Author: Steve Zanotti

SOMETHING NEW FROM AN OLD SICILIAN FRIEND

The wines of Calabretta have been a part of our program for a long time. There are a couple of good reasons. One is because the wines are quite good and well represent their Mount Etna origins. But his program also offers a unique perspective in that he holds the wine back until he thinks they are ready to drink. Hence this Calabretta Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie 2014 is the current release.

If you aren’t familiar with Etna, or Calabretto, here’s a brief history. Calabretta’s vineyards are located nearly a half mile above sea level in the black volcanic soils of Etna’s north slope, between Randazzo and Castiglione di Sicilia. There, Calabretta farms roughly seven hectares of mostly 70- to 80-year-old vines—many of them ungrafted—on stepped terraces supported by stone walls.

Since the winery’s founding in 1900, the Calabretta family has farmed and produced wines from Etna’s ancient indigenous varieties—including Nerello Mascalese and Nerello Cappuccio—in the mountain’s unique noble vineyards layered with a patchwork volcanic soils from various eruptions over the eons. Because of the distinct changes in soils across Etna’s slopes, comparisons are often made to Burgundy.

In fact, Calabretta’s most distinguishing feature is its dedication to long aging, which has stayed the same throughout the family’s history as winegrowers. The Etna Rosso ages much like Barolo and Brunello were aged decades ago, in massive (50- 70-hectoliter) neutral Slavonian oak botti for 6 to 7 years. The vineyard practices sound modern but are in fact rooted in the past. They avoid using chemical pesticides or herbicides, and they harvest by hand, starting around the second week of October. Fermentations are carried out exclusively with wild yeasts.

Here you have a unique combination of this distinctive soils of Etna presented when they are ready to consume, giving you the most complete experience with the genre. The Calabretta Nerello Mascalese Vigne Vecchie 2014 is definitely a stylistic nod to the past and Nerello, with its surprisingly elegant red fruits infused with the minerality and earth notes that are the essence of these ancient volcanic soils as well as spice and floral notes. The wine is full flavored but never heavy, and makes for a compelling accompaniment to hearty Italian fare, grilled meats, or roasted fowl. It’s also important to know that while 2014 wasn’t particularly notable in the northern wine regions (though there were some fans of the Barbarescos), it was an exceptional vintage in Sicily.

GREAT ‘LITTLE’ PINOT GRIGIO FROM AN ELITE SOURCE

Any time one brings up Pinot Grigio, there is bound to be some eye-rolling.  A lot of wine types consider the varietal the epitome of pedestrian wine.  In truth, there are a lot of over-cropped, banal, commercial examples out there that contribute to the varietal’s poor reputation.  But all Pinot Grigios are not created equal.  There are a number of sensational, indeed world class renditions from a number of sources in Alto Adige, Collio, and the surrounding high country of northeastern Italy. People like Schiopetto, Cantina Terlano, Venica, and Vie de Romains, to name a few, have been doing sensational work for a long time.

If there is an issue, it’s that most of the best examples can reach into the high $20s or $30s price wise.  As you slide down the price ladder, the quality starts to erode as well.  That’s not too surprising, but we are constantly on the lookout for sources that can deliver quality like the bigger fish but don’t cost as much.  It can be a frustrating journey, but it isn’t a pipe dream.  There are some interesting examples our there if you are willing to look.

One we have dabbled with in the past, and that turned in an excellent performance in 2021, is Cantina Adriano.  The Cantina Adriano Pinot Grigio 2021 performs a lot like one of the big boys, with a captivating nose of fresh grain, white stone fruits, and stony minerality and a surprisingly unctuous, palate coating mouthfeel.  Thin and insipid?  Not this one!  In this particular case, it’s an example of the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.  Cantina Adriano is produced by Cantina Terlano, arguably one of the highest performers in the region.

It is a vineyard unto itself.  The description in Wine Advocate is “Cantina Andriano (Kellerei Andrian) enjoys a unique position at the point where the Val d’Adige (or the main river valley of Alto Adige) opens toward the south. The area is protected from harsher weather from the north by the rocky Mendola Ridge. Apple orchards blanket the valley floor, and grapevines hug the hillsides at the higher elevations.”  But the winemaking under the auspices of Terlano is a key ingredient, we suspect, in this wine’s performance. 

The purity of the aromatics and the substance to palate are prime components of all things Terlano and, while this wine doesn’t have quite the power and drive of the Terlano version, it is a delicious example of Pinot Grigio that costs less and outperforms anything we have tasted in its price range.  It is a super star in its price range ($16.98).  Nice notes from the press as well.

From James Suckling, “This has so much youthful energy, Alpine freshness and lovely juiciness that all make it stand out in the pinot grigio crowd! Very good depth and a really focused, long finish complete the very satisfying picture. Drink now…92 points.

From Wine Advocate’s Monica Larner, “In a bottle with a bright yellow capsule, the 2021 Alto Adige Pinot Grigio is fragrant and fresh with pretty fruit, white peach and summer daisy. The wine is very pleasurable to drink and silky to the palate with tart citrusy notes. Production is an abundant 70,000 bottles, and you get great value…91 points.”

THE RIGHT WINE, THE RIGHT PRICE

Sarah’s Winery has a long history at Winex dating back to our earliest days when it was a quirky but well respected boutique source.  The ownership changed a few years ago, and along with it maybe some of the flair (original owner Marilyn Otteman had a distinctive personal style that got the winery media attention).  Since the winery was purchased in 2001 by ‘mad scientist’ Tim Slater, former DJ, musician, and inventor, it has it has remained a valuable source for what the market needs but what consumers themselves don’t necessarily realize that they need, solid, tasty, honest, well-priced wines. 

The problem with the new incarnation of Sarah’s is not the wine side, but the image side.  They make really good, honest wines, however they typically don’t get the breakout media attention that tends to elevate the label in the minds of the public, nor make them easy fodder for your typical ‘cut and paste’ merchant.  Granted we’ve seen plenty of ‘just okay’ wines (including many that we passed on) creatively verbalized by merchants to sound like they are the next big thing.  That is part of the problem as well.  With all of the internet merchants out there shamelessly testing the limits of hyperbole, the honest story about a wine like this gets lost in all of the noise.

So what is the honest story?  This is a delicious, character-filled, tender and engaging bottle of Pinot Noir.  Tim’s way of putting it is ‘capturing the music of the vineyard’.  That is the story here.  ‘Dwarf oak’ refers to certain blocks on this Santa Clara estate (along with a small amount of purchased fruit from neighboring vineyards).  The fruit came from mainly familiar clones along with one entitled “Samsonite Chambertin” suggesting a ‘suitcase cutting’ from Burgundy.  The juice saw 11 months in neutral oak.

The wine is a pure reflection of the terroir here, a basketful of red fruits (cherry, red currant, pomegranate, strawberry) laced with a little clove, sage, savory spice, and dried flowers.  It has up front fruit, supple texture, and perfectly tempered acidity.  It’s round and juicy yet retains a slightly cooler edge.  Simply put, it’s an engaging and delicious bottle of Pinot Noir at a great price given the fare reduction from the purveyor.  It would have been a great ‘deal’ a decade ago.  You can  imagine where it sits on the value scale now.

In short, it excels at exactly what it is supposed to be, a fine drink and something that can be enjoyed with gusto at your table.  There aren’t crazy scores from some obscure source or overblown hyperbolic descriptors on our part (we try and ‘keep it real’ around here).  It’s just a really good Pinot at a great price for what it delivers.  That should be exciting enough.

2020 BURGUNDIES: WE’RE NOT NAGGING BUT…

In virtually every offer we have made on the 2020 red Burgundies, we have included our monologue about how special a moment it is for Burgundy fans. It’s something of a harmonic convergence of a number of factors that have created what we see as one of the most opportune buying windows we have ever scene for this difficult-to-play category. We’ll synopsize as best we can.

First, global warming has raised the bar for a lot of so-called lesser Burgundy appellations from a historic perspective. Prices in the region have been established over decades (centuries?) based on the consistent performances of certain villages. Conversely, those villages that haven’t been able to be as dependable because their climate is more marginal have an upper limit on what they can charge for their wines. Global warming has added a couple degrees of ripeness to those marginal Burgundy regions (Marsannay, Mercurey, Givry, for example) and created far more consistent, engaging and successful harvests while the prices have been slow to adjust upward.

The 2020 vintage was a flashpoint as a warm, ripe harvest combined with an abnormally short crop (also thanks to the quirky weather patterns brought on by global warming, but that’s a much more complicated explanation) has created a crop of rich, deeply colored, well endowed red Burgundies the likes of which we can’t recall. The 2019 vintage was also extremely successful and there are a few bits of that vintage still around.

Even though the crop loads have been lighter, most producers have thus far mainly kept prices relatively reasonable. The situation has also been aided (to an extent) by an extremely attractive, historically low exchange rate with the eruo vis-à-vis the U.S. Dollar. To summarize, you’ve got one of the best vintages we have ever seen on the market at a time when the prices are based on the most opportune exchange rate.

Looking forward, the 2021 vintage was an even shorter crop and, according to most accounts, not particularly special. Given the extreme shortages, to put it bluntly, prices will rise even without additional help from a declining exchange rate or a highly collectable vintage. Any additional negative ‘money’ moves will only augment the problem. So you will effectively be asked to pay more for lesser wines with the 2021s. Thus far 2022, the vintage, looks positive, but also vulnerable to yet another round of price increases.

Right now, Burgundy lovers, you are in the perfect window…a broad selection of viable wines from a historic vintage at some of the best prices relatively. To be sure, things are starting to change. Some of those ‘lesser’ appellations are edging up pricewise in this extremely successful vintage. But the prices for what’s in the bottle in most cases are still at a relatively good value point for the category. In other words, you may never have the opportunity to get Burgundy this good for this kind of money in the foreseeable future.

We keep to the message not because we’re like those nagging ‘aunts’ on that TV insurance commercial (“expired…expired”), but because it’s the truth. Sure, there will be people that will ‘opt out’ if Burgundy gets too crazy. The recent spate of good vintages and relative affordability, however, have reminded us how much we love Burgundy. Maybe you’ve felt that, too.

There have been long stretches over the years with Burgundy where either the vintage or the price (or both) have not been particularly accommodating. The last couple of years have been really fun. But as we know with Mother Nature, nothing lasts forever. This is a rare, special moment where Burgundy aficionados have an advantage. It’s our job to point that out (even if it might sound a little naggy). But this too will pass and these times will become the ‘good old days of yore’. Stock lists below, good hunting!

Check stocks of 2020 Red Burgundies

Check stocks of 2019 Red Burgundies

OUTSTANDING HIGH-COUNTRY RIBERA DEL DUERO

One of the reasons we do this part of the website is to afford ourselves the opportunity to talk about very exciting things that wouldn’t necessarily play well in our quick hit or email formats, the latter being limited by the number of days in a year. Still, distinctive wines like this deserve a forum.

In truth, we offered one of Yotuel’s bottlings, the 2009 Seleccion, some years ago at the old location. We loved the wine with its deep, polished, chocolate tinged blackberry fruit. Why didn’t it sell? Well there are lots of possible reasons it may not have jumped on the shelf, not the least of which are a difficult name (Gallego Zapatero Yotuel Ribera del Duero) for people to remember or pronounce, and a label that looked kind of like a Rorschach drawing (it is actually supposed to be a stylized grapevine). Anyway, some of it was lost in the shuffle during the move and turned up later in the inventory with a decade of bottle age. It was gorgeous drinking.

Coincidentally, not long after the last delicious bottle of that 2009, the purveyor (the same one we bought it from before) showed up with this top of the line effort from that same Gallego Zapatero Yotuel Finca Valdepalacios from the brilliant 2016 vintage. Needless to say, an equally difficult (maybe more) name from a still relatively unknown source at an upper $40 price didn’t promise the commercial success of MAGA hats. But the juice was stunning, layered and distinctive so we were ‘all in’.

The story of Gallego Zapatero is relatively straightforward and similar to many stories in this part of the world. The vineyards were planted by the grandparents of the current proprietors, brothers Bienvenido and Nacho. The nine plots owned by this family are located in the town of Anguix, in the foothills of Manvirgo Mountain. At 2500 height, these vineyards face temperature shifts of 50 degrees between day and night during the growing season, creating some of the most muscular wines in Ribera del Duero. Grapes are grown organically (certification pending), and the wines are fermented with only ambient yeasts.

The Gallego Zapatero Yotuel Finca Valdepalacios 2016 is 100% Tinto del Pais (the true Ribera clone of Tempranillo) harvested from a single, 1-acre plot of 79-year-old bush vines. The grapes were fermented in 100% new French oak where the juice remained for 14 months. The production was a whopping 1073 bottles and 50 magnums. It is a tribute to this boots-on-the-ground importer that something this special with such tiny production made it here at all.

A wine of great purity boasting layers of spicy blackberry, dark cherry, and cassis, with highlights of spice, chocolate and vanilla highlights from the sojourn in oak, and a seductive, velvety layer of fruit nicely overlaying ripe tannins. Given our experience with the Seleccion from years ago, we’re pretty confident this will be a star in the cellar. But it’s a seriously compelling mouthful already.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN 2023

As merchants it is our job to look ahead. Knowing what is just beyond the horizon is important in planning our commitments and where we put our greater efforts with respect to acquisitions. The harvests are in, we have a pattern of what to expect when based on history, and the information is already out there. It’s a simple matter of paying attention.

So what does 2023 have in store? We’ve read the economic forecasts which are quite varied but that really isn’t our niche. One publication was pretty certain that prices weren’t going to increase drastically this year. To that we’d say a couple of things. Given our experience over some four decades our only comment to that is that it is folly to try and predict what wineries will do. Also, prices already have risen substantially over the last few years in some categories and have been at levels that would seem unsustainable except under the most utopian of economic scenarios. In closing, one article suggested that this year the consumer needed to be ‘smart’. Isn’t that always the case?

Here at home in California and, to an extent, Oregon, the key issue is still the fallout from the 2020 vintage and all of the smoke taint. A lot of wineries chose not to make a 2020 Cabernet. But we doubt all that juice got thrown away. It’s out there somewhere being tweaked and filtered to make it salable. We are being beyond careful in tasting things from 2020 on the lookout for signs of fire. As we told everyone repeatedly, there are still some 2018 and 2019 Cabernets out there that should be snapped up so one doesn’t have to be concerned with 2020. Also, there are wineries that did release 2020s. Were they unique cases where was no taint or were those wineries less concerned about that aspect? Hard to say. Like the guy said, the consumer has to be smart. The few 2021s we have tasted so far from California and Oregon have been quite promising.

If there is a sweeping statement to be made, this is one of the most promising period for French red Burgundies we can recall. The 2019s that remain are tender and delightful and the 2020s that will make up the bulk of arrivals over the next few months are in a class by themselves. There are abundant sexy choices that will age beautifully as well. While the general price range of these wines isn’t exactly cheap, it’s certainly no worse that high profile California Pinot. The thing is that with 2019 and 2020, the quality of the vintage trickles down to almost every price range. If you can swing it, load up on Burgundies. You won’t regret it.

Bordeaux is on a strong roll with a series of winning vintages. The 2018s are here, the 2019s have started arriving and 2020s next in line. We can’t recall any time where there were three such sensational vintages in a row in Bordeaux. So as far as the juice goes, it’s epically good. The question is more political/economic. With 2021 not being particularly noteworthy and early rumors of 2022 being quite enthusiastic, what happens to the prices of the yet unsold 2020s? On the one hand you’ve got less than dynamic economics worldwide and other factors affecting modern megamarkets in Russia and China, versus the Bordelaise’s historic tendency to see what the market will bear. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out but there is plenty of good juice to be had. To the point, what is currently offered is already priced so buying the ‘bird in the hand’ is a good strategy.

Italy will provide plenty of excitement. The whites from the northeast (Alto Adige, Friuli, etc.) continue to set a high standard with ’20 and ’21 yielding one riveting, zesty white after another. As to Chianti, 2019 was very good and 2020 good enough, but the real story is that the whole region seems to be upping its game and a number of lesser known, newly energized estates will add to the fun with surprisingly expressive efforts. It will be an important year for Barolo lovers as the 2019s are due to hit this year.

As for the rest, we don’t expect any shocking changes. Argentina and Chile are continuing to excel as winemaking takes advantage of more in-depth knowledge of how to express the unique terroirs. They are stars on the rise and will continue to be a source of distinctive, exciting juice. The ‘other’ Southern Hemisphere (South Africa, New Zealand, and Australia) will continue to generate hits but, thus far, people haven’t really embraced the categories. Aussie winemakers have said the 2021 is special so we’ll see if that moves the needle here in the U.S.. We still remember the ‘glory days’ and we’re still believers that the good guys are making worthy wines.

Spain will continue to be a major source of high quality and value at virtually all price levels, and there are key producers hitting special vintages like 2010, 2016, and 2019 that will definitely create some ‘must buy’ scenarios.

Middle Europe (Germany, Austria, Alsace) is definitely taking care of business but still under appreciated in the broad marketplace, particularly given the expanded range of Asian and Pacific Rim cuisines that they play beautifully with.

We can almost guarantee that you will see things you haven’t seen before. As an overlay to everything, global warming will cause changes in outcomes in familiar regions and even create scenarios where varietals that generally exist as blending grapes will get a shot at a leading role thanks to the new dynamic.

As usual, we’ll be digging for the best values and best efforts. We’ll find them because we’re willing to do the work. Just like last year, and the year before that, this year we’ll see more wines than virtually anyone in the industry because we learned a long time ago that if you don’t ‘look’, you don’t ‘find’. Whatever it takes. Our suppliers appreciate the opportunity but tell us we are not easy to please. That’s true. But we tell them that we answer to higher authority. You folks.

Happy New Year.

DOMAINE DE LA SOUMADE: RETURN OF AN OLD FRIEND

As we told the story last time (with the 2016s), we were going through some open market offers in Europe and ran across one for a Winex favorite from years past, Domaine de la Soumade in Rasteau.  We recalled they used to make some pretty impressive juice, Rasteau that played at a much higher level than the appellation.  At the time we researched to find only four people in the country were offering this wine.  Naturally we were all over that.  This time around when we ‘wine-searchered’ the 2019 vintage from this house we found only one store offering it for sale…us.  We can’t imagine why this talented, established producer hasn’t yet found a U.S. importer.  But we aren’t losing any sleep over it as long as we can get it.

Domaine la Soumade was established by André Roméro in 1979. Since 1990 the whole production has been bottled at the domain. In 1996, when his son Frédéric Roméro had earned his BEPA Diploma in viticulture and oenology, he returned to the domain to join his father.  These days André is dialing it back, essentially semi-retired, and the reins are now firmly in Frédéric’s capable hands.  

The domain covers 27 hectares, one of which is in Gigondas and the rest is situated in Rasteau.  They make nine different wines including four selections of Rasteau.  The trend here is to use more large foudres (really big barrels) with the idea of keeping the star of the show, the super ripe Grenache, as fresh and bright as possible.  They farm lutte raisonée, in effect organic unless there is a problem that can only be solved by commercial applications.  They also have a somewhat unique situation in having Bordeaux superstar winemaker Stephane Derenencourt as a consultant.   As we said, this domaine has always played above their appellation, and the 2019s are once again highlight performances.

The one thing about not having broad (or much of any) distribution in the U.S. is that your wares don’t get in front of the media as much, or in as timely a manner. While there are reviews out on a broad array of the 2019 southern Rhones as a category, very few pundits who have gotten to the 2019 Soumade wines.  We did find one source that was as enthusiastic as we are although, truth be told, we were in on these wines regardless.  They are quite easy to like and their track record is impressive.  These two represent the best efforts.

The Domaine le Soumade Rasteau Cuvee Prestige 2019 slowly emits deep aromas of cranberry, dark berry, cured cherry, anise, and floral notes.  There’s plenty of juicy, darker fruits in the mid-palate, some pretty spice and fresh herb notes around the edges and a surprising touch of pastry crust.  Bright and lively, very expressive, this one definitely shows breeding beyond its sub-$20 price point. 

Wine Enthusiast gave us the blend as well as some ‘encouraging words’, “Sun-kissed but zesty blackberry and boysenberry flavors are etched by veins of salt, crushed granite and peppercorn in this full-bodied blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre. Matured in equal parts stainless steel and large-format barrels, it’s pristine in black-fruit flavors and briskly balanced in acidity. Edged by very fine, peppery tannins, it’s vibrantly youthful now but should improve through 2029…93 points.”

The Domaine le Soumade Rasteau Cuvee Confiance 2019 is a similar blend from top parcels of older vines.  Even though the scores are only a point apart from this reviewer, this one works at a level comparable to a very good Chateauneuf.  There are more layers to the nose, with darker fruit and inviting spice and red licorice notes combining with a well tucked in florality.  More stuffing, more intensity here along with sweeter, denser, even more compelling fruit, and this wine is tender yet vibrant and the balance is impeccable.  Very classy juice.

Wine Enthusiast’s view was appropriately complimentary, “Domaine La Soumade devotes its oldest vines from 50-100 years old to this blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre. Vinified entirely in large-format wood vessels, its black plum and cherry flavors are lusciously concentrated but maintain a zestiness and mineral edge that are thrilling. Full bodied and opulent, it’s a velveteen, solidly structured red that should drink beautifully now–2030…94 points.”

We expect even bigger numbers down the road for the 2019s from other reviewers based on the reviews of the 2016s (2019 is another excellent vintage), but there haven’t been any more reviews of 2019 as yet. So you are still ahead of the game.

One interesting note.  If we were unscrupulous merchants, we could point out we were substantially below the stated retail prices in the Enthusiast pieces ($60 and $70 respectively).  We’ve never seen them offered anywhere near those prices.  Suffice it to say, however, at $19.98 and $29.98 respectively, they deliver superb value.  Limited.

BRIEFS 12-10-22

SIZE DOES MATTER: JEAN LAURENT 2008 MAGNUMS

Years ago (like the 80s and 90s), there was a publication called Connoisseurs’ Guide had significant influence on people’s tastes. Besides being a pretty good source for finding obscure California gems, they also wrote some of the best pans when they didn’t like something. More to the point, every so often they would do a tasting of California sparklers and one particular quirk of theirs was that incumbent in those reviews they would have notes on the same bubbly in regular bottles and also in magnums. The magnums consistently scored higher. After much of our own ‘research’, we came to accept their axiom. While it is difficult to verbalize why exactly (and you know we’re not usually ‘lost for words’), somehow magnums seemed to present more layers of flavor and more refinement. We can’t explain the science of it, but we are believers.

We tell that story to tell this one. We have found a modest cache of magnum bottles from a long-time house favorite Jean Laurent. The estate is situated south of Epernay, in the outlying Côte des Bar region of Champagne. We’ve talked about the Bar recently as an emerging source for serious boutique producers but these guys were out in the market long before ‘the Bar’ had the cool kid vibe it has today.

Their vineyards are in the village of Celles‐sur‐Ource, with a few parcels in the neighboring village Landreville. They total 39 acres (30 of Pinot Noir, 6+ of Chardonnay, 3 of Pinot Blanc (a legal but not widespread grape in Champagne), and small plantings of Arbane (a historic grape in this Aube region but there is little remaining). The vines are planted in distinctive chalky soils, part of a band that stretches from Champagne to Chablis and all the way to the White Cliffs of Dover (where the Brits are making some sparklers of their own).

The vineyards average 25 to 30 years in age, with the oldest parcels at more than 60 years old. Jean Laurent was one of the earliest RMs we were exposed to (“Recoltant Manipulant” – the French term for Grower Producer) and we have since followed this genre of Champagne producers with great enthusiasm. Like the title says, Jean makes Champagnes exclusively from his own vineyards. You’ve heard us yammer on about the terroir aspect that grower Champagne has over the big houses and this is one of those special places where the juice comes from small, distinctive patches of vines farmed sustainably and is produced in a limited batch.

There are a number of other key points but the most important are that this is large format bottle from, according to the Wine Advocate vintage chart, the highest rated vintage in Champagne in the last quarter century. The Jean Laurent Brut Blanc de Blanc La Griffe de l’Ource 2008 Magnum is 100% Chardonnay from this legendary vintage aged 30 months in tank prior to bottling (no oak) and then seeing 8 years on the lees sur latte (on their sides) and 2 years on the lees sur point (cork down) prior to disgorgement.

Given the vintage and what we have referred to in past pieces as the riper, richer character of ‘the Bar’, this is an ample Champagne with notes of citrus, yellow melon, cherry, brioche, and honeylike flecks in the nose and finish. The mousse is refined, no doubt in part due to the bottle age, and the palate is both lifted and creamy. This is a fine and expressive bottle of Champagne to plan something around and, yes, the extra nuance that the ‘big bottle’ provides appears to be in full effect.

The Magnum format itself ostensibly adds a point or two to the review here that was done by Wine Spectator on the 750 ml bottle in December, 2019, “Creamy and well-knit, with good focus to the baked white cherry, honeycomb and ginger biscuit flavors. A harmonious version, framed by sleek acidity and a chalky underpinning, this is long and mouthwatering on the lightly spiced finish. Disgorged July 2019. Drink now through 2028. 375 cases made…93 points.”

Large format, epic vintage, this is a very special holiday treat. Only 20 magnums available at this writing.

TROIS CHENES TOURAINE IS BACK

More than a decade ago, long before Loire Sauvignon Blancs like Sancerre became the white hot item they are today, we discovered this new producer from Touraine that was making wine on the level of top flight Loire Sauvignons from much more famous appellations but charging the appropriately modest prices for something from the broader region. Vincent Richard was a solid commodity at the old location with three different efforts at different price points that delivered some of the best values for Sauv. Blanc in the store.

Among them, our favorite was the Vincent Ricard Touraine Sauvignon Les Trois Chenes 2020 (les trois chenes means ‘the three oaks’ as artfully portrayed on the label). Clean fruit, loads of energy, fruit notes from lime to peach with some richness but also the kind of tension and pop that defines the best efforts of this varietal, Ricard’s wines became go-tos for a 3-4 year stretch.

Like all winemakers sometimes do, he got the urge to tinker a little bit and a couple of subsequent vintages didn’t have the delineation or clarity that we had come to expect from this surprise source. As happens, other things came along that replaced what had been a steady part of the lineup. For a variety of reasons which we won’t get into here, we simply didn’t see anything from Vincent Ricard for a few years.

Recently retasted, it appears that Vincent Ricard has gone back to that driving, focused, fruit-driven style that made us big fans of his back in the day and we welcome his wines back to the fold. The estate is about 45 minutes from Tours and 20 kilometers east of famous Chenonceaux Castle. The Ricards have been growers for five generations and decided to bottle their own in 1998.

Les Trois Chenes is 100% Sauvignon Blanc from old vines (the oldest planted in 1947) on a gentle slope near the top of the hill. The vineyards face directly south, and the soil is clay and limestone. The grapes are hand-harvested and pass through a sorting table. The wine is barrel-fermented for 3 months, then aged in barrel for 8 months, with lees-stirring every 4 days or so which gives it a broader more substantial texture.

Simply a delicious mouthful of Sauvignon Blanc that overachieves for its modest appellation but also offers an excellent value option to fight the high cost of Sancerre. Great texture particularly for Sauv. Blanc, with that lime and bright white peach fruit and good underlying acidity, this is an absolute pleasure to drink at a price ($17.98) that Sancerre was about a decade ago.