Spotlight

NEW ARRIVALS FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 12, 2009

We said we we didn’t need any more new wines, but as usual, we couldn’t resist. Here’s a few new items that came in this week that we’re especially excited about:

-2004 Produttori del Barbaresco “Rabaja” Riserva (Piedmonte, Italy): Perhaps there’s no more well-regarded grower’s cooperative in the wine world than the legendary Produttori del Barbaresco, and within the hierarchy of great vineyards within the Barbaresco area, Rabaja is almost universally placed near the very top. Couple all of this with a fantastic vintage in Piedmonte and you have all the makings of an exceptional Barbaresco. A very limited quantity available. $66.95

-2000 Clos de Templiers Lalande de Pomerol Rouge (Bordeaux, France): A late arrival from Bordeaux that didn’t make it in with the rest of the 2000s that came in earlier this year. An extremely elegant Merlot-dominated Bordeaux, the 2000 Clos de Templiers is silky smooth with an underlying structure that would play well with a steak. $19.95

-2000 “L” de La Louviere Pessac-Leognan Rouge (Bordeaux, France) – Another late arrival from Bordeaux, the “L” de La Louviere is La Louviere’s second wine. This is classic Bordeaux, power wrapped up in elegance, the proverbial iron fist in a velvet glove. From the Wine Spectator website: “Dark colored, with a fantastically deep and rich nose of crushed currants and berries, with hints of new wood. Full-bodied, with super, well-integrated tannins and a long, caressing finish. Very well-crafted. Almost too good for a second wine. One point less than the grand vin. Best after 2008. 3,330 cases made. 90pts.” $43.95

-2007 Adegas Cachín “Peza do Rei” Mencia (Ribeira Sacra, Spain): Since northwest Spain’s white wines receive so much attention (Albarino, anyone?), it’s unfortunate that their fantastic reds sometimes get overlooked. It seems that this is starting to change, though, as the regions of Bierzo and Ribeira Sacra are undergoing a viticultural renaissance, thanks in part to the area’s indiginous Mencia grape. Since Roman times, the steep, terraced hillsides of Ribeira Sacra have been planted with grapes, but only recently has there been a real shift towards producing distinctive, high-quality wines. This is one of the most elegant and poised Spanish reds that we’ve encountered recently, generous with red berry fruit and a touch of smokiness. Think of this as the hypothetical Spanish lovechild between Crozes-Hermitage and great Cru Beaujolais. Only 200 cases produced. $23.95

-2006 Primarius Pinot Noir (Oregon): We’re always on the lookout for inexpensive Pinot Noir from Oregon, but “inexpensive” and “Pinot Noir” are somewhat mutually exclusive terms. We struggle to find wines in the sub-$20 price range in this category that we like, but once in a while we find one that hits all the right notes and doesn’t cross that $19.95 threshold. We’re happy to introduce Primarius as another great option from Oregon that is affordable enough for a Tuesday night and still delivers. $16.95

-2007 Clos du Tue-Boeuf “Frileuse” Cheverny Blanc (Loire Valley, France): Delicious, delicious, delicious Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay blend from the Loire Valley. From natural winemaking star Thierry Puzelat’s home estate, this organic, unfiltered Sauvignon is fairly full bodied and complex, and on the nose picks up a slight hint of orange peel. Not only is this one of the more distinctive whites from the Loire we’ve brought in recently, but it’s also being offered at a reduced price (this is the last of the 2007 vintage). Did we mention that it has a painting of a flying cow (!) on the label? $13.95 (normally $17.95)

-2008 Ricossa Moscato d’Asti (Piedmonte, Italy): Cheap Moscato d’Asti can be a dicey affair, cloyingly sweet and devoid of any balancing acidity. We’re excited to prsent to you the Ricossa Moscato d’Asti, refreshing, off-dry, loaded with peachy goodness, and not at all cloying. Moscato is the sweet wine that people who claim to hate sweet wine drink when nobody is looking. Yet another candidate in the running for the Best Springtime Back Porch Wine Contest 2009. $11.95

-2008 Castle Rock Pinot Noir (Willamette Valley, Oregon): For our regulars, this wine almost needs no introduction. By a tremendous margin, the 2007 vintage of the Castle Rock Willamette Valley Pinot Noir was the best selling Pinot Noir here at J. Emerson in 2008. While a lot of that is attributable to an extremely modest pricetag (especially considering it’s from the Willamette Valley), the other distinguishing feature of this wine is that it actually tastes like pinot (which shouldn’t be a remarkable thing, but at this price, it’s an unfortunately rare occurance). $13.95

-2006 Le Briseau “Patapon” Pinot d’Aunis (Loire Valley, France): Whether it’s the drawing of the weird, creepy clown on the label that bears a disturbing resemblance to Jack Nicholson, or that the wine is made from that obscure footnote of a grape, Pinot d’Aunis, we couldn’t pass up this one. Light bodied, funky and delightfully unusual, this wine is made from all organic Pinot d’Aunis (aka Chenin Noir) grapes from the northerly Coteaux du Loir appelation. While we realize this isn’t a wine that’s for everyone (many people are terrified of clowns), it’s brimming with character and is anything but the same ol’ pinot. $17.95

April 14, 2009 9:05