2006 Clos de Caveau "Carmin Brillant" Vacqueyras

Grape variety: Grenache, Syrah
Region: Vacqueyras, Rhone Valley, France
Food pairing: Roasted Chicken with Rosemary

If you're a follower of wine history, you may have read about the Paris Tasting of 1976 in George Taber's account, Judgement of Paris. In this story, Stephen Spurrier, an Englishman who then ran a wine shop, arranged for a blind tasting of French and American wines in Paris, and the world was shocked to learn that American wines took top honors for their Chardonnay and Cabernet. What does this have to do with Vacqueyras?

That same year, Spurrier decided to sell the vineyard property he had purchased, Le Clos de Caveau, to Gerard Bungener. The French man and his family then sunk more of a decade of work into repairing and renovating the estate, switching to organic farming in 1989. Today, the estate produces 50 acres of Grenache and Syrah focusing heavily on organic practices and maximizing the individuality of their own little terroir. The result is a wine that is rich with red cherry and hints of nutmeg and allspice, and we think would hold it's ground quite well if Spurrier ever decided to hold a rematch, this time with Rhone varietals.

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2006 Milliere Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes

Grape Variety: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Counoise
Region: Chateauneuf du Pape, Rhone Valley, France
Food pairing: Pot au Feu



Certain types of vines, when managed well, benefit from age, producing grapes with more and more depth of character every year. Though Chateauneuf-du-Pape wines are unique in that they can include up to 13 different grape varieties in one blend, all or most of these varieties do indeed fall into the category of vines that improve with age.

Domaine la Milliere seems to have hit a jackpot in this respect, as old vines account for a full 95% of their stock. Their knotted and gnarly Grenache vines were all planted between 1891 and 1920, while their Syrahs are 50 years old and their Mourvedres, Cincaults, and Counoises are almost centenarians. All of these vines grow together in their 15 hectare hillside vineyard, forming what they call "the aromatic palette" of their blend. The wine does in fact exhibit a range of aromas and flavors, from pepper, currant and bay leaf to earth, leather, and Chateauneuf's 2006 vintage hallmark, a good dose of foresty "garrigue."

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2005 Domaine Durand Cornas Premices

Grape variety: Syrah
Region: Cornas, Rhone Valley, France
Food pairing: Rack of Lamb with Boysenberry Sauce

Within the Northern Rhone, there are several special appellations, like Hermitage and Cote-Rotie, that have received some rather glamorous attention in recent years. Glamorous attention, that is, for the Rhone. Meanwhile Cornas, the very tiny and southernmost of the Northern Rhone appellations, tends to be overlooked in the shadow of the former two appellations, yet slowly but surely it's gaining its due recognition for inky, early-ripening, chunky tannin-laden Syrahs.

Eric and Joel Durand make one such Syrah worthy of recognition, laden with deep jammy berry and licorice aromas, finishing with fresh acidity and fine-grained and structured tannins. The notoriously "score-stingy" Josh Raynolds of Steven Tanzer's International Wine Cellar gave it a score of 88-91 points. Luxuriously drinkable now, this Cornas has the stuffing to age for several years as well.

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1990 Raffault Chinon Picasses

Grape variety: Cabernet Franc
Region: Chinon, Loire Valley, France
Food pairing: Pan-roasted Turbot with Chanterelles

Just last month, I lamented that it's so rare that I have the chance to send you an older vintage of a wine for Wine Club, as it's often only feasible for us in the retail business to obtain "current releases." So it was a very pleasant surprise when I was seeking out a great Chinon from the Loire Valley for our March Premiere selection, and one of our suppliers mentioned that she had a little bit of Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses available... from 1990.

Who is passing out all of these cellar keys lately? And where can I get one?! Knowing that 1990 was a banner vintage for the Loire Valley, and that if anyone made good Chinon in any year it was Olga Raffault, we jumped at the opportunity. Domaine Olga Raffault is located on 25 hectares of vineyard land in Savigny-en-Veron, Loire Valley. All of their vineyard plots are acclaimed for producing terrific Cabernet Franc and white Chinon, but it's the Les Picasses vineyard with its limestone soils that carries, perhaps, the most coveted terroir.

This wine will need to be approached with the understanding that 18 year-old Chinon Cabernet Franc is a far cry from this year's release of, say, jammy California Cabernet or even five-year-old Bordeaux, for that matter. Rather than expecting a concentrated core of ripe fruit that grabs you until the tannins arrive, expect some very interesting and subtle complexities: a meaty, mineral-laden nose, notes of leather and black olive, some chalky mineral texture, and a finish of subtle sweet red fruit and white pepper. It's a wine to open in a pensive and patient mood. Give it a taste when you first open the bottle, admire what you find, then let it sit for a short time and come back again. Your mother said not to play with your food; she said absolutely nothing about your wine.

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2006 La Barroche "Fiancee" Chateauneuf du Pape

Grape Variety: Grenache, Syrah
Region: Chateauneuf du Pape, Rhone Valley France
Food pairing: Duck Confit over Lentils


Domaine La Barroche has been passed through generations of the same family since the 14th century, and their current vintner, the present steward of the land and winery, is a former chef. So I lean toward trusting them with their blending abilities. Imagine my surprise when I found out that the blend for their 2006 "Fiancee" was an uncharacteristically simple for Chateauneuf-du-Pape 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah.

I mean, I could've come up with that blend, no? Well, maybe not. As it turns out, quite a bit of thought went into this decision. "This wine combines equal measures of two seemingly opposite grapes: 100 year-old Grenache and young Syrah," they explain. "These two varieties complement one another beautifully: a fusion of masculine and feminine - a silky blend of power and finesse with fresh fruit aromas accompanied by gingerbread and coconut nuances." Add to that some nice fresh berry and cracked pepper, and you've got one great bottle of wine, simplistic formula or not!


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2007 Barnett Pinot Noir Viento Valle Anderson Valley on Sale!

On sale now at GarysWine.com

- Small production, single vineyard Pinot Noir
- Similar quantity produced to a Grand Cru Burgundy
- WS 93 points
- Among Wine Spectator's highest rated 07 Pinot Noirs

"Why have so many elite Napa and Sonoma Pinot Noir producers-Williams Selyem, Copain and Adrian Fog, to name just a few-begun buying grapes from the vineyards of Mendocino, California's obscure Anderson Valley? In fact, interest from outsiders has inspired growers to plant Pinot at a furious rate. In just the past 10 years, Anderson Valley Pinot Noir acreage has more than tripled: from 350 acres to about 1,200....the Anderson Valley may be one of the best places in California to grow Pinot Noir. " -- Food & Wine Magazine

As rare as a Grand Cru Burgundy!

Reviews

Wine Spectator 93 points

Rich and full-bodied, with complex, concentrated wild berry and blackberry fruit that's focused, with hints of sage and espresso, ending with ripe, integrated tannins and a long finish. Drink now through 2014. 479 cases made.

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WS 91pt 2005 Bordeaux sale. 2day price only $13.99 2005 Chateau Haut Grela Premieres Reserve Cotes de Blaye

The 2005 Bordeaux is the best vintage in over 25 years!

Unfortunately, many of the 2005 Bordeaux have risen in price since prices were released two years ago. Here's your opportunity to take advantage of a 91 point 2005 Bordeaux at its original futures price from two years ago. And it's under $18 with free shipping on six bottles!

Chateau Haut Grela is located directly east of Pauillac (home of Latour and Lafite) on the Right Bank of the Gironde River in the Premieres Cote de Blaye appellation.

Reviews:
James Suckling, Wine Spectator 89-91 points

Fantastic aromas of crushed berry and cherry. Full-bodied, with a wonderful core of ripe fruit, fine tannins and a flavorful finish. Impressive to say the least.

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