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Cellar Selections |
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Seaboard Cellar Selections: Arriving this week in very limited quantities are dozens of new wines suited for collecting or special occasions. Here are some of the stars: Araujo Altagracia 2005
($99.00 net) - "As for the 2005 Altagracia, which
had been bottled several months before my visit,
much like its sibling, it is 90% Cabernet Sauvignon,
the rest Merlot and Petit Verdot. (The 2004 is 94%
Cabernet Sauvignon.) A slightly bigger cuvee of
nearly 1,200 cases, the wine has an almost French
personality with its elegant, pure cedary and black
currant fruit intermixed with hints of chocolate,
oak, and earth. The tannins are supple, and the wine
medium to full-bodied, very enjoyable already, yet
capable of lasting 12-15 years. DuMol Russian River
Syrah 2006 ($72.99) - "The 2006 Syrah
Russian River is full-bodied, richly fruity, not
terribly complex at the moment, but pure and nicely
balanced. Biale Napa Ranches Zinfandel 2006 ($42.99) - The Biale family, immigrants from Northern Italy, began growing grapes in Napa in the 1930’s – Zinfandel only. Zinfandel, California’s adopted grape, was widely planted by immigrants throughout the State’s history as a highly flavorful red grape well-suited for the climate. Committed to the tradition of farming grapes, the Biales decided in 1991 to form a partnership with the goal of producing a world-class wine from the oldest Zinfandel vines on the ranch. Now, seventeen years later, Biale is recognized internationally as being among California’s very finest producers of Zinfandel. Today, a family of wines of distinctly different personalities is produced, with the goal of capturing the ultimate expressions of their sites. Each wine is vineyard designated only in years when it is outstanding. Good wines are made but great wines are grown. Kilikanoon Shiraz "Oracle" 2004 ($95.00) - "The dense purple-colored 2004 Shiraz Oracle ratchets up the fruit and glycerin levels, yet remains pure, elegant, and well-balanced. It offers beautiful aromas of blueberries, blackberries, acacia flowers, and spicy oak. Full-bodied, powerful, cleanly textured, long, and heady, I would not be surprised to see it evolve for 15-20 years." (97 points, Wine Advocate issue #167). Boarding Pass "1st
Class" Shiraz 2005, South Australia
($29.99) - "The 2005 Shiraz “First Class” was
barrel-fermented and aged for 18 months in new and 1
year French and American oak. More complex
aromatically, it has a lovely bouquet of toast,
smoke, cedar, lavender, blueberry, and blackberry.
Opulent, velvety, and seamless, it has great depth,
spicy blue and black fruit flavors with hints of
licorice and chocolate, and a very long finish.
Drink it over the next 10 years. The Boarding Pass
label is just that, a dead ringer for an airplane
boarding pass. According to Dan Philips, it is like
going on a trip to Australia without leaving home
while the First Class is a luxury upgrade. Aside
from the humor, these two wines have more in common
with Fed-Ex, delivering the goods right on time. Torbreck "Woodcutter's Red" 2006; Barossa Valley, Australia ($21.99) - "The 2006 Woodcutter’s Shiraz was sourced from six sub-regions of the Barossa. The wine was aged for 12 months in large, neutral French oak and was bottled unfined and unfiltered. Purple-colored, it has an attractive array of pepper, spicy blackberry, black cherry, and blueberry muffin aromas. Full-bodied and opulent on the palate, the wine delivers gobs of meaty, full-flavored blue and black fruits to accompany its forward, easy-going personality. Drink this incredible value over the next 4-6 years." (92 points, Wine Advocate issue #173). Kilikanoon Shiraz "Killerman's Run" 2005; Clare Valley, Australia ($24.99) - "The 2005 Shiraz Killerman’s Run, which had just been bottled, is unbelievably good. It possesses a deep ruby/purple color, terrific blackberry and cassis fruit, hints of charcoal, licorice, and earth, and an opulent, voluptuous personality. Enjoy this super-sexy Shiraz over the next 3-4 years." (92 points, Wine Advocate issue #167). Torbreck "The Factor"
2005, Barossa Valley, Australia ($109.00)
- "The 2005 The Factor is 100% Shiraz sourced from
dry grown vines from six sub-regions of Barossa. It
spent 24 months in 30% new French oak. Opaque
purple-colored, it delivers an expressive bouquet of
pepper, smoke, espresso roast, blackberry,
blueberry, and licorice. Full-bodied and voluptuous
on the palate, nuances of saddle leather and mineral
emerge to complement the layers of spicy blue and
black fruits. The wine is beautifully integrated
with enough well-concealed tannin to keep this wine
evolving for a decade. The pure finish lingers for
60+ seconds to complete the experience of a totally
hedonistic turn-on. 2004 Wines From Harlan, Levy & Rolland The prolific winemaking team of Bill Harlan, Bob Levy and Michel Rolland is producing some of the boldest, most profound wines in California today. These spectacular wines are not for the weak of heart (or shy of wallet) but they will provide drinking pleasure for decades: Harlan "The Maiden" 2004 ($249 net) - "I was blown away by the 2004 The Maiden, which out of bottle is even better than it was from barrel. This wine exhibits a rather flamboyant scorched earth, lead pencil, incense, licorice, and blackberry and cassis-scented nose and flavors. The wine has superb concentration and is opulent, fleshy, and very much in keeping with the style of the vintage. Despite its accessibility, I suspect this wine will drink well for at least two decades. So what’s new? Harlan Estate continues to produce only a meager 1,500 or so cases from over 40 acres of beautifully manicured hillside vineyards overlooking the Oakville corridor (to be precise, the western slopes looking down on Martha’s Vineyard and parts of the To-Kalon Vineyard). Proprietor Bill Harlan and his winemaking team of Bob Levy and global oenologist Michel Rolland push the envelope in all ways, but the results continue to be magnificent as well as increasingly expensive and rare. The second wine, which is usually around 1,000+ cases, is The Maiden, which is also a super wine in its own right." (95 points, Wine Advocate issue #174). 3 bottles in stock, in original wood case. 2004 Bond "Pluribus" Proprietary Red Wine ($279 net) - "The newest wine, Pluribus, will give just about any vineyard on Spring Mountain a run for its money. The 2004 Pluribus has a dense purple color and an elegant, sweet nose of creme de cassis intermixed with some camphor, graphite, and a hint of blueberry (or is it very ripe raspberries?). Quite opulent, full-bodied, but with good underlying acidity, this wine is fresh and remarkably light on its feet for a wine of such enormous intensity and richness. These efforts are all brilliantly executed wines from obviously fabulous sites." (95 points, The Wine Advocate issue #174). 2004 Bond "Vecina" Proprietary Red Wine ($279 net) - "The 2004 Vecina shares an opaque ruby/purple color, smells of wet steel, crushed rocks, spring flowers, forest floor, and plenty of cedar and chocolatey black currant and blackberry notes. A huge, spicy, complex nose is followed by a wine of impressive ripeness, full-bodied power, and a multi-dimensional mouthfeel with huge amounts of glycerin, fruit, and thickness. This is a connoisseur’s treat, and despite the fruit-forward character of the vintage, this wine ideally needs 2-4 years of bottle age and should keep for 30-35+ years." (96 points, The Wine Advocate issue #174). 2004 Bond "St. Eden" Proprietary Red Wine ($279 net) - "The 2004 St. Eden seems to hit all the sweet spots on my palate. A wine of great complexity, richness, and intensity, with oodles of creme de cassis fruit and plenty of roasted herbs and meatiness, with exceptional power and richness, this wine has fleshed out since I had it last year, and seems to be destined to be one of Bond’s most compelling wines, a full-bodied wine with great purity, richness, and beautifully integrated acidity, wood, and tannin. Give it 1-3 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 25 years." (97 points, The Wine Advocate issue #174).
Spain has had a terrific run of three exceptional
vintages starting with 2004 through 2006, and it's looking like 2007
will also be highly regarded by the critics and collectors. There are
still a few collectibles available from 2004, and the high scoring
2005's and 06's are now being released. Although overall quality was
excellent from these vintages, they all produced lower yields than in a
typical harvest, so there is less wine in the market. Even with the
strong euro, these wines pack a lot of punch and really give you your
money's worth compared to similar scoring wines from France &
California, plus they will age beautifully for years to come. Here are
some high scoring beauties arriving this week or currently in stock (but
not for long): 2005 Benjamin Romeo La Vina de Andres Romeo (98 points, Wine Advocate issue #175. $159.00 net) - "The 2005 La Vina de Andres Romeo is a bit more brooding and backward. Opaque purple/black, it has an alluring nose of toasty oak, pencil lead, scorched earth, espresso, truffle, and blackberry. Tightly wound but beautifully balanced, this is an opulent effort that requires patience. Give it 10-12 years of further aging and drink it from 2020 through 2040. Words can barely do justice to how singular these wines are. They must be tasted to be believed." 2005 Bodega Numanthia-Termes Numanthia Toro (93 points, International Wine Cellar, Sept/Oct 2007. $59.99) - "Deep ruby. A deep, youthfully brooding bouquet offers dark cherry, blackcurrant, incense and suave oak spices. Spicy cherry and dark berry flavors show an exotic anise quality and slow-building sweetness. This gently tannic, chewy, extremely persistent wine finishes with echoes of oak spice and floral pastille, not to mention excellent vivacity." 2004 Merum Priorati Ardiles Priorat (93 points, Wine Advocate issue #169. $49.99) - "The 2004 Ardiles is composed of 45% Garnacha, 34% Carinena, 18% Syrah, and 3% Cabernet Sauvignon. The Merum Priorati estate owns 6 parcels of old vines and 7 parcels of younger vines and this bottling is a blend of old and young vines which was aged for 12 months in a mixture of new and used French oak. Dark ruby-colored, it exhibits a fragrant nose of mineral, spice box, kirsch, raspberry, and spring flower garden. Structured on the palate with excellent depth and concentration, it has layers of spicy fruit and terrific integration of oak, tannin, and acid. The wine has a long, pure finish. Although it can be drunk now, this hedonistically styled wine should evolve for 3-5 years and drink well through 2022." 2004 Merum Priorati Osmin (97 points, Wine Advocate issue #169. $89.00) - "The 2004 Osmin is a similar blend to the Ardiles but the Garnacha and Carignan are sourced from the estate’s older vines ranging from 80-100 years of age. The wine was aged for 12 months in new French oak. Opaque purple-colored, the wine offers up a fragrant nose of scorched earth, spice box, cherry, raspberry, and blueberry liqueur. Full-flavored and opulent on the palate, this chewy wine has an extroverted personality with layers of supple fruit, ripe tannin, superb balance, and a 60-second finish. This sensuous wine can be enjoyed now and over the next 15 years." 2005 Bodegas Ateca Atteca Armas, Calatayud (93 points, Wine Advocate issue #175. $47.99) - "The 2005 Atteca Armas is sourced from a single Garnacha vineyard planted in 1909 at serious elevation. Malolactic fermentation occurs in new oak. The nose delivers spice box, toast, scorched earth, and black cherry. Large-scaled and full-flavored, this powerful effort conceals enough structure to support 3- 5 years of cellaring and should provide pleasure through 2025. Bodegas Ateca is a new partnership between the Gil family of Jumilla and importer Jorge Ordonez."
and some more Cellar Selections:
Plumpjack Napa Cabernet 2005 ($78.99) - "The 2005 Cabernet
Sauvignon Estate is a full-bodied, chewy effort displaying copious
aromas of lead pencil shavings, black currants, blueberries,
licorice, charcoal, and spice box along with a hint of new oak. This
beauty should unfold gracefully over the next 5-7 years, and last
for two decades or more. Betts & Scholl Hermitage Rouge 2004 ($69.99) - "Dark on the nose, with blackberry and fig preserve notes. Shows a terroir -driven element on the palate, with loam, braised chestnut and spice notes. Ample structure, with a long, cocoa powder tinged finish. Drink now through 2015. 375 cases imported. (92 points, Wine Spectator issue Oct. 31, 2007). Ogier Cote Rotie 2004 ($89.99) - "Dark red. Delicate floral-inflected raspberry and strawberry aromas with a gentle note of musky underbrush. Sweet red fruits are framed and extended by fine, silky tannins. Picks up a subtle floral note on the long aftertaste." (92 points, International Wine Cellar). Andre Brunel Les Cailloux "Cuvee Centenaire" 2003 ($225 retail price, $149 net sale price) - "The limited production but exquisite 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Centenaire is a riper, more concentrated version of the 2000 Centenaire. There are about 500 cases of this Grenache-dominated wine produced from a vineyard planted in 1889 with some Syrah and Mourvedre (about 20%) added to the blend. The latter components are aged in small barrels. The wine has a dense ruby/purple-tinged color to the rim, a strikingly pure nose of kirsch liqueur, creme de cassis, and hints of vanilla and espresso. Hitting the palate with full-throttle opulence, superb concentration, fabulous purity, and striking multiple levels of raspberries and black cherry jam, this is a beautifully full-bodied, brilliantly concentrated and structured wine that reveals sweet but abundant tannin and a finish that goes on for close to a minute. I still think the two greatest Centenaires made to date have been the 1990 and 1998, but this one is close in quality. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2020+." (96 points, Wine Advocate issue #163). Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf-du-Pape "La Crau" 2005 ($66.99) - "The 2005 Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape, this estate’s strongest vintage since 1998, has put on serious weight since last year. Dense ruby/purple-colored with an exquisite perfume of black raspberries, kirsch, ground pepper, and incense, this full-bodied, powerful, concentrated wine reveals fabulous purity as well as a finish that lasts over 45 seconds. Purchasers of this beauty will need patience. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025." (95 points, Wine Advocate issue #173). Chateau Haut Brion 2004 ($299.00) - "The dark plum/ruby-hued 2004 Haut-Brion exhibits a noble, discrete, smoky bouquet revealing notions of plum liqueur, black currants, sweet cherries, and subtle earth. In addition to its aromatic complexity, this medium-bodied effort reveals classic elegance and delicacy as well as sweet fruit in the mouth and a long finish. Give this streamlined, civilized wine 2-4 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 20-25 years. It is amazingly similar to Haut-Brion’s 1999." (92 points, Wine Advocate issue #171).
Sette Ponti Toscana "Oreno" 2003 ($95.00) - "Breathtaking.
Dense and powerful, with grilled meat and currant aromas and
flavors. Full-bodied, round and chewy; a massive and exciting wine.
More muscular than the 2001. Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Best
after 2007. 2,750 cases made." (95 points, Wine Spectator
issue Oct. 31, 2005).
The
Wines Of Robert Foley, Part I
Bob Foley is one of the most prolific winemakers in
California, crafting wines with grape varietals ranging from
Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay, Petite Sirah, Charbono, Viognier,
Sangiovese, Syrah, Pinot Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Not only does he
tend is own Robert Foley Vineyards on Howell Mountain, he also
oversees the winemaking at Pride Mountain, Switchback Ridge,
Hourglass and several other boutique projects. In his spare time he
has been a professional musician, carpenter, school board member,
and currently the honorary chairperson of the Triangle Wine
Experience here in Raleigh. Here are some of our favorite wines from
Bob's own label, Robert Foley Vineyards, currently in stock (Pride
Mountain, Hourglass and Switchback Ridge reviews and tasting notes
to follow): Robert Foley Petite Sirah 2005 ($79.99 net) - Bob's notes: "The 2005 Petite Sirah combines ripe berry and crushed pepper aromas, as dark purple as wine gets. And for as dense and extracted as this Petite is, there remains a sturdy acidity to keep the wine vibrant and allow for a broad spectrum of food pairing possibilities." Robert Foley Merlot 2006 ($79.99 net) - Bob's notes: "This being the 30th consecutive vintage that I have produced Merlot, we are introducing the first Robert Foley Vineyards Merlot as a varietal wine and if you've enjoyed the Merlots I have made in the past for other brands, this one will knock your socks off. Ripe berry aromas and a round rich mid palate unfold in an explosion of fruit and vanilla flavors which resolve in an expresso- like finish." Hourglass Napa Cabernet 2004 ($149 net) – “After a somewhat disappointing 2003, Hourglass’s 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, made by well-known consulting winemaker Bob Foley, is a blockbuster, opulent, complex, deep ruby/purple effort. Beautiful aromas of melted licorice, white chocolate, creme de cassis, flowers, and background oak soar from this bewitching, opulent, fleshy, succulent Cabernet. This full-bodied beauty will provide delicious drinking early on, and age nicely for 10-15 years.” (94 points, The Wine Advocate issue #168). 5 bottles in stock. Hourglass Napa Cabernet 2005 ($149 net) – “Well-known winemaker Bob Foley is the force behind the wines of Hourglass. This tiny vineyard of around five acres is located just north of St. Helena on a gradually sloping hillside somewhat reminiscent of Colgin’s Tychson Hill Vineyard or Vineyard 29, both nearby neighbors. These hillsides are essentially the lower foothills of the Mayacamas Mountains and are largely volcanic rock and loamy soil called “hambright.” The 2005 is a beautiful wine, and another strong effort. Deep ruby/purple-colored with a beautifully pure nose of creme de cassis, spring flowers, subtle wood, and hints of graphite and cedar, the wine is rich, full-bodied, with sweet tannin, good acidity, and a long, long finish. It is still very youthful, but with 2-3 years of cellaring, this wine has the potential to jump a few points in score and will no doubt last for two decades. (93 points, The Wine Advocate issue #174). 6 bottles available.
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