Newsletter
December 11, 2017 – January 14, 2018
Mature Saint-Emilion and Haut-Médoc
1995 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru (Chateau Grand Mayne)
Regular Price $74.99 – Sale Price $59.99 NET
A mature Saint-Emilion is a real treat, and the 1995 Grand Mayne is drinking beautifully. Care must be taken with a fine old bottle like this. Stand it up for a day, then use a corkscrew with a long worm and pull slowly and carefully. The aromatics alone will be worth it. The palate is admirably fresh for a twenty-year-old wine with elegant ripeness and the gentlest of tannins. Please note: if the cork does crumble, decant through a strainer and the wine should be fine.
2005 Haut-Médoc Cru Classé (Château de Camensac)
Regular Price $69.99 – Sale Price $54.99 NET
Camensac makes a classic Cabernet Sauvignon-heavy Haut-Médoc. The 2005 has great structure and unfolding layers of dry character with the subtle suggestion of fruit and earth. A fine bottle just on the cusp of maturity.
Aruma, Amancaya, Argentina
2016 Malbec (Aruma)
Regular Price $14.99 – Sale Price $11.99 NET
The formal name of this winery is Bodegas Caro, as it is a collaboration of the dynamic Argentine winery Catena and the French juggernaut Lafite-Rothschild. As expected they do make a high-end Bordeaux blend, but these two wines are sensational values. Aruma is a pure Malbec with bright aromas and silky smooth fruit. A nice red for a seared salmon and roasted rosemary potatoes.
2015 Reserve Red Blend (Amancaya)
Regular Price $17.99 – Sale Price $13.99 NET
O Porto
20 Year Old Tawny Porto (Ferreira)
Regular Price $64.99 – Sale Price $49.99 NET
Mont-Olivet and La Bouïssière
2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Clos du Mont-Olivet) Regular Price $37.99– Sale Price $29.99 NET
Clos du Mont-Olivet continues to produce traditional ageworthy Châteauneuf-du-Pape at extremely reasonable prices, the prices being reasonable because you have to age the wines. We say a minimum of ten years after vintage date is when you should consider opening them. This year we have had delicious bottles of the 1998 (amazing), 2005 (smoky and deep), and the 2007 (still young). The 2015 is sure to follow along similar lines.
2015 Vacqueyras (Domaine la Bouïssière )
Regular Price $27.99– Sale Price $21.99 NET
La Bouïssière’s Vacqueyras does not require aging. Its deep, dark, and spicy blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre delivers a palate-drenching, full bodied, full throttle Rhone. Have this with a larded roast leg of lamb.
Castiglione and Scarrone
2013 Barolo Castiglione (Vietti)
Regular Price $49.99 – Sale Price $39.99 NET
2015 Barbera d’Alba ‘Vigna Scarrone’ (Vietti)
Regular Price $44.99 – Sale Price $35.99 NET
Vietti also has one of Piedmont’s best Barbera vineyards. They make two versions from the Vigna Scarrone. This is the less expensive version. The 2015 is a smoky, berry-scented powerhouse of a Barbera with a firm, long finish. A fabulous wine for a homemade mushroom lasagna.
Oh Champagne!
NV Brut Champagne (Nicolas Feuillatte)
Regular Price $34.99 – Sale Price $27.99 NET
Listed prices are honored through January 14th, 2018. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 42, No. 1
While we wait for Mont-Olivet’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape to mature, these two Côte-du-Rhônes from the excellent 2015 vintage are ready for the many varied dishes of the season. The basic Côtes du Rhône captures the freshness of the Grenache grape with soft tannins and a peppery finish. A nice bottle for meatloaf or macaroni and cheese. 
2016 Touraine Sauvignon ‘Le Grand St-Vincent’ (Les Vignerons des Coteaux Romanais)
Years ago, before the French wine authorities decided to combine the villages of Viré and Clessé into a Super-Mâcon appellation, Henri Goyard, the original owner of Domaine de Roally poured us a glass of Mâcon-Viré that was as good as any white Burgundy we had ever tasted. Monsieur Goyard has long since retired, but he found the proper successor in Gautier Thevenet, whose father Jean Thevenet has long kept alive the flame of late harvested, super concentrated, exquisitely balanced, and truly exceptional Mâconnais Chardonnay. Gautier, the son’s, 2015 Roally is a classic, dry styled Viré-Clessé with an extra dose of apple/pear compote fruit and enough crisp acidity to keep the extra ripeness in check. A lovely white Burgundy that surpasses many whites from more prestigious Côte de Beaune producers. 
Father Jean’s wines always take a few years to ferment on their natural yeasts. Thus the 2011 is the current vintage. This wine is mostly dry, but it fools the palate with a wild array of complex flavors. Honey, citrus rind, mint, anise, and pear all appear and disappear like fireflies. A fascinating Chardonnay. We are extremely pleased to renew our acquaintance with these wines.
2015 Chianti Rufina (Selvapiana) 
If we misled you to think that these vintages of these wines were long gone, we are sorry. They are back. The bone-dry, crisp Silvaner is still lively and fresh. 
Plus we now facetiously state that the 2015 vintage was so good in Germany that they even made good red wines. 
Most of our German Rieslings come from the Mosel or the Rheinhessen. These regions are where the values come from, but we do want to know what’s going on in the Rheingau. Goldatzel’s decidedly dry Vogelsang is nearly clear in color and has an amazing lift of flavors, from earthbound minerals to pristine apple fruit to an amazingly long finish. Fantastic for a spicy shrimp curry. 
When estate-produced red Burgundy is this good and this reasonably priced, little needs to be said. We will simply remark that this 2013 from Guyon provides a fine earthy nose, a compelling combination of bloody game, interesting fruit, and a mellow, loamy finish. 
Fromager des Clarines is a soft cow’s milk cheese from the Franche-Comté region of France. Served in its own wooden box, it is creamy enough to be scooped out with a spoon, much like Vacherin Mont d’Or, after which it is modeled. If that doesn’t sound indulgent enough, you can also bake the cheese right in its box. Simply score the top, insert some fresh thyme and minced garlic, and pour in a splash of white wine from the Jura. After wrapping the box in foil, bake in a 350° oven for about 20 minutes. Enjoy with a baguette and the remaining wine.
This young and fresh semi-soft cow’s milk cheese from the Veneto region of Italy is named “silver pearl” for its striking appearance. It has a smooth, dense paste that features slivers of black truffle, and the exterior is coated in a mixture of vegetable ash and spices (including cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, and cloves). The stunning appearance, matched by intoxicating aromas of truffle and cinnamon, make this nuanced cheese a great focal point for a holiday cheese plate.
Like Clarines, Époisses comes encased in a wooden box, necessary to contain the gooey, custard-like texture of the cheese inside. A smear-ripened cow’s milk cheese from Burgundy, washed in the local Marc de Bourgogne brandy and aged at least six weeks, Époisses is one of the “stinkier” washed rind cheeses. Those who can get past the pungent odor are rewarded with an incredibly rich and decadent cheese that, though certainly strong, delivers a mouthwatering blend of salty, sweet, and creamy flavors. Available in half or full wheels! 
