Vinfolio Blog

The recent pricing trends of top Bordeaux have probably been frustrating for those of us who don’t run hedge funds or aren’t paid in Euros. It’s easy for these wines to fall off of our radar as they resemble hot stocks, ticking northward. But every once in a while, we are reminded of the reasons these wines are so coveted. Over dinner I recently tried a beautiful bottle of 1983 Margaux, a wine that I hadn’t consumed in a couple of years. This Margaux possesses an elegance and femininity rarely found in Cabernet-based wines. And there’s really something special about fine Bordeaux when it obtains secondary characteristics and its tannins begin to melt away, leaving a polished, silky, complex wine behind. Many of us have set our sights on other regions that might posses a bit more "bang for the buck" or intellectual stimulation. But it’s hard to deny the quality of top vintages from the best chateaux. To quote Ferris Bueller, "If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up."

A few months ago, I attended an Italian wine trade event that showcased a regional snapshot of the country’s many diverse growing districts. My mission for this tasting was to sample oddities that I don’t necessarily taste on a regular basis. One can't comprehend Italian wines in all their glory by drinking only Barolo and Brunello. With this in mind, I gravitated to the Southern Italian section of the tasting and stumbled onto my dark horse find for 4Q of ’07 and also my favorite winery duo of the tasting - Vestini Campagnano.

The two varietals that I tasted from this winery are native to the province of Caserta, north of Naples. Vestini’s tandem one-two-punch showcases Pallagrello, one of the few ancient vines that has both a white and red version that was highly prized during Roman times. Pallagrello Bianco is believed to be one of the blending grapes for the Roman’s most famous wine-Falernum. Centuries later, it’s documented that Pallagrello Rosso was a favorite of Ferdinando IV, Bourbon King of the Two Sicilies, who shared it with honored guests towards the end of the Napoleonic Era. Pallagrello was all too close to extinction, if it wasn’t for two lawyer friends, Giuseppe Mancini and Alberto Barletta, who created Vestini Campagnano in the early 1990s with the mission to preserve these ancient varietals and to make world-class wines. Based on my notes and the Italian press, the owners have succeeded with high marks.

I was pleasantly surprised to find the same wines on Vinfolio’s site a few weeks ago. Good job buyers! Now it’s my job to speak the gospel and get these darlings into your hands. With over 250 Italian selections on the site, sourcing older Super Tuscans and 2004 Nebbiolo from Piedmont is perhaps the priority for the serious collector with investment in mind, but for those who want to think out of the box, Vestini Campagnano needs to be at the top of your list.

2006 Vestini Campagnano Pallagrello Bianco-$34
You would be hard pressed to taste a wine that has more layers of flavor than this effort, especially for the price tag. This is not your $10.00 Pinot Grigio sipper you find in the value stacks at your local store, but a wine that has an infinite amount of superlatives that will leave you wanting another sip to figure out all that is happening on the palate. I’ll clue you in. Here’s a viscous wonder without cumbersome oak.  The bouquet and entry reveals a menagerie of candied stone fruits, ripe pineapple, citrus peel and floral white blossoms. The mid-palate and finish reveal an almond theme that hinges on fresh marzipan fused with a subtle smoky note.  The acidity on the back end cuts through the layers of cream to make your lips smack for another sip.

2004 Vestini Campagnano Pallagrello Nero-$59
The estate’s red version captures iodine and minerals from the volcanic soil that it’s grown in. This mineral edge is perfectly integrated with bombastic blackberry and boysenberry fruit, but don’t think ultra jammy Zinfandel that weighs in at 15.9% alc., but a wine with restraint of 13.5 to 13.9% alc. Like its white counterpart, this high-altitude growing grape has balanced acidity and a similar profile to the more famous Campanian cultivar, Aglianico, with a backdrop of pepper, licorice and worked leather that is encased in a healthy dose of natural tannins. These tannins are fine grained, like Bordeaux’s Cabernet based blends, and make for a wonderful alternative to let hibernate in your cellar. The 2004 effort is a baby, but if you’re driven by curiosity to try, then please decant for two hours.  The day of this trade event, the winery representative poured me a 1999 vintage from the estate that he had hiding under the table. Man o’ man, talk about a heady and remarkable nose of violets that echoed a similar fruit spectrum mentioned above with an amazing dry finish that reminded me of a classy Bordeaux or Barolo of pedigree.

Are you kidding me? Cote-Rotie for $34 bucks? This must be 1990 once again!

The 2003 Gerin, Jean-Michel - Cote-Rotie Champin Le Seigneur was just put in a sale offer and is available in the Wine Store now for $33.95. Well, perhaps I would take you to a couple other wines first if you had called me and said “Matt, I need a great Cote-Rotie,” or “Show me a classic example of Northern Rhone Syrah.” The vintage is a wee bit uncharacteristic. But if this wine is very good at $50—which it is—it’s a bargain at $33.95. Heck, tell us to round it off to $40 and buy 5 bottles.

Black fruit on the nose with a bit of wild berry, smoke and mineral.  Milk chocolate, smoked nuts and crushed blueberries surprise with just a bit of tartness. That ‘edge’ keeps you sipping along instead of gulping which you’d otherwise want to do with this wine.

Have a fantastic Thanksgiving everybody and enjoy some great wines!

Yet again I return to why I love White Burgundy. I think it comes down to the following five factors:

1. Chardonnay has an amazing diversity of expression from steely Chablis to creamy Meursault.
2. There are great examples at all price points (not always true with domestic Chardonnay).
3. With age, white Burgundies develop complexity and nuttiness, but still keep an edge of acidity. They also have longer life spans than domestic Chardonnay.
4. There is so much to learn about growing sites and vineyards - from villages, lieu dit, and Premier Cru, to the ultimate Grand Cru vineyards. Thanks to Burghound’s Quarterly Newsletter, I can learn more about these properties and compare my tasting notes with those of a true specialist.
5. French vineyard names are fun to pronounce and sometimes have amusing translations such as Chablis “Les Grenouilles” (frogs), St Aubin Les Murgers des “Dents de Chien” 1er Cru (dog’s teeth), Meursault “Sous le Dos d'Ane” 1er Cru (below the donkey’s back).

Recently I enjoyed a bottle of 2005 Charles Audoin Marsannay Blanc which I thought was a great every day drinking wine, and would rate it 90 points. It had a briny nose and a palate displaying ripe apple, citrus and minerals. As the wine warmed in the glass, it displayed subtle notes of nectarine, vanilla and toast (pain grillé). The relatively weighty body and texture contributed to its medium plus length. This selection made me take a second look at Marsannay, a new and as yet, little-known appellation (which also sources fruit for rouge and rose versions).

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!

2000 Noval - Vintage Port  ($80) 

There are many situations when the quality of a great vintage lifts an otherwise average or even good wine. This can even bolster the reputation of a winery through one growing season - virtually overnight in terms of wine. Likewise, there is often occasion to cite of one of my favorite mantras: "great winemakers make great wine, regardless." This is commonly true even in so-called "lesser" vintages. But, oh, when those two forces of vintage and winemaking align perfectly like they did for 2000 vintage Oporto, you have myriad instant classics!

This wine, at this price is phenomenal. Perhaps we have a case remaining in stock because Port is often a second thought, or a seasonal interest (another unfortunate fact). It could be the idea for some that they’ll have to wait 20 years or more to let the wine reveal everything it will have to offer.

Well really, that’s one of the beauties of this wine and other ports. You can drink them young if you have the right foods (cheese course anyone?) and if you can deal with a mouthful of big wine. Truly, the details will show and the tannins are often sweet. This port will surely be something different in 20 years - more elegant, even graceful. Nuance will change, but performance will be awesome on both sides of its life.  For now, I promise great cheer in the glass: black cherry, blackberry, mocha, anise, grape gumdrops-all neatly served in a fairly silken package.  This wine was delicious with 75-year old balsamico drizzled over flank steak, with a walnut crust and Portobello/truffle shavings. Wow!

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.