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FEATURED
RED WINES: |
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2009
Domaine du Cros-Philippe Teulier,
Marcillac, Lo Sang del Païs,
Southwest France ...12.99/139.00
Marcillac, an isolated region located
east of Cahors in France’s
Massif Central, is home to the wonderfully
obscure grape Fer Servadou (or Mansois
in local dialect). The Domaine du
Cros is Marcillac’s largest
independent producer, crafting the
region’s finest wines exclusively
from fifty- to eighty-year-old Fer
Servadou vines. We’ve featured
this wine twice before to rave reviews
and repeat orders, but nothing could
prepare us for the brand new, brilliant
and oh-so-satisfying 2009 rendition!
Opaque plum-ruby in the glass, Domaine
du Cros 2009 Marcillac casts aromas
of loamy earth, black currants,
menthol and underbrush. High-toned,
transparent, yet saturated with
pure cassis fruit, the wine transitions
from its complex bouquet to a brisk
palate marked by notes of eucalyptus,
tree bark, cinnamon, cherries and
deep iron and limestone minerality.
Framing tannins and brisk acidity
propel the wine to its long, distinctive,
soil-driven finish. Aged in large,
old chestnut and oak foudres, the
wine shows the minimalist touch
of M. Teulier, who has tamed the
Fer Servadou’s sauvagerie
without sacrificing its rustic distinctiveness.
Enjoy this beauty of a country wine
now and over the next five years
with sausages, burgers, grilled
hanger steaks, grilled vegetables,
and cassoulet.
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2007
Château Jouclary, Cuvée
Tradition, Cabardès, France
...10.50/112.50
Cabardès, located in southwestern
France just north of Carcassonne,
has unique laws that reflect the
Atlantic and Mediterranean climatic
patterns that converge on the appellation.
In the brilliant 2007 vintage, Jouclary’s
classic Cabardès shows vividly
how each of the three regional varietals
– Merlot, Syrah and Grenache
– stands out individually,
and then how they come together
to compose the whole. The dominant
Merlot component gives pure plum
fruit with just hint of chocolate
in the background. The Grenache
adds brown spices wrapped around
a juicy kirsch core. Finally, the
majestic Syrah adds a leathery baritone
note and just a touch of welcome
earthiness. Inside all this is an
appetizing undercurrent of stony
terroir and complex suggestions
of cloves, game, bay leaf and licorice.
Jouclary shines again with another
fascinating, distinctive rouge that’s
sure to please fans of intense,
rustic French reds. Pair this esoteric
yet accessible wine with hearty
roast of beef, lamb, pork, cassoulet,
and other rich and savory cool weather
fare.
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 2009
Domaine des Échardières,
Le Bécassou, Touraine,
Loire Valley, France ...10.50/112.50
Just as the Basté above gloriously
conveys its southwestern French
origins, this lovely, sustainably-farmed
blend of Gamay (60%) and Cabernet
Franc (40%) from Domaine des Échardières
effortlessly expresses the transparent
majesty of the central Loire Valley.
The fusion of berry-fruited Gamay
with herb and cherry scented Cabernet
Franc with the inimitable clay and
limestone terroir of the Touraine
make for the value-play red of the
newsletter. Limpid ruby colored
and loaded with freshly-crushed
cherry and raspberry fruit, Échardières’
Bécassou bursts with freshness
and drinkability. Complementing
the wine’s unbridled fruit
expression is the glorious soil
signature that immediately takes
one to the central Loire Valley.
The combination of Luc Poullain’s
careful viticulture and the Touraine’s
special terroir make for a wine
that will work superbly as a late
summer and early fall red. It will
also make a terrific Thanksgiving
wine for those thinking that far
in advance, so grab a case and enjoy
throughout the coming two years
with fresh chèvres, roast
chicken, pork chops, blanquette
de veau, and dishes featuring chanterelle
mushrooms.
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FEATURED
WHITE WINES: |
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2008
Domaine Jean Vullien et Fils, Vin
de Savoie, Chardonnay,
Cuvée Prestige, Savoie, France
...14.99/160.00
Burgundy from the Savoie? With its
depth, length and minerality, Vullien’s
Chardonnay is more Chablis-like than
most Chablis proper! Pale lemon-gold
in color, the Vullien Chardonnay Prestige
shouts limestone minerality from the
moment it hits your glass. Fresh and
inviting, the wine deftly balances
Chardonnay’s richness and hazelnut
notes with the Savoie’s dark
limestone minerality. Chablis-like
in weight and texture, the wine projects
brilliant acidity, lemony fruit and
intense minerality. As the wine transitions
from the palate to the finish, its
minerality seems to leave a film of
fine, dusty dolomite minerals on the
palate. This, of course, is the perfect
prelude to a plate of briny oysters,
oven-roasted mussels or white-fleshed
fish in an beurre blanc sauce, or
accompanying a cheese course of Tomme
de Savoie, mature Gruyère,
and other semi-firm cow’s milk
cheeses. Last month, we mentioned
that the esteemed Revue du Vin de
France selected Domaine Jean Vullien
as their Coup de Coeur, or favorite
domaine, in the Savoie. Between last
month’s Montmélian offering
from Vullien and this exemplary Chardonnay,
it’s easy to taste why. |
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2007
Muga, Blanco, Rioja, Spain ...13.50/144.50
reg. 18.99
In all the years that we’ve
been promoting the exemplary wines
of the Bodegas Muga, we have never
featured the winery’s terrific
blanco. It’s easy to start with
a wine as great as this one. Muga’s
2007 blanco is a blend of 90% Viura
and 10% Malvasia, fermented and aged
in oak. Like other great Rioja blancos,
the Viura effortlessly absorbs the
wood and seamlessly integrates its
flavors into the wine. The waxy, honeycomb
nuances of the Viura are accented
by the tropical, floral notes of the
Malvasia component. Barrel fermentation
and aging provides the wine with additional
texture, grip and delicious vanilla
accents. Enjoyable now, this wine
is poised for another decade of effortless
ageing. Perfect for Manchego cheese,
tapas, paellas, braised pork and potato
dishes, the wine is a wonder for food
versatility. Alongside the reservas
and gran reservas from Lopez de Heredia,
this Muga is one of the great examples
of Rioja blanco and one of our very
favorite Spanish wines. |
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2009 Barberani, Orvieto Classico, Secco,
Vallesanta, Umbria, Italy ...11.50/123.00
Orvieto, one of Umbria’s most
celebrated white wines, is at its
best when made from fruit grown
on the calcareous “tuffeau”
soils in its Classico zone. Fashioned
from a traditional blend of Procanico,
Grechetto, Verdello, Drupeggio and
Malvasia, this elegant Umbrian bianco
is refreshingly dry and deliciously
aromatic. A lovely pale straw color
in the glass, the Orvieto opens
with aromas of lime zest, straw,
crushed limestone and sweet white
tea. Brisk and zippy on the palate,
the wine conveys notes of freshly
squeezed lemon juice, Bartlett pears,
green apples and smoky minerals.
On the finish, the Orvieto is long,
dry and persistent, adding notes
of bitter almond skin and sweet
basil. Try this textbook Orvieto
– from a superb vintage and
one of Orvieto’s finest estates
– now to capture all of its
youthful charm, and serve with shellfish,
freshwater fish dishes, light poultry
preparations and light vegetarian
fare.
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FEATURED
SPARKLING WINE: |
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NV
Marie Weiss, Brut, Champagne, France
...26.99/288.50 reg. 35.99
There’s nothing like fine, real
Champagne to liven up your summer.
From the esteemed house of Ployez-Jacquemart,
this blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40%
Chardonnay brilliantly balances the
broad richness of its dominant Pinot
component with the finesse and elegance
of the Chardonnay. The Chardonnay
component highlights the wine’s
bright aromas, expressing classic
notes of biscuit dough, crisp saltine
crackers and chalky terroir. On the
palate, the Pinot comes into the spotlight
with a creamy mouthfeel and hints
of red raspberries, toasted brioche
and a compelling smoky earthiness.
Fine, plentiful effervescence keeps
the wine fresh in the glass and shows
the deft craftsmanship of the Ployez
house. Focused and precise on the
finish, the wine is amazingly persistent,
complex and compelling. At the price,
this is the steal of the season for
lovers of grower Champagne. Enjoy
now and over the coming five years
as the toast of the season or as a
complement to dishes that feature
seafood and summer vegetables. Limited
availability. |
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Harvest 2009: A look
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so special. Watch
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CLOSED FOR LABOR DAY:
Monday, September 6
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800-903-WINE (9463) 
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