The Wine Wire- 2007 Bucci Verdicchio Classico Reserva ‘Villa Bucci’

April 5, 2013 by Shebnem Ince | Leave a comment

This is as profound and creamy as any Chardonnay we’ve had in a while (although yes, we are aware it is Verdicchio). harvested from 60 year old vines on Bucci’s pristine,64 acre property. The wine is fermented underground, naturally and aged in large botte. Very non-interventionist and ‘natural’- like, but clean, round and beautiful.

 

2007 Bucci Verdicchio Castello dei Jesi Classico Riserva ‘Villa Bucci’ Marche, Italy $41.99

Posted in The Wine Wire Tagged |

Friday Feature- 6 for $60 Something 3/29/13

March 29, 2013 by Shebnem Ince | Leave a comment

Hello and Happy Friday!

It’s Friday, and usually that means that we are gearing up for another Routier.  Unfortunately…

Routier is on strike this Friday, March 29th.

Yes, that great pastime, the strike, is the verbiage we use when we can’t quite muster up the strength to bring you Routier.

Don’t worry though, Routier will be back in action on Friday, April 5th.

We have updated the calendar, which can be viewed here.

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We’re very excited to introduce our latest “6 for $60-Something” Sampler.

Never heard of this sampler and want to know what it’s about?

Six wines, hand-selected by us, that represent a range of styles – all hovering around the $10 price point. Each wine is available by the bottle or case, but as we often say, for maximum pleasure you should take the whole sampler.

The “6 for $60-Something” is highly recommended to those learning about wines, trying to stock their wine rack with affordable and tasty adult beverages, or wanting to bring a gift to someone hosting a party.

So how does this work? To order, simply e-mail me back and say “Hey Craig, hook me up.” To join the devoted legions of fans who receive them every month you can just say “and keep ‘em coming!” Some people are challenged by some of the wines that we put in to my sampler. If Grolleau Gris gives you a rash, or perhaps Kotsifali reminds you of an ex that you are trying to forget about, then we will substitute and try to get the sampler as close to $60 as possible.

A suggestion to those folks trying to learn from this as well as get a buzz – print out a copy of the newsletter to keep with your sampler. That way, when you are in the mood for a bottle, you have your own mini-wine lesson on hand.  So what are you waiting for?  Order yours today!

The “6 for $60-Something” is in stock and ready to be picked up any time!

Cheers,

Craig & Sheb

—

a1top

6 for $60-Something 

W1

2012 Herbauges “Collection Plaisir” Grolleau Gris, Vin de Pays du Val de Loire 
Look, we are not going to pretend as if Grolleau Gris is a noble grape or capable of producing great and profound wines.
Grolleau is a “worker” grape, the third most widely planted variety in the Loire, and makes a delightful, quaffable, endlessly drinkable wine such as this.
How can one resist a wine that is organic, and part of a line of wines called the “Pleasure Collection?”
It’s fruity, yet dry, with lots of citrus and peachy flavors, and provides a zesty match for light, simple fish dishes (white fish steamed in parchment comes to mind). Maybe you just are going to have a sandwich with leftover roast chicken and mayonnaise? Grolleau will work there too.
Mainly, it’s great for what’s known in the business as a “patio crusher” a.k.a. summer porch wine. The kind of thing you can pound until the dog days of summer are but a distant memory and you find yourself staring into the mouth of yet another uncertain winter.

$12.00 BTL. / $144.00 CASE   

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W2

2010 Altos de la Hoya Monastrell

If you’ve followed the emergence of Spanish wines in the US market over the years, you will instantly recognize the name Altos de la Hoya.

That’s because over that period it has been used as the “poster child” for what Spain could achieve in the under $15 retail category.  Year after year, major publications write glowing reviews, and consumers anticipate the newest vintage.
 

Bodegas Olivares is one of the top producers in the region of Jumilla.  This region located on the Southern Mediterranean coast of Spain is the birthplace of the Monastrell variety, also known as Mourvèdre in France.  Finca Hoya de Santa Ana is the name of the Olivares estate, lying in the Northwest part of the region.  Their high elevation vineyards are stocked full of old, ungrafted vines, 65 hectares-worth, thriving in its sandy soil.

Olivares produces 25,000 cases of Altos de la Hoya which is sourced from an 11-hectare vineyard of ungrafted vines planted in 1872.  8% Garnacha accompanies this Monastrell-dominated wine.  The wine is fermented in tank, and aged in a mixture of barrels of different sizes and ages.
 

Josh Raynolds of the International Wine Cellar shares the results. “Glass-staining purple.  Powerful dark berry preserve aromas, with pungent floral and herbal qualities adding complexity.  Alluringly sweet in the mouth, with deep blackberry and candied cherry flavors showing impressive intensity and power.  The lingering, lucid finish features broad, velvety tannins.  Displays wonderful pliancy and focus, and has the depth to age. 91 Points.”

Don’t miss this excellent Spanish value!

$11.50 BTL. / $138.00 CASE

 

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W3

2011 Tedeschi Valpolicella Classico “Lucchine”

We cycle through lots of Valpolicella here, the classic red wine of the Veneto.

Basic Valpolicella can be a great substitute for inexpensive PInot Noir- light, zippy and ready for dinner. Tart red fruits. brisk acidity and a hint of mineral is what to expect here.

Composed of Corvina, Rondinella & Molinara, and harvested from a single vineyard (Lucchine), you won’t spend much for a surprisingly versatile wine; a great companion for pasta tossed with brown butter, polenta and Parmigiano cheese  or a simple spaghetti all’ Amatriciana.

$12.00 BTL. / $144.00 CASE

 

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W4

2011 Douloufakis Winery ‘Enotria’ Red Wine

Sometimes you just have to bite the bullet and take the road less traveled.

So we are offering on this month’s sample pack, a wine from emerging market, Crete! Even though Crete was the center of one of the humanity’s most ancient settled cultures, the Minoans, this was the island’s only time of peaceful thriving. Centuries of conquest, colonization, war, plague and general unrest followed, until finally after WW2 things settled down as the Cretans aligned themselves with Greece. It makes sense that during this much upheaval, viticulture took a backseat.

The Enotria is a blend of two native grapes (Liatiko & Kotsifali) as well as international variety Syrah. And for all we know, this could be the next Jura, hipster sommeliers swigging Laitiko all night long. And you can say you had it first here, from Perman Wine Selections!

$9.50 BTL. / $114.00 CASE 

 

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W5

2009 Guelbenzu Red, Ribera del Queiles

The wine region of Ribera del Queiles is southeast of Rioja and named after a tributary of the famous Ebro River, within the autonomous state of Aragón.

With such a low population density, large areas of Aragón remain wild and relatively untouched. It is a land of extreme natural contrasts, both in climate and geologically, from the green valleys and snow-capped peaks of the Pyrenees to the dry plains and lonely hilly areas of the south.

The vineyards for Guelbenzu are stony and infertile, good for viticulture and not much else. The wine is composed of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon & Tempranillo and has a bit of a rough and rustic edge to it.

You might imagine drinking it straight from a Bota, accompanied by a shepherd’s lunch of plain bread, Manchego cheese, ham and perhaps a conserva of tomato or quince.

$11.00 BTL. / $132.00 CASE

 

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W6

2011 Ca’ Stella Pinot Grigio delle Venezie

Typically I like to take the high road when it comes to not putting down other wines.   I can’t let an opportunity like this go without poking a little fun!

You see, there is this grape varietal called Pinot Grigio, and it can be quite delicious and even complex.  Unfortunately for poor Pinot Grigio, there is a bully on the block.  One producer sends a reported 600,000 cases, yes cases, to the US, so that every steak house and grocery store can build a giant pyramid in the center of their store or restaurant.  It is unfortunate that this pyramid of wine is in no way the 8th wonder of the world.

The good news is, you don’t have to drink that stuff!  Instead, you can drink a well-made Pinot Grigio from the Anselmi brothers, that destroys that wine at less than half the price.  The Società Agricola Anselmi lies in Pocenia, between Trieste and Venice.  This is a wonderfully fresh, crisp and fruit forward style of Pinot Grigio that is sure to please.

So if that bully made you swear off the varietal, please reconsider with this excellent every day value.  Easy drinking on its own, it will pair well with white fish such as cod or halibut.

$9.00 BTL. / $108.00 CASE  
Posted in 6 for $60-Something, Friday Feature, Newsletter

Friday Feature-6 for $120 Something 3/22/13

March 22, 2013 by Shebnem Ince | Leave a comment

Hello and Happy Friday!

Wondering when the next tasting at Perman Wine is?

It’s tonight and every Friday night!  Routier, French for truck stop is our way of inviting you to the store each Friday to try a flight of wine, linked by a common theme.

Tonight’s Routier is called “Young Americans.”

Listen. There’s a revolution going on in California, a movement away from those large, oak laden, tongue numbing, points garnering wines of the 1980s & 1990s. Tonight we are featuring 3 young winemakers who are turning California into an exciting place for wine again.  Alternative varieties, site specific farming, and non-interventionist winemaking is what we are going to show you tonight!

We will be tasting the following wines:

2010 Matthiasson Winery Chardonnay ‘Linda Vista Vineyard’ Napa Valley 

2011 Forlorn Hope ‘Sogni della Speccia’ Suisun Valley

2009 Broc Cellars Mourvedre ‘Luna Matta’ Paso Robles 

No need to reserve, you can stop in any time between 5 and 8 pm.  $25 per person.

Hope to see you here!

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It’s the second to last Friday of the month, and that is when we introduce the latest “6 for $120-Something” sampler.

For those unfamiliar, the concept is simple; in the course of our tastings each month, we put together a mix of what we think are the best wines tasted in that $20-ish range.  It is true that it used to called  the “6 for $120,” but in the interest of me having more flexibility, I’ve decided to not be so exact.

Most of these wines are available by the bottle as well as the case, but the idea here is to give you a selection of wines that you will want to have stocked in your wine rack at home!

So email me to order your sampler, and pick it up at your convenience.  They are in stock and ready to go!

Have a great weekend!

Craig & Sheb

—a1top

6 for $120-Something 

W1

2009 Celler Pardas Xarel.lo

 

At this time of year, many of us are rooting for our favorite mascot.  Mine of course, is the Ducks of Oregon who just happened to take down those higher-seeded Cowboys.

There are a handful of wines in my store that are my “wine mascots.”  One such wine comes from Celler Pardas, a winery located Southwest of Barcelona in the Alt Penedès region.

Pardas Xarel.lo is a wine I’m proud to represent in my store.  Not just because I’m the only store in the city that has it, but rather because it represents so well what the younger generation of Spanish winemakers is trying to achieve.  Take some of Spain’s greatest natural resources, their indigenous varietals, and produce it in a fashion that is respectful of where it comes from.

So much of Spanish wine reaching the US market is driven by marketing, labels, and produced in such a style to meet what a certain importer thinks to be our “palate.”

Celler Pardas produces authentic wine.  They speak of a place, and most importantly they are unique and delicious.

The flagship grape varietal of the winery is Xarel.lo, a grape commonly used as part of a blend to produce Cava, Spain’s sparkling wine.

Winemaker Ramón Parera and vineyard manager Jordi Aman believe that Xarel.lo is a noble variety, with the ability to make complex and age-worthy STILL wines.  Indeed they have proven it with this truly fantastic white wine.

Xarel.lo has it all, richness, freshness, mineral notes as well as the many distinctive aromas and flavors that speak of a Mediterranean climate.

In the hands of Celler Pardas, they produce a Xarel.lo that reminds me of Spain’s version of White Burgundy.

Go Pardas Xarel.lo!

$27.00 BTL. / ONLY 28 BOTTLES AVAILABLE

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W2

2010 Quinta do Infantado Douro Tinto

This year Craig is about to embark on a fact finding mission in Portugal for two weeks.

Portuguese wines are largely under represented on the wine store shelves, restaurant lists and consumers wine racks of the United States.

If you are a Perman Wine customer, you will soon be more knowledgeable on the subject of Portuguese wines than 99% of the wine trade.  Our mission will be to learn alongside you about the varied terroir that the different wine regions provide.

The easiest wines to access now are those of the Douro, as the famed region that produces Port, has always been a large exporter of wines.  Traditionally those were the sweet, fortified wines of the region, but in the past two decades we have slowly seen an increase in high quality red table wine.

Our journey begins with a red wine from the Roseira family, who traces their Port production back to the late 1800′s.  Their winery is located in the Pinhão subdistrict of Gontelho, right along the Douro river.

Here the terraced, schist soils are worked by hand, producing fruit with richness and a distinct underlying minerality.  Many Portuguese wines are blends, and this is no different, comprising Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinta Roriz.

The 2010 Douro Tinto is an excellent value,with intense fruit aromas of boysenberry, cocoa and spice.  Soft and silky with a bright, long, mineral and spice finish.  The freshness of this wine keeps you coming back for glass after glass.

 

$17.00 BTL. / $204.00 CASE

 

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W3

2008 Frédéric Esmonin Hautes Côtes de Nuits Rouge

 

Burgundian labeling is trying at best and this ‘Hautes Cotes de Nuits’ designation doesn’t help matters.

But, let’s simplify.

We have delicious Pinot Noir here, planted in the large swatch of eastern facing hills that flank some of Burgundy’s most important villages: Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Vosne Romaneé & Nuits-St.-Georges.

Frédéric Esmonin does a nice job of handling these grapes with care and restraint, and the wine offers a lovely fullness and the cherry-tinged trademark we have come to expect from good, cool-climate Pinot Noir.

 

$25.00 BTL. / ONLY 35 BOTTLES AVAILABLE

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W4

2007 Fattoria Cabanon Bonarda “Boisée”

 

Aside from the sparkling wine region of Franciacorta, Lombardy is largely ignored by Italian wine enthusiasts in the United States.

Big mistake.

Here is one of  my all-time favorite reds of the region made by Fattoria Cabanon, a winery founded in the early 1900′s and brought to prominence by Giovanni Mercandelli.  His daughter Elena began as the winemaker in her early teen’s, not only was she one of the first female Italian winemakers, but also one of the youngest.

Cabanon makes a very wide range of wine and grappa, with all their grapes certified organic.  I haven’t tasted every wine from Cabanon, but have enjoyed all that I’ve tasted.

In particular, my favorite is a Reserve wine made from 85% Bonarda (which is locally referred to as Croatina) and 15% Uva Rara.  These are late harvested grapes, low-yielding, fermented in oak with natural yeasts.

It yields an exotic, rich, and silky red with many aromas and flavors that will remind many of Barbera.  This is what I like to call my “Twizzler wine” as the aromas and flavors evoke red licorice like no other.  It finishes with structure, complexity and length, and really over delivers from a quality to price ratio.

Don’t miss this insanely delicious Italian red!

$20.00 BTL. / $240.00 CASE

 

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 W5

2009 Belle Pente Pinot Gris

While it is inarguable that Willamette Valley’s potential for making great Pinot Gris exists, the reality is that Pinot Gris from this area can vary wildly in quality.

 

Sometimes the experience is brilliant, and satisfying, and other times it feels dilute, flat and uninspired.

Belle Pente’s 2009 release happily  falls in column A. Most of the fruit for the wine comes from the estate in Yamhill Carlton, and a a vineyard called ‘Rivenwood’ which is contiguous to their property and farmed by owners Brian & Jill O’Donnell.

I was struck by the surprising richness in flavor & texture when we tried this in the shop. It seems as if the O’Donnells tried a late harvest experiment that didn’t turn out as it should have, so 6% of the Pinot Gris for 2009 was picked much later and more ripe than the rest of the grapes.

The result is a more-luscious-than-usual offering, an small homage to Alsace’s style of PG. However, the wine still maintains an honorable crispness and acidity.

A perfect wine to match with everything pork.  It makes us want to get our Choucroute on!

$19.00 BTL. / ONLY 48 BOTTLES AVAILABLE

 

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 W6

2009 Santa Lucia Castel del Monte ‘”Vigna del Melograno”

Castel del Monte is one of the more important wine zones of Puglia, situated in the hilly part of Puglia (southern Italy, the heel of the boot) where the grapes are granted a bit more protection from the relentless, Mediterranean sun.

 

The variety that makes this wine is called Nero de Troia, a dark-skinned flavorful red grape that unfortunately has been supplanted by more recognizable varieties such as Aglianico & Montepulciano.

 

This is a lot of wine for the money; and the the kind of  voluptuous, bone-warming red you sometimes desire. The vines here are 18 years old which is quite mature for the region and this adds to the depth and quality level.

$15.00 BTL. / $180.00 CASE
Posted in 6 for $60-Something, Friday Feature, Friday Features/Newsletters Tagged , , |

The Wine Wire-Wines from Frédéric Esmonin, Gevrey-Chambertain

March 18, 2013 by Shebnem Ince | Leave a comment

Burgundy is changing. You know it, I know it. Masked by bucolic fields rippling with mustard plants and roaming sheep are million dollar real-estate deals, and a small spate of wines that only make it into the hand of the very wealthy and privileged. These wines are bought, then sold, then bought again, in an elite, expensive game of  diminishing returns. At what point does one simply give up, knowing that Burgundy, at the top tier, is completely out of one’s league? At what point do you submit to the idea that this wine region, that you love so much, is beyond your means?

Vanquish these bleak thoughts. Immediately! And let us introduce you to the wines of Frédéric Esmonin.

Here’s the skinny. These guys are farmers, in the truest sense of the word. Not long-haired, mortor-cycle riding farmers, or orange-jeans, Ray-Ban sunglasses wearing farmers, but salt-of-the-earth, regular-folk farmers. Until about 1988, most all of their grapes were sold to negociants like Leroy, Drouhin & Jadot, with just a small run of bottlings for sale. Aside from a nice chuck of the Estournelles 1er Cru vineyard, they have tiny slices of village, 1er and Grand Cru holdings in Gevrey-Chambertain.

And they make fabulous wines. We have had the privilege of being able to taste their Ruchottes Grand Crus from 1949 (extraordinary) 1988, 1989, 1996, 1999 & 2000, as well as preview the 2008-2011. The Mazy Grand Crus from 1996, 1999 & 2000 showed tremendously recently, at a dinner, as well. I had a 2008 Bourgogne Rouge that charmed my socks off, with a friend a few months ago. And just this February (2013) I was able to taste through the young but lovely line-up of their 2011s. The confusing thing about the Esmonin wines is that they are unusually pretty in their youths, especially given the penchant for old vines in Gevrey to be, a bit reductive and hard in their infancies. And yet the Esmonin wines are as age-worthy as any other domaine in Gevrey.

But it is really the pricing for the wines of Frédéric Esmonin that leave us most stunned. This is very fine Burgundy at bargain basement pricing. And once the word gets out, well….buy now or forever be haunted by a good deal that slipped through your wine-stained fingertips.

 

2010 Frédéric Esmonin Gevrey-Chambertain Estournelles 1er Cru- $61.99

2008 Frédéric Esmonin Gevrey-Chambertain Estournelles 1er Cru- $49.99

Estournelles (sometimes spelled Etournelles and sometimes appended to St-Jacques) is a steep sloped vineyard, above Lavaux St-Jacques, pebbly and devoid of top soil. Buy the 2008 to drink now and the 2010 to cellar for several years.

2010 Frédéric Esmonin Gevrey-Chambertain ‘Les Jouises’ VV (Old Vines) -$42.99

This lieux-dit of village Gevrey-Chambertain is in the center of the appellation and famous for producing perfumed and elegant wines.

 2010 Frédéric Esmonin Gevrey-Chambertain Lavaux St-Jacques 1er Cru – $56.99

Lavaux St-Jacques is a cooler, south facing site. Wines from this site tend to be lacy and fine, exhibiting more red-fruit characteristics than some of its neighbors.

2010 Frédéric Esmonin Mazy-Chambertain Grand Cru- $107.99

2008 Frédéric Esmonin Mazy-Chambertain Grand Cru- $81.99

Mazy (or sometimes Mazis) Grand Cru is the wild child of the 9 Grand Crus in Gevrey Chambertain. Firm, structured, complex.

2009 Frédéric Esmonin Ruchottes-Chambertain Grand Cru – $151.99

The largest holding of the domaine ( .52ha) and whose name refers to the small stones that inhabit this particularly infertile piece of ground. There is a stated clarity of terroir that registers in wines made from here.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted in The Wine Wire Tagged , , |

Friday Feature- One Darn Fine Riesling

March 15, 2013 by Shebnem Ince | Leave a comment
Hello and Happy Friday,

 

With the addition of Sheb to the Perman Wine Selections team, we are slowly gearing up to bring you more information on new wines than ever before.

 

About a year ago I introduced “The Wine Wire” concept to my website.

 

In an effort to offer you more selections throughout the course of the year, while at the same time not bombarding you with daily emails, I decided to post more information on a link on my website called “The Wine Wire.”

 

I didn’t do a great job last year with constantly updating or promoting The Wine Wire.  This year, with Sheb’s help, we are focusing more on this and trying to update daily.

 

So remember, another great way to shop at Perman Wine is to check in daily with The Wine Wire! http://www.permanwine.com/category/thewinewire/

 

Also, follow me on Twitter: @permanwine

 

This will keep you updated on new posts and information.

 

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Another direct result of Sheb’s addition to the store is our weekly Friday tasting called Routier.

 

Every Friday, stop in any time between 5 and 8 pm to sample a flight of three wines based on a theme.  We will serve a little “snack” of cheese, almonds and crackers with it.  $25 per person

 

This Friday, with the “warm” weather we are having in Chicago, we are craving a nice glass of crisp, white wine.  So what better Routier topic could we focus on than “The Bavarian Hinterlands: A focus on the Dry Rieslings of Austria.”

 

We have some seriously “baller” wines to taste tonight:

 

2010 Brandl Riesling “Kogelberg” Reserve

 

2010 Alzinger Riesling “Steinertal” Smaragd

 

1999 Nikolaihof Riesling “Steinriesler”

 

These very rare wines almost never get opened for tasting, and believe me this is well worth the $25 investment.

 

We are limiting tonight’s Routier to the first 20 customers that attend.

 

Hope to see you!

 

Have a great weekend,

Craig & Sheb

—

a1top

Friday Feature 

W1

 

2008 Koehler-Ruprecht Kallastadter Saumagen Riesling Spätlese Trocken

 

For hardcore Dry Riesling fans, today’s Friday Feature brings you one of the finest examples of the variety in the world.

 

For two years I’ve been attempting to land some of this magnificent wine to my store, and finally my wish came true.

Koehler-Ruprecht is a legendary producer in the Pfalz region of Germany.  The Pfalz is the largest and sunniest wine region in Germany, producing wines that have more in common with nearby Alsace in France than other well-known German regions like the Mosel and Nahe.

 

Koehler-Ruprecht owns 10.5 hectares of spectacular vineyard sites located around the village of Kallstadt.

 

It is the Saumagen vineyard, located on the Western edge of Kallstadt that is the most prestigious site of Koehler-Ruprecht, and known as one of the best vineyard sites of the region and Germany as a whole.  I recently asked winemaker Dominik Sona what makes the site so special?

 

“The Saumagen vineyard is a south facing slope with a limestone soil. The vineyard is high in elevation and sheltered by the forest from the west winds, which gives the grapes the chance to ripe slow. Even in warm years, we are able to pick late, due to those conditions.  The vineyard was established by the Romans. It used to be a limestone quarry in their time and after not longer using it, they planted vines on the slope or terraces.”

 

Koehler-Ruprecht makes a wide range of wines from the Saumagen vineyard, based on different ripeness levels.  Only in the very finest years do they make a goldkapsel wine labeled as “R.”  This wine was first introduced in the late 80′s, with the idea of producing it only when there is the right complexity and potential to age.

 

Regarding the 2008 vintage Dominik told me “2008 was a fantastic vintage for Pfalz.  The year was quite moderate, with a cool fall. nice TA (total acidity), complex flavors and wines. Clean grapes. But, always tough to make he decision to hold back and wait until picking the best stuff.  Patience was rule number one in this vintage!”

 

The quantity produced of “R” always differs, and with the 2008 vintage Koehler-Ruprecht produced a total of only 1500 bottles.

 

Incredible aromatics, that are just beginning to emerge.  Ripe notes of fig, honey, lime zest and peach jump from the glass.  Medium weight, with incredibly opulent citrus notes of blood orange and grapefruit peel, and bright acidity.  The finish of this wine lasts forever, and really give the perfect impression of balanced fruit and mineral notes.

 

This is off the charts amazing and one of the greatest young Dry Rieslings I have ever tasted.  Needless to say it is limited, and needless to say that any serious fan of European white wines, Dry Riesling, or anything that just tastes great should get their hands on a few bottles!

 

$82.99 BTL. / ONLY 24 BOTTLES AVAILABLE
Posted in Friday Feature, Friday Features/Newsletters Tagged , , |

The Wine Wire- When The Occasion Calls for Subtlety

March 14, 2013 by Shebnem Ince | Leave a comment

Thick and inky Cabernet Sauvignon seems to be the majority of the population’s idea of a good gift. Send so-and-so a nice Cab, around $30. So we do as we are asked, and certainly there are many nice labels available to fulfill this demand. But what is the recipient is not in the mood to be klonked on the head with oaked, ripe, warm-climate wine?  What if the recipient wants something a bit more delicate, not so tongue- coating, and exotic. Here are two wines to try:

 

2009 Jacques Puffeney Arbois ‘Trousseau Cuveé Bérangères’. Jura, France-$38.99

Listen, I am with you when you say that the hipsters are ruining the Jura. Lord knows how this obscure region in Central France on the Swiss border become such a ‘phénome a la Brooklyn’, but perhaps the Jura’s lack of industrial centers and reliance upon artisan products and trades such as butchery, furniture-making, baking, resonated with that borough full of pickle-makers. It could be the facial hair of  Jacques Puffeney ,whose beard rivals any young bartender working today. Whatever the case, if you are in the mood for a savory, subtle, complex and delicate wine, a  Trousseau like this is a great way to go. Trousseau is demanding, and difficult to grow, but in the right hands (or beard in this case) can be as arresting and compelling as any cru Beaujolais or well-made village level Burgundy.

 

2010 Pascal Janvier Côteaux du Loire ‘Cuveé du Rosier’. Loire Valley, France-$19.99

Another light-hued beauty from the coolest of climates, made from ancient variety Pineau D’Aunis. There is not much still Pineau D’Aunis being made anymore, the variety is used mainly now for sparkling wine production. This is the kind of wine you can drink at four in the afternoon, chilled slightly in the cool shallows of a river bank, accompanied by  some country pate and a hunk of robust bread. The fruit is tart and the acidity brazen. For palates like razors, we say.

 

Posted in The Wine Wire Tagged , , , , , , |

The Wine Wire – World Class Pinot Noir from Klaus Peter Keller

March 12, 2013 by Craig Perman | Leave a comment

Stunning Pinot Noir from the master of the Rheinhessen, Klaus Peter Keller

Holy sh$*!  We are on a serious roll tasting great Pinot Noir.

Between Sheb and myself in the last two weeks we have been tasting some of the world’s great Pinot Noirs.

I had the amazing opportunity to taste through the entire line-up from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti from their 2010 vintage.  Sheb traveled to San Francisco to meet with Frédéric Esmonin of Gevrey-Chambertin and taste the 2011 vintages.  We tasted the new vintages from one of the legends of California, Ted Lemon of Littorai.  And now this…

Listen to me very carefully when I say this – Germany produces some of the greatest Pinot Noir’s on earth.  Better than your hyped-Cali stuff, better than some prestigious names in Burgundy, some world-class stuff we are talking about.  I’m not saying that there are hundreds of great producers, but there are dozens.

One such producer is that of Klaus Peter Keller of the Rheinhessen.

The two wines I tasted today from the Grosse Gewächse (read Grand Cru) vineyards of Bürgel and Frauenberg were extraordinary, world-class, Grand Cru quality, simply amazing – get the picture?

Since the “Wine Wire” is supposed to be about brevity, I’ll stop here.  But I do have to say, that if you are at all serious about sourcing the greatest Pinot Noir’s in the world, you won’t miss these.  These are the best ever Pinot’s I’ve tasted from this estate.

2010 Keller Dalsheim Bürgel Spätburgunder Trocken – $91 per bottle – Only 120 bottles for the Illinois market

2010 Keller Nieder-Flörsheim Frauenberg Spätburgunder Trocken – $126 per bottle – Only 60 bottles for the Illinois market

 

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The Wine Wire- Graci Quota 600

March 12, 2013 by Shebnem Ince | Leave a comment

The wine world is abuzz with adoration and renewed interest in Sicily. Etna, especially, has garnered intense interest, and producers are varied as the polarizing Franck Cornelisson and his Munjebel wines to our featured producer, Graci, a traditionalist with a soft touch. There is a uniting theme though, in their obvious affection for local variety Nerello Mascalese.

Nerello is a descendant of Sangiovese, and has a unique ability to dig its roots deep into the poor volcanic soils in which it is planted. Mount Etna is still dangerously active, so much so that on the evening of March 6th 2013 (a week prior to the writing of this post) lava plumes were seen fountaining into the night sky. Where is Instagram when you need it most?

Alberto Graci farms about 18 ha of  vines and the Nerello Mascalese that makes up the Quota 600 Cuvee is a high-altitude, un-grafted plot of old vines from the time of his Grandfather. Older vines produce lower yields, and typically the resulting wines have added depth, complexity and concentration, and Graci’s is not an exception.

 

2009 Graci Etna Rosso ‘Quota 600′. Sicily, Italy-$48.99

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The Wine Wire: Magnums of Muscadet. Size Does Matter.

March 11, 2013 by Shebnem Ince | Leave a comment

There has been a revolution brewing for some time now and we are here to announce: Muscadet has arrived. The Pays Nantais sub-region of the Loire Valley is a 55 miles swatch of land devoted to a white grape called Melon de Bourgogne (yet another progeny of Gouais Blanc & Pinot Noir!). Melon de Bourgogne originated in Burgundy and was quickly kicked out of the kingdom (the dukes preferred Chardonnay), and then made its way up into Nantes where it remained. The wine drinkers among us born prior to the 1980s may remember Muscadets of old as industrial, dry, yeasty and uninspiring. Things have now changed.

A new generation of vignerons have taken hold of Muscadet and are producing some top-notch white wines, age-worthy, affordable and completely delicious. We have obtained magnums from two great producers, Marc Ollivier (Domaine de la Pépière) and Guy Bossard (along with protogeé Frédéric Niger Van Herck at Domaine l’Ecu). An endless stream of dry, citrus-y salinity to slake your parched and thirsty throats.

 

2010 Domaine de la Pépière Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson MAGNUM-$47.99

2010 Domaine l’Ecu Muscadet Sèvre et Maine ‘Expression de Granite’ MAGNUM-$49.99

We don’t have a lot, fyi.

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The Wine Wire- 2010 Littorais:The Poverty Years

March 8, 2013 by Shebnem Ince | Leave a comment

We get excited when we hear the new Littorai releases are going to be available and ready to taste. This esteemed Sonoma Coast Estate, headed by the venerable Ted Lemon, produces some of the best Pinot Noir in the United States.

Those of you that love Littorai and have purchased it in the past, be forewarned: there is precious little 2010 and 2011 to be had. Two sets of different challenges presented themselves respectively and the resulting wines, while wonderful, are in great scarcity. There is a poverty of wine to be had.

We asked about Chardonnay- there is none. There was even anxiety regarding the opening of the samples and not all the single vineyard designates were opened for evaluation. Even the fire-damamged 2008 vintage  produced more wine.

So here’s the skinny. We were lucky enough to snag a case of 2010 ‘Hirsch Vineyard’ Pinot Noir and that is all the Littorai we will see until 2012 is released. Hirsch Vineyard lies atop a great winding road, at the end of the earth at the apex of the true Sonoma Coast. In the shade, succulents carpet every inch of ground. It seems barren and inhospitable where the vineyards are planted but it is an incredible site and the wines that come from this property are tremendous.

Ted farms his plot to his specific biodynamic standards. Ted’s Hirsch is always a tender play between lace and power, the fruit is brooding and black in character. There is always a beautiful vein of fennel that runs throughout, a small reminder of vinous complexity.

 

2010 Littorai Pinot Noir ‘Hirsch’ Sonoma Coast, CA. $67.99/ Bottle.

Until it runs out.

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