“Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried, with fewer tensions and more tolerance”
Ben Franklin
APERTIFS
Vintage: 2006 Sparkling Shiraz - Kilroy was Here - Mclaren Vale, Australia
Grape Variety: 100% Shiraz
Alcohol: 13%
$$$: 13.99
Notes: Only the Aussies would take a Sparking Shiraz seriously! This is NOT your “Cold Duck”, think cough syrup and boiled lollipops. It is made just like Champagne with a secondary fermentation in the bottle. There are hints of sweet fruit, oak and firm acid, but surprise it finishes very dry. Found exclusively in Australia. This is a great summer wine for the barbeque or just a great way to start things off!
WHITES
Vintage: 2009 Twin Vines Vinho Verde DOC , Portugal
Grape Variety: 35% Loureiro, 23% Trajadura, 22% Pederwa, 20% Albarino
Alcohol: 10%
$$$:7.99
Notes: “Green Wine”, light, crisp with some spritzyness; refreshing citrus flavors; great with seafood and salads
Vintage: 2008 Durnberg Gruner Veltliner Falkenstien,Austria
Grape Variety: 100% Gruner Veltliner
Alcohol: 11.5%
$$$:11.99
Notes: wine produced since 12th century; zesty flavors of apple, melon and lemon; all the rage in Europe where it goes by the nick name of “GROOVY” but slow to catch on here; very food friendly and pairs well with asparagus and artichokes.
Vintage: 2004 Trimbach Gewurztraminer Reserve (say ga/ VERZ/tra/mee/ner)
Alsace,France
Grape Variety: 100% Gewurztraminer
Alcohol: 13.5%
$$$: 29.99
Notes: 400 years of wine-making since 1626; Gewurz German for Spicy;
One of the rarest and most exotic smelling wines that you will ever taste. Because it is a nightmare to grow, it is not planted everywhere. The smell of rose petals, fruit and spice makes it intoxicating on the nose. It is the perfect companion to “hot” Asian or Cajun dishes and good with Munster and Roquefort cheeses.
ROSES
Vintage: 2009 Mulderbosch Stellenbosch, South Africa
Grape Variety: 100% Cabernet Sauvignnon
Alcohol: 13.5%
$$$: 11.99
Notes: This is NOT WHITE ZINFANDEL. Refreshingly fruit-forward, this wine is very versatile with food especially summer salads and grilled Tuna; wine critic Steve Tanzer called this wine “a very sexy rose”
REDS
Vintage: 2008 Viu Manent Carmenere Colchagua Valley, Chile
Grape Variety: 100% Carmenere
Alcohol: 14.5%
$$$: 7.99
Notes: This is Chile’s signature grape with over 4,000 hectares under vine. This is a glass of cherry-fruit flavors and smoky spice. It reminds me of dark chocolate, tobacco and leather. Originally planted in Bordeaux, France, it has all but died there and Chile has made it her own. Dark crimson in color, hence its name is smooth with well rounded easy drinking tannins. Not meant for aging and should be drunk young and fresh. This grape is often confused with Merlot, but ripens three weeks after Merlot.
Vintage: 1996 Faustino I Tinto Gran Reserva DOC Rioja, Spain
Grape Variety: 90% Tempranillo, 10% Mazuello and Graciano
Alcohol: 13%
$$$:42.99
Notes: Faustino is the largest exporter of Gran Reserva wines in Spain. It is a far cry from their founder, whom in the 1860’s sold his wine from a barrel at the back of a horse drawn cart. The wine is aged in oak 2-3 years and then refined in bottle for 4 years before being released. This wine is delicate yet intense with a velvety finish.
Vintage: 2004 Joseph Drouhin Chorey-Les-Beaune Beaune, France
Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 13%
$$$:29.99
Notes: Established in 1880, the name Joseph Drouhin means great Burgundy! Their estate encompasses 182 acres. His wines marry a balance, harmony, finesse and character. There is a great purity of taste.”September makes the wine” and in 2004 it was a great season. The grapes were hand-harvested and the juice aged in oak for 12-15 months. This is an elegant and refined with tannic structure; a taste of blackberry jam on the palate and a long smooth finish. Some of his wines can be aged for up to 40 years. Pinot’s can be the most versatile of food wines and can be paired with swordfish to turkey.
*Vintage: 2007 Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir AVA Willamette Valley,
Oregon, U.S.
Grape Variety: 100% Pinot Noir
Alcohol: 13.9%
$$$:40.00
Notes: All the grapes are hand-picked with a long and careful fermentation. Custom made Burgundy Oak barrels are used for aging. “French soul, Oregon soil is their trademark. Veronique is the daughter of the world famous Burgundy producer Joseph Drouhin. They have been making wine since 1988 in Oregon and have always been on the viticultural cutting edge of the region. Much of their wine is restaurant allocated so this is a rare treat to have available. The wine always scores in the 90”s for those keeping track. Just think of yourself in a smoke and spice box of cherries and you have an idea of the wine’s flavor profile. There are racy red fruit flavors that are well balanced with a long persistent flavor which will leave you calling for a second glass. Can cellar up to 10 years
Vintage: 2001 Travaglini Gattinara Riserva DOCG Piedmonte,Italy
Grape Variety: 100% Nebbiolo
Alcohol: 13.5%
$$$:64.99
Notes: Scored a 92 in Wine Spectator; Lots of fruit and spice on the nose; this wine is a full-bodied gem that is highly structured with chewy tannins. The finish is long lasting and juicy. This is best with grilled meats and hearty stews. The term Riserva stands for additional aging, (3 years or more in oak)
Vintage: 2005 Le Cigare Volant Bonny Doon Vineyards AVA Santa Cruz, Ca. U.S.
Grape Variety: 50%Grenache, 24% Mouvedre, 22%Syrah, 3%Carignanne and 1%Cinsault (unfiltered)
Alcohol: 13.5%
$$$:34.99
Notes: Cigare Volant translates as “flying cigar”. In the famous Chateauneuf-du-Pape region of the Rhone River Valley in France there was great concern in1954 about flying saucers landing in their vineyards and doing damage so they passed an ordinance forbidding “alien landings” .It has been met with great success! This is the brain child of wine making genius Randell Graham owner of Bonny Doon. He is one of the original “Rhone Rangers”. These Ca. winemakers worshipped the Rhone style of winemaking and tried to duplicate here. Grenache is the driving force of this blend. There are vibrant flavors of red fruit, cocoa bean and sweet spice. This is a voluptuous wine balanced with moderate acid and crunchy tannins. The finish is long and savory and will last “light years”. It looks like grilled beef or lamb on the menu for this bottle!
*Vintage: 2005 Alter Ego AOC Margaux, Medoc Bordeaux, France
Grape Variety: 57% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Sauvignon
Alcohol: 14%
$$$: 150.00
Notes: 92 Points from Wine Spectator. 2005 was one of the greatest vintages for Bordeaux so this wine may be veryyyyyy hard to find now! Many say that this is the best Alter Ego ever. It is Chateau Palmer’s 2nd wine. Ask me about this phenomenon. This is a powerful and complex wine; like one famous wine critic once said “an iron fist inside a velvet glove!!” There are abundant sweet berry flavors, unusually dense yet with soft tannins. It finishes like an elegant cathedral’s rose window, opulently long!!
Vintage: 2006 Planeta Santa Cecilia Sicily, Italy
Grape Variety: 100% Nero D’Avola (Sicily’s greatest red grape)
Alcohol: 14%
$$$: 44.99
Notes: Planeta is Sicily’s leading wine producing families, just established in 1985. There wineries are spread throughout the country. This is a smooth and opulent wine that will leave you panting for more. It is brazenly oaky spending 12 months on oak. Cinnamon spice and plumy fruit flavors linger on the tongue. Highly concentrated and intense, it has a long delicious finish too! Think beef tenderloin…
My Notes:
Vintage: 2004 Lang & Reed Cabernet Franc Premier Etage AVA Napa Valley, Ca.
Grape Variety: 97% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
Alcohol: 14.5%
$$$: 32.99
Notes: This Family owned winery founded in just 1996 is based on the premise that Cabernet Franc, known as a blending grape, and distant cousin of Cabernet Sauvignon (especially in Bordeaux’s) can stand on its own. Premier Etage means first floor or one level up so this is a Cab Franc of deeper expression. This is the 8th release of this wine. They call Cab Franc the “Conservatively, Compassionate Grape”. The juice sees 25 months of ageing in French Oak before being bottled. Think chocolate cherries with this wine and the soft, round tannins assures a long satisfying finish. This wine can be cellared for up to 10 years. It is also known for its bell pepper aromas. Warm toasted walnuts with pear and blue cheese crumble would be ideal with a glass of this!
Vintage: 2005 Lolonis Orpheus Petite Sirah AVA Redwood Valley, Ca.
Grape Variety: 99% Petite Sirah, 1% Gamay
Alcohol: 14.9%
$$$: 40.00
Notes: This vineyard was founded in 1920 by 2 young Greek immigrants and has been a family enterprise ever since Lady Bugs love Lolonis and are used by the thousands to ward off pests. No pesticides or herbicides are used ever thus qualifying Lolonis ‘as an organic vineyard. The grapes are from vines planted ½ century ago. The Wine Enthusiast rated it a 93 and many believe it is their best Petite ever! Be warned, this wine is not for the faint-hearted!!! It is a thickly tannic offering with wild berry flavors that have cola, spice, cedar and tobacco accents. The wine arrives at an intensely longgggg finish. A great savory stew would do well with a glass or 2 or 3 or 4….
My Notes:
DESSERT
Vintage: 2008 Eos Tears of Dew AVA Paso Robles, Ca.
Grape Variety: 100% Muscat Canelli (late harvest) the oldest domesticated grape variety
Alcohol: 11%
$$$: 24.00
Notes: 91 Points from Wine Enthusiast; considered by many to be the most luscious and intense dessert wines in Ca; Eos is the largest winery in the Central Coast and is powered totally by solar energy. Aromas of apricot and peach continue onto the palate with a finish that is clean and not cloyingly sweet. This is great poured over ice cream or a fruit cobbler!
Cheers!!
Alan
howarth2@verizon.net
http://alanswinecellar.blogspot.com
617-877-2407
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