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November Staff Picks
Bodegas Ismael Arroyo is located in the northeastern part of Ribera del Duero in the town of Sotillo de la Duero and their wines are among the most long lived of the appellation. At a recent vertical tasting of their top line of wines, the “ValSotillo” line, the Gran Reserva 1986 was the wine of the night for most of the attendees, with the 1990 not far behind. Put another way these wines are better and better the older they get. While the very best fruit goes into their Reservas and Gran Reservas, from vineyards up to 90 years old, their Crianza is up there in quality with many producers Reservas at a fraction of the cost.
From the great 2004 vintage, this regal Crianza shows a beautiful balance of pure fruit, elegance and restrained power. The nose displays rich blackberry scents with notes of cherry pie, smoke, cassis, game and integrated vanilla tones. The attack is firm and refined offering loads of black cherry and blackberry flavors with creamy spiced vanilla nuances. It is ample across the palate and held upright by an outstanding line of seamlessly integrated acidity that is backed by ripe, polished tannins. This wine is extremely long and beautifully proportioned. It carries an august bearing rare for a wine at this price, making it one of the most royal Crianzas you are likely to find.
The Zeltinger Schlossberg vineyard is located on south-facing slopes in the middle Mosel. It counts as its neighbors other greats like the Wehlener Sonnenhur and Graacher Himmelreich vineyards, and as Selbach-Oster has proven, makes wines that stand toe to toe with these.
This wine is extremely pure, with great transparency and harmony. On the nose apricot scents mingle with bergamot oil, moss, and lightly smoky slate, plus a hint of dried green herbs. The palate shows beautifully clean and well defined fruit. Flavors of apricot and apple jelly infused with powdered stone are omnipresent, interlaced with light smoke tones and autumn leaves. There is a great stony persistence running through the duration of the wine, and on the very long finish the stone tones emerge even more. Drink this elegant and vibrant wine with boiled sausages with spatzel, pork or veal schnitzel with red cabbage, or smoked pork with a touch of cream sauce. It also works particularly well with Thai curries or Szechuan cuisine.
Brandy:
A recognized authority on biodynamic, organic, and sustainable winemaking, the Boisset Family had been using eco-friendly practices in their estate vineyards in Burgundy for many years. They work alongside Greg LaFollette, the current winemaker at DeLoach Vineyards. Showing their dedication to the environment, they tore up award-winning, highly-lauded vineyards after the 2004 vintage and replanted with cover crops designed to revitalize the soil. New vines were planted in 2006 and the first vintage grown with biodynamic farming techniques will be the 2010 vintage. DeLoach recently earned official organic certification by the California Certified Organic Farmers in response to all of their efforts.
The 2007 Pinot Noir, DeLoach’s entry level offering, is made from mostly Russian River fruit. Deep ruby in color, in the glass you will find ripe berries, spice, and a touch of eucalyptus on the nose. It offers a mouthful of juicy and supple dark cherry and cranberry fruits complemented by notes of smoke and black pepper. An easy to love wine, it’s a great value and would be excellent with a day after Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing sandwich.
TThe 2007 Bailly “Les Loges” is a richly perfumed wine with a seductive nose of honeysuckle and tropical fruit revealing from the start that this is not an austere herbaceous Sauvignon Blanc. On the palate the wine is fruit forward with flavors of figs, nectarines and peaches kept fresh by notes of citrus peel and nuances of minerals. The wine also displays ample acidity making it crisp and bright. The finish is delicate but lingering. This classic Loire Sauvignon will easily set the stage for a perfect fall evening relaxing in front of a warm fire….even better with cheese fondue and crusty French bread.
A blend of 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 15% Cinsault. Deep ruby in the glass with violet highlights around the rim. The nose is an enticing array of ripe black fruit scents of plum, cherry and cassis that are backed by deep inflections of dried orange peel, smoked meats, bacon fat, violet, and an ample dusting of dried herbs that lend themselves nicely to the aromas of sun-baked stones. The palate is a superbly vibrant and invigorating expression of the Southern Rhône with ample flavors of black cherry, blood orange pulp, plum, candied violet, creamy cassis and wild blackberry carried along with a note of bramble and the slightest suggestion of oak. The tannins on the finish are super-fine and perfectly melded to the wine’s moderate acidity.
“Bright red. Wonderfully complex and seductive bouquet of strawberry, dark cherry, garrigue and baking spices. Supple red and dark berry flavors are gently supported by soft acidity, finishing with building power and lightly chewy tannins. Shuts down with air, but not before revealing very serious material. This should turn out to be outstanding.” 91+ IWC
Celine Pascale has recently taken on the winemaker's role at Le Galantin, succeeding her father, Achille. Her '05 Le Galantin Bandol Rouge is a blend of 95% Mourvèdre and 5% Old-Vine Grenache, all grown organically. Only 4000 cases are produced annually. The wine sees 18-24 months in large, old-French oak barrels before release.
Bandols is full-fleshed, sturdy wine known for its aging potential. So, when I saw the '05 vintage date on the bottle of Le Galantin I expected the wine I was about to drink would need some time in cellar. And while a few years in cellar might reward the patient consumer, this wine is rich, luscious and remarkably approachable right now. A whiff of barnyard, leather, coffee, blueberries and blackberries appear on the nose. Those same dark berries reappear on the palate alongside notes of coffee and dark chocolate, all framed by very good acidity
and firm, round tannins.
As winter approaches, reach for the Le Galantin Bandol Rouge, decant, and pair with hearty beef or lamb stews, aged beef, Mediterranean-spiced lamb patties and, as the PJ's staff found out recently on a late night outing, lightly spicy and aromatic Ethiopian cuisine.
Golden-hued tones in the glass with a supple and pure viscosity—this medium-bodied wine is a superlative expression of Garganega. Blossoming white flowers, fine melon and citrus scents dominate the nose. The palate is a delicate, yet decadent expression of golden apple and Anjou pear with notes of ripe lemon and banana cream pie. Warm almond flavors round out the elegant palate that is lined with stony mineral undertones. This is a bright white wine with ripe, fruity components, refreshing acidity and lingering notes of honey. Serve with bay scallops, crab, quiche or creamy pasta dishes.
Justin:
’04 Bodegas Ismael Arroyo “ValSotillo” Ribera del Duero Crianza $25.99
This outstanding crianza marks the return of top Ribera del Duero producer Bodegas Ismael Arroyo to the US marketplace. it was founded in 1979 by Ismael Arroyo and was one of the pioneer producers that helped get the region DO appellation status in 1982. However, the Arroyo family has been making wine in the same town for over 400 years and has received awards for the quality of their wines going back to 1902. 
Dan:
’07 Selbach-Oster Zeltinger Schlossberg “Schmitt” Mosel Riesling Spätlese $31.99
Johannes Selbach makes wonderful Riesling, working from a tradition that his family began in 1661. Among his wines, his Zeltinger Schlossberg "Schmitt" tends to be one of the highest expressions. "Schmitt" is the name of a select parcel in the Schlossberg, and as such this wine expresses a distinct terroir, characterized by smoky slate and delicate dried herbs/grass notes.
’07 De Loach Pinot Noir $12.99
Located in Sonoma County’s Russian River Valley, DeLoach Vineyards pioneered Pinot Noir wine growing in the area. In 1973 the vineyard was founded by Cecil DeLoach, a firefighter from San Francisco with a passion for winemaking. In 2003 DeLoach Vineyards was purchased by Jean-Charles Boisset, a winemaker from Burgundy, fell in love with the Russian River Valley on his first visit to the area. He immediately recognized the similarities between Sonoma County and Burgundy: each boasts a confluence of river, mountains, and soil that is perfect for growing world-class Pinot Noir.
Patrice:
’07 Michel Bailly “Les Loges” Pouilly Fume $18.99
Vines grown on the limestone hills overlooking the Loire River produce this lovely fragrant wine. These slopes called “Les Loges” are credited with creating some of the finest expressions of Sauvignon Blanc in the Loire Valley. A perennial favorite from the area is Pouilly Fume. Made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc, Pouilly Fume is often a weightier, richer version of its sister wine “Sancerre” located across the river.
Donald:
’05 Cayron Gigondas Grenache Blend $22.99
Michel Faraud works very hard in the vineyard, restricting his yields and always harvesting his vines at their maximum ripeness. The wine then rests in old wood for a year before it is bottled. Michel Faraud doesn’t fine or filter his Gigondas and the massive amounts of ripe black fruit flavors found in his wine are always tempered by a profoundly complex expression of the terroir. Domaine du Cayron was one of the very first French wines that I fell in love with when I began selling wine in the early nineties and it is truly an honor to be sharing my enthusiasm for Domaine du Cayron as Michel Faraud consistently brings a great deal of integrity to the table.
Brian:
’05 Le Galantin Bandol Rouge $18.99
In the tiny Provençale appellation of Bandol, the steep, terraced vineyards of Le Galantin lay overlooking the Mediterranean, as vineyards have since being planted by the Phocaean Greeks circa 600 BCE. Bandol, and its soil of clay and sand, produces some of the finest Mourvèdre-based wine in the world.
Jose:
’07 Gini Italian Other, Soave Classico $14.99
The Gini family has deep roots in Soave that date all the way back to the eighteenth century. Olinto Gini and his sons Sandro and Claudio are passionate and talented advocates of the potential that exists in Soave. The Gini sons work with extremely low yields, they apply no chemicals to their vines and are obsessively devoted to crafting as pure an expression of Garganega every vintage. They follow strict attention to detail in the vineyards and winery and all of their fruit is hand-harvested. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks. The wine remains on its lees in steel tanks for six months before bottling, lending dramatic richness and eye opening complexity to this often maligned and underappreciated white. No Gini isn’t your parent’s Soave, not by a long shot!
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