September Staff Picks

Dominique: ’04 Boccadigabbia Rosso Piceno Tuscany Italy $11.49 Boccadigabbia is an old Azienda Agricola located is the Marche region (central eastern Italy) near the town of Civitanova. It was once one of the “one hundred Poderi”, or individual farms, which constituted the land and estates of the former Bonaparte administration of Civitanova (inherited by Napoleon the third). It is a vast agricultural territory that for over a century was an influential example of modern, rational agriculture. In the old Boccadigabbia farmhouse as in all the farms of the Bonaparte administration, one can today still see a venerable ceramic tile bearing the name of the Podere and, above it, the Napoleonic coat of arms, a crowned “N.” Boccadigabbia, located on the first hills that rise from the Adriatic in the direction of Civitanova Alta, today covers almost 11 hectares of vineyards. The talented Elvidio Alessandri and his family have run it since 1978. Its favorable southern exposure and the mild, seaside climate represent an exceptional spot for viticulture. In 1986, a renovation program was launched to re-plant the French varieties that had been cultivated there under the “Amministrazione Bonaparte”, such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinot Noir. This charming Rosso Piceno is a blend of 50% Montepulciano and 50% Sangiovese from 5 hectares of vines in sandy clay soils planted at 180 meters above sea level. After handpicking the grapes were crushed and lightly pressed (late September for the Sangiovese, the second half of October for the Montepulciano); the must was fermented in stainless steel tanks with frequent pump-over. Following an extensive maceration on the skins, the wine was aged for 10-12 months in one and two-year-old French oak barrels. This wine displays a deep ruby red hue. It offers classic varietal spice, along with lovely scents of violet, vanilla, chocolate and wild red berries. A gentle wave of velvety tannins characterizes the appealing, seductive palate, and enhances the impressive, lingering finish. It is the perfect companion to grilled steaks, red meat in general, tomato pasta, mountain cheese and any dish with a slight spicy edge. Justin: ’95 CVNE Rioja Gran Reserva “Viña Real” $36.97 This is a very smooth, supple and elegant wine, drinking beautifully now. It is an outstanding example of the elegance and finesse of the 1995 vintage, which was officially classed as excellent in Rioja. It comes from the highly esteemed, traditional Rioja producer, CVNE (aka CUNE), which is short for Compañía Vinicola del Norte de España, and pronounced coo-NAY. CVNE was founded in 1879 in Haro in the Rioja Alta section of Rioja. Today CVNE includes their new, state-of-the-art, “Viña Real” winery in the Rioja Alavesa section of Rioja, the superlative, single vineyard estate, Contino, also in Rioja Alavesa as well as the original Haro winery. CVNE’s wines are known for their quality at all levels–from the lower-end, higher production “Cuné” line to the “Imperial” and “Viña Real” Reservas and Gran Reservas to the modern-styled, high-expression cuvées, “Real de Asua” and “Pagos de Viña Real.” CVNE’s “Viña Real” brand began in the 1940s and is known for having somewhat more body and longevity than its sister marque, “Imperial,” from Rioja Alta. The Gran Reserva is only produced in high quality years and PJ's is very proud to additionally offer the 1950, 1962 and 1973 “Viña Real” Gran Reservas, which are testaments to the remarkable ageworthiness of these wines. Low yields; hand harvesting; careful selection of the healthiest and ripest grapes; and aging in American oak are all part of the recipe for this true Rioja classic. The 1995 “Viña Real” shows extraordinary smoothness, elegance and drinkability now. It is clear medium ruby in color with only the slightest hint of brick in the rim. The bouquet offers jammy strawberry, fragrant red cherry and raspberry scents, which are accented by notes of smoke, toasty oak, loamy soil, wild herbs, chalk and seashell minerality. On the palate it is medium- to full-bodied, very elegant and very smooth. Flavors of strawberry rhubarb pie, plum, blueberry and cherry compote mingle with the notes first found on the nose. Lively acidity helps create excellent balance and the wine gains weight in the glass as it opens. The finish is long, smooth and marked by very fine, but firm tannins with soft zingy cherry flavors. It is a superb match with all manner of continental, red meat dishes, yet will easily adapt to game fowl and other lighter fare. Although drinking beautifully now, it will continue to improve in the bottle for at least another decade and hold for even longer for those who love the delicacy and complexity of well-aged wine. Dan: ’05 Verget Saint Veran $15.99 The prices of 2005 Bordeaux are already legendary, creating quite a stir (a bit of batonnage, if you will) within the wine world. Burgundy, on the other hand is generally accepted as expensive de facto, no matter what the vintage. This makes bargain Burgundy (or, if not bargain, at least well-priced Burgundy) extra special. When searching for Burgundy that is a bit easier on the wallet, the Mâconnais region, south of the Côte d’Or and Côte Chalonnaise and north of Beaujolais, is a good place to start. Saint Veran is an appellation located in the Mâconnais and where you will find Jean-Marie Guffens, making wines under the Verget label. Having first moved to the Mâcon from Belgium in 1976, Guffens, the winemaker and founder of Verget, began the company in 1990. Prior to starting Verget, Guffens worked for wine broker Peter Vezan, sourcing growers who could deliver quality Mâcon juice to wine markets in England, the US, and Australia. After some success in this field, Guffens saved enough to buy a small vineyard in Vergisson and started producing his own wines (along with his partner Mainke Heynen). Finally, Guffens began purchasing small parcels of grapes and crushing them himself. This wine is crafted from Chardonnay grapes grown in and around the village of Leynes, and also contains juice from the single vineyards of Les Cras and Vigne St. Claude. It is aged six months on lees, and primary and malolactic fermentation are carried out in stainless steel. The nose is full of fennel pollen, concentrated liquefied orange rind, mineral and lemon curd aromas. The vibrant palate displays primary notes of lemon and subtle secondary notes of coconut cream. The finish is medium to long and the mouthfeel is firm and steely, owing to an ample and well integrated acidity. Drink this wine with lobster, clams, or scallops as it accentuates the brine and complements their natural sweetness.

Patrice: ’03 Mondavi Napa Cabernet Sauvignon $17.97 Established in 1966, the Robert Mondavi Winery in Napa has become a symbol of California wine making history. One of the first wineries to be built in the post-Prohibition period, it helped pave the way for multitudes of other wineries to develop in the area and create what is today's modern day Californian wine business. Although Robert Mondavi is no longer run by the family, the current team still shares their original commitment to excellence and innovation. Genevieve Janssens, previously of Opus One, has been the wine director since 1997. She maintains an active relationship with the winemaking team as well as the winegrowing team considering it essential that they act in unison. “We have the same mission – to produce wines of great density and rich fruit character, wines of elegance and finesse that complement food. In this way, we combine the structure of the finest French wines with powerful fruit, California-style.” This has been a recipe for success at Mondavi and the winery continues to produce a wide array of quality offerings in many price ranges. One of their most classic examples is their Napa Cab. This well priced Californa Cab is dark magenta in the glass. On the nose are blackberries, anise, and smoke with a hint of mint. Full-bodied and lush, the wine is chock full of currants and raspberries with notes of chocolate and tobacco. Silky tannins add structure but are not overbearing and the finish is lingering. Grilled steaks or chops are the perfect accompaniments. Sam: ’04 Ox Vineyard Mendoza Malbec Gran Reserva $11.99 Last year, we came across some of the best value wines worldwide, the wines of Cinco Tierras. The delectable Malbecs were incredible, and for the outrageously low price, arguably the best wines ever tasted from south of the Río Grande! Many of our customers agreed with us, and, unfortunately, one of my personal favorites, the 2003 Cinco Tierras Malbec Reserve, sold through rapidly, leaving most of us wistfully longing for its return. Due to internal re-organization at this family-run winery, the wines formerly known as Cinco Tierras are now being marketed as OX wines. They are still made under the stewardship of Guillermo Banfi, co-founder of Cinco Tierras, and the same winemaker Pablo Durigatti. The vineyards are located in the regions of Vistalba, Agrelo, and San Carlos in Lujan de Cuyo and Valle de Uco, the prime growing areas in Mendoza, and range in age from 12 to 80 years old. From a severe and careful selection of the finest grapes was born the successor to the Cinco Tierras Reserve, the 2004 Ox Vineyard Malbec Gran Reserva! This wine was fermented in stainless steel vats and aged twelve months in French oak barrique. The impressive 2004 Malbec Gran Reserva shows off the talent of Pablo Durigatti and his ability to create a superb and wondrous Malbec. It has all of the power and intensity of its forefather. It is a deep and vivid purplish red in the glass. A delicate bouquet of crushed violets, leather and Far Eastern spices with hints of vanilla and mocha delight the nose. On the palate there is a luscious and intense attack of black cherry jam and sweet pepper flavors, giving way to subtle yet pronounced cedar spice with sweet tannins, gorgeous acidity, and integrated oak. The extraordinary length of the finish is the final stamp of approval on this lush and full-bodied Malbec— another Banfi/Durigatti phenomenon! This wine will hold up to a number of hearty meat dishes or robust cheeses, and perfectly complements Argentina's renowned repast, steak! Donald: ’03 Prüm Riesling Wehlener Sonnenuhr Spätlese (Net) 28.97 For centuries the Prüm family has called the Mosel village of Wehlen home. Their ancestors were living in or near there as early as 1156. Today winemaker Dr. Manfred Prüm is recognized as one of the greatest in the world and is an undisputed master at crafting exquisite Riesling. His wines have the ability to age for decades while retaining their youthful fruity exuberance and they acquire secondary aromas and flavors to achieve a layered complexity made even more striking by their lightness and transparency of texture and profound minerality. The ’03 in vintage in Germany saw extraordinary heat and more days of consecutive sunshine than any vintage on record. There has not been anything like this vintage, ever! The wines Dr. Manfred Prüm created in ’03 carry loads of ripe fruit that interplays in harmonious conjunction with surprisingly vibrant acidity and elegant minerality. The nose on this Spätlese is dominated by smoky petrol, backed by apricot, an exotic hint of cocoa powder, warm nutmeg and a touch of baked pear. The palate is vibrant with loads of apricots, limes, peaches, kiwi and a long slate finish. This is showing beautifully now and a perfect match with curried pork, grilled prawns or spicy duck.