Newsletter - December 2007

RED WINES

OREGON – RED:

2006 McKinlay, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon 15.99/171.00
Winemaker Matt Kinne’s newly released Willamette Valley bottling once again sets the standard for deep, authentic Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Emphasizing clarity and purity of fruit without the obfuscations of glossy oak, McKinlay’s 2006 Willamette Valley Pinot opens with a brilliant garnet hue and complex Pinot aromas of loganberries, smoke, cranberries and earth. On the palate, the McKinlay Pinot is focused and delicate, balancing a ripe berry fruit expression with crisp food-friendly acidity, a deep mineral core, and ripe, round tannins. The finish is long, clean and lingering, showing sweet cherries, red raspberries, minerals and smoke. A very versatile and precise Pinot, the McKinlay drinks exceptionally well now or will hold for three to five years. Enjoy it and all its ungussied purity with broiled salmon, roast chicken, grilled vegetables, duck, even burgers hot off the grill.

FRANCE – RED:

2006 Domaine des Homs, Minervois, Languedoc-Roussillon, France 13.50/144.50
Minervois’ arid climate, high altitude and rocky soils produce wines renowned for the excellence, character and value. New to our palates but already darlings of the French press, the Domaine des Homs Minervois explodes from the glass with an opaque black-purple color and fruit-forward aromas of black plums, baked cherries, sweet leather and dried herbs. Supple and lush on the attack, the wine oozes black fruit complemented by complex nuances of licorice, tar, oregano, pepper and brown spices. Ripe and ready-to-go, the Minervois balances its effusive fruit with round tannins and modest acidity. Here’s a lovely wine to warm even the coldest days and complement the heartiest of winter fare. Enjoy now and over the coming two years with cassoulet, roast leg of lamb, garlicky ratatouille and good ol’ grilled hamburgers.

2005 Lucien Barrot, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhône Valley, France 35.99/385.00
We’ve been championing Barrot’s delicious rustic, traditionally-styled Châteauneufs for years. Now the Wine Spectator is on board the Barrot bandwagon, calling the 2005 bottling “dark and muscular…layered with lots of plum, blackberry and black cherry fruit backed by mocha, game, plum sauce and graphite notes. The long, fleshy finish lets the fruit and minerality sing. The best in a long time from this producer. Best from 2008 through 2022.” We love the wine’s delicious mix of garrigue, ripe, spicy black fruit and licorice, not to mention its terrific price. Pair it with rosemary- and tomato-laden dishes, roasts and rich, garlicky fare.
Wine Spectator – 93 points

2004 Domaine de Lafage, Coteaux du Quercy, Tradition, Southwest France 14.99/160.00
Southwestern France is coming on strong as a serious wine district. The Coteaux du Quercy is a new VDQS, which finally recognizes the excellence and potential of the region’s special terroir. Fully accredited as biodynamic, Lafage’s beguiling blend of Cabernet Franc, Côt, Merlot and Tannat seemingly fuses Bordeaux-like power, the garrigue aromas of Southern France and the fruit purity and complexity of Loire Valley Cabernet Franc. A Bordeaux-like deep black-purple color in the glass, the Lafage Quercy offers ripe aromas of blackberries, tar and pungent crushed dried herbs. The fruit segues to a perfumed, pepper-, tobacco- and violet-scented soil expression akin to that of a fine Bourgueil. Ripe and round on the approach, tannins emerge in tandem with the wine’s terroir. Robust and rustic, the wine’s raw power is accented by its pungent soil expression and palate-staining fruit. Try this unique and special wine now and over the coming seven years with oven roasted potatoes, duck confit, roast goose and other delicacies of southwestern France.

2006 Domaine de la Butte, Bourgueil, Le Haut de la Butte, Loire Valley, France 15.99/171.00
Once he mastered the fickle Chenin Blanc in Montlouis, Loire Valley phenom Jacky Blot turned his sights on the equally challenging Cabernet Franc in Bourgueil. From perfectly exposed upper slopes, Blot’s 2006 Bourgueil Le Haut de la Butte opens with a saturated black-purple color and deep aromas of brambly blackberries, leather and limestone terroir. In the mouth, the wine’s intense black fruit expression is complemented by waves of chalky minerals, walnuts, wintergreen and dark roasted coffee. Fresh, vibrant acidity transitions the Bourgueil’s saturated palate impression to its violet-tinged finish. As the wine lingers, it adds finely buffered tannins and reveals further nuances of root beer, tarragon and bay leaf. This is superb, terroir-driven Bourgueil that will delight Loire Valley fans and Bordeaux lovers alike. Enjoy now and over the next decade with beef rib roast, tomato-based casseroles, quail, squab, venison and rich game.

ITALY – RED:

2005 Fattoria le Poggette, Colli Amerini Rosso Superiore, Umbria, Italy 11.99/128.00
Hailing from the Amerini hills in the southern portion of Umbria, Fattoria le Poggette has issued a delicious, soul satisfying red that’s ideal for winter nights. A blend of Sangiovese, Canaiolo and Montepulciano, Poggette’s Rosso Superiore offers a deep plum-garnet color and ripe aromas of sour cherries, tobacco, leather and spicy cloves. In the mouth, the Poggette opens with a blast of ripe cherry fruit followed by suggestions of tar, leather and red raspberries. As the wine transitions from a spicy cherry palate expression to the finish, it casts soil notes of its underlying clay-limestone terroir. Brimming with ripe fruit, subtle earthy notes and showing bright acidity and fine, balancing tannins, this complex, sumptuous and versatile rosso belies its modest price. Enjoy now and over the coming three years with roasts of beef, lamb, pork and tomato- and eggplant-based vegetarian casseroles.

2004 Sella & Mosca, Cannonau di Sardegna, Riserva, Sardinia, Italy 9.50/101.50
“Cannonau” is Sardinian dialect for the varietal better known as Grenache in France, Garnacha in Spain. In Sardinia it achieves a very special expression that stays true to the grape yet shows a special cinnamon-tinged earthiness unique to the island. Sella & Mosca’s 2004 Riserva – issued in only the finest years – is a knockout from the start. The wine begins with a beautiful, translucent garnet-cinnamon color, opening with heady perfumes of game, cinnamon, cherries and menthol. Bold and spicy in the mouth, the Cannonau continues its earthy, gamy streak, adding firm tannins and suggestions of crushed bay leaf, smoky soil and leather. The wine finishes long and earthy with notes of cloves, cinnamon and tobacco. Lovers of southern French Grenache should compare this wine with their favorites from Châteauneuf and Gigondas. Enjoy now or through 2010 with dishes featuring tomatoes, eggplant, lamb and game.

2005 Produttori del Barbaresco, Nebbiolo, Langhe, Piedmont, Italy 15.99/171.00
The venerable Produttori never ceases to amaze us. In recent vintages they’ve seemed to go from strength to strength, and such is the case again with their 2005 Langhe Nebbiolo. The Langhe Nebbiolo is the Produttori’s second label, hailing primarily from young vine Barbaresco grapes and from vineyards that produce more approachable fruit. The Produttori’s ’05 Langhe Nebbiolo opens with a deep purple-garnet robe and soaring aromas of ripe cherries, cloves, leather and rose petals. Lush and approachable in the mouth, the ’05 offers up-front, authentic Nebbiolo character with intense cherry-raspberry fruit and hints of tar, cinnamon, perfumed earth and fragrant flowers. The wine finishes clean and fresh, sporting a true Barbaresco clay and limestone terroir signature alongside firm, appetizing Nebbiolo tannins. This wine is a steal for authentic, gripping Nebbiolo, and a superb choice for winter fare, especially simple dishes like lasagna, grilled chicken breasts, veal and rabbit. Enjoy now and over the next seven years.

2005 Vietti, Barbera d’Asti, Tre Vigne, Piedmont, Italy 15.99/171.00
The great Vietti estate, best known for its Barolos and Barbarescos, is also the source of some of Piedmont’s finest Barberas. Vietti’s Tre Vigne is sourced from the estate’s superb Barbera sites in Agliano d’Asti. The 2005 vintage exemplifies Barbera at its supple best. A lovely plum-ruby color, the 2005 Tre Vigne opens with aromas of boysenberries, cinnamon and wood spice. In the mouth the wine begins with a plush, velvety attack which fuses Barbera’s tarry plum fruit with hints of creamy oak, cloves, cinnamon, menthol, licorice and crushed sage. Mid-palate, the Tre Vigne tightens with Barbera’s nobly firm acidity, which puts the wine into classic balance and reveals its crystalline vibrancy. Long, tarry, leathery and lingering, the wine finishes clean and lively and will make a lovely complement to classic Piemontese cuisine like tajarin with a butter-sage sauce, carne cruda, beef brasato as well as everyday fare like burgers, pasta and pizza. Enjoy now and over the coming five years.
Wine Spectator – 90 points.

WHITE WINES

OREGON – WHITE:

2006 Cameron, Chardonnay, Dundee Hills, Oregon 15.99/171.00
John Paul’s Cameron Winery is best known for its excellent, long-ageing Pinot Noirs from the Abbey Ridge and Clos Electrique vineyards. Insiders, however, know that Paul’s Chardonnays are a great source of pride for him, and that he takes great delight in those who understand just how special and distinctive they are. Cameron’s newly released 2006 Dundee Hills Chardonnay vividly illustrates Paul’s passion for the grape by casting a medium-gold color from the glass followed by aromas of lemon curd and smoke. Barrel-inflections of vanilla bean, caramel and crème brûlée emerge and serve to accent rather than overwhelm the wine’s crisp lemony fruit. The wine’s tight, chiseled, food-friendly acidity emerges on the palate, propelling the suggestions of lemon zest, toffee and hazelnuts. The Cameron Chardonnay finishes long and balanced, with a creamy, toffeed hazelnut note that lingers on the palate. Try this outstanding Oregon Chardonnay with fresh halibut, salmon or simple roasted chicken. This is always a wine to buy by the case, but please don’t hesitate as it will be gone by the end of the month.

FRANCE – WHITE:

2005 Pierre Luneau-Papin, Clos des Allées, Vieilles Vignes, Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie, Loire Valley, France 11.99/128.00
Luneau-Papin is one of the leading lights of Muscadet’s quality renaissance. Year after year, our favorite of Luneau’s offerings is the single-vineyard Clos des Allées bottling from 55-year-old vines. Here is Muscadet in its most classic form: crisp and minerally, yet rich and never shrill. The ripeness and balance of the great 2005 Muscadet vintage takes this Clos des Allées bottling to new heights. Pale straw with green highlights, the ’05 Clos des Allées offers mineral-infused aromas of Bartlett pears and lemon zest. On the palate, the wine walks the delicate balance of snappy acidity and richness of fruit. Pure mineral notes and suggestions of freshly squeezed lime juice, chalk and flint appear on the wine’s back-palate and propel the Clos des Allées to a long, smoky finish. 2005 was an exceedingly fine vintage in Muscadet, so grab a case to drink now and over the next fifteen years with clams, oysters, crab and the entire seafood spectrum.

2005 Guigal, Côtes du Rhône Blanc, Southern Rhône Valley, France 12.50/133.50
The great Guigal estate fashions the Rhone Valley’s most expensive wines as well as some of its very finest values. Guigal’s Côtes du Rhône Blanc bottling reaches new heights in the ripe and classic 2005 vintage. Pale gold in the glass, this lovely blend emphasizes its base of Viognier (55%) with ripe, exotic, Condrieu-like aromas of honeysuckle, gardenia blossoms and sweet melon. Rich and honeyed on the palate, the Roussanne (20%) and Marsanne (5%) components take charge with richness and minerality adding complex notes of peach, beeswax, acacia, wet stones and honeydew. The wine is complex beyond its modest price tag, and finishes with sweet white flower notes accented by limestone minerals and ripe honeydew melon. This is a fascinating wine that will thrill fans of white Rhône Valley wines as well as newcomers to the genre. Enjoy now and over the coming year with delicate freshwater fish dishes, light poultry, and as an attention-grabbing apéritif.

2004 Léon Beyer, Tokay-Pinot Gris, Alsace, France 18.99/203.00
The Beyer family has been winegrowers in Alsace, father to son, since 1580. Beyer’s wines are traditionally styled and designed to reflect the varietal and terroir with depth and clarity. Deep straw gold, Beyer’s medium-bodied 2004 Tokay-Pinot Gris is beautifully balanced with hints of pear, smoke, ripe buttered apple fruit, excellent acidity and an intense mineral undercurrent. Sleek and sculpted on the palate, the Beyer Pinot Gris shows the lovely, minerally side of Pinot Gris that’s all too rare in the marketplace. The wine finishes long and smoky, with ripping acidity and abundant minerals to prepare the palate for another bite of sole, crab, trout and the whole range of seafood dishes. This direct import value might be the finest Alsatian Pinot Gris on the market for under $20. Drink now or over the next five years.

ITALY – WHITE:

2006 Feudi di San Gregorio, Falanghina, Sannio, Campania, Italy 11.99/128.00
Feudi di San Gregorio is undoubtedly Campania’s finest and best known estate. Feudi’s consistently superb Falanghina Sannio has been a staple of this newsletter for many years, and its 2006 Falanghina offers exceptional balance between crisp, food-friendly acidity and ripe tropical fruits. The ’06 Falanghina opens with a pale green-gold color and ripe aromas of yellow peaches, star fruit and gardenia blossoms. On the palate, the wine offers a transparent, medium-weight palate and flavors of mango, pineapple, pear and lemon pith. The Falanghina’s finish is precise and appetizing, adding notes of tangerine, honeydew melon, menthol and volcanic terroir. This wine begs to be drunk young and fresh with fried calamari or seafood pasta dishes sporting lots of fresh extra virgin olive oil, garlic and frutti di mare. Fans of Viognier, Albariño and exotic, aromatic white wines should take special note.

GERMANY – WHITE:

2004 Selbach-Oster, Riesling, Feinherb, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany 13.99/149.50
Johannes Selbach is one of the Mosel’s most dynamic and respected winemakers. Selbach-Oster’s delightful 2004 Riesling – by definition a feinherb – is a special blend of fruit designed to satisfy the overwhelming demand for his renowned portfolio. A lovely pale gold color in the glass, Selbach-Oster’s Riesling shows bright green apple and delicate pear aromas. Crisp and classy, this bracing, nearly-dry Riesling offers a sleek fruit expression, crunchy minerality, a tremendous sense of balance and the kind of snappy, slate-driven cleansing finish that only Mosel Riesling can deliver. Drinking superbly now, the Selbach Riesling has the harmony to age another three years, but why wait? Selbach intentionally makes wines for food, so enjoy this beauty now with Thai curries, Indian cuisine, sushi, and delicate fish and pork dishes.

SPARKLING WINES

NV Domaine des Baumard, Crémant de Loire, Carte Turquoise Brut, Loire Valley, France 17.99/192.50
Baumard’s Carte Turquoise bursts with a lush, creamy texture laced with the complex earthy terroir of the Loire Valley. Pale straw-gold in color, the Carte Turquoise offers Champagne-like aromas of wheat thins, chamomile, apples and ginger, but with a deep, earthy soil signature all its own.

NV Baumard, Crémant de Loire, Rosé, Carte Corail Brut, Loire Valley, France 18.99/203.00
Exclusively Cabernet Franc. Rich and sumptuous on the attack, the Corail balances dense, creamy fruit and zippy, palate cleansing acidity. On the palate, the Corail offers suggestions of fresh strawberries, ripe pie cherries and gravelly terroir.

NV Simonnet-Febvre Crémant de Bourgogne Brut, Burgundy France 14.99/160.00 reg. 16.99
This is pure, chalky, textbook Chablis with the soft effervescence of the crémant style. The Simonnet-Febvre Crémant just bursts with lemony chalk and flinty oyster shell notes. Full and creamy on the palate, the wine offers razor sharp acidity, brisk lemony notes and an intense lashing of flinty, dissolved limestone minerality. The finish is clean, crisp and simply begs you to take another sip. Enjoy now and frequently through the next year by itself or as a complement to oysters on the half shell, scallops, crab meat, black cod and other seafood delights.

NV Diebolt-Vallois, Brut Tradition, Champagne, France 39.99/427.50
Diebolt’s Brut Tradition is the introduction to family’s exemplary portfolio. It’s a classic blend of 40% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 30% Pinot Meunier, which combines Chardonnay’s lemony precision with the red-fruited power of Pinot Noir and the bready, wheat-thin complexity of Meunier. Take our word for it: this wine runs circles around anything on the market under $40 and stands up to many bottlings costing far more. For us, this is the champagne sensation of the season, and you are humbly advised to stock up before the dollar weakens further. Enjoy now, throughout the holiday season, and over the next five years with anything and everything. There is no more food-friendly wine than real Champagne.

Web Extras The “Web Extra” icon stands for wines that we’re featuring this month on the website only – they won’t appear in the newsletter.

This month: 2004 Librandi Cirò Bianco and 2003 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Laurène Pinot Noir

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

Mon.-Sat. 10-6

CLOSED:
Tues. Dec. 25
Tues. Jan. 1- Thurs. Jan. 3
We reopen on Friday, Jan. 4

Jolly Holidays and Happy New Year from the L&E Staff

We ship wine • Gift certificates available • Glassware and accessories • Estate olive oils

Glassware and Wine Gifts
for the Holidays

New! Now available: Riedel Vinum Oregon Pinot Noir glass … 22.99

Plus the entire Riedel collection, decanters, Laguiole openers, Corx wine bags, and wine accessories - call or visit us online for great prices and availability.

:: In This Issue ::

Reds:

OREGON PINOT NOIR HOLIDAY SAMPLERS

2006 McKinlay Pinot Noir

2006 Dom. des Homs Minervois

2005 Lucien Barrot Châteauneuf-du-Pape

2004 Dom. de Lafage Coteaux du Quercy Tradition

2006 Dom. de la Butte Bourgueil Le Haut de la Butte

2005 Fattoria le Poggette Colli Amerini Rosso Superiore

2004 Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna Riserva

2005 Produttori del Barbaresco Nebbiolo

2005 Vietti Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne

Whites:

2006 Cameron Chardonnay

2005 Pierre Luneau-Papin Clos des Allées Vieilles Vignes

2005 Guigal Côtes du Rhône Blanc

2004 Léon Beyer Tokay-Pinot Gris

2006 Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina

2004 Selbach-Oster Riesling Feinherb

Sparkling Wines:

Baumard Crémant de Loire Carte Turquoise Brut

Baumard Crémant de Loire Rosé, Carte Corail Brut

Simonnet-Febvre Crémant de Bourgogne Brut

Diebolt-Vallois Brut Tradition Champagne

:: Tastings & Events::

Friday Tastings
5:30-7:30, fee

Dec. 7 Our Semi-Annual Champagne Tasting: The Best of Champagne!

Dec. 21  2005 Red Burgundy: Jadot, Drouhin, de Montille, Juillot, Chandon de Briailles, and more.

Jan. 4 Great New Oregon Wines!

Saturday Tastings
from noon, no fee

Dec. 1 Gorgeous Wines from Lemma Imports: Léon Beyer Tokay-Pinot Gris, Vietti Barbera d’Asti Tre Vigne, Produttori del Barbaresco Langhe Rosso, and Lucien Barrot Châteauneuf-du-Pape. PLUS: Selbach-Oster Riesling Feinherb, and Oregon’s own Cameron Chardonnay and McKinlay Pinot Noir.

Dec. 8 From France: Pierre Luneau-Papin Clos des Allées V.V. Muscadet, Guigal Côtes du Rhône Blanc, Dom. des Homs Minervois, Dom. de Lafage Coteaux du Quercy, and Dom. de la Butte Bourgueil.

Dec. 15 CELEBRATE OREGON! Meet the winemakers from Broadley, JK Carriere, Belle Pente, and Et Fille.

Dec. 22 From Italy: Librandi Cirò Bianco, Feudi di San Gregorio Falanghina Sannio, Fattoria le Poggette Colli Amerini Rosso, and Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna.

Dec. 29 Sparkling Wines for the Holiday Table: Two from Domaine des Baumard (Corail and Turquoise), Simonnet-Febvre Crémant de Bourgogne Brut, and Diebolt-Vallois Brut Tradition. Plus some other fine sparklers to ring in the new year.

:: Special Event ::

Taste Great Wines from Italy at L&E

Weds. Dec. 5
6:15-7:30 p.m.

Join Jeff Torrance and Jared Wolfe of Palm Bay Imports for a select tasting of superb red and white wines from tutti Italia. We will enjoy a superlative assortment of wines from Campagna, Emilia-Romagna Sardegna, various Tuscan locales, Umbria, Piedmont, and Verona.
No reservations needed.
Glass fee: $15