FEBRUARY 2008 NEWSLETTER

RED WINES

OREGON – RED:

2006 LaVelle, Pinot Noir, Vintage Select, Willamette Valley, Oregon 19.99/213.50
LaVelle Vineyards, located near Eugene in the southern Willamette Valley, produces some of the state’s finest Pinot Noir values. Showing a beautiful garnet robe, LaVelle’s 2006 Pinot casts spicy aromas of red raspberries, pie cherries, cloves and cinnamon bark. Initially lush and fruit-forward, the wine tightens mid-palate and reins in its velvety, immediate fruit expression with crunchy acidity and fine, buffered tannins. The wine’s exuberant red fruit expression returns on its long finish and adds notes of smoke, toffee and vanilla bean. Here we have an under-$20 Pinot that packs complexity and punch. This Oregon Pinot is ready for your table with simple foods like roast pork, chicken and grilled salmon. Drink now and over the next two to three years.

WASHINGTON – RED:

2006 Wind River Cellars, Pinot Noir, Columbia Gorge, Washington 17.99/192.50
Here it is: the first Pinot Noir from Washington State to grace these pages. Based on fruit from the renowned Celilo Vineyard, Joel Goodwillie has crafted a beauty of a Pinot that will undoubtedly raise the eyebrows of vintners in Oregon and California. Deep black-ruby in color, the ’06 Wind River Pinot opens with up-front, full-throttle aromas of Bing cherries, figs, pencil lead and fruitwood smoke. Bright and cinnamon-y on the approach, the wine balances its exuberant fruit expression with a lush texture, fine tannins and sparkling acidity. Long and nuanced on the finish, the Wind River Pinot adds notes of black plums, cranberries, vanilla, menthol and firm mineral undercurrent. The Wind River Pinot will make for especially tasty drinking over the next year or two with roast chicken, duck, rabbit, gratin dauphinois, and good ol’ burgers off the grill.

FRANCE – RED:

2005 Château Saint Estève de Neri, Grande Expression, Côtes du Luberon, Southern France 14.99/160.00
There’s nothing like a little southern French warmth to help us through wintry February nights. Awarded a gold medal at the Macon Concours, this 50-50 blend of Grenache and Syrah is a most delicious and satisfying rouge from southern France. Deep, opaque and black-purple in color, the ‘05 Saint Estève de Neri blossoms with aromas of black plums, garrigue, leather and clay-limestone earth. Delicate and nuanced on the attack, the wine gains weight mid-palate and adds buffered tannins, tar, smoky herbs and waves of black and red fruits. The Saint Estève’s tannins, though plentiful, keep the wine’s expressive fruit in balance and its crisp acidity lends a sense of refreshment. Notes of blueberries, balsam, oil-cured olives and black licorice emerge as the wine finishes. This is the rare complex and balanced wine that offers tons of flavor and exemplary grace for its price tag. Enjoy now and over the coming three years with grilled lamb, braised rabbit, ratatouille, burgers, steaks, and just about anything that calls for a deep and delicious red wine. Superb!

2004 Domaine de Nizas, Carignan, Vieilles Vignes, Vin de Pays de Caux, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 13.50/144.50
The pioneering John Goelet of Napa’s Clos du Val has turned his focus to France with the Domaine de Nizas in the Languedoc. The domaine’s 100% old-vine Carignan, a traditional Languedoc varietal, highlights what this woefully underrated grape can do in the right hands. A dense purple-onyx color in the glass, Nizas’ Carignan V.V. opens with herb- and soil-driven aromas of garrigue and smoky volcanic soil. The wine saturates the palate with deep cassis and blackberry fruit infused with notes of leather, juniper, tar and white pepper. Ripe, round tannins emerge mid-palate and serve to segue the wine’s dense fruit expression to its long herbal, mineral and soil-driven finish. Enjoy this delicious, elegant and deeply flavorful old-vine Carignan with beef stews, grilled lamb, and burgers.

2004 E. Guigal, Crozes-Hermitage, Northern Rhône Valley, France 18.99/202.50
As Rhône Valley and Syrah fans know, Crozes-Hermitage is Hermitage’s little brother. Like its sibling, Crozes is 100% Syrah, but it rarely receives the same kind of reverence, accolades or stratospheric prices. It can, however, produce wines of great depth, charm and personality. This extraordinary Crozes from the venerable Guigal domaine shows exactly why the Northern Rhône remains the reference point for all things Syrah. A dark black-purple color in the glass, Guigal’s Crozes offers a nose redolent of black currants, apricot, olives, leather and smoke. The palate continues with suggestions of Côte-Rôtie-like bacon fat, dusty soil notes, tar and black pepper. Notes of anise, black cherries and fine-grained tannins emerge on the wine’s long finish and prepare the palate for another bite of grilled lamb chops, venison, beef or ratatouille. This is a super Syrah value and will drink well for another three to five years.

2005 Château Peybonhomme les Tours, Premières Côtes de Blaye, Cru Bourgeois, Bordeaux, France 15.99/171.00
Finding great value in red Bordeaux these days is as rare as the proverbial hen’s teeth. In the Côtes de Blaye Merlot is the dominant varietal, and it makes for wonderfully scented, authentic Bordeaux. Sourced from organic grapes, the 2005 Peybonhomme les Tours casts an opaque plum-ruby color from the glass. The nose explodes with notes of gravelly, clay-limestone earth, plums, fresh herbs and dark Belgian chocolate. Suave and sleek on the attack, the Peybonhomme les Tours combines lush, herbal-scented Merlot fruit with firm tannins and brisk, balancing acidity. The wine finishes long and far above its humble Cru Bourgeois designation. If you reminisce about the days when good, honest Bordeaux could still be found at everyday prices, this wine’s for you. Be sure to buy enough to enjoy now and over the next decade with rib roasts of beef, roast leg of lamb, duck, rabbit and hearty potato-rich casseroles. Great, honest, authentic Bordeaux.

ITALY – RED:

Pre-Arrival Offering:
2004 Produttori Del Barbaresco, Normale 26.99/288.50 Magnums 54.99
Liner & Elsen is pleased to offer, at pre-arrival pricing, Produttori Del Barbaresco Normale from the superlative 2004 vintage. Year in and year out, the wines from this superb co-operative are the best values in the Piedmont. Robert Parker writes: “The estate’s 2004 Barbaresco is very sweet and pretty, with spice, floral aromas that are delicately woven into the fabric of the ripe fruit. With air, herbal and balsamic overtones emerge, adding further complexity. The wine offers outstanding length, silky tannins and a fresh, inviting finish. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2016.” Parker—90 points.
Orders must be placed by Feb. 20, 2008. Wines are due to arrive June 2008.

2006 Bruno Giacosa, Dolcetto d’Alba, Piedmont, Italy 17.99/192.50
Bruno Giacosa is a legend in his own time. His amazing Barolos and Barbarescos are the rage among critics and Piedmont wine geeks alike. All the attention and detail that go into Giacosa’s $200 Barolos can also be found in his impressive range of Dolcettos, Barberas and Arneis. This deep, opaque 2006 Dolcetto from Giacosa offers an impressive bouquet of flower petals, ripe plums, spicy cherries and smoky minerals. Sappy and lush on the entry, the wine simply saturates the palate with waves of cassis and plum fruit accented by hints of tar and black licorice. Fine tannins sneak in on the wine’s back-palate before yielding to a long finish reprising notes of black plums, licorice, tar and mineral. This is reference-standard Dolcetto and a lovely complement for Piemontese recipes like tajarín with a butter-sage sauce or long-simmered ragú, beef brasato or bagna caôda. It will also work fabulously with everyday fare like pasta with marinara sauce, pizza, burgers, meatloaf and pork.

2004 Coppo, Barbera d’Asti, Camp du Rouss, Piedmont, Italy 17.99/192.50
This month the L&E Barbera-of-the-Month club resumes with the always-terrific Coppo Camp du Rouss. The 2004 Camp du Rouss begins with an opaque black plum color and a classic tarry, stony, blackberry Barbera nose. A mouthful of chewy black cherry and boysenberry fruit follows, complemented by notes of fine saddle leather, tar, dried herbs, flinty minerals and vanilla bean. The qualities that set the Camp du Rouss apart from other similarly priced Barberas – its amazingly transparent fruit, its elegance, and its complex, palate-staining dusty cherry and gamey finish – are firing on all cylinders in the great 2004 vintage. This tremendously versatile wine will pair well with tomato-based pasta dishes, beef roasts, risotto, and veal with a butter and sage sauce. Barbera fans, please do not miss this wine. Drink now or over the next three to seven years.

2006 Garofoli, Rosso Piceno, Fárnio, Marches, Italy 8.99/96.00
Rosso Piceno from the Marches region in central Italy stands among the greatest values in the market for lusty, food-friendly, value-priced reds. Based on a blend of 70% Montepulciano and 30% Sangiovese, Garofoli’s Fárnio bottling gushes with smoky cherry-scented fruit, and is one of the most exciting entries yet in this emerging value category. Opaque ruby in the glass, the Fárnio expresses tarry, leathery notes to complement its effusive core of sappy black cherry, blackberry and black plum fruit. Very rich, fleshy and round on the palate, the Fárnio adds fine-grained tannins and notes of smoked meats, roasted coffee, tar and menthol on its long and fruit-saturated finish. A delicious, complex and totally compelling Italian red wine value, the Fárnio is ready to drink now with pasta topped with a ragú sauce, pizza, fagioli, grilled steaks, tomato-based casseroles, or sausages.

WHITE WINES

FRANCE – WHITE:

2006 Louis Jadot, Mâcon-Villages, White Burgundy, Macon, France 13.50/144.50
The Mâcon’s rolling hills are home to some of the world’s best Chardonnay values. Located in southern Burgundy, the Mâconnais chalk and limestone soils are perfectly suited for growing fine, soil-inflected Chardonnay. The early press is awarding the 2006 white Burgundy vintage a big thumbs-up, and this Jadot bottling of Mâcon-Villages shows why. Jadot’s Mâcon-Village conveys a splendid balance of Chardonnay richness and Burgundian minerality. Here we find pure dissolved limestone minerals and white flower notes that linger beautifully on the palate amid lemony Chardonnay fruit. Vinified without oak contact, a delicate acid balance carries the wine from its buttery, lemon-curd palate through to a long, clean finish exemplifying clay-chalk soil, hints of menthol and hazelnuts. Enjoy this fine Burgundian value now or over the coming three years as a superb complement to halibut, salmon and light chicken preparations.

2006 Domaine de Ménard, Colombard-Sauvignon, Vin de Pays de Côtes de Gascogne, Gascony, France 8.50/91.00
It’s no secret that we love the bracing, thirst-quenching white wines from the Côtes de Gascogne. Usually they’re a blend of Ugni Blanc and Colombard, but this lovely beast from Domaine de Ménard marries the crispness and tropical fruit profile of the Colombard with the grassiness and citrus fruit notes of a fine Sauvignon Blanc. The result is nothing short of fantastic! Pale straw-gold in the glass, the Ménard bursts with grassy gooseberry Sauvignon goodness blended with the lovely passion fruit, pineapple and mango notes from the Colombard. Throw in some smoky mineral currents and crunchy acidity, and you have the first candidate for White Wine Value of the Year. Pull the cork on this terrific value any time the moment strikes. It’s great as an apéritif, and it will marry well with delicate fish preparations, quiches and sautéed green vegetables.

2001 Trimbach, Riesling, Cuvée Frédéric Émile, Alsace, France 43.99/470.00
For many Alsatian Riesling fans, there is no substitute for the grand Trimbach duet of Cuvée Frédéric Émile and the incomparable Clos Ste.-Hune. The 2001 Frédéric Émile is a classic, combining the raw power of ripe, complex Riesling fruit with smoky, petrolly Alsatian terroir and lip-smacking mineral expression. The great critic, Stephen Tanzer observes, “Uncompromising aromas of crystallized lemon peel and powdered stone. Tactile, dusty and quite dry; almost salty with extract. A compellingly pure expression of minerality, in need of several years of aging. 92(+?) points” We recommend buying all that you can afford and burying it in your cellar for ten years or more. There’s a genie in this bottle and she’ll reward the patient with one of the most magnificent transformations in the world of wine. Buy a case and thank us later. Reference standard Alsatian Riesling for a pittance.

2006 Henri Bourgeois, Sauvignon Petit Bourgeois, Vin de Pays du Jardin de la France, Loire Valley 9.50/101/50
The cool Loire Valley usually counts three or four truly great vintages in a decade. The early releases are now finding our shores and we’re pleased to report that 2006 is proving to be a most soil-driven and classic vintage, especially for the Sauvignon Blanc wines. Henri Bourgeois’ Sauvignon Blanc Petit Bourgeois shows all the elements that a long growing season and favorable harvest conditions can bestow. The wine begins with a lovely green-gold color and a classic grassy, herbal Sauvignon Blanc nose. In the mouth, the wine shows lovely notes of gooseberries, chalk, white pepper, basil and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Intense but balanced acidity frames the wine on the back-palate and leads to a long finish emphasizing ripe kiwi, lime zest and chalky minerals. This super white sipper offers lots of character for its humble price. It will beautifully complement light fish dishes, simple poultry preparations and green vegetables. It will also drink nicely as an elegant apéritif.

ITALY – WHITE:

2006 Cantina Terlano, Terlaner, Alto Adige, Italy 14.99/160.00
Here in the foothills of the Alps near Italy’s border with Austria, we find the delicious confluence of French varietals, Italian boldness and Austrian precision. Fashioned from a century-old blend of Pinot Blanc (60%), Chardonnay (30%) and Sauvignon Blanc (10%), the Cantina Terlano’s Terlaner opens with a brilliant pale gold color and Alpine-pure aromas of crisp Pippin apples, white peppercorns and smoky limestone terroir. Broad on the attack, the Terlaner refreshingly fuses the Pinot Blanc’s smokiness with Chardonnay’s fleshiness and Sauvignon Blanc’s herbal grassiness. The Terlaner expresses nuances of fresh white meadow flowers, crystalline pear and green apple fruit, and a bracing spine of smoky, mineral-driven acidity. This is a gorgeous wine that will wow fans of Pinot Blanc, Austrian Grüner Veltliner, Nahe Rieslings and other racy white wines that emphasize elegance, grace and precision. Enjoy now and over the next three to five years with brook trout, asparagus, green vegetable frittati and lobster.

2006 Antonelli, Grechetto dei Colli Martani, Umbria, Italy 10.50/112.50
Grechetto is Umbria’s signature white varietal, and it finds its greatest expression in the Colli Martani zone of Perugia. It offers one of Italy’s most distinctive and underrated white wines. Antonelli’s Grechetto begins with a bright straw-yellow color and beguiling aromas of straw, chamomile and acacia. Crisp and focused on the palate, the wine balances a latent richness with crisp acidity, a spine tingling mineral core, and intense fruit flavors of Bartlett pears, star fruit and honeydew melon. The Antonelli finishes long and very distinctive, echoing the wine’s crisp pear aromas and adding notes of fresh snap peas, lemon and almond skin. Somewhat akin to the Marches’ Verdicchio but with its own special signature, Grechetto is rightfully gaining serious attention as one of Italy’s premier white wines. Pair this distinctive bianco over the coming year with pan-fried trout, zucchini, seafood pastas and grilled halibut.

SPAIN – WHITE:

2005 Montecillo, Rioja Blanco, Spain 6.99/75.00
Viura, Rioja’s noble and versatile white varietal, can range from the exotic barrel-matured complexity of Lopez de Heredia’s Viña Tondonia blanco to the crisp, lip-smacking, drink-now effusiveness of this offering from Montecillo. Pale gold in color, Montecillo’s blanco jumps out of the glass with waxy, honeyed, Marsanne-like aromas of raw almonds, Bartlett pears and wet stones. The Montecillo’s palate is explosively fresh and juicy, showing opulent notes of ripe fig, apricot, beeswax, bay leaf and honeydew melon. The wine finishes crisp, minerally, elegant and uncharacteristically generous for such an affordable Viura. We suggest pairing this with white-fleshed fish dishes, pulpo with Spanish paprika, potato tapas, or as a refreshing white wine to get your post-New Year’s party off to a great start. Drink now or over the coming year.

2006 Burgáns, Albariño, Rías Baixas, Spain 11.99/128.00
Hailing from Galicia in far northwestern Spain, Albariño is enjoyed in its youth primarily in the restaurants and tapas bars of Spain. Burgáns’ Albariño opens with a lovely pale gold color accented by lime green glints and a highly aromatic bouquet of lime zest, honeydew melon and flinty minerals. On the palate, the Burgáns is fresh, snappy, zesty and bursting with fresh melon and crisp citrus fruit notes. As the Albariño transitions to its back-palate, bracing acidity lifts the wine’s fruit expression and augments its mineral expression. The Burgáns’ finish reprises the complexity of the wine’s aromas with an intense, tactile mineral presence seemingly dissolved inside of key lime, honeydew melon and Bartlett pear fruit. If you like Viognier or Arneis, or if you favor highly aromatic, food friendly white wines, Burgáns’ Albariño is for you. Pair over the coming year with calamari, scallops, oysters or Dungeness crab, or enjoy all on its own as an attention-grabbing apéritif.

WEB-ONLY SPECIAL:

2006 Prà Soave Classico, Veneto, Italy 15.99/171.00
Complete review is available online at www.linerandelsen.com

LINER & ELSEN
2222 NW Quimby St.
(off 22nd Ave.)
Portland, OR
800-903-9463
503-241-9463

Mon.-Sat. 10-6; closed Sundays

:: REDS ::

2006 LaVelle Pinot Noir Vintage Select

2006 Wind River Cellars Pinot Noir

2005 Ch. Saint Estève de Neri Grande Expression

2004 Dom. de Nizas Carignan Vieilles Vignes

2004 E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage

2005 Ch. Peybonhomme les Tours Premières Côtes de Blaye

2004 Produttori Del Barbaresco Normale
(Pre-Arrival Offer)

2006 Bruno Giacosa Dolcetto d’Alba

2004 Coppo Barbera d’Ast Camp du Rouss

2006 Garofoli Rosso Piceno

:: WHITES ::

2006 Louis Jadot Mâcon-Villages

2006 Dom. de Ménard Colombard-Sauvignon

2001 Trimbach, Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Émile

2006 Henri Bourgeois Sauvignon Petit Bourgeois

2006 Cantina Terlano Terlaner

2006 Antonelli Grechetto dei Colli Martani

2005 Montecillo Rioja Blanco

2006 Burgáns Albariño Rías Baixas

Web-Only Special: 2006 Prà Soave Classico

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

Feb. 1 Taste superb Chablis from Domaine des Malandes and meet the owner-winemaker Lyne Marchive.

Feb. 15 Taste the distinctive and luscious wines from Savigny-les-Beaune in Burgundy.

March 7 Great wines from Montalcino: Brunellos and Rossos from Caprili, Lisini, Fuligini, La Gerla, and more.

:: SATURDAY TASTINGS ::
Weekly; Starts at noon, no fee

Feb. 2 Join us to taste an array of stunning wines from the Admiralty-Columbia portfolio: Montecillo Rioja Blanco, Antonelli Grechetto, Jadot Mâcon-Villages, Giacosa Dolcetto d’Alba, Coppo Barbera d’Asti Camp du Rouss, and Dom. de Nizas Carignan V.V.

Feb. 9 From France: H. Bourgeois Sauvignon Petit Bourgeois, Dom. de Ménard Colombard-Sauvignon, Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Émile, Ch. Saint Estève de Neri Côtes du Luberon, E. Guigal Crozes-Hermitage, and Peybonhomme les Tours Premières Côtes de Blaye.

Feb. 16 We’re pouring Burgáns Albariño, Terlano Terlaner, Pra Soave Classico, and Garofoli Rosso Piceno. Plus: Northwest Pinot Noir from Wind River Cellars and LaVelle.

Feb. 23 Italian Wine Tasting: Join Paulo Boselli of Premium Imports and the staff of Zancanella Imports as we host the “gang of four” Italian wine makers for an afternoon of superlative Italian wines from all over Italy. No fee.