Wine of the Week: Belle Pente Pinot Noir Estate Reserve 2008

There is a reason why Belle Pente won us over as one of the only domestic wines that we have in our book.  The wines produced by this vineyard are excellent, and the Estate Reserve is the crème de la crème.  Husband and wife Brian and Jill O’Donnell began making wine over 20 years ago in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.  They aptly named their gorgeous 75-acre vineyard Belle Pente, which translates to “Beautiful Slope.”  Striving to create small, premium-run productions, and following both organic and biodynamic principles in their farming techniques, this couple has mastered their craft.  The 2008 Estate Reserve is bright ruby red.  Its nose is accented with spice, red fruits, and flowers.  It is complex and offers sweet raspberry and mulberry flavors along with spice-cake and candied rose.  It is given character by its fine-grained tannins.   Kept in a good cellar, this wine can last for many, many years.

Wine of the Week: Mourgues du Grès Les Galets Rosé 2012

This was the first dry rosé from France that inspired my love of French Rosés.  The Mourgues du Gres Les Galets Rosé 2012 is named after the terroir, deeply blanketed with Galet Roulés, large flat stones that cover the soil, keeping moisture in and adding a delightful minerality to the wine.  The grape varietals are a mix of Syrah and Granache.  It has a deep ruby color and offers intense fruit flavors of strawberry, cherry, and spicy notes.  Perfect for a warm summer day and pairs wonderfully with herb crusted fish and steamed vegetables, or anything off the BBQ.

Wine of the Week: Saint André de Figuière Cuvée Magali Rosé 2012

In the southwest corner of France is the beautiful sunny, seaside region called Provence.  Some of the finest rose wines in the world are produced here; among them a small family owned vineyard known as Saint André de Figuère.

The long hours of sunshine, the longest in France, along with the thermal buffer from the sea air, allows for around 10 different grape varieties to cultivate and ripen here superbly.   Magali is made from a blend of four grapes: Cabernet, Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault.  It has a gorgeous transparent salmon pink color and offers a flattering bouquet of citrus fruits and red fruit.  Evoking apricot and grapefruit well balanced alongside light minerality and acidity in mouth.  It is a perfect wine for a warm afternoon or paired with white pasta, roasted herb chicken, or a mushroom risotto.

Wine of the Week: Domaine Font du Loup CDP 2010

The elegant nature of this wine is embedded in the place where it was born, right in the heart of the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation.  It is focused with tart red fruit and backed by details such as dried provence herbs, a tiny hint of mint, spice and tannins.  The wine has been well oaked in French barrels for more than 12 months, assuring a great aging potential.  Like the wine, the history of this region is rich.  Domaine Font du Loup translates to “fountain of the wolves,” and has its name from a legend.  It is said that the wolves of Mount Veutoux would come and drink from the spring that is in the center of the domaine as they made their way down to the Provencal plains.  This spring has still never been exploited and the surrounding soil has also been generously cared for, with vines that have an average lifetime of 45 years and one beautiful patch of Grenache that has an average lifetime of 90 years.

Wine of the Week: Jean-Marc Burgaud Beaujolais Villages Les Vignes De Thoulon 2011

In a small, yet distinct region in east central France called Beaujolais, sits the 5 ha vineyard of Jean-Marc Burgaud.  Burgaud’s farming is done using traditional methods of viticulture, harvesting by hand and maintaining a high vine density of 10,000 vines per ha.  This is an important feature for quality says Burgaud, it is important for Gamay to have competition in the soil so you can get little grapes with high complexity and concentration. This wine has a bright red color and is fresh and fruity on the nose. Deep cherry and plum flavours with a long finish.  It is best drunk when young, within 2 years.

Wine of the Week: Domaine Saladin Cote du Rhone Loi 2009

This week’s wine of the week is from two lovely sisters located in Southern Rhone.  A true exception in the wine world, their vineyards have been organically grown and maintained, dating back to 1422.  The Loi is made primarily from both red and white Grenache grapes, handpicked and mixed with Syrah and Carignan.  The vinification is done by blending the grapes together in very small concrete vats and aged for a minimum of nine months.  The wine has a very nice nose of ripe red fruits, jellied cherries and a great suppleness in the mouth.   For generations the Saladin family has been making wine, and Elisabeth and Mary-Laurence Saladin continue to strengthen that tradition today.

Wine of the Week: Pierre Vessigaud Pouilly-Fuissé 2009 Vielles Vignes

Pierre Vessigaud has created another masterpiece in his 2009 Pouilly Fuissé VV.  Bright and golden in color with an expressive nose showing floral and mineral notes.  It is rich on the palate, characterized with peach, pears and roasted almond notes.  Pierre’s family roots can be traced back to 1700s, and documented to have been making wines as early as the 1850s.  For at least five generations these VV (old vines) have been growing here, and this generation the viticulture is done organically.  Vessigaud also keeps his wine for about one year longer in bottle before selling than most of his neighbors.  The minerality of the old vines, coupled with Pierre’s dedication to vinficaiton has created a beautiful white burgundy.   Very little of Vessigaud’s wines make it into the US, so drink deep and enjoy when it comes across your lips. 

Wine of the Week: Domaine Vincent Carême Vouvray Tendre 2011

Producer Vincent Carême is so talented at making wine that not only does he produce this phenomenal AOC Vouvray, he also has four vintages in S. Africa and provides training and technical support to a vineyard in Thailand.   The Vouvray Tendre terroir consists of limestone tulfa, clay and flint. Vouvrays are made in a wide range of sweetness styles, and the Tendre is a very balanced semi-sweet and dry vouvray with 20gs of residual sugar coupled with a fine stream of acidity on the mouth. Hints of pears and peaches can be found on the nose, along with light mineral tones. The Tendre is best paired with cold meats, poultry, and duck breast.  Vincent Carême’s expertise in cultivating his vineyards allows him to produces the best possible grapes; offering for the creation of very expressive wines.

Wine of the Week: Chateau Mourgues Du Gres Galets Rouges 2010

We are proud to announce we are now importing the wines of Chateau Mourgues Du Gres! Mourgues Du Gres’s moto, “Sine Sole Nihil” or “Nothing Without Sunshine.” The Chateau’s vineyards benefit from both northern and southern sun all year long, ensuring that the grapes reach optimum maturity.  This week’s week featured wine is the Mourgues Du Gres Galets Rouges.  The soil of the Chateau’s vineyard is covered with Galets, large flat pebbles that protect the soil from evaporation and add a noticeable touch of minerality to the wine.   This delightful Syrah is blended with a touch of Grenache, Mourvedre, and old vine Carignan.  Soft tannins, mildly spicy with red and black berry fruits all perfectly balance together to please your pallet!  Best paired with meat dishes such as duck or steak and hearty winter vegetables. 

New Wines have arrived

I know I have been quiet for a while, but we have been busy.
I am pleased to announce that two new containers have arrived with lots of new wines
Back in stock is the new vintage of Luc Lapeyre L’Amourier 2009
Our new value producer from Languedoc, Domaine de Moulines
We brought in four of their wines. Chardonnay, Merlot, Syrah/Grenache, and Viognier.
2009 Chateauneuf-du-Papes are here including Clos Saint Jean, Halos de Jupiter, and we are proud to announce that we are now importing Chateau Font du Loup. We have their 2009 and were able to get a few cases of the 2007 Puy Rolland from them.
Looking at Northern Rhone, we are very excited to now be importing the wines of Eric & Joel Durand from Cornas.
Last summer my trip to Beaujolais introduced me to many producers of Cru Beaujolais.
We selected three of the producers and brought in two cuvees of each of their wines.
Pascal Aufranc, Chenas and Fleurie
Laurent Gauthier, Morgon and Cote du Py
Robert Perroud, Brouilly and Cote de Brouilly
From Pouilly Fuisse, Domaine Pierre Vessigaud was another find on my last trip.
From the Loire Valley, FX Barc is producing Bourgueil, Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil, and Sauvignon from Touraine.
The new vintage of the wines from Domaine du Fresch in Anjou are here.
Over the next week, we will try and get posted on the website all the new information.