February Staff Picks

Justin: ’04 Bodegas Muga Rioja Reserva “Torre Muga” $79.99 Over the years, “Torre Muga” has shown itself to be the benchmark for modern style Rioja excellence. The 2004 edition is simply gorgeous. With the debut of Torre Muga in 1991, Bodegas Muga set itself in the vanguard of the great wave of innovation that took off in Rioja in the early 1990s. Rioja producers were at the time faced with the improvements and increasing international recognition of other Spanish regions, particularly Ribera del Duero. In response, forward thinking traditional houses like Muga and Marqués de Riscal and an influx of newcomers like Allende, Remírez de Ganuza and RODA began to create Rioja wines in a more extracted, fruit-forward and “international” style, which we today generally speak of as modern style Rioja. From the beginning, Torre Muga has been a standout of the modern style. While Bodegas Muga had the inspiration to forge ahead with the new, they also had the wisdom to continue with their traditional methods and wines. The result has been that while Torre Muga always shows great density, structure, ripe, fruit-forward flavors and barrique-aged French oak character, it also displays the great elegance and balance one would expect from a top level, classic Rioja producer—but in the broader cut of the modern style. I recently had the pleasure of enjoying a bottle of the 1991. It was superb and goes to show that although Torre Muga is eminently plush and forward for early drinking, it also has the structure and balance to benefit from aging. The 2004 vintage is one of the great Torre Mugas. It is a deep purple, ruby-tinged color. The nose is a voluptuous mix of blackberry, black raspberry, and juicy black cherry notes layered with soft smoke, vanilla and mineral tones. The attack is plush with plump, ripe blueberry and black cherry flavors. The mouthfeel is satiny and bouyed by excellent freshness and acidity. Although deep and forward, it flows across the palate with great elegance and balance. Smoky black earth, cured meat, cherry blossom and mineral nuances provide complexity. The tannins are beautifully polished, ripe and integrated, leading into a very long, rich finish. This is great Rioja, for now or the next 20 years. Dan: ’05 Marc Colin et Fils “La Combe” Bourgogne $25.99 Good Bourgogne blanc is a wonderful thing. When done correctly it offers an expression of Chardonnay that only Burgundy is capable of producing, yet it does it for less, frequently much less, than 1er Cru or Village level prices. When you get a Bourgogne blanc from a top producer, it’s a good time to get yourself some fish, free up an evening and go at it. Right now the particular Bourgogne blanc I suggest as your companion on a ichthyophyllic eating adventure of Rabelasian proportion is Marc Colin’s “La Combe.” With 20 minutes of air this wine blossoms into a Puligny inspired hybrid of lemon, mineral and white truffle that will complement anything from seared tuna to bluefish to sea urchin. Marc Colin owns a 50-acre domaine based in the Côte de Beaune commune of Saint Aubin, though he has holdings in Chassagne-Montrachet as well as a small section of Le Montrachet itself. The winemaker for Marc Colin is his 35 year-old son, Pierre-Yves Colin. Pierre-Yves has been credited with greatly increasing the overall quality of white Burgundy in recent years. Try this Bourgogne blanc and see why. Made with fruit from Puligny vines, the nose of this Bourgogne blanc stunner begins with fresh cut lemon that floats in a bowl of cool, lightly salted cream. This is followed by an expansive cloud of stone-infused white truffle that lingers deliciously. On the palate, there is elegant compactness. A rich and creamy mouthfeel leads into crisp apple, accented by fresh toast, a touch of earth and more sexy white truffle. Adam: ’01 CUNE Rioja Reserva $19.97 Compaňía Vinicola del Norte de Espaňa (The Nothern Spanish Wine Company) is the full name of the easier to say and type CUNE who has fashioned a remarkable value in their 2001 Reserva. Founded on the 24th of March 1879 CUNE has a long tradition and is controlled by the 5 generation of the founding family. The Rioja region of Spain is divided into 3 sub-zones. CUNE is located in Rioja Alta, the smallest of the three sub-zones. The clay-dominated soils of the region are quite high in elevation and particularly well suited for the Tempranillo grape. The 2001 vintage had excellent growing conditions in the Rioja with an early spring and a cool fall allowing the grapes to come to perfect maturity. A blend of 80% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuelo, 5% Garnacha and 5% Graciano come together perfectly to present a wine of balance and grace. Raspberry, plum and cherry mingle in harmony with a smokey touch of oak. This wine would work with a variety of foods from ham to beef stew. Enjoy! Brian: ’05 Ferrando Canavese Rosso $11.99 The Canavese appellation of Piedmont is located in the northernmost portion of the region, very near to the Val d’Aosta. Here, from steep terraced vineyards, the Ferrando family has been making wine for more than a century. Today, Luigi Ferrando and his two sons , Roberto and Andrea, carry on the family tradition. Steeped in modern winemaking techniques they are nevertheless committed to preserving the local traditions of the Canavese. And while the Ferrando’s produce spumante and late harvest wine made from the local Erbaluce grape, their reds focus on Piedmont’s best known grape, Nebbiolo. Nebbiolo in Canavese is quite distinct from that of Barolo and Barbaresco, Piedmont’s most famous appellations. The wines here are leaner and somewhat lighter in body, with far gentler tannins that allow for more enjoyable early drinking. A strong backbone of acidity, however, promises new revelations on the nose and palate with some aging. The ’05 Ferrando Canavese Rosso is a blend of 70% Nebbiolo and 30% Barbera. The Barebera ensures an extra zing of acidity. The wine has a rich cranberry color with notes of violet, dried cherry, tar, cedar and linen on the nose. The palate is restrained without being austere. Soft melting tannins, cranberry and cherry lead into a complex floral finish. The acidity already mentioned gives this red lots of lift and makes it friendly with a great many foods. Try it with roast duck with cranberry jus, juicy loin lamb chops, mushroom risotto or pasta Bolognese.

Patrice: ’06 Feudi di San Gregorio Campania Falanghina $11.99 Located in the Southern part of Italy, the history of wine making in Campania goes back to classical Roman times. Their modern winemaking history however did not really take off until the 1980s. Today one of the leading wine makers in the region is the estate of Feudi di San Gregorio. Established in 1986 in the village of Sorbo Serpico Feudi di San Gregorio was created as joint venture between the Ercolino and Capaldo families of Irpinia. The unique varietals indigenous to the Campania region have been a key focus for the winemakers over the last 20 years. To realize this vision Ercolino has worked closely with famed Italian enologist Riccardo Cotarella (…Falesco) with great success. The particularly delicious white varietals from the native grapes Fiano di Avellino, Greco di Tufo, and Falanghina are used to produce some of their most popular bottlings. Their Falanghina is considered by some to be one of the finest examples in the region. The 2006 Falanghina dei Feudi di San Gregorio is produced from 100% Falanghina from mature vines planted between 1985-1990. In the glass, the wine is the color of pale straw flecked with gold. The nose is deliciously fragrant and filled with tropical fruit and white blossoms. Intense and clean on the palate, this medium bodied wine has lush flavors of pineapple, banana and green apple laced with zesty citrus and minerals. Racy acidity keeps it bright and the finish is fresh and lingering. The 2006 Falanghina dei Feudi di San Gregorio is a terrific value and a wonderful accompaniment for seafood appetizers, sushi or a creamy risotto. Donald: ’06 Fuchs Sauvignon Blanc $13.99 In the 1920s, the Fuchs family moved from Germany and purchased one of the first vineyard sites in the Austrian province of Styria. The Fuchs family has been producing wine there for 3 generations and today grandsons Adolf and Heinrich Fuchs manage the winery and continue the tradition of producing high quality wines. They have also expanded the Fuchs family’s holdings and make great wine in the Podersdorf region, which is near the Neusiedlersee in the province of Burgenland. This Sauvignon Blanc is truly exceptional. Grown on sandy soils, it has a lovely straw hue and exhibits hints of Asian spices, lemon verbena, freshly cut grass and exotic tropical fruits. The palate carries a pretty note of citrus that wraps up a custard-like lemon verbena note and is backed by an elegant suggestion of sea coast infused minerality. The wine’s buoyant acidity contains a dramatic fruity element in a graceful, understated way and that gives this white an unexpected duality. Serve this with oysters on the half-shell, grilled fish, pan-seared skate, braised pork loin or pheasant. Matt: ’04 Kay Brothers Winery “Hillside” McLaren Vale Shiraz $23.97 Only a handful of Australian producers have over a hundred years of experience in wine production and the Kay Brothers Winery is a member of this prestigious group. Frederick and Herbert Kay founded their winery in 1890 in McLaren Vale 30 miles south of Adelaide. The Amery Vineyard, the cornerstone of the Kay Brothers Winery, was planted with Shiraz in 1891 and to this day those same vines produce the fruit used for the “Block 7” Shiraz. The 2004 “Hillside” is made from vines cut from the hundred year old gnarled vines of Block 7 and planted on a hillside that overlooks the Amery Vineyard. The first vintage of the Hillside Shiraz was 1997 and over the last eight vintages Colin Kay, the current owner, winemaker and Grandson of Herbert, has refined his skill in crafting a world class Shiraz at a reasonable price. The wine was aged in new American oak for 28 months and was bottled in July of 2006. This is still a young wine and should be decanted or allowed to open up in the glass for at least an hour. This Shiraz is drinking beautifully with a deep cherry red color that gives clues of its intense concentration. The nose has pronounced aromas of blackberry, dark chocolate, cigar and spice box, as well as a menthol note. As time passed the wine became more elegant, opening up and allowing for notes of earth, vanilla and kirsch to become apparent. Flavors of blackberry, chocolate and spice dominate the palate with great length. As the wine unfolds more spice and vanilla flavors are apparent. The wine has good acidity and ripe fine tannins, which makes it a great pairing for hearty meals. This is a great value for a Shiraz with all the big flavors and big body we have come to expect and an elegant side that is rare in Shiraz nowadays. Jessica: ’04 Stagecoach Vineyard “La Diligence” Napa Valley Syrah $31.97 French vintner Francois Villard, known for his Rhône wines, joined David Miner of Miner Family Vineyard in California to create this Napa Valley Syrah. Taking its fruit, as well as its name – “La Diligence” meaning “The Stagecoach” in French – from the Krupp family’s Stagecoach Vineyard, this wine presents a complex taste to match the vineyards complex history. Stagecoach Vineyard, one of the largest vineyards in California, boasts over 1200 acres of rocky, volcanic, well-drained soil. While this vast stretch of land between Atlas Peak and Oakville has been owned and planted by the Krupps since 1995, its excellent growing conditions were no mystery to settlers of the 1800s. The south and west-facing slopes throughout the area allow ample sunshine and warmth during the day with crisp, cool evenings, producing the highest-quality crops in the valley. Unfortunately for those reaping the benefits of this incredible soil, increased deer population as well as the Prohibition forced the number of crops to dwindle to zero by the mid 1900s and the area was abandoned. Reclaiming the land decades later, the Krupp family cleared out over 500,000 tons of rock and shrubbery to uncover what is now the fruit source of more than 40 wineries and vintners – including Francois Villard and David Miner who came together to make this wonderful Syrah. So dark that it’s nearly purple in color and with a nose of blackberries, vanilla, and black cherries, the wine is delightful with a pleasant, long finish full of soft crème de cassis, cherries, and white pepper. Medium to full-bodied with enough oakiness to compliment its bright acidity, this wine will pair well with an array of dishes – even surprisingly yummy with the tortillas and guacamole I nibbled while drinking it. Enjoy La Diligence now or cellar it for a few years – either way, it won’t disappoint.