October Staff Picks

Peter: ’01 Rabbit Ridge US Red, Primitivo, Paso Robles $9.99 Erich Russell is a self taught wine master. He started making wine at home with a winemaking kit. And while teaching track and field at San Diego High he entered an amateur winemaking contest, which landed him a job at Chateau St. Jean. After a few years of experience Erich opened Rabbit Ridge winery in 1981. The 2002 Primitivo (which means early ripening in italian) is deeply colored and bold. It’s packed with lively flavors of wild blackberry, blueberry and plum that sing from start to finish. It’s hard to drink just one glass. There are two more reasons to drink this delicious wine, first it’s under ten bucks, and second is its balance between fruit and oak. Sam: ’99 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon, Knights Valley, Appellation Collection $19.99 When most of us think of Beringer, the common reaction now is to think of simple, everyday wines we buy for about five to ten dollars. Not so fast, my friend…there are some very high quality wines from one of the grand dames of California wineries, and not just the “private reserves” we all know and love. For instance, let’s call to your attention the Knights Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 1999. In the 1960s Beringer began development of the Knights Valley in regard to wine development, hitherto unused for such purpose. After a series of trial and error, vineyard manager Bob Steinhauer replanted the vines in the late 1980s using updated research and technology which helped them develop and produce the successful 1993 vintage, and thereafter, solid cabernet sauvignons which have been of good quality ever since. Made from unadulterated, 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, this offering, harvested during a very warm October 1999, was aged in mostly small French oak barrels for twenty months, then blended to create a delectable, full-bodied powerhouse! Aromas of vanilla, cinnamon, toffee, toasted oak, ginger, and strawberries meld well here. They are followed by the rich flavors of red cherries, smoky oak, cassis, figs, and some dark chocolate on the mid-palate that does not surprise but does please! The tannins are thick but firm and do well with a T-bone steak (fried and served in its own gravy or pan-roasted will both do fine here) with some small broiled potatoes and asparagus stalks roasted in butter. Mmmmm…now what was I saying? Well, I was pretty impressed by the wine myself, enjoying it with roasted leg of lamb with spinach. My advice is not to just take my word for it, try it yourself now, or for another six or seven years. Cheers. Justin: NV Barbadillo Moscatel, Sherry, Laura $17.99 There are only a few Moscatel's out there that show the characteristics of world class dessert wine: balance, smoothness, finesse, intensity of flavor, character, complexity and a long finish. Barbadillo's Laura Moscatel Sherry is one of them. You may know Moscatels as aromatic, but overly sweet and cloyingly syrupy; sometimes served chilled as an after dinner cordial and sometimes sold in elaborate decorative bottles. The Laura is a whole other order of wine. It is made of 100% Moscatel grapes (Muscat) from a very old solera. The long solera aging adds character, smoothness and complexity to the naturally fruity aromatics of Moscatel. It is a medium-deep, amber color and the initial aromas are dried apricots, pears, raisins and figs, followed by notes of caramel and smoke with a soft lemony-fig kick. On the palate the fruit flavors amplify, expanding richly with impeccable smoothness in a medium to full body. Although sweet, the warm, caramelly, raisin flavors melt effortlessly into a long, rich, clean finish. It is beautiful alone, but best as part of this super-easy, but knockout dessert recipe: Gather ingredients: 1 bottle Laura Moscatel, 1 pack dried apricots or pears, 1 pack fresh-roasted, salted nuts (Spanish Marcona or other white almonds are great). Set out fruit and nuts in separate dishes. Fill dessert glasses modestly and munch to your heart's content. It should become clear why this classic melange of flavors has been enjoyed for centuries. When finished, recork bottle and set remainder aside for next time—when you get more apricots and almonds. Dr. Marty: ’01 Mas Doix Priorat Salanques $25.99 The word on the 2001 vintage in Spain is that it may have produced one of Spain’s greatest vintages. This is especially surprising since the growing season had been far from ideal, beset by such potential catastrophes as terrible frost, inordinate heat, prolonged drought and late, heavy rains. In Priorat, Alvaro Palacios said the summer dry spell combined with the unusual heat led to yields 50-70% of normal. But lower yields frequently lead to better quality grapes and thus better wine. This is what several of the Priorat winemakers felt happened in 2001…And so, it isn’t very difficult to understand why we were so anxious to taste some of these 2001 Priorats. One of the first to reach us was Mas Doix’s Salanques. The Doix family, owners of the winery, have been involved in the viticulture of the Priorat region for the past five generations. Their 20 hectares of vineyards are on the slopes composed of llicorella which is the name given to the stony soils derived from degraded slate. Until their first vintage in 1999, all their grapes went to the Poboleda cooperative, a common destination for many Priorat grapes before the area started taking off. The vines are 70-100 year old Carinena and Garnacha plus some younger Syrah and Merlot. The Salanques vineyards, from which this wine comes, are located at a height of 350-400 meters above sea level. The wine’s blend is Garnacha 60%, Carinena 20%, Merlot 10% and Syrah 10%. Aging is 12 months in French oak barrels. Salanques is considered the second wine of Mas Doix. Salanques looks exciting, smells exciting and delivers. Its deep ruby/purple coat tells you that the low 2001 yields did indeed lead to a highly concentrated and extracted wine. Aromatically, you’re treated to an outpouring of floral notes, black fruit and chalky minerality. On the palate, there’s no disappointment with great balance, a full body, decent acid, ripe tannins and a velvety mouthfeel. The length is long with black cherry, coconut, pineapple and a touch of bell pepper making contributions. This is a big, rich, well-made wine and one of the funny things about it is that it’s Mas Doix’s second wine. What’s their first wine like in 2001?

John: NV Barbadillo Sherry Amontillado Principe $25.99 The Barbadillo vineyards are located in the famous Sherry triangle, and are qualified as "Jerez Superior" (the best soil in the area). The Principe is a very old and dry Amontillado made from Palomino grapes, it is the culmination of a slow ageing process that is initially "biological" (under flor yeast) and then continues with another long "oxidative"ageing period, using traditional "Soleras" method in oak barrels in the cellars of Sanlucar de Barrameda. An amber-colored wine, with a nutty and almond-like aroma, reminiscent of a Manzanilla wine. It is an excellent aperitif and can be served with mature cheese, soups, dried fruit and nuts. Patrice: ’01 Hastwell and Lightfoot Cabernet Franc McLaren Vale $24.99 If you have been intrigued by the flavor profile of wines made of 100% Cabernet Franc but are somewhat resistant to what some consider to be their more austere expressions you may want to try this flavorful 2001 Aussie produced by Hastwell and Lightfoot. Hastwell and Lightfoot was started about 15 years ago by friends Mark and Wendy Hastwell and Martin and Jill Lightfoot. Developed on the northern slopes of McLaren Vale the winery is proud of their 43 acres of vineyard planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Shiraz, Tempranillo, Chardonnay and Viognier. The 2001 Hastwell and Lightfoot Cabernet Franc is a crimson colored wine touched with shades of magenta. On the nose the wine has a dreamy fragrance of crushed red currants and spicy blackberries with the refreshing lift of cedar. On the palate the wine is fruit forward with luscious layers of black fruit, leather and chocolate. There are wonderful nuances of mint and earth that complement the rich fruit. The finish is quite pleasant and lingering. We enjoyed the wine with an early fall dinner comprised of rare roast beef, roasted acorn squash with maple butter and Yorkshire pudding. It was a nice change of pace from opening up “another cab”. Dominique: ’01 Lis Neris Gris-Pinot Grigio, Venezia Giulia, Friuli $24.99 Lis Neris is located just outside the village of San Lorenzo Isontino (West of the town of Gorizia) in DOC Isonzo (I.G.T Venezia Giulia) at almost the same distance between the Slovenian border in the north and the Izonzo river in the south, Friuli, North-Eastern Italy. Lis Neris, the winery's name, is Friulian dialect for "Le Neri", or "the blacks" (an old name for one of its vineyards that was once owned by black-clad widow). It has been in the hands of the Pecorari family since 1879, and it has been run by Alvaro Pecorari since 1982. Lis Neris has four vineyards, more than 30 hectares of vines planted on a small "plateau" (Tableland) of calcareous gravel in the south west of S. Loranzo Village: Gris, Picol, Jurosa and Neris. Its gravelly limestone soil fosters excellent white grapes, as does Friuli's climate, which combines warm days, influenced by the Adriatic and cool summer nights influenced by mountain breezes from the nearby Balkans. During the last ten years massive investments have been made in new cellar equipment and the wines are now better than ever. The traditional house wines are fermented and matured entirely in stainless steel and display intense mineral characteristics. The concentrated top Cuvées are fermented and matured in a combination of stainless steel and French oak, which give the wines complexity and depth seldom found in wines from this region. In the northern part of Italy, Pinot Grigio is widely planted, producing many thin undistinguished dry whites. However it comes into its own in Friuli where leading producers such as Alvaro Pecorari produce wonderfully elegant mineral‚s examples such as "Gris-Pinot Grigio". This is not your usual Italian Pinot Grigio—low on character. This hand-crafted wine features a mix of aromas, richness, length and balance. It has an enticing and elegant nose of grilled almonds and ripe apples, with a very good intensity on the palate. It is well balanced with delightful freshness, and well-structured with a pure creamy lemon fruit and earthy, minerally hints. The palate is fat and richly textured, yet with a good lively acidity to provide balance. The concentration on the finish is impressive. Now that you know all this, try to compare it to your every day Pinot Grigio, you’ll be shocked! José: ’02 Scarpantoni Unwooded Chardonnay, McLaren Vale, South Australia $13.99 The Scarpantoni family originates from the Abruzzi region of central Italy on the Adriatic coast. Domenico Scarpantoni immigrated to Australia in 1952, traveling and working around the country before deciding to settle in the McLaren Vale, a ideal region for viticulture and it was there in 1958 that he bought his first property of just 5.6 hectares. McLaren Vale is a picturesque country town approximately 45 km south of Adelaide, South Australia. With its vineyards sprawling over hundreds of undulating kilometers, it is the toast of South Australia's world-renowned Fleurieu Peninsula. In 1968, the original school property of 20 hectares was purchased in the adjacent town of McLaren Flat, and in the years following, a further 12 hectares adjoining, making him one of the largest growers in the region at that time. Founded in 1979, the winery was built with the aid of his two sons, Michael and Filippo, on the McLaren Flat property, with only a percentage of the tonnage harvested, released onto the market under the Scarpantoni label. The last decade has seen major extensions to the winery capacity such that all the fruit grown on the estate vineyards are now released under the Scarpantoni label. The winery is very much a family business with every step of production, from viticulture to the packaged product done entirely on the premises. This gives total control over every stage of the winemaking process and ensures that the highest standards are maintained. Scarpantoni Wines have won over 300 medals and over a dozen trophies and awards in Australian Wine Shows. Proof of the versatility and quality of fruit produced from the McLaren Vale Region. This wine won a Bronze medal at the 2002 McLaren Vale Wine Show. “A unique, vivacious style with tropical fruit characters. A wine made to be enjoyed now.” Paul Gregutt from The Seattle Times wrote, “From McLaren Vale, a top-flight growing region, this is big, bold, juicy and extracted, with a beguiling mix of tropical and citrus fruits, along with hints of stone and herb.”