Hi Aaron (and everyone else!),

I'm back in KC for a couple of days for some mtgs. I stopped by the local Berbiglia store for a quick fix and stumbled upon Stephen Vincent 2005 "Crimson", California. Vincent is an eleveur in Graton, Sonoma, who has several wines now in fairly wide release. The "Crimson" is a California Rhone-style wine, no info on the exact blend. But it is really very nice: a good, spicy syrah sort of nose, lovely fruit, and right about mid-swallow, a very rich, lingering, flavor begins, one which I really enjoy.

It's $14 and change (which is also the alcohol amount), and, I think, very well worth it for an elegance with power.

Geo

We really enjoyed a bottle of Qupe Bien Nacido Cuvee (2005) while hanging out on our deck tonight just enjoying the weather and the pre-cicada silence (well, minus the O'Hare traffic we're used to and the Rolling Stones Let It Bleed album cranking from our iTunes.) It's 50% Chard, 50% Viognier and has a really nice balance of fruit/acid. I first became aware of Qupe wines as a cook at Marche back in 1994. Michael Kornick was Chef at the time and he used to get everyone involved in wine tastings - from bartenders and servers to cooks, if they were interested. I was working there the year I got married (1995,) and I clearly remember dining there as an employee shortly before my big day with both my parents and future in-laws. Our server, Ethan, recommended the Qupe Pinot Noir and we all thought it was the greatest thing since sliced bread. For me, the brand will always be tied to that restaurant, that time in my life, and that special meal. We don't normally spend Quepe prices just for hangin' out on the deck, but every once in a while, why not? Life's short...

A trip to the Wine Discount Center on Friday yielded a couple of lovely bottles from California:

* The 2005 Edmunds St. John Pinot Grigio Witters Vyd from El Dorado County ($10.99). All stainless fermentation yields a beautifully pure and initially austere wine - gains some weight in the glass, with citrus and pear flavors flavors arriving as the party progresses. A crowd favorite - went back yesterday to procure more.

* 2004 Tensley Syrah Tierra Alta Vyd from Santa Barbara County. Definitely a Sunday dinner/special occasion wine at $25.99 a bottle, but compare with $35+ for the current 2005s and this is a serious bargain for single vineyard Central Coast syrah. Joey Tensley used to be the winemaker at Beckmen, and he makes his syrahs without oak - this was all red and black fruit, nice acidity with a wicked loamy/pencil shaving backbone. I bought a half case hoping to *forget* they're in the cellar for at least a few years. Stocks were running low, and I'm not sure WDC is going to be able to dig up more...

- Fillay

Glad to hear the ESJ wines are at WDC. We drank the '92 ESJ Durell syrah
as well as a mag of the '89 ESJ Grand Hertiage while in CA at a wine event.
both showed really well. Does WDC have Steve's wine called "the Shadow"
it's all of his 2002 production blended into one wine and he's been selling it for about $12. A HUGE QPR IMHO.

I've got a case on order from Steve some of the GP some of the Gamay Rosé and a few of the syrah.

Best

mel

Mel -

WDC did not have the Shadow, although interestingly enough the little bodega around the corner from me (Manhattan Liqours, Broadway and Buena) does [side note - Mahattan would get my nomination should we ever institute a Great Neighborhood Winestore program].

They do, however, currently have a closeout on the '01 Robles Viejo, a mourvedre-grenache-syrah-counoise blend from Paso Robles. $14.99 a bottle, if I recall correctly - compared with $24 at Sam's. Not on the shelves - call WDC to find some.

I have otherwise traipsed all over the City taking inventories of ESJ wine - mostly looking for any of Steve's Bassetti Vineyard bottlings, alas to no avail. I have managed to locate some Wylie-Fenaughty syrah at Fox & Obel, but the prices are quite high relative to what you can find out of state (like, $35 at F&O compared with $15 at Astor Wine in NYC).

Were you at Hospice du Rhone that someone was opening 15-20 yr old bottles? Timing is horrible for us academics - early May - but I have got to make it out there...

Fillay

In fact, I was at HdR, my seventh year going. I've got a lot of shots from the event (sort of the official photographer...) at http://www.melhill.com/HdR07/
and our BBQ on Friday night (not a official HdR event)
http://www.melhill.com/HdR07BBQ/ Steve usually comes to the BBQ but with about 50 people jammed into the picnic area it gets a bit hectic. We do have a three or four year tradition of bringing older ESJ's
to the Saturday night dinner and here's a shot of Steve with this year's bottles


thanks for the tip on the '01 I'll have a look

best,
Mel

I received this E-mail from Wine Discount Center last week. I thought it might be of interest:

2004 EDMUNDS ST. JOHN, "Rocks and Gravel", California
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
No one else in the New World is making a Rhone blend this true and delicious at this price! We tasted the 2004 Rocks and Gravel, liked it, bought it, then saw that a wine writer we really respect, Steve Tanzer, scored it 90 Points. We like Steve because he appreciates balance and typicity, which this wine has loads of. Our price on this Grenache, Mourvedre and Syrah blend is, according to Wine Searcher, the best in the country. Here is Mr. Tanzer's review... "Bright red. Peppery, mineral-accented raspberry and cherry aromas, complicated by a subtle florality. Silky in texture, with deep red berry flavors and complicating herb and smoky meat tones. This is very southern Rhone in style. Finishes sweet and juicy, with excellent length. When I mentioned to Edmunds that this is a great value he said "I guess I'm just not a born marketer." - 90 Points, International Wine Cellar.
Tanzer quotes this at $18/bottle.
Our Price: $14.99/bottle, ($179.88 per case of twelve)




2001 EDMUNDS ST. JOHN, "Los Robles Viejos" Rozet Vineyard, Paso Robles, California
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We should start by saying that we bought this wine on closeout. In other words, we're selling it for a lot less than usual. We should also say that even at its original price, we would have bought this Chateauneuf-like beauty. Earthy, floral, complex and long, Mr. Tanzer likes this one too... "48% mourvedre, 30% grenache, 16% syrah and 6% counoise. Good bright red; seemed to deepen in color with aeration. Deep, complex aromas of sappy cherry, smoke, game and tree bark, with forest floor and earth tones. Sweet and quite complex in the mouth, with flavors of candied cherry, pepper and spices lifted by an exotic suggestion of orange zest. Slightly dry-edged in a refreshing way, with excellent inner-palate energy and lift. Finishes with very fine, dusty tannins. Reminded me of a Chateauneuf du Pape from limestone soil." - 91 Points, International Wine Cellar.
Only 475 cases were made.
The lowest price that we could find online was $25.
Our Price: $16.99/bottle, ($203.88 per case of twelve)

Cheers, Doug.

mhill95149 wrote:In fact, I was at HdR, my seventh year going. I've got a lot of shots from the event (sort of the official photographer...)

Of course - I should have recognized your handle, Mel. I found your HdR pics through West Coast Wine Net - only took me 3 hours to browse through them!

Great pics - thanks!

Fillay

Thanks for the ESJ reminders - I used to buy ESJ wines pretty regularly back in the early/mid 90's if I recall correctly, but have not had any in quite a while. And one of these years I should try to make it to HdR. Perhaps we should create a new "wine events & festivals thread" or maybe post a heads up on these in events?

There are so many events, and I plan with the best intentions to attend many of them, but never quite make it. Part of the reason is that I forget about them until it is too late, and worry that it will be a zoo, impossible to get in, absurdly expensive to travel and stay, etc. But I know that is silly.

Anyway, I think a wine event thread somewhere, or else individual wine event threads here, would be useful.

As for the new GNW category, will take it under advisement. There has been a movement afoot to separate true restaurants from other providers of food (and now drink?) pretty much from the inception of the GNRs. We chose not to mostly because we like the ring of the GNR, and figured we had a long way to go before we covered all the places that provided prepared food withouth expanding the universe. But I will keep it in mind.

Last night: Ciacci Piccolomini (Sangiovese) Brunello di Montalcino 2000. Now this wine is described as "explosive" but that's certainly not what I got out of it. To me this is a wine exempleray of what Brunello grown in really rich soil can do- low acidity, soft and round, rich but not so fruit forward that you pucker. As my girlfriend would say "I could drink way too much of this."

Over the weekend I tasted about 20 or so different wines, mainly French whites (I'm doing an ongoing vertical tasting of Sancerre) and Italian reds. What can I say, I'm a sucker for old world wines.

2000 Grattamacco

forgive my french, but this wine is f'ing awesome. Note: it's only 7 years old but let this wine open up a bit before you drink it- the flavors develop over about 25 minutes. Best ordered 2 glasses into your bottle of prosecco

This is one of the coolest super tuscans I've had in a long time. It's basically a Sangiovesse/Cabernet blend (I don't think it's got anything else in it) that comes off as Bordeaux like, though not nearly as expensive. (We paid $56 for the bottle last night). Stunning fruit forward flavors with touches of smoke, even a little bit of pine in it, but no heavy oak, no major barrel flavor resulting in a lighter yet still quite round robust wine. I was eating some homemade sausage with this and a friend was eating a super rich lasagnette (the best I've ever had, made with solid homemade ragu, pancetta, crispy bacon and all sorts of creamy cheese goodness).

Working on tracking down a couple of cases of this to hang on to.

I recently had the chaleur estate blanc (61% sauv blanc/49% semillon) which was absolutely phenomenal. Lush, creamy with a nice hard lemon at the very end. This white had more depth than I have tasted in a long time. I really love the wine that the delille winery is putting out right now. I enjoyed it at the gage, as it is extremely hard to come by in stores.

Mitch Cumstein wrote:(61% sauv blanc/49% semillon

Must have been hard to fit that in the bottle

Sorry.

-Math geek

jesteinf wrote:

Mitch Cumstein wrote:(61% sauv blanc/49% semillon

Must have been hard to fit that in the bottle

Sorry.

-Math geek

Nah, it comes with a sidecar.

(61%/39%) i said it was a big wine, right?....sorry mathgeek

Mitch Cumstein wrote:(61%/39%) i said it was a big wine, right?....sorry mathgeek

I'm just jokin with you- hope you realize that

definitely...if i avater'ed, it would have winked back...but i dont even like capitalaization...i'm a waiter, we come thick skinned...

The Davoodas have been enjoying Bogle's 2003 "The Phantom" blend of Old-Vine Zin, Petite Syrah and Mourvedre. I don't have the blending percentages but the old-vine Zin is the largest component, followed by petite syrah and, if I recall correctly, 2-3% mourvedre. While we dig blockbuster cabs as well as elegant pinot noirs, this wine falls somewhere in between for us. The Phaontom is full-bodied with well-balanced tannins and, to my palate, blackberry, licorice, cherry and (a little) smoke flavors and a loooooooong finish - all for $15 per bottle. We were lucky to have scored a couple cases last year and are rationing it accordingly!

Davooda

Unfortuneatley red Burgundys have been a recent obsession. Even more unfortuneatley those of th Vosne-Romanee. Luckily I've found one that isn't obscenely priced. The 2002 Gros Frere et Soeur Vosne Romanee.

I love the funky barnyard nose, and the acid and fruit which are beautifully balanced.

I love stinky burgundys, what can I say.

A heroin addiction would be cheaper though.

Try some Oregon Pinots? There are quite a few in the funky, barnyardy style.

I'm drinking Boedecker, one of theirs which is kind of half-way between bright-fruity and stinky.

http://www.boedeckercellars.com/

Leek - recently took a trip to the Dundee Hills of Oregon for some great, earthy, barnyardy, Pinot Noir. Favorites included Ayeres and Winderlea.

Hey there,

we were there over Memorial Day! We like a lot from the Willamette valley, especially Patricia Green, Shea, Anderson Family, St. Innocent, Boedecker...

leek wrote:There are quite a few in the funky, barnyardy style.

Sounds like Brettanomyces and a little goes a LONG way.
As a huge fan of southern Rhone wines I'm well aware of
Brettanomyces and FWIW I'd prefer cleaner wines especially as they age
the brett can get worse at elevated cellar temps which help the brett bloom

Sous bois I understand, but barnyard in a pinot is a no no IMHO

mhill,

Interesting. I really don't know the ins and outs of the chemical composition of wine. I guess I should make sure I consume my Oregon pinot asap. That should be little problem. I just find myself gravitating towards earthy/dirty pinots and mineraly/grassy Sauvignon Blancs.

leek - was there over Memorial Day too. Great times.

We're having some friends over for burgers and for fun I'm going to serve two vintages of Ridge Lytton Springs Zin the 1991 and the 2005

EDIT: the 1991 tasted a bit older than the 2005 but really really close to the 2005
scary close...

mhill95149 wrote:

leek wrote:There are quite a few in the funky, barnyardy style.

Sounds like Brettanomyces and a little goes a LONG way.
As a huge fan of southern Rhone wines I'm well aware of
Brettanomyces and FWIW I'd prefer cleaner wines especially as they age
the brett can get worse at elevated cellar temps which help the brett bloom

Sous bois I understand, but barnyard in a pinot is a no no IMHO

i definitely have gotten some "barnyard" to a certain degree in red burgundies and i dont necessarily believe it to be brett like i've seen (or been shown) in some CDP or other southern rhones. in my experience burgundies are some of the funkiest wines around, and maybe its not "barnyard" per se, but they can sure be gamy and funky and i would not at all consider that to be a fault or a "no no". fwiw, i drink most of my pinots pretty young so i can not attest to how the dirtier ones age.

also, while many oregon producers are aspiring to make burgundian wines, but i've not had many that i would say achieve the same level of funk.

JLenart wrote:Unfortuneatley red Burgundys have been a recent obsession. Even more unfortuneatley those of th Vosne-Romanee. Luckily I've found one that isn't obscenely priced. The 2002 Gros Frere et Soeur Vosne Romanee.

I love the funky barnyard nose, and the acid and fruit which are beautifully balanced.

I love stinky burgundys, what can I say.

A heroin addiction would be cheaper though.

where did you found this and for how much? i would love to get my hands on some! i've read that that bottling is actually mostly young vines Echezeaux, which might help explain why it is so exceptional for a village wine. i have one bottle of the '03 that i'm looking forward to drinking (maybe soon!).


you are so right about burgundy prices though, especially in the 05 vintage. i've often been drinking good cru beaujolais lately when the burgundy urge strikes. i've had a couple of great bottles recently, both under $25:

2005 clos de haute combe julienas
2004 potel-aviron chateau gaillard morgon

While it is available for less elsewhere, given the current state of wine shipping laws the best place to find this bottle would be Flickinger Wines. They had 6 bottles in inventory for $55 each. I'm not sure where they are located, but you can reach them by phone at 847-881-2620. Their web address is http://www.flickingerwines.com/home.asp .

The Davoodas were wowed this weekend by a 2005 Milat Cabernet Sauvignon (St. Helena). IMO this is a wonderful example of the big Napa cabs you can still find in the $20- $40 range (though, admittedly, they are becoming as rare as hen's teeth).

Our central Illinois purveyor notified me via email some time ago that this small vineyard was going under contract to sell its entire production to Silver Oak for the foreseeable future. We spent $25/bottle and the quality approaches the $120 Staglin or $140 Spottswoode I've been able to try, IMO.

Just an FYI to my fellow LTH-ers who enjoy good wine - and a good bargain.

Davooda

deesher wrote:While it is available for less elsewhere, given the current state of wine shipping laws the best place to find this bottle would be Flickinger Wines. They had 6 bottles in inventory for $55 each. I'm not sure where they are located, but you can reach them by phone at 847-881-2620. Their web address is http://www.flickingerwines.com/home.asp .

My favorite local online wine store!

Had a very nice 1996 Williams Selyem Sonoma Coast pinot noir with dinner Saturday night.

Still showing good fruit and maintaining good color.