Author: Steve Zanotti

SERIOUSLY GOOD, SEXY 2019 COTE DU RHONE

It has been a great run for the southern Rhone again over the last five vintages (2015-2019).  But on a hedonistic level, the 2019 vintage is perhaps the most striking.  The wines have opulent, tender, round, engaging fruit and a sleek, supple palate feel right out of the gate.  This surprising effort from Domaine de la Solitude is a pretty accurate poster child for what we are talking about. 

There’s a lot of history here as the family are direct descendants of the Berberini family of Rome circa the 12th Century, and have a Pope (Urban VIII) and a couple of Cardinals in their family tree.  That probably doesn’t make a lot of difference with respect to what is in the glass.  The estate was formed in the 17th Century and has been in the hands of the Lancon family ever since.  It was brothers Michel and Jean that took control of the estate in the 80s and raised the bar and now the estate is under the control of Michel’s son, Florent, who has maintained the traditional styling of the house but kicked up the farming aspects to improve the fruit.  The 2019 vintage played nicely into Florent’s hands.

The Domiane de Solitude Cotes du Rhone 2019 is comprised of a selection portion of the traditional varietals of the southern Rhone.  It is made up of 50% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, 10% Cinsault, and the last 5% of Counoise, Terret, Muscardin, and Vaccarèse, all from sustainably farmed grapes.  The varietals and vineyard parcels are fermented separately and then blended after an eight-month stay in vats.

The nose is an inviting mélanges of ripe red cherries and berries, with earthy spice and subtle garrigue woven throughout.  In the mouth, the wine has a wave of plush, layered, shamelessly outgoing red cherry fruits with flecks of spice, cocoa, and a hint of anise.  Tender yet lifted, lush and smooth from front to back, it’s hard to imagine something more likable.  It’s a versatile and pretty darned handy choice for a variety of scenarios, particularly at under $14.

BEYOND VINHO VERDE

Most people that are familiar with Portuguese Vinho Verde see it as a delightful but typically simple quaff to accompany appropriate seafood preparations.  But not all Vinho Verdes are created equal.  Some producers take the wine a bit more seriously.  Soalheiro has been a favorite of ours for a long time because, well, there’s just more to it as a rule.  They make more than one expression of the genre, but our usual favorite is the one made from straight Alvarinho (the Portuguese name for Albarino).  Yeah, it costs a little more than your typical ‘$10 or less’ versions, but there’s much more going on in the glass.

What we had never seen before is this version, Soalheiro Alvarinho Vinho Verde Primeiras Vinhas 2019.  The story is that Soalheiro was a pioneer in the creation of Alvarinho wine in Melgaço. In the nineteen seventies (1974 to be exact), a passion for winemaking led João António Cerdeira, with the support of his father, António Esteves Ferreira, to plant the first Alvarinho vines and to create the first brand of Alvarinho in Melgaço in 1982, and one of the first Alvarinho brands in the sub-region of Monção and Melgaço.  This area is located in northern Portugal, not terribly far south of Spain’s Raixas Bias region where Albarino thrives.

This particular bottling, which is grown organically and harvested by hand, comes from those original Alvarinho vines planted some 40 years ago (‘primeras vinhas’ means ‘first vines’).  It also got a significant and rather exapnsive review from Decanter Magazine, “With two wines in our top 50 ‘Best In Show’of a great grape variety, though, resembles that of a great actor: the ability to subsume its own personality inside that of the place (or the character) it is representing or portraying. Compare this (our first ever Best In Show Vinho Verde) with its Galician peer, and you will see a clear difference. This Portuguese wine is much quieter aromatically — but haunting and tenacious, with hints of linden blossom and wet stone. It’s concentrated, cool, sheer, tongue-freshening … yet tenacious once again, with the presence and force of character which typifies its Moncao e Melgaco origins. That impression of a cool, wet granite landscape somehow conveyed by the wine lingers all the way through the long finish. .. 97 Points.”

You can bet this wine would have been an email for us given the wine’s remarkable expression in the glass, review and price ($26.98). Simply put, there wasn’t enough juice for that.  Limited, grab this striking white while you can.

‘BOUND & DETERMINED’ TO DELIVER CAB VALUE

As we have mentioned many times, finding good, well-priced Cabernet Sauvignon, particularly from Napa, is a priority.  It’s good business.  Cabernet is still king for most wine drinkers and we are well aware of that fact.  This latest find came from a winery called “Roots Run Deep” which makes a number of wines   We had never seen this one before, a well priced Napa Cab with kind of a funny name, ‘Bound and Determined’, from a vintage that has proven to be somewhat erratic among Napa Cabs, 2017.  You may know ‘Roots Run Deep’ from their bottlings that have a label that looks like a chalkboard in an engineer’s office covered with ‘equations’ and is called called “Educated Guess.” 

We knew those labels as proper, value-driven bottlings that are competent, but not necessarily thrilling, and the consummate 87-88 scorers.  Given those visuals, we didn’t have any preconceived notions or expectations about Bound and Determined.   But, as we so often say, that’s why we taste.  That’s how you find things and find something we did.  Given our experience with the vintage, we were keenly aware to look for hard tannins to poke out from underneath the fruit.  There weren’t any, which immediately put this Cabernet in the upper echelon of what we tasted for the vintage.

There was also a deep, sturdy, very attractive core of blackberry and plum with notes of pepper, toast, and cinnamon. The flavors were pure and showed considerable breeding.  It had some chew to the finish, but not at all in a bad way.  It was more like an honest throwback to another era when Cabernets were less overblown yet it is still bursting with fruit.  It delivered everything one could expect from a Napa Cabernet and did so for under $30.  That is something worth paying attention to. 

The juice for Bound & Determined Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 came from some serious sites in Oakville and Rutherford (which of course we can’t mention), and the ‘breeding’ is clear in the wine’s depth of flavor and healthy, saturated color.  We can’t point to massive reviews as the winery doesn’t get a lot of media coverage.  We did find a few words from James Suckling however on this and what we presume was the inaugural 2016, “A generous, medium-to-full-bodied red with aromas and flavors of grilled black plums, burnt orange, black peppercorn, praline and toffee. Firm, chewy tannins. Flavorful. Drink or hold…90 points.” 

We actually think that 90 point score is a little low but we understand moderately priced ‘unknowns’ aren’t likely to pull down big reviews from the press, even of they are from Napa.  We’re more on about price performance, however, and this one excels in that arena.   A definite diamond in the rough, this tasty Napa Cab for under $30 is definitely newsworthy.

DONNA LAURA CHIANTI RISERVA ALTEO 2018

We’ve done our part over the years to raise the image of Chianti from the straw fiasco bottles to a wine that should be taken seriously, and a number of high-performing producers have given us the vinous tools to make that point.  But a number of scenarios call for a Chianti to simply be that tasty, honest bottle to grab to foil a plate of pasta, risotto, or any one of a number of red wine dishes.  It’s important to know who the players are in an important wine area like Chianti.  But it is equally important to find quality options for that go-to, guilt-free, ‘house pour’ category as well.  It just isn’t as easy to find viable value options that live up to our standards.  Donna Laura Chianti Riserva Alteo 2018 is one that does.

The back story here is that the current proprietress of Tolaini, Lia Tolaini Banville, was greatly inspired by her aunt, Laura.  The story goes that Banville, on a summer holiday traveling from her birthplace in Canada to her ancestral home outside the city of Lucca at the age of six, Lia met her Aunt Laura for the first time who would become a driving force in her life.

So why are we talking about Lia Totaini-Banville, owner of Banville importing and quality oriented Tolaini estate that produces a number of wines including highly reviewed Legit Cabernet?  Well the name Donna Laura is a tribute to her aunt, but this Chianti is produced by Lia.  As they tell it, “In 2004 an opportunity arose to write a new chapter in the story, this time at Tolaini Winery in Castelnuovo Berardenga with the production of Lia’s own wine label Donna Laura. A loving tribute to the woman whose lessons of family, tradition and honor would share double billing with Lia’s own heritage…”

We had no idea about the connection at the time we tasted it, but that is a pretty significant demonstration of how the work of quality producers somehow shines through.  The Sangiovese grapes for the Alteo (a mashup of the names of Lia’s sons Alessandro and Matteo) are selected in Donna Laura’s vineyards in Castelnuovo Berardenga, one of Chianti’s ‘sweet spots’.  They are carefully destemmed in the winery and put immediately into steel vats without crushing. The must is kept in contact with the skins for about 20 days with pumping over every 10 hours and 1 delestage a week.

Chiantis in this price range often suffer from being acidic or undernourished.  This is neither, with a lovely, cohesive roundness from front to back to the currant and classic cherry fruit laced with floral notes and a touch of earth.  It is a perfect demonstration why you seek little wines made by very conscientious producers as opposed to someone putting together a ‘blend’ to hit a ‘price point’.   It’s all about intent.  We’ll take it easy on the adjectives but it fulfills its mission nicely, a pleasing, easy drinking, soulful, surprisingly successful ‘riserva’ offering of Chianti from top terroir at a very modest ($11.98) price. You don’t have to tell anyone it cost so little.

MORE MACONNAIS MAGIC FROM TROUILLET-LEBEAU

This is one of three different wines we have talked about from this impressive new producer (to us anyway)in a very short time,  There has been a lot of news about this part of Burgundy of late with the initiating of a series of first ever Premier Cru designations for Pouilly.  All of that is well and good, but finding a new source like Trouillet-Lebeau is much more relevant for us. You can’t drink titles. 

It is composed of vines in six villages that average 40-50-years-old planted in classic clay-limestone soils: Soluté-Pouilly, Fuissé, Loché, Vinzelles, Leynes, and Davayé.   The vines are grown sustainably, and tilling is largely carried out to encourage underground soil life and root development to obtain the richness and minerality required for the highest quality wines.  In the cellar, grapes are pressed gently using a pneumatic press and decanted rigorously for 24 hours, in order to obtain clear, pure grape juice. All vintages are vinified in oak vats, large barrels or casks from Burgundy, fully respecting the required cool temperatures in order to maintain all of the freshness and finesse of Chardonnay.

The Trouillet-Lebeau Saint Veran les Condemines 2019, as with all of the Trouillet-Lebeau wines we have been presented thus for, has an uncommon depth and richness and distinctive styling for the category.  As Saint-Verans go, this one is much more fleshy and fruit driven than the typical examples.  From 70-year-old vines in this single vineyard, there is a captivating generosity to this wine and a rather lush texture supported by just enough acidity.  Not having had this bottling before, we have no idea how the warm 2019 vintage plays into the whole personality of this wine, but we like the result.

The nose has peach, apple, floral and slightly honeyed tones.  In the mouth, the fruit is tender and round and delivers all that the nose promises with a nice little kick of unctuous fruit and acidity at the end.  One might suggest there is an almost New World feel to this wine, but the subtle minerality and the way this gentle fruit manifests gives away its Burgundian origins.    A very compelling effort, particularly for the price, as we have been saying this is a house to watch.

VALUE CABERNET FROM AN OLD AMIGO

One might question devoting time to a lengthy piece about a wine in this price range.  But some of the story is very important by way of differentiation.  There are a lot of wines in this kind of price range that are trying to get your attention, but many are concocted labels that, bluntly, aren’t very good.  It matters that we have sold Benegas wines in the past, dating back 10-15 years, and we have a history with them. 

They have a history as well.  Tiburcio Benegas founded Trapiche winery in Mendoza in 1883 and it was sold to the Pulenta family in 1971.  Frederico Benegas Lynch lived at the Trapiche winery until it was sold, then in 1999 bought the Fincas Libertad winery which was one of the family’s former properties and Benegas winery was founded.

The key point is that this is a producer with a long history, not some made up ‘brand’, and they make surprisingly soulful wines at a number of price levels.  That’s what we recalled about them from our previous experiences at the old location, and that is still true today.  Simply, we can’t do this in California for this kind of price because we don’t have the terroir, mature vineyards or appropriate economics to do so.  We’ve made that point before so we’ll leave it at that. You can get surprising good Cab outside the U.S. for not a lot of coin if you take the time to look and are willing to ‘kiss a lot of frogs’. We do that for you.

The Benegas Cabernet Sauvignon Mendoza Luna 2019 is 100% Cabernet from Finca Libertad situated at 2800 feet elevation and harvested at lass than four tones an acre, less than a lot of Napa producers who sell their wines for a lot more.  This Cab sees four months in barrels to round it out.  A great option for under $15, we’re glad to have Benegas back around as we hadn’t seen them in some time. Black fruit, round tannins, surprising substance and a unique chocolate/earth that is particular to a number if the Benegas reds, what’s not to like? There’s surprising character here for a mere $12.

It got nice notes from James Suckling as well, “Pretty, vivid Cabernet Sauvignon with dark currant, fresh tobacco and hints of cedar on both the nose and palate. Medium body, lightly fine tannins and a delicious finish. ..92 points.”

GEORGIA ON MY MIND

Our passion for wine has taken us down many roads over the years.  About a decade ago we came across an opportunity to present a number of rare library wines from the country of Georgia but the marketing and promotional logistics became too difficult to manage in a timely way so it didn’t happen.  We recently came across the opportunity to broach the subject once again. 

The history is fascinating.  According to the website Georgia wine, Georgia is the birthplace of viticulture and there are findings that place the art of winemaking here to 6000 B.C., predating both the development of written language (by 3000 years) and the Iron Age (by 5000 years).  According to the local research, Georgia supplied wine to the ‘cradle of civilization’ cities Babylon and Ur.  Beyond that, any attempt to document the history of wine there is far beyond the scope of this little piece. 

Suffice it to say that Georgia’s climate was kind to the grapevine and Georgia’s history located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe left indelible marks on the people and the wine culture.  The varietals are largely unfamiliar to us and the winemaking style is unfettered and honest but a bit more rustic. But this is a place definitely worth discovering and we were recently presented with a couple of fine examples brought to us by a purveyor we have known for years that has happily traveled the back roads of the wine world. 

Our subjects here are two expressions of the Separavi grape grown and produced by Papari Valley Winery, a family farm that has built their holdings to 9.3 hectares of vineyard (starting from 2 hectares when Ketevan Gurabanidze started in 2004). The winery is located in the Kakheti region and, more specifically, the Akhasheni appellation.  The grapes come from the slopes of the Gombori mountain range which looks out at the Caucasus Mountains across the Akhasheni River Valley and has been farmed organically since the beginning.  Separavi is a teinturier variety, meaning the grape has both red skin and flesh. 

Also, in Georgia, ‘natural wine’ is not some sort of ‘hipster’ trend. It is simply the way things have been and will continue to be done.  Winemaking involves indigenous yeast fermentation and development in Qvevri, what they call their terracotta amphorae.  It is ‘natural wine’ in every way but also naturally sturdy and devoid of any of the mousy elements and winemaking flaws that all too often appear in many ‘natural’ efforts in the marketplace.  The winery itself is on a hillside and all of the movement of the wines is done by gravity flow.  They are bottled unfiltered and unfined and the vines are 12-25 years old as the family is converting some plantings made during the Soviet era to biodynamic and replacing others.

The Paperi Valley 3 Qvevri Terraces Qvevri 8 2019 is black as night, powerful, full-throttle, one of the most physically imposing wines we’ve ever sold! It starts with inky, opaque visuals as you would expect from a red-fleshed varietal.  Perhaps the closest comparison flavor-wise would be to a Petite Sirah.  The core of fruit comes across like mulberry and dark plum with soil, anise, and some garrigue-like wild herb.  Big, dark wine packing 15%+ ABV, this is a seriously good, hearty red with surprising balance and plenty of stuffing and soul.   Even though all of the ‘words’ are unfamiliar, this could easily fit into most people’s drinking matrix from a stylistic standpoint.

The Papari Valley 3 Qvevri Terraces Qvevri 11 2019 has surprisingly a lot in common with the Prisoner and Prisoner look-alikes out in the marketplace.  Since they work with only indigenous yeasts and these are big wines, sometimes they don’t finish fermentation all the way.   Since they don’t believe in commercial, high-power yeasts to try and finish the fermentation, they will bottle it with that little bit of residual sugar in such cases.  That forward sweetness makes for a softer and plusher mouthfeel and tender roundness very comparable, as we said, with a number of trendy ‘big red’ blends or certain Valpolicellas done ripassa style, yet retain their own unique spin.

These were exciting enough to us to regenerate our interest in putting Georgian wines in front of you.  They are definitely worth some attention and give you some new red wine options.  The Papari wines are bold, noteworthy efforts.

‘ROSE ALL DAY’

Our apologies for rolling this out in ‘fall’. Our intent was to post this a couple of months ago but upgrades to our site, during which we couldn’t update this section, took longer than expected. Locals know that we’re still due for some warmer streaks now through November, plus we believe pink wines have applications all year long. This will likely be our last word on the subject until 2022. The 2020s turned out better than we initially expected to boot. Enjoy.

CORNE LOUPE TAVEL 2020-Classic Tavel with the deeper red/orange hue that tells to it’s a little fuller-bodied and can stand up to a wider range of dishes.  The terroir here is strewn with rocks like Chateauneuf and Grenache is the driver (60%) along with 15% Cinsault, 10% Syrah and the remaining 15% is a mix of Mourvèdre, Clairette (a white grape), and Carignan.   Red berries, a certain ‘red-winey’ undercurrent, some hints of stony minerality, there are a few more ‘base notes’ to the flavor profile than your typical pink and, of course, it’s bone dry.

Family-owned,  starting with 3 hectares in 1966, the estate now covers some 45 hectares in three different appellations, Tavel, Lirac and Cotes du Rhone. The wine comes from a famous sub-parcel called the Plateau de Vallongue, located between the Tavel and Lirac AOC’s. Corne-Loup’s Tavel is a blend of all three soil types found in the Tavel AOC: the flat white stones of the Vestides hamlet, the ‘galets roulés’ pebbles of Vallongue (similar to CDP), and the sandy, stony soil of the Olivet hamlet.  The name comes from this side of the Tavel village.  In olden times, someone would blow the horn (“corne”) in order to warn others of a sighting of a wolf (“loup”) coming into town. An excellent value for a Tavel.

FONTENIL LUBERON ROSE 2020-A relatively new incarnation from a winery we have worked with for at least two decades, including at least one wine-of-the-month selection under our previous format.  Certified organic, this wine comes from the bases of Mount Luberon in the southeastern corner of the Rhone.  The grapes are mainly Grenache (50%) with Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre filling out the blend.  There’s a high toned feel on the palate that would almost give you the impression that there was something white (like Rolle) in the mix, but there isn’t.   The flavors hint at yellow melon, red berries, and wild fine herb.  Bright and refreshing, light on its feet yet deceptively flavorful, this is both tasty and ‘cost effective’ at $14.98.

DOMAINE BART MARSANNAY ROSE 2020-We won’t get into the whole story about how Bart is one of the descendents of the historic Claire Dau family in Burgundy.  Suffice it to say they are quickly becoming one of our favorites in the region for compelling efforts at very attractive prices.  The Domaine Bart Marsannay Rose 2020 is 100% Pinot Noir and a very attractive mouthful of pink wine.  Deceptive weight atop plenty of fresh acidity, your flavor profile is a cornucopia of fresh red berries and finely woven in streaks of delicate minerality.  Last year’s was a favorite among our extensive pink lineup and this one is right there again. 

DOMAINE DE SEGRIES TAVEL ROSE 2020-Another day, another Tavel?  Heck, why not? This is one of the few places in France where the appellation is based around pink wine and there’s a reason for that.  The typical Tavel has a few  more base notes to the flavor profile and a little deeper color than your average rose, and the best examples have a certain palate authority that gives them broader applications food-wise.  Many, like this one, seem to ‘want’ to be red.

A quick history, owner Henri de Lanzac (cousin of the Delorme family of Domaine de la Mordorée) purchased Chateau de Segries in 1994 from Count Henri de Regis, the founder of the Lirac AOC.  The Tavel Rose is a blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 10% Clairette, and 10% Syrah from vine averaging 60 years of age.  This is made from a saignee (bleeding) of juice from the red wines.  Mainly strawberry fruit with flecks of white stone fruit and blood orange, more base notes than your average Tavel and more weight on the palate as roses go.

Josh Reynolds of Vinous has this to say, “Lurid orange-pink. Mineral-accented aromas of ripe tangerine, cherry and pungent flowers, plus a suggestion of succulent herbs. Chewy and energetic on the palate, offering concentrated bitter cherry, peach and blood orange flavors and a subtle lavender flourish. Finishes very long and focused, the lavender note repeating…91 points.”

LA BASTIDE BLANCHE BANDOL ROSE 2020-While Provence has the reputation for pink wine, Bandol provides some of the most complex and compelling examples.  Unfortunately, top Bandol roses are typically priced 30-50% higher than you’re standard Provencal pink.  That’s the beauty of Bastide Blanche.  This gives you real Bandol character for a price more in line with Rhone and Provence pinks.   This estate dates back to 1972, and the blend here is Mourvedre first with Grenache and Cinsault, and white varietals Clairette and Ugni Blanc giving this pink a little lift and snap in the back end.

This is one with notes by Vinous’ Josh Raynolds, “Limpid orange-pink. Expressive red berry, blood orange and pit fruit aromas are accompanied by building mineral and floral nuances. Taut and energetic in the mouth, offering sappy strawberry, orange zest and lavender flavors braced by a spine of chalky minerality. Finishes silky and impressively long, with repeating mineral and floral notes…92 points.” In other words, bargain Bandol.

DOMAINE LES PALLIERES AU PETIT BONHEUR LES PALLIERES GIGONDAS ROSE 2020-Even though this estate can trace its history back some 500 years, the relevant story started around 2007 when the Brunerl brother of Vieux Telegraph and importer Kermit Lynch bought this property.  This rose bottling only goes back a few vintages.  It is lighter colored, something of a pale salmon, and lighter on its feet that you might expect from property that produces such beefy reds.

The blend is 33% Grenache, 33% Clairette, and 33% Cinsault, and the high percentage of white juice responsible for this wine’s delicate appearance and unique floral profile. The flavors centers on cherry, though think more Raniers than Bing, with some higher toned spicy notes, the wine achieved an AOC Gigondas status for this vintage (apparently the blend and status varies yearly).

GROS NORE BANDOL ROSE 2020-Yes, Domaine Tempier has established itself as the premier player with Bandol rose. But not far behind, and for considerably less d’argent (money), is Gros Nore.  Alain Pascal, a former boxer, farms 16 hectare in a practicing organic method.  The estate used to sell fruit to Domaine Ott and Chateau Pibarnon, but he started bottling his own produce in 1997. 

The blend here is 54% Mourvèdre, 25% Cinsault, 19% Grenache, and 2% Clairette from vines averaging 30 years old.  It starts with the familiar musky strawberry nose and flavor note of Mourvedre grown in Bandol and kicks off from there with blood orange, yellow stone fruits, and floral notes adding complexity.  This is ‘big kid’ rose with more weight and palate authority, this has scored 92 points from Vinous in 2016, 2017, and 2019 (no review on 2018).  For whatever reason, again with reference to Tempier, this 2020 feels even a touch more successful in the glass than several very engaging versions we’ve had previously.  A more serious pink.

ANOTHER JUICY MAREMMA FROM A PROVEN SOURCE

Elisabetta Geppetti has been on quite the roll of late.  She has been a favorite around here for a long time and her Saffreddi bottling is among the Tuscan elite.   Her 2016 Fattoria Le Pupille Morellino di Scansano Riserva was a major feature for us as well as one of the stars of the show in our minds at the 2019 Tre Bicchiere tasting.  She represents the best of Maremma at every level.

Fattoria de Pupille Morellino de Scansano is their ‘entry-level’ bottling, this one a lovely and generous effort from the 2019 vintage, another pretty sharp harvest based on what we have tasted so far. As a vintage ‘19s are little less structured than the 2016s, but boast plenty of accessible fruit and a juicy demeanor, very important with value-priced, ‘workhorse’ entries. 

 The Fattoria de Pupille Morellino de Scansano 2019 is a blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Alicante, and 5% Ciliegiolo.  It sees only 6 months in stainless steel.  This one hit the streets ready for service and, qualitatively and given the price, it’s a candidate for anyone’s ‘house red’ rotation.  Sure it’s good with pizza and pasta, but it can work nicely with all manner of grilled meats as well.  Dark cherry and mulberry, some wild herbs and notes of spice, there is plenty of substance with bright underpinnings of acidity and fairly tender edges for a youthful red. 

Antonio Galloni’s breezy description sets the right tone, “The 2019 Morellino di Scansano is bright, perfumed and very easy to like. Drink this lithe, easygoing Morellino over the next few years, while the flavors remain bright. Dark red cherry, dried herbs and spice linger nicely.”

Similar sentiments from James Suckling, “A red with plum and cherry character, as well as hints of terracotta and rust. It’s medium-bodied with firm, tangy tannins and a long, flavorful finish. This is always a good, go-to red. Drink now… 92 points.” Quaff on.

INSIDERS’ VALUE NAPA SAUVIGNON BLANC

The wine business has many stories, but it is the juice that makes the story relevant.  Picayune is a label that was founded in 2011 by Claire Ducrocq Weinkauf, a French native that grew up in Auvergne, and the wine is produced as part of the program of a small wine shop/mercantile in Calistoga.  That in and of itself isn’t particularly grabbing. There are lots of small, seemingly cottage projects in places like Napa.  But when we tasted the wine, clearly there had to be more to the story. 

There was a certain presence to this Sauvignon that indicated someone was behind this that was more than just some elevated hobbyist.  The Sauvignon Blanc was a proper Napa Sauv with bright pear, melon with a supportive underpinning of citrus, a thread of minerality, and bright acidity.  The flavors, while not overbearing, are beautifully proportioned, pure, and subtly honed.  Clearly there was more to this well-priced little Sauv Blanc than met the eye.

Digging deeper, we found that Claire was a trained winemaker who studied in France and ended up working at Paul Hobbs Cobos operation in Argentina, eventually coming to California.  Picayune is a self described negociant operation with Claire selecting various lots that appealed to her and putting together wines based on what she found.  This one, as the label states, is 94% Napa with a 6% dollop of Sonoma fruit.  It’s 100% Sauvignon Blanc that is done in 70% stainless steel and 30% neutral barrels.  She apparently has a consulting business as well involving some fairly impressive clients.

Fresh and vibrant at every turn, the Picayune Sauvignon Blanc 94% Napa County/6% Sonoma County 2020 isn’t stylistically flamboyant but it’s an elevated example of exactly what a quality Sauvignon from around there should taste like.  You could easily drink the whole bottle without necessarily paying attention to the craftsmanship and precision, but it’s there.  The price is definitely another plus, particularly for something that says Napa on it.  But we suspect given the ‘casual’ presentation of the business overall that attractive pricing is part of the formula. 

The Picayune Sauvignon Blanc 94% Napa County/6% Sonoma County 2020 is a delightful, unpretentious, sneaky find that fills a need and that was our motivation in bringing it in. You don’t find wines in this price range this well executed all that often.  At the end of Claire’s profile, it made the point that Claire lived in Calistoga with her two children and her husband Aron Weinkauf, who is apparently the winemaker at Spottswoode.  Like we said, there was more to this label than we knew going in. Stuff like this rarely makes it out of Napa. Delightful Sauvignon, sneaky value.