March 2013 Newsletter

MARCH TASTING EVENTS

BE HERE, TUESDAY, MARCH 19th.  5:30-7:30pm
as we welcome J Christopher Somers, Winemaker            
J. Christopher Wines
WILLAMETTE VALLEY OREGON PINOT NOIR

JOIN US ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 27th
DAVID TASTING No. 2
This time the David will be Brown from Associated Distributors
5:30 - 7:30pm at our store on Grove Ave.
Discounts will be offered on all wines tasted.

WINE TASTING EVERY SATURDAY  
  “Whatever we feel like opening”
2:00pm-7:00pm

March “SHORT SIPS” CLASS

A FREE one hour educational program, limited to eight people and held in our fine wine room. Because the demand has been so great we are doing the class twice in March–FRIDAY & SATURDAY, MARCH 15th and 16th   5:30 to 6:30pm ––Availability is on a first come first serve basis but you can call and reserve spaces at anytime.  (A great idea for your group as a prelude to dinner.)

2 BOTTLE, 3 VINTAGE VERTICAL OF ANAKOTA HELENA DAKOTA VINEYARD

Here is a unique and wonderful gift for the California Cabernet Lover. 2 bottles each of the ‘03, ‘04 and ‘05 vintages packed in a beautiful wooden case. These Knights Valley Sonoma wines from fabled Jess Jackson get great reviews (and points) and will drink well for another 10 years. Read on –
2005 Anakota Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota Vineyard -“one of Jess Jackson’s flagship estates producing small quantities (about 500 cases of each wine) of outstanding Cabernets intended to showcase the potential of these vineyards on Mount St. Helena in Knight’s Valley. Both are 100% Cabernet Sauvignon planted at 700-900 foot elevations. The wines are aged 14 months in French oak. These impressive offerings establish Anakota as a worthy competitor to Peter Michael’s exceptional Les Pavots red.” (WA #180)
2003 Anakota Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota Vineyard – “Aged in 100% new French oak, the dense saturated purple-colored 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota offers up beautiful scents of flowers, blackberries, blueberries, charcoal, hot rocks, and smoky new oak. Rich, full-bodied, and tannic, this impressive effort possesses a Bordeaux-like elegance and complexity. It represents a combination of North Coast Cabernet with Bordeaux freshness and elegance. Give it 2-3 more years of bottle age, and enjoy it over the following 10-15 years.” (WA #162) Drink: 2007 – 2022
2004 Anakota Cabernet Sauvignon Helena Dakota Vineyard – “… planted in reddish, loamy soils mixed with the white volcanic ash. It is a deep, full-bodied effort with an inky/purple color as well as sweet aromas of blueberries, blackberries, graphite, and subtle new oak. With beautiful purity as well as hints of crushed stones and flowers, a wealth of fruit, an extravagantly rich mouthfeel, sweet tannin, and a long finish, this seamless Cabernet should drink well for 15-20 years.” (WA #168)
The price for this very limited vertical 6 pack is $374.95. (Regular price is $419.95)

READY TO DRINK GRAND & PREMIER CRU BURGUNDY at a GREAT PRICE

2004 Domaine Drouhin-Laroze Chapelle-Chambertin -  “A gentle but noticeable trace of wood spice frames complex and rather musky aromas of earth, red pinot fruit and a subtle touch of game which complements the edgy and elegant middle weight flavors that possess impressive precision and punch plus a very tight and firmly structured finish. This is by no means hard or ungracious but it will require a few years to shed its youthful austerity. Drink: 2012+” (Burghound Issue 21) $69.95
2004 Domaine Drouhin-Laroze Gevrey-Chambertin “Lavaut St.-Jacques” 1er Cru Red -  ‘Interestingly, this is almost as elegant with racy red fruit and earth aromas that also display a touch of minerality and give way to sweet, intense and sappy flavors that retain both a sense of purity and terrific detail. I especially like the artful balance of punch and restraint and this is recommended.  Drink: 2011+ Comments: Outstanding” (Burghound Issue 21)  $49.95

NEW ARRIVALS

2011 Domaine Gerard Boulay Sancerre Mont Damnes Sancerre, Loire Valley, Fr. –“High-toned, penetrating scents of mint, wormwood, white pepper, and citrus oils rise from the glass of Boulay’s 2011 Sancerre Monts Damnes, along with some yeasty notes not surprising in a wine tasted from tank. Lemon and grapefruit offer an invigoratingly bright palate with their accents of rind, pepper, and chalk; while peppermint and a sweet freesia-like suggestion of inner-mouth perfume add stimulating allure. Long on finesse and refreshment – and just plain long, this Sancerre’s evolution is going to be deliciously fascinating to follow over the next half dozen years, if not beyond.” (WA#201) $41.95 with very limited availability in VA.
2005 Fatalone Gioia Del Colle Primativo Riserva - Filippo Petrera was called “Il Fatalone” or “lady killer” which quickly caught on as the family nickname. Filippo drank, for breakfast every morning, till his last day, a half a liter of Primitivo and half a liter of fresh milk. He died at 98. The Riserva has a rich ripe fruit aroma and an almost raisinated quality with a very smooth mouth feel and finish. We love this wine.  $27.95
NV Pierre Paillard Champagne-  Brut Bouzy Grand Cru - (60% pinot noir and 40% chardonnay; disgorged January 23, 2012): “Light, bright gold.  Toasted bread, pear nectar and honey on the nose and palate, with a subtle touch of rhubarb adding an earthy quality.  Spicy, nicely concentrated orchard fruit flavors pick up a bitter citrus pith nuance with air and show very good intensity.  Closes on a smoky, leesy note, with firm grip and lingering toastiness.” (IWC Dec 12) $49.95
2011 Arnot-Roberts Luchisinger Vineyard Lake County Trousseau - Duncan Meyers and Nathan Roberts, two new age born and bred California Napa wine rats and friends since cub scouts, found this tiny parcel of Trouusseau [a one-time Port grape (aka Bastardo] near Kelseyville and transformed it into a key part of the New California wine story. With alpine herbs and moss wrapped around ripe strawberry, this doesn’t signal Lake County so much as an entity all its own - a wine that’s bright, light in color and body and yet complex and instantly delicious.  $31.95

MONTHLY SPECIALS