DECEMBER 2009 NEWSLETTER

OREGON PINOT NOIR HOLIDAY SAMPLERS Best Buys of the Season! Fort Knox Sampler … 350.00 2008 Ayres, Lewis Roger Lane 2007 Cameron, Arley’s Leap 2007 Crowley’s, Entre Nous 2007 Evesham Wood, Les Puits Sec 2007 St. Innocent, Winemaker’s Cuvée 2008 Ken Wright, Carter Vineyard, Cuvée L&E Value Sampler … 200.00 2008 Ayres, Willamette Valley 2007 Belle Pente, Willamette Valley 2008 Broadley, Willamette Valley 2008 Brick House, Select 2007 Crowley, Willamette Valley 2008 Haden Fig, Willamette Valley

 

RED WINES

OREGON – RED

2007 Matello, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon 16.99/181.50
Marcus Goodfellow has crafted a juicy, transparent masterpiece with his 2007 Willamette Valley pinot. The wine seemingly fuses the earthy raspberry-cranberry goodness that’s at the core of all of our favorite Oregon Pinots, with the daring purity and edginess of our beloved Poulsards from the Jura. A beguiling light garnet color in the glass, Matello’s Pinot dares you not to laugh at its lack of color, but rather to revel in its gorgeous Old World bouquet and the purity of its red berry fruit. Sneaky tannins and spine-tingling acidity join together on the wine’s transparent and utterly honest finish. Serve now and over the next three years with sausages, duck, and salmon. Oregon Pinot fans, this is the future.

WASHINGTON – RED

2007 Corvidae, Rook, Cabernet/Syrah/Merlot, Washington 11.99/128.00
David O’Reilly’s done it again! Corvidae winery is the newly-christened label of the esteemed and acclaimed Owen Roe winery. As longtime readers know, David O’Reilly is the Northwest’s master of crafting blockbuster, affordable reds that satisfy the most hedonistic wine lovers. From a blend of 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 15% Syrah, and 8% Merlot, O’Reilly has created a lovely wine that fuses Cabernet’s cedary edge with hints of Merlot chocolate tones and Syrah pepper and leather accents. For the price, it’s hard to find a wine that packs so much character and punch. This is a killer Northwest red that will stand up to many a premium Cabernet blend. Enjoy now and over the coming three years with just about anything but green vegetables and seafood.

FRANCE – RED

2007 Château Coupe Roses, La Bastide, Minervois, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 13.50/144.50
From rocky, garrigue-filled vineyards high in the Minervois, the Château Coupe Roses La Bastide is a mouth-filling blend of old-vine Grenache and Carignan seasoned with a leathery dollop of Syrah. Of the four stellar cuvées made by Coupe Roses, this is the one designed specifically for enjoying in its youth. An opaque black-plum color in the glass, the La Bastide explodes on the palate with earthy, garrigue-driven aromas followed by zingy, vibrant notes of blackberry, Bing cherry, Seville orange, tar and leather. The wine is fresh, bright and deliciously enjoyable right now. There is a touch of balancing tannin on the dusty, garrigue-driven finish, but not enough to stop us from pulling the cork and enjoying this splendid wine with grilled lamb, burgers, hanger steaks, Portobello mushrooms and other hearty fare. Drink now and over the coming two years.

2007 Domaine de la Guicharde, Côtes du Rhône, Southern Rhône Valley, France 9.99/107.00
The march of incredible 2007 Southern Rhônes continues with one of our consistently favorite selections, the superb Côtes du Rhône rouge from Domaine de la Guicharde. Domaine de la Guicharde’s Grenache and Syrah beauty returns with a vengeance in 2007 with a deep plum color and a bright core of raspberry-inflected Grenache fruit. Swirl and sniff and you’re greeted with healthy, vibrant aromas of tree-ripened plums, licorice, star anise, tar and stony earth. Bright on the palate and bursting with energy, vibrancy and stony minerality, this is again the best value going in authentic, old-school Southern Rhône rouge. You can’t afford not to take home a bottle to enjoy with grilled eggplant, lamb, burgers and anything scented with rosemary, garlic or anchovies. We’re fairly certain you’ll call back the next morning for a case to enjoy over the next five years. The 2005 vintage of this lusty rouge turned many a head, and we sold out pronto. Don’t delay on this even spicier and more character-filled 2007. Utterly delicious wine!

ITALY – RED

2007 Rapalino, Barbera d’Alba, Pian Romualdo, Piedmont, Italy 15.99/171.00
Rapalino’s exemplary Barbera is among our customers’ favorite wines. This month we’re delighted to debut Rapalino’s just-available Barbera from the terrific 2007 vintage. Pian Romualdo is undisputedly one of the greatest Barbera vineyard sites in all of the Piedmont. For the past decade, Federico Rapalino has produced an outstanding full-bodied, authentic Barbera. Rapalino’s saturated, black-ruby colored 2007 has a wonderful nose of blackberries, leather, roasted coffee, tar, licorice and truffles. In the mouth, the wine offers palate-staining dark berry fruit complemented by healthy acidity and touches of leather, menthol and truffle-y sotto bosco. Delicious now with braised beef, oven-roasted root vegetables, egg-rich pastas, or grilled pork, the 2007 Rapalino Barbera will also cellar well for three to five years and show how well the best examples of Barbera can age and improve. Buy this by the case.

PORTUGAL – RED

2007 Quinta do Correio, Vinho Tinto, Dão, Portugal 9.50/101.50
Dry Portuguese red wines, especially those from the Dão region in north central Portugal, are making a splash thanks to their strikingly unique bouquets, their food-friendliness and their recession-busting affordability. Quinta do Correio’s Vinho Tinto, a classic blend of 45% Jaen (Tinta Mencia), 35% Touriga Nacional, 10% Alfrocheiro and 10% Tinto Roriz, opens with a dense black-ruby color and bright, spicy aromas of freshly crushed raspberries, spicy cinnamon and tar. Brisk, lively and sappy on the palate, the Correio continues with suggestions of crushed cherries, fruitwood smoke and hoisin sauce. Ripe, buffered tannins emerge on the back-palate and segue the Correio to its dazzlingly long, smoky finish. This is a lovely choice for antipasti plates and salumi, pork or beef rubbed with smoky pimentón, teriyaki and other marinated and seasoned meats. Enjoy over the next two years to capture the wine’s spice and freshness.

SPAIN – RED

2005 Valserrano, Crianza, Rioja, Spain 15.99/171.00
Here’s a beautiful crianza that nimbly walks the tightrope between traditional Rioja values and Bordeaux-like intensity. Valserrano’s 2005 Crianza satisfies the need for a hearty winter red with its opaque black-purple color and elegant bouquet of cassis, bitter orange peel, cedar and pencil-lead minerality. Suave on the attack, the wine transitions to an impressively structured mid-palate featuring Tempranillo’s signature firm acidity and plentiful, fine, food-friendly tannins. The finish is bright and lip-smacking, with complex notes of licorice, menthol, currants and tobacco. Drink now with hearty meat or potato-based tapas, or better yet age this superb Rioja up to ten years in your cellar to allow the structural acidity and tannin to meld with the wine’s dense core of black currant fruit.

WHITE WINES

OREGON – WHITE

2008 Siltstone, Pinot Gris, Guadalupe Vineyard, Willamette Valley, Oregon 13.50/144.50
Siltstone is the winery label of legendary Willamette Valley vineyard manager Joel Myers, who has captured all the class and grace of the superb 2008 vintage in this succulent Pinot Gris from the famed Guadalupe Vineyard. In the glass the Siltstone Pinot Gris shows a pale straw color accented by glints of green, and a textbook Oregon Pinot Gris nose of buttered pears, honeysuckle and smoke. Crisp and minerally on the fore-palate, Siltstone’s Pinot Gris segues seamlessly to a velvety texture and honeyed pear fruit on the mid-palate. Suggestions of buttered Jonagold apples and smoky soil notes transition the wine to its long, full and satisfying finish. This is one of the most distinctive Oregon Pinot Gris in many a vintage. Serve as an apéritif, or as a complement to broiled salmon, halibut, fresh cheeses and light vegetarian fare. Drink now or over the next three years.

FRANCE - WHITE

2008 Antoine Simoneau, Sauvignon Blanc, Touraine, Loire Valley, France 11.50/123.00
From the gentle slopes above the river Cher in the central Loire Valley, the Simoneau family crafts this delicious Sauvignon Blanc that offers a ton of Sancerre-like citrus fruit and grassiness for half the price. Pale straw in the glass, Simoneau’s Sauvignon Blanc opens with aromas of Anjou pear, basil, freshly cut grass and chalky minerality. Brisk on the fore-palate, the wine fleshes out mid-palate to reveal a juicy pear and citrus fruit core enveloped by limestone and gravel minerality and subtle grassy herbal notes. Clean and crisp on the finish, Simoneau’s Sauvignon Blanc offers a mouthful of pure, authentic Sauvignon Blanc character that beats the pants off its competition from New Zealand and the Americas, and enables it to hang with its pricier brethren from Sancerre, Quincy, Menetou-Salon and Pouilly-Fumé. Enjoy young and cool with fresh chèvres, delicately sauced freshwater fish dishes, fresh oysters and green vegetables, or serve as a refreshing apéritif for the holidays.

2008 Domaine St. Nicolas, Les Clous, Fièfs Vendéens, Loire Valley, France 14.99/160.00
Domaine St. Nicolas: what a perfect name for the pending holiday season! Blending biodynamic Chardonnay (60%) and Chenin Blanc (40%) grown a mere stone’s throw from the Atlantic Ocean, vigneron Thierry Michon employs a minimalist, hands-off approach to craft this affordable, mineral-driven beauty. The palest gold in the glass, Michon’s Les Clous opens with subtle honeyed pear aromas from its Chenin component, accented by hints of lemon and raw hazelnuts from the Chardonnay. While the purity of the fruit is remarkable, the true beauty of this wine is the way it effortlessly conveys both its soil-driven minerality and the savory salinity derived from the vines’ proximity to the Atlantic. Like nothing you’ve tasted before, this wine simply has to be experienced. We suggest that you experience it often with fresh briny oysters, mussels, clams, delicate white freshwater fishes, sashimi, light vegetable sautées and just about anything in the vegetarian/pescatarian canon.

2008 Eugène Carrel et Fils, Vin de Savoie-Jongieux, Savoie, France 11.50/128.00
Much to our delight, this is the fourth consecutive vintage of Carrel’s Jacquère-based Jongieux to grace our newsletter. As longtime fans of the low alcohol content and refreshing glacial purity of this special wine, we’re pleased to report that this 2008 release is Carrel’s most complete and minerally vintage yet. Jongieux’s wines are considered by most experts to be among the very finest of the Vin de Savoie AOC designation, a high altitude, steeply-sloped subalpine region. Carrel’s 2008 Jongieux opens with a brilliant pale gold-green color and refreshing scents of lime zest, chamomile and straw. Zippy, zesty, clean, fresh and bristling with crisp mineral-driven citrus fruit, Carrel’s Jongieux is thrillingly pure and utterly refreshing. At a delightful 11.5% alcohol, it’s versatile for both weekend brunches, light midweek dinners and as an after work refreshment. Enjoy now and over the next year with poached fish preparations, green vegetables and anytime the call is for a light, refreshing, mineral-driven white wine.

2007 Thierry et Pascale Matrot, Bourgogne Chardonnay, Burgundy, France 15.99/171.00
In the world of fine white Burgundy, the brothers Matrot issue some of the finest Meursaults and Puligny-Montrachets from their superb vineyards in Charmes, Perrières, Combettes, etc. We love Matrot’s wines and know that they age better and longer than some of the more recognizable names. From vines near Meursault proper, Matrot’s Bourgogne Chardonnay transcends its humble designation. A lovely straw-gold in the glass, the Bourgogne Chardonnay explodes with aromas of buttery lemon curd and dissolved limestone minerals. On the palate the wine is brisk, combining bracing acidity and a lashing of dissolved minerality with laser-like precision and deft balance. The faintest hints of vanilla bean and caramel sneak in as the wine transitions to its long lemon and mineral finish. This is a superb full-bodied white Burgundy that will work well at the Thanksgiving table and well into the next three years with broiled halibut, light poultry dishes and lighter roast pork preparations.

GERMANY - WHITE

1996 Jos. Christoffel, Jr. (Christoffel-Prüm) Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany 27.99/299.00 Reg. 37.99
Ürziger Würzgarten, which means the “spice garden of Ürzig,” is one of the Mosel’s finest and most compelling crus. Noted for its spicy, pungent bouquet and ability to repay a decade or three of ageing, wines from Ürziger Würzgarten’s top producers are eagerly sought, vintage after vintage. At age thirteen, Jos. Christoffel, Jr.’s Ürziger Würzgarten 1996 Spätlese is now coming into its own. A deep green-gold in the glass, the wine offers opulent aromas of fresh sugar cane, petrol, jalapeño pepper and bergamot. Now sumptuous and velvety in the mouth, the wine explodes with flavors of lemon verbena, pine sap, mint and juicy ruby-red grapefruit. Still very faintly off-dry and showing a riveting spine of acidity, the wine is at a perfect stage of its evolution and is an immense pleasure to drink. Enjoy this rare opportunity to experience perfectly mature Mosel Riesling from a top producer in a fine vintage for a song.

ITALY – WHITE

2008 Mastroberardino, Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Bianco, Campania, Italy 16.99/181.50
Deep in the south of Italy lie the great Mount Vesuvius and the revitalized wine region of Campania. On these minerally volcanic soils, the ancient Coda di Volpe (tail of the wolf) varietal reaches its apogee and forms the foundation of the historical Lacryma Christi bianco. Undoubtedly Campania’s most important producer, Mastroberardino exclusively employs the Coda di Volpe for its reference-standard Lacryma Christi bianco. Opening with a deep green-gold hue, Mastroberardino’s bianco casts opulent, tropical fruit notes punctuated by smoky minerals. These minerals blossom on the palate and serve to amplify the wine’s core of full-bodied passion fruit, anise and yellow peach. Hints of smoky paprika and shimmering acidity emerge on the wine’s long finish. This will be a stellar match for pasta dishes with seafood sauces, antipasti and grilled whole fish.
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate - 89 points

SPAIN – WHITE

2007 Martina Prieto, Verdejo, Rueda, Spain 14.99/160.00
Verdejo is the signature gape of Spain’s Rueda region, located on the banks of the Duero River just east of Ribera del Duero. Martina Prieto’s Verdejo, grown on limestone-rich soils at over 2,000 feet above sea level, opens with a Chablis-like green-gold color. On the nose, Verdejo’s fragrant nature takes center stage with aromas of grass, mint, basil, pineapple and quince. Brisk and fresh on the palate, the wine alternates waves of grapefruit and lemon citrus fruit with refreshing grassy, herbal notes and an undercurrent of limestone minerality. The Verdejo finishes clean and pure, adding hints of lime zest and salty minerality. We suggest enjoying this unique, delicious and versatile wine now and over the coming year with seafood tapas, fresh goats’ milk cheese, sautéed squashes and green vegetable frittatas or tortillas.

SPARKLING WINES

ITALY - SPARKLING

NV Rive della Chiesa Prosecco Brut, Montello e Colli Asolani, Veneto, Italy 13.50/144.50
Prosecco, the great sparkling wine sensation of Italy’s Veneto region, is rarely as fine, delicate and delicious as this fresh bottling from Rive della Chiesa. Here we have a Prosecco of delicacy, crispness and unusually fine effervescence. Fruity on the nose yet brisk on the palate, Rive della Chiesa’s Brut is everything Prosecco is supposed to be, yet so rarely is. Pale lemon-gold in the flute, the wine casts aromas of peaches, sweet lemon curd and hints of toast. Balanced, dry and undeniably delicious, this is a sparkling wine of value, refreshment and versatility. Great for holiday toasts and as a delicious aperitif, it will also complement your Thanksgiving turkey or Tofurkey, as well as the myriad of freshwater fish and light vegetable preparations. Enjoy now, frequently throughout the holidays, and well into the New Year.

FRANCE - SPARKLING

NV Claude Genet, à Chouilly, Brut Blanc de Blancs, Champagne, France 39.99/427.00
Claude Genet is a genuine, card-carrying participant in the Grower Champagne movement. Genet, however, keeps a low profile and receives little fanfare in the wine press. This sneaky little fact is great news for us cost-conscious Champagne lovers, as this is one heckuva fine example of grand cru blanc de blancs fizz at an unbeatable price. Pale lemon-gold in the glass, Genet’s blanc de blancs offers classic aromas of wheat biscuits, lemon curd and yeasty brioche. Brisk on the palate with abundant mousse, tiny bubbles, plush palate presence, gorgeous lemony fruit and a persistent undercurrent of smoky, chalky terroir, this is the real deal in handcrafted Champagne. Fresh and brisk, serve this with just about anything but the reddest of meats. The wine drinks great now but is poised for another three to five years of positive evolution in your cool cellar. Grab a case now for this year’s holidays and for enjoyment over the next five years.

NV Domaine des Baumard, Crémant de Loire, Carte Turquoise Brut, Loire Valley, France 18.99/203.00
This perennial favorite sparkling wine from the Loire Valley is back. Domaine des Baumard’s Carte Turquoise offers aromas of brioche, chamomile, apples and ginger, adding a deep, earthy soil signature all its own. The Carte Turquoise’s attack is rich and creamy, gentler and more velvety than most sparkling wines. Mid-palate, the wine gains weight and richness without losing focus or vivacity. On the finish, notes of lemon, chamomile, wet straw and toast make the Turquoise perhaps the most complex and satisfying bubbly for the money.

LINER & ELSEN
2222 NW Quimby St.
Portland, OR 97210
800-903-9463
503-241-9463

HOURS: Mon.-Sat. 10 a.m -6 p.m.
CLOSED: Dec. 25; Jan. 1-4

Happy Holidays from the Staff of L&E
Shop early! We close at 5 p.m. on Christmas Eve; re-open on Saturday, Dec. 26. We close at 5 p.m. on New Year’s Eve; re-open on Tuesday, Jan. 5.

THIS MONTH'S WINES

SAMPLER:
OREGON PINOT NOIR HOLIDAY SAMPLERS

RED WINES:
Pre-Arrival Offer: 2005 Produttori del Barbaresco
2007 Matello Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
2007 Corvidae Rook Washington
2007 Ch. Coupe Roses La Bastide
2007 Dom. de la Guicharde Côtes du Rhône
2007 Rapalino Barbera d’Alba
2007 Quinto do Correio Vinho Tinto
2005 Valserrano Crianza Rioja

WHITE WINES:
2008 Siltstone Pinot Gris Oregon
2008 Antoine Simoneau Sauvignon Blanc
2008 Dom. St. Nicolas Les Clous
2008 Eugène Carrel et Fils Vin de Savoie
2007 Thierry et Pascale Matrot Bourgogne
1996 Jos. Christoffel Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese
2008 Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Bianco
2007 Martina Prieto Verdejo

SPARKLING WINES:
NV Rive della Chiesa Prosecco Brut
NV Genet Brut Blanc de Blancs
NV Baumard Crémant de Loire Carte Turquoise Brut

FRIDAY TASTINGS:
First and third of the month
5:30-7:30, fee

Dec. 4 Italian beauties from the Piedmont region of Italy.

Dec. 18 Champagne, Champagne, and more Champagne! Join us on our semi-annual tasting trip to Champagne.

Jan. 15 Wow! Start 2010 with four decades of German Rieslings.

SATURDAY TASTINGS:
Weekly; Starts at noon, no fee

Dec. 5 Doug Culver from C&G Wines will pour the superb NV Claude Genet Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne, Dom. St. Nicolas Les Clous Fièfs Vendéens, Antoine Simoneau Sauvignon Blanc, and Quinta do Correio Vinho Tinto. Plus a few other goodies!

Dec. 12 The L&E staff is on hand with Eugène Carrel Vin de Savoie-Jongieux, Thierry et Pascale Matrot Bourgogne, Dom. de la Guicharde Côtes du Rhône, and Ch. Coupe Roses Minervois La Bastide.

Dec. 19 We’re pouring Martina Prieto Verdejo Rueda, Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi Bianco, Rapalino Barbera d’Alba Pian Romualdo, Valserrano Crianza Rioja, and a quartet of wines with effervescence!

Dec. 26 Siltstone Pinot Gris Guadalupe Vineyard, Christoffel Jr. Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Spätlese, Matello Pinot Noir, and Corvidae Rook. Plus more sparkling wines to launch your New Year festivities!