August Staff Picks

John: ’03 Javier Sanz Rueda Verdejo “Villa Narcisa” $9.49 The Verdejo varietial has a long history in Spain, going back to the middle of the 11th century, when it was first realized as a "wild vegetable". After a period over one hundred years when Rueda lay fallow, allowing wildlife and vegetation to rejuvenate, King Alfonso VI, inspired the cultivation of the grape Verdejo, mainly to satisfy the thirst of the royal courts. Back then, Verdejo was vinified in a similar fashion to sherry and interestingly, this varietial need little help in becoming oxidized. Fast forward to the 1970’s...as tastes changed, people (especially in northern Europe) wanted a crisp, fresh, light and fruity wines—nothing of the solera sort. To capture the essence of the easily oxidizing Verdejo grape, viticulturists began harvesting at night, putting the delicate grapes in small plastic boxes. Immediately after destemming the grapes are hit with an inert gas (usually nitrogen) to protect them from oxidation. The goal is to have a white wine which is clean and easy to drink, but with complexity. This is accomplished with a flourish in the '03 Villa Narcisa. Crisp, bright and intensely flavorful, the wine captures the essence of pure Verdejo—perfect in an ice-bucket to accompany chilled seafood, vegetable paella, or any light summer tapas. Justin: ’03 Roxan “Taverna Nova” Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Cerasuolo Rosé $8.99 From the relatively unknown Roxan winery, this scrumptous, dry rosé will be a surefire hit at any summer outing. While serious reds tend to be my preferred wines in the cooler months, I love drinking high quality rosés in summer, especially in the depths of August when big is not necessarily better. Rosés carry some of the heft of reds along with some of the light crispness of whites and are best served chilled. And this is what makes them so perfect for summer: they can stand up to richer or heartier fare, but are utterly refreshing. This is true of Roxan’s super “Taverna Nova” rosé. It is made from Montepulciano grapes grown in the heart of Abruzzo, overlooking the valley of the Pescara River in the rolling hills of Rosciano. It is in the Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC from the Cerasuolo sub-region, whose hills are ideal for rosé—and is exceptionally well done in the case of the “Taverna Nova.” The Roxan winery itself employs modern techniques and was founded 25 years ago by Donato Ranieri, who works with hundreds of local producers to create modern, high quality wines—but with character and a sense of place. In color the wine is a deep Bing cherry pink. The aromas are a medley of fragrant, juicy summer fruit: plum, ripe cantalope, watermelon and peach with hints of strawberry and honeysuckle. On the palate it is crisp, clean and light to medium-bodied. It is well-balanced and refreshing. The expressive medley of fruit flavors first sensed on the nose fatten in the middle of the palate as the wine opens. Hints of anise, citrus and a dash of beeswax and ash tinged minerality add complexity. The long and fruity finish is a delight. This wine is yet one more reason to love summer. José: ’03 Viña Mein Blanco, Ribeiro, Galicia Spain $13.99 Viña Mein and its owner, Javier Alen, have led the new era of winemaking in the Ribeiro D.O. toward estate-bottled, high-quality white wines. Wines from this region have been selling in England as far back as the 14th century. Viña Mein is an estate 28.8 acres 14 years old vineyards located on the sunny banks of the Avia River in the heart of Ribeiro appellation, which is located just north of the border of Portugal in Galicia. The soils have high acidity with low chalk content, but have good drainage because of the large amount of sand, which comes from the decomposition of the mother rock, granite. To the nose, it has a fresh sent of apples, white flowers, mint and a mixture of spices. To taste Viña Mein is a crisp, citric wine with good density and spicy, peppery flavor. The good acidity gives the flavors excellent definition. The finish is long with a stony aftertaste. And it should gain in complexity with another 6 to 12 months in bottle. Scott: ’00 Roxan “Campo Sacro” Montepulciano d’Abruzzo $23.99 With Italy, I often feel like the dog chasing its tail but never quite grasping it. Italy can be quite confusing. Wine can be classified and identified by grape or location or a combination of grape and location. Or, with IGT (Indicazione Geografica Tipica) wines, a brand name can be used but will not necessarily identify grape or location. As if these scenarios are not confusing enough, the name of a grape in one area of the country can be a location designation in another area of the country. Roxan’s Campo Sacro falls into this category. Why drink Italian wine? For one, delicious wine is made from the southern to the northern tip of the country and at every point along the price spectrum. Also, drinking wine is a learning experience, and with every bottle of Italian wine, I have consumed additional information. Roxan is one producer who provides a delicious and decadent learning experience. The grape is Montepulciano and should not be confused with the Tuscan town of Montepulciano. As a short sidebar, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano is a Sangiovese based wine and comes from the town of Montepulciano. Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, however, is wine produced from the Montepulciano grape found in the Abruzzi region. Abruzzi is east of Rome and is the fifth largest producing Italian region according The Oxford Companion to Wine. Campo Sacro’s vineyards are located in Loreto Aprutino which is one of the better towns within Abruzzi. As for the grape, Montepulciano produces medium bodied wines with soft tannin and low acidity. On the nose this wine has rich notes of freshly baked cherry pie. In addition to the fruit, a decadent application of barrel maturation adds toasted oak notes of coffee and vanilla. On the palate, the cherry, chocolate and vanilla notes are complemented by soft tannins and a touch of acidity. The oak-induced notes will begin to mellow after about three years of ageing, and the wine will continue to improve over the next ten years. At the same time, if you are looking for a luscious wine to enjoy now with grilled meats, then Campo Sacro’s Montepulciano d’Abruzzo will be a perfect match. Salute! Chris: ’01 Abel Mendoza Rioja, “Seleccion Personal” $31.99 Abel Mendoza is considered a modernista by Spanish wine writers, as opposed to a tradicional winemaker, and today both types of producers are making fantastic wines in Spain. Abel Mendoza’s bodega is composed of vineyards covering thirty-four choice parcels (approximately forty acres) located along the slopes of the Sierra de Cantabria Mountains in the La Rioja Alta region. The 2001 Abel Mendoza Rioja Seleccion Personal, the finest wine in his stable, is a vino de pago (single-vineyard wine) made in limited production and every winemaking choice centers on quality. The grapes are 100% Tempranillo, from low-yielding old vines, that are fermented in stainless steel tanks to retain the freshness of the fruit. The wine is aged for twelve months in French Oak barrels to round out the wine’s character and add depth on the palette. This wine was a standout selection at the PJ Wine sponsored Spanish Wine Festival 2004 to benefit City Harvest, which featured nearly 150 of the top wines of Spain. It has aromas of Bing cherry, plum and mocha with traces of dark berries and vanilla. There is a quite juicy, chewy red berry mouthfeel with finely balanced tannins, mineral complexity and an elegant finish. At 13.5% alcohol and with big phenolic components, the wine carries it's impressive structure very well. Drink with Rioja’s classic food pairing: grilled lamb or steak, as well as pork tenderloin or chicken in a hearty sauce. Olé!

Sam: ’01 Bogle Petit Sirah Blend “Phantom” $15.99 Bogle…when I think of the winery, I think of good, inexpensive, everyday wines. When a customer of mine asked me about getting a wine from Bogle called “Phantom,” I thought it seemed like a pretty funny name for a wine (more like Bonny Doon than straightforward Bogle), but, after getting it for him, I saw that Phantom, an assemblage of about forty percent old vine Zinfandel, five percent Mourvèdre, and fifty-five percent Petit Sirah, seemed like interesting and fun, especially with the shadowy, mysterious-looking label (think Halloween!). With this in mind, I decided to try a bottle for myself to see what this was about. Phantom has a wonderful, aromatic nose of blueberry, hickory smoke, and roasted almonds, reminding me of being at an old-fashioned summertime cookout with a flaming charcoal grill (remember those?) It has such a deep, vibrant, inky purple red color that is so vivid, it makes one feel a rush, something so indescribable, I couldn’t wait to taste it, hoping that it would justify my feelings on buying it; with the feeling I would not be disappointed! Lush fruits abound in this fleshy, concentrated offering, with thick mocha and butter pecan notes, and currants, figs, earthy, peppery spices and raspberry, jammy black cherry pie flavors danced on my tongue, combining with bright acidity and such a sexy mouth feel, it made me feel such pleasure and such guilt for drinking this by myself. I wound up drinking half the bottle pretty quickly. I felt like calling the customer who recommended it to thank him for letting me know about this hidden treasure. It's perfect to enjoy at any barbecue, to have with a grilled flank steak, juicy char-broiled burgers, braised ribs, or even broiled rack of lamb with potatoes. It will be delicious for the summer and just as good indoors in the chillier months. Patrice: NV Nicolas Feuillatte Brut Premier Cru Champagne $22.97 It’s summertime, the time of year for garden parties and intimate balmy evenings relaxing on your deck or patio. This is the perfect time to enjoy champagne. Not only for the holidays or celebrating, a glass of bubbly might truly be the definitive summer apéritif. Although one of the youngest of the world’s champagne brands (less than 25 years in existence), Champagne Nicolas Feuillatte has rapidly gained an important role in the world of Champagne producers. The non-vintage Brut Premier Cru carries the aromas of almonds and macadamia nuts. Dry and refreshing in style, it floods the palate with the flavors of ripe apples and pears accompanied with zesty citrus and notes of steely minerals. It will work exceptionally well as an apperatif with creamy cheeses and pate. Serving it with an entrée of grilled or poached salmon will also make a delicious duo. Enjoy! Dominique: ’00 La Bastide Blanche cuvée “Fontanieu” Bandol $19.49 We have two primary aims at PJ Wine: the first is to find the best wines in the traditional and new trend catagories; and the second, which is more difficult, is to find the best hidden gems on the market. This 2000 Bandol is without a doubt one of the best hidden gems on the market. Why? Because it is one of the most well known producers of this little Appellation nestled in the heart of Provence. However, it’s not that simple as a retailer, because you are rolling the dice when you buy a Bandol. Not many people know of (or are looking for) this kind of wine and the bottle can stay on the shelf for ages (especially if you don’t have knowledgeable salespeople explaining it!). This is where I come in. The story of La Bastide Blanche began in the early 70’s when Michel and Louis Bronzo (the latter on the board of the INAO) acquired the property. Their goal was to produce Bandol wines based on Mourvèdre of quality and structure equal to more famous appellations like Châteauneuf-du-Pape, which is known for its top quality Mourvèdre. It was only after 20 painstaking years that their efforts reached fruition and acclaim in France. The ideal climatic conditions of 1993 created a benchmark year and put Bandol (in general) and La Bastide Blanche, in particular, on the map of the top regions and producers in France. The Bronzos produce two to three red cuvées, depending on the vintage, but always with Mourvèdre either blended as in the cuvée “Estagnol,” or up to virtually 100% Mourvèdre for the cuvée “Fontanieu”, which is from a parcel of that name near the Mediterranean Sea. They also make a delightful rosé, from predominantly Mourvèdre, with Grenache and Cinsault. Bandol is known mainly for its rosé wines, however it is its red wine that guarantees the prestige of this Provençale appellation. La Bastide Blanche cuvée “Fontanieu” is their long term red that will be ready to drink in about 2 years and will age well for the next 10 years after. The keys of success are simple: very low yields, never more than 34 or 35 hl/ha, and simply impeccable cellar conditions and attention to the vines and its terroir. The cuvée “Fontanieu” is from 99% Mourvèdre (1% Grenache mixed in) from 35 year old vines planted on red clay soil with an ideal southeastern exposure. They only do manual harvests with two successive grape sortings (one in the field, one at the winery) before destemming. They only use natural yeasts. The maceration lasts for 30 days followed by the malolactic fermentation in foudres (big wooden vats). Then the ageing process takes place in 30hl oak barrels for 24 months. The wine is then bottled without fining or filtration. The 2000 cuvée “Fontanieu” has a very dark and intense color; subtle aromas of blackcurrant and prune spiced up with a touch of pepper, lavender and a hint of oak and spicy garrigue. The palate is dense and chewy, velvety and rich, with the same notes of ripe blackcurrant, prune and candied cherry mixed with spicey oak and wild herbs. The endless finish is truly intense and shows the purity of delineated fruit and structure that are the benchmark of this Bandol. This old-vine wine will age extremely well and will be a delight with game food like venison, boar or rabbit. As a true hidden gem, it won’t last for long once the word is out.