October Staff Picks

Justin: Sold Out ’01 Mastroberardino “Radici” Taurasi $33.99 Mastroberardino (MAS troh - BEAR ahr - DEE no) is the most prestigious and historic estate in the southern Italian region of Campania and ranks among Italy's greatest winemaking houses. Founded in 1878, it is renowned for its wines made from Aglianico, one if Italy's great, noble red grapes, as well as from indigenous white varieties like Falanghina, Greco di Tufo and Fiano di Avellino. The winery is set in Atripalda, a small town just outside of the city of Avellino in the province of Avellino, and its vineyard holdings are spread around the province and also in the Vesuvio area near the coast, south of Naples. Their wines are born out of centuries of local tradition combined with the latest winemaking and viticultural innovations. The winery is immaculate, state of the art and improbably graced with beautiful frescos, whose likenesses adorn some of their labels. They have recently garnered a spate of top honors in Italy's most important wine guide, Gambero Rosso. Mastroberardino’s style can best be summed up as traditional, elegant and powerful—reflecting the bold character of the grapes and cuisine of Campania. The refinement and proven ageworthiness of their wines sets them apart from the many impressive, but oftentimes more rustic or more modernist producers of southern Italy. Their 1968 Taurasi Riserva is legendary in Italy and proved gorgeously vigorous, supple and complex when tasted last year. Samplings of more recent and current vintages on my summer trip to Campania and the estate only served to reinforce the impression of classic elegance and strength found in their wines. The 2001 Mastroberardino “Radici” Taurasi, their flagship wine, is stunningly good right out of the bottle. It is a deep, clear-rimmed purple/ruby in the glass. Dense, ripe black plum scents greet and predominate the nose and are beautifully interwoven with tones of underbrush, lavender, smoke and a touch of vanilla. The attack is silky, supple and rich with black plum and cherry flavors and earthy brown leaf notes that are buoyed by deftly integrated acidity. Hints of briery blackberry and dark chocolate ride into a harmonious and very long finish. It is remarkably elegant for a wine of this weight and continues to build in the glass. It will improve in bottle for 10-15 more years. This deep and very classy wine is a steal at this price, and a Gambero Rosso “Tre Bicchieri” winner to boot. Dan: ’05 Robert Goyette Cabernet Sauvignon $19.99 The Napa Valley isn’t always the first place that comes to mind when someone mentions elegant Cabernet, yet an elegant Napa Valley Cabernet is just what Robery Goyette produced in 2005. Goyette, who was an original founder of the La Creama Winery as well as an integral part of the development of Chalk Hill, has 30 years of California winemaking expertise under his belt. For his Cabernet he chose a large proportion of juice from a particularly well known hillside in the Stag’s Leap District, which must remain nameless. Let’s just say that incarnations of this juice are know to have a price tag of up to 10 times that of this wine. Goyette uses traditional winemaking techniques to produce his Cabernet. Grapes were harvested between the 2nd and the 3rd week of October in 2005. The juice was aged seven months in new and used French Oak to produce 3900 cases of wine. A rush of smoky cassis, pen ink, dark plum and pounded black cherry notes on the nose are leavend with touches of chocolate, bacon and chalk. On the palate the wine is very silky and focused. Notes of ripe black cherry, cherry pit, plum skin, and crushed rocks are intermingled with racy, supporting acidity. These elements follow through into a precise and mineral laden finish. Highly versatile, it can be enjoyed with filet mignon, braised goat, oxtail stew or veined cheeses such as gargonzola or cabrales. This compelling Cabernet offers outstanding value for the price. Brian: ’05 Braida “Monte Bruna” Barbera $24.99 Barbera is Italy’s second most planted red grape. In Piedmont, where it grows alongside its more august neighbor, Nebbiolo, Barbera is often referred to as the “peoples wine.” Sadly, it is relatively unknown to many wine drinkers in the States. Braida's Montebruna, a racy, full flavored and finely nuanced wine from Asti, is a great expression of Barbera and will not fail to impress the uninitiated or savvy Barbera lover. Made exclusively from Barbera grapes fermented in stainless steel for two to three weeks. The wine is then aged in large oak barrels for six months. Monte Bruna has a deep ruby color in the glass. On the nose, an initial hint of tar opens to spicy cherry and red plum fruit. A dash of oak and a fairly high (14%) alcohol level are all seamlessly integrated in the wine. The Monte Bruna is, however, most exciting on the palate. Cherry liqueur, ripe red fruit, a hint of vanilla and soft but present tannins are beautifully balanced by a thrilling, racy acidity. The finish is persistent and spicy. This is certainly a wine that calls for food—it should be decanted and served slightly chilled. Monte Bruna is quite versatile yet you should avoid dishes that call for fresh tomatoes, so try it with a creamy risotto Milanese, aged hard cheeses, a hearty ragu with loads of meatballs, pasta dishes that call for sausages, and slow cooked pork ribs.

Patrice: ’05 Caymus “Conundrum” California White $20.97 Winemaker Jon Bolta began his career at Caymus in 1983 on the bottling line. John graduated to tending the Caymus vineyards and cellars, advancing to assistant winemaker under the tutelage of Caymus owner, Chuck Wagner. Mr. Bolta was eventually named winemaker for white wines at Caymus In 1988 Bolta realized his vision to create a non-traditional, full-bodied white complex enough to be paired with dishes being created by California’s most innovative chefs. Bolta’s exotic approach was to blend five different white wine varietals, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillon, Viognier and Muscat Canelli. The wine was named “Conundrum”, both a brilliant play on words and the key to the success of the wine. The “conundrum” is that the exact composition is not revealed from year to year, affording Mr. Bolta artistic freedom in crafting a different wine each vintage by capitalizing on the relative strengths of the varietals for a given year. The 2005 “Conundrum” is a luscious layer cake of tropical flavors. Pale gold in the glass, the nose is infused with honeysuckle, peach and a touch of Asian spice. On the palate are rolling layers of apricots, pineapple, pear and melon. Grace notes of citrus rind, vanilla and a hint of toasted oak round out this unctuous wine. A proper dose of acidity keeps this “Conundrum” bright while retaining its creamy texture. A terrific match with steamed lobster or sautéed scallops, this delicious and versatile full-bodied white is well priced in today’s market. Donald: ’05 Domaine de Baumard “Clos de Sainte Catherine” Coteaux de Layon Chenin Blanc $40.99 Domaine des Baumard is one of the best producers in the Loire Valley and they produce exquisite Savenniéres—their wines from Coteaux de Layon are truly breathtaking—especially in a vintage as great as ’05. The Baumard estate is nestled in the heart of Rochefort-sur-Loire, a small, enchanting village on the southern bank of the Loire River, where the Baumard family has produced wine since 1634. “St. Catherine” has a lovely light straw color with shimmering gold highlights in the glass. Silken layers of peach, creamy nougat, lemon zest and baked pears sprinkled with cinnamon harmoniously co-exist on the nose. The palate dazzles with an abundance of quince, sweet peas, juicy melon, pureed chestnut and layer upon layer of mineral infused pear blossom. This wine offers up vibrant, but never intrusive, acidity lending it a dynamic textural backdrop. Serve with light un-pasteurized cheeses, plum tarts, or simply by itself. “Rich and ripe, with glazed fruit, apple tartine and fig paste notes backed by a rich texture and a long, creamy finish, where the lingering fig and green almond notes keep pulling you back. Combines power and precision. Drink now through 2027. 600 cases made.” —WS 96 Adrienne: ’05 Domaine du Cros “Lo Sang del Païs” Marcillac $9.99 Now back in stock! What is this funky little wine? I must admit when this French red arrived at PJ’s, I was intrigued. Emblazoned with the words “Lo Sang del Païs,” patois for, “the blood of the soil,” I had to find out just what the blood of this particular French soil tasted like. Marcillac is a tiny region in the south-west of France with just a handful of vineyards. The king of grapes in this region is Mansois, used in nearly 80% of all Marcillac wines. The grapes grow in a deep red soil, rich in iron oxide, creating a full-bodied wine. For four generations, Domaine du Cros had just one hectare of land, producing about 4000 bottles a year. But starting in 1982, the father and son team began buying and renting older vineyards, gradually growing the vineyard to include 25 hectares of land. Inky and lively, this deep ruby red has aromas that are redolent of violet, black plum, cherry, iron and damp earth. It also offers subtle undertones of Nicoise olive and green pepper. The palate is fresh and supple with ripe and fleshy plum skin flavors and notes of orange rind, more iron and a touch of chocolate. The finish is long, satisfying and inflected with hints of pepper and pansies. Enjoy this delightful wine with a variety of richer dishes like braised chicken, game hen stewed with prunes, succulent veal ravioli in a rich mushroom sauce or roasted lamb with a side of earthy parsnips. Matt: Sold Out ’05 Kilikanoon “The Lackey” Shiraz $11.99 Kilikanoon's first release was in 1998. They produced three different reds (a Shiraz, a Cabernet Sauvignon, and a Grenache) and two different Rieslings in their first vintage. From these humble beginning they have grown to produce over twenty different cuvées from those same four varietals. Lead by winemaker Kevin Mitchell, Kilikanoon now offers a wide range of reds from the Clair and Barossa Valley, as well as an impressive range of Riesling from the Clair Valley. The fruit source for the '05 Lackey is South Australia with the majority coming from within the Clair and Barossa valley appellations. This wine was neither fined nor filtered, which is rare for Australian wine at this price point. Kevin Mitchell used only old American oak to add structure and allow for greater fruit clarity. Mitchell’s attention to detail makes Kilikanoon one of the top producers in Australia today. The ’05 Lackey is a wine that you can almost taste when it is being poured into the glass. The deep purple, almost opaque color gives you a prelude of what is to come. Intense aromas of blackberry and cocoa are accompanied by earthy notes of leather and tar. This Australian Shiraz is much more than a mere fruit bomb—it is down-right elegant. This Shiraz is full-bodied with ripe tannins and enough acidity to accompany the hardiest of dishes. The Lackey would make a perfect partner for a grilled spiced lamb leg or a pan roasted hanger steak.