Newsletter

August 15, 2016 – September 14, 2016

Beaujolais and Bordeaux

For a time the Beaujolais region was most famous for its November shipment of Nouveau. Unfortunately, for a majority of wine drinkers Nouveau became the only Beaujolais, and this harmed the wine’s reputation. Today Beaujolais is on the rise. A charming ready-to-drink Beaujolais Villages is always at hand as are the more serious Cru Beaujolais.
And, of course Bordeaux will always be Bordeaux.

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Villages
2014 Beaujolais-Villages (Stéphane Aviron)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
Bruna Riviera Ligure di Ponente RosseseThe Beaujolais-Villages from Stéphane Aviron is a ridiculously good value. This is not a banana bubble gum, carbonic style Gamay. Instead it is made in the Burgundian method by pressing and extracting color and tannin. The result is a red with crisp raspberry fruit and a spicy, peppery finish. A light chill will bring out surprising complexity.

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Fleurie
2015 Fleurie (Clos de la Roilette)
Sale Price $21.99 – $224.30 case of twelve
Le Fraghe ardolino Classico Brol GrandeWhile this is one of the finest wines of the Cru Fleurie, it is not a typical Fleurie. The original owner considered his vineyard to be in the Cru Moulin-à-Vent, and when it was instead transferred into the newly created Fleurie appellation he protested by putting a picture of his favorite racehorse Roilette on the label. Eventually he relented and put Fleurie on the label, albeit in smaller letters. The longtime current owners faithfully farm the single vineyard Clos de la Roilette to an exacting degree. The old vines burrow into a rare clay and manganese soil, extracting a fine minerality in addition to producing the deep berry fruit. The 2015 is a terrific Beaujolais that will age and improve for the next five years.

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Straight Rouge
2012 Bordeaux Supérieur (Château Gentillot)
Sale Price $9.99 – $101.90 case of twelve
Oddero Barbera d’AlbaFor those who think that good Bordeaux is unaffordable, we have three gently priced, enjoyable examples this month. The 2012 Gentillot is a solid, silky, aromatic red with pronounced berry fruit. And for ten dollars it’s a steal.

Bourg-anic!
Clos de la Lysardière Chinon2014 Côtes de Bourg (Château Tertre-Samonac)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
The Côtes de Bourg cannot be called touristic, but its hilly geography makes it more scenic than many of the other appellations of Bordeaux. Tertre-Samonac is an organic producer whose 2014 is a vibrant Merlot-based red with a flavorful hint of rosemary.

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Morgon
2015 Morgon (M. et C. Lapierre)
Sale Price $29.99 – $305.90 case of twelve
Fronton de Oro Gran Canaria TintoLapierre Morgon sets an incredibly high standard for Cru Beaujolais. Marcel Lapierre was an early proponent of the natural wine movement, which in essence was a return to the old ways of making Beaujolais. He eliminated chemicals in the vineyard, allowed natural yeasts to ferment the wine, and used few or no sulfites. These practices, along with their 60-year-old vines, give a stunning purity of fruit like no other Morgon. Marcel passed away in 2010 and was succeeded by his son Mathieu. Now Mathieu has partnered with his sister Camille and the Lapierre label has changed for the first time in many vintages to show ‘M. et C. Lapierre.’ The 2015 is another great Lapierre Morgon.

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Montagne
2011 Montagne Saint-Emilion (Château de Beaulieu)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
Colterenzio Kalterer SeeCork closures get a bad rap these days, but when we pulled the cork on this wine we were impressed. Chateau de Beaulieu uses a pricy full length cork for a modestly priced Montagne St.-Emilion. Of course it is the wine beneath the cork that counts and the expense for this 2011 is thoroughly justified. This is a wonderfully smooth, mature wine near its peak of drinking. Its gentle, minty fruit, ripe soft tannins, and mellow, dry finish remind us of the good old days of good old Bordeaux.

Listed prices are honored through September 14th, 2016. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 40, No. 9

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Katz’s Meow
2012 Sommeracher Katzenkopf Riesling Kabinett Trocken (Winzer Sommerach)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Olga Raffault Chinon RoséThis lovely dry Riesling from the oldest wine cooperative in Franconia, Germany smells and tastes of crushed apples on wet limestone with a current of bitter apple peel coursing through to keep its juiciness focused. This is one of those wines you keep slurping since it’s so drinkable and delicious, and then before you know it, it’s almost gone. Sourced from the most renowned vineyard in Sommerach, Katzenkopf (‘cat’s head’), this Riesling is still bottled in the traditional but increasingly rare bocksbeutel (think Mateus bottle). From a retail perspective the bocksbeutel is a pain to stock on shelves designed for the standard bottle shape. So the wine it contains must be exceptional enough to justify the tricky logistics of retail display. We were happy to snatch up the last seven cases of this vintage. So if you’re intrigued, it’s best to rush over for a bottle as it will certainly sell out soon.

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Müller-Thurgau and Pinot Nero
2015 Müller-Thurgau (Colterenzio)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
2015 Pinot Nero (Colterenzio)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
Domaine Le Novi Luberon Blanc Terre de SafresCooperative wineries in the Alto Adige produce an amazing array of wines. Colterenzio gave us our last month’s fascinating Kalterer See, this month’s intriguing white hybrid Müller-Thurgau, and a (more exotic than it sounds) Blauburgunder. Actually it’s Pinot Nero/Noir. The encyclopedic tome Wine Grapes starts its chapter on Müller-Thurgau by humorously describing it as a “Prolific German invader of the world’s vineyards, producing soft, semi-aromatic whites in over-abundance.” Then it speculates about its parentage. Only later do the authors concede that “it is in the Alto Adige that the variety produces its most impressive results, particularly from old vines on steep, stony sites.” This ripe and delicious 2015 M-T is a crisp and rich dry white with lively peach and apricot fruit and a clean mountain stream-like finish. Try this long, flavorful white with a seafood risotto. Domaine Le Novi Luberon Blanc Terre de SafresWe’re pretty sure that Müller-Thurgau is not paying the bills at Colterenzio and it sure isn’t at the Wine Cask, so we must also promote a more commercial varietal wine. For a couple of vintages we have been extremely fond of this Pinot Nero. The 2015 is all about its forward berry fruit, soft, ripe medium body, and long spicy finish.

Verdicchio
2015 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi (Buscareto)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
Château
        de Lussac Lussac Saint Émilion Cuvée BellevueFrom Angelica to Verdone with 24 other synonyms in between, the prolifically named Verdicchio, an extremely widespread and very old variety, has made its most significant contribution to wine in Italy’s Le Marche region. Conte di Buscareto’s 2015 is a mouthwateringly brisk dry white with zesty, lemony fruit and a slightly bitter, almond-like finish. A terrific white for halibut and green beans.

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Très Vieilles Vignes
2015 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine ‘Clos des Briords’ (Domaine de la Pépière)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
Château
        de Lussac Lussac Saint Émilion Cuvée BellevueThe Melon de Bourgogne vines in the Clos des Briords vineyard are more than eighty years old, and the always impressive wine that Marc Ollivier and crew make from it shows their reverence. While this wine is delicious now for its snappy fruit and crisp minerality, it has proven to age and improve over a ten year span. Jon Bonné wrote in the latest issue of Wine and Spirits that “For at least a decade, Marc Ollivier’s Clos des Briords has been my frequent stand-in for grand cru Chablis.” That is high praise for a wine priced cheaper than village level Chablis.

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Dolcetto
2015 Dolcetto d’Alba (Oddero)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
Leonardo Bussoletti Umbria Grechetto Colle OzioAt VinItaly this past April we had a lovely tasting with the Oddero family. After tasting one Langhe Bianco, two Barberas, one Langhe Nebbiolo, one Barbaresco, and five Barolos we thought we were finished, but we had to ask “Doesn’t Oddero make a Dolcetto?” Yes, they do, but they had forgotten to pour it. So after the toughest Barolo came the softest Dolcetto. The 2015 did not taste out of place. It had a gorgeous garnet color and amazing fruit. Isabella Oddero said that the 2015 Dolcetto harvest produced ‘the most amazing Dolcetto grapes I’ve ever seen.’ Glad we didn’t miss it.

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The Last Rosé of Summer
2015 Chinon Rosé (Bernard Baudry)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Domaine Le Capitaine Vouvray Les AumonesThe Baudrys could probably make delicious wine from any variety of grape, but we sure are glad that they are in Chinon and grow Cabernet Franc. A good start is their rosé, which is one of the latest to arrive each year. Because they do a natural yeast fermentation and want their rosé to be totally dry, it sometimes takes longer. The 2015 is rich and dry, with chalky and gravelly flavor embedded in the strawberry fruit. Have this deep, dry wine with a grilled swordfish.


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Young López
2007 Rioja Crianza ‘Viña Cubillo’ (R. López de Heredia)
Sale Price $27.99 – $285.50 of twelve
La Tosa Gutturnio Superiore TerredellaTosaR. López de Heredia are ultra-traditionalists in Rioja in that they age their wines in barrel and bottle much longer than required. So the current vintage of Cubillo, their youngest red, is the 2007 vintage. The blend of Tempranillo (65%), Garnacho (25%), Graciano, and Mazuelo is grown organically in their own vineyards. Much of the fruit in this lovely, mature Rioja has been transformed into a delicious mix of meaty, spicy, earthy, and smoky flavors. We think that this red is best served with grilled meats and a fine Manchego. And yes, that is how they spell Garnacha. To a few producers in Rioja it’s a manly grape: Garnacho.

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Borbón Street
Manzanilla Fina (Orleans Borbón)
Sale Price $8.99 per 375ml– $97.09 case of twelve
Cloumage cheeseThe Manzanilla from Infantes de Orleans Borbón exudes the saline, tangy dry charm that hooks people on fino sherry. Its freshness is immediately captivating and its bracing briny finish begs for another sip. A whiff of sea breeze and bread combined with savory notes of toasted almonds and lemons provide a textbook example of how a wine speaks of a place, in this case Sanlúcar de Barrameda on the Andalusian coast. This Manzanilla was born near the sea, sourced from a single vineyard parcel or pago (a rarity for Manzanilla) that is the closest in Sanlúcar to the ocean. At the bodega where the sherry is aged, one only needs to dig six feet past the foundation before hitting seawater. The winds coming off the Atlantic ocean feed the flor (yeast layer) under which this Manzanilla ages for an impressive five years, considerably longer than the usual two. Unsurprisingly the result is a very special sherry that until three years ago was available only to the Spanish Royal Family. Along with the classic accompaniments of cheese, olives, and nuts, try this chilled with sushi or crudo, fried foods, or any vinegar-based dish. Because this Manzanilla is so affordable, it’s the perfect sherry to play with in mixed drinks. For inspiration we asked Paul Manzelli, the esteemed bar manager of Bergamot, to create a cocktail with it. For a video of him making his aptly named Sunset at Sanlúcar, visit our Facebook page. Or watch him and his colleagues concoct it in real life at Bergamot, where it will be on the drinks menu for a period of time. 

Specialty Foods

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Sea Change $19.99 per lb.
(Regular price $21.99)

Cloumage cheeseNamed after a passage in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Sea Change is a stracchino-style cheese, silky in texture, with fruity, meaty, and yeasty flavors. Recently redone in a larger four-pound square format and given a light wash. From The Mystic Cheese Company in Connecticut.

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Sweet Rowen Farmstead Storm and Mountain Ash $23.99 per lb.
(Regular price $25.99)

Cloumage cheeseSweet Rowen Farmstead, a family owned and operated dairy farm in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, started selling milk in 2011, opening their own creamery in 2012. Storm is a soft-ripened bloomy rind cow’s milk cheese, somewhere between a brie and a camembert, soft, buttery, and tangy. Mountain Ash is made in the same style as Storm then lightly dusted with a layer of fine ash for an added piquant flavor.

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Garrotxa $16.99 per lb.
(Regular price $18.99)

Cloumage cheeseProduced in the Garrotxa area of Catalonia in Northeastern Spain, these rustic little wheels are covered in a velvety grey mold (not to be eaten), which adds a woodsy aroma. The paste is ivory white and semi-firm. Mild earthy flavors mingle with the tanginess of goat’s milk and just a hint of hazelnuts.

The Summer Quarterly Sale of the Year begins Friday August 26th and runs through Monday September 5th.
Details: 10% off six bottles; 20% off twelve bottles. Wines of the Month (back page), fortified wines (Port, Sherry, Vermouth, etc.) and sparkling wines may be included for a 10% discount. Blue tagged (NET) wines and jug wines (1.5L and 3L) are excluded.


Paul and Ingredients

Sunset at Sanlúcar 
Paul Manzelli

Recipe

3/4 oz. Manzanilla sherry
3/4 oz. Benedictine
3/4 oz. Beefeater London Dry Gin
3/4 oz. lemon juice
1 barspoon Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur
Shake all ingredients and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. No garnish.

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Wines of the Month — August 15, 2016 through September 14, 2016

Le Grand St-Vincent Touraine Sauvignon 2015 Bianco Stradalta (Villa San Martino)
Sale Price $7.99 – $86.29 case of twelve
Bianco Stradalta is made mainly from the Friulano grape in Northeast Italy’s Venezia Giulia region. The 2015 is impressively concentrated, with fresh pear fruit and a crisp, lively finish.

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Château Grand Rousseau Bordeaux Rouge2015 Côtes du Rhône (Légende des Toques)
Sale Price $8.99 – $97.09 case of twelve
This equal-parts blend of Grenache and Syrah captures the intensity of the Mediterranean sun with its big fruit and peppery tannins.


Gorgo Custoza2015 Empordá Blanca (Espelt)
Sale Price $8.99 – $97.09 case of twelve
Empordá is a small denominacio in northeast Catalonia that mainly grows the two Garnachas. The 2015 white is strong and dry with herbal aromas and flavors of ripe stone fruits. Perfect for spicy foods.

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Casa alle Vacche  Vernaccia di San Gimignano2014 Toscana Rosso ‘Monna Nera’ (Capezzana)
Sale Price $9.99 – $107.89 case of twelve
This estate bottled Sangiovese is a delicious, balanced Tuscan red. Great with mushrooms and polenta.