Radical Wines for this Weekend
I received numerous requests after yesterday’s blog was posted asking me to expand upon some of the wines that we had tasted this last week. I came in early this morning, two cups of coffee and a mind filled with tasting notes, and so here’s the expanded list: – do remember that we typically search for those small little wineries that have limited production and even more limited inventory on the East Coast. So if anything jumps out at you and bites let me know so that we can put the wines aside for you.
Ofelia Brunello di Montalcino 2005 $42.00
I recently hosted the Passport to Food and Wine Tasting at the Scarsdale Golf Club and one of my importers brought along a little ringer for members to taste. The wine was a Brunello di Montalcino from Ofelia. I had no idea of the price, nor had I ever seen the wine before, nor tasted it. When I was informed that it had just arrived I was skeptical – wines have a tendency to appear ‘bottle shocked’ after being cooped up at sea for two weeks. But there was nothing wrong with this little gem. And the price! This has to be one of the least expensive, serious Brunello’s I have seen this side of 10 years. The wine has a deep garnet color, tinged with ruby-rust along the edges. Bouquet was of smoked, toasted oak, baked figs and plum jam. Om the palate there was a delicious hint of acidity which cut through the globs of sweet black cherries and fruit. Balance was impeccable; flavors were longer lasting than I could ever have hoped for in a Brunello less than $75.00, and with rich tannins still in the bottle, this is a wine that has lasting power. Loved this wine. (NPR – no parker rating…whoohoo)
Bishops peak Chardonnay 2009 $18.00
The name Talley Vineyard is synonymous with the history of great wine making in Southern California. It began in 1948 when Oliver Talley started farming premium fruits and vegetables. Since then Don Talley, the son, first planted vines on the steep slopes above the farm in 1982 and then watched and waited for the vines to mature. Beginning in 1986 he began production of their first chardonnay and over the years the Talley Vineyard wines have become legendary. A little know fact is that Don expanded the crush facility to incorporate grapes grown by immigrant farmers along the Arroyo Grande Valley. He also (with the help of Brian and Johnine Talley) started a charity that raises funds to provide grants for the agricultural workers without whom we would not be drinking Californian wines or eating West Coast fruits and vegetables. The expanded crush facility produces the Bishops Peak wines and we recently tasted his stainless steel fermented 2009 chardonnay. Light, refreshing, tropical fruit flavors that don’t swallow you up, balanced with bright minerality and a crisp acidity. Now all I need is to like oysters.
Broc Cellars Carignan 2009 $28.00
I loved the intro from Chris Brockway – “I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska where my peers were more interested in kegs than wine. I then went to college and majored in a seemingly useless subject, …philosophy”. Now he makes some of the most philosophical wines I have tasted in years. Totally unpretentious and concerned only with the quality of the grapes, the quality of the process and the transformation of fruit to wine. All along the curve he invests his time in ensuring that the grapes are grown organically and biodynamically with minimal intervention along the way. His Carignan is the first ‘Carbonic’ pure bred carignan that I have ever tasted. Carbonic means, in Chris’s own description “ I filled a stainless tank with the Carignan grapes, then displaced all the air with CO2. The CO2 permeates the grape skin to start an intracellular fermentation giving the wine a higher perceived acidity and berry fruit characteristics, but with lower tannin. The other 20% was fermented traditionally and aged for 4 months in neutral French oak barrels. The grapes come from a 120 year-old block in a vineyard on the Alexander Valley/Mendocino County border”. In lay terms this gives the wine and incredible brightness since the fermentation actually takes place within the grape itself and not after all the grapes have been crushed and mushed up like mashed potato. It’s like adding butter to the water and not after the mashing. Carignan is the grape that makes the Rhone smile, and this wine will do the same. Absolutely beautiful and I’m going to take some home for Thanksgiving.
Bernard Moreau Chassagne Montrachet Les Filles 2007 $67.00
I have been drinking white wines from Burgundy for close to 30 years and during that time I have watched many great houses stumble along the rocky way. There is a saying that great Burgundy starts with the word ‘location’ and ends with a sigh. The house of Bernard Moreau makes, quite probably, the finest wines in Chassagne Montrachet after Domaine Ramonet. The 2007 vintage was my kind of wine – racy and crisp with perfect balance between fruit, acidity and minerality. But they are also wines that will please the palate over the next 10 years. Moreau’s 2008s are just as good, but they are more open and pleasing now, whereas the 07’s almost need decanting prior to gulping. This 07 is just heavenly and if you have ever thought of spending your kid’s inheritance, this would be the time to do so.
Jean Claude Bessin 1er Cru La Fourchaume Chablis 2007 $39.00
I have read numerous reviews on this wine and almost all start with the suggestion that Bessin’s wines are akin to the great Chablis wines of Raveneau. I have already spent my son’s inheritance so the possibility of buying a few bottles of Raveneau is well beyond my grasp. Oh well, I’ll just have to do with Jean Claude Bessin. Actually, it’s not a bad idea. Bessin’s La Fourchaume at $39.00 is about 1/5 of the price of Raveneau (his average price for 1er cru is $230 per bottle). The 2007, like Moreau’s Chassagne, starts with a beautiful pale straw hue. The nose wafts traces of lemon skin and roasted walnuts. The tongue gets the pleasure of both these and more complex flavors such as marshmallow, lime and nougat. This is what wine should taste like.
Domaine Montvac Cotes Du Rhone 2009 $17.00
Last night I planned to go with Bruno to the indoor race track in Mount Kisco and pretend to be Emerson Fitipalldi driving my little go-cart at 225mph around the chicane. Sadly the race was called off and I lumbered home to a plate of semi warm rotisserie chicken and salad. Fortunately, as all good survival books will tell you, I had packed a bottle of Cecile Dusserre’s Montvac CDR. This is her newest release and OMG what a way to push back the chicken and green stuff. I just spent the night with my nose in my glass and my tongue licking the legs off the inside walls. If this is not the best CDR for under $20.00 I’ll eat salad for a week (not). Round, full bodied, balanced, almost perversely good for such a price. I have known Cecile ever since I started our little store and I have visited her winery many times. This is unquestionably the best of her entry level Rhone’s that I have tasted. If you don’t buy it today you’re probably going to have to wait, because I suspect the remaining cases are coming home with me.
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