July Staff Picks

John: NV Barbadillo Solear Manzanilla Sherry 500ml $8.99 Manzanilla is a dry, snappy and refreshing style of sherry that is made in the seaside town of Sanlucar de Barrameda. You can smell and taste the influence of the warm maritime breezes that keep the wine cool as it matures, and imagine yourself enjoying an ice cold glass with a nibble of the local jamon or tortilla. Good sherry, dry or sweet, has a bite to it. After all, it is fairly high in alcohol, a lightly fortified manzanilla being around 14 to 15% alcohol in strength. But a fresh, well made sherry like Solear is a wonderful anytime drink, strong enough to brighten you up, biting enough to be refreshing. As an appetite whetter before dinner, it is difficult to beat, or as an excellent companion to raw or cooked seafood and lighter meat dishes. Justin: ’03 Monte Negro Tinto Ribera del Duero $11.99 This wine is a superb value and gets my vote for the best value in Ribera del Duero. Monte Negro is a new winery, which debuted its first vintage in 2001. The founder and owner Felix Sanz teamed up with long time Ribera del Duero winemaker Joan Mila. Their wines, from the first two imported so far, show a smooth and polished style with full flavor, but without being over-extracted. The smooth mouthfeel helps make for surprisingly approachable and easy-drinking wines given their full flavor. This new, standout Ribera del Duero winery is one to be on the lookout for in the coming vintages. The 2003 Tinto sees two months in new French oak barrels and is 100% Tinto Fino (Tempranillo in Ribera del Duero). In color it is a deep, clear, ruby/magenta. On the nose spicy black cherry and blueberry fruit aromas are accented by notes of smoke, hay, vanilla, tar and gunpowder. On the palate hearty, meaty, black cherry and red and black plum flavors predominate. After some time in glass the initial edges on the attack smooth out and reveal a surprisingly well-balanced, supple, clean and medium to full-bodied wine—even showing some finesse. Decanting brings out the aromas, flavors and smoothness even further. And the soft but full tannins provide the structure to go well with grilled beef or lamb. I had it with charred lamb chops and the long, black cherry finish kept me wishing I had more chops to extend the pleasure of the pairing. A flavorful, very affordable find—not to be missed. José: ’02 Finca Sandoval Spanish Red Manchuela $32.99 Finca Sandoval is essentially two young (1998) vineyards, with a joint surface of 10.8 ha (26 acres), planted to Syrah vines supplied by a Chateauneuf-du-Pape nursery along with some Mourvedre vines. The planting was from clonal selection of top quality plant clones 183, 374, 470 and 877, plus a small experimental surface (0.3 hectares/ 0.8 acres) of Touriga National. The vineyards in the Casa Blanca area, roughly equidistant from five winemaking villages (Ledana, Iniesta, Villarta, Villamalea, and El Herrumblar) in Manchuela appellation. The vineyards are softly undulating with a northeast orientation. Plant density is 3,000 vines/ha, which is high in a region with very scare rainfall (an average 14 inches/year). The soils, with a dominant clay-limestone component, belong to our four different types: sandy-clay, very shallow and very poor (which produces grapes for the most powerful and structured wines). Each soil type, is aged separately. They use one third new French oak. Depending on the soil and grape types, total vinification time lasts 18 to 20 days. 93% Syrah and 7% Mourvedre Finca Sandoval 2002 possesses an intense elegant aroma of plum and cassis. On the palate it is very juicy with a fine structure, mineral notes and great balance, all of which make this vintage of Finca Sandoval the definition of elegant Syrah. Scott: ’03 Elio Perrone Moscato d’Asti “Sourgal” $10.99 As the temperature rises and the humidity reaches a level of swampy, my body finds itself squeezed in summer’s grip. How to cool down? I always look to Moscato d’Asti. Moscato d’Asti, often confused with it’s near-relation Asti, is lower in alcohol, lighter in pressure and much lower in number of cases produced when compared to Asti. This refreshing, aromatic wine with approximately 5% in alcohol by volume is slightly sweet, frothy and delicious when served chilled. Elio Perrone’s Sourgal Moscato d’Asti is filled with white flower, peach and apple notes. The slight sparkle tickles the tongue, and touches of sweetness and acidity make this wine a great companion for fresh fruit salad and warm summer nights. The Lays’ advertising line of not being able to eat (or in this case drink) just one comes to mind. Enjoy!

Sam: ’02 Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc “Les Setilles” $11.99 The vineyards of Olivier Leflaive cover a wide area of twenty-five acres swathing across Burgundy. The winery was founded in 1983 by Mr. Olivier Leflaive and his brother Patrick, who are related to the the Leflaives of the more famous Domaine Leflaive. Since its inception Olivier Leflaive, the winery, has developed a reputation as one of Burgundy’s great white wine producers year in and year out, under the watchful eye of winemaker Franck Gaux. The wines are generally exceptional, showing great purity and a complexity and refined touch that rival the other grand cru of Burgundy! The grapes for the Bourgogne Blanc known as “Les Setilles” (named for the flat plot within the Olivier Leflaive vineyards from which they are taken) are from the regions of Puligny-Montrachet and Mersault. The grapes are mostly fermented in French oak and less so in stainless steel tanks. After approximately nine to ten months, the lots are then combined in stainless vats, then fined, lightly filtrated, and bottled within the year. This is probably one of the best Chardonnays I have had this year, at any price! The “Les Setilles” is rich and yet soft, complex, boasting aromas of banana leaves, spicy peppers, and lemon zest. The lush flavors of pineapple, beeswax, toasted almonds, and baked pears dance on the tongue, then linger there for a long, pleasurable moment. Then a long, luxurious finish…and all for so little! A bargain indeed…I would have thought it to be at least $20 more. A perfect match with chicken Florentine, any Alfredo dish served with fish or fowl. Bon appetit! Patrice: ’03 Concha y Toro Cabernet Sauvignon “Don Melchor” $36.99 Since 1987 Concha y Toro has been producing their single vineyard (Puente Alto) luxury cuvee, “Don Melchor”. The 2000 vintage comprised of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon has a dark ruby/magenta color. On the nose are concentrated aromas of dried fruits and fragrant blackberries. The wine has a rich jammy character combining black fruits such as currants, plums and cassis with complementary notes of bacon fat, leather and tar for added complexity. The tannins keep these strong flavors in balance but are not overpowering. The finish is spicy and lingering. A powerful wine, it made for a sumptuous and lusty meal paired with a grilled rib eye steak and Portobello mushrooms. Great stuff! Dominique: ’01 Sierra Cantabria “Colección Privada” $33.99 Nestled in the heart of La Rioja wine region, on the road between the town of Logroño and the village of Haro (the two wine capital of this D.O.C), the village of San Vicente de la Sonsierra captures your eyes and brings you back to the medieval time. There, the Ebro river and the Sierra Cantabria mountain from which the winery took its name, go hand in hand and contribute to the harmony of the fruit of the land. Excellent climatic conditions, Mediterranean climate with mild winters tempered by gentle continental summers, and geographic position, terraced and on sloped vineyards with south-east / south-west exposition, are keys to produce great wines, the fundamental economic activity of the area. Since 1870, each generation of the Eguren family has been dedicated to growing the finest grapes of the area and crafting some of the most outstanding wines of La Rioja. Marcos Eguren, the present wine maker, makes his wines with respect to tradition and the environment, but with a touch of modern style. This wine has been crafted with 100% Tempranillo grapes (from more than 50 year old vines) coming from their own vineyards "Los Terreros" and "Jararte" located in San Vicente de la Sonsierra. The vineyards received only organic fertilizer (natural compost and manure). The harvest was made by strict hand picking of bunches in perfect conditions of health and maturation. A second selection was done at the winery on sorting tables. The wine undergoes 50% Carbonic Maceration and 50% traditional fermentation in temperature controlled vats. The malolactic is done in barrels. It is aged for 18 months in new oak barrels (225L.) 50% French oak, 50% American oak then bottled without any filtration. The 2001 Sierra Cantabria Colección Privada has an intense red color with light touches of purple and orange making it extremely attractive. It has aromas of intense fresh fruit (strawberry, raspberry), fruit infusion, with coffee, toasted notes and spices giving complexity and harmony. The mouth is potent, with a very good body, vigorous, mature tannins, well balanced, erupting with intense sensations of the fruit perceived in the aroma, linked in the finish of coffee and spices. Rich, complex and long lasting, this is a beautifully crafted wine that needs decanting before drinking. When I visited the winery, it appeared as the best value from this winery and certainly one of the best wines I tasted on my journey in La Rioja in June. Spanish specialties like roasted baby lamb with gratin potatoes or grilled pork and even cured cheeses are highly recommended. You can also drink it with wild game, red meat, roasts and stews, or simply with some slices of Pata Negra Iberico Ham (the supreme delicacy of Spain coming to the US next year—hopefully!). Try it!