Steve Zanotti – Page 10

HOUSE GRUNER?

There are multiple reasons why one might think a ‘house Gruner’ is a far-fetched idea. First, for most Americans, Gruner is definitely a ‘foreign’ grape, giving way to more familiar varietals as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc as the choices for a “go-to” whites to have at the ready for visitors or dinner guests.

There are also cost issues. The ‘best’ Gruners can move into to high-$20 price points quite easily and there are a number of producers (Knoll, Prager to name a couple) that work at even higher price levels. Also, even with global warming, Austrians whites can vary quite a bit from vintage to vintage. While we aren’t suggesting that Gruner Veltliner is going to go ‘mainstream’ any time soon, if there were more vintages like 2019 and more folks like Richard Walzer, there’s no reason it couldn’t happen.

We’ve spoken highly of the 2019 vintage in Austria before, but had much fewer opportunities to work with the vintage than we would have liked. Like the heralded 2019s from Germany, the bulk of them were released during the height of the pandemic and were largely ‘absorbed’ by the market by the time things started to normalize (as that is defined these days).

As a quick reminder, the 2019s were pure, ripe, tender, expressive, engaging, and beautifully balanced. There was a supple mid-palate, bright, supporting acidity, beautifully woven white and yellow stone fruits, and subtle but present minerality. Balance was the key. Everything was proportioned like nothing we recall, with no sharp edges. That describes Richard Walzer’s Gruner Veltliner Reid Wolfsgraben 2019 to a tee. A nose of white peach and dried apricot, the palate was seamless display of peach, quince, wild herb, stones and salinity at the end. This is a very easy Gruner to like.

Richard Walzer’s tiny, virtually ‘one-man-show’ operation in the Kremstal is still pretty much under the radar. This is their ‘entry-level, volume’ bottling from a single vineyard of which only 1100 cases are produced and those are allocated. In other words, this source does not have a lot of distribution, nor any attention from the press.

Walzer farms sustainably and ferments traditionally via ‘whole cluster’ in stainless steel, where the wine then sits on the lees for five months. This vineyard sits at 900-1000 foot elevation and has an average of 45-year-old vines sitting in predominantly classic loess soils.

We can’t compare this 2019 to efforts from previous years because we’ve not seen this producer before. But we can tell you they nailed this one! There’s the added bonus of a $13.98 price point, a strikingly low tab for a Gruner of this quality, or pretty much any Gruner. If there was more of it consistently, it could start a Gruner ‘revolution’. As it is, it will have to be our little secret on one of the best Gruner buys around.

JUNIOR CHATEAUNEUF LOOK-ALIKE FROM SPAIN

In the early days of the Spanish invasion in the 90s, this was a staple and an important part of our lineup. It was also one of the first of its kind. Robert Parker himself said of the 1997 version in his review, “Readers can be sure I will be purchasing several cases for enjoying over the next several years. It tastes like an excellent Chateauneuf du Pape, and even though they can be terrific values, a Chateauneuf du Pape of this quality would sell for $20-$30 a bottle.”

Since that time there have been quite a few value selections from old-vine Grenache plantings in Spain that have created their own followings in this marketplace like Borsao, their ‘upper cuvee’ Tres Picos, and Las Rocas de San Alejandro Garnacha Viñas Viejas. New ones are coming along all the time to the point where we haven’t talked about one of the originals, Nekeas El Chaparral de Vega Sindoa Grenache Old Vines 2018, in quite a while, though we have carried many vintages along the way.

This version allows us to talk about it once again. In truth, if you don’t, people forget about it. So do we for that matter, as it is very easy to get caught up with the new and different and not spend a lot of effort on solid brands that have performed admirably for years. Wines like this have value in any market and there are likely a lot of new buyers that have come along since the days we were talking about this wine a lot looking for a good value on a versatile red.

Bodegas Nekeas is located in the high country of Navarra, northeast of Rioja, and the vines that supply the grapes for this wine were planted between 1890 and 1960. That’s old, and incumbent with using grapes from such elderly vines is the naturally low yields and concentration that comes from that growing scenario as well as the depth of flavor that can’t be created by any other means than deep-rooted, old vines.

These are hillside vineyards composed of sandstone and calcerous marl with a long vegetative cycle, warm summers and a great shift between daytime and nighttime temperatures that preserve the wine’s bright acidity. They practically make themselves in that very little needs to be done when the grapes are harvested. It’s a unique situation that exists in this part of the world that allows wines like this to be sold for under $15.

The ‘stats’ are particularly impressive for this edition of El Chaparral which made it a perfect time to mention it again. The lead piece is from Josh Raynolds of Vinous who wrote, “Deep garnet. Mineral-tinged cherry, raspberry, vanilla and exotic spice aromas show excellent clarity and take on a smoky nuance with air. Appealingly sweet and expansive on the palate, offering juicy red fruit, rose pastille and spicecake flavors energized by a minerally topnote. Shows impressive energy and florality on the persistent finish, which is given shape by polished, even tannins…92 points.”

Throw in support reviews from Jeb Dunnuck (90 points) and James Suckling (92 points) and a $13.98 price point and you have a very viable value choice for those everyday occasions where you want something tasty, interesting, and not too expensive that will go with all manner of foods. That, for a lot of people, is most days.

SIERRA CANTABRIA GRAN RESERVA OTRA VEZ

Yeah, we ran this as an email a while back. Sold a bit of it, too. But, being honest, we were a little disappointed in the response. We aren’t usually ones to repeat ourselves but, in this case, we wonder if we didn’t quite convey our enthusiasm well enough. Or was it the day we chose to run it, on a low-key Sunday as opposed to one of our typical weekday slots? Was the one number we posted, all there was at the time, not big enough? Not sure what it was but clearly the message didn’t resonate the way we expected.

This is a special wine, from an exceptional vintage, made by a trusted house, that delivered high quality with over a decade of bottle age for less than you’d pay for a middling, new release Napa Cabernet. It’s fabulous with steak but far more versatile than most other red wine choices with a wide range of foods. We literally drink this about once a week at my house and just wanted to make doubly sure everyone saw the message. That’s all we can do so here’s the piece again.

“We have been fans of Sierra Cantabria at many levels for a couple of decades. We almost feel a familial connection with a couple of Rioja producers (Sierra Cantabria, Muga, La Rioja Alta, and Lopez de Heredia) as we have met the owners, visited the wineries, and sold their wines consistently for a long time. Even though there are no ‘automatics’ here, and we seriously look hard at every new vintage from these vaunted producers, it is almost inconceivable that we wouldn’t have something on the floor from each of them. They are staples for the genre.

“Within that context, you have your high points, and today’s offer is one of those. We were huge fans of the delicious Sierra Cantabria Rioja Gran Reserva 2009, one of the uncanny successes from this warm, successful-but-not-‘epic’ vintage. This time we are talking about the 2010 edition, from a vintage that has been acclaimed as one of the ‘best ever’ from a fairly broad historical perspective. We have been waiting for months for this to arrive, the process bogged down not only by the usual pandemic-tariff-shipping scenario that has had an impact on everything, but an additional delay thanks to the importer changing horses and the ‘new guy’ getting their system in order.

“As to the vintage, we’ll put it simply…on the Wine Advocate vintage chart 2010 was the highest rated vintage along with 2016 and 2004, and a point higher than 2001. In other words, pretty rare company as vintages go. The story here is that the Sierra Cantabria Rioja Gran Reserva 2010 is a traditional blend of 98% Tempranillo and 2% Graciano from vines planted between 1950 and 1970. Those vineyards employ ‘practicing organic,’ dry-farmed viticulture with certain selective biodynamic practices.

“The grapes undergo rigorous double-manual sorting, both before and after destemming then temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel followed by malolactic fermentation in barrel. The wine then spends 26 months in American oak barrels as is tradition for ‘gran reservas’, 25% new.

“So how does this differ from the 2009? More nuance, more elegance, more complexity. The nose starts with the same kind of billowing dark fruits, but there is more focus and definition, and an even greater sense of purity. Black fruits, damp earth, savory spice and notes of cocoa, it’s a complex mélange of scents. The same flavors are the central theme on the palate with a supple core of fruit as the focus. Brightness to the flavors, tender edges, and more evident layers across the palate, this is a very complete and complex version of this wine that is a notch or two higher qualitatively than anything we have tasted previously. Given this series, that’s saying something.

Not all of the critics have weighed in on this one as yet, but the early reviews are impressive, particularly for a wine with this kind of elegant profile. Wine Specator’s take was, “An edge of tar and smoke lines the cherry, clove and herb flavors in this complex red, which is focused and balanced. Mineral elements and woodsy notes combine on the long finish. Drink now through 2032… 93 points.”

“Vinous’s Josh Raynolds wrote, “Bright ruby-red. Highly perfumed red fruit, floral and spice aromas are complemented by subtle vanilla and coconut accents. Smooth, focused and gently sweet, offering raspberry, cherry-vanilla and candied rose flavors and an earthier hint of tobacco. Fine-grained tannins lend shape to a long, energetic finish that strongly repeats the red fruit note. Raised in a 50/50 mix of French and American oak barrels, 25% of them new… 93 points.”

We suspect other critics will be along with big numbers in time, but this little jewel might not be around by then. A lovely, layered, complex Rioja that expresses the kind depth that only a truly great vintage can deliver, the Sierra Cantabria Gran Reserva 2010 is the complete package. With a little air, it’s sensational now, and will easily perform for another decade or two. Here is a gorgeous, top-notch reserve level wine, with a decade of bottle age, for under $40. Nowhere else but Spain does this.

MORE GREAT OLD THINGS FROM CHARLES NOELLAT

As the Tom Petty song proclaims for all to hear, “The waiting is the hardest part.” However, ‘wait’ we have through no fault of anyone for the most part. We committed to, among other things, a large load of older Burgundies from one of our favorite sources, Stephane Moreau of Charles Noellat. We’ve had excellent experiences with him before and his sourcing and pricing have consistently created some remarkable offers on the aged Burgundy front.

One of the keys is that we are purchasing these ex-cellar, which means when they get here, they have only been moved once, which is extremely important with respect to older Pinot Noirs. Unfortunately, in this case, after we secured these it took quite a while before we could move them at all, thanks to the trifecta of tariffs, the pandemic, and ‘supply chain’ issues. Happily, our ship has finally come in, giving us the opportunity to distribute a little Burgundy joy for the season. We tasted through the whole lineup right off the boat (hey, somebody has to do it) and they showed even better than we expected.

We have a substantial chunk of wine altogether from excellent vintages (2001, 2002, 2005, 2009), at super attractive prices, particularly given the bottle age. They will be the source of a number of emails as we move forward. Great provenance plus striking prices (because we eliminated an extra markup by doing it direct), you can wait for the emails but you are welcome to peruse the entire list any time if you want to get a jump on things on the link below.

BROWSE THE NOELLAT WINES

DELICIOUS ‘SLEEPER’ BARBARESCO

Given our experience, we can tell you a thing or two about the big reds of Piedmont. First, most folks are content to get into the game when a highly regarded vintage comes along. Relative to that, as we are on the downside of the heralded 2016 vintage, you might want to take a last glance at the remaining 2016 Barolos and Barbarescos. This was a special vintage even among the high success rate in Piedmont over the last decade or so.

We’d also point out that the producers make wine every year and not every harvest becomes a vintage of the century in the eyes of the market. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t any worthwhile efforts, just that the ‘hit ratio’ might be a bit lower. One can find some pretty thrilling wines in most vintages provided they take the time to look. The Nada Barbaresco Casot 2018 is an excellent example of what we are talking about.

It’s easy to miss little gems like this. This is a small family estate is brought in by a small importer, and the 2018 vintage, while good, isn’t going to get the attention of, say, 2010, 2015, or 2016 from a ‘historic’ standpoint. Still, we did our due diligence and were quite pleased to find this elegant, delightful little spice-box of a single vineyard-Barbaresco at a rather attractive price ( it sells for less than the entry-level bottling from Produttori di Barbaresco by $8). As such, it deserves to get some of your attention.

Azienda Agricola Nada Giuseppe was started in 1900, with a vineyard in Casot purchased from a Gaja. In 1964 Giuseppe’s father, Antonio, made the risky decision to begin to estate bottle a part of his production, requiring him to invest in a small winery (he put it in the basement of that house on the Casot hillside). It was a prescient move as, in 1966, the DOC of Barbaresco, named after one of the three villages in the appellation, became established.

These days, Giuseppe and Nella stay fit maintaining the vineyards where they do practically all of the work, while their daughter Barbara manages the office and their son Enrico oversees the wine production down in the cellar. Enrico took the reins in 2008. The additions of SO2 have been greatly reduced and only a light filtration (no fining) is performed in the cellar. The farming has steadily moved to organic and most of the estate is certified organic now.

Packed with a high-toned, very Nebbiolo character, bursting with spicy red fruits and supported by fine but giving tannins, this Casot is an expressive and appealing example of the genre, exhibiting all of the best traits. As the Wine Advocate review alludes, the appeal was definitely immediate but also lasting. It can age, but it doesn’t necessarily need to. The 2018 vintage overall is a lovely, round, accessible vintage that maybe doesn’t have the gravitas or media attention of 2016, but still should not be ignored because of wines like this. At this price, the Casot is a true sleeper.

From Monica Larner of Wine Advocate, “The 2018 Barbaresco Casot is a fragrant and immediate wine that shows a good amount of ripeness and richness up front. This was a cool vintage overall, although the fruit ripened quickly toward the end of the growing season. There are sweet cherry aromas with spice and licorice. The wine drapes over the palate with silky and smooth intensity. The Casot vineyard is distinguished by layers of bluish tufo soil and layers of looser sand…93 points.”

TERRES BLANCHES REVISITED

If the subject matter looks a little familiar, guilty as charged. We sent this email on Les Terres Blaches in early October. We reiterated our dismay with the natural wine movement in general, which we’ve mostly eliminated in this piece, and spent a good bit of type extolling these folks in the Anjou for making some of the cleanest, best, most exemplary natural wines we had ever come across. There was no press at the time, and the interest admittedly disappointing. Literally a couple of weeks later, Wine Advocate’s Stephan Reinhardt ‘went off’ on two of the four wines we highlighted in that piece (plus the prior vintage of the ‘pet-nat’). We intend to send it out again with the Wine Advocate notes but the holiday email schedule is crammed and these wines deserve attention. So, for the moment, here are our original comments with Reinhardt’s notes inserted.

In 2004, Celine and Benoit took over the 8.5 hectare domaine of Bernard Coutel, who was retiring and had no family members to follow in his footsteps. Certified in Organic Agriculture since 2010, the Blets also work in the cellar to the rhythm of the wines. Their wines are the expression of the particular grape variety on the specific terroir as unfettered as possible. Their mission is to produce grapes and develop natural wines while protecting their environment throughout the farm. That synergy affects everything. The estate is located in Anjou, in the Loire Valley. The grapes varieties are Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. The vines are planted between 4,500 and 4,800 vines per hectare with natural grassing every other row, the other row is plowed after the harvest to bury the compost and maintained by hoeing the rest of the year. It is very methodical.

They refer to what they do as ‘peasant agriculture’, adhering to centuries old traditions that predated chemicals and machines. In their words, “To offer you hand-sewn natural wines, we strive to produce beautiful ripe grapes.” They are fanatics in the vineyards and you feel the energy and clarity of purpose in their wines. Us proffering ‘natural wines’ will be shock to many. But we aren’t pushing them because they are ‘natural’. We are talking about Terres Blanches because the wines impressed the heck out of us. These kids are on to something, and the wines are under $25.

The Celine et Benoit Blet Les Terres Blanches Les 3 Poiriers Anjou Blanc 2019 is also 100% Chenin made from a later harvest of grapes from similar (or the same?) soils. These ‘healthy, golden’ grapes were pressed into neutral barrels via gravity where they fermented slowly without SO2, and then bottled with no fining or filtration. This subtle, complex Chenin reminds us of a top-notch Vouvray sec, except for the price. Pear, peach, maybe a little orange, with well woven in, delicate minerality, sneakily complex and subtly captivating, this is a star.

From Wine Advocate, “From the second sorting of grapes picked in fully ripe and healthy condition at the end of September, the 2019 Anjou Chenin Les 3 Poiriers displays an intense yet refined and elegant bouquet of perfectly ripe Chenin Blanc grapes intermingled with very fine and refreshing, flinty, crystalline and lemony sandstone aromas. Medium to full-bodied, this is a concentrated, dense, intense and persistent Chenin with remarkable mineral tension and vitality. The wine fermented in two- to eight-year-old barrels, then was blended in July of the following year and bottled in September just before the 2020 harvest. This is an impressive, ripe, elegant and sustainable, well-structured and tensioned Chenin with excellent ripeness and concentration. A long-distance runner for sure. 14% alcohol. Tasted in June 2021…93 points.”

Like all of the others in this lineup, the Celine et Benoit Blet Les Terres Blanches Anjou Rouge Demon 2019 exudes great purity. In keeping with the theme this 100% Cabernet Franc of a particular variety referred as ‘Breton’ that was originally planted by an abbot of that name. It was harvested at optimum ripeness, destemmed, and given 5 weeks maceration then transferred to neutral (2-5 year old) barrels. Bottled unfiltered and unfined, with no SO2, this exudes ripe Franc character of dark red and blue fruit, is tender on the palate and without any green of funky notes. A gentle, engaging red that shows all the best sides of Cabernet Franc. Celine and Benoit refer to their produce as enlightened peasant wine. It seems the ‘peasants’ drink pretty well around these.

From Wine Advocate, “The 2019 Anjou Démon is from the Poulette parcels above the Hautes Bruyères and was completely destemmed before the infusion on the mash, which took one month. The bouquet is beautifully fine and elegant, with red and dark berry aromas, also cassis, along with crystalline stony notes. Smooth, refined and highly elegant on the palate, with perfectly ripe black berry fruit aromas and silky tannins, this is an intense and beautifully aromatic Cabernet Franc with outstanding finesse and balance. The tannins are marvelously refined and intermingled with the ripe and crystalline acidity, and the finish is ripe, long, sweet and balanced. A fabulous wine. Tasted in June 2021… 93+ points.”

In closing, we didn’t buy these because they were ‘natural’, but because they were really good, well priced, and quite distinctive. The fact that they were ‘natural’ had zero effect on our decision. The fact that wines this clean and expressive could be made that way was something of a revelation given our experience with the natural wine category. Clearly these kids are working hard and, in our eyes, setting an example. These aren’t wines particularly targeted for ‘natural wine’ buffs. These stylish, energetic wines are for anyone!

HENRI GIRAUD CHAMPAGNE IS BACK

Well over a decade ago, when we were still producing our written newsletter, there were a lot of folks (including industry people) that read it. It had surprising reach (we even got a report that someone found it in a port-o-poddy in Cabo). In any case we got a call one day from an importer back east, a former customer if memory serves, who wanted to know if we were interested in a limited production Champagne call Henri Giraud, specifically in that case their ‘Fut de Chene’. It was expensive, but it was also glorious and it was fun having it for a time. Unfortunately, thanks to shipping and licensing realities, long distance relationships can be tenuous in this business and we subsequently lost touch with the purveyor. But w never forgot the bubbles.

A year or two, pre-Covid, we were at a restaurant in Las Vegas that had the entry level Henri Giraud on their list. Remembering how good the ‘big dog’ was those years before, we ordered it figuring it was probably worth a look. It was gorgeous and even in a busting restaurant setting it made a big impression…out of a half bottle no less! We remembered and were thrilled when we were presented with the line by a local supplier recently.

Tasting the Henri Girad Brut Nature Esprit here brought back fond memories of what we tasted in the restaurant. This had a beautiful, refined mousse, fresh and dried stone fruit nuance and a biscuit-y edge to the flavors. Lovely stuff. The short story is that the house located in Ay is under the direction of Claude Giraud, the twelfth generation at the helm (the ‘origens’ go back to 1625). The vineyards are farmed sustainably and this cuvee is 80% Pinot Nor and 20% Chardonnay raised in 3-5 year old barrels with “50% of reserve wine in perpetual reserve. Aged for at least 2 years on lees.”

This from Wine Advocate’s William Kelley, ” The latest release of Giraud’s NV Brut Esprit Nature opens in the glass with a lovely bouquet of citrus oil, mandarin, crisp yellow pears, pastry cream and blanched almonds. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, broad and vinous, with racy acids, fine concentration and a compelling sense of integration and harmony. This is a charming, elegant bottling that’s very hard to resist. It comes warmly recommended…92 Points.” Amen to that.

We also have limited stock of the big dogs at present if you are so inclined, the ‘terrific’ Henri Giraud Brut Grand Cru Fut de Chene MV 15 (WA 96) and the ‘extraordinary’ Henri Giraud Brut Grand Cru Aÿ Argonne 2012 (JS 99, WA 98, VM 96+).

NEW FACE ON AN OLD STANDARD

This isn’t a story we have told very often. There are a lot of variables. First, this estate in Cigales is owned by Rioja luminary Baron de Ley. Second, what’s Cigales? Cigales is a small DO in the western part of the broader Castillo y Leon region in western Spain. The grape varieties are mainly Tempranillo and Grenache for reds though international varieties like Syrah, Cabernet and Merlot are permitted. As to Finca Museum itself, it seems their goal is to raise the level of the appellation. You may have seen the label as we have sold it on occasion over the years. It was a unique etched metal on a tall bottle.

We aren’t going to tell you the history is necessarily compelling. The Reserve bottling, which we are offering here, is often on the rustic side, which is a recurring theme in the region probably more as a function of the producers there than the area itself. So these wines are hit and miss from a qualitative standpoint, and Museum typically sells in the mid-$30s as well, which means we seldom have cause to make a case for them. We have sold their wines on only a few occasions over the years, and this is the first time at this location. But that’s why we taste everything. This wine, in this vintage, at this price, made a heck of a lot of sense.

The Finca Museum Reserve Cigales 2016 is made with the kind of attention to detail that producers with high expectations have. The grapes, 100% Tempranillo in this case, are harvested by hand into small crates, fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel, and the juice spend 22 months in new French oak with frequent rackings. Then there is an additional 15 months in bottle before being labeled and released.

As we have said on many occasions, the 2016 vintage is special in many parts of Spain. Here it made the difference between a wine that had some overt rusticity in the past and one that has the stuffing to go along with its underlying muscle. There’s plenty of dark red fruit going on here, and the fruit weight to polish over the ripe tannins. There’s some notes of mineral, earth, and dark chocolate to add interest along the way, and the kind of continuity across the palate that this wine rarely has.

We also think this kinder, gentler version has enough size to appeal to New World palates as well as Old World. Take all of that, and factor in a nearly half-price buy-in (we’re selling it for $19.98), and the whole proposition changes. This ‘new look’ Museum is worthy of attention and delivers great value as well.

FORCE MAJEURE: NORTHWEST SUPERSTAR

As lifetime entrepreneurs constantly on the lookout for opportunities to improve and innovate, Paul and Susan McBride were attracted to the Northwest for the promise of developing world-class vineyards and wines from the region. Their decision was to create vineyards. In their own words, “Drawing inspiration from the great vineyards of Bordeaux, the Northern and Southern Rhône valleys, as well as parts of Spain, and with a desire to challenge existing viticultural practices in Washington state, we embarked on an ambitious plan to pioneer the very first vineyard on the steep, rocky upper slopes of Red Mountain.”

It’s been more than a decade since we first ran across their wines. We kind of recall, like so many vintners we run across, these folks seemed pretty convinced they were going to be the next big thing. In fact, we can’t dispute that given the body of work we have seen from them. We’re actually a little surprised they aren’t better known given the consistent, super high quality we have seen. If you look at the reviews (which are generally quite spectacular) there were 32 different bottling titles with notes in Wine Advocate, many of which bore the title ‘Collaboration Series’. They seem to be honing in on a smaller lineup f ro the long haul now.

Jeb Dunnuck has been a fan from early on and says this about the winery, “Now focusing almost exclusively on their Red Mountain estate vineyards, Force Majeure is making some of the most compelling wines in Washington State, as well as in the United States. Winemaker Todd Alexander (previously at Bryant Family in Napa Valley) came on board in 2014 and today the wines show another level of purity and finesse, all while not sacrificing depth of fruit or texture… Trust me, these are gorgeous wines you need to try.”

We can’t disagree. These folks seem to be able to create wines of great intensity but also remarkable plushness, that latter element something that isn’t apparently that easy to accomplish in Washington. There aren’t many (any?) names that come to mind that work at this level in terms of polish, saturated palate feel and seamless presentation of fruit. The Force Majeure Epinette 2018 is, to their definition, their “Right Bank” effort. We know there will be a few folks out there that will balk at a wine that is Merlot dominated. So is Petrus, by the way, and this wine has the depth and lavish layers of flavor to overcome notions that Merlot is a ‘lighter’ fare.

From Jeb Dunnuck, his highest mark for the Epinette series (the lowest was a ‘94’) since he first reviewed the 2014 with Wine Advocate, “The 2018 Epinette is the Merlot-dominated release from this team, and it’s 79% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc, and 5% Petit Verdot, all from the estate vineyard on Red Mountain. Lots of smoky black cherry and darker currant fruits as well as notes of chocolate, graphite, lead pencil, and chalky minerality emerge from the glass, and this full-bodied beauty is beautifully textured, with a stacked mid-palate, velvety tannins, and a blockbuster finish. It’s up with the finest Merlots in the New World and will drink brilliantly for at least a decade, if not longer…97 points.”

Everything seems to be working here and this is impressive juice. We’ve been pioneering Washington wines since the late 80s (like the Leonetti Merlot 1987) and can tell you this is a rare effort. It’s not inexpensive, but something this good from Napa would cost two or three times as much.

A WORD ABOUT THE BIRD

We’ve published our rather expansive recommendation list for Thanksgiving on many occasions, focusing on all the choices we think best for that holiday fowl. We’ll sum up the basics in a couple of sentences. First, Turkey in its various preparations is pretty versatile and plays nicely with a huge variety of wines, the only exceptions in our minds being oaky whites and heavy reds. The choice has more to do with the accompanying items, whether they are sweeter or more savory, than it does with the bird itself. That said, we tend to be on the savory side food-wise and our personal preferences are lighter reds like Pinot Noir or Beaujolais with the traditional roast (or smoked, or fried) bird.

Also, we think that the multifaceted menu that most people serve, the passing of food and lively conversation, don’t necessarily present the best showcasing of ‘top wines in the cellar’. All the nuances and layers of such wines, that extra little something that puts them at a higher qualitative level, could definitely get lost in the commotion. We tend to be thrifty sorts anyway. As you know we always have plenty to choose from. But this time around here are a few specific, modestly priced selections in our preferred categories that will ‘get it done’ and not break the bank.

Bonaccorsi Pinot Noir Santa Rita Hills 2018 ($19.98)- This wine is composed of grapes sourced from elite sources, Fiddlestix, John Sebastiano and a small amount Duvarita. It’s also important to stress that the winery didn’t bottle these as single vineyards in 2018. These aren’t the ‘remnants’ of the selection process for designate bottlings…it’s all of what they got. The wine was held in neutral Francois Freres barrels for 20 months (to marry and round out with imparting any oaky imprint) and bottled unfiltered and unfined. The wine itself is classic Pinot for the region. Plenty of insistent strawberry and mulberry laced fruit with all sorts of nuance (rose, orange, tea, savory spice, and violet). The fruit is pure, ripe, and ample and, at every turn, bright and lifted. It’s really fine Pinot that could play at your Thanksgiving table or any white table cloth occasion, yet it is friendly in a way that it makes it comfortable to just haul off and drink.

Rene LeClerc Bourgogne Rouge 2017 ($26.98)- The ample, meaty style packed with sweet fruit is still the classic recipe here by tradition and one that is no doubt made lusher , rounder, and more engaging by the recent warmer vintages. Everything in this wine is grown in within the appellation of Gevrey Chambertin, from parcels in the Billiards, the Platière and the Pressionniers. The yields are low and this wine sees no new oak, Francois’ deference to his father. But this is as engaging, pure, and honest a Burgundy as you will find. This is a fine, juicy example of ‘authentic’ Burgundy, with the ‘kids’ now in charge, giving props to the ‘old style’, but with the kind of finesse and hygiene that elevates the entire experience. Ripe, maybe a little ‘chewy’ but with an intriguing lush palate presence, there’s plenty of soulful, sweet dark cherry and currant character laced with notes of mineral, earth, and leather. This is the kind of Burgundy we love to drink and a special experience for this kind of fare. Anybody else would be charging a lot more.

Pavillon de Chavannes Cote de Brouilly Cuvee des Ambassades 2020 ($21.98)- This estate was acquired by the Jambon Chanrion family around the time of the American Civil War (1861). Today Pavillon de Chavannes consists of 37 prime acres on Mont Brouilly. They make two cuvees, and this is the top one, Cuvee des Ambassades, which comes from 12 acres of Paul’s best parcels. The name ‘cuvee Ambassades’ (ambassadors cuvee) is rather a literal one as this Cote de Brouilly is purchased by the Quai d’Orsay for use in French embassies around the world. It is the last wine to be bottled by the estate in a given vintage and it is the most age-worthy. The Cote de Brouilly is all about the blue granite that is laced with volcanic porphyry, or crystallized mineral deposits. The Cote de Brouilly appellation refers only to the higher, better-ripening parcels (the rest is simply labeled Brouilly) on the upper part of the hill. Within those parameters, Paul’s holding are the highest and the steepest in this elevated appellation. This is a very old school Beaujolais stylistically in the best sense. Traditional winemaking allows this concentrated wine to showcase pure, intense red-leaning-to-black fruits with hints of spice and plenty of the granite minerality for which this particular ‘rock’ is known. There is plenty of fruit here, but of a cooler profile, with more lift and brighter flavors. Mouth-filling and delicious, but also showing the more serious, structured, ‘wants-to-be-Burgundy’ side of Beaujolais.

Georges Duboeuf Fleurie Clos des Quatre Vents 2019 ($19.98)-Why would one worry about ‘Nouveau’ when you could have something this good and ready to go here. The 2021 vintage has a tough one anyway and the cost of air freight these days adds more to the tab. Here we have a lovely effort from a proven source in a great vintage with multiple reviews for under $20! From the Decanter Wine Awards, “Gorgeous aromatics of plush blackberry jam, warm bramble and toasty oak, while the expressive palate is layered with generous, full bodied bramble fruit and high, toasted oak… 97 Points. “ From James Suckling, “This has a fresh, fruity nose of raspberry, red apple, peach and watermelon. Some earth and mushroom, too. It’s medium-bodied with sleek, silky tannins. Layered and delicious. Drink now…93 points.” Serve this with a little chill and watch it disappear.

Georges Glantenay Volnay 2018 ($29.98)– Ease and likeability is what always comes to mind when we think of Volnay, arguably one of Burgundy’s most appealing appellations. Admittedly, we have a particular passion for good Volnays. Very often Volnay, with all of its bright, spicy, lilting cherry fruit and pure flavors, is a ‘first love’ as one gets into Burgundy in the first place, and that never changes. This is like that. The nose opens with effusive red and dark cherry fruit that leans even a little darker with air. There are hints of savory and earth as nuances in both the nose and subtly woven into the flavors. There’s a little hint of toast at the back end, again purely acting as an accent to that ‘Volnacious’ fruit core. We’ll borrow a little from Burghound in closing, “…sleek, delicious and nicely vibrant flavors possess a lilting mouthfeel (with) the sneaky long and relatively pliant finish…” It’s really well priced as Burgundies go as a bonus.

Anselmann Spatburgunder 2014 ($14.99)–Jah, Spatburgunder. German Pinot Noir isn’t always the first wine people think of. It’s colder there and a lot of the examples we have tasted over the years have been on the tart, thin side. Add that to the fact that the Germans are quite proud of their Pinots, and charge a lot for them, and it isn’t a proposition that we present very often. That’s what makes this last minute discovery fun to talk about. This is ‘typical’, but also not so typical. It definitely has the cooler, more savory profile of a cool climate Pinot, but also the fruit and texture to present itself to a much broader audience. The Anselmann family holdings are located in the Pfaltz where they have been in the wine business for over 400 years. Atypically for this region, 40% of their plantings are red grapes (Dornfelder anyone?). This Pinot is fruit-driven and is reminiscent of strawberries, raspberries and cherries with notes of violets and sage. The fruit has Just the right weight to fill in the palate and round it out while still keeping its typicite. Surely the bottle age had a positive effect and we also got it at about half price! A screaming deal and great with food. Sehr gut.