Newsletter

October 15, 2014 – November 14, 2014

The Burgundy Grapes

In a few days summer will truly be over, and while there are several lovely whites inside this newsletter, it is time to think about red wine for long-braised stews and for help in using up all those tomatoes, zucchinis, and eggplants.

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Ier Cru Chalonnais
2012 Givry Ier Cru ‘Champ Nalot’ (Parize Père et Fils)
Sale Price $27.99 – $285.50 case of twelve
Château Coudray Montpensier Chinon The Givry wines from Parize are not to be underestimated. Burgundy’s southern growing area, the Côte Chalonnaise, succeeds with gutsy yet elegant Pinot Noirs. This 2012 from the Ier Cru Champ Nalot vineyard has a wild cherry aroma along with cracked black pepper spice, but the fine fruit is delicately woven around a structure of firm tannins.

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Maconnais
2012 Saint Veran ‘Les Deux Moulins’ (Louis Latour)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
Clos du Mont Olivet Côtes du RhôneThe ever-reliable Louis Latour, whose range of White Burgundies runs from basic Macon to Grand Cru Corton Charlemagne, has produced a 2012 Saint Veran that struck us as being a great value. Les Deux Moulins has a creamy, full-bodied texture which is not derived from oak but from the Chardonnay going through a complete malolactic fermentation. A rich fruity nose leads to a crisp dry finish along with a nicely weighted mid-palate. Have this with a broiled salmon or a roasted chicken.

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Côte de Beaune
2012 Savigny-les-Beaune (Chandon de Briailles)
Sale Price $44.99 – $485.90 case of twelve
Beaujolais l’AncienDomaine Chandon de Briailles is a modest superstar in the Côte de Beaune. They enthusiastically embraced organic viticulture, which led to their conversion to Biodynamic viticulture, which would mean nothing if the wines weren’t so brilliant. They have never been a fan of new oak barrels, which means their lovingly cared for grapes shine virtually unadorned. 2012 appears to be a high-ranking vintage for Chandon de Briailles. The small crop has led to higher prices, but in this case it is worth it. This basic Savigny-les-Beaune is not basic at all. It is sublime. Pristine cherry fruit and spicy, loamy forest scents feature in the amazing aromatics, and a ridiculously long, elegant finish completes the picture. This drinks beautifully now and will easily age well for five more years.

A.V.A. Eola-Amity Hills
2012 Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir ‘Temperance Hill
Vineyard’ (St. Innocent)
Sale Price $34.99 – $356.90 case of twelve
Principiano Barbera dAlba Oregon Pinot Noirs have come a long way in a very short period and St. Innocent has led the way, having been adept at locating the best vineyards and producing exceptional and ageworthy wines from them. The Temperance Hill Vineyard is a high-altitude, cool-climate site in the Eola-Amity Hills American Viticultural Area that yields firm and lively Pinot Noir with wonderful aromas, excellent fruit, finely etched tannins, and crisp finishes. The 2012 may be the best Temperance Hill we have had from St. Innocent, and it will age and improve for a decade. For now serve it with roast duck.

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Côte de Nuits
2010 Gevrey-Chambertin ‘Mes Favorites’ (Alain Burguet)
Sale Price $89.99 – $917.90 case of twelve
Torremoron Ribera del Duero Aside from the Grand Cru reds from Corton, the Côte de Beaune wines appear sunny and friendly when compared to the wines from the Côte de Nuits. Gevrey-Chambertin is a northerly Côtes de Nuits village with a reputation for Pinot Noir that is so tough-as-nails that the wine sometimes truly tastes like nails. Gevrey-Chambertin should be a meaty, iron-like wine that becomes elegant with age. Alain Burguet’s 2010 old vine cuvée ‘Mes Favorites’ is achieving this already. It is rich in spicy fruit with a gentle oak and tannin mélange plus an expansive earthy, minerally finish. Yes the price is formidable, but this is an authentic old-vine Gevrey-Chambertin from a great vintage that outperforms many of its more expensive Premier Cru peers. Plus you can drink it now or age it for another five years.

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Cru Beaujolais
2012 Chiroubles ‘Côte Rotie’ (Domaine Metrat)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Campi Nuovi Montecucco RossoChiroubles is usually referred to as one of the lighter of the ten Cru Beaujolais, but Domaine Metrat’s single vineyard ‘Côte Rotie’ yields a richer Gamay loaded with spice and minerals. The 2012 has gorgeous aromatics of ripe berry fruit, gripping tannins, and a deep, long finish. This is a fine match with a coq au vin or a boeuf bourguignon.

Listed prices are honored through November 14th, 2014. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 38, No. 11

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Colterenzio Pinot BiancoMerlot Montagne
2012 Montagne-Saint-Émilion
(Château Rocher-Calon)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
The Saint-Émilion districts produce amazingly good values. This area gave the world Merlot and here is where it truly thrives. The 2012 Rocher-Calon from Montagne-Saint-Émilion is loaded with ripe plummy fruit and smooth tannins.

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Savoyard Royalty
2013 Roussette de Savoie (Eugène Carrel & Fils)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
Les Houx Muscadet Sèvre et MaineRoussette de Savoie, also called Altesse, is considered to be the Savoie’s finest white grape. The 2013 from Carrel bears this out with its lively aromas and wonderful mix of fruit and floral flavors. It is natural to recommend this with fondue, but it would be equally good with delicate fish dishes.

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Pure Umbrian Sangiovese
2012 Sangiovese (Falesco)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
Les Houx Muscadet Sèvre et MaineThe Falesco winery makes some of Italy’s best values. They manage to blend the traditional and the modern to deliver wines of fine fruit and lovely balance. The 2012 Sangiovese has deliciously chewy cherry fruit with a good amount of spice and grip. Have this with all manner of pizza and pasta.

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Umbria, the Center of Italy
2011 Montefalco Rosso (Perticaia)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Les Houx Muscadet Sèvre et MaineA visit last April to Perticaia was an enlightening experience. First we were introduced to Trebbiano Spoletino, their redis-covered and wonderful white. Then we were pleased to taste their line of ever-improving red wines. These range from a young fruity Umbria Rosso, to their deep and ageworthy Sagrantino. In the middle range we were extremely pleased with their Montefalco Rosso, a blend of Sangiovese and Sagrantino. The 2011 is a warm, ripe, spicy wine with an impeccable balance of fruit and tannins. Have this with a bowl of warm white beans drizzled with the finest olive oil you can afford.

Charming Bardolino
2013 Bardolino (Le Fraghe)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
Marsuret Superiore Brut ProseccoMatilda Poggi makes wines that are her equal in charm, but we would affirm that she is completely serious about her organic Bardolinos. We have enjoyed her Chiaretto and her Brol Grande Classico, and now we have found our way to her joyous raspberry and violet scented entry-level Bardolino. It has a bit more weight than one expects from Bardolino and shows its great breed in a long, elegant finish. This is a red wine that will match well with fish and risotto.

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Free Run Albariño
Willamette Valley Montinore Estate Pinot Gris 2013 Rías Baixas Albariño ‘Etiqueta Ambar’ (Granbazan)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Granbazan is an Albariño-only winery that makes three different wines. Our favorite is their Ambar, made from the free-run juice of their finest grapes. This results in a crisp, fresh, fruity, and floral dry white with an interesting smoky aroma. A great wine for seared scallops.

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Chianti Classico At the Ready
2010 Chianti Classico (Castello di Bossi)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
Seghesio Barolo There certainly are some great Chianti Classico Riservas, but you need to invest time and space to experience them properly. For everyday enjoyment a Chianti Classico normale is usually within reach. The 2010 from Castello di Bossi is a lovely Sangiovese with the classic combination of sandalwood aromas and cherry fruit along with Chianti’s pleasant, slightly bitter bite on the finish. This is perfect for an eggplant parmigiana.

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What Goes With Dolcetto?
2013 Dolcetto d’Alba (M. Marengo)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
Seghesio Barolo There certainly are some great Chianti Classico Riservas, but you need to invest time and space to experience them properly. For everyday enjoyment a Chianti Classico normale is usually within reach. The 2010 from Castello di Bossi is a lovely Sangiovese with the classic combination of sandalwood aromas and cherry fruit along with Chianti’s pleasant, slightly bitter bite on the finish. This is perfect for an eggplant parmigiana.

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Tinto Fino = Tempranillo
2010 Ribera del Duero (Antidoto)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
Colterenzio Pinot BiancoIn the Ribera del Duero they call the Tempranillo grape variety Tinto Fino. This type of Tempranillo has adapted to the higher-elevation climate of hotter days and cooler nights. The resulting reds are both more powerful and zestier than a comparable Rioja. Our new find is the Antidoto from the excellent 2010 vintage. This wine spends a year in oak and then undergoes some bottle age, giving it full-throttle aromatics and spicy, dense fruit. This will be a fine match with a roast leg of lamb.

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Legendary Barolo
2010 Barolo ‘Castiglione’ (Vietti)
Sale Price $49.99 – $509.90 case of twelve
Les Houx Muscadet Sèvre et MaineFor those who love Barolo, Vietti is a well known commodity, but 2010 might be a legend among Vietti’s vintages. This vintage featured a long, cool growing season that was nearly perfect for the Nebbiolo. The ‘Castiglione’ is a blend of several vineyards which could have stood on their own in 2010, but Vietti needed to have an accessible Barolo on the market. This energetic, full-flavored mix of rose-petal aromas, ripe berry fruit, and meltingly tender tannins will take a few years to reach its peak, but with some time in a decanter is an immensely enjoyable Barolo now. We also have some of Vietti’s single vineyard Barolos: Lazzarito, Brunate, Rocche. Please Inquire.

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Everett meets Brussels
Belgian Inspired Pale Ale ‘Pandora’ (Idle Hands Craft Ales)
Sale Price $6.99 – $78.99 case of twelve
Frog’s Leap Rutherford Sauvignon BlancBeer has exploded here at the Wine Cask and we don’t mind one bit. So many great local beers pass through so quickly it’s impossible to market them all. But Idle Hands Craft Ales in Everett has come through with a delicious Belgian Inspired Pale Ale that takes an American Pale Ale style and ferments it with their Belgian yeast strain. The result is a not-too-heavy 6% ABV with a fine mix of fruity and sour flavors plus ever-present hoppiness

Specialty Foods

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Boggy Meadow Farm Fiddlehead Tomme $19.99 per lb.   (Regular price $22.99)
Creminelli Calabrese Salami A natural brushed-rind cheese made with raw milk and cave aged for over six months at Boggy Meadow Farm in Walpole, New Hampshire, makers of fine alpine-style cheeses. A family-owned farm for centuries with a dairy for as long as anyone can remember, they have started making cheese in more recent years. Fiddlehead Tomme is semi-hard and grassy, reminiscent of a Tomme De Savoie but with a bit more age.

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Prairie Breeze $13.99 per lb. 
(Regular price $14.99)

One of our most popular cheddars and something a little different! Dry and crumbly with a surprising sweetness, a tangy punch, and the ever-welcome calcium crystal crunch. Created by the Musser Family at Milton Creamery, Iowa, the cheese is aged a minimum of nine months, made with vegetarian rennet and pasteurized milk from Amish dairy farms with only small herd cows (less than 30) that are not given artificial growth hormones.

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Twin Maple Farm Hudson RedFlory’s Truckle $19.99 per lb. 
(Reg. price $21.99)

Truckle refers to the cylinder shape in which old world cheddars were traditionally formed. This truckle-shaped cheese is wrapped in cloth and left outside to dry for ten days, then coated with lard and aged twelve months. The use of cloth instead of plastic allows it to breathe and yields a nice crumbly and dry texture. A collaboration between Milton Creamery and the Flory Family of Jamesport, Missouri. Made with raw jersey cow’s milk.

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Ford Farm Wookey Hole Cave Aged Cheddar $12.99 per lb.
(Reg. price $13.99)

This full-bodied farmhouse cheddar from Ford Farm in Dorset, England is wrapped in cloth and aged in the celebrated Wookey Hole caves in Somerset for up to six months. The ancient art of maturing cheese in caves results in an earthy flavor with a creamy yet crumbly texture. Made with pasteurized cow’s milk and vegetarian rennet.

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Wines of the Month — September 14, 2014 through October 14, 2014

Le Paradou Grenache

2012 Grenache (Le Paradou)
Sale Price $8.99 – $97.09 case of twelve
This southern French Grenache is packed with ripe plummy fruit and zesty balancing crispness. Have this with a spicy stuffed eggplant.

 

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Torres Rueda Verdeo 2013 Rueda ‘Verdeo’ (Torres)
Sale Price $9.99 – $107.89 case of twelve
This Spanish white is freshness personified with its green plum aroma and lively, grassy finish. A great white for late season pesto and chicken.


Carro Mediterranean blend

2012 Yecla (Carro)
Sale Price $9.99 – $107.89 case of twelve
This four-grape Mediterranean blend is hefty and rich in fruit, savory and dry in finish. A terrific match with ribs and beans.
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Mâcon-Villages Cave de Lugny La Côte Blanche Chardonnay2013 Mâcon-Villages ‘La Côte Blanche’ (Cave de Lugny)
Sale Price $8.99 – $97.09 case of twelve
As always the ‘Cave de Lugny’ is the value leader in Mâcon. The 2013 is dry, with subtle fruit and a crisp finish. Elementary Chardonnay.