Steve Zanotti – Page 37

THE BEST LAUREL EVER?

Sometimes it is interesting to go back to the beginning. In 1988 Daphne Glorian, at the time employed by an English Master of Wine in his Paris office, decided to spend her life’s savings on 17 terraces of hillside vines just outside the village of Gratallops. Newly minted friends René Barbier and Alvaro Palacios encouraged her and together with Carles Pastrana and Jose Luis Perez, they pooled their talents and resources to make a new style of wine in a region rich in history but that had only really produced sturdy wine for the local markets. In 1989 the modern Priorat was born.

Fast forward to today, and Clos Erasmus is considered one of the elite producers of the Priorat. Their body of work is impressive and includes 98 (twice), 99 (three times) and 100 (twice) point efforts as reviewed by Robert Parker. The problem with Clos Erasmus through the years has definitely not been quality, but quantity. There has been precious little to go around. Old vine Grenache, Carignane and a little Cabernet fruit make magic in Priorat in the right hands, and Daphne, along with her current super-star winemaker, the diminutive, dreadlocked Ester Nin are at the top of their game.

These rustic hillsides produce wines of great power and character, yet in Ester’s hands also retain a surprising elegance. Bordeaux had something like a three century head start and one has to appreciate how far Priorat has come in a mere three decades. Like Bordeaux, one of the best values in exceptional wine comes from the second wine of Clos Erasmus called Laurel. From the younger vines on the property, plus some declassified Clos Erasmus, this is the Catalan equivalent of Chateau Margaux’s Pavillion Rouge or Lafite’s Carruades. It is also another poster child for our mantra of buying little wines from the very best producers. Typically Laurel is a pretty sensational drink, but Ester and the gang have outdone themselves this year.

Flavors of currant, black cherry, coffee, cocoa and an insistent minerality from the llicorella (yic-o-raya) black slate soils makes Priorat a very special place for grapes. The 2015 Clos I Terrases Priorat Laurel screams of its class and breeding. In fact this version is the best we have tasted. It is aromatic, inviting, layered and remarkably engaging. It delivers plenty even if you aren’t feeling cerebral and just want to relate to it on a purely hedonistic (sensual) level. If you need some numbers, this second wine has received 93 points or better in every vintage since 2004 save one (2010, curiously enough the only vintage reviewed by Neal Martin during a very short stint as Advocate’s Spanish reviewer). The wine in question, this lovely 2015 Laurel, registers at 95 points with Advocate.

Clos Erasmus and Laurel are not vineyard designations, but they do begin to take shape in the vineyard. Meticulous farming and observation take place throughout the year so by the time fruit starts to reach the cellar in autumn, most of the blends have already been mapped out by Daphne. When the primary fermentations are winding down these decisions begin to coalesce and wines intended for Laurel are racked into a combination of 20hl wooden tanks, second- and third-fill 228L French oak barrels and clay amphorae. It rests for 16-18 months before final blending and bottling.

At this point we’ll defer to Luis Gutierrez, whose review supplies most of the relevant technical information as well as well as a rousing endorsement, “The 2015 Laurel is the second wine here, and it has evolved with time. It’s a transparent and bright blend of Garnacha with 20% Syrah and some 5% Cabernet Sauvignon from vines between 11 and 22 years of age. The blend is different each year, as the vines are becoming older and wiser. It shows extremely aromatic and expressive, open and elegant. It really does not show any heat; on the contrary, it feels quite fresh. It’s not a muscular wine—it’s very elegant. Part of the wine matured in amphora, and there’s no more pigéage (since 2012), only very soft pump overs just to keep the cap wet. The extraction is a lot lower than in earlier years. This is nothing short of spectacular. ..”

Jeb Dunnuck provided an early revieew on this one as well, “ … it boasts a deep purple color as well as perfumed notes of resinous herbs, blackberries, liquid violets and pepper. It’s rich, concentrated, and voluptuous, yet pure and elegant on the palate. It’s undoubtedly the finest vintage of this cuvée I’ve tasted …95 points…”. Amen to that. This is a release we have looked forward to every year since we first ran across the 2005 some years ago (we’ve been following Erasmus since the late 90s), and this one is special. Do not miss it!

2015 CHATEAUNEUF UPDATE

These are the ‘best of times’ when it comes to the southern Rhone. Yes, we have sold through a number of great vintages before. But we don’t ever remember a back-to-back quite like 2015 and 2016 in Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Yet it’s hard to know even how to approach the current all-star lineup on the floor. We could quietly hum ‘these are a few of our favorite things’ because this lineup is stocked with a number of offerings that truly are favorites. Bosquet des Papes, Cristia Vielle Vignes, Saje and Bastide la Dominique all predominantly showcase gorgeous, sappy old-vine Grenache laced with complex spice and mineral unlike anywhere else on the planet. They remind one of a richer version of great Burgundy.

The still Grenache-heavy Pegau, Mayard Crau du Ma Mere, and Cristia Rennaissance offer variations on that theme with higher proportions of the other varietals like Mourvedre and Syrah that add lift, darker fruit notes, and different nuance to the mix. We could echo the campaign of a certain gas station snack area that claims ‘too much good stuff’, but this is so far beyond that. Let them eat nachos. We truly are proffering some of the best you can buy in an elite category from top producers in an excellent year.

If you are into reviews, this lineup has them in spades. If you haven’t seen an overall vintage report, here is an excerpt from Vinous’ Josh Raynolds entitled 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Power and Balance, “…While the 2015s are definitely on the rich side, they’re much more in the style of the 2009s than the superripe 2007s or the frequently roasted 2003s. Broadly speaking, I view 2015 as a cross between the richness of 2009 and the energy and structure of 2010, with the overall personality of the wines leaning closer to ’09 than to ’10. The best examples show serious depth along with very good definition and back-end vivacity, and little in the way of cooked-fruit character…”

In other words, what you have here is very tasty Chateauneuf from top producers. This lineup is also in the sweet spot, elite efforts where the prices aren’t crazy. The one thing that is difficult here is to make a mistake. This lineup is ‘all killer and no filler’, the only mistake being not grabbing some to enjoy now and ten years on.

If this is the toughest choice you have to make today…it’s a pretty special day. Here are some quick notes with full reviews below. Don’t miss these and good hunting! Quantities are definitely finite…

Bosquet Des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape Gloire De Mon Grand Pere 2015- “… Made from mostly (60-70 year old vine) Grenache… another beauty that’s up with the crème de las crème of the vintage. Kirsch, strawberries, dried flowers and spice notes give way to a full-bodied, supple, sexy red that has sweet tannin and a great finish. While it’s a big, rich wine, it glides across the palate and is never heavy. It should keep for 10-15 years. 95 points-“ Jeb Dunnuck

Bastide Dominique Chateauneuf du Pape Secrets De Pignan 2015- From vines planted in 1920, “…Coming from the Pignan lieu-dit, … just beside Rayas …it offers a beautiful, singular style in its blackberry, currant, leafy herbs, thyme, and olive scented bouquet. This carries to a full-bodied, sexy Grenache that has loads of fruit, terrific purity and a blockbuster finish…95 points”- Jeb Dunnuck

Cristia Chateauneuf du Pape Renaissance 2015-This has an intense core of crushed plum, raspberry and boysenberry fruit flavors, draped with melted licorice notes and backed by a wave of warm fruitcake. Hedonistic for sure, but accents of anise, violet and singed apple wood dart around, adding extra facets of intrigue to hold your attention. Grenache (60% from 100-yeaar old vines) and Mourvèdre (50 yr. old vines). ..96 points – Wine Spectator (also WA 95, JD 95)

Cristia Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes 2015- “…This delivers a lush, enticing blast of cassis and raspberry and boysenberry preserve flavors, carried by a silky structure that lets the fruit play out at length, giving adequate time for black tea, singed apple wood, dried anise and fruitcake notes to fill in throughout. Dreamy. Grenache (80-100 year old vines). –97 Points.” Wine Spectator (also JD 95)

Mayard Chateauneuf du Pape Crau De Ma Mere 2015- “… fabulous notes of strawberries, black cherries, saddle leather and garrigue. Full-bodied, impeccably balanced, concentrated and layered, it’s a terrific cuvée and is certainly one of the standouts in this vintage. It’s also the finest wine I’ve tasted from this estate…95 points– Jeb Dunnuck

Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee2015- “…A vintage compared to 2010 by Laurence, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape looks to be one of the big successes in the vintage. Possessing a ripe, rounded, sexy style backed up by solid density and concentration, it offers classic Pegau notes of currants, pepper, and cured meats. Big, rich, concentrated and beautifully textured, it offers a rare depth of fruit and richness in the vintage…95-97 Points“-Jeb Dunnuck

Saje Chateauneuf du Pape Marquis Anselme Mathieu 2015- “I enjoyed all of the wines from this estate, but I was blown away by the complexity and purity of the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Marquis Anselme Mathieu … Not only does it show beautiful cherry and stone fruit notes, it layers on hints of clove, allspice, garrigue and green peppercorn. There’s ample weight and texture on the palate, with the plush tannins drawing to a silky, spicy finish that lingers for minutes…96 Points!” – Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate

TROCKEN THIS, PART ONE: FRANKLAND ESTATE RIESLING

We know we have been a little harsh on the whole German trocken (dry Riesling) phenomenon. Some might have said, “ these guys say they love Riesling, what’s their problem”. Well, there are a couple of things. One is execution. Far too many are lean and skeletal as trocken wines. The fruity examples with a little residual sugar to counterbalance blazing acidity is a true joy to us. There’s nothing quite like a good traditional kabinett or spatlese anywhere in the wine world.

The other point is ‘why’? Why muck with a good thing? Plus, it has been done. The Australians and Austrians have been making compelling dry Riesling for a long time. There doesn’t seem to be a good reason to have another, less successful choice other than it’s German. But we are not here to bag on the Geremans (they are probably cranky enough after the 2018 World Cup). Rather we are here to praise some of the outstanding dry Rieslings that we do endorse.

We’ve been acquainted with the wines of Frankland estate for probably to decades. The story is always a bit puzzling. What possessed this family to head on out to one of the more remote parts of southwestern Australia to plant grapes is baffling. To take a chance on a varietal like Riesling that doesn’t perform just anywhere was a leap of faith. But they have become one of the icon Riesling producers in Oz and have developed a unique and flattering style. Delicate apple and pear, some pleasing citrus and floral notes, with a nice underpinning of a delicate earthy minerality, this is tender and fresh and lifted without being at all edgy.

The 2017 vintage in Australia is quite successful (a cracker!) and 2017 Frankland Estate Riesling is a beautifully composed expression of pristine fruit. Made from various parcels from the estate including some of the original vines from 1988 and a 2006 planting on an ‘ironstone’ ridge, it is a subtle, layered, mouth-watering, ‘pretty’ example of the genre from a very special, if really isolated place.

We aren’t sure how much of a ‘Riesling guy’ Advocate’s Joe Czerwinski, but he seemed to like this one as well, “Scents of lime blossom and orange sherbet practically erupt from the glass. The exuberant 2017 Riesling is medium-bodied with slightly rounded edges and hints at red berries to go along with all of the expected citrus and green apple notes. It’s approachable now but should continue to drink well for a decade or more… 91 Points!” This is how you trocken.

BURGUNDY BARGAIN HUNTER: EPISODE 2

The Haute Cotes refers to some of Burgundy’s highest vineyards along the crest of the generally east facing hills, typically above the more famous vineyards on the upper slopes. Usually fairly rugged land with the vines planted in more rock than dirt, these are typically firm and sturdy and require a bit of time to come around. The difference a little bit more sunshine makes is that there is more ripe fruit over the typically edgy acidity and sometimes stern minerality. That changes the whole personality of these wines for the good and gives them a more fruit driven persona.

The Clairs have owned parcels in the region for generations but sold mainly to negociants. Denis founded the domaine in 1986 with the intention of bottling his own wine. Here the dark red leaning to blue fruits has a tension with the more typical fresh acidity to create a rather compelling mouthful, and the extra weight from the vintage makes the whole proposition work in a way that it rarely does giving the wine a tenderness and weight that will appeal to a larger audience, though there is still plenty of tension from these elevated sites.

The Francois & Denis Clair Haut Cotes de Beaune 2015 comes from 35 year-old vines situated with a south-east exposure looking out over Maranges. All hand harvested, the wine sees 15 months in vat. What a difference a little bit more flesh can make and, once again, the area’s more typical lack of fame helped keep the price down. It’s a rather screaming bargain for a red Burgundy in the in-demand 2015 vintage at under $20.

BURGUNDY BARGAIN HUNTER: EPISODE 1

Named for the 300-year-old Southern Burgundy village in which it is located, Monthelie-Douhairet was run by the Douhairet family for many years. In 1989, Madame Douhairet asked renowned winemaker André Porcheret to take charge and added his name to the domaine. One of the great figures in Burgundy during the past half-century, André was the cellar manager at the Hospices de Beaune from 1976–1988, before he was hired by Lalou Bize Leroy to make wines at the newly created Domaine Leroy from 1988–1993. He returned to the Hospices de Beaune from 1994–1999, and since 1989, he has also been overseeing Monthelie Douhairet Porcheret’s 15 acres, mainly in the Côte de Beaune appellations of Pommard, Volnay, Meursault and Monthelie.

Located between Volnay and Auxey Duresses set back a bit from the main route through Burgundy, this is one of those spots that has a solid history but only hits the high notes in top vintages. For a winemaker like Porchoret in a warm year like 2015, the sweet red fruits pulled all of the minerality and earth notes together within one elegant presentation. The Monthelie Douhairet Porcheret Monthelie 1er Cru Les Duresses 2015 presents dusty cherries, a bit of mulberry, and some subtle stony minerality underneath.

What a vintage like 2015 does is provide the additional flesh and weight that this area usually is a little short on, which changes the whole dynamic of the wine. And, with the less exalted reputation of the region overall, there is an upper limit to what vintners can charge, making the price something of a bargain. In truth this producer has been a go-to in warmer vintages here for several years now. A fine effort.

IN THE PINK, PART TWO: ROSE TIME AGAIN

We spoke our piece last time about the current market for pink wine. In short, it is stronger than ever, but there has been a proliferation of labels well beyond what should have been. In other words, there is a lot more rosé to look at these days, which by definition would give us more things to choose from. That is partially true. There are more good rosés out there, but a much higher percentage of clunkers in the mix because there are a lot of mediocre efforts being made by people who are just trying to participate in the market and many examples being made from places that really haven’t made them before.

All of this just makes our job harder because there is much more pink wine to slog through to find the few gems. But it’s summer, we love pink wine, and the 2017s are generally quite satisfying. So here’s another update on a few more favorites from this year’s crop.

LE PARADOU CÔTES DE PROVENCE ROSÉ 2017– This wine’s performance should be no surprise given the people involved. The Paradou project is a partnership between the brothers Alex and Fred Chaudière of Château Pesquié and importer Eric Solomon. We have been selling Pesquié wines for years and appreciate the honest, terroir driven character that the wines exude. It seems only natural that these folks could create something enjoyable for this label and the Le Paradou Côtes de Provence Rosé 2017 is that wine.

The grapes for this wine come from the more remote center of Provence, a land of lavender fields, olive groves, and wild herbs growing on the hillsides. This is far from the French Riviera and the Cinsault, Grenache and Vermentino (known as Rolle in this part of the world) grapes come from a vineyard at the foot of Sainte Victoire, a peak featured in a number of works by Cezanne. The term ‘Paradou’, while it might sound like some ancient French word for ‘paradise’, actually refers to the old watermills that once dotted the landscape

Each grape plays its part. The Cinsault provides this wine’s delicate fruit flavors reminiscent of raspberries and strawberries, the Grenache its color and spice, and the Vermentino its freshness and acidity plus a hint of white stone fruit in a supporting role. Put it all together and you have one engaging, tasty rosé. Here they do all the right things as the grapes are sustainably farmed, harvested by hand in the early morning, and pressed whole cluster in a cool cellar to extract the lightest color possible.

The 2017 pinks in general show a bit rounder demeanor up front and a bit more weight, yet still deliver the classic rosé experience. Besides that the wine is nicely packaged and well priced. Again, this one checks all the boxes. Jeb Dunnuck had some praise for this juicy pink, “Light pink in color, the 2017 Côtes de Provence Rosé from Le Paradou is a juicy, yet textured, lively rosé that does everything right. Offering lots of white cherry, strawberry, and floral notes, with an almost salty minerality, this beauty hits the palate with medium-bodied richness, nicely integrated acidity, and a clean, dry finish. This is what Provençal rosé is all about and it’s worth a case purchase….90 points.”

CHATEAU DE SEGRIES TAVEL ROSE 2017– Here’s one of those classic Tavels that still thinks it is red wine. The color is a deep orange/pink and there is considerably more mid-palate weight than most of the rosés out there. Yet at the same time it still has the required lift to function beautifully in its capacity as a rosé.

Segries has provided us with a number of tasty selections over the years in both the red and pink variety, and it is one of the sources that still provides ‘old school’ value. It’s added muscle allows it to play with a bit more substantial fare like grilled pork, smoked chicken, sausages, or even meats and provide a more refreshing alternative when the weather is warm.

This is a mix of 50% Grenache, 30% Cinsault, 10% Clairette, and 10% Syrah from 60-year-old vines planted in soils composed of pure silica, sand, clay, pebbles and, of course, stones. This is a saignée which means it was light pressings from grapes that were ultimately destined to be red wines. Everything is done by hand, the grapes were destemmed, and the fermentation takes place at low temperatures to preserve the fruit component.

The nose has an almost red wine element to it as well as notes of ripe melon, red berry and blood orange. All of that plays on the palate along with subtle notes of mineral and pepper. Like we said, this is a more mouth-filling and weightier version of rose than the rank and file, but it still has the freshness to pull it off. It is one of the more impressive and distinctive efforts from this year’s crop of pinks. Thus far the wine got a 92 from Wine Enthusiast with comments, “Beautiful ripe cherry and red berry aromas with floral scents. Good concentration on the palate, flavorful and perfectly balanced. Good acidity and mineral backbone make it a great match with Provençal or Asian cuisine, grilled meat, fresh fruit salads.” We expect there will be more.

CHATEAU PRADEAUX BANDOL ROSE 2017- Every year as we taste through countless pink wines we find a reasonable number of engaging examples and one or two that play on a level all their own. Most long time Francophiles will tell you that Provence is a fine source for rose, but that Bandol has ‘home run’ potential. When a Bandol rosé hits its highest level, it is the quintessential choice. Domaine Tempier has set the standard for years and now sits in the $40 range more or less, expensive even for Bandol. But this one was one of the standouts we have tasted this year, and arguably one of the most memorable ever for its sheer richness, style and layered complexity.

We have had a positive, if somewhat inconsistent relationship with Chateau Pradeaux dating back into the 1990s. This is one of the few times we have had their rosé, but we dare say that it is the most complete, impressive, engaging examples of this category we can recall. This is classic Bandol rosé in both the most traditional and best possible way. The current family took the helm around the time of the French revolution, and the near-the-coast location clearly has a profound effect on the wine’s personality.

The blend here is 50% Cinsault and 50% Mourvedre, with the latter imparting the wine’s distinctive undercurrent of that unique musky minerality that seems to be proprietary to how that varietal performs in this terroir. In more rustic versions it can be overwhelming, but here it is another instrument in a virtual symphony of flavors. The effusive nose speaks of red berries, blood oranges and that earthy/mineral thing that is so indicative of the region. In the mouth it shows layers of flavor including, strawberry, orange and spice. The tension is nearly perfect and there’s enough outgoing fleshiness to easily make friends who aren’t necessarily even fans of Bandol.

The bottom line is that the Chateau Pradeaux Bandol Rose 2017 is an enlightened version of a traditional style and operates in this vintage a level or two above most everything else we have tasted this year. Rosé doesn’t get much better at any price and, at $25, the intensity and complexity in this wine over delivers. If you can find a more compelling pink drink, good on’ya.

DOMINIO DEL AGUILA PICARO CLARETE ROSE 2014- Now for something completely different. First it is important to point out that this is the current release, not some ‘old rosé’ we found in the back room. Some rosés are built to develop in the bottle. The Alphonse Mellot we sold last year is still developing and the Tiburon-based wine from Clos Cibonne is kept in bottle a year before release, just to name a couple. So we are already in rarified air with this element in general, and that is further compounded by the completely unique approach of Dominio del Aguila Picaro Clarete Rose 2014.

Firm, melon, citrus, and berry fruit laced with a kind of chalky minerality and surprising verve for a pink wine at this age, this lets it be known right away that it is not your rank and file pink. A rather unusual blend of Tempranillo, Albillo (a white grape unique to the Ribera del Duero), Garnacha, and Bobal (neither of which are usually associated with the Ribera), this unique mix of red and white grapes is sourced from 60-year-old vines sitting at nearly 3000 ft. elevation. It spends 16 months in a combination of French and American oak, another indication it isn’t necessarily made to be quaffed in its youth.

Wine Advocate’s Louis Gutierrez was quite taken with this wine, and the estate in general. His comments, “The 2014 Pícaro Clarete… is more in the style of a white wine than a red. There are white flowers, aromatic herbs, fine spices and a touch of petrol? The palate is extraordinary, incredibly fresh and complex, with good weight and very good acidity. This has to be the finest vintage to date. The 2012 is drinking superbly today and it’s still young, so I don’t see why this 2014 should not age the same or even better, as I see more freshness and balance here...93 points.”

HILLTOP STAR: Pavillon de Chavannes Cote de Brouilly Cuvee des Ambassades 2016

There is more than just a passing resemblance between the label on Paul Jambon’s lengthily titled Domaine du Pavillon de Chavannes Côte de Brouilly and one of our benchmark sources from the Cote de Brouilly, Domaine Thivin. There is a whole lot of history as well as one of the more intriguing new (to us) discoveries in the world of Beaujolais. Now none of the folks here are newcomers, nor are they another of the wave of vintners from the Cote d’Or that have taken a recent interest in these southern Burgundy vineyards. This estate was acquired by the Jambon Chanrion family around the time of the American Civil War (1861).

The Thivin estate had already been around for quite a while, tracing its roots back to the 14^th Century, and possibly the 12^th. Fast forward a little to shortly after the First World War when Pavillon de Chavannes’ history became intertwined with that of Château Thivin. When Yvonne Chanrion married Claude Geoffray, he controlled Thivin, then a small estate, via inheritance. Yvonne brought with her one-third of her family’s highly regarded vineyards as an inheritance, and later she acquired her sister’s one-third as well.

Over the years, Yvonne and Claude added to Thivin’s holdings with other land purchases, but the couple never bore children. Yvonne outlived her husband. Upon her death in 1987, the sisters’ original two-thirds inheritance reverted to Paul Jambon of the Jambon-Chanrion family, along with fifty percent of the land Yvonne and Claude had purchased subsequently over the course of their marriage. Chavannes de Pavillon was now a new expanded entity. The Art Deco wine label, created in the 1930s, was a product of Yvonne and Claude’s marriage. After Yvonne’s death and the restoration of the Chavannes’ vineyards, this label became joint property of both Thivin and Chavannes, and now it is used by both domains under their respective names.

Cool stuff, great story, but as you know we wouldn’t be telling it if there wasn’t some pretty serious wine as a part of the latest chapter. Mont Brouilly is a unique spot, rising to a height of 1,587 feet all by its lonesome like an old volcanic thumb sticking out of a plain. The Romans cultivated vines on its flanks, and almost certainly vines to one degree or another have been raised on its steep sides ever since. Paul Jambon grew up here and is now making some impressive wine in the ‘old way’.

Today Pavillon de Chavannes consists of 37 prime acres on Mont Brouilly and Paul and Betty Jambon make two cuvées from separate vineyards. The top wine is this 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. As we touched on earlier, 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 gushing fruit here, almost like a 2015, but the fruit has a cooler profile, more lift to the fruit and brighter flavors. A recent change in the cellar (circa the 2015 vintage) has been to rack this wine in stainless steel instead of old foudres which keeps the fruit all that much fresher. The Pavillon de Chavannes Cote de Brouilly Cuvee des Ambassades 2016 is classic Beaujolais that wants to be Burgundy, and it delivers on that promise. Mouth-filling and delicious, you can drink it now or, like most of the top wines from the ‘Cote’, it will age as well. Yet at $19.98 it definitely won’t break the bank. It’s an exceptional find and a lot of wine for the d’argent.

A CUT ABOVE: PADDY BORTHWICK SAUVIGNON BLANC 2017

It has been a very long time since we first started working with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, way back in the mid-80s with a brand called Cloudy Bay. Yes that Cloudy Bay. It was an impressive vanguard for a category that was at the time virtually non-existent, and certainly made an impression on anyone who tried it. It didn’t seem all that long before Cloudy became the standard of a category that pretty much exploded. These days Kiwi Sauvignons are a significant group of wines in the marketplace and there are certainly scores if not hundreds of brands to choose from.

It would be fair to say that not every example is compelling. Some are a bit vegetal, others a bit sweetish, and there is a wide range of styles in between. It is also fair to say that there are plenty of pleasing choices to be had, to the point where consumers have a bit of confidence in the genre and buy them regularly. That is more than can be said for some categories (like South Africa) that consistently need a push. As difficult as we can be, we still find a wide variety of Kiwi efforts that we can recommend. You want a good to very good, tasty, brisk, lively New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc? We usually have several.

However while “good to very good” is no problem, ‘great’ is another matter entirely. The great ones are not that hard to remember because, frankly, we haven’t had many that have performed at the highest level. Some of those first Cloudy Bays were memorable enough to create a category where none existed before. There has been the occasional Villa Maria specialty bottling that has played above the crowd. One of our favorite memories in the category was the first Mount Nelson from the esteemed Marchese Lodovico Antinori of Ornellaia. Considering we’ve been working with these wines for three decades, the list of superstars is pretty short.

Our first encounter with the Paddy Borthwick Sauvignon Blanc 2017 from the Gladstone area of Wairarapa (southern end of the north island near the east coast) was one of those rare magical moments. Paddy Borthwick came from a ranching family and went looking for a place to diversify their farming interests by growing premium wine grapes. He got a degree from Australia’s Roseworthy College in 1985 and then, as they describe it, “embarked on a career spanning five countries and three continents before settling back into the Wairarapa.” He and his father planted this vineyard in 1996.

The vines, now 8-16 years old, sit in deep, stony alluvial soils in a place that is one of the warmest areas of New Zealand (though still pretty cool) with the least rainfall. The grapes are harvested and quickly moved to tank where they are slowed fermented with about five months of lees stirring. Sustainable practices and minimal intervention (as you would expect with Sauvignon Blanc) are the watchwords here. It probably didn’t hurt that 2017 was a ‘cracker’ of a vintage.

The intensely flavored palate shows pink grapefruit, melon, tropical and ripe passion fruit with an underlying hint of gooseberry, guava and lychee. This is a wine with great balance, structure and intensity, with the kind of balance and power rare for the breed. There were some nice notes from Wine Advocate’s Joe Czerwinski (91 points… ‘Nicely done’), but we suspect 3-4 months in the bottle or more (the notes are from Feb, 2018 but we have no idea when it was tasted) probably allowed more nuance to poke out. We’re not just praising this one vis-à-vis other New Zealand Sauvignons, but truly believe this one can play in any arena. That is not something we say about Kiwi Sauvignons very often, but this one is very special. At under $17 it’s a pretty smoking deal as well.

SPECIAL ORDERS DON’T UPSET US…

You hear that a lot out in the advertising world. Everybody wants to sound accommodating and consumer friendly, like they are anxious to fill the varied needs of a diverse public. It all sounds peachy when you hear the ads but perhaps doesn’t always translate to the real world. It’s easy for the corporate heads to advertise that they have a ‘liberal return policy’ when they aren’t going to be the ones standing in line for 30-40 minutes while the lone person in the return department is on break. Promising something is one thing, how (or if) those promises are met is quite another.

Most outlets can’t handle a lot of requests that are outside the carefully put together order sheets that the employees have to work with. We have seen the panic on the face of operatives when the ‘special requests’ don’t fit into the prescribed ‘boxes’. Granted it isn’t rocket science to grill someone’s onions for their burger instead of put them on raw. Obviously with certain types of furniture these days, everything is ‘special order’. Rather one must select not only the style of the couch but the size, upholstery, and complementary pieces. The point is that, when you hear about some outlets’ claims about, well, anything, you have to take them with the proverbial grain of salt. Their interpretation of what constitutes ‘fulfillment’ of the promise can vary greatly from yours.

We have always prided ourselves in trying to be as close to ‘literal’ as possible. In other words, when we say ‘special orders don’t upset us’, we mean it. That being said, however, we must also point out that there are parameters to the promise. First, if we’re going to go out and try and find something that is outside our normal, albeit very expansive and occasionally esoteric routine, there are a few things that sort of override the process. Everything is determined by the amount of effort needed to complete the task, and the size of the task.

There are plenty of factors that play into the fulfillment equation and, for the sake of perspective and full disclosure, we thought it might be informative to understand what some of those factors are. Now bear in mind virtually everyone in our industry has to go through some form of the same process. We’re just being up front about it. So, say you come to us with a special order for something, the key parts of the process go something like this…

PRICE: Of course most of these conversations start with ‘can you get this wine?’ and ‘how much will it cost?’ Even though it doesn’t sound particularly difficult, answering those two simple questions can be unbelievably daunting. First of all, to quote a price means we have to find a cost, which means we have to find someone who sells the wine. That is easier said than done. There are thousands of producers in California alone, let alone all of the other places that produce wine in the world. There are far more labels out there than most folks realize and new ones all the time. Even with as much experience as we have, the information required to be able to answer those two simple questions for all of the wines in the world is impossible.

There isn’t a single source reference for all brands. We can’t just pull out the ‘Great Book of Wine’ and get the answer. Such an all-encompassing source simply does not exist for even all of the wines that are sold within California. Purveyors can be region specific as well, meaning for example that a wine might be sold in northern California but not in southern California. Sometimes associating a particular brand with certain source can be next to impossible.

If you had the wine in another city, or another country, that will make the process that much harder because sometimes that wine you had doesn’t even come to California or reside with any source whatsoever within the state, or sometimes even the country. So we wouldn’t be able to simply order it even if we could find it. The process would be much more complicated even if we could find it in the first place.

PHYSICAL ACQUISITION: Every borderline you cross, be it state or international, adds to the difficulty of the process of acquisition. There are paperwork, licensing, and shipping issues that have to be resolved presuming you actually find the wine to buy. Some wines only exist in one place. There are California wineries, for example, that produce wines for export or for restaurant chains or distributors in other states, that are specifically only for those entities. You won’t find them anywhere else but those places (even though that same wine might exist under many other different labels) and never know the origins of the wine.

So let’s say we actually can find the wine you asked for via the ‘needle in a haystack’ process (sheer luck), in a quantity that makes business sense for us, and find a cost and be able to create a ‘landed’ price. But, wait, how do we create that price? There are also discounts, shipping quantity and dollar minimums, as well as potential U.S. and state taxes, just to name a few things that would have a direct effect on final pricing simply based on the logistical aspects.

Now we don’t mean to imply that everything is incredibly difficult. Often we know the purveyor right away. But if we don’t, it can sometimes take an hour or two just to find out who we are supposed to talk to. There can be special promotional prices and other variables that can greatly affect the final sale numbers which are not evident until one has that conversation with the source.

The bottom line is that, truly, ‘special orders don’t upset us’. It is one of the many things we can do that large chain operations, big box stores, or grocers simply cannot do. It is unlikely you will even find someone that knows what you are talking about in most outlets unless that item is very main stream.

You also won’t find many people that really understand the process in those other scenarios either. The follow-up systems simply aren’t geared to accommodate the ordering and receiving of ‘special requests’. We are pleased to be able to offer the service. We can and will try. But one needs to know going in that it can be an extremely difficult and time consuming process that may not ultimately make economic sense to anyone.

Sadly, all of this knowledge is both a blessing and a curse. While we feel the need to impress upon people how difficult this process is behind the scene, we are doing so to make people aware of all of the pitfalls in doing this sort of thing. Like that current pop hit ‘whatever it takes’, we are willing to ‘go the distance’ if the result makes sense from a business standpoint and we know what to do.

Unfortunately, the greatest cause for past consumer disappointments is something we absolutely have no control over. There is usually a reason that people seek a particular wine that is not readily available. It is because of their positive, possibly ‘aha!’ experience with that wine. People sometimes don’t think about context and how it can affect the joy of the moment.

If you had some wine on your back porch and it struck you as tasty, that’s one thing. Cases like that pretty much revolve around the wine. But there are also occasions where the wine is associated with a grander experience, where the perception of the wine is augmented by the backdrop. We learned long ago that, for some folks, the moment can be as important as the wine itself, and the perception of the wine is greatly colored by ‘other elements’.

So, like those drug ads on TV, we have a few disclaimers. While we will do our best to ‘get the goods’, there are certain parts of the process that made a wine’s experience memorable that we cannot be responsible for. Be aware that your enjoyment of the juice might well have had, at least in part, something to do with ‘the moment’. As we have stated, in some cases it is difficult enough to simply procure the juice requested. However we cannot guarantee your experience will be the same because we cannot presuppose or recreate the environment in which the moment occurred. In all honestly, you probably can’t either because so many things come into play.

What are we getting at? Well, an O.K. wine at the perfect moment will often shine greater than a great wine when you are in a bad mood. Therefore, we will not assume any liability for the affect the food, the significant other, the company, the sunset, the ambience, any body of water, or any other non-wine aspect had that made that particular wine experience special.

So, in the end, ‘special orders really don’t upset us.’ We just need for people to realize that in some cases the task can be prohibitively difficult. As for ‘the moment’…that’s on you.

BEST CAYRON IN A LONG TIME

When we first got into Rhones in a big way back in the early 90s, Domaine Cayron was certainly one of, if not the ‘standard’ in the appellation. Always very big, bold and expressive, the wines were loaded with blackberry and black cherry fruit that could best be described as a walk on the wild side. Lots of well infused gravel, anise, roasted herb or dark chocolate nuance could pop up in any version, but they did all share a certain jump-out-of-the-glass fruit component. They also, in those early days, sported a fair bit of chewy tannin, as did most Gigondas.

For many years Cayron was marketed by Kermit Lynch. Not sure if his leaving the Kermit portfolio, or a bit of a slump in his winemaking was the cause, but Michel Faraud’s wine kind of dropped out of sight for a while. The current purveyor referred to this estate, founded in 1840, as the ‘benchmark producer in the region’. Not sure if we buy into that entirely. Domaine des Bosquets and Saint Damien have been doing some outstanding work and there are a number of rising stars in the region as well. But with this particular vintage, Cayron is definitely deserving of the limelight again.

The 2015 Domaine du Cayron Gigondas has collected a nice range of reviews including ‘over 90’ barrel scores from Wine Advocate, Jeb Dunnuck and Vinous Media and we can see why. That bouncy, gregarious, in-your-face herb-laced fruit component is back with a vengeance. While everybody’s enthusiasm is clear, the writers’ descriptors have quite a range from plum to boysenberry. We’ll borrow the prose from Vinous’ Josh Raynolds as a reference, “Dark ruby. Potent mineral-and-smoke-accented cherry, boysenberry and garrigue scents pick up a sexy incense nuance as the wine opens up. Sweet, seamless and penetrating on the palate, offering intense red and blue fruit, spicecake and lavender pastille flavors and a hint of smoked meat. Concentrated yet light on its feet, playing power off finesse with a smooth hand and finishing impressively long, sweet and youthfully tannic…”

While he commented on the wine’s ‘youthfulness’, we would point out that this tasting note was based on a barrel sample from a region not exactly famous for its polish. Michel Faraud’s three daughters are at the helm now, under his watchful eye of course. However we sense a little more seamlessness to the back half of this wine and a less rough-and-tumble demeanor.

All of that put together makes for the best Cayron in some time. They do all the right things here…hand harvesting, indigenous yeasts, and bottling unfiltered and unfined. As you would expect, Grenache is the workhorse here (78%) with the balance from the ‘usual suspects’ (14% Syrah, 6% Cinsault, 2% Mourvèdre), all finished in large older barrels.

Is Cayron back or is this outstanding, mouth-filling red just the result of a sensational vintage? Can’t answer that just yet, but that doesn’t stop us from enjoying this one for what it is…big, bold, and delicious.