May Staff Picks

Dominique: ’04 Château de Cabezac Vdp du Val de Cesse Minervois France “Cariñu” $14.49 This month, I would like to introduce you to a great wine from one of the top producers of the Minervois appellation: Château Cabezac. Located in the foothills of the Causse, touching the village of Bize-Minervois (about 20 km north-west of Narbonne), Château Cabezac is owned by an ideal partnership of two wine lovers: Gontran Dondain, the investor and marketing master of the brand, and Michel Fabre, the skillful winemaker. In 1997, they acquired a domain “Hameau de Cabezac” of 34 hectares (28 of which were in production) and started to renovate it by studying the different soil types, eliminating inappropriate grapes, fertilizing the soil, restructuring the parcels and slowly replanting the appropriate grape types. At present, the domain includes 70 hectares of which 48 hectares are in production. All the wines of the domain are produced on the basis of “Culture Raisonnée” (responsible cultivation), a mix of different techniques used in the organic, biodynamic and biologic methods in order to minimize the use of chemicals, with maximum emphasis on the natural culture of the vine, the character of the varieties and of the terroir for optimum results. There are four types of terroirs, all complementary, the majority being classified as AOC Minervois. The “Mont des Capitelles” regroups vineyards on slopes facing south with poor sandstone soils that are highly suited to growing white vines and Grenache noir. The “Plateau de Belvèze” is an exceptional terroir situated at 200 meters above sea level with well drained vineyards planted on clay subsoil that benefits from a hot, dry microclimate cooled by the wind from the Causse hills and the Pyrenees. The “Garrigots” has an excellent filtering soil of river pebbles, ensuring good drainage. The “Plateau of Cazelles,” located at 350 meters (absl) produces a subtle, very well balanced, concentrated and complex wine due to the soil rich in organic matter and especially frost-shattered limestone that accumulates heat during the day and gently warms the vines at night. They just bought a new vineyard on a higher plateau than Belveze and are considering producing one or two more single cuvées. Made from 100% Carignan grapes from some of the best parcels from the Plateau of “Cazelles,” this wine has been aged for 18 months in two-wine oak barrels. The nose offers notes of red wild berries and hints of “Garrigues.” The palate is ripe, quite rich and juicy, with an attractive mix of dark plum, cassis, blackberry and dark cherry flavors. The finish is soft and supple, juicy with red berries flavors framed with integrated tannins and balanced by a refreshing acidity. Enjoy anytime, or pair with panned duck breast with blackcurrant berries sauce and wild mushrooms. Justin: ’01 Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Reserva “Monte Real” $16.49 This classic Rioja Reserva is deep, complex, long and a trememdous value. It comes from traditional Rioja producer Bodegas Riojanas, which was founded in 1890 in the town of Cenicero in the Rioja Alta sub-zone, midway between Haro and Logroño. Although the winery sources grapes from many highly regarded areas of Rioja Alta and some in Rioja Alavesa, Monte Real is made primarily from Cenicero grapes, which help give the wine its distinctive character. Known for their silky depth and ageworthiness, PJ's has limited quantities of the amazing 1964 and 1968 Monte Real Gran Reserva library releases, which are a testament to the great quality of Monte Real. Monte Real comes in a Burgundy shaped bottle, while their other top line, Viña Albina, comes in a Bordeaux shaped bottle. This distinction mirrors other centenary Rioja wineries that offer a somewhat more full-bodied and ageworthy wine in the Burgundy bottle versus a somewhat more elegantly polished wine in the Bordeaux bottle. 2001 was a top vintage in Rioja and the fruit-laden, silky and refined 2001 Monte Real Reserva lives up to the high expectations of the vintage. Purple tinged ruby in color, the nose is fragrant with notes of bright ripe cherry, black earth, delicate spices, cedar, smoke, wild herbs and oak nuances. On the palate, it is well-balanced with a pure attack of black cherry and smoke, a touch of spicebox and intense black cherry flavors on the raspberry-lined mid and back palate. Seamless, racy acidity is tempered by polished tannins, which together make for a long, smooth finish. Wonderfully pure, complex and elegant, this brilliant wine is a must-have for value-oriented lovers of traditional Rioja, with the extra touch of fruit and ripeness from a great vintage and a subtle nod to more forward, modern tastes. It is showing exceptionally well now, although it clearly has aging potential and will continue to unfold in the bottle. Delicious! Donald: ’06 Pago del Vicario Petit Verdot Rosé $10.99 Pago del Vicario is located 9 kilometers from Ciudad Real and is flanked on the west by the Guadiana river and on the north by the Toledo mountains. The winery was launched in 2000 by the ambitious brothers Antonio and Ignacio Barco who have combined the family tradition of farming with ultra-modern production techniques. The vineyards are situated on rolling hills that slope gently toward the Guadiana river bank. This proximity to the river blesses the vineyards with a unique climate. The temperatures are somewhat cooler than normal for the region and they drop precipitously at night. The abundant sunshine during the long growing season and the relatively low humidity the vineyards enjoy result in very healthy vines and exquisite fruit. Petit Verdot is of course a mainstay in Bordeaux and it is highly unusual to find it in Spain. This rosé is incredibly dark in color—especially considering that the skins were left in the vat for only 6 hours after pressing. It shows a pretty pink in the glass with ruby highlights along the rim. The nose is an elegant medley of bright cherry, strawberry jam, supple lavender scents and alluring notes of jasmine. The palate is a deep and highly elegant expression of bright cherry fruit flavors, creamy minerality, deft acidity and a whisper of tannins. This Rosé is ideal with grilled Long Island duck breast, rotisserie chicken, salmon, sea bass, and hearty picnic fare.

Patrice: ’05 Roagna Dolcetto d'Alba $11.99 Located in the Piedmont region of Italy, the Roagna estate was established early in the twentieth century by Vincenzo Roagna. Over the last hundred years, the winery has been run by four generations of the family. Today Luca Roagna, born in 1980 is the current wine maker. Known for his commitment to quality and perfection, Luca has continued if not improved upon the estate's ability to produce traditionally styled and delicious wines from the area. In addition to their fine Barbaresco and Barolo bottlings the property also makes an intensely fruity Dolcetto that is well priced and very versatile. The 2005 Roagan Dolcetto is a lovely spring red that is a suitable accompaniment to many grilled dishes. Deep magenta tinged with violet in the glass the wine has an enticing nose of blackberries and anise. On the palate, black fruit dominates with touches of Asian spice, cedar and smoke. This medium bodied Dolcetto has a textured mouth feel, which leads to a lingering and satisfying finish. Enjoy this tasty traditional wine with your favorite grilled chicken dish or sausages and peppers on a toasted baguette. Sam: ’04 Bodegas Gormaz Ribera del Duero Tempranillo “Viña Gormaz” $7.99 The Soría district of Ribera del Duero is possibly the most remote part of this famed region, with its high altitude and underdeveloped vineyards, less used than other sub-districts. It is here that we find the property of Bodegas Gormaz, a relative newcomer to making fine wine. This former cooperative, founded in 1974, specialized originally in making rosé and bulk wines, but in 2000, under new ownership, the newly privatized winery remodeled their warehouses and property and bought in José Carlos García as the winemaker. The results have been increasingly successful, as the wines of Bodegas Gormaz, made from vines averaging 50 years, have developed a solid reputation in Spain and indeed all of Europe. The 2004 vintage marks the debut of Viña Gormaz, the winery’s entry-level wine, in the United States. The 2004 Viña Gormaz is fresh and vibrant, with no oak aging. It was bottled unfined and unfiltered. The result is an impressive, richly flavored wine, opaque and dark ruby in color. Infectious aromas of black licorice and plum with hints of roasted herbs and raisin intoxicate the senses, while on the palate, the attack is sweet and layered on this medium-to-full bodied wine! Black cherry, blueberry, and plum flavors are balanced here with plush tannins, bright red spices on the mid-palate, and a rampant acidity that is extremely pleasant! A hint of black pepper is apparent on the long finish, giving the wine just the perfect exclamation point. Intense and full-flavored, this delicious Tempranillo is an excellent everyday drinking wine, perfect to pair with everyday foods like burgers, pizza, or with some Buffalo wings! Ideally, however, with barbecue season upcoming, I could really see enjoying this with a barbecue sauce, some lamb chops, steak, or ribs fresh from the grill. This would really be a sumptuous pairing. Dan: ’05 Valditerra Gavi $17.99 Recently I was struck by a visceral craving for grilled baby octopus. As I live in a largely Greek neighborhood, finding said octopus was no difficulty, and I helped myself to a plateful of tender, succulent, perfectly charred tentacles. Unfortunately, the wine list at this particular taverna lacked the attractive powers of their octopus, so I was left pining for a white that would round out the meal. Had this particular taverna stocked Valditerra’s 2005 Gavi, such a rounding would have been realized. The town Gavi itself is located in Piedmont, in the north-west of Italy, and wines that fall in the Gavi DOCG are produced around the town on a strip of land 15 km long by 5.5 km wide. Valditerra has 8 hectares of land within this strip. They use 2/3rds of that land for growing grapes, predominantly Cortese, which is indigenous to the region and from which this wine is fashioned. So why did I want to drink this wine with octopus? The nose is intense, with sweet hay, concrete, pounded stone, and flits of lemon peel. These elements pair particularly well with the subtle, sweet aromas of the meat. Moreover, the hay note somehow works especially well with the aroma of char. The palate has ample fat, and is laced with stone fruits and fresh cut grass. The fruit notes act as a counterpart to the sweet/char flavors, while the chlorophyll works to accentuate any light briny notes the meat may have. The finish is very long and thick with minerals, adding resonance to what came before. I highly recommend this with any seafood.