wine as a true diamond in the rough; it’s accessible, inexpensive, and unique. And it’s also interesting to note that Macedonia, as a country, has only been a democracy (and its own country) since 1991, but they’ve been making wine for centuries. Along with several Slovenain wines I’ve tasted, it seems like winemakers from this part of the world don’t make a big fuss about their wines. Wine is just something they do. No frills, no fancy marketing or packaging. Just good wine. So as much as ratings can be a double-edged sword, I think it’s great to see this wine earn a good rating and a bit of press.

This wine can be purchased at Cellar on Greene for $12! It is not currently by the glass, but chances are there will be an open bottle lingering for the rest of the week.. if I have anything to say about it. Which fortunately for you, I do!

Happy (late) New Year! I resolve to blog more.

Recent obsessions, condensed…

December 13, 2012 / thewinesnob / 1 Comment

So, as I’ve stated before, sometimes I allow weeks to lapse without writing a proper post. And while this is partially because it can be extremely challenging to set aside the proper time slot, it’s also because I have a HUGE problem with indecisiveness! This is because I simply love so many wines that I can’t choose just one. And a lot of times, I choose one, then another one shows up that I love just as much, and I’m thrown into a quandary of the worst sort. And by then it’s Friday, and once Friday happens, I just give up. Woe is me, too much good wine.

All of that is a way of introducing you to not one, not two, not three, but FOUR fantastic wines that I’ve been loving lately! Let’s start with the bubbles, because it’s before noon as I write this, and only bubbles are proper before noon:

Argyle Brut, 2009 Willamette Valley. $24

photo 1 (11)

This is a fun one, because there aren’t a *ton* of sparklers from Willamette Valley. I’m racking my brain right now trying to think of some, but I’m coming up blank. My suspicion is that many Willamette wineries make Sparkling, but don’t make a lot of it, and maybe only have it available at the winery. Yet another reason why I need to visit Willamette ASAP!

I like this wine because it’s true to it’s roots; once you taste it, there’s absolutely no doubt that it’s a Willamette Valley wine. They didn’t try to make it taste like anything other than what it should. It shines a crystal-clear straw color, and cute tiny bubbles rise up from the bottom of the glass like they’s supposed to. This is a Methode Champenoise wine, which means the bubbles are created in the bottle, making them, in most people’s eyes, preferable. Made from 59% Pinot Noir and 41% Chardonnay, its light and clean, with a fresh palate of pears, green apples, a hint of almonds, light citrus, floral notes of honeysuckle and… something vaguely soapy, which I really like. At just 12.5% alcohol, it drinks easily and frighteningly quickly. A nice slap of minerality really lifts the finish to another dimension. Fantastic. At $24, it’s a great price range for a gift- and to boot, $24 is a bit less than what you might find it for elsewhere.

Next up!

Hugel “Gentil” Gewurtraminer/Muscat/Sylvaner/Riesling/Pinot Gris/etc etc, 2010 France, Alsace $15

photo (26)

Truly, I should have posted about this wine around Thanksgiving, but – duh- I didn’t. Which is to say, that I’ve been marveling at this wine’s awesomeness for weeks. I think it is absolutely gorgeous. In fact, I don’t know if I’ve had an Alsatian white that I liked quite as much as this before. It’s balance and texture are truly sublime. “Gentil” is a term for a traditional blending of Alsatian grapes, so I gather. It’s sort of a serendipitous name, in my modern American mind, because one of the first words that comes to mind when I think of this wine is gentle. It is gentle and effortless, smooth and silky, refined and elegant. Hugel et Fils is family owned and boasts over twelve generations of winemaking. A nice tropical and floral nose is prominent, with aromas of kumquat, pineapple, lemon zest and lavender. All of which are well-integrated and not in your face; gentle. The palate is mouth-coating and has a touch of the oily-ness that is often found in Alsatian whites. Calling something oily sounds disgusting, but it’s actually very pleasant- in this wine in particular, it feels like the wine is gently caressing your mouth. Whoah. Sorry, that got a little froo-froo sounding. But it’s actually true! The finish is tart, a bit dry, and thirst-quenching. Really an exceptional value at just $15.

Onto the reds!

Decendientes de J. Palacios “Petalos” Mencia, 2010 Spain, Bierzo $22

photo 2 (14)

“Well helloooooo, lover!” That’ what you should be saying to this wine. First of all, I love the packaging on this bottle. It’s just plain pretty. Simple, pretty, and memorable. This wine is my jam, y’all. And it’s actually a lot of people’s jam, because it got a spot on Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2012, and a 93-point rating. Mad props. This wine has scored well most of the past few years, and it remains as delicious and consistant as ever. So let’s start with the grape- Mencia! Never heard of it? I’m not surprised, although you might want to commit it to memory, because there are a lot of good ones out there, and it’s currently experiencing a bit of “trending” in the wine world. Think of Mencia as a love child between a Tempranillo and maybe an earthy, cool grape like Carignan or Syrah. It’s deceptively dark in color, a deep purple- the body is packed with fruit, but it is not weighed down in the slightest. It’s what I like to call a drinker. One of my more creative titles for a wine, I know. But as I’ve elaborated before, a drinker is a wine that, upon completion of first sip, leaves your mouth with such a perfect acidic “quench” that you’d have to be straight-up cray not to desire another sip. Or bottle.

So a beautiful nose of rose petals and violets will greet you, followed by a plush, plummy palate of red fruits, blackberry, and a perfect amount of fresh herbs- thyme and sage, mainly- plus a touch of peppercorn. And again, the finish has such great lift, you’re gonna want to drink lots n’ lots. Would be a great pairing for a roasted gamey meat- lamb? Or- my personal love- a charcuterie plate filled with bountiful amounts of cured ham, sausage, and lots of cheeeeeeese.

One more! And then I sign off…

Orin Swift “Locations F-1”, 2011 France $22

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We’ve been sellin’ the bejeezus outta this wine for a few weeks! The middle child in the “Locations” line by Orin Swift winemaker Dave Phinney, this is the French sibling. As indicated by the giant letter F on the bottle. The trio will be completed in Spring of 2013 with an Italian “I” family member (are you seeing a pattern emerging here?). The idea behind this project is to blend fruit from major wine regions (aka locations) in each country. So this wine here is a blend of Grenache from Roussillon, Syrah from the Rhone, and various unspecified Bordeaux varietals. To me, it drinks like a Cotes du Rhone but with a nice creamy addition of vanilla and a bit of oak, and more fruit-forward. It’s bright, fun, and remarkably easy to drink. A sensible, straight-forward, yet playful wine that just begs to be drunk now. It’s a great price point as well- most of the Orin Swift California wines are more in the high $30’s -$40’s, so at $22 it’s just a notch into the “treat yourself” territory. But there won’t be any next-day “why did I open that” regret! In fact, the next day you’ll probably want to buy another one.

Well, I started this at 11:30, and now it’s 3:30. Along the way, I have tasted 17 additional wines from various distributors. So that has been my day. Jealous yet? You should be. My job rocks.

I’m formulating a “Best Wines of 2012” post for next week, and that will likely be all you hear from me this year. ALL the wines listed in this post will be open this week either by the glass, or at Saturday’s tasting from 12-2! So, please stop in and grab a taste or two or four!

TURKEY PACKS!

November 20, 2012November 21, 2012 / thewinesnob / Leave a comment

Here’s some more information about our Turkey Wine Packs, complete with pretty pictures! see below for ordering instructions!

PACK #1– “Good Friends” $43

got good friends?

Good friends- we’ve all got ’em! Got a lot of ’em? This pack is perfect and an unbeatable value if you need to stock it up/pack it up/pack it in for your feast. This group of four will have you drinkin’ well for less than $50.

Included:

1 Subirats Cava Rose, NV Spain. bubbly, fruity and fun, this wine has been at the top of our list of Holiday sparklers for years. bright red fruits and a zippy finish. drink it while you cook!! normal retail $12

1 Loosen Brothers “Dr. L” Riesling, 11 Germany, Mosel. yet another Cellar go-to wine for years past. Ernst Loosen really knows what he’s doing with the Loosen Brothers line; the Gewurztraminer and the Pinot Blanc are also amazeballs. This wine is light, racy, and has a perfect marriage of sweetness and dryness. normal retail $13

1 Georges Duboeuf Gamay, 10 Beaujolais, Morgon. like Beaujolais? I do. Gamay is one of my all time favorite grapes, hands-down. It’s extremely expressive, perfect with Fall flavors, easy to drink, difficult to dislike, people-friendly.. the list goes on. this one is very light and pretty, with notes of fresh sour cherry and dried herbs. normal retail $14

1 Pieza “El Coll” Garnacha, 08 Spain, Calatayud. we’ve been crushing this wine for a few weeks now, and people can’t seem to get enough of it. I love it because for an inexpensive Garnacha (of which there are plenty), this one offers a ton of dark, brambly fruit, nice oak and spice, and still finishes clean and with nice acid. Don’t get much better than that. normal retail $13

PACK #2- “Great Friends” $69

your friends ROCK.

Okay, it’s the Holidays, we can all pause for a moment and be thankful for awesome friends!! or family. or both! this pack is a perfect treat for all those you truly appreciate, and will spend the day feasting with. Or, you could save it all for yourself if you’ll need to be “treated” to get through the day. Hopefully the former…

Included:

1 Gruet Brut Rose, NV New Mexico. Ohh, this one is slammin’. And you’d be wise to get up on this particular bottle ASAP- the folks at Gruet are the bomb, but the demand for this wine exceeds the supply, without fail- every single year. It really is made in New Mexico, and it’s a lean, mean fightin’ machine, with beautiful crisp red fruit and beautiful floral notes. normal retail $16

1 Mar de Frades Albarino, 11 Spain, Rias Baixas. this stuff is TO DIE! by far the prettiest, silkiest Albarino I’ve had all year. A nice touch of tropical fruit is met with the characteristic bright citrus Albarino tends to display. It’s like an Albarino… made by Chuck Norris. normal retail $22

1 Morgan “Twelve Clones” Pinot Noir, 10 California, Santa Lucia. we got a nice surprise yesterday, when *after* we’d decided to put this wine in this pack, it got named to Wine Spectator’s Top 100 Wines of 2012! We opened one for this past Saturday’s wine sale, and it went over verrrry well! it’s everything a Cali Pinot should be; ripe, round and fruit-driven but with fantastic accents of vanilla and spice. This is one you’ll wanna keep drinking. normal retail $25.

1 Giant Wine Company “The Ghost of 413” Cab/Merlot/Syrah blend, 09 Washington, Columbia Valley. a slick little bottle, this wine is very new to South Carolina and packs classic Columbia Valley dark fruit and an uuber-smooth palate. 90% Cab/10% Merlot & Syrah. very drinkable and not weighed down. normal retail $19.

PACK #3: Reserve $175

baller!

Alright, so since we’re big ol’ nerds AND we like to sell wine, we HAD to offer a Reserve level pack. The cool thing is- these bottles would cost you $220 individually, so truth be told, $175 is a total steal even though it’s no small amount of money.

Included (limited quantity):

1 Ruinart Brut Rose, NV Champagne. sexiest. Champagne. ever. don’t have to say much else. you’re missing out on a crucial delicious element of life if you’ve never had this. you’ll never be the same. normal retail $80.

1 St. Urbans-Hof Riesling, 10 Germany, Mosel, Bockstein Vineyard. so, once again- I’m a hardcore Riesling fan, but this one will really open your eyes as to how much depth a Riesling can have. the soil really shines here, bringing about a really cool element of smoke and slate, met with creamy peaches, elderflower, roses and violets. normal retail $24

1 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir, 10 Willamette, Balcombe Vineyard. a teensy-weensy little 7-acre vineyard site produced just 475 cases of this wine. Patricia Green Cellars are classic Willamette winemakers; a non-interventionalist approach makes for pure, pristine Oregon fruit with aging potential. deep flavors of plum and coffee are found amongst feminine red fruits. normal retail $46.

1 Chateau de St. Cosme Cote Rotie, 10 France, Cotes du Rhone. 100% Syrah from suuuper old vines. a powerful wine with flavors of bacon, smoke, graphite, black pepper, violets, and smoky ash. only the Rhone could make this wine! It’s sibling, the 2010 Gigondas, was just named the #2 Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator! 92 Points Parker, 94 Points International Wine Cellar! normal retail $70.

**important** if you’d like to order a wine pack, please email cellarongreene@gmail.com with which pack (or individual bottle) you’re interested in. Include a phone number so we can holler at you for your payment info securely over the phone. orders can be filled relatively quickly, so act now!! and Happy Thanksgiving!

NoCo Pinot Noir, 2010 California, Chalone

November 10, 2012November 10, 2012 / thewinesnob / Leave a comment

“One of these things is not like the others…”

“one of these things just doesn’t belong…”

“…can you tell me which thing is not like the others, by the time I finish my song?”

Doesn’t everyone remember that song from Sesame Street? As a child of the 80’s, I often find myself spontaneously remembering songs from Sesame Street and parroting them out at random times. (exhibit B: “one! two!…. AH-AH-AH!!”) The only KEY to this time is that this wine definitely DOES BELONG! But it’s not like the others! And by others, I mean so many other California Pinot Noirs out there in the market. And for this, I applaud it. And love it.

So the NoCo label is owned by two hella’ cool dudes that also own LIOCO wines. I’ve written about their Sonoma Coast Chardonnay (remains gorgeous with every vintage) and their microscopically produced (and alas- not to be made again) Pinot Blanc in past posts. Without going in to too much detail, they focus on site-specific, non-interventionalist winemaking- AKA, they like to let the grapes be themselves and reflect from whence they come, rather than trying to make them into something else. You could also call that terroir, if you wanted to be fancy.

Back to my point; here’s why I like this wine, in a nutshell: it’s unique AND delicious! It’s bright, radiant and really pops more than most Cali Pinots I taste in an average week, or month. It is sort of a palate/mind-expander. This is crucial, in my opinion, if you’re gonna be a wine nerd. You have to periodically taste things that stretch and expand your palate’s ability to recognize flavors. I believe there’s some science behind that, actually. Remember how when you were a kid you hated beets? (or insert some other food you hated as a kid). And then one day you tried them when you were in your 20’s and you realized they were delicious? It’s because your taste buds mature, and become more responsive to different tastes as you get older. Same is true of wine. When you first start drinking reds, you might find too much tannin to be, literally, offensive to your taste buds. But just keep drinkin’, folks. As your buds get used to tannins, they won’t offend as much. Then you’ll start to like them. Of course, it’s always possible that you just don’t like some things, and never will- but the important thing is to keep trying! Plus, it’s fun.

But let’s move back to the wine itself. It has a very bright, tangy and pronounced palate of pomegranate, redcurrant, sour cherry, black tea, five spice, rhubarb, orange peel, and a touch of flintiness and cherry pits. Finishes with a push of minerality, a bit of soft fruit, girly flowers, and a pleasant ZING of acid- it’s low in alcohol at just 13.5%. It’s a truly fantastic representation of the Chalone AVA- which is a unique little spot. High in elevation, with soil rich with limestone and granite, the grapey grapes come of age in low humidity and intense bouts of unfiltered sunlight. This really comes across in this wine, because there is a definitive quality of purity and unrestrained clarity in this juice. I would even go so far as to say this wine is verging on the precipice of genius, and at the forefront of what it means to make wine and appreciate wine. Feel free to disagree with me; but I gave that a lot of thought and I stand by it.

This juice is currently by the glass at Cellar, or you can stop in and buy a bottle to take home for $21. I also heard Noah over at Sam’s Fine Wine & Spirits in Lexington is holding onto some, if you’re from that side of town. Oh, and this wine also got 89 Points from Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar! Woop woop! Get you some!

Oh and go Gamecocks. or whatever. I’m over it.