Category: Uncategorized

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN ’24

We usually like to give a detailed analysis from our perspective as to what we expect to be the most interesting categories we expect to see this year. As buyers, planning for deeper dives into certain areas is an important part of the business model. We also presume this information will help collectors make plans for their own acquisitions as well. This time around we’re going to keep it a little tighter with regards to the focus and concentrate on the biggest areas of interest.

Here at home, we’re in the middle of a fabulous, if a little bit different run on Cabernet Sauvignon. After the uncertainty of the 2020s with regard to wildfires, smoke taint, and other issues with the vintage, the prospects of 2021 are exciting. But we noted from the start that this is a little different take on Napa Cabernet, with a little lower alcohols, less bombast to the fruit, and more elegance to the overall wines. We aren’t trying to sell green edged, acidic reds as ‘food wines’. There are plenty of sommeliers to do that. The 2021s have plenty of substance and ripe fruit flavors. But they are longer, sleeker, and more refined, more resembling Bordeaux from a riper vintage than the typical bowl-you-over style we are known for.

Here’s an overview piece from Antonio Galloni that, while the message is the same, approaches it from a little different angle,  “After the brutal 2020 vintage, Napa Valley fans will be thrilled to start exploring the 2021s. The 2021s are aromatic, refined and wonderfully expressive. I found many wines to be truly exceptional both in terms of quality and what seems to be a more finessed approach than in the past, something that is evident at many estates. Vintage 2022 presented more than its fair share of challenges, so 2021 is most certainly the vintage to focus on…

“In tasting, the 2021s show tremendous energy and finesse. As noted last year, the wines share some attributes with other drought vintages, specifically 2013 and 2014. But there are some major differences, too…” These 2021s are attractive now but also have the right proportions to age nicely and, while we always manage to find good stuff, 2022 is more of a mixed bag.

On Bordeaux, your have a too-much-good-stuff scenario, which is the opposite of a problem. First you have three outstanding vintages before you, 2018, 2019, and the currently arriving 2020s. Global warming not withstanding, we can’t recall three vintages of this kind of quality in succession in the decades we have been doing this. With the exception of the 2020s, which are still rolling in, what is here is generally all there is going to be so have a good look and take the opportunity to augment your cellar…or start one. The 2021s by and large aren’t earth shattering, but the reviews are out on the 2022 futures and it is a vintage that also has some gems.

The Wine Advocate review on the 2022 Bordeaux will give you the perspective, “At its best, this is a vintage of remarkable concentration, energy and harmony; but far from forgiving mistakes, 2022 punished them, and the less-successful wines are jammy, astringent and rustic. And where sunny vintages such as 2018 sometimes efface differences between sites and styles, 2022 has thrown them into heightened relief. This is true at every level of the hierarchy, and terroirs conventionally thought to be of only modest potential were also capable of delivering brilliant results this year…” Lots of options with Bordeaux.

Burgundy as well offers lovely options among the 2019s and 2020s that are on hand though there are still a few things on the market that will show up a little later. The 2021 whites are exciting while we are being selective with the 2021 reds. For the most part the ’21 red are ‘like Burgundies of old’ in that they are sleeker and less ample but crisp and elegant. Most don’t possess the punch of the other vintages we mentioned.

We have had our first arrivals of the 2022s which, thus far, look like a suppler version of the 2015s which means they will be flattering early on and, hopefully because the vintage was generous volume-wise, prices will be mediated to some extent. Juicy, plump Pinot Noir is always welcome.

Here’s a snippet that tells the story, “Generous yields brought respite from the relative traumas of high temperatures, dry conditions, devastating frosts and regrettably empty cellars of recent vintages – and then there’s the quality of the wines too. For most vignerons, 2022 was a gift.  The best Pinot Noir this year is joyous. Fresh and vibrant, with ripe yet crunchy fruit, incredibly fine but present tannin structure, moderate alcohols, and often with a saline, savoury or bitter edge: these are modern, climate-change era wines, yet remain classically proportioned.

“The 2022s are almost irresistible from barrel, many of them so juicy and delicious that they are quite frankly hard to spit out. But don’t let their approachability fool you into thinking they won’t age, for everything is there in the best wines. As Jean-Marie Fourrier noted, they’re the sort of wines that are so good young that you will likely regret drinking them so early.” More good Burgundy? Yes, please.

The 2021 Pinot Noirs from both California and Oregon are special, with plenty of bright fruit and a lifted demeanor. The 2022s are a bit more of a mixed scenario so playing the ‘bird in the hand’ in this category is the smart move.

Times are promising in Italy with 2019, 2020, and 2021 in the prime northern regions all offering exciting options but relative to each vintage’s differing profiles. There are 2019 Barolos on hand as well as expectations for 2020 Barbarescos and 2019 Brunellos in the first half of the year. As a heads up, though there hasn’t been a lot written so far, but we are very excited about the 2021 vintage in both Piedmont and Tuscany based on the ‘little’ wines we have tasted so far.

Those are the ‘biggest’ topics as we see them. As always there will be plenty of stuff going on and our expectations is that we will find a number of exciting things from the usual suspects (Spain, South America, New Zealand, Australia, et. al) as viticulture, winemaking, and logistics continue to improve and, for the most part, generally good weather and fewer (though more violent) climate quirks provide overall better results for wine overall. Don’t be surprised if you see some things from less familiar places like South Africa, Greece, and Georgia (the country not the state) as they continue to spread their wings. As always, we will be there to filter out the chaff and provide the best wines and the best deals out there. Happy 2024.

A WORD ON SAKE: HEAVEN

A little over a year ago we reintroduced Japanese sake to our portfolio, something we did for a long time at the Orange location. We have what we think is a tight but well-curated selection of traditional sakes, and have seen a variety of interesting things from less traditional origins (like Brooklyn). We ran across something recently however that is perhaps one of the most intriguing pair of Sakes marketed under the Heavensake label, Heavensake Junmai Daiginjo Sake (Urakasumi) and Heavensake Junmai Daiginjo Sake (Dassai). For you hard core Sake fans, the individual specs of each effort are displayed on the site next to the respective bottlings. And we’ll tell you up front they aren’t cheap. But they stand alone against any Sake we have tasted at any price.

What’s the difference? Well they are each made at a storied Sake house and both are at the highest level of quality, Junmi Daiginjo, using high highly milled, top quality Nishiki rice. They are made under supervision of the same outside specialist. The seimaibuai (the percentage of the rice remaining after milling) is extremely low in both cases, with the Urakasumi under 50% and the Dessai below 39%! Just given the milling and the reputation, these would no doubt be outstanding traditional sakes.

What makes them unique is a French connection. Regis Camus is the world-renowned chef de caves at Maison Rare Champagne. Admired for his skillful blending, Regis defined the soul of Heavensake, immersing himself in the spirit and tradition of Japan yet clearly injecting his wine experience in the mix. His respectful ambition was to compose unique sakes showcasing the power of blending “à la française” while honoring the magnificent heritage of Japanese sake making. That he has done with aplomb.

Both of these have the classic floral/anise aromatics that are recurring themes in this historic beverage. But there is also more evident nuance and stone fruit character in both the aromatics and palate that is truly distinctive and take them to the next level. The fruitiness and polish on the palate is top of the heap. But what truly defines the efforts of this ‘wine guy’ making sake is the round, smooth texture and balance that gives them an almost wine ethos. It is that last element that truly sets it apart from anything we have tasted in the category. A complete sake experience unlike any other. (Go to Heavensake)

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.

BRIEFS 12-10-22

SAKE RETURNS

In the old location, we used to have a pretty good selection of sake. We decided to start playing with the category again here. We could go into the whole rant about how sake is made and the difference the water, type of rice, and brewing styles can make. But, heck, we figure folks just want to drink the stuff so we’re not going to get too technical.

As we did before, we re focusing on premium sakes. That’s not the stuff that comes in big drums that you serve warm in sushi bars. These distinctive, delicate sakes are product of the water and special rice grown in their various areas. They show best when served slightly chilled. They are also remarkably versatile with a variety of foods from fish dishes to grilled meats. The top quality designations represent a very small percentage of the total production.

For those trying sakes for the first time, there are a couple of terms to know. The highest quality sakes come from rice that is polished more. The polishing removes the lesser parts of the grain to focus more on the better core. That process is reflected as seimaibuai, or the percentage of the rice that is left after polishing. The lower the number, typically between 50-70%, the better quality the sake. That quality level is also reflected in the grade, with Junmai, Jumai Ginjo, and Junmai Daiginjo being the escalating levels of premium sake and where we are going to concentrate our selection.

There is also a new word for us, Tokubetsu, which nebulously refers to a ‘special brewing process’ that the various brewers might employ in a given batch, though there are no specifics to what that process might be. Around here, like everything else, we simply go by taste. Our preference is for bright, crisp, clean styles. We tasted a number of sakes to create this focused mix, with a few more that will trickle in as they arrive. ‘Supply chain issues’ are a fact of life in this category as well. Enjoy.

Check out the new sake selection

BRIEFS

-You have another brief opportunity to pick up some of the stylish 2019 Cristom Pinot Noir Cuvee Jefferson, a delicious Pinot from one of our favorite sources in that part of the world. The wholesaler got in a last shipment and we grabbed some more. Their 2019 lineup as a group got exceptional reviews with this particular effort getting 97 points from James Suckling and the following notes, “This is very seductive on the nose with ripe strawberry, spice, flowers and hints of cloves. Full-bodied, but very reserved and tight with chewy, polished tannins and a long, long finish. Racy and structured. Try after 2024.”

Add to that a 95 point nod from Wine Advocate, and a sub-$40 price, and you’ve got a pretty sweet buy on an exceptional Pinot. Limited this time around.

-The exceptional efforts from one of Argentina’s superstars, Matias Riccitelli, continues. We just received a limited shipment of his 2018 Riccitelli & Father blend of 70% Malbec and 30% Cabernet Franc. Wine Advocate’s Luis Gutierrez tells the story, “Matías Riccitelli keeps turning out some of the most exciting wines from Argentina, this time with the addition of some “natural” wines. He also keeps exploring the zone of La Carrera, a high-altitude zone of Mendoza where he started with some Sauvignon Blanc but has since planted four more hectares, looking for diversity of soils and altitudes, and hopes to reach 20 hectares in total. They are planting from 1,600 meters in altitude and hope to reach as high as 2,000 meters. Exciting!”

His take on the Matias Riccitelli Riccitelli and Father Mendoza 2018, “The most impressive 2018 Riccitelli & Father is a collaboration between Matías Riccitelli and his father, Jorge, for many years winemaker at Norton (among other things). The wine combines classical and modern characteristics, quite clean and fruit-driven but with a core of deep and ripe fruit and high-quality oak. It’s ripe without excess (14.5% alcohol) and reveals fine-grained and abundant tannins that give it structure and clout. This wine is always serious and concentrated but with very good balance. It should be long lived…95 points.”

We also, amazingly, still have some stock of his “lights out” Matias Riccitelli Malbec Viñas Viejas En Pie Franco 2018 (JS 95, VM 95) and Matias Riccitelli Cabernet Franc Viñedos de Montaña 2018 (JS 94, VM 94, WA 94). These are benchmark efforts and some of the most compelling and interesting efforts we have tasted from Argentina in quite a while.

BAJA SESSIONS: VINOS DE MEXICO

Our natural curiosity has taken us down most of the roads in the wine world.  It was only a matter of time before we were going to look into the happenings south of the border.  Truth be told, we have been open to tasting Mexican wines for a long time.  A couple of years ago, we ran across a Cabernet from a producer called Casa Madero, from an area inland from Monterey, that has found a steady home here.  But the ‘movin-and-shakin’ is happening in the Guadalupe Valley for all intents and purposes, and we have done our best to see what’s going on, including a personal visit.

The broad view would be that this area isn’t trying to imitate anyone else but develop its own identity with respect to varietals and style.  There have been some surprisingly good efforts but the underlying aspect of many somewhat unfathomable prices has largely kept them off our shelves to a large extent.  We are now working with a purveyor that seems committed to promoting Mexican wine so we are seeing a wider array of things.  To that end, Mexico might have a little bigger presence here moving forward, particularly if we can find unique and stylish wines like the ones we are presenting herein at reasonable fares.

DouMa was created by Eliecer Rodriguez and his wife Carla who met in 2006 at the University of Baja California where they both studied Gastronomy.  The name DuoMa, which they created, refers to their collective philosophy that “two hands, working together, can create great things.”  Their label could be called a ‘micro-boutique’, but the goal is to produce small lots of expressive, honest wines that demonstrate the signature characteristics of the fruit grown in the region and Baja California’s unique terroir.

If we understand the timeline, the DuoMa Nebbiolo 2019 is the first vintage to come from DuoMa’s newly built facility and everything here is done by hand with fermentation and aging done in stainless steel.  We take the varietal heading with a grain of salt.  We have tasted a few Mexican Nebbiolos and have our doubts as to the varietal makeup.  Either whatever clone they are using was misrepresented as Nebbiolo or the grape has transmutated substantially in these terroirs.  Our belief is the former as we have had Nebbiolos grown in a wide range of terroirs (including Greece) and the signature firmness and high toned spice are missing from this bottling.

That is not to say this isn’t delicious.  It is.  But there is a much richer middle and less tension than one would expect from the stated varietal. The grapes come from two different valleys, San Vicente, south of Ensenada, and Guadalupe.  Red plums and black cherry, notes of chocolate and coffee, certainly a more tender mid-palate than is typical of Nebbiolo, and there is a nicely layered finish.  Like we said, there isn’t a lot of it (only 580 cases made), but it is very engaging and certainly comfortably priced.

The Solar Fortun winery was started in 2008. Alberto Lopez guides the daily operations of the winery while his U.C. Davis trained son Santiago, handles the winemaking duties.  When you consider that Señor Lopez is a well-regarded physicist with a PhD in astrophysics from the U.K. and Santiago is a former member of Mexico’s Olympic Gymnastics Team, they might be one of the region’s most interesting winemaking pairs.

They only use grapes grown in a pristine vineyard tucked away within a hidden valley in Francisco Zarco.  The portfolio leans towards Rhone-inspired red wines, including one that was on the wine list at the French Laundry, but was this delightfully quirky blend of 50% Cabernet and 50% Petit Verdot called Solar Fortun Baya Baya 2019 that caught our attention.

From sandy, alluvial soils with decomposed granite, the juice sees six months in new French oak.  Baya Baya combines the plump, fruit-forward, fresh character of the Cabernet sauvignon with the potency and verve of Petit Verdot. They are fermented separately and blended before malo.  The 2019 vintage saw a mild summer which allowed for a harvest three weeks later than normal and we presume that extended hang time helped these reds harmonize better.  Medium weight as Cabernet blends go but with loads of dark red fruit, pepper and mineral personality and more food versatility. 

Both of these are very attractive reds but with distinct personalities that give them their own place in the wine world.  As far as the wines of the Guadalupe Valley go, there is a lot of promise here and the prices, in the case of these two wines, made perfect sense.

FUN LITTLE VALUE FINDS

As we have said, we taste constantly, without any agenda. We’re just looking for good things that fill a need and deliver value at whatever its price level is. It’s a lot harder to find things that excite us in the under $20 category for a variety of reasons. But we don’t view something as ‘good‘ simply because it isn’t ‘bad‘. . For us something needs to not only be a solid example of its genre, there has to be some interest and character to it. That is particularly difficult as you get down into lower price brackets, but it does happen. We found a couple of fun things this week that had distinctive character and represent their category well while selling for a song.

White Bordeaux isn’t the first thing on people’s minds but a good one can be quite serviceable and versatile. The Domaine de Cheval Blanc 2019 was a new label for us and kind of a surprise. Certainly, there’s an interesting story somewhere regarding the name since it is also the handle of one of Saint Emilion’s elite producers. But here it’s about the juice.

This 42 hectare estate in Entre-Deux-Mers produces both red and white Bordeaux, and the third generation owners are currently at the helm. This snappy little white is a blend of 40% Sauvignon, 40% Semillon, and 20% Muscadelle from vines averaging 23 years of age. The Semillon lends some texture and the Muscadelle some spice to the aromatics, but the Sauvignon is clearly in the driver’s seat with ripe grapefruit in the nose and flavors.

The surprise isn’t the expected clean, bright flavors, but the depth, volume, delivery for a wine of such humble origins. The fruit, personality, and unexpected charm got our attention, particularly for the fare. It’s no ordinary $10 wine in this vintage ($9.98 actually).

There isn’t much of a story to the Marcel Martin Chinon Les Bernieres 2019. It is a wing of a large negociant producer that makes several labels. We taste a lot of wines like this and you don’t hear about them. We don’t know the background here so we have to figure that the 2019 vintage had a lot to do with this wine but what a joy to drink!

There have been few vintages where the Cabernet Franc gets this ripe and plush in the Loire Valley but 2019 is one of them, reminding us of epic years like 2005, 2009, and 2010. We have had examples at every price range but something this friendly and generous at this kind of price ($11.98) was truly surprising. A little bit of pepper in the nose, a hint of refreshing green and tobacco to the finish, but the middle is stuffed with broad, engaging, supple blackberry fruit. It’s Chinon in a whole new light and scores high on the pleasure scale.

The Cave des Vignerons de Saumur has been on our radar for a long tim and was a staple at the old location. Ye ah, it’s a cooperative, but one that has the ability to produce honest and tasty examples of their terroir at surprisingly attractive prices fairly regularly. The operation dates back to 1957, and they bottle most things under the title of a particular lieu dit (named vineyard)

The Cave des Vignerons de Saumur Saumur Blanc Les Epinats 2020 is from a vineyard that is located on a plateau on gently sloping north-facing hills. The large nearby forests serve as a windbreak and have an influence on the microclimate and two types of soil ( shallow, pebbly soil called terre à silex (fl and less pebbly soil with more clay) create diverse fruit to energize the blend. It’s 100% Chenin Blanc with the nose and flavor showing lime, orange, and peach with flecks of minerality and a hint of sweetness to the finish. Textbook fresh, engaging Loire Chenin for a low price($11.98).

The Cave des Vignerons de Saumur Saumur Les Vignoles 2019 comes from a south facing vineyard looking over the Loire River. The soil here sits atop carbonate formations of Turonian limestone. It is mostly shallow, with soft limestone, resulting in a moderate, but fairly regular water supply, ideal for growing high quality Cabernet Franc. The average age of the vines are 55 years. Nature was kind to the reds in the Loire in this vintage and this one packs plenty of dark red and black fruits along with element of mineral and, again, an unexpected tender fleshiness for the genre. A steal at $14.98.

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.

BRIEFS

  • Even though we are big fans of the 2019 Beaujolais, we haven’t done a lot of offers. The reason is simple. The boats of course, and a lot of our favorites are from smaller producers that don’t necessarily have a lot of any one bottling that we could get behind in an email. Given the current shipping logjams, things are arriving haphazardly as well. That doesn’t say anything about the quality. The 2019s are right behind the 2015s in our mind, perhaps a little lighter on their feet but gushing with cool, sweet, plush fruit and tender personalities. They are absolutely engaging At the moment we have a number of selections from house favorite Daniel Bouland and we’d suggest you give this proven Beaujolais star a good looking over while they are here. Great notes from Wine Advocate’s William Kelly.
  • We’ve been following Domaine Olivier Hillaire since he purchased a part of the Domaine de Relagnes estate back in 2006 which included 3 ha. of Chateauneuf and 5 ha of Cotes du Rhone. The estate makes dense, rich, mouth-filling reds and typically gets good reviews, yet for some reason typically doesn’t evoke the same kind of enthusiasm from consumers. The 2019 Hillaire Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes is a knockout. A blend of mainly Grenache (60%) with some Syrah (40%), it explodes in the mouth with authoritative dark cherry and plum fruit, some spice notes, and underpinnings of subtle earthy minerality. We have been impressed with a very high percentage of the 2019s Cotes du Rhones we have tasted thus far, but this one seems to have another gear and surprising length. It’s silly good for this kind of price.
  • Boats have continued to be a problem as ports are jammed, shipments are backed up, and in some cases it has even been difficult to find a container to put the wines in because of over-the-top demand for shipping. In any case one important boat got in…the one carrying a load of top flight 2016 Brunellos. We’ll try and keep it concise for now, but these words from Antonio Galloni make the salient point about the vintage, “But now the big question is: Do the 2016s live up to our expectations? Oh, yes; they certainly do…Is There Really Any Such Thing as a Perfect Vintage? Many producers throughout Montalcino would say that there is, and the example that they would give you would be the 2016 vintage. To quote Francesco Ripaccioli of Canalicchio di Sopra in the northern eastern part of Montalcino, ‘…if we could control the climate of a vintage artificially, I believe that I would program it to be just like the year 2016.’…I heard many quotes like this one during the course of my conversations with producers. ” Consider this an ‘early bird alert’. There will be much written about the vintage, and we’ll no doubt send offers on items where quantities support it. But there are things that may not last that long so do yourself a favor and have a look. This is a great vintage. Shop the 2016 Brunellos.
  • We met Gianni Venica Sr. many years ago and, through him, we came to understand the passion and dedication it takes to make brilliant ‘naked’ wines. With top notch Italian whites, they truly are made in the vineyard to show the purity and style of the fruit and the site. If you don’t do everything right, there are no quick winemaking fixes that wouldn’t stick out like the proverbial sore thumb. Wee have been following this producer, now in the hands of Gianni Jr., for decades and would like to point to his newest effort, the Venica & Venica Pinot Grigio Jesera 2019, is stunning. Exotic fruit, crisp acids, surprising substance, and engaging tactile quality, this is Pinot Grigio at another level. This year they employed some extended skin contact, called ramato, which adds to the ‘dazzle’. You’ll note the color is slightly pink as a result (Pinot Grigio has pink skin). A ’92’ from Vinous, this one is special.