June 2020

TASTY, NEW VALUE KIWI SAUVIGNON BLANC

There’s always a bit of hesitation when we promote something relatively ‘normal’. After all, nearly two decades into internet and email outreach marketing, it seems like every offer is making the claim of ‘best ever’ or ‘best buy ever’. Let’s be honest. Not every wine made is going to change the world. But sometimes you just want a delicious, proper, well-priced wine to drink without fanfare or consideration. This is that.

New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc as a category has established itself as a strong candidate in the value category for Sauvignon Blanc. The thing is that selecting among the available labels can be a bit of a minefield if you are just looking at labels. A lot of value bottlings lean a little too far to the vegetative side of the spectrum, with dominant flavors of asparagus and cabbage. Others have searing acidity. There are also those that try to cover it up with residual sugar. It’s not easy to find one with honest fruit, bright but not overbearing acidity, and a pleasing flavor profile. When you find one like that, with a easy to swallow price, that’s news.

The Matahiwi Sauvignon Blanc 2019 from Wairarapa is a new name for us, but it checks all the boxes and then some. First, this stuff is estate bottled and is sustainably farmed. Those are phrases you don’t often hear associated with wines in this price range. The crop size is smaller by the nature of the terroir, and they augment the ripening process by leaf pulling to give the grapes better exposure. The harvest the vineyard over different periods to collect the grapes in varied stages of ripeness so that they have a broader palette of flavors with which to construct their final blend.

Having not tasted this house before, we can’t speak historically. But it sure worked in 2019. Tropical fruit, white stone fruit, gooseberry and lime covers the flavor profile with fresh underscoring acidity adding the appropriate ‘zip’ through the finish. James Suckling picked this one out of the pack as well writing, “A very fresh and zesty sauvignon, offering flinty and fresh passion fruit and limes and flowing to a smoothly fleshy, mango and peach palate. Drink now. Screw cap…90 points.”

Tasty, easy drinking, and, at $9.98, not a major financial commitment. Will it change your life? Probably not. But having something this agreeable at this kind of price is never a bad thing.

ROSE TIME: THE ‘LATE’ SHOW

We are now in the throes of summer and there are still a lot of boats that haven’t landed as yet. But we are pretty happy with what we do have and feel our lineup going forward is as good as it has been in any recent season. The notable exception is some of the stalwarts from Kermit Lynch that we have carried for years. To their credit, Kermit was one of the first companies to shut down to protect employees when the pandemic started in earnest and have been the most cautious in getting back to ‘normal’, whatever that is these days. This will likely be our last ‘comprehensive’ report but you never know.

Tibouren Rosé Cotes de Provence 2019-This rose is produced by the cooperative Vignobles du Ramatuelle, a group comprised of 120 growers in Provence, to the specifications of the American importer. Produced from grapes from ten different parcels across Provence, the blend here is 85% Tibouren, 12% Grenache and 3% Syrah. So what’s Tibouren? Briefly, it is a grape variety largely associated with Provence these days that was introduced by Greek settlers to the region a very long time ago. It’s origins are beleived to be Greece or possibly even the Middle East. It isn’t widely planted because it is kind of fussy and yields vary. You rarely see varietally labelled bottlings but the importer definitely had this in mind.

As roses go, this isn’t one to serve casual wine drinkers. It’s quite tasty but rather ‘geeky’ stuff. The color is more of a copper/salmon, the fruit flavors lean more apricot and orange than berries, there is a savory spice note and a soily undercurrent. Again this one comes alive with food where it has something solid to play off of. Definitely not grandma’s rose but an intriguing choice for the adventurous palate.

Commanderie de Peyrassol Cotes de Provence Rosé 2019– This house is one of the more highly reputed in the region, this partcular bottling being “Cinsault, Syrah and Grenache make a balanced trio full of fruity flavors, nicely sharpened with a touch of Mourvèdre.” They go to the trouble of harvesting at night to protect the freshness of the fruit and get it into stainless steel right after destemming. The color is a very light salmon leaning a little orange and the flavors here are a bright, lively mix of tropical fruits and citrus (more orange than anything) with expressive floral notes. Tasting it one might have guessed there were some white grapes in the mix but that was not the case. A delicate but engaging offering.

Chateau Peyrassol Cotes de Provence Rosé 2019– This is the ‘reserve’ bottling for Peyrassol sourced from 35 year-old-vines on the property. The ‘main characters’ are Cinsault, Grenache and Syrah, but the ‘wild card’ in the “Chateau” bottling is Tibouren, the ancient and regal Provencal grape. Again this has more of a ‘white wine’ texture though there is more red fruit character (strawberry) to go along with the blood orange, a little more palate density and more perceptible dusty minerality. A ‘classic’ Provencal pink.

La Mordoree Cotes du Rhone Rosé La Dame Rousse 2019 – This house has been a favorite around here for a long time, and the 2019 is a top effort in recent memory. A denser, darker, more ‘red winey’ Rose, the mix here is 40% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 5% Carignan, and 5% Mourvèdre of grapes that were grown organically, harvested by hand, and destemmed. This is a heartier pink, the deep rose color an indicator of more palate weight and earthier undercurrents. One of the few pinks with any press thus far, Jeb Dunnuck gave this one a 92 with comments, “…elegance and purity as well as complexity. Giving up notions of ripe strawberries, cherry blossoms, white flowers, and a kiss of minerality, it’s a beautifully textured, medium to full-bodied, incredibly balanced effort that actually has a touch more richness than the Tavel, although both are rich, textured rosés geared for the table.”

Chateau de Segries Tavel Rosé 2019-We have played the Segries card a few times over the years but don’t recall a better one than this. Deep color again, ‘red wininess’, denser texture, evident Tavel minerality, this is one of the more authoritative pinks on the shelf. Produced via saignee from 50% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, and 10% Clairette (a white grape) from vines averaging 60 years of age, this is a fairly substantial rose that boasts freshness but also weight as pink wines go. It caught the attention of Vinous’ Josh Raynolds, who handed it a 91, with comments, “Deep orange-pink. Powerful aromas of ripe red berries, cherry, blood orange and nectarine, plus a hint of lavender emerging in the background. Palate-staining raspberry, bitter cherry and tangerine flavors develop a sweetening touch of honey. Chewy and expansive on the persistent finish, which repeats the pit fruit and floral notes.” It’s a ‘fave’ around our house and even stands up to meat. A great effort for the price, particularly among Tavels.

La Bastide Blanche Bandol Rosé 2019– One of the best buys you will find for a Bandol as well as a brighter, more forward example of a genre that is a little bit of an acquired taste because it is based on Mourvedre, a notoriously fussy grape. It does well in these limestone soils with plenty of sunshine and, because it ripens well here, offers of a more forward, charming version of the grape. Low yields and organic farming play a part in the process. In this version the red berry and blood orange fruit are more forward with the underlying minerality, garrigue notes and seaside salinity playing subtle supporting roles. This is a great introduction to Bandol because it delivers the true character of the appellation without extremes. Another superb food choice but it’s also a Bandol you can just haul off and drink.

Cavalchina Bardolino Chiaretto 2019-Cavalchina has been on our shelves in various colors over the years…red, white, and pink. They are a quality producer in the Veneto that makes consistently exciting wines in a place that, by and large, is mainly seen as the source of mass marketed, innocuous efforts from wine ‘factories’ destined for red-checkered tablecloth eateries…Bardolino. The Cavalchina folks are shining stars in a region that is largely uninspired. The Chiaretto (key-ar-et-to) is what they call their rosé. This is a winery that has been around since 1948 and Vinous Media’s Ian D’Agata calls them, “…a recognized master in the making of Chiarettos.”

Last year’s was a serious hit and the 2019 is even better. A blend of 60% Corvina, 35% Rondinella, and 5% Molinara, it is a lively, bright display of berry, red melon, and citrus, light in color and light on its feet with the requisite touches of fresh wild herbs and finishing salinity. As you might expect, it is particularly food friendly.

ANOTHER OVER-THE-LINE BURGUNDY VALUE

Burgundy is sometimes a ‘game of inches’ as in a short distance one way or the other can determine a lot about quality, and price. As the demarcation of vineyards or appellations go, you have to draw a line somewhere. We’ve had good success finding little wines from top producers where the grapes are sourced in very close proximity to where the elite bottlings come from, but the prices are substantially less because the wine doesn’t carry the name of the top site.

Domaine Philippe Bouzereau et Fils has been one of the places where we have consistently found a very classy Bourgogne that is sourced from a plot ‘just over the line’ from their flagship Chateau Clos de Citeaux in the heart of Meursault. The Bouzereau family has been in Meursault since the 18th Century and this particular domaine was established in the 1960s by Philippe Bouzereau (senior). Philippe Bouzereau (Junior) took over in 2006 and runs this 18 hectares of vines on ‘lutte raisonee’ (meaning only intervening in the vineyard when absolutely necessary).

Like many of the ‘next gen’ vignerons, he is judicious with the use of oak and is all about letting the vineyard shine through. While it sounds a little trite, the term mini-Meursault is quite applicable here. The texture of the wine is consistent with the broader, more open profile of the 2018 white Burgundies in general, but there is sufficient acidity to keep everything bright. The flavors run from white peach to apple fruit-wise with classic flecks of grilled nuts and spice that is the signature of Meursault. A delicious choice for current Chardonnay applications, the Philippe Bouzereau Bourgogne Chardonnay 2018 is well priced ($24.98) given the pedigree it shows in the glass.

ANOTHER DELICIOUS ‘WORKHORSE’ RIOJA

With all of the choices there are out there these days, we understand it can be pretty overwhelming. There are new areas performing all the time, vintages change and there are fresh, new faces on the scene regularly. We see new wines constantly. These days a disproportionate number of them in the value categories, including quite a few that have gained popularity in recent years, taste more of the ‘lab’ than the vineyard. We don’t apologize for being somewhat traditional in our approach. Trendy is fine, but a lot of things that have performed admirably for a long time should not be ignored for the sake of fashion. If they offer a sense of place and excellent value, all the better.

One of the reasons we are such evangelists for Spanish wines in general, and Rioja in particular, is that it gives us all of those things. This message never gets old. Great Rioja producers offer some of the most complete and satisfying wine deals out there, and in that field Cvne has been a major force for a long time. Cvne (which stands for Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España though everybody calls them ‘Cune’) successfully operates three separate wineries with three different styles. All three have been on these pages multiple times over the years, at many different price levels, with good reason.

In the CVNE lineup, a wine entity that can trace its roots back to 1879, Viña Real is a relatively newcomer being ‘born’ in the 1920s with their focus on creating crianza wines from Rioja Alavesa. Those crianzas have been consistent players around here for a long time with relatively few gaps. They are consistently some of the best buys in the wine world. We’ll say that without hesitation. Of course when a vintage is particularly stellar, everything is amped up a little more. In other words what is ‘always good’ is that much better in an exceptional vintage. As we were doing our research, we noted the last time we did a big offer on the Crianza was with the epic 2010. The Vina Real Rioja Crianza 2016 is also from an exceptional vintage and delivers again beyond expectations for a wine of this price.

The Vina Real Rioja Crianza 2016 is a blend of 90% Tempranillo with the balance made up of Mazuelo, Garnacha, and Graciano that sees 13-14 months in barrel. Ripe plums, blackcurrant, high toned spices and subtle flashes of oak and balsamic, this is elegant and bright, but can stand up to hearty meat dishes yet whose supple edges and ripe tannins do not preclude applications with fish or fowl. The 2016 is a particularly engaging rendition, with the kind of tender fruit and easy going demeanor to make it far too easy to quaff. It is important to note that this Rioja was produced and bottled on the estate. Very few wines from anywhere in this price range can say that.

This is one of those appealing reds that, given its track record, shouldn’t need scores to sell it in a vintage like this. But we have some anyway. From Wine Spectator, “This red is dense and focused, with cherry, berry and vanilla flavors that emerge as the tannins give way, leading to a floral and spicy finish. Drink now through 2031…91 Points”

From Luis Gutierrez of Wine Advocate, ‘… It’s expressive, deliciously aromatic, floral and elegant, reflecting a cool year that delivered fresh wines that seem to be very approachable early on. 2016 is a pretty vintage, but this wine is not banal; it has depth and complexity that’s remarkable for the price point. The palate is fresh and balanced, with fine tannins…91 Points.”

This sub-$15 wine can play with everything from simple tapas to a roast bird to a tomahawk ribeye, or you can just drink it. But, more to the point, the list of choices of super tasty, well-made, well-reviewed, estate-bottled, honest wines at this kind of price is a rather short one. Viva España.

GLOBAL WARMING, FRIENDLIER GRUNER?

Global warming has had some positive effect on cooler climes like Austria. We’ve long been fans of their Gruner Veltliner as brisk, terroir conveying, beautifully ‘naked’ wines. There are a lot of folks that have tried previous versions of Gruner and found them a bit too tightly wound and edgy. That’s why it is important for a lot of wine drinkers to take another look at the new ‘kinder, gentler versions’ coming out now. Simply put, just a little more ripeness in the mix makes a big difference in what is in the glass.

‘Today’s’ Gruner still has the varietal specific green pea and white pepper notes that one associates with the genre, and the minerality reflective of the various sites . But the addition of a little white and yellow stone fruit to the mix gives the Gruner experience greater reach. Most folks wouldn’t consider just hauling off and drinking a Gruner as a solo aperitif. But the suppler midpalate and fruit elements, when they still have sufficient support from clean acidity, makes a completely different statement. Is it us, or do Gruners seem friendlier these days? This one is.

Kamptal is a touch warmer, drier appellation anyway, and Weixelbaum is located in a warmer subsection of varied terrains including loess (a fine sedimentary silt), gravel, and some volcanic elements formed during the Parmea Period some 270 million years ago. The soils themselves are responsible for this wine’s insistent, subtle, saline minerality and the snappy acidity supports the lively but supple midpalate. White peach, apple and apricot, and a touch of honey are a gift from the riper fruit, and combine beautifully with those Gruner-specific notes of white pepper, fresh peas, and fennel.

Weixelbaum Grüner Veltliner Ried Wechselberg Kamptal 2018, from a fruit-forward vintage for the region in general, has a mouth-filling, glossy palate entry that gives it a bit more than the expected tenderness, then cuts nicely clean at the finish. If you need a score, we have a Wine Enthusiast 92 (Austrian wines don’t get a lot of media attention these days for whatever reason). But, rather than scores, it’s more about something tasty and bright from a category you may not have considered in a while, at a great price ($19.98)!

PRIORAT PERFECTION?

The modern era in Priorat started with a guy named Rene Barbier (II for future reference) in 1989, and this 2017 effort made by his son may redefine it. Both the Barbier family and Priorat have long histories. Barbier was part of a winemaking family whose origins in the trade can be traced back to somewhere in the 1200s. In the 19^th Century the Barbiers owned some 1500 hectares in the southern Rhone but phylloxera took its toll and the family looked to Spain to secure grapes. Subsequent World Wars caused them to eventually move to Catalonia. Rene II was born in Tarragona in 1950.

The land had been a source for wine since Roman times, but before Rene started what they call the ‘Priorat revolution’, the territory was virtually unknown and the juice from these rugged hillsides were mostly used to make wine for the locals. Rene (II) bought his first vineyard in 1979 and a decade later released his first wine. Others have come (Clos Erasmus, Clos Martinet, Alvaro Palacios, Mas Doix) that have helped elevate the region’s status

A lot of outstanding wines have indeed come from this difficult to work, mountainous area covered by a special black schist the locals refer to as llicorella. The media has, by and large, received the wines well over the years, and we were on board early with Mogador, Erasmus, Palacios, and many others. We love the well-infused minerality that is the hallmark of the region’s best wines. We respect the power and presence that these wines, based generally on old vine Grenache and Carignan (often with dollops of Cabernet, Merlot, and Syrah), have.

We also realize that while a lot of folks have come to appreciate this appellation, we think that there are a lot more people that would get on board if given a reasonable chance to have a great experience. We are very well aware that Priorats can be rustic and inward, in other words downright moody. In addition, they are not inexpensive. For a lot of you who expect ‘love at the first sip’ given all of the glowing words written about some of these wines, there have been some disappointments. Our message today is to have a little patience because the newest effort from Clos Mogador, the 2017, expresses itself in a way that few Priorats we have seen have been able to do.

The Clos Mogador Priorat 2017 is a blend of 46% Grenache, 29% Carignan, 15% Syrah, and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon that is estate grown and farmed organically, and matured in a combination of foudres and 300 liter casks for 18 months. It just hit the market so there has not been a lot of media attention thus far. If you want to talk track record, however, the last five bottlings were 98, 98, 98, 97, 98 from Wine Advocate. There aren’t many Bordeaux in this kind of price range that have that kind of scoresheet.

The purveyor poured the 2017 for our buying team, and we looked at each other in amazement. Is this really that good or was this one of those ‘on any given day’ scenarios? As it happened, we had a bottle of the 98-point Clos Mogador 2016 on hand , so we opened it for comparison (hey, somebody has to do this stuff!). Allowing for the year of bottle age, the 2017 had all of the classic ‘infused minerality’ and layers of spicy red fruits that defines the estate and the region. It also possessed great tension and lift, exceptional balance and impressive energy and length.

The edition had a brightness and freshness that we have rarely seen historically in Priorat. Luis Gutierrez, in his notes on the 2016 said, “…It has a meaty touch and feels really young , despite the long élevage. There is a strong mineral sensation on the palate, something that is a texture and mouthfeel rather than a flavor. This is an unusual, fresh vintage…”

If he thought that was an ‘unusual, fresh vintage’, what will he think of this one? Side by side it had more energy, plenty of punch, layers of complexity, and didn’t show a lick of its 15+% alcohol. On this day, it bested the proven performer.

Did we get a look at a possible 100 pointer? While we know better than to try and predict the whimsy of the press, maybe we did. In any case, this is a great one, and you know we don’t fling that word about lightly.

Moreover it presents a newer, friendlier, fresher face of Priorat. Is it a new direction for Priorat, a function of the vintages, or just something stylistic that the very talented Rene III, son of founder Rene II, has initiated himself? Time will tell. But in the meantime, this is very special juice and, if this is the new face of Priorat, we like it and believe it will make a lot of new friends! A brilliant effort.

PORTUGAL FOR THE PEOPLE

Portugal in general is still a work in progress as far as quality. It is substantially better than it was a couple of decades ago and we are finding a few things to get excited about. We have sold our share of highly-rated, high-priced elite dry reds from ambitious projects in the Douro, and we understand that is where many vintners feel they need to be to get respect in the international markets. But there are a lot of big reds with big scores vying to get attention from all over the wine world, so are such Portuguese versions really making a contribution to broadening the selection?

Over time, our biggest knock on Portuguese wines has been winemaking. You’ve got sunshine, a hospitable climate, but far too many things we see suffer from over-cropping and marginal vinification. Again, things are way better than they used to be and there is an overall rise in quality. But to us, the most enjoyable finds from Portugal are the ones that taste, well, Portuguese.

In a place where most of the wines are varietal blends, there is a definitely spicy, expressive character that is evident in the best examples of the reds. ‘International styling’, which some Portuguese producers are shooting for, means to us that they are dumbing down some of the joyous character that the most compelling Portuguese reds have to conform to a perceived style target.

We much prefer the boisterous, spicy, almost wild fruit components that distinguish the great little Portuguese wines from the rank and file, more commercial styles. We are pretty selective about what we present but we found another little nugget to add to our short list.

The Duquesa Maria Alentejo Superior 2017 hails from one of the southernmost growing regions in Portugal. As is the custom, this is a blend of 40% Aragonez (what they call Tempranillo in this part of the country), 30% Alicante Bouschet, 20% Touriga Nacional and 10% Trincadeira grown here in limestone soils.

It’s quite warm here so ripeness is not usually a problem. The grapes are destemmed and then see a couple of days of cold-soaking before being fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel after which about half of the juice goes into used French and American oak for six months.

The color is dark and fairly saturated (something that can be attributed in part to the Alicante Bouchet), there’s a rush of sweet, honest dark cherry and plum fruit with some spice, earth, and mineral flecks. Direct and easy-going, yet with a certain flair that is very Portuguese, this is that candidate for grillin’ and quaffin’. There is ample weight to stand up to a variety of foods but there is that breezy flavor interest that shows what Portugal seems to be able to do with ease. It isn’t necessarily meant to be ‘contemplated’ but rather consumed with a certain relish and it performs well for a pretty low fare.

A ‘THROWBACK’ PINOT AT A SPECIAL PRICE

This is a story we have told many times. Only the characters change. There are a couple of new twists here though. First, perhaps not as surprising, owner/winemaker T.J. Rodgers came from the tech world, hence the name we presume, as the retired 34-year CEO of a company called Cypress Semiconductor Corporation. The story goes that a passion for wine lead them to a trip through Burgundy which apparently changed everything.

These folks are trained in science, and hard-core hands-on types, with a little help from technology. They own all of their vineyards, which are all evidently difficult-to-farm, sloping locations in the Santa Cruz Mountains, with the highest, Domaine Valeta, getting snow. Why Santa Cruz Moutains? Well, the inference was that it was close to Silicon Valley where they lived and worked. But we’d also point out that the Santa Cruz Mountains were something of a cradle of Pinot in California. Some of the earliest iconic efforts (Mt. Eden, Santa Cruz Mountain Vyd.) were from there. Pioneer Martin Ray worked this region from the 40s to the early 70s.

This has been a total, almost maniacal commitment to Burgundian concepts. The winery was established in 1994. They planted all of the vineyards densely with anywhere from three to ten times the normal vines per acre. They dug three caves into a descending hillside four feet at a time and cemented each section before building the next. It serves as the ‘gravity flow’ winery. They thin clusters. To farm the steep hillsides they worked with a German company to create a special tractor (because it is pulled up the hill by cables, it needs no motor, steering wheel or brake; control is achieved by a joystick, just like a video game).

Finally, and this may be the most fanatic of all, they perform something called ‘tipping’. In tipping, the tendril and top two small leaves on each cane are manually pinched off after just 10% of the grape flowers have bloomed, causing the vine to abruptly dump a spurt of carbohydrate energy into the flowering grape clusters. It’s an expensive, laborious process that results in a darker, more perfumed wine according to their notes. That’s commitment! It’s a funny name, but they are doing everything else right.

So what are the results of such an intense program. Well, we have to say that this is one unique bottle of Pinot Noir. The Clos de la Tech Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountain Estates 2012 kind of remind us for some of the best versions of the old Santa Cruz Mountain Pinot with a deep plum/mulberry/ black cherry fruit core and waves of dark spice, damp earth, and purple flowers and some fine-grained tannins supporting everything. It has a lot in common with legit ‘old school’ Burgundy from the 50s and 60s thanks to the surprising underlying power and structure. A fascinating ‘throwback’ that, particularly given the intense hand-work in the vineyards, is arguably well worth its $49 list price. There’s even a bonus ‘chip’ (semiconductor) on the bottle.

Wine Spectator’s notes, “Starts out juicy and lively, featuring black cherry and raspberry notes at the core. This is defined by fine-grained tannins that give the flavors traction. Ends long and clean, with anise and fresh earth scents. Drink now through 2023. 91 points.

Antonio Galloni wrote, “91 Points! The 2012 Pinot Noir Santa Cruz Mountains Estates, is the most complete and balanced of the four wines I tasted from Clos de la Tech. Dark cherry, plum spice, menthol, licorice and violet notes abound. Pliant supple and intense, yet also nicely balanced, the SCM Estates makes for a terrific introduction to these racy, fruit-forward Pinots. Specifically, there is a bit more freshness and less oak-inflected heaviness than in the other wines in the range…91 points.”

Wine Enthusiast was quite excited, Though much lower in price than the single vineyard offerings—and without the microchip on the label—this bottling carries all of the earthy aspects that characterize this iconoclastic winery. Umami aromas of nori wrap meet with dried purple flowers and blackberry on the nose. The mouthfeel is soft and full, with flavors full of loam, beet juice, incense and crushed boysenberry…94 points.”

This bold Pinot isn’t necessarily for everyone. If you are used to typical commercial Pinots that are medium weight and probably have a little leftover sugar in them, this will be too big, bold and authentic for you. On the other hand, for some it will be a revelation. It caught us by surprise as we didn’t know the label even though it is over two decades old.

In the end, that may have been the issue. It’s great to make exceptional wine. But you must also sell it, and you need to have an audience for that. Given the bottle age, and the price we worked out ($19.98) theirs is likely to grow quite a bit.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER: TARDIEU LAURENT CDP ’16

As we have stated previously, most of the selections from the brilliant 2016 vintage in the southern Rhone have passed through the marketplace. But as we have also made pretty clear, we are still going to take a serious look at anything from the vintage that surfaces moving forward. We just ran across a pretty special wine (it even says so on the bottle.

We’ll be the first to admit we are hard-core wine geeks and also students of our experienced history in the wine world. This dynamic duo has been a remarkable source of exciting wines. Laurent’s talent in the cellar matched with Tardieu’s savvy and intimate knowledge of the Rhone created many very memorable wines. Dominic Laurent had already gained quite the reputation as a Burgundy impresario and somewhat controversial with respect to his cellar practices. Given the stellar performances in both Burgundy and this pair’s exploit’s in the Rhone, the juice was always exceptional.

For no doubt several reasons, they didn’t necessarily always have distribution in this market. They changed distribution a time or two, and sometimes weren’t available at all for long stretches. Great old vine fruit, careful, polished winemaking, they never disappointed in the glass and we were rightly pleased when they reappeared with a very fair-minded purveyor not long ago. We did a piece on their ‘big kid’ Cotes du Rhone Bec Fin 2016 and their 2012 Chateauneuf was a revelation given the vintage. Well, here we go again as this Tardieu Laurent Chateauneuf Cuvee Especial 2016 absolutely wowed us, no small feat given the glorious wines we have seen from this vintage.

Since 2008, when Laurent decided to dial things back, the Tardieu family has been in control of the operation with Michel’s son, Bastien, at the helm of the winemaking. While they have apparently backed off the oak elements (Laurent created early ripples with his 200% new oak regimen), the wines still have that distinctive ‘polish’ no doubt in part because of having worked so long with a ‘Burgundy guy’. Now that the Burgundy guy isn’t around, who ya gonna call? Yes, Bastien can bounce ideas off none other than Philippe Cambie, the ‘Grenache whisperer ‘.

Clear given what we have tasted recently, this team still has the magic. The specifics here are a plot of 100-year-vines situated in sandy soils in the important Bas de la Crau vineyard. The ‘blend’ here, as they state it, is 99% Grenache and 1% ‘other’. The grapes are not destemmed and the juice spends 12 months in 2-3 year-old Tronçais and Allier barrels followed by another 12-month stay in foudre. Everything is done to let the fruit shine through, and ‘shine’ it does. This Chateauneuf is then bottled unfiltered and unfined.

The nose shows classic kirsch fruits with well woven in spice, floral, and earth tones. On the palate, it is broad and rich, yet polished and integrated. Lots of dark red and some black fruits, spice, pepper, a touch of garrigue and a hint of smoke. The balance is impeccable in this ‘Chateauneuf-meets-Burgundy from possibly the greatest vintage ever’ beverage. We went in with pretty high expectations and this wine exceeded them. We’ll offer up a barrage of press with our comment that, if anything. we might be a point or two higher. We will note that this, curiously, was not reviewed in Wine Advocate but there is no shortage of deserved praise.

From Jeb Dunnuck, “The tiny production 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Spéciale is Grenache dominated and comes from 100-year-old vines planted in the sandy portions of the famed la Crau lieu-dit. It looks to be one of the stars in the vintage. Blackberries, pepper, violets, and earth all emerge from this full-bodied, massively concentrated, Grenache that has sweet tannin, no hard edges and the opulence and purity of this sensational vintage… 95-97 points.”

From Vinous’ Josh Raynolds, “Deep bright-hued ruby. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red and blue fruits, sandalwood, garrigue, lavender and exotic spices, and a smoky mineral element builds in the glass. Sappy, penetrating and pure in the mouth, offering deeply concentrated Chambord, boysenberry and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily as the wine stretches out. Blends power and finesse with a smooth hand and finishes extremely long and seamless, the fine-grained tannins framing the wine’s intense berry fruit...95 points.”

From James Suckling, “The old-vine soul is compelling here with blue-fruit aromas and flavors. Some nuances of iodine and black, inky character, too. Long, suave and powerful tannins make for a compelling, intense and impressive Châteauneuf. Try in 2022…95 points.”

If there was ever a knock of Tardieu Laurent back in the day, it was that their pricing sometimes seemed a bit “Burgundian”. That is certainly not the case here. This can legitimately run with the biggest dogs of the vintage yet sits in the lower part of the price spectrum of elite bottlings ($59.98). Classy Chateauneuf and a significant find this late in the game, don’t miss it!

INSIDER TRADE: CLOS NOLY

Marie-Pierre Manciat was born into a family of vignerons that have been making wine since 1871. From a very young age, she spent her school vacations in the cellars and vineyards, soaking up knowledge and experience, all of which helped her when she took over the reins of her family’s estate in 2002 and became a sixth-generation winemaker. Her family has instilled in her a strong sense of tradition, time-honored winemaking practices, and the value of quality over quantity.

Her father, Claude Manciat, was one of the top producers in the Maconnais area. Up until the early 1980s when he took over, the Manciat wines were mainly sold in bulk to local negociants. But Claude decided that he wanted to focus on making and bottling his own wines. As the result of his meticulous viticulture and vinification techniques, he has been able to attain a high level of quality, translating into exceptional purity and texture apparent in the wines produced. In addition to practicing sustainable agriculture, the Manciats are among the few remaining vignerons in the Macon that still harvest by hand.

Marie Pierre is a ‘chip off the old block’, created riveting whites that perform far above the crowd by virtue of her attention to detail in the vineyard and the cellar. That purity of fruit and touch is particularly visible in this effort. The yields at this domaine are routinely 20-30 percent lower than what is allowed in each given appellation allowing Marie-Pierre to craft wines that are rich and powerful while remaining focused with an emphasis on the calcaire rich soils of each terroir. The goal is to harvest fruit as near to ‘perfect’ as possible and that definitely happened here.

Clos Noly is named after the oldest vineyard at Domaine Manciat-Poncet which is based in Chaintré. There are 23 total hectares spread out among 5 villages but this particular site, which touches the far better-known appellation of Pouilly Fuisse, is only .28 hectare (7/10 of an acre). There are only 15 domaines in the entire Pouilly Vinzelles appellation. The Clos Noly Pouilly-Vinzelles Les Longeays 2017 comes from a 40-year-old Chardonnay vineyard composed of clay and limestone soils with a western exposure.

Marie-Pierre lets each area express itself according to its personality, and each of her wines are aged differently, in either stainless steel tanks or oak barrels. In the end, she believes that wine is above all else, a refreshing drink. This is why she strives to create a harmony between depth, complexity, minerality, and drinkability in all of her wines. This Les Longeays got our attention at first sip and the description is going to sound like we are trying to say all the right words.

There’s weight and substance on the entry, and deceptive but clearly very polished richness to the fruit component of apple, citrus, and peach mingled with subtle streaks of stony minerality and a faint tinge of honey. The mesh of fruit, texture, and bright acidity harmonize in a way few wines do, and the wine glides over the tongue and finishes with a near-perfect cut. It sees 10% new oak with the balance in neutral barrels. To borrow a phrase from the Army of ‘be all that you can be’, we can’t imagine that this wine, from this place, could have been any better than it is. Bravo!

Not only is it a poised, delicious, beautiful bottle of Chardonnay, it is remarkably under-priced given the performance. This is an ‘insiders’ play simply because we don’t have enough to support a full-blown email. You probably guessed that from the size of the vineyard. But the value here is off the charts, and it is not only super tasty but lifted and refreshing. You can bet some of this will be going to our houses.