July Staff Picks

Peter: ’00 Stellenbach Kumkani Shiraz $12.99 This exciting new premium Kumkani Shiraz is the latest offering from the dynamic Stellenbosch Vineyards team. The Kumkani range buys into the theme of ethnic royalty with a name based on the Xhosa word for king (Umkani). The use of ethnic branding for this premium wine illustrates Stellenbosch Vineyards' pride and confidence in its African heritage. Xhosa is the language of the African people who live in the Western Cape. We have been on a search for quality driven reds from South Africa for the past year, and we’re proud to add Kumkani Shiraz to our portfolio. The wine has deep red with purple hue. Intense chocolate, spice and mulberry fruit. Rich, full flavored palate with strong mint and chocolate characters, fine tannins and a long spicy finish. This wine is ready to drink now, but will still develop in the next five to ten years. Sam: ’01 Chateau Calabre Montravel Blanc $8.49 Hidden in an enclave in southwestern France, not far from Bordeaux, æwe find the small appellation of Montravel in the Dordogne. The region produces mostly light-bodied, crisp, acidic whites, mostly of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Muscadelle, Muscadet, etc,. Although relatively uncelebrated, expect that if they continue to produce such elegant, quality wines, they will go unnoticed no more! It is from here that we find Chateau Calabre. A charming petit chateaux, the Calabre blanc is a harmonious blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle, and Semillon that is neither overly acidic nor underripe. The enrapturing floral and mild spicy aromas remind one of sitting in a botanic garden enjoyingæ the sunshine and a perfect summer wine. The wine itself is perfectly balanced, with lush citrus notes of lime, grapefruit, tangerine, and hints of melon and butterscotch. It lends so much sweet fruit and such a pleasant, long, clean, lingering finish that betrays none of that overpowering oakiness that I feel has become so common these days with many New World Sauvignons. A perfect summer wine to enjoy by itself, or with your favorite seafood dish (maybe some shrimp scampi in lemon butter sauce served over linguini, just a suggestion!!) Cheers. Justin: ’98 Muga Reserva $14.99 One of the perennially classy values in Rioja, the Muga Reserva rarely disappoints and the '98 is an especially pleasurable edition—featuring wonderfully accessible fruit and balance. And this is no accident. Bodegas Muga is one of the top traditionally styled bodegas in Rioja. Their commitment to quality is obvious when you visit. They take advantage of the latest modern techniques yet never lose sight of the traditional character and quality which make them one of the most respected wineries in Rioja. 1998 was officially a very good year in Rioja. Muga's newer styled flagship wine, the Torre Muga Reserva, is one of the best wines of the vintage. And following right in its footsteps is the far more affordable Muga Reserva. And together this duo sets Muga apart as a standout producer for the vintage. And this augers well for the more expensive bottlings yet to be released. But 1998 was not the most powerful vintage, and that is our good fortune. Rather than creating a tightly wound wine that still requires years of cellaring Muga has very skillfully showcased the best of what the vintage offers—charming, accessible fruit. The bouquet is showing beautifully now: full with jammy strawberry and cherry fruit and slightly spiced with white pepper nuances and a wisp of chalky minerality. On the palate it is juicy with a well mannered attack that seduces with almost chewy black cherry fruit and texture. A nice zip of acidity holds the wine in balance. Jammy strawberry and riper, redder cherry come to the fore in the mid-palate and carry into a clear, long finish accentuated by a touch of toasty oak and milk chocolate. This is a wine that's great with food, drinking beautifully now and affordable. And it will even keep for some years to come. Not to be missed. Dr. Marty: ’01 Chateau de Coulaine Chinon Bonnaventure $13.99 The Loire Valley follows the path of the Loire River. The region begins in north-central France, a little to the south of Paris and rambles about 250 miles across northwest France before entering the Atlantic at Nantes. From the wine and food standpoint, it can be divided into 3 parts: the upper Loire which is the extreme eastern part of the region, the lower Loire which is the western end of the Loire Valley and the central Loire. When it comes to wine and cheese everyone knows about the upper Loire with its Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume and its great chevre. The lower Loire is easy, too, with its Muscadet and oysters. It’s the in-between area , the middle Loire, where we have trouble. Yes, all kinds of wine are made here: dry white, sweet white, rose, red and sparkling. The two main grape varieties are Chenin Blanc for the whites and Cabernet Franc for the reds. The central Loire is divided into two parts: the Touraine and the Anjou-Saumur. Chinon, which is from where this wine comes, is in the Touraine and is the one area in the Loire Valley known for its red wine. For all you former French students, Chinon was the home of Rabelais who wrote so much about the wines of Chinon that the town erected a statue of him, and the local wine promotional organization is called Les Entonneurs Rabelaisiens de Chinon. Chateau de Coulaine is a family-owned estate which has been operating continuously since 1300. In 1988, Etienne de Bonnaventure assumed all viticultural and winemaking responsibilities and increased the size of the estate to its current 12 hectares, all situated on Chinon’s plateau. Planted with 100% Cabernet Franc, the vineyards are biodynamically farmed, the yields low at 35 hl/ha, the grapes hand-harvested and the winemaking non-interventionist. The color of this wine is medium purple. The scent is the not unexpected deep raspberry with some plum notes in the background. It almost smells like a Beaujolais but is different. A small but non-disturbing extra dollop of acid is present on the palate which also exhibits a medium body, soft tannins and a smooth mouthfeel leading into a long raspberry finish. It’s easy to understand why Chinon is the red wine found in most of Paris’ wine bars and bistros…Veal, poultry and meaty fish such as salmon should all go well with this wine.

John: ’01 Hexamer Meddersheimer Rheingraftenberg "Quarzit" Riesling $14.49 I know, I know…not another 2001 German, but every time I open another bottle from this magical vintage, the little evangelist in me erupts, and I feel compelled to tell the world of yet another fabulous Riesling. This sensational new discovery is from the Hexamer family vineyard in the upper Nahe. A young vintner doing everything right; handcrafted fruit-driven wines of terrior. There are 12 hectares of vines, and a little more than half is devoted to Riesling. The wine’s delightful distinction is that the vines rest on a bed of quartz, which adds a distinctive element of spicy minerality to the deep core of fruit. Just as Coindrieu isn’t merely Viognier, this ain’t just your run-of-the-mill Riesling. Very fresh, with exceptional purity. If we run out of this wine at PJ’s, you’re welcome to swing by my house on my day off, and I’ll be happy to share a glass with you from my personal stockpile. Patrice: ’01 Karl Erbes Urziger Wurzgarten Spatlese Riesling $10.49 What better time to start trying some of the 2001 German Rieslings but now. Summer has finally seemed to arrive along with the hot sticky weather. These distinctive wines are crisp and lively and are always an asset to have around the house during the warmer months. There are many moderately priced bottlings to make these wines difficult to pass up even on an average vintage. To miss out on wines from the 2001 vintage would simply be sinful! Many of the world foremost wine critics consider this to be a remarkable vintage that will be marked in history as one of Germany’s finest. The 2001 Karl Erbes Urziger Wurzgarten Riesling Spatlese is a mind boggling bargain at $10.49 a bottle. This little gem has a seductive nose of flowery honeysuckle and jasmine tinged with the scent of wet stones. On the palate the wine has elegant layers of candied fruits, zesty citrus, macadamian nuts and minerals. The finish is deceptively long. Although the wine is rich in taste it is low in alcohol at 8% which I find to be a nice plus with a summer wine. Playing a lot of tennis in the summer this wine was great after we came off of the court to relax. Nicely chilled with some fresh fruit and creamy cheeses we quickly forgot about those missed volleys and overheads. As with many Rieslings this wine will also do well with spicy grilled shrimp or steamed lobster. Not to be missed. Dominique: ’00 Domaine Pierre Clavel Cuvee "Copa Santa" $16.99 This month, I decided to bring you back to one of the first vineyard areas that I visited when I was about to become a sommelier: Languedoc-Roussillon. This exciting and innovative area was a place that until the 1990’s, few drinkers in the United States had ever heard of. With more than 700,000 acres of vines spread along the vast curving arc of France’s western Mediterranean coast, it is thought to be the single largest wine-producing area in the world. You may have drunk and appreciated the complexity of some Corbieres, Faugeres, Minervois or Saint-Chinian. However, I would like to introduce you to a wine from the fifth best-known and largest (20,000 acres) appellation of the Languedoc: Coteaux du Languedoc with its wine capital Montpellier. The most distinctive Red wines are generally blends with the four major Mediterranean grapes used in the southern Rhone valley: Grenache, syrah, Mourvedre and carignan. This special cuvee "Copa Santa" has been produced essentially from Domaine Clavel's oldest Syrah vines from the Mejanelle vineyard, where gusts of wind come from the coast day and night. It has been blended with small amounts of Grenache Noir and Mourvedre. The wine has aged for 12-14 months in oak barrel. The perfume of Provencal herbs and Oriental spices, black olives and pepper provides a perfect prelude to this full-bodied, velvety-textured wine that coats the palate with ripe, black berry flavors and savory tannins. Well balanced, dense, powerful and elegant, it is a delight for wine-lovers who like intensity and concentration with no rough edges. It will be a very good match to spicy Mediterranean dishes, pasta and grilled (or roasted) meats—lamb in particular; but will be the perfect companion to "Estouffade" and "Bouillabaisse" (hearty southern stews, Mediterranean classics). We had it in stock three months ago. It was one of our best sellers until we ran out. It is back again and I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I do. José: ’00 Craneford Barossa Quartet $19.99 The home of Craneford Wines is in an old restored fire station and also Zilm's Gourmet Café. The crusher and press are outside with some tanks but the main tanks for fermentation are inside the building. Although somewhat crowded it does add atmosphere and with wonderful aromas wafting into the cafe, a unique winery-cafe experience is enjoyed. The Quartet was voted the most interesting at the recent Australian Boutique Wine Show in Sydney. The 2000 vintage blend changed slightly from last year by adding more of the Petit Verdot and then blending Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Shiraz to it. Showing some distinctive savory flavors with ripe fruit, some spicy oak and a soft palate makes this a very good food wine.