August Staff Picks

Dominique: ’05 Bibich Reserva Skradin North Dalmatia Croatia $13.49 Bibich winery is located in the hinterland of Northern Dalmatia near the famous waterfalls of the Krka River about 50 miles from the coastal cities of Sibenik and Zadar on the Adriatic Sea, in Croatia. This is a very, very small family winery that until about 5 years ago didn’t sell their wines outside of the tiny village of Skradin, near Sibenik. After working in distribution for Napa’s Mike Grgich at his Croatian winery, Alen Bibich (only 36 years old) returned to his family winery and revamped it. He only has three hectares of 20-40 years old vines but the winery is slowly expanding with the addition of new vineyards due to increasing demand. The Dalmatian Coast is characterized by a “karst” landscape—featuring a lot of limestone in the soil (in fact, the reflection of sunlight off a limestone bed is what gives the Adriatic Sea its deep, blue color). It is hot and dry during the summer with mild winters—a typical Mediterranean climate. All of Bibich’s wines are grown and produced organically with no addition of sulfites. Their production is tiny; only 2000 cases of this Reserva were made. This wine offers an eclectic blend of grapes native to Croatia’s sun-drenched Northern Dalmatian Coast (Babich, Plavina, Lasin) that are related to Zinfandel (itself said to be a Croatian grape variety). The reserva was aged for one year in American oak. It has Zin characteristics (pepper, spice and fruit), but it is not as big, bold or woody like the Zin from Napa; it’s basically a really easy drinking, friendly, wine—a nice light red for the summer. The use of American oak is a tribute to Zin, and also something Alen has chosen due to his experience with Mr. Grgich. 2005 Bibich Reserva is rather light- to medium-bodied for a wine made from grapes apparently related to Zinfandel. It recalls to mind an earthy yet silky Cabernet Franc. Aromas of red and dark berries with hints of spice and smoke emerge on the nose. The palate is smooth, with lively acidity and flavors of ripe dark fruits, spices, black pepper and touch of smoke. The finish is earthy, fruity and easy going. In my opinion, if the quality is consistent with upcoming vintages, this wine will lead the way for many more Croatian wines to arrive in the US in the near future. Serve with tuna, meats or cheese. Dan: ’05 Claude Marechal Pommard “La Chanière” $45.99 This month I’ve picked a superstar Pommard of the 2005 vintage, a wine that, while not exactly inexpensive, delivers some of the best Burgundy for the buck that I’ve tasted so far. Claude and Catherine Marechal began producing wine under their own domaine in 1981. Their Pommard La Chanière comes from the La Chanière climat (in Burgundy the term climat is used to refer a particular vineyard plot as vineyards in Burgundy are frequently split among many domains). Pommard itself is one of the most northern regions of the Côte de Beaune and is known for producing robust reds. Marechal thins grape clusters, harvests by hand and avoids chemical fertilizers. Clusters are 100% de-stemmed, and fermentation occurs with indigenous yeast (no yeast is added to start fermentation, only the natural yeast that occurs on the grapes from the immediate environment is used). The wine spends between 12 and 18 months in oak. Some new oak is used, but the proportion is kept low so as to frame but not overwhelm the bright fruit. As for the wine itself, the nose delivers a burst of partially dried country flowers that intermingle with fresh crushed black cherry pulp and hints of black and red berry. Underlying these tones are hints of fresh dug earth and gentle spices. In the mouth the wine is a full- bodied Burgundy with great sap, dishing out dark fruit by the handful. Notes of loam, hints of smoke, and floral spice flow through the fruit in an elegant rush. This is a firm wine, with a spine of acidity that is already well integrated and fine, slightly chewy tannin. It is an amazing bottle of Burgundy for the money. Drink with a simple herbed chicken, roasted duck breast, duck confit or with Epoisses on hearty bread. Brian: ’06 Estancia Piedra Rosado Toro $9.47 Since gaining DO status in 1997, Toro, in Northwest Spain, has gained a reputation for its rich, robust red wines. Actually, wine has been produced in Toro for centuries. Only in the last several years, however, have winemakers from Toro, as well as others from Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and even France, come to realize the great potential of this remote and very hot region. Hot summer days and cool nights, dry, stony soil, and high altitude vineyards conspire to create wines of great concentration and alcohol levels of up in the 15% range. The principal grape here is Tinta de Toro, a strain Tempranillo (so well known in Rioja and Ribera del Duero) adapted to the exacting climate of Toro. Bodegas Estancia Piedra sits on 60 hectares of land just outside the town of Toro, the region’s center. Owned by Scottish lawyer Grant Stein, Estancia Piedra epitomizes the region’s commitment to top-quality winemaking. The bodega hand-harvests its grapes, sorting them first in the field and then again in the winery. While focusing primarily on red wines, winemakers Ignazio de Miguel and Santiago Rivera pays no short shrift to their rosado. Estancia Piedra Rosado 2006 is a full-bodied and muscular rosé, very expressive of the region’s terroir. It is made from 100% Tinta de Toro from 40 year old vines grown at an elevation of over 2,000 feet. The wine is the color of ripe red cherries. On the nose are notes of cherry, strawberry and the unmistakable aroma of earthy Tempranillo/Tinta de Toro. It has a luscious, chewy mouth feel. The palate is a spicy combination of strawberry, cherry, pepper and minerals. Soft tannins and good acidity provide lots of structure and a long juicy finish. This is a rosé that cries out for food. Drink it alongside a spice-rubbed roast chicken, a pan-seared pork chop, rare duck breast tossed with fresh seasonal greens and, especially, sausages of almost any kind.

Patrice: ’03 Villars Bordeaux Fronsac $15.97 If you think you have been priced out of the Bordeaux market, think again. Some terrific values are still to be found in the smaller appellations of Bordeaux. In particular, the small district of Fronsac on the Right Bank located on the Dordogne River just west of Saint Emilion offers many possibilities. Primarily planted with Merlot and Cabernet Franc the quality of the wines from this appellation have skyrocketed with the use of modern technology over the last 20 years. Fortunately, for consumers the prices have not! A family affair since the beginning of the 19th century Château Villars has been run by generations of the Gaudrie family. Today, the winery is run by Jean-Claude Gaudrie, his wife Brigitte and their three sons. Thierry, one of the sons, is currently in charge of production. Similar to other prominent Châteaus of Fronsac, Thierry Gaudrie has been very successful in combining the ancestral traditions of his forefathers with today’s modern methods. The result has been more than a success, with the Château producing some of the highest quality wines in its history. The 2003 Château Villars is a classic Fronsac blend of 73% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Franc and 9% Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine is densely built, showing with a hue of deep crimson tinged with magenta. On the nose are fragrant blackberry and blueberry with an enticing touch of spice. The palate is dominated by rolling layers of lush black fruit with hints of stone and cedar. Still in its youth, the tannins of this fruit-forward wine add a firm backbone to the rich berry flavors and lead to a long and satisfying finish. We enjoyed this gem from Fronsac with boneless leg of lamb on the grill with loads of fresh summer vegetables on the side. A terrific value not to be missed. Justin: ’06 Colli di Lapio Fiano di Avellino $20.99 Summer is the perfect time to enjoy the rich, fragrant, crisp and steely pleasures of Fiano di Avellino, and the Colli di Lapio 2006 is a classic. Fiano di Avellino is one of the top white appellations of Campania and set about an hour’s drive inland from Naples on the western coast of southern Italy. Clelia Romano founded this estate in 1994 and has become a strong presence in the appellation, producing very good to excellent wines year in and year out. Their 2005 edition won the prestigious Gambero Rosso guide’s top rating of tre bicchieri (three glasses out of three). 2006 marks the third top quality vintage in a row for Fiano di Avellino. The rich and outstanding 2004s were followed by the more steely and mineraly 2005s. The bright and expressive 2006s combine the richness of 2004 with the mineral depth of 2005 with perhaps a bit less raciness. The excellent structure of good Fianos make them surprisingly ageworthy and they can easily benefit from a few years of aging after release. They can handle ten years of aging, although many prefer them in their youth while at their freshest and fruitiest. The 2006 Colli di Lapio Fiano di Avellino is a bright, clear and pale straw color in the glass and offers a deeply fragrant nose of whites flowers, white peach with hints of nut, golden straw and an exotic trace of dried rose petal. The palate is crisp, fresh and elegant with flavors of meyer lemon and white peach with honey and mineral tones underlaying the medium- to full-bodied spine. Floral notes expand on the lingering, long and clean finish. Fantastic with seafood, fresh Mediterranean pasta dishes, white meats or simply on its own. A rich and refreshing sojourn into the pleasures of summer. Donald: ’05 Brandl Kogelberg/ Kamptal Riesling $23.99 Kamptal is known for being one of Austria's finest areas for Riesling. The vineyards of Heiligenstein and Kogelberg are two of the most important sites, not only in Kamptal but in all of Austria. The rich mineral deposits and prehistoric shellfish infused soils create a multitude of aromas, tones of sea-coast minerality both on the nose and palate and profound complexity of flavors in the wines created here. Gunther Brandl is very passionate about his terroir, vineyards and the wines he crafts. His family’s commitment to keep prices fair while maintaining a high level of quality has led him to be recognized as one of Austria’s premier Riesling producers. Gunther’s production is tiny at only 40,000 bottles and his meticulous attention to detail is reflected in the quality of his wines. The nose on this single vineyard bottling carries deep inflections of chalky quartz, crushed stones and sandy, yet deeply briny sea-coast scents. The palate is infused with bright white peach and juicy gooseberry flavors and racy notes of ginger. The acidity on this gem is well integrated, yet somewhat bracing, which adds an extra degree of complexity to this Riesling. Austrian Riesling’s often lack the fruit found in their German counterparts but for lovers of mineral driven whites with great purity, this single vineyard bottling is the perfect summer white. Serve with hearty garden salads, grilled octopus, seared tuna or chicken pasta dishes.