September Staff Picks

Justin: ’96 López de Heredia Viña Tondonia Viña Bosconia Reserva $23.99 The 1996 is my favorite vintage of the Viña Bosconia Reserva bottling. It’s elegance, depth and intensity give it a palpable kinship with the great Viña Bosconia Gran Reservas. It also sets the prospects very high for the 1996 Gran Reserva, which probably won't be released for another nine or ten years. Part of the mystic of Bodegas López de Heredia Viña Tondonia is the remarkable ageworthiness of their wines. Their current release Gran Reservas are typically 18 to 20 years old, although PJ's is lucky enough to carry their heart-stopping 1947 Viña Bosconia Gran Reserva at the moment—which by the way is positively deep, complex and gorgeous right now and actually quite a value given its nearly 60 years of age. One of the secrets of their wines is excellent acidity, which keeps them buoyant on the palate, superb with food and long-lived. The 1996 Viña Bosconia Reserva beautifully exemplifies how well-integrated acidity is an integral part of the winery's style. Keep in mind it is a wine built for only moderate aging. Yet it is drinking beautifully at nearly ten years out and still has another five to ten years of life ahead. The 1996 Viña Bosconia Reserva is a rich, bright ruby color and my "go-to" wine when I want something really good, elegant and flexible, but donŐt want to spend a fortune. Bright cherry is the primary aroma with notes of strawberry, cranberry, red plums and ripe, harvest apples. A subtle, mossy, forest floor earthiness and hints of tobacco and leather add complexity. On the palate, juicy cherry flavors are complimented by oak tones and notes of tarry, strawberry jam and tart berries. Hints of spice, summer savory and other wild, aromatic herbs add to the gentle earthiness. Well-integrated acidity gives structure to the medium body, keeping the wine firm, yet elegant. The soft, juicy strawberry/cherry finish makes it even more of a pleasure to drink. This wine is yet another reason why Bodegas López de Heredia Viña Tondonia has been a top tier producer with a very loyal following since 1877. Dominique: ’01 Pascal Lambert Domaine Les Chesnaies France, Chinon “Cuvée Marie” $16.99 Established in 1987 by Pascal Lambert, Domaine Les Chesnaies is located about 8 km east of Chinon in the village of Cravant-les-Côteaux (representing 40% of the Chinon appellation). The Domaine has 13 hectares, buildings and vineyards included, in one of the best terroir of Chinon. In 1987, they also built a cellar where they house tanks for the fermentation and the storage of the wines. In 1988, they built a new cellar next to the previous one dedicated to barrel ageing of the wines. The vineyards are planted with Cabernet Franc used for the red and rosé wines and Chenin Blanc for the white wines. The harvests are only done by hand in order to respect the vines and their environment. Along with his white and rosé, Pascal Lambert produces 4 red cuvées. Their harvests, fermentations and ageing process are adapted to 3 different criteria: age of the vines, climate and soils. “Cuvée Marie”, Pascal Lambert's best Cuvée, is made from a selection of their oldest vines. It comes from a single vineyard of 1.5 hectares (3.70 acres) planted with 50 to 70 year old Cabernet Franc vines on gravel terraces with siliceous clay soils. It was aged for 12 months in oak barrels (minimum of 30% new) then 4-6 months in stainless steel tanks prior to bottling. It has a dark purple color with good intensity. The nose is refined and complex with floral and oaky notes lifted by spices (vanilla, cinnamon and liqorice) and toasted hints brought by the oak barrel ageing. Cherries, red berries, touches of wood and varietal character with a slight green edge define the mid-palate. After a smooth attack, the density of the fruit flavors and the balanced acidity coating the palate bring depth, structure and good aging potential. The finish is long and rich with raspberry and currant notes mixed with silky tannins. Very good now, it should be great in 3 years and will easily last for another 7 to 10 years. Veal chop and mashed potatoes, rabbit cooked with wild mushrooms, parsley and garlic, or a rack of lamb roasted with thyme and rosemary are superb companions to this beautifully crafted wine perfect for the Fall. Donald: ’01 J. Wegeler Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Spätlese $33.99 In 1900 Julis Wegeler purchased his first vineyards in the Mosel Valley- specifically in the Bernkasteler Doctor vineyards that are still considered to be one of the finest wine growing sites on earth—for a small fortune. The Bernkasteler is situated on a peak which is opened to the west (please insert thought of the long setting summer and early Autumn sun basking the vines in it's golden glow) and is well protected to the east by the Hunsruck mountain range. The vineyards face south and south-west and are situated at extraordinarily steep angles—up to 70% while the vines thrive in a medium-deep loam soil that is interspersed with soft weathered Devon slate. The 2001 vintage was the finest vintage in the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer region since the legendary 1975 vintage and the 2001 vintage of Wegeler's Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Spätlese is a benchmark in German wine making so even if you are only remotely interested in great wine then you should not allow this golden opportunity to pass you by. The nose provides ample candied pears and juicy apples with underlying hints of grapefruit, crystallized ginger, and the faintest touch of herbal tones. This is a stunningly balanced wine on the palate revealing an awe inspiring clarity of zesty flavors- such as lychee, round creamy pineapple and ample citrus on the finish lends itself to the perfectly liner and masterfully integrated acidity. This is a breathtaking wine.

Patrice: ’02 Ravenswood Zinfandel “Teldeschi Vineyard” $26.99 The Ravenswood Winery, started by Zin Master Joel Peterson in 1976, is one of the "3 Rs" of Zinfandel (the others being Ridge and Rosenblum). As chronicled by David Darlington's wonderful book, Angel's Visit: An Inquiry into the Mystery of Zinfindel, the winery didn't truly take off until the 1980's when the company introduced it's value packed Vintner's Blend series. Although the winery now makes good Cab and Chard, it's their single vineyard Zinfandels that really sing. The Teldeschi Vineyard, located in Dry Creek, was purchased in the early 80's. The 2002 Ravenswood Teldeschi Zinfandel is a voluptuous wine from start to finish. In the glass the wine is an opaque shade of the deepest magenta. The nose is filled with blackberries, rose petals and coffee beans. On the palate this big, sexy wine is loaded with layers of black fruit, peppery spices and black licorice. The firm tannins create the appropriate boundaries for this huge Zin and pave the way for a beautiful finish. I suggest serving up this REAL Zin with some SERIOUS Q—maybe some dry-rubbed, wood smoked baby back ribs. This is a pairing that makes you appreciate the Ravenswood slogan: "No wimpy wines"! Sam: ’03 Cinco Tierras Malbec Reserve $11.99 The Cinco Tierras wine, produced in the prime Argentine wine region of Vistalba in Mendoza, are some of the most exciting newcomers to American market. The winery is family owned and operated by Ruben Banfi and his family, who founded the estate in 2001 and have had great success with winemakers Hector and Pablo Durigatti, the former starred at Altos Las Hormigas and continues to consult there. The region is the home of some of the best Malbecs in the world. Recently at PJs, we were privileged to taste these fantastic wines (all of them were quite impressive); however, I found myself particularly impressed with the 2003 Malbec Reserve. Grown from vines which are over thirty years old, the wine was fermented in stainless steel vats and then aged in oak barrels for twelve months. I confess that although I have enjoyed many Malbecs over the last few years, I have never had one to compare with this! A delicate floral scent of violets, a heavier one of mocha and terroir driven minerality come together effortlessly to create aromatics so harmonious they would sing if they could! ĘThe wine itself is so thick and jammy you can practically cut it with a fork. The intense nuances of dark chocolate, plum, and hazelnut greet the mid-palate, giving way to a long, velvety finish that satisfies the mind and spirit. I have to say I was absolutely floored to find a wine so good at this price point, particularly since it was so much better than wines I have tried which were three or four times the price! The perfect balance of fruit, complexity and minerality, this wine has the potential to age for a few more years, but I could not see myself holding onto this wine for long—it is that good. Chris: ’04 Lorca Bullas Monastrell $7.49 Located in southeastern Spain below Valencia, bordering the coastline of Spain, the Bullas D.O. region is contained in the larger subregion of Murcia. Bullas has been a very an up-and-coming winemaking area lately, and, similar to other D.O. regions in the south and eastern portions of Spain, new wines are being introduced by bodegas constantly. And the wines that have been on the market are progressively getting better with each passing vintage. With a dry, arid climate and at an altitude of 400 to 800 meters in elevation, Bullas is known for its dryness and temperature swings between day and night, and both these factors contribute to the area being a beneficial one for growing grapes of optimum quality and ripeness. In the dry climate of Bullas, grapes can mature without threat of mildew, rot and other diseases or pests that are problems in wet climates. The altitude and large amount of yearly sunlight give the grapes ample opportunity to gain ripe skins, and the large day/night temperature variation adds to the skins aromatic complexity and depth of flavor on the palate. These are ideal conditions for the Monastrell grape. The Nuestra Señora del Rosario Cooperative (Bodegas del Rosario) was established in 1950 by 1,200 members and it is a winemaking cooperative that has been gradually expanding its production facilities and modernizing both it winemaking methods and equipment. The Las Reñas and the Las Reñas Seleccion, both made by Bodegas del Rosario, are two of the best examples of modern styled Monastrell wines from Bullas. The 2004 Lorca Monastrell is a nice surprise in the strong field of lower-priced Spanish reds out there. It has heady tree bark, pine needle and black currant aromas, with a trace of menthol, and these become chewy, sour cherry fruit on the palate. There is much complexity on the palate with spices, bell peppers, and cassis with a note of tree bark. The wine’s winning personality is borne out by its agile acidity, soft tannins and soft finish. This is great value Spanish red, and it will compliment most casual Summer and Fall foods. Enjoy.