November Staff Picks

Peter: ’96 Arco Isilla Custodia, Ribera del Duero, Crianza $12.99 Custodia is a hand-crafted wine made by two farmers, who own 45 acres of 60 year old Tempranillo vines in the heart of Ribera del Duero. The Õ96 crianza has a mature red color with purple highlights, intense aromas and flavors of ripe plum, vanilla and butter. Though slightly softened by age, the wine retains mouthfilling black fruit flavors and a full smooth finish. It is ready to pair with your favorite roast over the next three years. Sam: ’00 Artadi Rioja “Viñas de Gain” $19.99 The Viñas de Gain of Artadi is from relatively younger vineyards, selected from the communes of Laguardia and Leza from forty year old vines. Made from 100 percent tempranillo grapes, the wine is aged for eighteen months following fermentation in a mixture of French and American oak. Fine aromas of coffee, cinnamon, and vanilla bean waft from the glass, causing the mouth to water…the wine itself does not disappoint, delivering delicious sweet cherries, sour plums, toasty oak, hazelnut, and ginger spice, with an elegant, fruity finish. Ripe and delicious, it’s wonderful to enjoy with a simple dinner of spiced red meats and leafy green vegetables. Justin: ’95 Muga Rioja, Gran Reserva “Prado Enea” $30.99 1994 and 1995 were the first back-to-back, officially "Excellent" vintages in the history of Rioja. The '94s tend to be broad-shouldered and full with ripeness and hearty tannic structure. The '95s tend to show excellent ripeness as well, but are somewhat lighter in structure and very elegant. While many of the best '94s are still in their adolescence, the best '95s are starting to reach a long plateau of maturity. The 1995 Muga, Prado Enea Gran Reserva is a beautiful and top example of the elegance of the '95 vintage. The color is a beautiful, clear, medium ruby. The nose strikes you at first with strawberry-cherry aromas and a stoney-pebble earthiness. As it opens additional layers unfold, showing smoke, leather, tobacco, toasted oak, a touch of nutmeg spice and a hint of orange peel zest. It really takes off when it reaches the palate, where it is seamless, polished, expansive, silky, supple and most of all elegant. All the while showing enough grip and acid zing to create superb balance. The long, silky finish lingers with Burgundian notes of smoke and bacon fat over the soft tannins. If this were my everyday wine, I'd feel as though I were living like a king. Drink now with classical meat and vegetable dishes—no exotic sauces needed. Or ladle out your bottles over the next 15-20 years as the wine takes on further complexity and delicacy. Dr. Marty: ’01 Capçanes Montsant Mas Donis Barrica $10.99 The Cellar de Capçanes, a co-op, provides a good example of one of the reasons Spanish wines have been moving upward so quickly of late. However, their story isn’t unique in the Spanish wine world. Indeed, others have followed similar paths but now, amongst all of them, Cellar de Capçanes is accepted as one of the best co-ops in all of Spain. The winery is located in the small village of Capçanes, close to Falset, just outside the official Priorat wine zone. It’s in the Montsant DOC which was created in August 2001 and wraps around Priorat like a shell around an oyster. Capçanes is found in the midst of a huge conca of vineyards which rises up to 700 meters. Cellar de Capçanes is the sole winery here. It was founded as a co-operative in 1933 with its 80 members controlling over 250 hectares of prime vineyards. The fifteen of the 80 who owned 75% of the total constituted the governing body. One of the 15 was Francese Blanche, and it was his actions which helped propel the co-op to the top of its class and into the 21st century. Prior to 1995, the co-op, as many still do in Spain, sold their grapes to a large producer. In the case of Capçanes, it was to none other than Miguel Torres. Blanche recognized that the Capçanes’ grapes were of excellent quality and felt they should produce and estate bottle the wine themselves. And so they started and have been climbing upward ever since. Together with producing their own wine, they proceeded to build a new winery, which would accommodate new, temperature-controlled fermentation tanks and an underground cellar capable of holding over 1500 oak casks. The grapes they draw on include Cabernet, Merlot, Syrah, Garnacha and Carinena, as well as all the indigenous Spanish varietals, both red and white. Interestingly, half the grapes harvested here are now sold off to other co-ops, allowing Capçanes to concentrate on the best 50% for its own production. Their 2001 Mas Donis Barrica is from 80% old vine Garnacha and 20% Syrah and is aged in French and American oak. It presents a bright, deep ruby color. Scents of blackberry, vanillin and wet earth predominate and lead into a well-balanced palate with medium body, adequate acid and tannins that are still a little hard. The finish is persistent with black cherry and vanillin leading the way. This is a very well-made, sumptuous wine that needs just a little more time to soften its tannins. However, if the hedonist in you makes you have it now, just decant it for 30-60 minutes before drinking. Try it with beef or lamb.

John: ’96 Valtravieso Ribera del Duero Crianza $16.99 We were happy to find a small cache of wine from the great 1996 vintage from this rising star Ribera del Duero winery (Peter Sisseck of Pingus fame is their consulting oenologost). Approaching full maturity, this wine is still deeply colored with a deep dark purple/plum color with a magenta edge. The palate is clearly defined, with complex aromas of blackberries and blueberries joined by balsamic, bay leaf, vanilla, clove. and a touch of mint. Powerful full-bodied palate with hearty berry fruit, especially ripe plums, and a smooth evolved finish with toast, licorice and leather elements. Nicely integrated with a firm tannic structure. Patrice: ’01 Pascal Rollet Pouilly Fuissé, “Clos de la Chapelle” $24.99 Contrary to popular belief, "bargain white burgundy" is not an oxymoron. From the Solutre commune in the Macon region, this pale gold Pouilly-Fuissé has expressive aromas of figs, nuts and tropical fruit. The first wave of dense, buttery fruit tastes of pineapple and lychee followed by a midpalate of apples, minerals and a palate cleansing acidity. The fruit is persistent leading to a beautiful, long finish. This well balanced wine will age 3-5 years but enjoy it now for it's beautiful fruit. Wonderful with all kinds of shell fish. Dominique: ’00 Pio Cesare Barbera D’Alba $16.99 If you drive through Piedmont, south of Torino (Turin) amongst the Alba hills, which are squeezed in between the two most famous DOCG of the north-western part of Italy, Barolo and Barbaresco, take the time to stop in the small village that gives its name to this wine area: Alba. The Barbera d’Alba region is smaller than its neighbor Barbera d’Asti, and produces three times less wine than the Asti region. In general, Barbera from Alba has greater concentration and weight. If the Nebbiolo is the king of piedmont, Barbera is definitely its queen. This is a unique wine: full and brave, rich and aristocratic, yet soft and supple. Widely planted, Barbera is the most important regional grape. Like Nebbiolo, Barbera is dark and naturally high in acidity, but it is often rather plumy and is approachable earlier than its king. It used to be traditionally picked early, but growers learned with time that Barbera needed warm sites and sometimes later picking than Nebbiolo to bring the acidity down to palatable level. During the 1990’s, the most important and exciting improvement of wine techniques in Piedmont was the emergence of a host of Barberas aged in small oak barrels; showing much more affinity for new oak than Nebbiolo. Near the village of Alba, a family has for more than 100 years—or four generations—been producing and ageing wines in the most famous winemaking region of Italy. The tradition began in 1881, when Pio Cesare started gathering grapes in his vineyards and purchasing those of some selected and reliable farmers in the hills of Barolo and Barbaresco districts. Today, the estate is managed by Pio Boffa, great-grandson of Pio Cesare. Under his stewardship, the wines of Pio Cesare have become famous throughout the world. Great strides have been made in quality and single vineyard offerings have dazzled the wine press. Their Barbera grapes are grown alongside Nebbiolo in selected vineyards around the villages of Monforte and Castiglion Falletto, and from their own vineyards in the villages of Serralunga and Treiso from 24 to 34 year old vines. This wine is traditionally fermented for 15 days; then aged 70% French oak casks for 15 months and 30% French oak barriques for 15 months and bottled in March 2002. The 2000 Pio Ceasare Barbera has an intense ruby red color with garnet reflections. The nose has a sweet, ripe pulpy fruit and red berries aromas in addition to plumy and cedary hints. The palate has identical aromas as the nose. Medium bodied, the wine is very pleasant all along with a soft, typical acidity with thrilling vitality and young, sweet tannins. This wine is just waiting for you to serve prosciuto (or salami) or a beef carpaccio coated with aged parmesiano with a drop of pure olive oil on country bread. Tu te bene!