Dégustation de vin - 12 August 2009

Domain Lafage, Vin de Pays Blanc, cote EST 2007, Cote Catalanes, France (clicky click)

50% Grenache Blanc and Gris, 30% Chardonnay and 20% Marsanne, cote Est (literally "Eastern slopes") is from an estate nestled between the Mediterranean sea on one side and the mountains of the Pyrenees on the other on the Spanish border in Western Languedoc. One of the Wine Advocate's "World's Greatest Wine Values". 13% abv.

"Jean-Marc Lafage and Eric Solomon continue to render truly mind-boggling values. ...their 2007 Cote d'Est -- a blend very different from last year's, with Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, and Chardonnay as well as a small amount of Marsanne -- strains credibility even further. Pungently redolent of toasted grain, citrus oil, pineapple, almond extract, and narcissus, it is rich and honeyed on the palate, with persistently wafting floral notes and pungent counterpoint but no bitterness. It finishes with haunting smokiness and honeyed length as well as a generous measure of sheer refreshment. Enjoy it over the coming year. 90 points."

~~ David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate #178, 31 August 2008

[$9.34 mixed-case discount ($12 release) from The Spirit Shoppe in South Egremont, MA (clicky click).]

J.L. Chave Selection, Cotes du Rhone Mon Coeur 2006, Mauves, France (clicky click)

From a small negociant owned by Jean-Louis Chave, scion of one of the great names of the Rhone (one only has to read on the neck label "Vignerons de Pere en Fils dupis 1481" or "vine growers from father to son since 1481" to understand what real tradition means), Mon Coeur (or "My Heart") is said to reflect his enduring love of the Rhone Valley. This 100% biodynamic wine (buried horns full of bull manure and all!) is a blend made from Syrah and Grenache grapes produced in four separated vineyards, Visan, Buisson, Vinsobres and Estezargues. 14.5% abv.

"Smart Buys: Alluring, with dark cocoa, game, braised fig and roasted plum notes laced with hints of iron and garrigue. The nice solid, muscular finish lets a loamy edge echo on. Drink now through 2010. 6000 cases made. 91 points."

~~James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, 31 May 2009

"Component #1: Fresh strawberry and raspberry on the nose. Silky red fruits, with no obvious tannins and a long, sweet finish. Component #2: Deeper cherry and blackberry aromas and flavors. Weighty, chewy and powerful. Component #3: Intensely spiced red berry aromas. Zesty raspberry and red cherry flavors are tightly wound but sweet, with good finishing thrust. 'There's some old-vine carignane in here,' Chave told me. 88-91 points."

~~Josh Raynolds, Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Jan/Feb 2008

[$16.99 mixed-case discount ($23 release) from The Spirit Shoppe in South Egremont, MA (clicky click).]

Dégustation de vin - 3 June 2009

La cantina dove maturano i vini di Matteo Correggia

Matteo Correggia, Arneis 2007, Roero, Italy (clicky click)

Made from 100% Arneis grapes and fermented in contact with the lees for 6 months in steel vats.  The Arneis is a white grape variety originating from Piedmont that is most commonly found in the DOC wines of Roero, although it is also grown in Langhe.  Literally "little rascal" in Piedmontese, it is so-called because it is reputedly difficult to grow.  It produces crisp, floral, sometimes full-bodied wines (if aged in oak), with notes of pears and apricots.  Dating back centuries, it was often used to soften the tannins of the Nebbiolo grapes from Barolo, hence the synonym of "Barolo Bianco".  In the 20th century it declined almost to extinction as Barolo began to focus on 100% Nebbiolo wines.  However, in the the 1980's there was a resurgence of interest, and in 2006 there was ~1500 acres of Arneis under cultivation in Piedmont.  One of the Wine Advocate's "World's Greatest Wine Values" (although the Wine Spectator wasn't quite as impressed!):

"This small estate is a great source for the wines of Roero, the emerging appellation located across the valley from Barbaresco, in Piedmont.  The 2007 Arneis is a tightly-wound, mineral-driven version of this wine, with prominent notes of flint, menthol and smoke.  This is an unusually austere Arneis.  Anticipated maturity: 2008-2009.  87 points."

~~Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate #178, 31 August 2008

"Lemon peel, with a milky undertone. Full-bodied, with a thick texture. Simple. Drink now. 2,600 cases made.  84 points."

~~James Suckling, Wine Spectator online, 2008

The Bastide Guesthouse at Domaine du Dragon

Domaine du Dragon, Cotes de Provence Hautes Vignes 2007, Darguignan, France (clicky click)

From the colorfully named Domaine du Dragon, which is located just outside Darguignan in the Var department of eastern Provence, the grapes for this wine are destalked, gravity fed into a thermo-regulated maceration vat for at least 15 days, and then put through malolactic fermentation and aged in concrete vats.  One of the Wine Advocate's "World's Greatest Wine Values":

"With unusually high percentages of Mourvedre (50%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (40%) and only 5% each of Syrah and Grenache, the 2007 Cotes de Provence Hautes Vignes smells of ripe plums, roasted meats, and herbs.  Silky in texture, dripping with ripe plum and beef juices, and loaded with saline, savory, smoky and faintly bitter herbal notes, it finishes with richness and grip astonishing for its price.  Enjoy it over the next 2-3 years.  90 points."

~~David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate #178, 31 August 2008

[Both end of the year, mixed-case discounts at Berman's Wines & Spirits in Lexington MA (clicky click).  Correggia: $14.99; $ 19.00 release.  Dragon: $12.99; $15.00 release.]

Dégustation de vin - 1 May 2009

Kevin Foley, Sandycove, Ireland, 1 Sept. 2006

La Font du Vent, Côtes du Rhône-Villages, Notre Passion 2005, Signargues, France (clicky click)

This wine, more like a baby Châteauneuf-du-Pape than a rustic Côtes du Rhône, is from the Font du Vent estate near Tavel and is owned by the Gonnet brothers, Jean and Michel, best known for Châteauneuf-du-Pape's Font de Michelle (clicky click). Signargues is a new Côtes du Rhône-Villages AOC created in 2005. 14% abv. One of the Wine Advocate's "The World's Greatest Wine Values":

"The 2005 Notre Passion (equal parts Syrah and Grenache) shows full body, and loads of strawberry and black cherry fruit in a sexy, plush, concentrated, round, and generous style. 87 points."

~~Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate #178, 31 August 2008

"A rather elegant style, with subtle red plum and currant fruit that glides along easily through the incense-tinged finish. Equal parts Grenache and Syrah. Drink now. 2,915 cases made. 86 points."

~~James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, 15 December 2007

Chateau D’Esclans, Whispering Angel Rose 2007, Côtes de Provence, France (clicky click)

In honor of the warm weather (at least it was warm a few days ago!), here is a serious rose from Provenace with an unexpected family history (apologies to Wine Spectator for lifting their article):

"There's a crystal clarity to the berry and cherry flavors. Powerful, almost tannic, with plenty of mineral and spice notes. The long finish lingers with white pepper and wisps of red peach. Drink now through 2011. 7,280 cases made. 89 points."

~~Kim Marcus, Wine Spectator, 31 August 2008

"In the Pink: Sacha Lichine, heir of a venerable wine family, is making the world's most exclusive rosé

Sacha Lichine has found his place in the wine world, and the view isn't bad. His Château d'Esclans is a sprawling four-story, 19th-century manor surrounded by nearly 700 acres of land, including pine and oak woods and more than 100 acres of vineyards. From a hilltop plot of gnarled, old vines, the sea is a thin blue line in the distance.

That Lichine has bought a handsome wine estate is hardly surprising. Now 48, he is the son of the late Alexis Lichine, one of the 20th century's most influential figures in French wine. At one point, the Lichines owned two prestigious Bordeaux properties: the second-growth Château Lascombes and the fourth-growth Château Prieuré-Lichine, known as Prieuré-Cantenac before Lichine's father appended his own name.

But Lichine's latest moves have raised eyebrows. After his father's death, he sold Prieuré-Lichine in 1999 (Lascombes had been sold when Sacha was a boy). Leaving Bordeaux behind, he has installed himself amid the Mediterranean playgrounds of Côtes de Provence. To make matters worse, Lichine is making a style of wine that many in the French establishment dismiss altogether: rosé.

But not just any Provence rosé. A modest little quaffing wine would not be true to his larger-than-life heritage. After years of searching to make his mark, Lichine has set his sights on producing the best—and most expensive—rosé in the world.

"Rosé has always been cheap, cheerful and drunk on the beach with ice," says Lichine, holding a glass of rose petal-colored liquid to the morning light filtering into the small modern winery tucked around back of the château. "We said, 'Let's make a real wine.' People looked at me as if I were totally out of my mind.

"So far, the gamble is paying off. Two wines from 2006, his debut vintage, earned outstanding scores fromWine Spectator, and last summer, bottles of his top cuvée, priced at more than $100, were de rigueur on superyachts in the nearby ports of Cannes and St.-Tropez.

"Sacha wanted to do something on his own," says Lichine's longtime friend Alfred Tesseron of Bordeaux's Château Pontet-Canet. "On the one hand, he always admired his father; on the other hand, he wanted to be himself.

"Château d'Esclans, outside the winegrowing village of La Motte, is nestled between two mountain ranges, and overlooks a valley that descends toward the Mediterranean. The château itself, which had fallen into disrepair before Lichine renovated it, had once belonged to a line of local counts who fashioned it as an 1800s Tuscan-style farmhouse with its own chapel and fountains channeling spring water from the red stone hills.

For more than a decade before Lichine's arrival, d'Esclans belonged to a Swedish pension fund that didn't fuss much with the wine. "We weren't sure at first if rosé made from Grenache could be grand," says Lichine. "It had never been done before. We wanted to push it to the extreme—to treat it like a great Burgundian wine.

"To make a real wine worthy of the price tag—and to grab a share of the high-end rosé market dominated by Provence's Domaines Ott (now controlled by the Louis Roederer Champagne house)—Lichine recruited an old family friend, Patrick Léon, who'd recently retired from his position as chief winemaker at Château Mouton-Rothschild.

On a clear day in Provence, Lichine and Léon are together at d'Esclans—a rare crossing of paths for Lichine, who is based in Chicago, and Léon, who lives in Fronsac, near Bordeaux.

For Léon—65, dapper, silver-haired and classically French—the collaboration at d'Esclans provides a way to stay young: as he puts it, to "avoid staying home and painting the shutters chez moi.

"For Lichine, with the style of a preppy turned jet-setter (a pair of dark sunglasses perched in his longish combed-back hair and a well-tailored blazer buttoned around a belly that has ballooned in middle age), d'Esclans is a personal statement.

What they have developed is a line of rosés combining Burgundian winemaking techniques with Studio 54 marketing.

For the first vintage, 2006, d'Esclans made four rosés. Garrus (90 points on Wine Spectator's 100-point scale, $105) and Les Clans (91, $75) were both made from free-run juice fermented in 500-liter Burgundy oak barrels (demi-muids) and include grapes from a vineyard containing 80-year-old Grenache. The Garrus rosé is a blend of that single-plot Grenache with a small percentage of Rolle. Les Clans is a blend of estate Grenache, Rolle and Syrah. The regular Château d'Esclans (89, $40) is a blend of four varietals partially fermented in barrels. Whispering Angel, made from both estate-grown and purchased grapes, is fermented in stainless-steel tanks.

From the start, Léon was excited by the technological challenge. Making a great rosé, he figured, would mean extracting maximum richness from ripe Grenache—but without much color. "These are two things that are usually contradictory," Léon explains, his eyes shining.

Léon and Lichine developed a rigorous system of temperature control to keep the grapes, juice and wine chilled at every step of the process. It starts during harvest with dry ice sticks in pickers' baskets, then continues in the winery where grapes are chilled for a short maceration before the free-run and pressing.

The key element of their cru wines is in the fermenting room, which is filled with dozens of Burgundy barrels. "It is unique in the world," claims Léon, pointing to the cooling tubes, which are usually used in steel vats. By placing these tubes in barrels and keeping temperatures on the 48° F to 60° F range, fermentation slows to a snail's pace—taking up to four months and increasing aromas and complexity in the process.

Not all the work is done in the winery. Lichine has planted (or replanted) about a third of his vineyard area in the past two years, while installing Israeli-designed drip irrigation. (Vineyard irrigation, generally prohibited in French appellations, is allowed only with permission during long dry spells.) Lichine and Léon also replaced machine harvests with handpicking and fastidious grape sorting. The diverse plots produce 70 micro-vinifications to create the four wines.

Frank Fantino, the estate's 40-year-old technical manager, grew up nearby. Before Lichine took him on, he grew table grapes on land leased from d'Esclans. Recalling the "generic wine" previously produced by d'Esclans and other local producers, Fantino adds, "In my family, we always drank red. Rosé was for summer, for tourists.

"D'Esclans may still be going to tourists, but Lichine has tapped the high end of the trade. "When I first showed people the prices," Lichine recalls, "they said, 'You're out of your mind.' " But Lichine strategically placed the wines in venues where price wouldn't be an object—from Hotel Byblos in St.-Tropez to Hotel de Paris in Monaco.

"We made only 2,000 bottles of Garrus, and that went to a lot of yacht owners who wanted something no one else had," he says. "Then in winter, those yacht owners went to the Caribbean, and we were suddenly getting calls from Antigua and St. Barths, but it was all gone.

""Sacha could have turned out to be a bad boy. Instead he turned out to be a good man," Léon says during an all-truffle lunch at the legendary Restaurant Bruno, in the nearby town of Lorgues.

Léon has known Lichine since 1972, when he went to work for Sacha's father, the Russian-born wine author and U.S. importer who added his family name to what became Château Prieuré-Lichine. Sacha, who was born in Margaux and moved to New York with his mother at the age of 4, spent vacations with his father at the château.

"When you are the son of a man like Alexis, it is very difficult to make your way," Léon continues, after Lichine has stepped outside to smoke. As a teenager, Lichine attended a pair of East Coast boarding schools, and after graduation, he started a company that took groups of wealthy Americans on wine tours in France. Around the same time, he started—then quit—business management school in Boston.

In his early 20s, he started his own import company, Sacha A. Lichine Estates Selections. Then in a 1984 lawsuit, Lichine was barred by a federal court from using his family name to sell wine. Twenty years earlier, his father had sold Alexis Lichine & Co. to a British brewing company. With the sale went the use of the name Lichine, and ALC accused Sacha of trademark infringement. (In 2001, after years of wrangling, Lichine recovered the right to use his name after suing ALC's current owners, Groupe Pernod Ricard in a French court.) Stymied, Sacha drifted and partied, working for wine importers on both coasts.

"Then one day [in 1987], I got a call from my father's lawyer," Lichine recalls. "He said, 'It's time to come home.'"

At 27, Sacha took charge of Prieuré-Lichine, where his father died two years later. He spent 12 years at the helm of the fourth-growth, and is credited with improving the wine quality while he worked through money problems."I was left with a property that was fairly indebted," he says. "Between inheritance taxes and problems at the château, I had to fight to keep what was given to me.

"Finally, in 1999, he sold it. "There was not much more I could do with Prieuré," he says, "and, to be honest, in Bordeaux it rains all the time.

"Alain Moses, a Bordeaux négociant who has worked with both Lichines, remembers Sacha as more relaxed and open than his father—and than other château owners. "He was so different from other people here, many château owners didn't care for him," Moses says. "A lot of people thought he was completely crazy to sell Prieuré, just as they thought he was completely crazy to buy in Provence.

"In the years since the sale, Lichine has primarily worked as a bottler and distributor of wines made by others. In addition to his négociant business selling Bordeaux futures, he affixes his name to a playful line of inexpensive "New World-style wines made in France," with names such as Le Coq Rouge and Diablo.

But, Lichine says, "I realized I needed a property to give legitimacy to my other products.

"For years, Lichine shopped for an estate across the south of France. In fact, Lichine had first visited d'Esclans when it had previously came up for sale in 1994—when he owned Prieuré-Lichine but was short on cash. "At the time, I ran away from d'Esclans," he says. "It was in such terrible condition, I was afraid of losing my shirt.

"Now at home in the château, in a freshly refurbished drawing room with rich fabric walls and plush furnishings, Lichine is surrounded by photographs of his family—his five children from two marriages, and his current wife, Mathilde, with whom he lives in Chicago when he is not at d'Esclans or in Bordeaux or on the road.

Lichine has kept mementos of his father, including half a century's worth of news clippings. He opens a scrapbook to a 1976 newspaper article referring to his father as "the pope of wine."

"I'm the son of the pope," Lichine says, laughing. "I've always had big shoes to fill." Yet Lichine now seems a man who is comfortable with himself. And despite the big shoes he inherited—or perhaps because of them—he professes to dislike all pretense, particularly when it comes to wine.

"We in the wine business are pleasure merchants," he says. "And when pleasure happens, it should happen. You shouldn't have to talk about it."

~~Robert Camuto, Wine Spectator, 31 August 2008

[La Font du Vent is an end of the year, mixed-case discount from Berman's Wines and Spirits in Lexington MA (clicky click): $12.99; $13.00 release/$15 regular price. d'Esclans is from Costco: $15.99; $20 release.]

Dégustation de vin - 3 April 2009

Christophe, Sandrine & Louis

Jean-Paul Thibert, Macon-Fuisse 2007, Fuisse, France

This is a 100% chardonnay, white Burgundy from the estate of Jean-Paul Thibert (now Domaine Thibert Pere et Fils).  If you have trouble remembering that Chardonnay is the only grape that matters in Macon-Fuisse or Pouilly-Fuisse, well just try keping in mind that Chardonnay isn't "fussy"!  And it really will grow anywhere, and can be made into wine of a wide variety of styles.  No wonder it is so popular.  But few places produce such light and elegant, and importantly, affordable, Chardonnays as here in the Maconnais district in the south of Burgundy.

Christophe Thibert and his sister Sandrine are now responsible for the cultivation, winemaking and everything else at this small estate, half owned and half share-cropped.  The estate vineyards and leased parcels are all located in the village of Fuisse, right in the heart of Pouilly Fuisse.  The Thiberts use only natural remedies in the vineyard: aerating the soil, severe bunch and leaf thinning, lutte raisonnee (no sprays) and harvesting by hand.  "Vin Eleve En Fut du Chene" or "wine raised in oak", so the wine was aged in new and old oak casks, probably from Bordeaux.  13% abv.  One of the Wine Advocate's "The World's Greatest Wine Values":

"This was my first opportunity to taste wines from this Maconnaise estate and based on their two least expensive offerings, here is a superb source.  The 2007 Macon-Fuisse -- fermented and aged in old foudre -- smells of lime, subtly bitter fruit pits, sage, and meat stock, almost like a cross between a Riesling and a Chablis.  Well-concentrated on the palate, it offers a fine combination of substantiality with brightness and lift, leading to a long, bright finish.  It will probably be at its best over the next 2-3 years.  89 points."

~~David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate #178, 31 August 2008

Chateau de Mattes-Sabran, Le Clos Redon 2005, Corbieres, France

100% Syrah from Chateau de Mattes-Sabran (clicky click) in Languedoc in the south of France, this wine won a gold medal in 2007.  Reported to make people feel "weak in the knees" (clicky click).  13.5% abv.  90 points from Wine Advocate, although I can't find the review (WA #173?).  To quote winedoctor (clicky click):

"Chateau de Mattes-Sabran is a massive 615 hectare estate in the Sigean sub-region (as yet not legally defined) of Corbieres, France's fourth largest appellation.  Here the soils consist, generalising (sic), of marine clay and limstone, and Jean-Luc Brouillat and his wife continue the family tradition of tending vines on this estate, which has been in the family since 1733.  There are about 90 ha of vines all told, planted in 3 ha blocks, in two large portions.  There is a 27 ha porton on the soils typical of Corbieres, and a larger 60 ha portion around the house, planted on alluvial gravel and on limestone and marl.  These vineyards support a range of varieties, the reds including Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre, the whites Vermentino (also known as Rolle), as well as the more usual international varieties."

~~Chris Kissak, winedoctor.com

[Both end of the year, mixed-case discounts at Berman's Wines & Spirits in Lexington MA (clicky click).  Thibert: $14.99; $ 19.50 release.  Mattes-Sabran:  $12.99; $17.00 release.]

Dégustation de vin - 27 February 2009

My favorite quote:

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by the dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly; so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."

~~ Theodore Roosevelt, "The Man in the Arena" speech, Paris Sorbonne, 23 April 1910 (Clicky click)

Mas de Gourgonnier, les Baux de Provence Tradition 2006, Baux de Provence, France (Clicky click)

This is a certified organic wine from grapes grown on the flank of the Alpilles, a short distance from the famous village of Baux de Provence . 2006 was a great vintage in Southern France. One of the Wine Advocate's “The World’s Greatest Wine Values”:

“The red cuvee that finds its way to the U.S. each year as "basic Mas de Gourgonnier represents a collaboration between owner-winemaker Luc Cartier and his agent Peter Vezan. The varietal makeup can vary dramatically according to the vicissitudes of nature and the insights of the blenders, but the wine is always matured in a mixture of tank and cask, never bottled much before the next harvest, is always distinctly recognizable as Gourgonnier, and always represents excellent value. The 2006 les Baux de Provence combines 38% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Carignan, 20% Grenache and 9% Syrah. Carignan has seldom, if ever, approached so large a percentage, but its old vines manage to withstand the ongoing local drought. Cassis, blackberry, Provencal herbs, and wood smoke in the nose lead to a correspondingly pungent, ripe and particularly bright palate and a penetrating finish redolent of resinous lavender and rosemary and faintly bitter black fruits. This impressively concentrated rendition Gourgonnier -- only 13% in alcohol, interestingly -- is slightly rustic in its tannins but will prove exceptionally versatile at table. Typically, the wine is at its best for 2-4 years although it will often hold longer. 88 points.”

~~ David Schildknecht, Wine Advocate #178, 31 August 2008

Cantina del Taburno, Greco Beneventano IGT 2007, Campania, Italy (Clicky click)

Campania is famous for Naples, the Amalfi Coast, Capri, Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii, and for 1000's of years, its wines. Greco di Tufo, which means “Greek”, is a white grape grown in Campania that is believed to have been imported by the Hellenes before the founding of Rome. Pliny named it “apiane” because he noticed that bees seem to prefer it. As a confirmation of its ancient origin, a 1st Century BC fresco at Pompeii contains a poetical inscription by an apparently frustrated lover: “You are truly cold, Bytis, made of ice, if last night not even Greco wine could warm you up.” In the early 1960’s the grape was rescued from near extinction. Cantina del Taburno is located at 1000 feet of elevation. One of the Wine Advocate's “The World’s Greatest Wine Values":

“Campania is a region that fascinates to no end. Blessed with an extraordinary range of highly expressive indigenous varieties, unique terroirs and an oenological history that dates back several thousand years, Campania is a gem waiting to be discovered... The intensely mineral-driven Greco di Tufo is a great food wine, particularly with raw fish and seafood... This cooperative based in Campania is an excellent source for wines that express the qualities of the region's indigenous grapes. The 2007 Greco is pure and focused in its white peaches, flowers and minerals. It possesses excellent length and a taut personality, with an inviting note of sweetness that resonates on the finish. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2009. 88 points.”

~~Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate #178, 31 August 2008

[Both end of the year, mixed-case discounts at Berman's Wines & Spirits in Lexington MA. Mas de Gourgonnier: $12.99; $19 release. Taburno: $15.99; $20 release.]

Costco buys of the week

A couple of new purchases just to run up the balance on my 2% cash-back Costco Executive Membership card before the end of the year...  The first is probably a shoe-in for the always-fun Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2008, the lead-up to which should start in a couple of weeks:

Seghesio Family Vineyards Zinfandel 2007, Sonoma County, CA

"Smart Buys:  A seductive and vigorous Zinfandel, with smoky black cherry and blueberry aromas and youthful wild berry, sage and cracked pepper flavors that have a lingering finish and zesty tannins.  Drink now through 2012.  68,000 cases made."

~~ Tim Fish, Wine Spectator Advance for 12 December 2008 issue

And, (don't laugh!):

Kirkland Signature (by Alexander Murry & Co.), Macallan Distillery Single Malt Scotch Whisky, 18 Years Old (distilled 1989), with Sherry Cask Finish

Kirkland is the Costco house brand.  Apparently this is new-make whiskey ('scuse the Irish spelling!) from Macallan, barrel-aged by Andrew Murray for 18 years in bourbon casks and 6 months to finish in sherry casks.  The real thing, The Macallan 18 Years Old (several versions), one of the best Speyside single malts, usually retails for a lot more than $80.  From the bottle:

"...dark in color with hints of honey, spice, clove and peat on the nose, and displays flavors of sweet sherry, caramel and hints of orange.  With a long elegant finish, this scotch is perfect as an after-dinner drink."

Sounds odd, I know, but private labels have a long tradition in Scotland and Ireland (Green Spot Irish Whiskey from Mitchell & Son of Kildare Street in Dublin is a favorite example of mine).  From the Wall Street Journal:

"Plenty of chatter on Web bulletin boards has questioned whether the Kirkland malt could be proper Macallan whisky -- perhaps, some speculated, this was a batch gone wrong that the distillery offloaded at a discount.  Not so.  It was just that 20 years ago, Macallan had excess capacity.  "We were still producing more liquid than we could sell," according to Patricia Lee in Macallan's marketing department.  "We sold the surplus new-make spirit to independent bottlers to store and bottle in their own time under their own label."

Bought a few for Xmas gifts (and one for me!)...

[Not counting the 2%...Seghesio: Costco, $16.79; release, $24.  Macallan: $79.99; The Macallan 18 year old Sherry Oak, ~$140.]

Note added in proof:  The Seghesio was #10 on Wine Spectator's "Top 100 Wines of 2008" list, although a controversial choice if one pays attention to the online commentary on the ebob forum.

Dégustation de vin - 12 September 2008

Bodega Luigi Bosca Pinot Noir Reserva 2006, Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina

A 100% Pinot Noir, aged 8 months in French oak, from Bordega Luigi Bosca's El Paraiso vineyard in the Lujan de Cuyo department (Argentina's first official DOC) located near Mendoza city.

Kevin's tasting notes from 25 July 2008:

"Light-bodied Pinot with flavors of black cherries and bitter-sweet chocolate.  Well-balanced tannins and acidity.  14% abv."

From Robert Parker's Wine Advocate:

"The 2006 Pinot Noir Reserva is similarly styled but with greater depth and concentration.  Both of these stylish Pinot Noirs can be enjoyed over the next 5 years.  89 points."

~~ Jay Miller, 1 December 2007, Wine Advocate

And:

"More than a century after his grandfather, Leoncio Arizu, planted the first vines for Bodega Luigi Bosca in the foothills of the Argentine Andes, Alberto Arizu finds, as he travels the world, he still has to explain that Argentina does, indeed, make wine.  Long a top-rated winery in the Mendoza region, Luigi Bosca for years has exported more than half of its wines.  Still, promoting them at the London Wine Fair, he found himself drawing world maps to demonstrate even to knowledgeable wine fans that Argentina is at a proper latitude to produce good wine.  Selling wine in such developing markets as China and Russia also is a challenge.  "People are very rich or very poor.  There's nothing in the middle.  The Chinese and the Russians drink all the best wines," he says - even if they don't really understand them.  On the other hand, he says he once watched a Chinese diner dilute his Chateau Lafite with 7-Up.  Even the wine-savvy United States is a challenge.  "The East and West coasts and big cities like Chicago are quite sophisticated about Argentine wines," he says.  "But smaller cities in Indiana, Ohio have very little experience."  [Article goes on to discuss how the Malbec grape has put Argentine wines on the map.]...

...Recommended:  ...2006 Luigi Bosca Pinot Noir Reserve, "El Paraiso", Maipu, Mendoza:  black cherries and cinnamon; very dry; firm tannins; $19.

~~ Fred Tasker, 9 July 2008, McClatchy News Service

[$16.63 (counting 5% discount for 1/2 case) at vinodivino in Newton MA, who also have the 2005 bottling that Wine Spectator gave 91 pts and called a "Smart Buy".]

Top 10 wine movies

Speaking of Sideways, W. Blake Gray of the San Francisco Chronicle has a list of the "Top 10 Wine Movies", based on the best movies that feature wine, but not necessarily the best movies about wine (hopefully the upcoming movie "Bottle Shock", about the so-called "Judgment of Paris" tasting in 1976 between American and French wines, will join Sideways in the latter category).

In no particular order:

1) "Casablanca" (1942)

2) "Dr. No" (1962)

3) "French Kiss" (1995)

4) "Gigi" (1958)

5) "Killer Bees" (1974)

6) "The Muppet Movie" (1979)

7) "Notorious" (1946)

8) "Sideways" (2004)

9) "Silence of the Lambs" (1991)

10) "The Earth is Mine" (1959)

Runners-up included:

1) "An Affair to Remember" (1957)

2) "Blood and Wine" (1996)

3) "Disclosure" (1994)

4) "Dracula" (1931)

5) "The Godfather" (1972)

6) "Mondovino" (2004)

7) "The Parent Trap" (1998)

8) "Seconds" (1966)

9) "Sex, Lies and Videotape" (1989)

10) "Star Trek: Nemesis" (2002)

11) "They Knew What They Wanted" (1940)

12) "The Unholy Wife" (1957)

13) "A Walk in the Clouds" (1995)

14) "Year of the Comet" (1992)

Of course, Gray came up with this list before the release of the hands-down greatest wine (& cheese) movie of all time:

Ratatouille

Do you want some popcorn with that '61 Latour?

Required reading (& viewing)

"I do like to think about the life of a wine, how it's a living thing.  I like to think about what was going on the year the grapes were growing, how the sun was shining that summer, or if it rained... what the weather was like.  I think about all those people who tended the grapes...  I love how a wine continues to evolve, how every time I open a bottle it's going to taste different than if I had opened it on any other day.  Because a bottle of wine is actually alive; it's contantly evolving...  And it tastes so @#$%ing good!"

~~ Virginia Madsen, playing Maya, in Sideways

A tale of two wines (or how I learned to stop worrying and love the drive to Lexington)

I was vegging on my couch, surfing the Internet on a recent Saturday morning (in my 'jammies, if you really must know), when beep, "You've got mail!", and an e-mail arrived from Berman's Wines & Spirits in Lexington MA.  "Oh COOL!", they are discounting the recently released Casa Lapostolle Clos Alpata 2005, a flagship meritage from Chile.  Hmmm...interesting...   Turns out, I had been debating whether to buy a few bottles of Clos Alpalta, or the competing 100% Cabernet Sauvignon flagship Concha Y Tora Don Meclchor 2005.  Both wines had just received 96 points and glowing reviews from Wine Spectator:

Casa Lapostolle, Clos Apalta 2005 -- "Gorgeous aromas of warm ganache and mocha lead to a rich, velvety palate loaded with currant, fig paste, black licorice, cassis bush and bramble notes.  The long, juicy finish has great grip and density, with echoes of graphite, dark fruit and mineral.  Should greatly reward cellaring. Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Petit Verdot.  Best from 2009 through 2019.  5897 cases made." (96 points; Highly recommended.)

~~ James Molesworth, 15 June 2008, Wine Spectator

Concha Y Toro, Don Melchor 2005 -- "Still very tight, but the tannins that lead the way now are sleek and refined, and should easily meld into the huge core of roasted chestnut, black currant paste, warm fig and tar. Has a long, coffee- and loam-tinged finish. Best from 2009 through 2019. 18,000 cases made." (96 points; Highly recommended.)

~~ James Molesworth, 15 June 2008, Wine Spectator

As usual, when faced with tough vino-decision making, I waffled, waiting for someone else to make my choice a little easier (mostly likely when one of the wines wins "Wine of the Year" and doubles in price, forcing me to buy the loser -- remember the CDP's last year? -- not an impossible probability, considering both wines have been selected to Wine Spectator's Top 100 list 2 times each [Clos Apalta was #2 and #3 in 2004 (95 pts) and 2003 (94 pts), and Don Melchor was #4 in both 2006 (96 pts) and 2005 (95 pts)].

Actually, I was leaning towards the Don Melchor, since it was a little less expensive and I had previously enjoyed the spectacular 2003 (96 pts, Wine Spectator) with a monster porterhouse at the new Capital Grille in Burlington MA (remember that one Michael and John?).

Well, thanks to Joel B's e-mail, mind made up, off I went to pick up the discounted Clos Apalta ($5 off its list of $75 -- OK, not much of a discount, but every little bit helps).  Jump ahead to me pulling out a credit card to pay for my four bottles, each lovingly wrapped in semi-opaque tissue paper but minus the trademark oak box, and a little light went off in my head: "Kevin, you had better make sure they pulled the correct vintage."  Well, you guessed it:  behind the tissue paper was the 2004 vintage (93 pts, Wine Spectator), not the 2005 I was looking for!  "Hey guys, what are you trying to pull here?"

Well to make a long story short, Berman's had sent an e-mail to their entire customer list advertising the 2005 (which they also described as a shoe-in for the WS Top 100), but all they had actually received was the 2004!  Since I showed up barely 1 hour after the e-mail was sent, I was the first, of presumably many, irate customers making the drive all the way into Lexington just to save $5 (which, with my 16 mpg pony car, would barely pay my petrol bill for the trip!).

Anyway, Berman's eventually did get a small amount of the 2005 in, so if you'd like to grab a few, you had better head down there soon (Well, OK, with almost 6000 cases produced, you'll probably find it at Costco for less, but let's try to not spoil my story...)

My four bottles (plus oak box) are now in the cellar, destined to be consumed over the next decade...oh, and I did pick up four Don Melchor 2005 as well (the alternate solution to vino-indecision:  buy everything!).

Note added in proof, 8/31/08:  I did end up getting a couple more bottles of Clos Apalta '05 at the Waltham Costco for a bargain $54.99 (still available, along with a few bottles of the '04 mentioned above)!  Why do I buy wine anywhere else?  OK, stupid question (answer: because it's there).

Note added in proof: The Clos Apalta was #1 on Wine Spectator's "Top 100 Wines of 2008", while the Don Melchor was #12.  Good call Kevin!