Winebuys Guy Blog

Visitations & Snapshots - Sullivan Vineyards

We get all manner of winemakers, winery owners, national sales managers and regional reps stopping in fairly regularly to sample their wines with us in the hopes that we’ll have something nice to say about them and maybe sell some cases in the process.  It’s very rare indeed that we taste anything truly awful, so these visits are usually quite enjoyable experiences, although we really should start keeping some good cheese and crackers on hand for such occasions.  Still, we manage to get a pretty good read on most of what we try, even if our notes aren’t always full of flowery descriptors, and these are what are usually referred to by wine geeks as “snapshots.”  Our first in a series of reports on such concerns a recent visit we received from Sean Sullivan, General Manager and CEO of Sullivan Vineyards, located in Rutherford, California, smack dab in the dusty heart of Napa Valley.    

The quick story of Sullivan Vineyards is this: Sean’s father and mother, Jim (a successful graphic designer) and JoAnna Sullivan purchased property in Rutherford with the specific intent to make wine, and their first vintage was their 1981 BIG RED.  From that point, the wines continued to improve and gain more notice, earning accolades from the likes of the Wine Spectator (“…one of the top 50 wineries in the world…”), the Wall Street Journal (“...one of the top five wineries to visit in the Napa Valley…”) and yes, even the grand poobah himself, Robert Parker.  Philippe Langner makes the wines in collaboration with the Sullivan family, and while we didn’t get to spend a lot of time getting to know them, we very much liked what we tasted and had a very pleasant time chatting with Sean. (For a fleshed out picture of Sullivan Vineyards, visit the “Winery” page on their website.) 

Here’s what we tasted:

2004 Sullivan Vineyards Red Ink Napa Red Wine, 60% Merlot, 23% Syrah, 17% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14.6% alc., $19.91: Exudes a pretty red fruit nose, with a perfect kiss of oak (it has to be perfect, or I’d be less than inclined to like it); well structured, yet accessible and quite attractive.

2004 Sullivan Vineyards Napa Merlot Rutherford Estate, 15.1% alc., $41.23: Deep, dark red and black fruit, with a subtle note of mahogany; very well structured, with good aging potential.  Sean rightly described this as “a Cab drinker’s Merlot.”

2004 Sullivan Vineyards Napa Cabernet Sauvignon Rutherford Estate, 14.2% alc., $49.91: Showing a lovely nose of black currant and mahogany, with deep flavors to match; very well structured, with a beautiful future ahead of it, yet already drinking very well.  Aged in 90% French oak, 50% new, with the remainder 2^nd and 3^rd year.  The “mahogany” character was consistent through the last three wines noted here, making a very nice style statement that I find particularly attractive.

2004 Sullivan Vineyards Napa Coeur de Vigne Rutherford, 49% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot, 15% alc., $80.91: What impresses me most about this wine is its beautifully refined character, which made it stand out from the previous three wines, as fine as they obviously are.  Very well structured, yet so well balanced, this is pure sex in a glass.

This is the first time we’ve had the opportunity to try these wines and we like them a lot.  We recommend them without hesitation, not just in our capacities as retailers, but as serious wine lovers as well.  They exemplify the best that Napa Valley has to offer, with the emphasis on balance and classic fruit character, rather than excess ripeness and too much oak.  Now that they’re flying on our radar, we’ll be watching Sullivan Vineyards a lot more closely in the months and years to come.

Cheers,

The Winebuys Guy

A Rhone Wine Dinner at Fiddleheads

The idea was pure inspiration; pair a selection of wines from one of our very favorite importers with the cuisine of one of our favorite local restaurants. What do you have? A recipe for a great evening of food and drink.

We’ve been enjoying J et R Selections for some years now, as they continue to bring in many of our perennial go-to Rhone and Burgundy wines at affordable prices. The folks at Fiddleheads Restaurant and Bar in Royal Oak have been serving up deliciously satisfying meals for the five or so years that we’ve been frequenting the premises. So, when we heard that there would be a “Southern Rhone Wine Dinner” a few weeks back, we made our reservations immediately. Dan Farley, who now runs J et R's day-to-day operations for semi-retired owner J. C. Mathes, was on hand to talk about each selection, and the turnout was an impressive 85 or so food and wine lovers. Here's what we ate and drank on this delightful evening.

Lightly Smoked Diver Scallops, Mussel-Zucchini Sauce
2007 Mireille et Vincent Cotes du Rhone Blanc

Pale to medium straw color, with a white stone fruit nose shaded with subtle mineral and floral notes; the rich flavors pick those elements up and run with them big time. Excellent concentration, density and cut. Gives a slight impression of heat with the scallops and sauce, but less so by itself. A blend of Clairette, Marsanne, Roussanne & Viognier. 14% alcohol, $13.08. 

 

Roasted Peach, Bayonne Ham, Homemade Goat Milk Cheese
and Red Wine Vinegar Syrup
2006 Oratoire St. Martin Cotes du Rhone Village Haut Coustias Blanc

Medium straw color, with a tinge of peach; on the nose, it offers big stony white tree fruit and lanolin, all of which echoes forcefully in the mouth. One taster at another table mentioned “over-ripe pineapple, but I got none of that. Full bodied, dense, with lots of acidity, this works well with the peach, ham and goat cheese, but I’d really like to try this again in a few years, and maybe I will! Dan describes this as “big, rich and meant to age 3, 4 and 5 years,” adding that it’s “not dramatic, but very good, very traditional.” He says it’s the first vintage produced with no Grenache Blanc in the blend, adding that there’s still some ’05 left, so a side-by-side might be most interesting. Marsanne, Roussanne & Viognier. 14.5% alcohol, $30.13.

These two whites are both quite nice, with distinctively different personalities. The first is lighter, and more floral, while the second is bigger, more mineral dominated and age-worthy.

TMZ Farms (Pinckney, MI) Buffalo Sausage, Apple Compote, Frisee
2006 Oratoire St. Martin Cotes du Rhone Village Cairanne Reserve des Seigneurs Rouge

Good dark color, with a surprising amount of chocolate on the nose, and more of the same on the palate, with a big core of earthy black plum, currant and berry. Full bodied, with very good structure, this is a fine match for the sausage and compote, and should age effortlessly for 5 years and beyond. 14.5% alcohol, $24.00.

Braised Kurobuta Pork Belly, Fennel Slaw, Raisin Sauce
2004 Amouriers Vacqueyras Les Genestes Rouge

Ruby garnet color, with flavors and aromas of earthy black plum and currant that work well with the pork belly. Full bodied, with good structure, depth and balance, this is good now, and should at least hold, if not improve over the next few years. 14.5% alcohol, $24.89.

Bobwhite Quail, Swiss Chard, Foie Gras, French Green Lentils
2003 Domaine du Banneret Chateauneuf du Pape

This dark colored Chateauneuf du Pape is the hit of the night, at least at our table. It exudes classic aromas of smoke, iron, earth, a little bit of the barnyard and a rich core of black plum and berry, all of which follows through beautifully in the rich, lovely flavors. Full bodied, muscular and delicious, this is a 10-15 year wine, and a new star in our CdP horizon (it’s a relatively recent addition to the J et R lineup, only having been picked up in the last year or two). This is our first taste of this, and hopefully, many more will follow; happily, it proves not to be a casualty of the excessive heat of the vintage and pairs beautifully with the quail. 60% Grenache Noir, 40% Mourvedre, 14% alcohol, $44.14.

Butter-Almond Brown Betty, Fresh Fruit, Elderberry Ice Cream
2006 Tourade Muscat de Beaumes de Venise VDN Cuvee Mathys

Pale gold color, with a pretty, floral, honeyed nose. Rich, but not overly sweet, it offers peach and apricot with hints of cucumber, honey, mineral and a subtle herbaceousness, all with good acids and just a smidgen of heat. (It weighs in at 16-18%, but not because it is fermented that way; they add alcohol to stop the fermentation.) Farley says that this one is made not to please Parker, but to please the winemaker’s mother-in-law. We like it quite well, so chances are, she does too! $32.

A great time was had by all, and everyone went home satisfied and happy. Many thanks to Dan Farley, Fiddleheads executive chef Tim Voss and staff, and Jack Bourget and Michael Korn from Wines of Distinction, J et R’s local distributors. The only thing I have left to ask is, when can we do this again?

Cheers,

The Winebuys Guy

New Rieslings from Chateau Grand Traverse & more…

Over the past several years, Michigan has emerged as a premier Riesling producing region, not only in the US, but indeed, the world. As mentioned in my last blog feature, Chateau Grand Traverse is at the vanguard of the movement. Recently, we had the opportunity to taste through their four new 2007 releases, and they are all delicious. We also tried several other selections from their book, and all ranged from good to very good. But it all starts with Riesling at CGT, and so will we.

2007 Chateau Grand Traverse Old Mission Peninsula Dry Riesling, 12.5% alc., $11.05: Medium straw color, with under-ripe green apple and quince on the nose; there’s more rich green apple than quince on the palate, along with a note of lime that emerges with just a little air and a little mineral underneath. Crisp, racy and delicious, this shows very good intensity of fruit and varietal character, as well as a faintly perfumed quality, not on the nose, but rather in the mouth, that adds to the appeal of this most enjoyable Michigan Riesling.

2007 Chateau Grand Traverse Old Mission Peninsula Semi-dry Riesling, 12% alc., $11.05: Medium straw in color, with flavors and aromas of spicy red and green apples, some kiwi and a hint of honey, all with Kabinet-level sweetness.  Medium bodied and then some, with zippy acids, excellent intensity and delicious Riesling perfume.  This makes a fine match for some spicy Thai, Indian of Vietnamese cuisine, and it’ll also go well with some pan-fried Michigan lake trout.

2007 Chateau Grand Traverse Old Mission Peninsula Whole Cluster Riesling, 12.5% alc., $13.72: This is arguably the best Riesling that Chateau Grand Traverse makes. One of Specialty Winemaker Sean O’Keefe’s pet projects, this medium straw colored wine was made from hand selected grape clusters pressed whole without destemming or crushing, which then underwent a very cool fermentation to draw the process out. Off dry, at under 2% residual sugar, it offers rich, ripe green and red apple flavors and aromas underscored with a note of lime and a hint of mineral, all on a somewhat-more-than medium bodied frame. Falling somewhere in between Chateau Grand Traverse’s Dry and Semi-Dry Rieslings in terms of sweetness – in other words, not very – it is braced by brisk acidity, and shows excellent concentration, intensity and balance. This is, quite simply, world-class Riesling, and a great buy for the money.

2007 Chateau Grand Traverse Old Mission Peninsula Riesling Late Harvest, 10% alc., $13.72: This wine is hugely popular in the Michigan marketplace, and CGT produces over 10,000 cases a year. The '07 model is medium straw in color, and it exudes a floral Riesling perfume, followed by flavors of kiwi, ripe red apple and touches of lime, honey, and apricot, along with a very subtle herbaceousness. This is a pretty, nuanced sweet Riesling with an almost delicate character, being medium bodied, with good acids, length and Spatlese-level sweetness. It is well suited for a variety of spicy Asian foods, most barbecues and of course, it’s a fine after-dinner drink with cheese and fruit. Like the Whole Cluster Riesling, this is world-class wine at a very fair price.

Here’s a rundown on the other CGT wines we’ve enjoyed in the last few weeks.

2006 Chateau Grand Traverse Old Mission Peninsula Edelzwicker "Noble Blend", 12% alc., $12.45: Edelzwicker, otherwise known as "Noble Blend," combines Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Muscat, Riesling, and Pinot Gris in the classic Alsatian style. Pale gold in color, it throws a nose of soft melon, peach and litchi, with a good deal more of the same on the palate. Like the previous vintage, this is ever so slightly sweet, and shows a subtle Gewurztraminer character, modified some by the other varieties. Very smooth in texture, not really oily, and with just enough acidity to make it all work, this is not only a nice white, but also an interesting one.

2005 Chateau Grand Traverse Old Mission Peninsula Dry Gewurztraminer, 500 ml, 13.5% alc., $10.92: Now a pale gold in color (a little darker than last year), this is otherwise showing much the same peachy-litchi and mineral character that it did then, with a hint of sweetness on entry, but turning decidedly dry by the finish. Medium bodied, slightly oily, with good weight, depth and concentration, this is as good as or better than we remember it from before; it may not be “great” gewurz, but it’s certainly a solid specimen of the variety.

2006 Chateau Grand Traverse Old Mission Peninsula Ship of Fools White Table Wine, 30% Pinot Gris, 35% Pinot Blanc, 35% Chardonnay, 13% alc., $13.59: Medium straw color, with under-ripe green apple, citrus and mineral flavors and aromas; medium to medium full bodied, with good cut and length; rich, round and just ripe enough, this is a fine complement for a fatoush salad and chicken schwarma sandwiches. A satisfying Michigan dry white.

2006 Chateau Grand Traverse Michigan Gamay Noir Limited Bottling, 12.5% alc., $13.72: Ruddy complexion, with a pleasant, slightly earthy cherry and red plum personality. Medium bodied and more, with better depth, concentration and structure than one might expect. We’d be happy to pour a glass of this just about any time. All in all, it’s tasty, unpretentious and quite satisfying with grilled salmon and roasted duck, or even burgers and mushroom pizza. 

2002 Chateau Grand Traverse Old Mission Peninsula Proprietors Reserve, 13% alc., $17.21: A blend of Merlot, Pinot Meunier, Gamay Noir, and Pinot Noir, this ruby red saw 30 months in small oak barrels. It shows some pretty oak on the nose, along with some strawberry, cherry and vanilla, and these impressions follow through in the soft flavors. Medium bodied, with just enough depth and structure to stand up to a well peppered burger with Maille Dijon Mustard on the side. Kim said she’d like to try this with something garlicy, maybe Italian sausage or a good chicken sausage.

2005 Chateau Grand Traverse Pinot Noir Vin Gris, 12.5% alc., $9.14: Peach colored, with dry cherry, peach and subtle mineral flavors, this is neither exuberant nor subdued. It has good cut and weight, making for a nice dry rosé. Interestingly, this was not to our liking when we tried it a year ago; at that time, it was excessively “perfumed,” and not in a good way. It was almost literally like drinking perfume. It’s toned down nicely in the interim, is in a nice place now and I’d buy it again.

2005 Chateau Grand Traverse Old Mission Peninsula Pinot Noir Reserve, 13.5%, $13.59: Showing good ruby red color, this almost reminds me of a Cru Beaujolais, with beet root, plum and cherry flavors and aromas. It has enough structure and weight to stand up to a variety of lighter red meats, salmon, roast duck etc. It’s right there right now, and doesn’t need any time in the cellar, although it should hold nicely for a year or two.

Cheers,

The Winebuys Guy

Naia Rueda Verdejo 2006 - A Spanish White That Over-delivers!!

We used to go ga-ga over Sauvignon Blanc (and don’t get us wrong, we STILL indulge in a good glass or two whenever the opportunity arises), but lately, we’ve been smitten with a dry Spanish white that takes things to a whole ‘nother level. Verdejo is the traditional wine grape grown on the left bank of the Duero River in the Rueda region northwest of Madrid since the Middle Ages. It exhibits much the same kind of citrus character as does Sauvignon, yet with a distinctive personality all its own. (Interestingly, many Ruedas, such as Las Brisas, the delightful little sister of our featured wine here, are actually blends of Verdejo, Sauvignon and other white grapes. For a more in-depth report on Verdejo and Rueda, see Eric Asimov’s March 5^th New York Times article, Emerging, in Spain, to Warm Applause.)

The current Winebuy of the Week has been our go-to everyday white for a few years now, and for good reason. It’s consistently delicious and it’s very hard to beat for the money.

Naia Rueda Verdejo 2006 750 ml, 13% alc., $10.98: Medium straw in color, this gives a big hit of citrus right up front, with lots of grapefruit and lime, along with some kiwi and green apple to round things out, and good minerality to provide a solid anchor.  Showing excellent concentration and intensity, with racy acidity to keep everything moving right along through the nice long finish, this little lovely delivers far more than one has any right to expect for so few dollars. For food pairings, think seafood or grilled chicken, but it also serves admirably as a warm weather sipper on the back deck. Another glass, please!

Cheers,

The Winebuys Guy

 

Super Buy in Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc

One of the advantages to reading this blog is that on occasions such as this, I intend to “spill the beans” (or grapes, as it were) regarding upcoming Winebuy of the Week specials.  Even though we won’t post our latest selection until Wednesday, we already have this terrific buy in white Chateauneuf du Pape listed in our inventory, as one sharp-eyed customer who just ordered up a case has already noticed.

Domaine Berthet-Rayne is located right next to the famous Chateau de Beaucastel in Chateauneuf du Pape, the most prestigious appellation in the southern Rhone valley.  I’ve had the good fortune to meet and taste their wines with Dany and Christian Berthet-Rayne, and I’m an unabashed fan of everything they make, so when their local importer-distributor brought by a sample of their 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc and told me that it was deeply discounted for closeout, I had no doubt as to my course of action.  You simply don’t find wine of this quality for this kind of money very often, so I jumped on it, both for my cellar and for yours, dear reader.  Here are my impressions of this delicious libation:

Domaine Berthet-Rayne Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc 2005, 35% Clairette, 35% Bourboulenc, 20% Grenache Blanc, 10% Roussanne, 14.5% alc., $19.97: Pale to medium straw in color, with flavors and aromas of pungent white stone fruit, lanolin and mineral.  Thick and viscous, yet finely balanced, with enough acidity to keep everything moving right along through the lingering finish.  Drink it now with fish, scallops and hors d’ oeuvres, or lay it down for three to five years of further development.

Get it while it’s here, because it’s not likely to be around for long!

Cheers,

The Winebuys Guy

Wine, Headaches, Sulfites & Histamines

For some years now, I’ve been fielding questions from folks who tell me that they get headaches from drinking wine and want to know what causes them. Many people are convinced that the main culprit is sulfites, which are added to wines to stabilize them for extended shelf life. I have pointed out to some of these people that their problems might be just as likely caused by histamines, and in fact, I’ve just read a most interesting blog on just this subject by Jason Haas, General Manager of one of my favorite California wineries, Tablas Creek Vineyards. It’s one of the most incisive reports on this misunderstood issue that I’ve read, but rather than summarize here, I’d suggest that interested readers go directly to Jason’s Tablas Creek Vineyards Blog, this particular entry entitled “Sulfites in Wine - What's Causing my Headache?"

PS: If you’ve never tried any of Tablas Creek’s wines, you owe it to do so, they’re terrific!

Cheers,

The Winebuys Guy

Recent Samples

Now that the holiday madness is past us, we’ve had a chance to spend some time with our distributor reps to see what’s new and exciting. Here are some of the things we’ve sampled lately that have caught our attention.  As you might expect, these are all available from Winebuys.

2005 Paso Creek Merlot Paso Robles, 13.8% alc., $14.40: Attractive garnet color, with equally attractive flavors and aromas of red plum, berry and cherry, all kissed with just enough sweet oak. Rich, not quite fat, almost sweet, certainly ripe and altogether enjoyable; if it were any riper, sweeter or oakier, I wouldn’t like it, but it balances these elements very well. Works well both with food and all by its lonesome, and offers excellent value for what’s in the bottle.

2003 Corte alla Flora Vino Nobile de Montepulciano Riserva, 13.5% alc., $23.90: Deep, dark color, with flavors and aromas of rich dried cherry and black cherry shaded with some animal and “sticksy” elements; zippy acidity and solid tannic structure. This opens so nicely with just a little air, and cries out for a fine cut of veal or lamb. Most impressive and enjoyable, and a solid value for the price.

2003 Juve y Camps Brut Nature Cava Reserva de le Familia, 40% Macabeo, 40% Parellada, 20% Xarel-lo, 12% alc., $13.80: Medium straw color; chalky, stony minerality dominates the character of this Cava, with some smoky, under-ripe apple being the only “fruit” component, and that’s a good thing in this case. Bone dry to the point of being austere, with good presence, zippy acidity and a wealth of tiny Don Ho-like bubbles in the mouth. An excellent Spanish sparkler that drinks even better than its price point might lead one to expect.

2006 Torres Vina Esmeralda Catalunya, 85% Moscato, 15% Gewurztraminer, 11.5% alc., 14.04: Medium straw color with a tinge of gold; dry, yet fruit forward with slightly chalky white peach and yellow apple shaded with some mineral and just a hint of litchi. Has a bit of the viscosity of good gewurz, with good presence, depth and acids; it’s fresh, refreshing, light (but not too light) and lively, and it not only makes a great match for seafood, but also serves admirably as a warm weather quaffer.

2006 Almira Grenache/Syrah Los Dos Campo de Borja, 93% Grenache (35-50 year old vines), 7% Syrah, 14% alc., $6.88: We quite enjoyed the previous vintage of this QPR All Star, and the current model is just as good as the last. It sports an attractive ruby red robe, with rich berry, cherry and dark chocolate flavors and aromas underscored with a subtle earthiness. It shows good structure, depth and balance, and the fruit gives you everything it has without any oak influence whatsoever. The perfect choice for an inexpensive everyday red.

2003 Chateau Pierredon Bordeaux Superieur, 13% alc., $9.60: Good dark color, with dark chocolate and cassis on the nose and flavors that echo with some added old wood. Drinks well now with some air, but the sturdy structure wants some time in the cellar, so patience will be rewarded. We liked this well enough to pick up a case for the house.

2004 Cave Bel-Air Bordeaux Superieur, $10.80: Good color, with flavors and aromas of cassis, black currant, old wood and a note of toasted bread. Well structured; all in all, a solid, straightforward everyday Bordeaux that's good now and will be better in a few years.

2005 Chateau Lavison Bordeaux, 12.5% alc., $9.90: Rich dark color, with cassis and lead pencil on the nose, which echoes and expands on the palate with a decidedly dry, almost austere personality; perhaps surprisingly, a note of decaying vegetation doesn’t detract. Good structure and presence, with promise for development and improvement over the next five years and beyond; good value and a good food wine.

Cheers,

The Winebuys Guy

Gamay and Morgon

If there were ever a Rodney Dangerfield of a grape out there that “don’t get no respect,” it would have to be Gamay, and for good reason, I suppose.  A red wine grape, it doesn’t produce big, long lived wines that score huge numbers and win awards, and although grown in various far-flung regions around the world, in only one of those is it the preeminent variety by which the appellation is known, and that is Beaujolais.

Beaujolais is a satellite region in the southern part of Burgundy, France, and Gamay is a member of the same family as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the red and white Burgundian stalwarts.  Most Gamay is light, fruity and innocuous, perhaps best exemplified by that party-in-a-bottle released every third Thursday of November, Beaujolais Nouveau, as well as oceans of ever-present lightweight Beaujolais Villages.  Not all Beaujolais is created equal however, as there are 10 sub-appellations, or Crus, that produce more serious wines of various weights and strengths.  One of those that produce some of the biggest and most substantial wines is Morgon, whose Gamays can sometimes resemble Pinot Noir and perform similarly when paired with food.

I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy two very nice Morgons recently, both of which are imported by noted Wine Merchant Kermit Lynch.  Lynch has a small stable of Morgon producers whom he playfully refers to as his “Gang of Four;” whether a reference to the Chinese Cultural revolutionaries or the ‘70s-‘80s post-punk rockers, I cannot say.  Two of the four are Guy Breton and J-P Thevenet, and their 2005 efforts are both excellent and rather different from each other.

2005 Guy Breton Morgon Vieilles Vignes, 13% alc., $25.52: Ruby red, almost light enough to read through, with an earthy red currant and cherry nose shaded with a hint of red licorice; the pretty, almost perfumed flavors echo and expand on the promise of the aromatics on a medium to medium full bodied frame. Deceptively well structured for at least three to five years of development and improvement; silky textured, almost delicate and exotic in character, unlike any Cru Beaujolais we’ve had before and quite different from Breton’s earthy 2002 Morgon.
 

2005 J-P Thevenet Morgon Vieilles Vignes, 13% alc., $26.34: Ruby red, with a smoky tinge; very Gamay in character, with attractive earthy cherry and cranberry flavors and aromas and just a hint of the barnyard on the nose. Medium to medium full bodied, with fine balance, silky tannins and good acids. I’m not sure I’d want to age this more than a few years, because it’s pretty much right there right now.   

If you’ve never had Gamay, or better yet, Cru Beaujolais, these two would make great starting points, but don’t wait too long.  As of this writing, there are 6 bottles of the Thevenet and a little over a case of the Breton still in stock, and there’s no more at the distributor, so it is what it is.

Cheers,

The Winebuys Guy

QPR All Star – Capcanes Mas Donis Barrica 2004

I’ve always made it a point to search out the best QPR (quality-price-ratio) wines I can find, both for my customers and for my own personal consumption, and frankly, they continue to become fewer and more far between in availability.  It seems as though prices continue to rise without a corresponding increase in quality, and so one has to be ever vigilant in locating those special bargains that offer exceptional value for relatively few dollars.  Tonight, I had the pleasure to enjoy one of the finest bargains I’ve run into in a long time, and in truth, I’m probably a little late picking up on it, but better late than never, as the old cliché goes. 

Celler de Capcanes Mas Donis Barrica 2004 is from the Eric Solomon/European Cellars stable of Spanish wines, and is, quite simply, brilliant for only $10.37 per bottle.  It offers deep, dark color and rich, ripe (but not over-ripe) plum and cherry flavors and aromas, with solid depth and a soft, smooth, almost opulent texture in the mouth.  Happily, this is not a manipulated mess (what some people would refer to as “spoofalated”) like more than a few of the highly rated reds coming out of Spain these days, and you might want to pick up a few bottles or even a case of this before I do, because it’s going to be our house red for at least the next month or so.  It pairs very nicely indeed with grilled/smoked leg o’ lamb.   

I just can't say enough about this little beauty, but if you need a second opinion, here’s what the Wine Advocate’s Jay Miller had to say about it last February:

Celler de Capcanes Mas Donis Barrica 2004, 750 ml: 90 Pts., Jay Miller/Wine Advocate. The 2004 Mas Donis Barrica is 85% Garnacha from 80+-year-old vines and 15% Syrah aged for 8 months in French and American oak. Opaque purple, it has a wonderfully expressive nose of spice box, pencil lead, pepper, blueberry, and blackberry liqueur. On the palate the wine is full-bodied with layers of ripe, spicy black fruits, nicely concealed tannins, and a long, pure finish. It is an outstanding value for drinking now and over the next 4-6 years.

Cheers,

The Winebuys Guy

4 From Joseph Swan Vineyards

Joseph Swan Vineyards is one of the legendary wineries of California, and Joe Swan was one of the pioneers of great Left Coast Pinot Noir (which he grew and made in arguably the finest region in the state for that variety, the Russian River Valley).  Although Mr. Swan is no longer with us (he passed away in 1989), his daughter and son-in-law Lynn and Rod Berglund carry on his tradition most admirably. (You can read more about Joseph Swan’s history here.) These are wines that are made to age gracefully and enjoy with food, rather than win tastings and garner 90+ point ratings. That’s not to say that they aren’t worthy of high ratings, it’s just not their intent. We’ve enjoyed some of these in the past, and when I sampled the first two of the following four at a recent tasting, I was so impressed, I just had to get my hands on more to get to know them better, and I’m glad that I did.  We carry all four of these at Winebuys.com, and I’d rather drink them than many wines that cost two or three times as much.  Here’s why.

2005 Joseph Swan Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Trenton View Vineyard, $36.60: Slightly murky smoky garnet in color, with an earthy cherry and mushroom nose; the rich flavors echo and expand, showing some added forest floor and rhubarb over a ripe core of fruit. Medium full bodied, with silky tannins and balanced acidity, and while obviously youthful, with its best days well ahead of it, it is already drinking pretty well, especially with a Thanksgiving turkey roulade. This wine takes me back to those Pinot Noirs that first captured my imagination back in the early ‘90s (Kalin Cellars sticks out in my mind for good reason), with their mushroom-like character, and if ever a Left Coast specimen could be described as “Burgundian,” this would have to be a prime candidate.    

2005 Joseph Swan Russian River Valley Pinot Noir Cuvee de Trois, $30.50: Ruby red color, not too dark, not too light; fragrant perfume of smoky black cherry and plum shaded with a bit of cola. All of which echoes and expands on the palate with a certain spicy character and a hint of rhubarb.  Medium to medium full bodied, with nice length, a silky texture and adequate structure for at least three years of further development, and just as likely five.  This has a slight green streak that in another wine might detract, but in this case, adds to the complexity, especially as it opens with air.  Very nice indeed.

2001 Joseph Swan Russian River Valley Zinfandel Mancini Ranch, $23.18: Ruby red in color, with a dust red raspberry and cherry nose; these impressions follow through on the palate with a pretty core of rich fruit laced with a subtle undertone of earthy mushroom, not unlike the ’05 Swan Trenton View Pinot Noir. Full bodied without excessive weight or extraction, this is graced with balanced tannins and acids and nice length on the finish, making for a distinctive Zinfandel made much more in the style of the ‘70s and ‘80s than those of the steroidal ‘90s and beyond, and that’s a plus in my book.

2001 Joseph Swan Russian River Valley Zinfandel Frati Ranch, $27.38: Clean dark color, with rich raspberry and cranberry flavors and aromas; like the ’01 Mancini, this has a slightly Pinot Noir-ish quality to it, but this time, it owes that to the cranberry-like element rather than any mushroom-y quality.  This is pure Zinfandel, with no frills or pretensions; it features fine balance and structure and it’s hitting on all cylinders right now.  Just one more example of why we love these wines.

Cheers,

The Winebuys Guy