Vinfolio Blog

As the weather changes, so do our tastes for wine and food. With warmer weather, we start enjoying lighter foods and pair them with generally lighter wines. A sunny day begs for crisp, bright, fresh Chablis. Whether steely, flinty, pure and un-oaked or with a touch of wood to round out the palate and add mouthfeel, Chablis is the perfect wine-pairing for oysters, shellfish, and white fish, and also goes well with salads, cheese, chicken, and other white meats.

Cool climate and limestone soils are responsible for the crisp, mineral, laser beam-like focus found in Chablis. Aged Chablis is a revelation for many, as its inherent acidity provides backbone for this Chardonnay to age gracefully. Depending on the vintage, premier crus can drink well in 4-6+ years and grand crus in 6-10+. Here are some quick vintage notes.  Recent Chablis vintages are drinking sooner due to riper vintages (global warming anyone?).

Vintage key points:
2002—terrific vintage and will age well, refreshing acidity and very solid Chablis, classic
2003—hot vintage, so almost California-like, very rich
2004—crisp, classic, and traditional
2005—ripe, high sugar levels and some botrytis makes the wines exotic, more ripe and more flesh than the 2004s
2006—another ripe vintage, lush and opulent. Good acidity and minerality

    

The 7 grand cru vineyards of Chablis face predominantly south or southwest, and are planted on steep (optimal aspect) and well-drained soils on the right bank of the river Serein. Tip: the premier crus Montee de Tonnere and Fourchaume are on the right bank and face south like the grand crus, which is critical for ripening.

Grand cru descriptions:
Blanchot: elegance, finesse, perfume, flowers, not the power and structure of others.
Bourgros or Bouguerots: least known, upfront power and generosity. Cote de Bouguerots is a steep 2ha parcel at the bottom of the vineyard farmed by hand.
Les Clos: the epitome of Chablis, power and finesse, incredible minerality and longevity.
Grenouilles: perfume in youth, minerality, elegance, the lightest of the grand crus.
Preuses: the most forward of the grand crus, approachable, round and fruity, full flavored, less subtle.
Valmur: floral, perfumed, rich and full-bodied, long lived.
Vaudesir: floral, spicy, develops nutty character, can drink in youth or with age.

Look for the top Chablis domaines:  Raveneau, Dauvissat, and William Fevre

My Tuscan exploration continues. Excited by a recent showing of the 1997 Argiano, I came across a bottle of the 1990 and took it to a favorite Italian restaurant called Sociale. Not only am I high on Brunello at the moment, particularly from the trustworthy producers whose wines age gracefully and properly, but the 1990 vintage has me rather excited to dive deeper into what is an exceptional year for Tuscany and Brunello di Montalcino in particular.
 
The 1990 Argiano showed really, really well. It’s mature, but has ample fruit and structure for continued development. Sangiovese’s hallmark acidity brought verve and liveliness that helped the wine develop throughout the meal. The wine revealed beautiful dark fruits, floral character, as well as notes of spice and mushroom.

My advice is to get into the 1990 Brunellos. Bottles from producers of balanced, age-able wines are certain to offer tons of pleasure at this point in time – I would imagine very few require more bottle age. This bottle is the most recent in a succession of great 1990s (such as Valdicava, Ciacci Piccolomini, Altesino) that I’ve recently tried. I haven’t found any over-ripeness, roasted qualities or imbalance that the year’s heat had brought to other regions such as Burgundy, Bordeaux and even Piedmont. There are tons of 1990 Brunellos floating around the market and through Vinfolio. They are truly worth your attention. Below are some prime examples:

1990 Costanti, Conti - Brunello di Montalcino, WS 93, $95

1990 Poggione - Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, WS 91, $135

1990 Pertimali (Livio Sassetti) - Brunello di Montalcino, $150

1990 Poggio Antico - Brunello di Montalcino, WS 91, $169

1990 Caparzo - Brunello di Montalcino Vigna La Casa, WA 91, $185

1990 Banfi - Brunello di Montalcino Poggio all'Oro Riserva, $189

1990 Costanti, Conti - Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, $225

I first heard about the greatness of the 2004 vintage in Piedmont a few years ago when Italian importers began bringing in the fresh and crisp Arneis bottlings from the Roero hills. I was thrilled by the overall balance of fruit and acidity in these aromatic whites. This was a precursor for great things to come. The next wave of wines that I tasted, noting the overall pedigree, was the wave of Dolcettos and Barberas that were starting to hit the market. Perfetto!! Both un-oaked, entry level versions to the single vineyard designates dressed in flashy oak have put me in a state of gastronomic wellness. In the back of my mind, I realized that there would be a treasure trove of spectacular Nebbiolo from the esteemed the villages of Barbaresco and Barolo to follow.

The Piedmont harvest in 2004 was marred by heavy winter rains. Although welcomed after the hot and dry 2003 season, there was all out concern for delayed bud break and early attacks of downy mildew in the vineyards. The summer was picture perfect, with moderate temperatures, allowing for the vine to develop normally. Then September and early October was noted by seasonally high temperatures and days of full sunshine allowing for growers to wait for the opportune time to pick at perfect ripeness.  Many veteran vintners couldn’t remember a vintage like this one since 1990 and perhaps the legendary 1964 vintage. Growers who maintained low yields were rewarded for their hard work for a vintage in which the international wine community is running out of superlatives to describe. Winemakers were enthralled by the quality, purity, balance and intensity that the vintage produced.

Fast forward to fourth quarter 2007: Vinfolio announces the first release of cru classé Nebbiolo from the village of Barbaresco. Let’s get excited here! The fleet of Barbaresos are similar to 2001, but with more generosity of fruit and finesse that you should expect from this village.  2004 Barolo from all reports is lining up to be a classic, and must have for the serious collector and budding collector wanting to expand into a classic age-worthy category. The vintage showcases wines with loads of ripe fruit that is both concentrated and floral. Tannin levels are more present compared to let’s say the noted 2000 vintage; however, they are rounder and more finely integrated as a finish product. Vinfolio will start posting pre-arrival confirmations on the 2004 Barolo releases starting in early winter and spring 2008. Please e-mail me at neil@vinfolio.com, if you want to receive e-mail alerts on incoming 2004 selections.

2004 Barbaresco and Barolo should be on every collector’s priority list. For the Piedmont enthusiast or even newbie, I highly recommend purchasing more entry level 2004 Langhe Nebbiolo, Dolcetto and Barberas to drink now. Collectors should note that the overall quality of Barbaresco and Barolo will allow for cellar age-ability for at least 7 to 15 years of time.

Please note a few highlights of the vintage that have posted in our wine store in the last month:

2004 Domenico Clerico ‘Langhe Arte’    $44.00-750ml, (AG 90)
A 90% Nebbiolo and 10% Barbera assemblage all dressed up for the party! A modern interpretation seasoned new French barrique. The fruit is sourced from noted Monforte d’Alba crus of Ginestra, Pajana and Bussia. A great cellar buy if you want to keep in budget!

2004 Ronchi Barbaresco            $37.00-750ml & $82.00-1.5L (VF 92)
This is too tempting to drink now at a steal of a price! Although an infant, this wine is already silky and voluptuous out of the gate. You’ll want to supersize to the magnum format.

2004 Ceretto Barbaresco ‘Bricco Asili’    $119.00- 750ml & $245.00-1.5L (WA 94)
Bricco Asili was the first Ceretto holding that dates back to 1973. 2004 has enough violets on the nose to make your head spin in amazement!

2004 Vietti Barbaresco ‘Masseria’        $84.95-750ml & $185.00-1.5L (WA 93)
Castiglione Falletto powerhouse Vietti produces a barrage of great wines, however the ‘Masseria’ multiple personality of elegance on the nose paired with intensity of espresso, sweet pipe tobacco and black licorice makes for an intriguing acquisition!

Unquestionably, one of rarest and most collectible wines in the world made by the Godfather of Burgundy!

We buy and sell wine everyday.  Today, my eyes turn to two of the most cherished wines in the world: 1993 Jayer, Henri - Vosne-Romanee Cros Parantoux 1er Cru and 1999 Jayer, Henri - Vosne-Romanee Cros Parantoux Reserve 1er Cru.  Henri passed away last year, but his legend and influence on Burgundy and the wine world is infinite.

I have tasted and spoken with Allen Meadows, of Burghound.com, about the merits of the 1993 and 1999 Red Burgundy vintages and it is clear that the finest wines may equal the 1978s.  To really understand Cros Parantoux and the infamous and revered Henri Jayer, I turn to Allen: 

Cros Parantoux is a premier cru situated in Vosne-Romanee and is now one of the most celebrated wines in all of Burgundy….Cros Parantoux is on almost everyone’s very short list of premier crus that merit elevation to grand cru status.  It is a small vineyard, measuring only 1.01 hectares (2.5 acres) and there are only two owners…

 

Cros Parantoux sits directly above Richebourg and its northern sub-climat of Verroilles ou Richebourg along its entire eastern exposure...It is a relatively cool site with very shallow and rocky limestone-rich soil that produces, like Richebourg, exceptionally long-lived wines, partially because the coolness of the site permits the grapes to retain their acidity and partially because of the rocky soil, which also tends to promote longevity…The meager soil and cool climate does not naturally foster high yields, which is one reason that the wines of Cros Parantoux almost always have good concentration…

 

In 1951, Jayer acquired his first parcel of vines in Cros Parantoux from a M. Roblot.  Jayer explained in great detail how difficult it was to clear the brush and artichokes away, saying “the rocks were huge, the size of cars and we had to dynamite them.  I used over 400 charges to soften up the soil enough to plant vines… But it wasn’t until 1976 when Jayer bottled the entire harvest himself even though he did not commercialize it under his own label.  The first vintage where he bottled everything for his own account was 1978.

 

Jayer had two children, both girls, and neither was interested in following in his footsteps so in 1986, he took on his nephew by marriage, Emmanuel Rouget, to help him out and Rouget released his first wine the same year.  Jayer slowly gave up more and more of his vineyards to Rouget but remained involved in all aspects of the vineyard and vinification work for both his own and his nephew’s account.  Jayer continued this practice until 1995 when he officially retired and it was his last vintage where he released all of his wines.  However, he retained 40% of his Cros Parantoux vines(28.3 ares) and leased the rest to Rouget.  In 1996 came the first release of a Cros Parantoux labeled as a Reserve, which according to Jayer didn’t signify any change in style or vinification, only that this was something he had done for himself.  There have been a series of Reserve Cros’ between 1996 and 2001 and in 2002, 100% of the Cros went to Rouget.

 

I agree with Jayer’s description of Cros Parantoux as he calls it a “true vin de garde capable of 50 years of evolution with no problem. There is power and elegance in a good Cros with an underlying minerality and racy acidity.  The upslope position and cool microclimate preserves the acidity and makes for a complete wine.  Everyone finds something to like in Cros Parantoux but it really requires 10 to 15 years for it to be at its best.”  

 

(Allen Meadows, “Progress Report: A Complete History of Cros Parantoux,” Burghound Issue #13, Q1 2004)

 

1993 Jayer, Henri - Vosne-Romanee Cros Parantoux 1er Cru        $2,995
BH 95        Drink 2008-2025
From the May, 2003 tasting: Massively constructed and still incredibly primary in every respect with its blend of spice and black pinot fruit plus a pungent, penetrating mineral firmness and vibrant acidity. The tannins coat the mouth yet they are ripe and the wine exudes balance and harmony. While this is stunning now, it is nowhere close to ready. Check back in 2008 though I suspect the 93 Cros will still be several years short of its peak as this has 30 years of aging potential. One of the truly great wines of the vintage.

1999 Jayer, Henri - Vosne-Romanee Cros Parantoux Reserve 1er Cru    $3,495
BH 93        Drink 2011+
An expressive, ripe and elegant nose of Vosne style spice, moderate oak and a mix of earth, minerals and violets leads to rich, round and impressively precise flavors that deliver serious punch and excellent depth. I very much like the overall sense of harmony and fine balance here. If I were nit picking, and I am, there is just a bit more oak-influence on the mid-palate than I might otherwise prefer (and more than the Rouget version) but this is a niggle and not a serious issue. This should age well and Jayer lovers will definitely be pleased.

In a hot vintage like 2003, people tend to assume wines aren’t going to be agreeable, balanced and that wines might be disjointed or as hot as the respective summer. The ripeness achieved in such vintages can certainly be overt and challenging when handled by those lacking deftness in their winemaking, but skilled producers can almost always achieve success.

Freakish weather makes for atypically-styled wines, but use this to your advantage. The 2003 Barolos and Barbarescos have rich fruit and can be drunk very early in their lives, while vintages such as 1996, 1999, 2001 are babies and require years of beauty sleep. There is plenty of wonderful Nebbiolo fruit to be had in 2003 and particularly with the more traditional producers, don’t be afraid to lay some of these bottles down either. Vinfolio’s buying team is tasting through offerings from the vintage and bringing in only the finest examples. I’ve tried the Damilano, Spinetta, Scavino, Vietti, and Cavallotto wines so far, and they are noteworthy in their quality. If you want one of the best, for safe aging, or a sexy near-term Nebbiolo experience, the Giacomo Conterno Cascina Francia (94 WA) $89 shouldn’t be missed. This wine is a stunner.

I had some old friends over on Wednesday for a tasting of several bottles of Brunello di Montalcino, a region that has lately been of great interest to this particular group. We sampled (2) 2001s, (2) 1997s and a 100% Sangiovese Super-Tuscan as a ringer – all tasted blind.

The 1997s stole the show. I’ve recently been tasting examples from this intriguing and controversial vintage. For such a well-established region, it seems there’s no consensus on the overall quality of the 1997s – while one reviewer heralds the vintage as one of the best ever, another declares it lackluster. When opinions are across the board, there’s only one way to find out.

The two 1997s we tried were the Greppone Mazzi by Ruffino ($69) and the Argiano ($75). Both were excellent, but rather different. The Greppone Mazzi was the overall favorite of the evening, since it was the most mature, complex and expressive. Dark red and black fruits as well as beautiful earthy mushroom and tobacco notes is what this wine’s all about. Full-bodied, balanced and long, it has the stuffing to last at least 5 more years. The Argiano was a close second by a hair. I think it’s a slightly better wine overall, but is not quite at its peak. It has great concentration, impeccable balance and is truly a complete wine with an enormously bright future. Because it’s still on the upswing of its evolution, it didn’t flaunt as much plumage as the Greppone Mazzi, but will out-class it in time. It’s funny. One reviewer scored the Argiano at 96 points, another at 87. I now know with whom my opinion aligns.

The Vinfolio “Wine Team” had a nice dinner together Monday night at a restaurant called NOPA, here in San Francisco. We welcomed a new wine buyer and toasted our East Coast-based representative who is in town this week. The food, service (nice glass-service too for 8 wines) and the company was delightful—and I’m not just saying that because Vinfolio picked up the tab!

My most lasting impression of the evening though was of the two Jayer-Gilles Burgundies we consumed: 1995 Echezeaux and 1997 Nuits St Georges Les Damodes. They raised their game above the other six or so wines that circled the table and I was struck by their “completeness” at this point. 1997 was always a fairly ‘easy,’ soft vintage so even a mineral-laden NSG would usually show pretty well at this point after a few years. I’ll certainly recommend that someone pick up the last bottle of 1997 Nuits St. Georges Les Poirets ($75)—another of Jayer-Gilles’ 1er Cru. The silky 1997 Echezeaux is a fantastic bargain and most highly recommended if I’m allowed to extrapolate via these five associations: 

1. Quality of the 1995 Echezeaux from Monday night meets the friendly 1997 vintage we tested via the Nuits St Georges.
2. I have similar notes on several other J-G Echezeaux vintages.
3. 85 for a Grand Cru from an excellent producer!
4. 9 Bottles remaining in inventory—so you can try it and buy it again!
5. Highly rated by not just me, but four other critical resources!

Here are some notes on the 1995 Echezeaux (it’s the 1997 we still have for sale). Call me in a few days for the 1997-specific review which shouldn’t differ much!

Slight cedar and fig on the nose, as well as quite a bit of celery-seed. That follows on the palate with the first sip and develops into ripe dark-cherry, Mediterranean spices and roots—anise, licorice, coriander. Slightly tar-y and cola through a fairly persistent finish.

And for other velvety 1997s you can use this link: 1997 Red Burgundy at Vinfolio (10-3-07)

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.

Smile broadly and extend your hand as I’m convinced you’ll be rewarded for getting to know this quiet, somewhat reserved vintage: 2004 White Burgundy.  I’m taking a stance for one wine in this entry that I hope will echo the voices of many other 2004 white Burgundies. There are a few reasons why I think this wine can be the spokesperson for the vast majority of 2004s we have in stock. It’s not the most famous, nor does it have the longest history. But I’ve been paying attention to Domaine Paul Pernot wines since the 1992 vintage. They’ve gotten better and better in their own right and are no longer ‘under the radar’ for the Burgundy consumer. His vineyards, at least have been on the “map” so to speak for years and sought-after by at least one large domaine/neighbor of his (he’s been a fruit-source for Domaine Drouhin for years). Now with a slow increase of his holdings, more and more proof of his winemaking skill makes it to bottles that bear his own labels.

Mostly, the wines are prototypical Burgundy: precision, higher-toned, lighter in body yet concentrated.  And there’s the main idea: that the 2004 White Burgs are demonstrative of archetypal Chardonnay from this famed region. Though the reviews for 2004 are generally excellent across the board, I think the wines merit the same respect as 2002s and maybe 1995s (longer lived than 1995 perhaps). It’s also sandwiched on many tasting tables between the 2003 and 2005 vintages which are the sexier wines (2003 is also fairly underrated as a vintage overall but the top-end wines are even higher scoring that the 04s).

No discredit meant to these wines at all, I’m just saying that you have to remember to let the 2004s do what they do. Somewhat shy (sexy in its own right at times), the wines prefer to act stereotypically “European.” They’re not very showy, they might seem a little snooty until you get to know them, their opinions can be ‘bracing.’ But they’re generally long-lived, complex and concentrated! The 2004s are still quite austere and edgy overall. But when the mango fruit softens in the Pernot Folatieres, for example, it broadens as it will along with the flowery aromas. And when the spicy, almond-notes from the oak fully soak-in—wow! An out-and-out provocative wine!

Folatieres itself is even a typical vineyard to represent this vintage. It is often “of the orchard” and is a wine that has to come along its path before it drinks at its best (kind of like high school-er getting through his or her freshman year at college). Or like a reserved person, the first meeting might not even reveal a significant sample of what that person’s about. Well, the 2004s are sort-of at a “3rd time meeting” stage. A drinker is able to get some of the background of this wine; you’re intrigued to learn even more but you still can’t expect to know what’s “on their mind.” Trust that they’re on the right path and you’ll surely make great friends from this exceptional vintage.

2004 Pernot, Paul Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatieres 1er Cru - $57