August Staff Picks

Peter: ’02 Mt. Horrocks Chardonnay, “Cordon Cut” (.375L) $24.99 ‘Cordon Cut’ refers to a unique, risky process. It involves cutting the canes when the grapes are ripe, allowing the remaining fruit to concentrate and raisin naturally on the vine. This results in intense flavor and richness. The 2002 Mount Horrocks Cordon Cut Riesling is bright white gold with lime-edges. Abundant classical riesling fruit suggest a stunning wine. It is floral-scented, with candied orange and fragrant lime cordial notes. The concentrated fruit and high sugar content give a luscious mouthfeel. Dried apricots, lime, and honeysuckle flavours are fresh and lively, and well-balanced by a zippy acid finish. Mount Horrocks Cordon Cut Riesling has the ability to age gracefully for 10 years. Sam: ’00 Chateau Saint Martin de la Garrigue Coteaux du Languedoc “Bronzinelle” $10.99 After the great success of the 1999 vintage, we find the beautiful 2000 vintage of this charming estate winery in the renowned Languedoc-Rousillion appellation in the south of France. Opening a bottle, one will detect gorgeous smoky aromas that remind me of nothing more than a rack of ribs being barbecued over a charcoal grill, a mouth-watering summer aroma, indeed!! This delectable blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Grenache opens with dark fruits such as black cherries and plums, with pleasant, rustic spices of pepper and herbs on the mid-palate. The fruits, though not overly expressive, give way to the bacon fat and Provencal herbs that make this wine such a treat with roasted venison, grilled pepper steak with caramelized onions, or any roasted game. Grab a bottle and enjoy while supplies last…cheers! Justin: ’97 Anselma Barolo “Vigna Rionda” $20.99 Who ever heard of a quality Barolo for around $20 in this day and age? We were dubious at first, but the ’97 Anselma Vigna Rionda is such a thing—previously featured as a wine of the week here at PJ’s. I am not sure how they manage to keep the price nearly a third of most other vineyard designated Barolos. But I am sure that this is an accessible—although more rustic—Barolo displaying treasured charateristics sought out by Barolo lovers. On first glance it is ruby-garnet hued, but closer inspection shows a brick tinged rim. This is perhaps a sign of the ripeness of the vintage and hints at the earlier maturing accessibility of the wine as compared with more classic and higher acid bottlings. The aromatics are tightly bound at first and I suggest decanting an hour or so before drinking. As the wine starts to open one notices earthy, mushroom notes and black cherry scents with touches of chocolate, tar, white truffle and a hint of toasty oak. On full bloom the aromatics become dustier and softer, mingling in wild strawberry and a dash of orange peel. On the palate the primary attack is robust, black cherry and the mid-palate dry and tannic at first, but opens beautifully to a long juicy finish. The dryness dissipates as the tannnins unwind; and the wine finds its balance—expressively showing its dark chocolate infused fruit with a touch of ripe sweetness. Although rustic for Barolo, it finishes harmoniously with a touch of cherry pit bitterness so appealing in Barolo. While this is not the most long lived or subtle Barolo it is a pleasure to drink now and will probably be so for another five to seven years. For those of us who do not have the good fortune to drink Barolo regularly this is a rare chance to get in on the action without too steep an entry price or too long a wait. And it's perfect with grilled steak. Cin cin. Dr. Marty: ’00 Bodegas Martinez Payva Extremadura, Payva Tinto Crianza $6.99 The parade of Spain’s re-emerging wine areas continues. My interest in Spanish wines began several years ago, and when I wanted to try a wine, I would invariably ask for a specific producer. Then, after the Spanish wine explosion began occurring, the request shifted from the producer to the specific area I was interested in. Where’s your Priorat collection, what do you have from Ribera del Duero and, of late, how many wines do you have from Toro? I’m sure you get the message. Other areas that are beginning to feel the rumble from the awakening of their too-long dormant vines include Bierzo, La Mancha, Jumilla, Cigales and Ampurdan-Costa Brava. Another area that seems ready to jump on this ever-growing bandwagon is Extremadura. First, where is it? To the north lies Old Castile, to the east La Mancha , to the south Andalucia and to the west Portugal, specifically the region known as Alentejo. It’s one of the most fertile areas in Spain and the saying goes that if it grows in Spain, it will grow in Extremadura. And, yes, for those of us interested in food, this is from where Jamon Iberico, the best ham of Spain, and Torta del Casar, arguably Spain’s best cheese, originate. The staple in this area is roast, grilled and baked lamb…which now brings us to the wine of the area. Bodegas Martinez Payva is located in the Tierra de Barros subzone, which is considered the most important. This subzone surrounds the the city of Badajoz with most of the vineyards lying on either side of the river in the direction of the Portugese border. The 2000 Payva Tinto Crianza is a blend of Tempranillo 80% and Graciano 20%. Maceration time consisted of 18 days in stainless steel tanks followed by aging for 8 months in American oak. This is a big wine, starting with its opaque purple coat. On the nose, black fruit, cassis, earth, and vanilla-coconut notes predominate. The palate profile shows great balance, soft tannins, adequate acid and a lovely textured mouthfeel. The long finish, featuring black cherry and plum, completes this very solid and unbelievably priced wine. For food, try the lamb, jamon or cheese mentioned above. Until Jamon Iberico arrives sometime next year, you can try Jamon Serrano.

John: ’01 Weingut Nigl Austria, Riesling “Privat” 40.99 Under the helm of Martin Nigl, Weingut Nigl has become, without a doubt, one of the absolute elite producers in Austria. For most of the 1990s, Martin has given us extraordinary, transparent, filigree, crystalline, mineral-drenched wines of mind-boggling clarity, from the urgestein rich soils of the Krems river valley. This holds true for both his Gruner Veltliner and Riesling. In the hands of some of the more talented growers in Austria, Riesling in this region can produce wines which combine both perfume and substance, not unlike some Alsace in style. Often “Privat” represents a pinnacle of Austrian Riesling. The ’01 has an uncanny ability to show explicit complexity while having lots of elegance and finesse on the palate. White wine does not improve on this! Patrice: ’00 Domaine Weinbach Gewürztraminer “Cuvee Theo” $28.99 If you are a fan of Gewürztraminer or if you are looking for a lovely perfumed aperitif wine for the summer you may want to try the 2000 Domaine Weinbach “Cuvee Theo”. Located on the outskirts of the beautiful medieval town of Kayserberg, Domaine Weinbach is considered by many to produce some of the finest expressions of Alsatian wine in the region. In a primarily male dominated field, it is interesting to note that the winery is in fact run by three women, Colette Faller and her two daughters Laurence and Catherine. The winery produces a delicious array of offerings including Pinot Blanc, Tokay-Pinot Gris, Muscat, Riesling and Gewürztraminer. The 2000 “Cuvee Theo” (named after Colette’s deceased husband) is a beautifully perfumed concoction with a bouquet of honeysuckle and roses. On the palate the wine has flavors of peach, pear and lichee nuts with a refreshing hint of spearmint. Moderate acidity keeps the rich fruit bright and lively. The wine is not ‘oaky’ and the finish is lingering and pleasant. This wine is great as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to spicy Asian dishes. Dominique: ’00 Albert Mann Grand Cru Schlossberg $20.99 Presented already last year as a pick of the week in October, I allow myself to reintroduce this wine as my wine of the month for august. This well regarded Alsace Domaine is run by two brothers, Maurice and Jacky Barthelmé in the village of Wettolsheim, near Colmar (Southern Alsace). Maurice, who took over here in 1984, is married to the grand-daughter of the late Albert Mann who gave his name to the Domaine. It's not a huge operation: they have 19 hectares in all, but five of these are in five different Grand Cru vineyards (Schlossberg 1.4 ha; Furstentum 1.7 ha; Steingrubler 70 ares) and two are in Lieux-dits (Altenbourg and Hengst). They've taken a quality-minded approach, and say all the right things about respect for the soil and the importance of low yields. The granite soil of the Grand Cru Schlossberg provides a lovely and intense minerally nose and a complex lime fruit taste, a touch of honey and some spice. Rich but bone dry palate with a lovely mineral extract and intensity. Just starting to open now, it has a good acid structure and a good potential for development. Excellent now and for the next 4 to 6 Years. On the top of the fact that this wine is probably one of my favorite wines in the shop, and will definitely be in my top 10 wines of the past 10 months at PJ’s. The Wine Advocate rated it 91 points (#143, October 2002). So, what are you waiting for? José: ’01 Ross Estate Old Vine Grenache $15.99 In 1999, surrounded by age old vines the Ross Estate renaissance began, with the estate being built within the year, by owners Darius and Pauline Ross. Although the Ross Estate as an entity is little over 7 years old, its roots are firmly planted in the history of the Barossa Valley. Under the tutelage of winemaker Rod Chapman (who brings 39 years of winemaking experience with him, including 18 years making Grange for Penfolds), Ross Estate is committed to producing some of the finest wines available out of the Barossa. The 2001 Old Vines Grenache is a generous wine with black cherries, blackberries and rich mocha aromas. There is also an interesting smokey hint of oak on the nose. The palate is soft and rounded without any obvious oak dominance. Made in the true Barossa tradition, showing strong varietal characteristics; it is a fruit-driven style that is soft and packed with ripe, spicy fruit flavours.