Newsletter - April 2007

REDS

OREGON / WASHINGTON – RED:

Just Arrived!
2004 Woodward Canyon "Artists Series" No. 13, Cabernet, Colubia Valley, Washington 37.99 /370.00 case /195.00 half case
There’s a reason we review this wine every year. Rick Small, owner and winemaker at Woodward Canyon is in the elite of Washington wine producers and is ceaseless in his efforts to make great Washington wines. The 2004 Woodward Canyon Artists Series will be among the best he has made. According to Rick, “2004 proved challenging in certain Washington vineyards when an extreme winter freeze occurred in early January. However, the fruit that survived this extreme winter event was exceptional and ripened beautifully under near perfect conditions. This wine has a beautiful nose of spicy oak and cedar integrated with ripe black fruits and cherry. A firm rich mouth feel begins with cassis and black berry leading towards chocolate and mocha. The finish is generous and long yet there is still restraint. While this wine can be enjoyed now it will definitely benefit from additional cellaring and with proper storage should develop for ten years or more.”
As usual, this is a limited-production wine.

2005 Belle Vallée Cellars, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon 19.99/213.50
Whoa! This is one distinctive Oregon Pinot. Look at the wine’s deep plum-garnet color, swirl it, breathe in its bouquet and you’ll know this is something very special. Vibrant aromas of pomegranate, lime zest, violets, tar and cedar segue to a rich, mouth-filling palate of Rainier cherries, loganberries and fresh-cracked tellicherry pepper. A complex hint of smoked Spanish pimentón transitions the Pinot from its idiosyncratic yet totally delicious palate to its long, smoky soil-driven, blueberry-tinged finish. Hints of smoky oak peek through at the very end of the Belle Vallée’s finish, with just enough fine tannins to keep the wine’s vivacious fruit in check. Enjoy this very special Pinot now and over the next five years with roast chicken, duck, beef and hearty potato dishes.

CALIFORNIA – RED

2004 Liberty School, Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, California 13.50/144.50
We really don’t need to say much about this wine or this producer. Liberty School is with regularity one of the very finest California Cabernet values, always selling at a price that’s laughably low relative to the quality. Liberty School’s 2004 Cab, with its deep black-plum color and rich black currant fruit, is another winner. The wine bursts from the glass with a luscious nose of brambly blackberry and plum fruit tinged with barrel scents of caramel, sweet oak and vanilla. In the mouth, the Liberty School is full, silky, ripe and absolutely palate staining. The black fruit continues from the palate to the finish, where it’s complemented by hints of black cherries, licorice, mint and coconut. The satiny fruit is balanced by ripe, round tannins that emerge on the back-palate and frame the wine’s luscious fruit expression. As always, this is a great Cabernet for grilled meats, hard cheeses and hearty casseroles. Drink over the next year or two.

FRANCE – RED:

2003 Chateau Bellevue la Forêt, Côtes du Frontonnais, Southwestern France 8.50/91.00
From just north of Toulouse, the wines of the Côtes du Frontonnais are finally beginning to get the recognition they deserve. Their secret ingredient is the Négrette grape, indigenous to Cyprus but most at home on the iron-rich quartz and gravel soils in this forgotten corner of France. Chateau Bellevue la Forêt’s blend of 50% Négrette and a 50% mélange of Cabernet, Malbec, Merlot, Gamay and Syrah, highlights the Négrette’s dense black plum color complemented by aromas of violets, leather and black currants. Violet-tinged blackberry fruit saturates the palate, yet shows superb transparency to the wine’s soil signature. Dried herbs, leather, tar and smoke notes transition the Bellevue la Forêt from the wine’s rich palate impression to its long floral and leather finish. The wine will complement a wide array of foods, including lamb, pork, duck, chicken, stews and vegetarian casseroles. Enjoy now and over the coming four years.

2005 Domaine de la Chanteleuserie, Bourgueil, Cuvée Alouettes, Loire Valley, France 10.50/119.00
One of the most ignored and underrated of the world’s great wines, Bourgueil, along with its neighbor Chinon, are the planet’s benchmarks for the noble Cabernet Franc grape. The Domaine de la Chanteleuserie, long a staple of the Kermit Lynch portfolio, offers a textbook rendition of great Bourgueil with its 2005 Cuvée Alouettes. In the glass, the wine gradates from a deep indigo rim to an impenetrable obsidian core. Aromas of gravelly clay earth and fresh violets mark the Alouettes’ nose, while herb and tobacco-tinged Cabernet Franc fruit dances on the palate. Leather, herb and tobacco notes dominate the wine’s long, gravelly terroir-inspired finish; fine-grained tannins and tangy acidity ensure that the Cuvée Alouettes will compliment a wide range of dishes including rich pork casseroles, gratin dauphinois, hangar steaks, grilled eggplant—just about anything but seafood and green vegetables. Enjoy now and over the coming seven years.

2005 Perrin & Fils, Vacqueyras, Les Christins, Rhône Valley, France 15.99/171.00
The Perrin family, owners of the famous Château de Beaucastel, have expanded their scope in the southern Rhône Valley and are now presenting authentic, affordable wines from the Cairanne, Gigondas, Rasteau, Vinsobres and Vacqueyras appellations. Perrin’s Les Christins Vacqueyras, a classic blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, opens with a dense black-purple robe and soaring aromas of black plums, fennel, sweet cherries, tar and bay leaf. The wine greets the palate with licorice-tinged cherry fruit, fine tannins and a soft, velvety texture. Notes of black licorice, dried herbs, wet stones and cocoa emerge as the wine lingers on the palate before segueing to a lush finish reprising the cherry, licorice and prune notes. All of Perrin’s leased vineyards are managed to the family’s exacting specifications, and this care and dedication show in Les Christins’ concentration, character and intensity. Drink this beauty now and over the coming seven years with game, grilled meats, daubes and rich, hearty fare.

2005 Camplazens, Syrah, Vin de Pays d’Oc, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 8.99/96.00
Situated in the prestigious “La Clape” sector of the Languedoc, Château Camplazens has created a delicious and unusually affordable Syrah. Deep black-ruby in the glass, the Camplazens Syrah announces itself with ripe black plum, tar and fig aromas. Sweet on the attack, the wine offers tarry, bacon-scented Syrah fruit accented by a smoky soil signature, fine tannins and bright acidity. Black licorice notes transition the Camplazens’ ripe plum fruit to its long, lingering finish, adding fine-grained tannins, complex notes of black pepper, and a reprise of sweet black licorice. A superb value, we suggest drinking the Camplazens over the next two years with grilled or roasted lamb or with hearty, eggplant-rich ratatouille. Actually, anything hearty hailing from the cookbooks of southern France will find a wonderful mate with this lusty Syrah.

ITALY – RED:

2004 Li Veli, Passamante Negroamaro, Salento IGT, Puglia, Italy 6.99/75.00
Negroamaro is the unsung hero of southern Italian red wine grapes. In Li Veli’s Passamante, Negroamaro finally gets to show its nobility and strut its stuff as a solo performer. The Passamante opens with an impenetrable black core and a lovely vermilion rim. Sweet on the nose with suggestions of fresh rose petals, raisins, figs and licorice, the Passamante shows its aristocratic nature on its spicy palate chock full of dried cherries, tar, oregano, sweet tobacco and star anise. On the finish, the wine just sings, with a kaleidoscope of nuances including sweet tobacco, brown spices, dried figs, lead pencil and a complex, utterly distinctive lash of smoky volcanic terroir. Perfect with pizza margherita, pasta in a sun-dried tomato, pine nut, garlic and olive oil sauce, tomato-based casseroles and rich braised pork recipes. Enjoy now and over the next five years.


2001 Trinchero, Barbera d’Asti Superiore, Piedmont, Italy 13.99/149.50
Back in the mid- to late-80’s, we drank tons of this wine and its old-vine sibling, the Vigna del Noce. In the interim, we’ve deeply lamented their absence from our market. The winery certainly hasn’t lost its touch, for here is the same black-garnet color and sweetly aromatic Barbera that we so fondly remember. Trinchero’s ’01 Barbera d’Asti opens with deep plum and pie cherry fruit accented by suggestions of sweet hazelnut flesh and bitter hazelnut skin. Tar notes emerge on the back-palate and transition the Barbera from its sweet fruit and hazelnut expressions to a finish filled with suggestions of black licorice, tar, earth and button mushrooms. Lip-smacking tannins and vibrant, tangy acidity underscore the wine from its initial attack to its long finish. This is one heck of a Barbera. Drink now or over the next decade with pastas featuring butter-sage or mild tomato sauces, pizza, burgers, casseroles, grilled burgers and just about anything but bell peppers, green vegetables and seafood. Welcome back!

WHITES

OREGON / WASHINGTON – WHITE:

2005 Belle Pente, Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon 14.99/160.00
Belle Pente’s Brian O’Donnell is one of the Willamette Valley’s most gifted winemakers. O’Donnell’s trademark is his ability to obtain elegance and power while simultaneously honoring the distinctive natures of his vineyards’ terroirs. For inspiration for his own rendition of Oregon’s signature white grape, O’Donnell looks to Alsace. Belle Pente’s ’05 Pinot Gris opens with a pale straw gold color accented by lime green glints. In the glass, the Pinot Gris offers subtle, smoky aromas of Bartlett pears, honeysuckle, key lime zest and kiwi. The palate is bright and racy, with fresh, juicy flavors of sweet lemons, honeydew melon and tilleul honey. Exhibiting a freshness and verve uncommon for Oregon Pinot Gris, Belle Pente’s ’05 is a remarkable drink by itself, or a natural accompaniment for pan roasted halibut, grilled summer squashes, poached trout and other light, spring-oriented recipes. A truly lovely Oregon Pinot Gris.

2006 Cameroni della Colline Rosse, (Cameron Winery) Pinot Bianco, Giovanni, Oregon 12.50/134.00
Cameron Winery’s ineffable winemaker and bon vivant, John Paul, pours his love for northern Italian varietals into his alternative label, Cameroni. Paying homage to the crisp, crunchy white wines from the Alto Adige, Paul has fashioned an Oregon Pinot Bianco worthy of comparison to his inspiration. A lovely pale straw color, Cameroni’s Giovanni opens with floral aromas of sweet gardenia blossoms and ripe casaba melon. Brightly acidic on the attack, the Giovanni shows its citrus side with flavors of lime zest, Meyer lemon and bergamot. Clean, zesty and as irrepressible as its creator, the 2005 Giovanni finishes as sprightly and vivacious as it began. While the Giovanni could be served as an apéritif, we believe that it will show its best at the table as a complement to grilled halibut, cedar plank salmon, zucchini frittati, omelettes, brook trout and grilled vegetables. Enjoy over the coming eighteen months.

FRANCE – WHITE:

2006 Colombelle, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne, Southwest France 6.50/70.00
There are few better values in the world of white wines than the simple, quaffable, “lemonade-for-adults” vins de pays produced in southwestern France’s Gascony region. This is the fourth appearance in these pages for Colombelle, a fresh, zippy Colombard (70%) and Ugni Blanc (30%) blend. Pale straw-gold in the glass, the ’06 Colombelle offers a lively, herbal, grapefruit nose and a rich, fruity palate loaded with notes of juicy mango, melon, pineapple and yellow peaches. The Colombelle’s finish adds notes of basil, bitter orange, tangerine and smoky minerals. Fresh off the boat and complete with a handy screwcap, the ’06 Colombelle is ready to dazzle your next gathering as a zesty, attention-grabbing apéritif or as a partner to fresh mild cheeses, steamed, grilled or sautéed vegetables, poached fish and light poultry preparations.

2005 Roland Lavantureux, Petit Chablis, Burgundy, France 16.99/181.50
Roland Lavantureux, Kermit Lynch’s producer of Chablis and Petit Chablis, is known to get one of the most pure and honest expressions of these distinctive terroirs from his humble, village-level vineyards. Lavantureux’s 2005 Petit Chablis offers unmistakable flinty oyster shell terroir from the moment the wine hits the glass. Pale gold in color with the slightest glint of green, Lavantureux’s Petit Chablis is packed full of lemon curd and melon fruit infused with a intense current of steely limestone minerality. Firm acidity balances the vintage’s rich fruit, and will serve to cut through just about any kind of seafood or shellfish you pair it with. Our favorite pairing is a dozen Belon oysters sans mignonette: slurp oyster, chew, chase with Lavantureux Petit Chablis, wait for joy to your palate. Smile, and repeat as necessary.

2005 André-Michel Brégeon, Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie, Loire Valley, France 12.99/139.00
At our insistence, our esteemed clients have discovered the distinctiveness and age worthiness of great Mu
scadet. It’s only a matter of time before our favorite under-$15 white wine goes the way of premier cru Chablis and fine Mosel Riesling. Brégeon is Kermit Lynch’s key Muscadet producer, and he has produced an unqualified winner in the outstanding 2005 vintage. Brégeon’s Muscadet presents a gorgeous light honey color in the glass and offers beguiling aromas of smoky minerals, sea salt and wildflower honey. Rich on the attack with suggestions of ripe green melons, the Brégeon immediately tightens mid-palate to reveal an intense acidic spine and a bracing undercurrent of infused minerals. Smoky, salty, minerally, the wine is a natural partner to oysters, freshwater fish, crustaceans and clams. It’s delicious now, but will easily reward five to seven years in your cool cellar. Grab a case before it’s too late.

ITALY – WHITE:

2005 Botromagno, Gravina, Puglia, Italy 8.50/91.00
As always, Botromagno’s delicious blend of 60% Greco di Tufo and 40% Malvasia Bianca offers a deep straw-gold color and floral, tropical perfume of pineapple, tangerine and curry powder. The palate is rich and sumptuous, showing notes of lemon oil, sweet grapefruit and volcanic minerals. The Gravina finishes clean, dry and fresher than ever, balancing crisp lemony acidity with tropical fruit ripeness and a pungent mineral streak that remind us of freshly ground garam masala. Try this unique and distinctive wine with grilled seafood, shellfish, spicy soups, mild Indian cuisine, or just enjoy it as a scintillating apéritif, but drink it now to capture all of its freshness and exuberance.
Robert Parker – 87 points

PORTUGAL - WHITE:

2002 Quinta das Maias, Malvasia-Fina, Dão, Portugal 14.99/160.00
In our quest to bring you the most obscure grapes and the most arcane of wines, we’ve come across another tonic for the jaded palate: barrel fermented Malvasia from the Dão in north-central Portugal. Somewhat akin to a cross between a minerally Chenin Blanc, a racy Riesling and a Viura, Quinta das Maias’ Malvasia-Fina offers a rich straw-gold hue and heady aromas of wild honey, sage oil, powdered minerals, beeswax and pine resin. Intense and penetrating on the palate, the wine continues the aromatic themes above while introducing notes of coconut, menthol and lemon. Rich and viscous on the palate, the Malvasia-Fina finishes long and waxy with reprises of honeycomb, pine resin, mentholated lemon and an undercurrent of smoky mineral. Enjoy with heartier fare like herbed roast chicken, braised pork, duck and rabbit, or with aromatic vegetarian fare featuring bay leaf and thyme.

Events & Tastings:

Friday Tastings

Saturday Tastings

Special Events:

• Riedel Glassware Tasting
• Antinori Wine Dinner
• 2005 FX Pichler Tasting

Featured Wines:

Sampler Cases

Christoffel-Prüm German Riesling

2005 Languedoc Reds

Reds

2004 Woodward Canyon "Artists Series" No. 13

2005 Belle Vallée Cellars, Pinot Noir

2004 Liberty School, Cabernet Sauvignon

2003 Chateau Bellevue la Forêt

2005 Domaine de la Chanteleuserie, Bourgueil

2005 Perrin & Fils, Vacqueyras, Les Christins

2005 Camplazens, Syrah

2004 Li Veli, Passamante Negroamaro

2001 Trinchero, Barbera d’Asti Superiore

Whites

2005 Belle Pente, Pinot Gris

2006 Cameroni della Colline Rosse, Pinot Bianco

2006 Colombelle, Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne

2005 Roland Lavantureux, Petit Chablis

2005 André-Michel Brégeon, Muscadet

2005 Botromagno, Gravina

2002 Quinta das Maias, Malvasia-Fina

April 6 Does Alsatian Wine get any better? The brilliant offerings of Domaine Weinbach.

April 20 Thought you knew Greek wines? Think again!

May 4 Join us for an extravaganza tasting of Sake. Bring some Sushi!

April 7 Ewald Moseler from Mitchell wines will pour our great Riesling Sampler. Plus: Dom. de la Chanteleuserie Bourgueil Cuvée Alouettes and Roland Lavantureux Petit Chablis.

April 14 The L&E staff will pour Colombelle Vin de Pays des Côtes de Gascogne, Andre Brégeon Muscadet, Quinta das Maias Malvasia-Fina, and our terrific Languedoc Sampler.

April 21 A tasting of superb European wines. Table One: Italy- Botromagno Gravina, Trinchero Barbera d’Asti Superiore, and Li Veli Passamante Negroamaro. Table Two: France – Ch. Bellevue la Forêt Côtes du Frontonnais, Camplazens Syrah Vin de Pays d’Oc, and Perrin & Fils Vacqueyras Les Christins.

April 28 American Beauties: Cameroni della Colline Rosse (Cameron Winery) Pinot Bianco, Belle Vallée Cellars Pinot Noir, Liberty School Cabernet Sauvignon, and Woodward Canyon Artists Cabernet.

Save the Dates

Weds. May 9 - Meet Marc Perrin from Château de Beaucastel. $10.00 glass fee. Details to follow.

Tues. May 22, 5-7 p.m. - Meet the effervescent, delightful and urbane Monsieur Hubert Trimbach of Maison Trimbach and taste some of the finest wines of Alsace, France. $10.00 glass fee.

RIEDEL GLASSWARE TASTING: “The Generation Tasting” - Tuesday, April 17, 6:15 p.m.

Please join us for an exciting tasting event at L&E. At this unique event we will host Georg Riedel, who will discuss the selection of Riedel glassware for the ultimate in wine enjoyment. In addition, your fee for the tasting includes a three-glass set of Riedel glassware.

Seats for this event are limited. The fee is $50.00, which includes a three glass set of Riedel glassware.

ANTINORI DINNER AND WINE TASTING at Bastas Trattoria - Monday, April 23, 6:30 p.m.

Please join us at Bastas Trattoria for an exciting evening of Tuscan wines from the venerable Antinori estate. For twenty-six generations this family has been at the forefront of Tuscan winemaking. The event will feature Aldo Rafanelli, the sole U.S. representative for Antinori wines.

The fee for this event is $75.00 per person, inclusive. Advance payment is required.

Austrian Wine Tasting: 2005 F.X. PICHLER - Tuesday, April 24, 6:30 p.m.

Let’s make this simple: here is your opportunity to taste the line-up of one of the world’s greatest wine estates, F.X. Pichler. Pichler hails from Austria’s Wachau region and produces some of the world’s most scintillating dry white wines made from Riesling and Grüner Veltliner. Come and see what the wine geeks at L&E are drooling over.

Seating is very limited. Prior payment will confirm your reservation. $65.00 per person.