February Staff Picks

Peter: ’00 Cantelys Rouge Pessac-Leognan $22.99 This fabled vintage delivers a big bang for the buck. The exceptional weather in 2000 allowed the grapes to reach optimum ripeness. And this wine delivers a kind of ripe flavor profile you can only get from top chateaux in Bordeaux. It is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon 30% Merlot, with 14 months of oak. The Cabernet grapes contributed to its structure, and Merlot to color and ripeness. When you open the bottle aromas of crème de cassis, plum, licorice and expresso greet you. On contact, full flavors of juicy blackcherries, chocolate, and liquid smoke explode in your mouth. Drink this beauty for the next 6-8 years. Sam: ’02 Selbach Oster Zeltinger Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese* $21.99 The Selbach Oster vineyards originate from two families involved in cultivating Riesling since the late 17th century. The family which owns the vineyards, the Selbachs, are unique in the Mosel for only producing Riesling, and nothing else! The grapes are hand-picked, and are always treated gently. The wines of Selbach Oster undergo a cold fermentation and remain in their own yeast for a long period of time. Thus, the wines hold onto a gorgeous, deep golden color which is quite enchanting in itself! After the accolades that the 2001 vintage received, the 2002 vintage suffers somewhat in ’01's shadow. So, I must say that after tasting this 2002, I found the wine to be fantastic. The citrus attack paves the way for the bright melon, maraschino cherry, and orange which take over at mid-palate, and dissolves into a heavenly, mouth-filling finish. I found the 2002 may be even more complex than the 2001! The wine is superb and could be enjoyed on its own but preferably with foie gras or with a fine aged cheese and baguette (one of my personal favorite treats). Take your time and enjoy this terrific gem of the Mosel Saar. Justin: ’02 Maison Henri Boillot Bourgogne Blanc $24.99 Just fresh back from Burgundy, my visit to Maison Henri Boillot was one of the highlights of the trip. The 2002 white Burgundies are looking every bit as superb as hoped for, and the reds are looking excellent as well—if not quite as uniformly high quality, at least from the producers I sampled. When asked how he would describe his wines—Henri Boillot said that in the simplest terms they have "power and finesse." I am pleased to affirm this across his line of 2002’s from this Bourgogne Blanc to the superb Clos Vougeot red of Jean Boillot & Fils, which Henri also oversees. Choice and often old vine vineyards, low yields, the excellent ’02 vintage and beautifully restrained use of oak are combined to create wines which show ripe, rich fruit, but which are at the same time finely rounded and elegantly balanced. This is my style of Burgundy. I don’t normally gravitate toward Bourgogne blanc, but this one is impressive and speaks well to Henri's philosophy that an entry level wine must be a quality wine, otherwise why would anyone commit to buying the more expensive, higher level bottlings. The ’02 Bourgogne Blanc is 50% Meursault fruit and 50% high elevation St-Romain fruit for mineral complexity. It is a clear and gold-toned, straw color. The aromatics are of limes, honey and ripe golden apples with mineral notes and touches of sandalwood, vanilla and sweet butter from the oak. On the palate fresh lime and ripe red and golden apple fruit comes forward with crisp acidity keeping everything in balance and elegant with additional notes of sweet butter, dried lime peel and orange. The added roundness from ageing in year old oak barrels also brings out hints of nutmeg and cinnamon spice on the subtly rich, but clean finish. This is another example of a top quality vintage making lower level wines well worth seeking out. And if you think this is delicious, try the fancier bottlings for added depth, complexity and long-term drinking. I know I will be enjoying Boillot’s 02’s now and for years to come. José: ’01 Vall Llach “Embruix” $24.99 Although wines in the Priorat have been produced for centuries, it is only recently, in the past decade or so, that these have taken a quantitative leap in quality that now puts them on the forefront of Spanish wines. The red grape varietals of Priorat (Priorato in Catalan) are: Garnacha, Cariñena, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Merlot. In 1991 Lluis Llach, world famous Catalan folk singer, returned to his roots in the tiny village of Porrera, one of seven ancient pueblos an hour and a half south of Barcelona, in the center of Priorat in Catalonia. His winery is housed in a 300 year old bodega, just up the street from his home. The three new vineyards of the Vall Llach estate were planted in 1994 and 1995. All include large plantings of Garnacha and Cariñena. These three vineyards are planted fairly high on Licorella hillsides that face the Sierra De Monsant toward the north to avoid severe exposure to the sun during the summer months. La Devesa: 15-acre vineyard planted at 1,350 ft. to Garnacha, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. La Peixera: 7 acres of Garnacha, and Cabernet Sauvignon planted at 1,500 ft. Mas de Porrera: 20 acres of Garnacha, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon at 900 ft. in elevation. This wine is a blend of 50% Garnacha, 45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, Syrah & Cariñena. The must was fermented during 10 days under temperature controlled. The 25 days of maceration followed by the malolactic fermentation took place in stainless steel tank. The wine was aged in French oak barriques (Dargaud & Jaegle Brand) with light and medium toast for 14 months. Vall Llach is one of the preeminent estates in Priorat. The “Embruix” (Enchantment in Catalan) bottling is baby brother to the top cuvée, Vall Llach. This “Embruix” is rich and chewy with layers of dark fruit and enough structure to carry it ten more years. It is a classic Priorat in an exceptionally good vintage. It has fat tannins, powerful structure, very mature fruit and noble French wood nuances. It is the 4th vintage of this wine—one that is rapidly rising to the top of the second wines from Spain. And the best one yet.

John: ’98 Valentini Trebbiano d’Abruzzo $49.99 Trebbiano is often Italy’s most abused grape due to its extremely prolific qualities, but when it is in the hands of a master such as Eduardo Valentini, it always stands supremely above the crowd. In Abruzzo, Valentini towers above the rest in terms of quality. He is one of those geniuses who can be quite impossible in person, though most forgive him because his wines are so wonderful. His exceptional Trebbiano reveals a wide spectrum of flavors that are creamy and crisp at once, ranging from freshly toasted hazelnuts to coconut shavings, and has an underlying bracing acidity that lends it an uncanny capacity to age. A truly profound wine that will develop gracefully and will seduce (but not overwhelm) any seafood, chicken or veal dish. Patrice: ’01 Landmark Overlook Chardonnay $18.99 If you are looking for a moderately priced California chardonnay that is elegantly styled you may want to give the ’01 Landmark Overlook a whirl. Twice named in the “Wine Spectator Top 100” the wine has also received a “90” point rating from Robert Parker. Ratings a side this is a lovely wine that subtly displays the rich taste of Sonoma and Monterey chardonnay without being overblown. The 2001 Overlook is light amber in color with a nose of honeysuckle and pineapple. On the palate, the tropical fruit is lush and creamy without being overripe. The unique blending of the wine is a result of barrel fermenting in new French oak, ageing sur lie for 9 months and being bottled without filtration. The gentle toastiness and decent dose of acidity give the wine lift, something often lost in over extracted New World chardonnays. The finish is long and satisfying. Always great with shrimp dishes of any kind it is also my wine of choice for an easy Sunday night dinner consisting of chicken roasted with garlic and lemon accompanied by crispy potatoes. Dominique: ’99 Domaine Laffont Madiran “Erigone” $17.49 Domaine Laffont is located in Maumusson, a little village situated on the northern part of the Appelation Madiran. The Maumusson region is often referred to as the Napa Valley of Southwestern France for its landscape and climate. The climate is softened and moistened by the Atlantic ocean through the all year, but late summer and especially autumn can be very dry. Madiran is an AOC that encompasses the area around the village of Madiran, which is located in the Pyrenees foothills along the Adour River south Armagnac in southwestern France. The appellation is the cross point of three regions: Gers, Pyrénées Atlantiques and Hautes Pyrénées. Tannat is the principle grape of this Appelation's red wines, which are generally tannic and rough. Cabernet franc and Cabernet Sauvignon are sometimes used to soften the area's reds. White wines from this same geographic area are labeled with the Pacherenc du Vic Bilh AOC. Cuvée “Erigone” is named after the sultry beauty, Erigone, seduced by the Greek God Dionysos. In Athens, Dionysos was entertained hospitably by Ikarios and his daughter Erigone, and in gratitude the God taught them how to grow grapes and make wine. When Ikarios' first harvest came in he gave some of the local shepherds his new wine. They drank it, got completely drunk, and fell asleep. When they awoke, they figured they had been poisoned, so they found Ikarios and beat him to death. Erigone looked everywhere for her father and finally was led to his grave by his dog Maira. She committed suicide by hanging herself from a nearby tree and the dog also killed itself by jumping into a well. Since then Erigone has been an inspiration to many painters and writers, always described in relation with wine and often shown in the company of Dionysos or Bacchus. “Erigone” is made of 80% Tannat and 20% Cabernet Franc. It is aged for a least a year in new French oak barrels, undergoes modern style vinification, and seems to succeed on both European and American Markets. Its color is opaque with aromas of black fruits, coconut, vanilla and coffee. It is rich and ripe, with loads of blackberry, cassis and spice flavors, which weave their way across the palate. And shows plenty of flesh on the palate. The finish is long and structured, making it a perfect partner for roasted meats, game or leg of lamb. A typical high quality Madiran with an aging potential of 3-8 years. Scott: ’99 Olga Raffault Chinon “Les Picasses” $13.99 Chinon found in the Touraine district of the Loire Valley produces minerally, spicy, light to medium reds from the Cabernet Franc grape. Appreciated more by the French, Chinon is finding its niche within the US market with individuals that want a lighter style wine rich in spices and soil characteristics. While much of the grapes/juice are sold to merchants who blend and sell the wine locally, certain artisan winemakers are growing gapes and bottling their own wine. Some of this wine is being exported, and fortunately some of that wine includes Olga Raffault’s Chinons. Olga Raffault, the matriarch of the estate, is a lively and fiery retired vigneron in her 80’s. The estate remains in the family’s hands, and the winemaking is now conducted by her son Jean. Olga’s daughter-in-law and grandchildren manage the estate. The “Les Picasses” vineyard averages 50 years and is located on steep slopes along the Vienne riverbank. The soil consists of alluvial clay and a chalk limestone base. Viticulture and vinification practices are traditional with grapes being hand-picked and fermented in stainless steel. After fermentation, the wines are aged in larger, neutral oak for a minimum of two years. While 1999 was not a strong vintage overall for Chinon, it was a good vintage, and Raffault’s “Les Picasses” is an excellent representation of terroir and capable winemaking. A fragrant nose opens up with strawberry and red cherry notes. These notes are joined by black pepper, soil and an appealing note of green but not the abundant stalkiness that some Chinons deliver. On the palate, touches of acidity and soft tannins are present. This wine is light to medium in body and is structured to be consumed with food. At the same time, the nose and palate are fragrant enough that you can drink as an aperitif. Or, pairing with starters or grilled fish or grilled chicken will add a beautiful spice to an evening meal. Elena: ’01 Hess Collection Hess Select Cabernet Sauvignon $12.99 The Hess Collection winery is located on Mount Veeder, in the western hills of Napa Valley. It was founded in 1982 by Swiss-born Donald Hess. It's said that Hess was in California searching for new mineral water springs for his Swiss mineral water business when California wines caught his attention. In 1978 Hess purchased 550 acres on Mount Veeder and subsequently planted vineyards there. Today, The Hess Collection owns about 900 acres in the Napa Valley with about 285 acres planted with several varietals. The Hess Collection was the original label, followed by the Hess Select second-label. This Cabernet is actually a blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, and 10% Syrah, lending it a more subtle palate than your average big California Cabernet. Aged in 25% French Oak, the wine offers a raspberry and black cherry nose with hints of spice. I, along with my PJ’s tasting counterparts, enjoyed a blind tasting of our most notable 2001 California wines so far, and surprisingly, Hess Select was a unanimous favorite. Compared with other big wines of the same vintage, I was enthralled by the complex aroma and well-integrated flavors of Hess Select. With a concentrated mid-palate and a chewy and moderate tannic finish of a classic California Cabernet, the 2001 vintage will drink well for the next several years, although it is beautifully drinkable now.