FEBRUARY 2010 NEWSLETTER

RED WINES

OREGON – RED

2008 McKinlay, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon 15.99/171.00
McKinlay winemaker Matt Kinne is back with another strong, lip-smacking Pinot Noir that once again sets the benchmark for deep, honest, authentic Willamette Valley Pinot at the affordable end of the price spectrum. Placing the gorgeous, precocious fruit of the great 2008 front and center, the 2008 McKinlay opens with a deep garnet hue and complex Pinot aromas of loganberries, cranberries, smoke and cinnamon. On the palate, the wine offers fresh red-fruited Pinot glory alongside crisp food-friendly acidity and notes of cinnamon and cloves. The finish is long, clean and lingering, showing sweet cherries, red raspberries, minerals and smoke. A very versatile and immediately delicious Pinot, the 2008 McKinlay drinks exceptionally well now and will hold for three to five years. Enjoy all its un-oaked, red-fruited purity with broiled salmon, roast chicken, grilled vegetables, duck, even burgers hot off the grill.

FRANCE – RED

2007 Domaine des Lauribert, Côtes du Rhône, Tradition, Southern Rhône Valley, France 9.50/101.50
After five generations of vine growing in the Côtes du Rhône, the Sourdon family took the big step into making and marketing their own exemplary wines. This is terrific news for lovers of authentic, affordable, garrigue and terroir-driven Southern Rhône rouges. Submitted for your approval is Lauribert’s entry-level Côtes du Rhône, which in the superb 2007 vintage roars with juicy Grenache fruit and terroir-driven notes of tar, sage, juniper, wet stones and saddle leather. Brisk on the attack yet sumptuous on the palate, Lauribert’s Tradition performs like a wine twice its price. As the palate yields to the wine’s long finish, notes of Seville orange peel, potpourri, bay leaf and underbrush emerge to make this affordable wonder even more compelling. Enjoy this recession buster now and over the coming three years with braised lamb shanks, ratatouille, burgers, pizza, stews and hearty fare featuring lots of rosemary, garlic, tomatoes or anchovies.

2007 Domaine de Maubet, Vignobles Fontan, Vin de Pays de Gascogne Rouge, Southwestern France 7.50/80.00
Nowhere in the world do terroir and value make a happier match today than in the Gascony region of southwestern France. Employing the tannin- and color-rich varietal Tannat with the silky, plummy and chocolaty Merlot, the Domaine de Maubet has crafted a hearty, affordable wine that speaks more of the soil than it does of oak barrels or its varietal content. The Maubet rouge is spicy on the nose, with cassis fruit accented by hints of cigar tobacco, cedar and earth. Again, here the terroir speaks more than the varietal: with its class, refinement and understated elegance, this wine states its French origins. It will be a lovely complement to just about anything that doesn’t swim or reside in water. Enjoy now and over the coming two years.

2007 Isabelle Carles et Franck Pascal, Le Jonc-Blanc, Bergerac Classik, Southwestern France 13.99/149.50
Just to the west of Bordeaux, the Bergerac region lies in the shadow of its more famous neighbor. Employing the classic Bordeaux varietals Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grown naturally and in harmony with nature, Isabelle Carles and Franck Pascal have crafted a hearty red to make the Bordelaises raise their eyebrows. Opaque black plum in color, the Classik mimics classified Bordeaux with its deep plum and cassis fruit, carob, tobacco and gravelly soil undercurrents, and soft kiss of vanillin oak. Tannic, firm and brimming with energy, Carles et Pascal have fashioned a winner that will go toe-to-toe with the best of the Haut-Médoc at a fraction of the price. Enjoy this now and over the coming five years with roast lamb, beef rib roasts, hearty potato dishes, duck, rabbit and rich game dishes.

2006 Château Chabiran, Bordeaux Supérieur, France 12.99/139.00
Year-in and year-out, one of the best value plays in all of Bordeaux is Château Chabiran. From the plateau just outside of Fronsac – in many insiders’ opinions the finest terroir in all of the Bordeaux Supérieur – Château Chabiran crafts a traditionally-styled, elegant claret. Deep black plum in color, the Château Chabiran opens with a classic Bordeaux nose of cedar, plums, lead-pencil minerality and gravelly soil. Firm and tannic as honest young claret should be, the Château Chabiran continues with notes of black currants, tobacco and an appetizing eucalyptus herbal edge. The wine’s finish is long and soil-driven, combining firm tannins with gravel and limestone minerality, all buffered by elegant cassis and plum fruit. Claret fans need to look no further for an authentic expression of Bordeaux’s inimitable terroir. A superb choice for value-oriented drinkers of old-school claret. Decant and enjoy now, and put some in the cellar to watch it evolve over the coming decade.

2007 Joseph Drouhin, Côte de Nuits-Villages, Burgundy, France 19.99/213.50
Who better to capture the essence of an elegant and truly Burgundian vintage than the masters at Maison Joseph Drouhin? From vines in the southernmost communes of the Côte de Nuits comes this gorgeously-scented red Burgundy. The 2007 is transparent garnet in color and bursting with high-toned aromas of potpourri, sarsaparilla, red raspberries and hard limestone. In the mouth, the wine is velvety and perfumed, with floral suggestions of iris and geranium followed by bracing acidity, superfine tannins, and game-inflected notes of raspberries, griottes and red currants. Fresh, complex and beguiling as only red Burgundy can be, Drouhin’s Cotes de Nuits-Villages is the value play of the vintage and a superb choice for prime rib, duck, potatoes au gratin. Drink now and over the coming three to five years. Only 15 cases available.

ITALY – RED

2008 Mastroberardino, Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso, Campania, Italy 15.99/171.00 Reg. 19.99
Deep in the south of Italy lie the great Mount Vesuvius and the revitalized wine region of Campania. On Vesuvius’ especially mineral-rich volcanic soils, the ancient Piedirosso varietal reaches its apogee and gives its lusty, Southern Italian charm to Mastroberardino’s exemplary Lacryma Christi red. Robert Parker’s Italian wine critic raves, “The 2008 Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso bursts from the glass with an intoxicating, heady array of bacon fat, smoke, tar, ash and dark red cherries. Despite its deceptive, mid-weight style, this dark brooding wine offers tons of complexity and personality. Though quite beautiful texturally, the strong aromas and flavors might not be for everyone, but paired with the right foods – such as grilled meats – the wine should drink beautifully. This is a gem from Mastroberardino. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2019.” We couldn’t agree more; this is an authentic, chewy Southern Italian red with tons of personality and tremendous versatility at the table.
- 90 points: Antonio Galloni, Wine Advocate

2007 Lanari, Rosso Conero, Marches, Italy 13.99/149.50
In the Marches region along the Adriatic Sea, the Montepulciano grape takes prominence over the Sangiovese and forms the foundation for some of the heartiest and finest value red wines coming out of Italy. Lanari’s deep, plum-scented 2007 Rosso Conero opens with an opaque black garnet color and heady, rustic aromas of menthol, cherries and game. The Rosso Conero stains the palate with deep plum and boysenberry fruit complemented by complex, earthy notes of leather, black pepper and tar. Gripping, firm and brimming with bright, tangy fruit, the wine finishes long, earthy and robust, with its sappy fruit lingering alongside notes of bay leaf, oregano, crushed black peppercorns and game. Pair this delicious and appetizing central Italian gem over the next five to eight years with grilled meats, sausages and vegetables or hearty winter stews.

2006 Falchini, Titolato Colombaia, Chianti Colli Senesi, Tuscany, Italy 11.50/123.00
Tuscany’s great Falchini estate returns to these pages with yet another winner! From Chianti’s Colli Senesi zone, near San Gimignano, Falchini’s ’06 Titolato Colombaia, offers splendid ripeness and authentic Chianti character for its modest everyday price. The wine opens with a deep black-garnet robe and heady aromas of dried cherries, ripe Italian plums and limestone earthiness. Rich, chewy plum fruit combines on the palate with hints of camphor, wintergreen and mushroomy sottobosco to make for a precocious and food-friendly Chianti. A complex hint of delicately tannic walnut skin finishes the wine and makes it even more appetizing and ready for your table with bucatini all’amatriciana, grilled zucchini, burgers and pizza. Enjoy now through 2013.

2005 Tedeschi, Valpolicella Classico Superiore, Capitel dei Nicalò, Veneto, Italy 13.99/144.50
Tedeschi has crafted a masterpiece of a Valpolicella. An opaque black-ruby color in the bowl moves to room-filling aromas of fruitwood smoke, black cherries, tobacco and button mushrooms. Despite its intense fruit expression, the wine feels suave and weightless on the palate. The finish is sweet, complex with suggestions of pipe tobacco, camphor, straw and cedar. Fine tannins and balancing acidity counters the wine’s intense fruit sensation, leaving an impression of pure harmony. This is extremely distinctive and intense Valpolicella that will make a perfect foil for cured meats, salumi, pâtés, hard cheese, egg-rich pasta dishes and game birds. Enjoy now or over the coming seven years. Gorgeous wine!

WHITE WINES

AUSTRIA - WHITE

2008 Bernhard Ott, Grüner Veltliner, Am Berg, Wagram, Austria 15.99/171.00
Austria’s Wagram region, located just to the northwest of Vienna, is known for its spicy, affordable and character-filled Grüner Veltliners from deep loess soils. Bernhard Ott is the Wagram’s leading light and is committed to coaxing the most from his beloved biodynamically-grown Grüner Veltliner. A brilliant green-gold color in the glass, Ott’s Am Berg (on the hill) bottling captures Grüner’s spicy edge with aromas of cinnamon and white pepper alongside fruit notes of yellow plum and kiwi. Zesty and spicy on the mouth, the Am Berg delivers saline minerality surrounded by a core of lemon, yellow plum and star fruit. The wine finishes with suggestions of lentils, white pepper and a final lashing of smoky minerals. This superb, low-alcohol Grüner Veltliner transcends its entry-level price. Enjoy now and over the coming two years with green vegetables, sautéed lentils, freshwater fish dishes and light poultry recipes.

FRANCE - WHITE

2007 Joseph Drouhin, Saint-Véran, Mâconnais, Burgundy, France 14.99/160.00
Saint-Véran in the Mâconnais region of southern Burgundy is the source of many delicious Chardonnays laced with that inimitable Burgundian limestone soil signature. In white Burgundy’s minerally, terroir-expressive 2007 vintage, Drouhin has fashioned a classic winner from this unheralded region wedged between Pouilly-Fuissé and Beaujolais. The 2007 Saint-Véran sports a lovely pale lemon-gold color, followed by limestone-inflected aromas of butter, apple blossoms and hazelnuts. The wine’s palate is fresh and ample with suggestions of hazelnut oil and lemon curd balanced by a vibrant undercurrent of salty, crushed oyster shell minerality. 2007 is a classic, terroir-driven white Burgundy vintage and is being snapped up by Burgundy lovers. Discover why they’re all abuzz with this affordable minerally wonder from Joseph Drouhin. Drink now and over the coming three years with salmon, pork, roast chicken, duck, light pork dishes and mild sausages.

2008 Michel Delhommeau, Muscadet, Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie, Cuvée St. Vincent, Loire Valley, France 9.50/101.50
Muscadet is frequently our go-to white wine – not only because it’s affordable, but because it gives such incredible refreshment and minerality for a modest tariff. This wine smells like the breeze off the Atlantic. There’s salinity, there’s a sense of rocks and kelp and the scent of wildflowers clinging to fragile hillsides. This wine is all about freshness and it will be a terrific partner to mussels, oysters, clams, crustaceans and anything harvested from the sea. It will be equally delicious with crêpes, soufflés and frittatas featuring the freshest spring vegetables. Above all, it is a wine of dignity, place and appetizing minerality. How it can cost less than $10 is a miracle that can only be explained by Mother Nature herself.

2007 Kuentz-Bas, Alsace Blanc, Alsace, France 12.50/133.50
This is Kuentz-Bas’ basic, everyday white: a floral, beguiling blend that you will wish came in a much bigger bottle. From its gorgeous, limpid green-gold robe to its heady, floral aromas of muskmelon, jasmine, gardenia blossoms, freesia and pink rose petals, the wine delivers classic Alsatian character and terroir in a very affordable package. The Kuentz-Bas’ palate adds notes of petrol, hops and bergamot before yielding to a long, clean, crisp and crackling finish. Primarily made from Sylvaner, blended with Muscat, Auxerrois and Chasselas, this is a terrific winter-time sipper or a lovely complement to salmon, halibut, pork, poultry, grilled squash – just about anything but red meat. Enjoy this delicious value now or over the coming two years.
- A Kermit Lynch Selection

2008 Chapoutier, Belleruche, Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc, Southern Rhône Valley, France 10.50/112.50
Using the same biodynamic techniques and attention to detail that he affords his finest Hermitages, Michel Chapoutier also crafts superb white and red wines under the Belleruche moniker from the Côtes-du-Rhône in the Southern Rhône Valley. We are enthralled by Chapoutier’s 2008 Belleruche, a classic blend of Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Bourbolenc. A lovely pale gold color, the wine offers stony aromas of white peaches, figs and Rainier cherries. Vibrant on the palate, the wine plays its pit-fruit core off a gripping chalk and stone soil expression and honeyed suggestions of green melon. With Châteauneuf-du-Pape blancs entering the upper register, it’s comforting to know that a key player like Chapoutier can craft this terrific, terroir-driven look-alike at such an affordable tariff. We suggest enjoying it now with sheep’s milk cheeses, hearty potato gratins, Provençal seafood stews, and lamb shanks braised in white wine, garlic, and rosemary.

ITALY – WHITE

2008 Fattoria Laila, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore, Marches, Italy 9.50/101.50
Fattoria Laila’s 2008 Verdicchio has captured splendidly the smoky, herbal and mineral facets of this most complex and under-appreciated grape. Laila’s 2008 Verdicchio casts a green-tinged lemon gold color from the glass and complex aromas of kiwi, lemon curd, smoky minerals and honeydew melon. On the palate, the Verdicchio fuses gorgeous pear, melon and kiwi fruit with brisk acidity and an undercurrent of chalky minerals. Hints of sweet snap peas and lime zest emerge on the wine’s long resinous, mineral-laden finish. Serve this classic, affordable example of Italy’s most underrated white wine now or over the coming year with light pork preparations, freshwater fish dishes, grilled squashes, fresh cheeses and frittatas featuring onions, potatoes and zucchini.

2008 Antonelli, Grechetto dei Colli Martani, Umbria, Italy 11.50/123.00
Grechetto, Umbria’s signature white varietal, finds its greatest expression in the Colli Martani zone of Perugia. The grape is widely believed to be of Greek origin – hence the name – and, like the Verdicchio above, presents one of Italy’s most distinctive and underrated white wines. Antonelli’s 2008 Grechetto begins with a brilliant straw color and deep aromas of rye berries, lemon zest, chamomile and acacia. Crisp, rich and focused on the palate, the wine frames its intense fruit core of juicy Bartlett pears and honeydew melon with zesty minerals and balancing acidity. The Antonelli Grechetto finishes long and distinctive, echoing the wine’s juicy pear palate expression and adding notes of camphor, gardenia blossoms and fresh hops. Grechetto is rightfully gaining serious attention as one of Italy’s premier white wines. Pair this distinctive central Italian white over the coming year with pan-fried trout, zucchini, seafood pastas and grilled halibut.

2008 Torricino Beneventano, Falanghina IGT, Campania, Italy 13.99/149.50
Falanghina is one of southern Italy’s most historic and noble white wine grapes. Thanks to modern, temperature-controlled fermentation, we can now capture and retain all of the Falanghina’s fragile floral and tropical fruit aromas. New to our palates is Torricino’s beguiling Falanghina, which shows a brilliant straw-gold color and dazzling aromas of star fruit, cinnamon and cloves. Lively on the palate, the Falanghina offers a kaleidoscope of tropical fruit flavors tamed by brisk acidity, hints of aromatic woodruff and subtle minerality. The Falanghina’s minerality gains volume on the wine’s long, spicy finish, and gives the wine a deliciously gripping tactile sensation. Drink this superb Falanghina now with sushi, clams, mussels, squid, vegetarian fare and seafood pasta dishes sporting lots of fresh extra virgin olive oil fresh garlic.

WEB EXTRAS: Read the reviews online at our website

• 2007 Compagnia di Ermes Cesanese di Olevano Romano, Lazio, Italy..13.50/144.50
  
• 2007 Rigoloccio, Cabernet e Alicante Maremma Toscana IGT, Tuscany, Italy ..13.99/149.50
  
• 2006 Fattoria di Fèlsina, Chianti Classico Riserva ... 26.99/288.50 (Spectator–92 pts.)
  
• 2006 Fattoria di Fèlsina, Chianti Classico Riserva, Rancia ...39.99/427.00 (Parker–95 pts.)
  
• 2006 Fattoria di Fèlsina, Fontalloro ...49.99/534.00 (Parker–95 pts.)

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

HOURS: Mon.-Sat.,
10a.m -6p.m.

THIS MONTH'S WINES

RED WINES:
2008 McKinlay Pinot Noir
2007 Dom. des Lauribert Côtes du Rhône
2007 Dom. de Maubet, Vignobles Fontan
2007 Carles et Pascal Le Jonc-Blanc Bergerac Classik
2006 Ch. Chabiran Bordeaux Supérieur
2007 J. Drouhin Côte de Nuits-Villages
2008 Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso
2007 Lanari Rosso Conero
2006 Falchini Titolato Colombaia
2005 Tedeschi Valpolicella Classico Superiore

WHITE WINES:
2008 Bernhard Ott Grüner Veltliner Am Berg
2007 J. Drouhin Saint-Véran
2008 Delhommeau Muscadet
2007 Kuentz-Bas Alsace Blanc
2008 Chapoutier Belleruche Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc
2008 Fattoria Laila Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore
2008 Antonelli Grechetto dei Colli Martani
2008 Torricino Beneventano Falanghina IGT

WEB EXTRAS:
2007 Compagnia di Ermes Cesanese
2007 Rigoloccio Cabernet e Alicante Maremma Toscana
2006 Fèlsina Chianti Classico Riserva
2006 Fèlsina Chianti Classico Riserva Rancia
2006 Fèlsina Fontalloro

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

Feb. 5 Great Wines from Tuscany: Felsina, Ornellaia, Fontodi, Costanti, and more!

Feb. 19 Sicilian Rebirth: Wait until you see what’s happening in Sicily. Great wines from Occhipinti, Cos, Valle dell’Acte, Fonda Antico, and more.

March 5 Chablis, Chablis and more Chablis.

SATURDAY TASTINGS:
Weekly; Starts at noon, no fee

Feb. 6 Stella Schulte from Admiralty beverages will pour Joseph Drouhin Saint-Véran, Chapoutier Belleruche Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc, Antonelli Grechetto, Joseph Drouhin Côte de Nuits-Villages, Tedeschi Valpolicella, and Falchini Chianti Colli Senesi.

Feb. 13 From France we have M. Delhommeau Muscadet, Kuentz-Bas Alsace Blanc, Dom. des Lauribert Côtes du Rhône, Dom. de Maubet Vin de Pays de Gascogne, Isabelle Carles et Franck Pascal Le Jonc-Blanc Bergerac, and Ch. Chabiran Bordeaux.

Feb. 20 We welcome Giuseppe Vajra as he pours his superb wines from the Piedmont in Italy. At table two: Bernhard Ott Grüner Veltliner; and McKinlay Pinot Noir.

Feb. 27 Head back to Italy with Fattoria Laila Verdicchio, Torricino Beneventano Falanghina, Compagnia di Ermes Cesanese di Olevano Romano, Rigoloccio Cabernet e Alicante, Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio Rosso, and Lanari Rosso Conero.