Vignalta Rosso Riserva 2004 Colli Eugani $19.99/bottle or $227.89/case
92 Arnie points
Wow. This wine has been open nearly 24 hours and it's getting better and better! This is a delicious, nearly perfect Bordeaux blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet from the Colli Euganei region of the Veneto in northern Italy. It is aged two years in oak but it is not too oaky; the wine has a lush texture and full black cherry, black currant and cassis fruit one expects from a red costing twice as much.
Merlot and Cabernet vines were introduced in the Colli Euganei in the 19th century, adapting very well to the volcanic hills. These grapes did so well they replaced other local red varieties after Philloxera wiped out the vineyards near the twilight of the 19th century.
This is a terrific value. The Vignalta goes extremely well with steak and cheeses - and it is priced like a top-notch daily drinker!
Cheers!
Arnie
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( 3.1 / 68 )Tasting properly matured wine is, alas, a rare treat. All too often we consume good wine in its infancy. It may be very good - even great - but we miss out on the additional complexities and subtleties achieved by discreet ageing.
Recently, I had the pleasure of tasting the 1995 Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva. Felsina is in the very top rank of Chianti producers, with the winemaking supervised by legendary consultant Franco Bernabei. Felsina is one of my favorite Chianti producers.
This Riserva is 100% Sangiovese hand-harvested from vine older than 50 years. This is a beautiful, mature Chianti Riserva. I estimate it has another 2-3 years but it's in top form now with the traditional Felsina aromas of tobacco, smoke, truffle, roses and wild berries. The palate is smooth and elegant with cherry and cranberry/raspberry fruit and a hint of chocolate on the finish. The tannins have resolved nicely into the wine after all these years..
Cheers!
Arnie
1995 Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva $46.99/bottle or $535.69/case
3.0 Liter $214.99
"Good dark red-ruby color. High-toned aromas of violet, dried flowers and spearmint. Ripe, juicy red berry and dried flower flavors given clarity by sound acids. Intriguing peppery note. Quite long on the aftertaste, with firm, mouthcoating tannins. Very suave Chianti." 90(+?) points Stephen Tanzer (reviewed January 1999)
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( 3.1 / 62 )"Year in and year out, one of the three greatest Hermitages made is Chapoutier's Le Pavillon."
- Robert Parker
We just made a terrific 'opportunity buy" of two great vintages of Michel Chapoutier's Ermitage "Le Pavillon" single-vineyard Syrah from Hermitage. This represents the acme, along with Jean-Louis Chave, of Northern Rhone Syrah. I love these wines and they make a brilliant addition to any cellar. The grapes are farmed bio-dynamically.
These wines are offered at a price level you will not see again. The reviews and ratings below are from Robert Parker's Wine Advocate.
Cheers!
Arnie
2005 Chapoutier Ermitage le Pavillon 98 points $199.99/bottle
"The biggest production cuvee, the 2005 Ermitage Le Pavillon (1,067 cases in this vintage) has a dense purple color, the classic acacia flower, graphite-based, smoky creme de cassis nose with a tremendous intensity and a full-bodied power and richness that is awesome. These are monumental wines, and when you think that this wine, much like most of its siblings, is made from yields of 12-18 hectoliters per hectare, the explanation for its concentration and extraordinary expression of terroir is obvious. Give it 10-15 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 75-100."
2001 Chapoutier Ermitage le Pavillon 93-95 points $179.99/bottle
"The 2001 Ermitage Le Pavillon exhibits a saturated ruby/purple color as well as a big, sweet nose of camphor, ink, creme de cassis, and hints of licorice as well as smoke. Although dense, rich, and full-bodied, the 2001 reveals more acidity in its delineated, nervous personality. Unquestionably great and intense, it will be less charming and precocious than its 2000 sibling. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2030."
"Saturated red-ruby. Explosive, superripe aromas of black raspberry, boysenberry, black olive tapenade, licorice, coffee and smoked meat. Wonderfully opulent and voluptuous in the mouth, with a texture like liquid silk. Coats your mouth, cheeks and whatever other surfaces it can find. Finishes with extraordinarily fine tannins and great sweetness and persistence. The best bottle of Pavillon I've tasted in at least a decade." Stephen Tanzer 95 points
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( 3 / 87 )According to Allen Meadows of Burghound, Paul Jacqueson, "runs one of the finest domaines in all of the Côte Chalonnaise." I came upon this wine at a trade tasting recently. There were approximately 70 wines tasted. I liked this Burgundy immediately so I asked to re-taste it when I could focus more clearly on the wine.
I still like this wine and I suppose one the reasons I like it is that it is elegant and precise - unlike the over-extracted Syrah-like Pinots that are flooding the market. This is how Burgundy should taste. At 13% alcohol, don't expect a viscous fruit bomb; the Jacqueson is restrained and somewhat light. It dances on the palate.
In 2003, the domaine avoided many of the pitfalls of a hot vintage. Paul Jacqueson said that he started the harvest on the 25th of August and began with his pinot crop, noting that "we had to do a lot of sorting work. Many of the grapes that were exposed to the sun were so burned that I felt it was necessary to excise them. Sugars were good and our grapes kept sufficient acidity that I didn't add any tartaric at all. I also kept the lees and did a lot of stirring, even for the Aligoté. I got this idea from my father Henri, who was around for both the 1928 and 1947 harvests* and they did exactly the same thing, which is to say no acidulation and did a lot of work with the fine lees. We will fine the '03s however as there is a lot of protein in the wines."
*both years were very hot, like 2003
Cheers!
Arnie
Paul Jacqueson Mercurey 1er Cru "Las Naugues"
Earthy, forest floor and peach and pale red berry aromas. Not over extracted. The wine tastes fresh with good acidity and round strawberry, wild berry fruit. Elegant and exactly what good Burgundy should taste like. Balanced with ripe, smooth tannins on the finish.
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( 2.8 / 78 )Last night, a trio of Esquinites (Jeff, Scott, me) attended a trade-only tasting at a distributor's South-end warehouse. The were some outstanding wines most of which I'll write up soon (1994 Chateau Musar, 2003 Jacqueson Mercurey 1er cru Naugues, etc.).
All of us enjoyed the 2006 Angela Pinot Noir from Oregon, which we tasted together. It was rich, lush Pinot from Oregon's highly respected Ken Wright. Naturally, we had to taste it several times to confirm our first impressions. Our own Scott Schaefer enthusiastically wrote up his notes on the spot, giving the wine 94 Esquin points. I thought you might enjoy reading his notes below.
Cheers!
Arnie
Last night I had the pleasure of tasting a fantastic Pinot Noir from our neighbors to the south, Oregon. This wine has it all; the classic varietal characteristics that too many Oregon Pinots lack, the complexity of a Premier Cru Burgundy, enough grip and tannin to suggest short term cellaring...and, as if that weren't enough, the wine is crafted by none other than the Godfather of Oregon winemaking, Ken Wright. This is only their second vintage, but their first made quite a splash in the wine community, earning a 93 point rating from the Wine Spectator (I have included the review of the 2005, but that wine is not currently available). The highly touted 2006 vintage shines through in their latest effort, which displays a degree of elegance when compared to other 2006 Oregon Pinots I have encountered, this medium to full bodied effort tips the scales at a mere 13.5% ABV, instead of the 14-15.5% that encumbers some of its peers from Oregon in 2006. Supplies are limited on this wine and once the rating is released it will vanish in short order.
2005 Angela Pinot Noir Clawson Vineyard- 93 points Wine Spectator
Lithe and light, this is open-textured, an expressive wine, with floral and balsamic accents to the effusive raspberry and red plum fruit, lingering as the finish waxes. Impressive length and balance. Drink now through 2015. 300 cases made.
2006 Angela Pinot Noir Clawson Vineyard- 94 Esquin Points- $52.99/bottle
Deep ruby hued, lightening slightly at the edge. Classic Oregon nose, with notes of ripe plum and black cherry almost overshadowing the more subtle black tea and forrest floor notes that are present. The palate is silky but assertive, with black raspberry and bing cherry on display, with a touch of white pepper in the finish. An incredible wine that is completely harmonious and in balance, with a finish that refuses to quit.
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