Vinfolio Blog

I have compiled a list of select "Blue Chip" Bordeaux that should be part of any serious wine collection. The featured producers are Château Haut Brion, Château Lafite-Rothschild, Château Latour, Château Margaux, Château Mouton-Rothschild, Château Ausone, Château Cheval Blanc, Château Petrus, and Château d’Yquem. I chose these nine châteaus for this “First Growth” report because they represent the top echelon of Bordeaux collector wines; they are what are commonly referred to as the “Big Eight” plus Château d’Yquem. The selected vintages have nearly always increased in value on the auction market because of their high demand.

With thirteen vintages listed for Château Latour, it is the estate with the most (post 1961) 95+ point vintages from Robert Parker. However, with only nine vintages, Château Lafite-Rothschild attains 100 points for five of its nine wines.  The estates with the highest average scores across three review sources (Parker, International Wine Cellar, Wine Spectator) include 2000 Margaux (RP 100, IWC 98, WS 100), 1989 Haut Brion (RP 100, IWC 97, WS 100) and 2001 Yquem (RP 100, WS 100). Other top scoring wines include 1990 Margaux, 1982 Mouton-Rothschild, (1961, 1982, 2000, 2003) Latour, 2000 Lafite-Rothschild and 1989 Petrus. As it is still early, there are not yet final scores available for the 2005 vintage wines; however, the current ranges are exceptionally high, significantly inflating that vintage’s average retail price.

Classifications
Châteaus Haut Brion, Lafite-Rothschild, Latour, Margaux, and Mouton-Rothschild (as of 1973) are classified as First Growths from the 1855 classification of Médoc (Left Bank). Château d’Yquem is the only sweet white wine to be classified as a Premier Cru Supérieur from the 1855 classification of Sauternes and Barsac. In Bordeaux’s Merlot-based Right Bank, Châteaus Ausone and Cheval Blanc garnered the top classification, Premiers Grands Crus Classés A, in the 1954 classification of St. Emilion. Although Château Petrus (from Pomerol) has never been classified, it is generally considered of the same class as the established First Growths.

Analysis Parameters
The following chart includes summary data pertaining to vintages from 1961 to 2006. In order to be selected, the wine must have rated at least 95 points or more from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate or Bordeaux. Wines are listed in descending order of points from Parker. In the column headings, RP represents Robert Parker’s publications, IWC represents Steven Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar, and WS represents the Wine Spectator. All scores, maturation ranges, and prices date from August 2007. Auction averages are compiled from Vinfolio’s on-line wine store (or 23nd Edition of the Wine Price File), and retail averages are compiled from wine-searcher.com as integrated into Vinfolio’s on-line wine store. All prices are based on 750 ml bottles.

2005 Monastero Suore Cistercensi – Coenobium, Latium White $15

An old-world wonder with a blessing from the Cistercian order graces our site in the form of a Latium Bianco. Usually Latium wines are lack-luster with light quaffers from the Frascati D.O.C leading the pack. However, I felt compelled to highlight an amazing white for the price with an intriguing bio. ‘Coenobium’ denotes a community of monks, although it’s a duo of sisters from a Cistercian monastery in Vitorchiano north of Rome that oversees the production of this heavenly white. Consulting and technical assistance came from Giampero Bea, noted Umbrian vintner and son of the famed Paolo Bea in the Montefalco district.

I noted how this wine has been well-received locally in the San Francisco Bay area with some of the finer cafés and Italian themed restaurants serving the 2005 by the glass. This is not a gimmick wine, just good old fashion winemaking with no bells and whistles. A somewhat traditional Latium blend of Verdicchio, Trebbiano and Grechetto, the ‘Coenobium’ is more viscous on the palate than a Frascati (Malvasia-Trebbiano blend) and more depth on the finish than neighboring Orvieto at the mid-value price point of $15.00! It’s my favorite, bankers white for under $20.00 on the Vinfolio site right now. The ‘Coenobium’ or ‘Nun’s Wine’ is the only wine produced on the property. Giampero Bea’s assistance has paid off tremendously encouraging the monastery to move towards 100% organic growing practices. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel tanks, but for added texture, grape skins are left on for an extended soak and the final product is unfined and unfiltered.
 
Presently, the 2005 release is hitting its stride on the palate; all systems are a go, a divine synergy of the parts. The Trebbiano and Verdicchio offer heady, honeysuckle-floral notes, piquant-citrus, herbs and the nerve of tangy citrus fruits. The Grechetto, which is also prized in Umbria’s Orvieto district fills out the back end with viscous weight, streaks of minerals and succulent honeydew melon.  I recommend drinking this balanced and layered white just above cellar temperature. Avoid over chilling to the ‘numb stage’! The Coenobium would pair heavenly with a fall menu of braised endive, fristo misto and whole roasted snapper stuffed with fresh herbs and fennel.

The ‘Sisters’ would probably say: ”Alzare un bicchiere e piacere!” (Raise a glass and enjoy!)

For more suggestions on Italian wines, refer to Laura's review of The Golden Glass tasting event as well as my varietal profile of Montefalco’s Mighty Sagrantino.

One of Burgundy’s best values for elegant, pure, and precise whites is Chardonnay from the village of St. Aubin.  I often think of these wines as the little brother to a Puligny or Chassagne A.C. (village wine), as they are a bit lighter and more graceful, but still have a pronounced goût de terroir (translates as “taste of the earth” specifically referring to the terroir).  

About St. Aubin
A ten minute drive from southwest Meursault lies the village of St. Aubin.  Literally rubbing the shoulders of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet to the east, the best white wines come from the vineyards located on the steep slopes in the stretch between St. Aubin and the neighboring village of Gamay.  Here the soil is nearly pure limestone and the white wines have a pronounced almond character.  Farther down the slope, below the village of Gamay, the soil is richer, with more marl, creating fruitier white wines with a scent of hazelnut especially from vineyards such as En Remilly (borders the grand cru Le Montrachet) and Murgers des Dents de Chien (roughly, the big dog-toothed rocks) that abut Puligny-Montrachet.

About Domaine Marc Colin
Marc is a fourth generation winemaker who is best known for his Montrachet and Batard-Montrachet.  He is now working closely with talented sons Pierre-Yves, Damian, and Joseph.  Damian and Joseph Colin are in charge of the winemaking where Damian oversees the vinification and Joseph the viticulture. They've ended the use of all weed killers and now plow exclusively. Similarly, they told Allen Meadows that they're also looking for more freshness and vivacity, and to the extent possible, to emphasize minerality in the wines. To accomplish this they now use no enzymes or commercialized yeasts and have stopped all but a small amount of lees stirring. Moreover, they absolutely wanted to avoid any sense of heaviness. They're also dropping the toast levels of the barrels.

I tasted these wines semi-blind (I knew they were both Marc Colin St. Aubins but I didn’t know which vineyard I was tasting).

2005 Marc Colin St. Aubin En Remilly 1er Cru    $33    
Nice breed on first impression, like a junior Puligny.  Excellent purity and very precise.  Lovely white Burgundy character with hazelnut, lemon verbena, quince, and white floral top notes.  Finish shows great tension, minerality, and length.  You can easily see why this wine made Allen Meadow’s best buy list and was rated “Outstanding! Top value.”

2005 Marc Colin St. Aubin Les Murgers des Dents de Chien 1er Cru    $33    
Less definition but more exotic.  This is a riper wine with more stone fruits and melon while showing excellent minerality.  The finish is richer and more blowsy.  For me, I prefer the definition in the En Remilly but I really like the nose on this wine too, especially as it opened up.

One of my favorite ways to learn about wine is to do a “blind” tasting where you sample several different wines (as in a “flight”) without knowing what they are. Whether you sample blind or not, using flights of wine as a way to study a particular theme (grape varietal, region etc.) is a fun way to learn. For example, when you compare three wines from the same grape grown in diverse climates, you will discover similarities in the grape’s flavor profile, but also recognize subtleties due to a particular climate. You may find it helpful to employ study guides that describe grape flavor profiles and wine style profiles (old vs. new world, cool vs. warm climate, etc.), as well as employ the WSET Systematic Approach to tasting that I explained in a previous blog post.

Below are some regional groupings that can be used to create Varietal Flights comprised of affordable (under $60) wine selections (choose one from each region) from Vinfolio’s inventory:

Pinot Noir
    1)    Russian River, Sonoma Coast, Carneros, Santa Barbara, Willamette Valley
            a)    2005 Joseph Swan Pinot Noir Cuvee de Trois $27
            b)    2005 Lemelson Pinot Noir Stermer Vineyard $42
    2)    Burgundy
            a)    2005 Robert Groffier Pere et Fils Bourgogne Pinot Noir $33
            b)    2004 Mongeard-Mugneret Chambolle Musigny $41
    3)    Australia, New Zealand, South Africa
            a)    2005 Amisfield Pinot Noir Central Otago $33
            b)    2005 Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir $35

Cabernet Sauvignon   
    1)    Left Bank Bordeaux
            a)    2004 Chateau Armailhac $32.95
            b)    1990 Chateau Meyney $54
    2)    California, Washington (Napa, Sonoma, Columbia Valley)
            a)    2004 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon $39.95
            b)    2005 Ramey Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley $51
    3)    Australia (Barossa, McLaren Vale, Coonawarra)
            a)    1999 Majella Cabernet Sauvignon $25
            b)    2004 D'Arenberg Cabernet Sauvignon Coppermine Road $58

Other possible tasting themes include:

• Verticals (several vintages) of the same wine to study vintage and age variation.
• Wines from the same region that reveal a common growing climate through various grape varietals, i.e. Alsace with Riesling, Pinot Gris, and Gewurztraminer.
• Wines from the same region, but representing various levels of quality. In Burgundy, for example, you could choose a Bourgogne, a Premier Cru, and a Grand Cru wine. Quality levels can also be examined in terms of price.
• Winemaking techniques such as the use of fermentation methods (whole berry or carbonic maceration), use of oak vs. stainless steel, and various methods of fining & filtration or lack thereof.

Have fun tasting at home or in a local wine bar! Learning to recognize the differences and similarities between wines will help you to discover your personal preferences. By keeping an open mind you will be exposed to new wine styles that will likely influence your future buying decisions.

In a continued, regular blog-entry I mention ten of my top “Last Call” selections under $50. You don’t have to gamble with “monopoly-money” to take a chance here. All wine purchases are well-spent…if you can get to them before your wine-friends! Selections are less than case quantities.

2005 Two Hands Shiraz Bad Impersonator $49                        
Blackberry galore and very flesh-filled mouth does not give up in the finish. Nice acid and mineral keeps it from bombing-out. On sale too!

 

 

 

2001 Fiorita Lamborghini Campoleone $49       
Yes, great cars…it’s the same folks! Sangio-Merlot offers plenty of spice and currant and bright jam with a classic palate that feels both silky and firm. The descriptors would all be sexy and elusive and “non so.” That’s je ne sais quoi in Italiano!

 

 

2005 Loring Pinot Noir Keefer Ranch $48  
Still coming together, this wine is earth and spice as much as it is fruit—my kind of Pinot when drinking CA. Green Valley is really exciting as an AVA.

 

 

 

2003 Neal Family Cabernet Sauvignon $45  
Originally just growers, I’m so glad they moved into their own wine production a while back. These are deft, clever cabernets. Drinking them is like the difference between talking to a 17-year old and a 60-year old. Details are bright cherry, cacao, dusty earth and lavender.

 

 

2004 Joseph Swan Pinot Noir Trenton Estate Vineyard $45
Once again, my kind of CA Pinot. These wines are long-lived and my personal best-of-show at Pinot Days event here in SF. Herbs, flowers, mineral and purple fruit all in ideal balance.

 

 

 

2004 Sandoval Manchuela $38     
Mostly syrah (yes, it is Spanish!) the deep nose blossoms with violet and blackberry. The chocolate edge keeps a distinguished face to the wine. Using another conversation analogy, this is a discussion with a cloaked person with piercing, light blue or green eyes. Will be fun to drink with some age too.

 

 

2004 Bouissiere Gigondas La Font de Tonin $42
On my list as one of the best Gigondas of 2004, the wine offers a strong showing from start to finish with anise, pepper and gravel accompanying a deep blueberry and sugared-raspberry. Mourvedre battles Grenache for being the top dog here, despite having only a 25% presence.

 

  

 

2004 Robert Mueller Zinfandel Old Vines $35     
A nice blending of classic zin elements and a bowl of fresh-picked orchard fruit. Raspberry, peppery, straw-cherry flavors.

  

2004 Showket Sangiovese $35   
A bit more slurpy than a showing from Italy, the Showket is a maraschino, tobacco-leaf pleasure to drink from nose to finish. This might become my standard-bearer for Cali-Sangio now that Firebreak won’t be made any longer.

 

 

  

2004 Eredi Fuligni Rosso di Montalcino Ginestreto $19
The Ginestreto is another great example of the forthcoming Brunello vintage in Italy. High impact, particularly for food-matching adeptness in an inexpensive package!

I’m in a ‘Mencía’ state of mind when promoting Spain’s Bierzo district on the outer frontier of Castile-Leon in northwestern Spain. Mencía is the native and flagship varietal of the Bierzo D.O.  It is a category that both enthusiast and collector need to consider when purchasing Spanish wines from more familiar and favorite outposts such as Rioja, Priorat and Ribera del Duero. Even though classified as part of the ‘Old Castile Empire’, Bierzo and its black skinned wonder, Mencía, have more in common historically and geographically to Galicia, a region more known for aromatic and light-bodied whites than for hearty reds. Mencía’s history is somewhat unknown based on inconclusive DNA evidence. However, certain experts state that the grape is a genetic cousin of French Cabernet Franc, whose origins stem from importation during the Roman occupation or afterwards with the pilgrimage of French Christians in the 1400s.

Fast forward to the modern day, to what I refer to the ‘Bierzo Renaissance’, when a few wine mavericks saw the potential of Mencía grown on the steep hillsides where old-vines struggle in the iron rich and schist based soil. Noted winemaker Alvaro Palacios’s mission to find the perfect place to make great wine lead him first to the Priorat (L’Ermita & Finca Dofi) in the late 1980s and then to Bierzo in the early 1990s. Alvaro teamed up with his nephew Ricardo Perez (also Bordeaux trained) to realize a project based upon their shared belief in Bierzo’s potential. Working with some of the old timers, Palacios and Perez’s research suggested concentrating their efforts in the small village of Corullón. Traveling through these hillside parcels reveals similar visuals and growing conditions to cru vineyards in Piedmont’s Langhe hills and Burgundy’s Côte d’Or. Their project ‘Descendientes de José Palacios’ makes a statement for grand cru rated Mencía! The remarkable 2001 vintage marked the release of the oldest vine blocks in single-vineyard formats. Seven wines are made in total assembled from vines that average 60 to 100 years old from the highest peaks on the western edge of Corullón. They include: Pétalos del Bierzo- the youngest vines, Corullón- an assemblage of old-vine parcels, and then five extraordinary single-vineyards (San Martin, Fontelas, Moncerbal, Las Lamas and La Faraona). It’s rare to find inventory of some of the vineyard designates for retail sale, but Vinfolio presently has four bottlings on the site from the stellar 2004 vintage. The ‘Corullón’ ($47, WA 91) is a multi parcel blend that is the most accessible, but still needs a few years to mellow out. The lineup is rounded out with three of the five single-vineyard designates including ‘La Faraona’ ($245), ‘Moncerbal’ ($126, IWC 94) and ‘San Martin’ ($84). The vineyard designates are extremely rare with total production levels averaging a mere 150 cases based on vintage yield.

In a nutshell, these bottlings are subtly different, but the overriding taste profile is of old-vine Mencía: a dark crimson to opaque purple hue with a fruit spectrum of pomegranate, cranberry, cassis, blueberries, black raspberry and black cherry on the mid-palate. Nuances of herbs reminiscent of Cabernet Franc on the nose and brooding iron laden minerals are prevalent throughout the palate experience. The varietal’s naturally high tannin composition makes the wine an ideal cellar candidate. 2004 Bierzo is “a must” to expand your Spanish buying strategy. Any fan of the Priorat and Ribera del Duero will get warm and fuzzy over the ‘Descendientes de José Palacios’ lineup based on the passion of its visionaries to coax the most out of these old-vines and the results in the glass have wooed the international wine press and insiders alike. The world-class ‘Wine World’ is getting too small not to consider odd-ball gems like Bierzo’s Mencía. Go ahead and think outside of the box. You will not be disappointed!

I’m always up for a tough food and wine pairing challenge – it makes you reeeeallllly think about the components of each, it is a great learning experience, and while the opportunity for great reward is high, the stakes usually are not. However, my most recent challenge brought with it unusual difficulty and abnormally high stakes. The occasion is my wedding dinner and in choosing some tasty, memorable wines for the head table (my apologies to the other tables) realized that we fell in love with a horribly difficult entrée with which to pair red wine. As a wine “professional,” I pretty much have to deliver on this or our guests will be disappointed on several levels.

First course is a walk in the park – fresh heirloom tomatoes with sheep’s milk ricotta, capers and fruity olive oil, paired with a 2000 Boillot Puligny Pucelles ($89). Bingo. Main course is grilled lamb (not difficult), but sided with Mediterranean-spiced couscous, drizzled with a complex chermoula sauce (fresh cilantro, parsley, ginger and pungent chilies, among other things), is a different story. I’d normally say a rich, complex Riesling Spatlese or Auslese would do the trick with its acidity and residual sugar, but the geek factor is high and inappropriate for a celebration.

Long story, but we happened across a 1997 Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano ($119), although we would not have normally turned to a Piedmontese wine. The overtly ripe quality of the vintage, held in check and in balance by a true winemaking master, has the sweetness of fruit and requisite acidity to match the complex flavors and spices. The wine has cinnamon, anise, cherry and earthy notes which all meld well with the overall profile of the dish. And since the entrée isn’t at all heavy, the Burgundian weight of old-style Barbaresco is perfect.

This is a great red wine at its peak, but my guess is that it won’t continue to offer this level of pleasure for more than 3-4 years. Look into the 1999 Giacosa Barbaresco Santo Stefano ($109) if you want to ensure this experience for years to come. It’s a wine that should come into its own any day now and will likely surpass the quality of the 1997.

I recently hosted a dinner party during which we paired a crisp white Rioja, 2006 Bodegas Ostatu Blanco Rioja Alavesa, with various appetizers including prosciutto wrapped cantaloupe, salumi, and several hard cheeses. Although I often enjoy Rioja’s Tempranillo-based reds, it is a far rarer occurrence for me to try the whites. The Ostatu Blanco, made from 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia grapes, had a very clean, unoaked flavor profile recalling citrus, tangerine and mineral aromas, as well as herbs and salty green apple on the palate. The main grape Viura (also known as Macabeo in the sparkling Spanish wine Cava), is the most widely planted white grape variety in northern Spain which displays a natural aromatic freshness. As was the case with the Ostatu, wines made from Viura are dry, medium in acidity, and display floral and nutty characteristics. The Ostatu grapes came from 60-70 year old vines that grow in chalky, clay soils. We were all pleased with the crisp flavors from the Rioja Blanco which continued to serve as a great pair to grilled shrimp skewers with pineapple and bell pepper. The lush fruit on the palate served as a compliment to the tropical notes on the skewer, with just the right body weight to not be overpowering. What makes this wine even more attractive is its reasonable price at a mere $14 a bottle.

For the main course we enjoyed grilled steak and asparagus with a magnum of 2001 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou. I had poured the bottle into a magnum-sized Riedel O Series decanter at least an hour beforehand, to allow the wine to breathe. The results were wonderful! We enjoyed the soft cassis and earthy flavors that emerged, which melded seamlessly with the smoky, juicy flavors of our tenderloin. As James Suckling describes, the 2001 Chateau Ducru-Beaucaillou has “loads of crushed berries on the nose, with hints of flowers and minerals. Very aromatic. Full-bodied, with fine tannins and a long, cappuccino and berry aftertaste. Really refined.” (Wine Spectator, March, 31, 2004)

The meal concluded with a serving of ripe black cherries and dark chocolate, whose flavors served to highlight even more of the red fruit and silky texture of Bordeaux. If anything, I think the Bordeaux could develop a more subtle bouquet with increased bottle age, but it was still a delight to taste in its early years. In the end, the evening was a success and epicurean treat for all.