July Staff Picks

Justin: ’04 Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo “Il Mimo” rosé $10.99 “Il Mimo” is back in the forefront of my summer drinking roster—better than ever. This PJ’s favorite is made from the noble Nebbiolo grape, which is famous for powerful and majestic Barolos and Barbarescos. But once again “Il Mimo” proves Nebbiolo makes for an utterly delightful rosé. It is from the Colline Novaresi DOC in the Northeastern part of Piedmont and it’s producer is highly regarded for it’s Ghemme DOCG red wines. While “Il Mimo” is ‘only’ a rosé, what you get is a sophisticated and extremely appealing wine—a prince among rosés. The 2004 edition is a succulent delight, and will refresh and enliven during the coming hot and languorous summer days and nights. My ideal for rosé is that it show abundant, fresh, fruity aromatics and flavors, light-to-medium weight, good balance and a refreshing, crisp finish. The genius of good rosé is that it combines of some of the fruit intensity of a red with the crispness of a white. And the 2004 Il Mimo more than delivers. It is a truly beautiful, rich, candied-cherry pink color. And shows remarkable suppleness and finesse, bathing the palate in a seamless wash of flavor—not in blocky or easily identifiable parts. It’s super fragrant with raspberry, strawberry and lemon zest scents; rounded out with touches of peach, juicy red plum, and hints of mineral and white pepper spice. On the palate the refreshing, succulent raspberry and strawberry flavors are remarkably appealing. It shows a smooth, clean arc through the mid-palate on into a long, supple finish, filigreed with bright lemony flavors. This “Il Mimo” is so pleasurable, you will scarcely give notice to its harmony and balance until well into your second glass. It’s a delight. I can hardly wait for my next picnic, backyard barbeque, or humid evening of languid summer lounging. You can bet, this is what I will be bringing. Dominique: ’04 J & F Lurton Vin de Pays Charentais white “Terra Sana” $8.99 Unlike in the neighboring Bordeaux region (which produces some of the greatest wines in the world), the Cognac region has such poor terroir and weather that the wines tend to be thin, acidic and too low in alcohol. Since the 16th century, the people of Charente have found methods to transform insipid wines into sweet aperitifs like “Pineau des Charentes” and one of the greatest brandies of the world, “Cognac”. In the 70’s, however, due to an over-production of wines, the producers of Charente decided to use their knowledge to produce higher quality wines (red, white and rosé) sold under the appellation “Vin de Pays Charentais”. A few years ago, Jacques & Francois Lurton, two great French globe trotting winemakers, well known for the quality of their wines and their innovative winemaking techniques in many countries (Argentina first, then Australia, Uruguay, Chile, Spain and of course France), took the challenge to craft an organic everyday, affordable and custumer friendly wine. It hasn’t been easy to reproduce in Charente the chemical-free vineyard conditions that they found in Argentina 15 years ago. However, they opted for a partnership with growers who had started to move toward winemaking due to the decrease of Cognac sales. Long–term investments were made in their vineyards since then. with the goal of producing higher quality grapes. Organic methods; no herbicides; no pesticides; natural, indigenous yeasts and low yield harvests being the key ways they preserve the natural character of the wine. They achieved their goal with the 2004 “Terra Sana”. It is a crisp, un-oaked white made with the traditional grapes of Cognac, Ugni Blanc (70%) & Colombard (20%), to which they added 10% of Sauvignon. It has a pale yellow color with hint of green on the rim. The nose is very expressive. At first, the organic touch appears in hints of fresh cut hay and honey; but then white flowers, white fruit and earthy green apple aromas become predominant. The attack is fresh and fruity. The mid-palate is intriguingly round, well balanced and lifted by a very good acidity at the same time, with green apple, honey and fresh hay aromas mixed together. Succulent, this wine will surprise and enchant you. Great as an aperitif when served very cold, it is the perfect companion with grilled shrimp kebab, asparagus and grilled buttered filet of sole. It is a well of freshness for a very hot summer. Donald: ’03 Domaine Thierry Puzelat Loire, Gamay “P’tit Tannique Coule Bien” $13.99 Although Gamay is the undisputed star of Beaujolais it is grown in the Loire Valley and while it will probably always linger in the shadows behind the subtle elegance of Sancerre Rouge (Pinot Noir) and the wiry finesse found in the reds from Bourgueil, Samur, Samur-Champigny, and Chinon (Cabernet Franc) I found Thierry Puzelat’s “P’tit Tannique Coule Bien” to be an elegant and refreshing medium-bodied red with ample cherry tones, hints of ripe plum, violets, and rich dark soil infused with limestone and summer rain-soaked clay. I enjoyed a few glasses of this Gamay on a recent Friday evening with some friends while sitting on their balcony in Carroll Gardens as the sun gradually set over a portion of the East River. Thierry Puzelat is one of a handful of truly revolutionary biodynamic winemakers in the Loire Valley who are convinced that good wine can only come from healthy grapes grown from pesticide free vines and without the hindrance of industrially synthesized compounds saturating the soil and muting the vineyards uniquely individual characteristics (the terroir) and the numerous challenges that arise with each vintage. Essentially, biodynamic viticulture is the harmony that exists between the soil- the most integral element in wine making- and the cosmos. Everything that exists in nature serves a greater purpose so nothing should be introduced to the vineyard that does not occur their naturally. The Gamay in “P’tit Tannique Coule Bien” is grown in small vineyards around the hamlet of La Tesniere in Touraine. The 2003 vintage was a very hot one and subsequently this Gamay has a depth, richness and complexity that is truly surprising. It should be served with a slight chill to accentuate its ample fruit and I recommend sharing it with a few friends on a warm summer evening.

Patrice: ’02 Abadia Retuerta “Rivola” $11.97 During the summer months I have a number of wines I stock up on for no fuss enjoyment. These wines are both red and white, of different varietals and they come from various reaches of the world but they all have three things in common, they have a ton of fruit, they are not too heavy, and they are all a bargain. The Abadia Retuerta “Rivola” is one that always makes the list. Located in Sardon del Duero just outside the boundaries of Ribera del Duero, Abadia Retuerta is one of the world’s fastest growing wineries (it was only established in 1996). Winemakers Pascal Delbeck and Angel Anocibar use their talent and state of the art facility to the fullest in order to produce fine wines in every price range. Another interesting fact about the winery is that it is owned by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis (if you are interested, the full story is told in one of our archived articles at www.pjwine.com/html/ wow_03_11_10.html). The 2002 “Rivola” is a delicious blend of 60% Tempranillo and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. The nose is a richly perfumed blend of blackberries and raspberries with a hint of cedar. On the palate the plum and black currant fruit are both ripe and fleshy with a touch of vanilla oak. The tannins are firm but not overpowering and the decent acidity adds lift keeping the wine well-balanced and not too heavy. It has a lovely lingering finish. This wine is very versatile and can be enjoyed with an assortment of grilled meats including pork chops, ribs or lamb. To be honest, for a wine of this quality at this price you really don’t have to do a lot analyzing or decision making before opening a bottle of the “Rivola” on a summer evening… in other words it is a “no brainer”. Sam: ’01 Château Montus Madiran $24.49 To the south of Bordeaux but in the same Gascon province lies Madiran, where the primary varietal grown is Tannat. The grape clusters tend to be denser with this particular varietal, the acidity higher, the alcohol percentages lower, and the tannin, especially when young, tend to be thick and, how can I say, mouth drying! Château Montus was purchased by its current proprietor, Alain Brumont, in 1979. By 1990, Chateau Montus became the most renowned property in the region. Monsieur Brumont, who also owns Château Boucasse in the same region, and winemaker Fabrice Dubosc have a knack for making approachable, lush, oaky wines from Tannat, and it has certainly paid off! The 2001 vintage of Chateau Montus has deep aromas of violet and spice. The bold fruit of dark plums, black cherry, and mint, with faint notes of mocha and a bit of eucalyptus on the finish, all serve to excite the palate and warm the senses. Yes, the 2001 Montus fits the bill…full-bodied, lush and spicy, with notes of pepper, chocolate, and coffee. This fleshy, meaty, powerful wine will definitely pair with red meat or a hearty cheese. It will even be a good match with good barbequed brisket. A fantastic wine which got rave reviews from the Wine Spectator, I invite you to try for yourself! Cheers. Chris: ’03 Casajus Tinto Ribera del Duero $13.49 Over the past twenty years, the Ribera del Duero D.O. has been a winemaking region on the rise and its wines now rival the best from Rioja and the rest of the world. As quality has risen, so have prices for the best Reserva wines, which are quite expensive to produce for several reasons (expensive old-vine vineyards and grapes, low yields/lots of pickers, "double triage" system for sorting, new oak barrels, etc.). Now more bodegas are producing "joven" wines that are aged for only a few months in barrel, if at all. Besides not burdening the younger wine’s fruit with too many heavy wood overtones, these young wines display a freshness and crisp fruit character that is often precisely what wine lovers are looking for. Although they are very easy to drink, these Jovens should not be mistaken for many of the lower-priced "easy quaffers" from other regions of Spain. In general, the Ribera wines have more structure, complexity and finesse than their lower priced brethren. Bodegas J.A. Calvo Casajus is a family-owned operation that was founded in 1993 by Jose Alberto Casajus, though his family has been making quality wines on the property for generations. Located in the picturesque village of Quintana del Pidio, near the town of Aranda de Duero just north of the Duero River in the province of Burgos (smack dab in the middle of the Ribera del Duero D.O. region), Bodegas Casajus farms twenty hectares of old Tinto del Pais (Tempranillo) vineyards and there is a modern winery and aging facility where the wines are produced. The 2003 Casajus Tinto Ribera del Duero has voluptuous herbal, tart red berry aromas with a trace of spice and garrigue. In the mouth, the wine has an attractive, velvety feel. The small amount of wood apparent on the nose is confirmed on the palate by a creamy mouthfeel which helps round out the wine’s hefty structure (tannins, acidity and alcohol) which leads with heaps of fresh, ripe fruit. Some sliced Prosciutto or Serrano ham and a hunk of Manchego cheese is all you need to go with this wonderfully straight forward, enjoyable Spanish wine.