Newsletter
September 15, 2018 – October 14, 2018
Bordeaux Blanc
2016 Bordeaux Blanc (Château Ducasse)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
Many will be familiar with Château Graville-Lacoste, which is year in and out our best-selling dry white Graves. The same meticulous producer makes this delightful Bordeaux Blanc. The Château Ducasse blend uses Semillon (60%) for body, Sauvignon Blanc (35%) for fruit, and Muscadelle for aroma. A lovely white for a broiled halibut with shallot and butter sauce.
Et Rouge
2015 Bordeaux Supérieur (Château Dallau)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
We have had some terrific vintages of Château Dallau and 2015 is now one of them. We find it interesting that this Bordeaux Supérieur is located on the right bank. The property is located to the northwest of Saint-Émilion. The blend is mostly Merlot, with a dollop of Cabernet Franc and a final splash of Cabernet Sauvignon. This is dark and deep with plum and blackberry fruit, ripe tannins, and an earthy, dry finish. Have this with a seared leg of lamb steak and rosemary roasted potatoes.
Julienas
2016 Julienas (Stéphane Aviron)
Sale Price $21.99 -- $224.30 case of twelve
Come with us on a cruise of the Crus of the Beaujolais. After all, the folks in Lyon think that Beaujolais is a river that flows to but not through their city. Last month we featured a Fleurie and a Chiroubles, two of the most charming examples of Cru Beaujolais. This month we have Stéphane Aviron’s Julienas, a cru with a peppery power, plummy fruit, and a stony, dry finish. His 2016 is beautifully balanced with gorgeous tannins. Have this with a roast chicken and a potato and celery root gratin.
Et Bourgogne Rouge
2015 Bourgogne ‘Les Combes’ (Pierre Naigeon) Sale Price $27.99 – $285.50 case of twelve
Based in Gevrey-Chambertin, Pierre Naigeon expanded his namesake grandfather’s land holdings in the Grand Crus Bonnes-Mares and Charmes-Chambertin to include Premier Crus in the Côte de Nuits. Luckily for us mere mortals, he also offers ‘Génériques’ cuvées such as the ‘Les Combes’ which is anything but generic. In a font size that only twenty-year-old eyes can read, the back label discloses the storied vineyards that sourced this cuvée. In the excellent 2015 vintage, only 137 cases were produced, so we were happy to get 15. Strawberries, violets, licorice, and sandalwood combine to make this a lovely and compelling Pinot Noir. Perfect for a wild mushroom tart.
Muscadet
2017 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine (La Pépie)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
Mâcon Blanc
2016 Mâcon-Charnay ‘Franclieu’ (Jean Manciat)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Old friend Jean Manciat is making Mâcon better than ever. His Franclieu cuvée has always been a solid blend of his various terroirs, but as his vines have aged this wine has become richer and longer. The 2016 starts out with pure fruit, then there is a lovely floral component, and finally a crisp, minerally finish. Here is a grape grower and winemaker who clearly knows his métier.
Listed prices are honored through October 14th, 2018. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 42, No. 10
We sold a ton of easy-going dry rosé during the warm weather, but now that we have our last burst of summer, 
we have a pair of pink wines that will complement the foods of the coming season. As we have reported before, Baudry’s Chinon Rosé takes its time to arrive. This is no flash-pasteurized pink. It has minerals and depth, subtle fruit, and pinpoint balance. Great with salmon and sautéed bok choy. Peyrassol’s Provençal Rosé always delivers a high standard. Drinking this with a bouillabaisse is a life affirming experience. It’s also uplifting with some roast butternut squash and pesto.
We are always in search of the finest expressions of individual grapes. There will always be some debate, but this month we believe we have found a winner. We do not know of a finer Carignan than the wine made by the meticulous Sylvain Fadat at Domaine d’Aupilhac in the Languedoc. The vines for ‘Le Carignan’ are between 60 and 80 years old and farmed organically and biodynamically. At first the wine is rather wild, with rocky, herbal aromas. The palate softens with ripe cherry fruit. The finish is very expressive, with ripe round fruit, silky tannins, and a deep earthiness. Truly a Grand Vin.
Cubillo Crianza was first conceived as a wine to be served with tapas in Rioja’s Tabernas. It’s easy to see why. One sip of the 2009 Cubillo and you’ll be craving Jamon Serrano, garlic shrimp, grilled mushrooms, and Manchego cheese. Not every Tapas-driven red Rioja is nearly ten years old, but then there are few producers as generous with time, effort, and superb vineyards as R. López de Heredia.
We love the delightful glass enclosure Renato Vacca uses for his bottles because they symbolize the transparency of his red wines in their expression of place and time. Vacca has deep respect for his family vineyards, which are some of the best sites in Barbaresco. Vines that range from 35 to 70 years old, untouched by chemical fertilizers, yield unparalleled fruit. In the cellar he extends his respect by intervening as little as possible. Fermentation occurs in stainless steel to preserve freshness and character. Although his Barbarescos are aged in both barrel and bottle until ready for release, the Dolcetto and Langhe Nebbiolo see no oak. None of the wines are fined or filtered. The results are some of the most aromatic and pure examples of grape and region.
While most producers with such valuable land would replace Dolcetto vines with the more profitable Nebbiolo, Vacca has thankfully continued to make a Dolcetto. The 2017 is silken, fragrant, and cherry-infused with a balancing touch of licorice in the finish, making it an ideal red for arctic char on a bed of pea greens. The Langhe Nebbiolo has crunchy red fruit and spice with a current of minerality coursing through. It’s just right for braised short ribs with polenta. 
Ah, Sardinia and Sicily. The islands are very different and so are these two red wines. The Sardinian Cannonau is a full flavored, earthy, dark Grenache-based wine. The tannins are slightly rustic, but as it breathes it smooths out into a mellow red for bean stews and salads with tomatoes, pecorino, and mint. 
Frappato is Sicily’s gorgeous light red. The Tami is strawberry-scented with dusty tannins and a layered finish. Chill slightly for a seafood stew with chickpeas.
2016 Vernaccia di San Gimignano ‘Tradizionale’ (Montenidoli) 
Italian white wines may be the best bargains in the wine world. Riding in the wake of the enormous export giant that is Pinot Grigio, many other (mostly better) wines have become more widely distributed. One of our favorites is Verdicchio from Le Marche. The current vintage from Buscareto captures the green in the grape’s name with a ripe green plum aroma and a brisk finish of bitter almonds. In the middle there is the flavor of hay and apple. This firm, dry, and long wine begs for fresh fish simply prepared and drizzled with a fine olive oil. 
We recently featured Leone’s Gorgonzola Dolce, and are happy to follow that up with their Mountain Gorgonzola Piccante as we head into cooler months. Qualitá Leone is the affineur; they select the cheeses and care for them in their aging facilities located in Verona until they are ready to sell. Aged for a longer period than the Dolce, this cow’s milk blue cheese develops a firmer (almost crumbly) texture and a flavor that is earthy, sweet, and just a little spicy. The designation “Mountain Gorgonzola” refers to the size: wheels are 11-13 lbs instead of the typical 25, a factor that affects the texture and flavor development as the cheese ages.
Old Chatham Sheepherding Company was founded in 1993 with 600 acres in Old Chatham, NY. They soon became the largest sheep dairy in the US, yet they still have to purchase milk from their Amish neighbors to meet the demand for their yogurt and cheeses. Delicately flavored when young, as it ripens the Kinderhook Creek will open up to become more earthy and mushroomy, complementing the clover and grass underlying its milky sweetness. Comes in an individually packaged 3.5 oz mini wheel.
Located in the Cadiz mountain range in Spain, Quesos Pajarete have been making artisanal cheeses with the highest quality goat and sheep milk for over 10 years. Aged about 8 months, this firm goat cheese (100 percent milk from the Payoya breed of goats) is made in a traditional style with a crosshatching on the rind. With a smooth, yielding texture and a clean, bright flavor, this makes a versatile table cheese for an appetizer or dessert course.
Fronton is the city of Toulouse’s go-to local red wine. The key grape there is Negrette. Château Coutinel blends in Gamay and Syrah to make a delicious country red for chili and sausages.
2016 Mâcon-Villages ‘La Côte Blanche’ (Cave de Lugny) 
Saumur’s Cave Cooperative also makes a great-value dry white. This is a bone dry Chenin Blanc with fine quince and apricot fruit and an elegant minerally finish.