($50, Quintessential): The Grand Cru classification of vineyards occurred in Alsace roughly 50 years later than it did in Burgundy. But similar to Burgundy, Grand Cru in Alsace doesn’t automatically mean the wine will be great. The producer is still the most important element in determining quality, and Lorentz is a great producer. … Read more
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Gustave Lorentz, Alsace (France) Gewurztraminer 2009
($20, Quintessential): The appealing aromatic spice of Gewurztraminer tickles your nostrils and palate the instant you sample this wine. Paradoxically, a bare hint of sweetness actually amplifies the wine’s spiciness. Not overdone, it would be fine with roast pork or chili-laden fare.… Read more
Doña Paula, Mendoza (Argentina) Chardonnay “Los Cardos” 2009
($10, Vineyard Brands): Most Chardonnays in this price range are sappy and sweet. Not this one. Not surprisingly, tropical fruit flavors predominate in this straightforward wine, but there’s much better acidity–a bright lemony touch–than is usually found in Chardonnays at this price. … Read more
Neil Ellis, Stellenbosch (South Africa) Chardonnay 2009
($17, Vineyard Brands): Bright and stony, this invigorating Chardonnay offers far more complexity and sophistication than most at this price. An alluring flinty, almost smoky quality is reminiscent of Chablis. Consumers looking for more richness and a fatter style of Chardonnay will be disappointed. … Read more
2009 Burgundies: A First Look
The Bordelais are not the only ones licking their chops as they offer the 2009 vintage for sale. Burgundians too are smiling as they taste their 2009s currently aging in barrels. In the words of Philippe Prost, the technical director at Bouchard Père et Fils, the wines are, “La beauté du Diable,” a French idiom that roughly means “too good to be true.”… Read more
Maison Nicolas Perrin, Hermitage Blanc (Rhône, France) 2008
($68, Vineyard Brands): Two Rhone Valley powerhouses, the Perrin family of Châteauneuf du Pape, and Nicholas Jaboulet of the eponymous house in Hermitage, have forged an alliance and brought out a new line of wines. Judging from this one, it will be a successful project. … Read more
Bodegas Fariña, Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon (Castilla y León, Spain) “Peromato” 2009
($10, Winebow): In addition to this wine, Bodegas Fariña also produces the Dama de Toro line from, not surprisingly, the Toro region. Though this one and their wines from Toro are 100% Tempranillo, they are quite different. Tasting them side-by-side, which I recommend, reminds us of the importance of where the grapes grow. … Read more
Dama de Toro, Toro (Castilla y León, Spain) Tempranillo 2009
($12, Winebow): Though the muscular signature of wines from Toro is apparent, this wine remains lively and well balanced. There’s an engaging combination of spice, earthy notes and black cherry-like fruit. Mild tannins impart structure in this mid-weight wine without intruding.… Read more
Wild Rock, Central Otago (New Zealand) Pinot Noir 2008
($18, Kobrand): Central Otago is one of the best areas in New Zealand for Pinot Noir because of its cool climate. And this one is a good example of why the region has the reputation for the varietal that it does. … Read more
Casa Silva, Colchagua Valley (Chile) Carménère Reserva 2008
($12, Vin Divino): This stylish Carménère balances ripe black fruit flavors with an alluring savory quality characteristic of the varietal. The combination gives it delightful complexity, as opposed to a bombastic fruit bomb. Fine tannins and a lengthy finish just make it that much more remarkable. … Read more
Bouchard Père et Fils, Le Corton Grand Cru (Burgundy, France) 2007
($91, Henriot, Inc.): Bouchard has substantial holdings in Corton from which they make consistently fine examples. This is one of them. Showing its grand cru status, it conveys a core of ripe–almost sweet–fruit encircled by supple tannins. Remarkably forward, the charm of the 2007 vintage is apparent. … Read more
Bouchard Père et Fils, Beaune-Grèves (Burgundy, France) “Vigne de L’Enfant Jésus” 2007
($97, Henriot, Inc.): This is Bouchard’s flagship wine from the heart of the famed Beaune-Grèves vineyard. At trade tastings, they even offer it after the conventionally more highly regarded wines from the Corton appellation. Lighter and more forward than usual–reflective of the 2007 vintage–the mixture of bright red fruit and a stoniness still dances across the palate. … Read more
Perrin et Fils, Côtes du Rhône Blanc (Rhône Valley, France) Reserve 2009
($12, Vineyard Brands): I wish regulations prohibited the use of Reserve when that’s all the producer makes (or exports). And the fact is, this wine needs no labeling hype. It’s very good. Made from the typical blend of white Rhone grapes–Viognier, Marsanne, Roussane, Bourblanc and Grenache Blanc–it’s floral and refined. … Read more
Cloudline, Willamette Valley (Oregon) Pinot Gris 2007
($14): 
The delicate and able hand of Veronique Drouhin, who is in charge of Domaine Drouhin Oregon and whose family owns Maison Joseph Drouhin in Burgundy, is evident in this charming Pinot Gris. Not as ripe as many–which is a good thing–it has an alluring combination of pear notes and Granny Smith apple-like liveliness.… Read more
Bernhard Huber, Baden (Germany) Spatburgunder “Alte Reben” 2007
($80, Valckenberg): Consumers rarely think to turn to Germany for Pinot Noir (Spatburgunder), which makes this one all the more surprising. The color’s a bit light, but the flavors of dried cherries and savory notes are not, a result, no doubt, of the old vines (alte reben). … Read more
Torres, Catalunya (Spain) “Viña Esmeralda” 2009
($14, Dreyfus, Ashby & Co.): The blend–Moscato (85%) and Gewürztraminer–explains the floral, spicy character of this wine. The aromas suggest sweetness, but it really isn’t. Bright acidity keeps it balanced and makes it easy to drink throughout a meal. Try it with highly spiced dishes that use Chorizo sausage or chili peppers because it will cut through anything.… Read more
Burgundy: Sorting Out the ‘0 Tens’
“Let’s taste some 0 tens,” was Louis-Fabrice Latour’s invitation as I met him in late September at the imposing Chateau Grancey, the heart of the Domaine Latour estate in the picturesque Burgundian village of Aloxe-Corton where they vinify all the reds from their Domaine. … Read more
Casa Silva, Colchagua Valley (Chile) Sauvignon Blanc Reserva 2009
($12, Vin Divino): Casa Silva is a welcome addition to the American market. Their 2008 Carménère (previously reviewed) was excellent and so is this Sauvignon Blanc. Its herbal bite pleasantly attacks the palate rather than assaulting it. Citrus notes add complexity. … Read more
Pierre Archambault, Vin de France (France) Sauvignon Blanc “La Petite Perriere” 2009
($12, Pasternak Wine Imports): Guy Saget, an excellent Sancerre producer who purchased the Archambault estate, has opted to use the newly created appellation, Vin de France, for this wine made from grapes grown outside of the usual Loire appellations known for Sauvignon Blanc. … Read more
Maison Louis Jadot, Beaujolais-Villages (Beaujolais, Burgundy, France) 2009
($12, Kobrand): 
The 2009 vintage is likely the best the Beaujolais region has seen in decades, according to veteran producers there. It’s no surprise then, that Jadot, a top-notch Beaune-based Burgundy producer who has been investing heavily there since their purchase of Château des Jacques in 1996, made stunning Beaujolais in 2009. … Read more
Maison Nicolas Perrin, Hermitage Blanc (Rhône, France) 2008
($68, Vineyard Brands): 
Two Rhone Valley powerhouses, the Perrin family of Châteauneuf du Pape, and Nicholas Jaboulet of the eponymous house in Hermitage, have forged an alliance and brought out a new line of wine. Judging from this one, it will be a successful project. … Read more
Bodegas Fariña, Vina de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon (Castilla y León, Spain) “Peromato” 2009
($10, Winebow): In addition to this wine, Bodegas Fariña also produces the Dama de
Toro line from, not surprisingly, the Toro region. Though this one and their wines from Toro are 100% Tempranillo, they are quite different. Tasting them side-by-side, which I recommend, reminds us of the importance of where the grapes grow. … Read more
Dama de Toro, Toro (Castilla y León, Spain) Tempranillo 2009
($12, Winebow): Though the muscular signature of wines from Toro is apparent, this wine remains lively and well balanced. There’s an engaging combination of spice, earthy notes and black cherry-like fruit. Mild tannins impart structure in this mid-weight wine without intruding.… Read more
Wild Rock, Central Otago (New Zealand) Pinot Noir 2008
($18, Kobrand): 
Central Otago is one of the best areas in New Zealand for Pinot Noir because of its cool climate. And this one is a good example of why the region has the reputation for the varietal that it does. … Read more
Casa Silva, Colchagua Valley (Chile) Carmenère Reserva 2008
($12, Vin Divino): This stylish Carménère balances ripe black fruit flavors with an alluring savory quality characteristic of the varietal. The combination gives it delightful complexity, as opposed to a bombastic fruit bomb. Fine tannins and a lengthy finish just make it that much more remarkable. … Read more
Bouchard Père et Fils, Beaune-Grèves (Burgundy, France) “Vigne de L’Enfant Jésus” 2007
($97, Henriot, Inc.): This is Bouchard’s flagship wine from the heart of the famed Beaune-Grèves vineyard. At trade tastings, they even offer it after the conventionally more highly regarded wines from the Corton appellation. Lighter and more forward than usual–reflective of the 2007 vintage–the mixture of bright red fruit and a stoniness still dances across the palate. … Read more
Bouchard Père et Fils, Le Corton (Burgundy, France) 2007
($91, Henriot, Inc.): Bouchard has substantial holdings in Corton from which they make consistently fine examples. This is one of them. Showing its grand cru status, it conveys a core of ripe–almost sweet–fruit encircled by supple tannins. Remarkably forward, the charm of the 2007 vintage is apparent. … Read more
Miguel Torres, Central Valley (Chile) Sauvignon Blanc “Las Mulas” 2009
($10, Dreyfus, Ashby & Co.): This lovely Sauvignon Blanc walks the fine line between pleasantly pungent and aggressively herbal. It delivers it herbal notes with grace. There’s no doubting it’s Sauvignon Blanc, but it doesn’t shout. In short, it’s balanced and far more refined that you’d expect at the price. … Read more
Château de la Ragotière, Muscadet Serve-et-Maine (Loire Valley, France) Sur Lie Selection Vieilles Vignes 2009
($14, Vineyard Brands): This aromatic wine is bracing and refreshing, as Muscadet should be, but delivers far more substance and weight than most. There’s almost a touch of salinity, but the most distinctive aspect is the wines density and complexity, which likely reflects the old vines. … Read more
Explorador, Central Valley (Chile) Merlot 2009
($8, Banfi Vintners): This wine, produced by Concha y Toro, continues their tradition of delivering more than you’d expect from the price. Showing more than just fruit–even though there’s plent of that–this Merlot also conveys hints of tar or earth, which balances the ripeness. … Read more
In Defense of the Burgundy Négociant
I am always surprised how many experienced Burgundy aficionados, be they sommeliers or just plain passionate consumers, overlook or denigrate Burgundy’s négociants while heaping praise on the growers’ wines. Sommeliers may shun them because of commercial reasons. Négociants’ wines are more widely available and many sommeliers prefer to list wines from small growers whose wines are difficult for diners to find in retail stores. … Read more
Château Recougne, Bordeaux Superieur (Bordeaux, France) 2006
($15, Ex Cellars Wine Agency): This is the kind of Bordeaux that everyone loves to find because it delivers more than either the price or the appellation suggests. Château Recougne, one of the key properties of the talented Milhade family, is located near Pomerol on the right bank of Bordeaux’s Gironde River. … Read more
Torres, Catalunya (Spain) “Sangre de Toro” 2007
($9, Dreyfus, Ashby & Co.): With their portfolio of wines, the Torres family has shown the world the incredible quality and value of Spanish wines. This mid-weight blend of Garnacha (2/3rds) and Cariñena delivers far more complexity and nuance than the price suggests. … Read more
Château d’Esclans, Côtes de Provence (Provence, France) Rosé “Whispering Angel” 2009
($21, Shaw Ross): Sacha Lichine, son of renowned Alexis Lichine, the larger than life wine-merchant, author and Bordeaux château owner, has forsaken the family’s traditional home base (Bordeaux) for sunny Provence where he aims to make the best rosé in the world at Château d’Esclans. … Read more
Château d’Esclans, Côtes de Provence (Provence, France) Rosé “Garrus” 2008
($109, Shaw Ross): You read it correctly, over $100 a bottle for rosé. At Château d’Esclans, Sacha Lichine is aiming to take rosé to a new quality–and price–level. A blend of roughly 2/3rds Grenache, exclusively from 80-year-old vines, and Rolle from similarly aged vines, the Garrus is a selection from the very best vineyards on the estate. … Read more
Mohua, Central Otago (New Zealand) Pinot Gris 2009
($18, Vineyard Brands): 
The Central Otago area on New Zealand’s South Island is well known for its superb Pinot Noir. After tasting this wine, you can add Pinot Gris to its list of successful varietals. With good weight and pear-like notes, this New Zealand beauty is clearly in the Pinot Gris–as opposed to the Pinot Grigio–style of the varietal. … Read more
Torres, Central Valley (Chile) Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve “Las Mulas” 2008
($10, Dreyfus, Ashby & Co.): Torres, the iconic Spanish wine family, once again was ahead of the curve when they started their outpost in Chile in 1979. (Their website claims they were the first foreign wine company to invest there). This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, from organically grown grapes, conveys gorgeous intensity without heaviness. … Read more
Goldwater Estate, Wairau Valley (Marlborough, New Zealand) Sauvignon Blanc 2008
($14, Pasternak Wine Imports): The justified popularity of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc has spawned some pretty vapid examples of the category, especially at the lower price levels. But don’t let the price of this one make you suspicious. Rather, stock up, because it shows why the category is so popular. … Read more
Weingut Willi Bründlmayer, Kamptal (Austria) Riesling Heiligenstein Alte Reben 2008
($50, Skurnik): Heiligenstein, located in the village of Zöbinger, is one of Austria’s most acclaimed vineyards. Bründlmayer is one Austria’s best producers. Combine the two and throw in old vines (Alte Reben) and it’s no surprise about the extraordinary quality and distinctiveness of this wine. … Read more
Shaya, Rueda (Castilla y Leon, Spain) 2009
($15, Jorge Ordonez): Rueda, a small D.O. in northern Spain, remains under-appreciated as
a source for reasonably priced vibrant white wines. This one, made entirely from Verdejo (not to be confused with Verdelho, a Portuguese variety also grown in Australia), has just the right balance of ripe green apple-like flavors and citrus zing. … Read more
Palacios Remondo, Rioja (Spain) La Vendimia 2008
($15, Folio Wine Company): Alvaro Palacios, one of Spain’s leading winemakers, returned to his family’s property a decade ago after his father died and renovated the estate by replanting, lowering yields and redirecting the estate’s focus. He jettisoned the traditional Rioja terminology of Joven, Crianza, Reserva and Gran Reserva. … Read more
Domaine Dominique and Janine Crochet, Sancerre (Loire Valley, France) 2008
($20, Simon N Cellars): I can now add Dominique and Janine to the list of Crochets who make distinctive Sancerre having found this one on a restaurant wine list in Richmond. With so many wines from Sancerre tasting more like simple Sauvignon Blanc, it’s always a treat to discover a producer’s whose bottling delivers the chalky minerality for which the appellation is known. … Read more
Cave Spring Cellars, Niagara Peninsula (Ontario, Canada) Riesling 2008
($12, Boutique Vineyards): The moderating influences of Lake Ontario and the Niagara Escarpment allow vinifera grapes to survive the otherwise frigid and snowy winter. Riesling is especially well suited to the relatively cool climate of the Niagara Peninsula where the harvest in 2008 for this wine extended until November 18th. … Read more
Lucien Albrecht, Cremant d’Alsace (Alsace, France) Brut Rosé NV
($18, Pasternak Wine Imports): Crémant d’Alsace, which is made by the traditional (Champagne)
method from any of the Alsace grapes except Gewurztraminer and Chasselas, is an under-appreciated category of sparkling wine. As a category they are lighter and less complex than Champagne, but when talented producers, such as Albrecht, make them, they deliver considerable pleasure. … Read more
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Columbia Valley (Washington) Dry Riesling 2009
($9): This wine is an incredible bargain. A subtle stone fruit–peach or nectarine–character comes through and harmonizes with a gentle lemony acidity. Not aggressively dry, a hint of roundness balances Riesling’s inherent acidity. The style allows you to enjoy a glass as an aperitif and then carry it to the table to accompany a wide variety of dishes from chicken in a mushroomy cream sauce to a garlic-infused seafood stew. … Read more
Dr. Konstantin Frank, Finger Lakes (New York) Riesling Dry 2008
($15): 
Many people are surprised to hear that New York produces world-class wines. But the Finger Lakes region is home to some of this country’s best Rieslings. And Dr. Konstantin Frank’s rank among the top. Dr. Frank, in the 1950s, figured out that vineyards planted on the shores of these deep-water lakes would benefit from the lakes’ moderating influences, which would prevent the vines from freezing during the harsh New York winter. … Read more
Rose Love In Bloom
I’ve been converted. Sort of.
Despite the tsunami of enthusiasm that appears every summer, I’ve never been a fan of rosés, except, of course, for rosé Champagne. The argument for rosé is that they are perfect for summertime because they are not too serious, they stand up to and go with hearty cold salads or grilled fish, and they cut through summer’s heat and humidity.… Read more
Gerard Boulay, Sancerre (Loire Valley, France) “Les Monts Damnes” 2008
($41, Premium Wine Co.): 
Les Monts Damnes (literally, damned mountains), so named because of the steepness of the slope, is one of the best sites in Sancerre and would be categorized as Grand Cru if that system existed in the appellation. … Read more
Domaine Duret, Quincy (Loire Valley, France) 2009
($13, Fruit of the Vine): Quincy is a tiny (400-acre) appellation west of Sancerre where regulations mandate Sauvignon Blanc for white wines just as in Sancerre. This wine speaks more of the grape with zesty citrus flavors than underlying minerality, but it is easy to recommend with raw or simply prepared seafood, especially at this bargain price.… Read more
Philippe Rambeau, Pouilly-Fumé (Loire Valley, France) “Les Lumeaux” 2009
($20, Jean-Marie Dechamps): Despite the fume in its name, I don’t find smokey notes consistently in wines from Pouilly-Fumé. Benoît Roumet, the director of Les Vins du Centre Loire, says he often has difficulty distinguishing wines from Pouilly-Fumé from its across the river town of Sancerre since the soil in many spots on both sides of the river is similar. … Read more