Newsletter
October 15, 2015 – November 14, 2015
Star-shaped Fossils and Kimmeridgian Limestone
2013 L’Étoile (Château L’Étoile)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
2014 Chablis ‘Saint Claire’ (Jean-Marc Brocard)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
lemon curd, herbs and
minerals while taking on a deep yellow/gold color with a hint of nutty oxidation. The result is a rich, dry white wine that excels with foods from the Jura, especially the fabulous Chicken with morel mushrooms of the region. And of course the Comte cheese.
The Chablis from Jean-Marc Brocard takes a different approach. The grapes are from 30-year-old vines grown in Kimmeridgian limestone. Here stainless steel fermentation is used to prevent any oxidation and to give the wine the fresh, stony taste it absorbs from the soil. You might want to try this very crisp Chablis with a simple sautéed sole and a lightly dressed salad.
Gamayzing
2014 Savoie ‘Gamay’ (Domaine de L’Idylle)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
2014 Fleurie (Clos de la Roilette)
Sale Price $21.99 – $224.30 case of twelve
For a long time we thought that Gamay only came from the Beaujolais region, but with its recent rise in the esteem of wine travelers we now stock Gamay from the Loire and the Savoie as well. The 2014 Savoie Gamay from Domaine de L’Idylle is an eloquent discourse on freshness in a red wine. This has minty, strawberry, and raspberry aromas along with crunchy acidity. Easygoing and full of charm, this is a wine to have with charcuterie and cheese and a zesty salad.
The wines that have done the most to restore the reputation of Beaujolais have been the Cru wines. Ten townships have the right to label their wines on the rung above Beaujolais-Villages in the appellation system. This Fleurie from
Clos de la Roilette is one of the best wines of the entire Beaujolais. The Coudert family commands a special terroir on the border of Fleurie and Moulin-à-Vent. The 2014 has the charming aroma of wildly fruited Gamay plus the structure to age. Roast a chicken, sauté some greens, and dig into the deep richness of the Clos de la Roilette.
One’s a Blend, One’s a Syrah
2013 Côtes du Rhône (Clos du Mont Olivet)
Sale Price $12.99 – $132.50 case of twelve
2014 Côtes du Rhône (Saint Cosme)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
Even though Saint Cosme made their reputation in Gigondas, the owners have a fondness for the Syrah-based reds of the Northern Rhone. So it’s not that strange that their basic Côtes-du-Rhône is pure Syrah. The wine is sourced from two terroirs: one on red clay gives the wine its powerful tannic presence, the other on sandy limestone gives it a fruity finesse and minerality. The end result is a spicy, meaty wine with great structure, ready to take on hearty, spicy curries and strong cheeses.
Listed prices are honored through November 14th, 2015. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 39, No. 11
Making great Valpolicella in today’s Amarone and Ripasso wine market is a quixotic task. Yet the Castellani family of Ca’ La Bionda have made a conscious decision to use all the fresh Corvina, Corvinone, and Rondinella grapes from the Casal Vegri vineyard to make a Valpolicella Classico Superiore of the highest potential quality.
This means that they do not segregate the best bunches for Amarone (a common practice), nor do they use the Ripasso method of adding back the pressing of the Amarone. Another key to the quality is the southeast hillside exposure of the vineyard. The 2013, aged for 18 months in 3000-liter barrels, is a graceful, refined, completely dry red with a stamp of authenticity of vineyard site from a family with vision. Bravo!
Castellare makes stellar Chianti Classico in the natural setting of Southwest Tuscany that they have preserved since 1968. As dedicated to birds as they are to Sangiovese, they put a painting of a different bird on the label of each vintage. It stands to reason that they farm organically and produce a wine with excellent natural balance of ripe berry and cherry fruit along with spicy tannins. The 2013 is an especially good vintage for this iconic Castellina Chianti.
Earlier this year we offered the dry version of this wine, and now that fall is here we feel it is appropriate to offer the 2014 Demi Sec Vouvray from Domaine Le Capitaine. This is Chenin Blanc with a lovely balance of mildly sweet fruit and earthy, chalky dryness. This is an excellent vintage and a great value. Great with a fish chowder.
The Côtes de Bourg and the Côtes de Blaye on the east bank of the Gironde estuary are two of the oldest winemaking areas of Bordeaux. Both Bourg and Blaye are river ports that shipped their wine abroad before the Medoc was dredged and planted. Merlot is the dominant grape in the region, and the 2012 Laroche Joubert shows it off in glorious ripe fashion. The blend of 70% Merlot and 15% Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon achieves a wonderful balance of ripe plum fruit, mellow tannins, and an earthy dry finish. This is a delicious bistro-style Bordeaux, perfect for steak-frites and a slab of blue cheese.
We have three Savoie wines in this newsletter, which might be a first. If we are hearing our customers correctly many are requesting less heavy wines with lower alcohol levels, in which case the Savoie is well worth investigating. Apremont is a higher grade Cru of the Savoie, and this white is made from the Jacquère grape variety. It hits the scale at a modest 11.5%, but you would never know it from the wine’s sturdy presence on the palate. Apple fruit, ripe hay, and stony, flinty minerals contribute to this exquisitely balanced, serious alpine wine. Fondue? For sure, but try this intriguing white with crab cakes.
The once sleepy region of Bierzo is now one of Spain’s most fashionable DOs. The old Mencia vines of Castillo y Leon, now given luxurious care, are producing fruity, aromatic, and refreshing reds at very reasonable prices. The 2014 Pago de Valdoneje is made from grapes grown on 80-year-old vines and is deep with black cherry fruit and enticing minerality. Have this with a brothy stew of cabbage and chorizo.
The original owner of this Manzanilla producer so frequently used the slang word for cash (La Guita) when demanding payment that the name stuck, and for many years now they attach a string (La Guita) to every bottle. Today, this is Spain’s number-one selling Manzanilla, which is a lot of string. It’s remarkable that this is the only wine this Bodega produces. The sea salt-laced Atlantic breezes influence the wine in their two cellars. The old cellar, originally a hospital built in 1526 called Misericordia, houses 2,000 barrels, while the new cellar houses another 12,000. This means that the entire solera contains more than nine million bottles of wine. Given the quality of the wine, the scale is truly amazing. The current bottling, from July of this year, is incredibly fresh. This is a miraculous mix of sea, sun, and soil. Bracingly dry, lacy, and delicate, it also has a firm dry finish. Fabulous as an aperitif with almonds and olives. Even better with a squid or shrimp stir fry.
How underrated a sparkling wine is Cava? Just try this strikingly dry 2010 vintage wine from Juvé y Camps. Normally priced at $17.99, this will be $14.99 for the rest of the year. This is not a Champagne substitute but a fully dry, wonderfully aged Cava with full-blown flavor and gentle bubbles. Try this with spicy foods and sushi.
An interesting concept from Jasper Hill involving retailers and chefs in the innovation of new cheeses, Conundrum is the name allocated to any cheese that has not yet made it into their permanent collection. This incarnation of Conundrum started off as batch of Moses Sleeper, their basic brie. It has been washed in a special brine that included Eden Ice Cider lees, or spent yeast. Get this funky and fruity washed rind while we still have it! 
Certified organic raw cow’s milk blue cheese from Grey Barn in Martha’s Vineyard, who “have always felt compelled by our environment to make a blue, briny and streaked with the colors of the sea.” Crumbly, dry, and salty. Mild mannered and versatile.
2014 Toscana Rosso ‘Vivaio del Cavaliere’ (Castello La Leccia)
2012 Bordeaux Rouge (Château Tour St. Georges)
2013 Vinho Regional Lisboa (Castelo do Sulco)
When we have only one white wine of the month we want it to be a good one, but this is a terrific one. Les Sapins is a blend of Jacquère, Chasselas, and Altesse from France’s sub-alpine region. Crisp and very dry with surprising weight, this will match with almost anything.