Newsletter - June, 2005
Just Arrived! ::
Pre-Arrival Offer!
2004 Ken Wright Cellars, Carter Vineyard, Cuvée L&E, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon 225.00 six pack/425.00 case
Once again the great Carter Vineyard, located in the Eola Hills, has proven to be one of the two best vineyards in the Ken Wright Cellars stable. As usual, we've selected an old vine block from this outstanding vineyard for its superior concentration and complexity to represent our Cuvée L&E bottling. This Carter Vineyard Cuvée L&E may be the best balanced wine we've ever offered from this esteemed producer. A highly aromatic nose of both red and black fruits, game and Asian spices segues to a lush, rich palate with loads of concentrated, sappy, fruit plus notes of vanilla and spicy oak and the textbook velvety texture Ken Wright has become known for. Delicious and seductive. Very limited. Payment reserves your order. Fall-Winter arrival.
L&E Third Annual Grower Champagne Six-Pack Sampler
$229.99 reg. 260.00
Grower Champagne is just what it sounds like! Champagne that is grown, made and bottled by a single domaine. Why is Grower Champagne special? It's like microbrews versus mass-produced beer. These are the Champagnes that we drink and stock in our own cellars (and we're Champagne geeks) because they are equivalent in quality to the Grandes Marques Tête de Cuvée that sell for over $100 a bottle.
Our sampler contains one bottle each of the following Grower Champagnes:
1996 Agrapart, Blanc de Blancs, Grand Cru From the greatest vintage in over a quarter century. Drink now or cellar for another decade for further complexity
Diebolt-Vallois, Cuvée Prestige, Blanc de Blancs Rich, intense, complex Blanc de Blancs - wow!
Henri Billiot, Brut Rosé, Grand Cru Our all-time favorite Brut Rosé not named Krug
Paul Bara, Brut Grand Cru One of our favorite Kermit Lynch Champagnes
Jose Dhondt, Mes Vieilles Vignes, Blanc de Blancs "Dhondt" you miss it!
Dumont, Brut, Champignol les Mondeville Outstanding value, comparable to big house Champagne selling for $20 more a bottle
2001 Delmas, Crémant de Limoux, Méthode Traditionelle, France 11.50/123.00
At the foot of the Pyrenées near Carcassonne, a lovely and historically important sparkling wine is produced. The locals claim that their wines, Crémant de Limoux and its sibling, Blanquette de Limoux, were conceived and mastered before Champagne. While this claim will never be fully confirmed, what can be proven is that one heck of an inexpensive bubbly is still being made. The fruit for Delmas's Crémant de Limoux - Mauzac, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Pinot Noir - is grown biodynamically. The result is the best fizzy outside of Champagne that we've tasted in a long time. A lovely green-gold color in the flute, the Delmas Crémant shows persistent effervescence and a smoky, honeyed bouquet of lemon peel and crushed apples. The palate is creamy and assertive, with lemon and hazelnut nuances. The wine blossoms in the glass, becoming mellower and creamier. Enjoy the Delmas Crémant now as a festive aperitif, as a wonderful wine for toasts and celebrations, and as a match for roast chicken, broiled white-fleshed fish dishes, or roasted root vegetables.
2004 Casa Santos Lima, Fernão Pires, Estramadura, Portugal 8.99/96.00
Here's a new one on us: Fernão Pires is Portugal's most widely planted varietal. Where has it been all our lives? Crisp, dry and highly aromatic, this fresh and fruity Fernão Pires from Casa Santos Lima seems to combine the floral, grapefruit aromas of a good Muscat with the haunting almond skin note often found in a fine Vernaccia or Arneis. The wine sports a pale straw color in the bowl, offering unique, exotic aromas. On the palate, the Fernão Pires begins with a fruity, almost tropical attack, which segues to a tactile, minerally, citrus mid-palate and finishes with the gripping note and texture of fresh almond skin. Serve as an attention-grabbing apéritif or as a wonderful accompaniment to freshwater fish dishes and light poultry preparations. Delicious, distinctive wine and a great value.
2003 Azienda Agraria Marchetti, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, Marche, Italy 10.50/112.50
Verdicchio is central Italy's most distinctive white varietal. It reaches great heights in mineral-rich soils of the Castelli di Jesi zone just a few miles from the Adriatic Sea. Delivered in a sexy, tapered bottle, Marchetti has captured the crisp, fruity side of the Verdicchio grape with this 2003 release. Green-gold in the glass, the Marchetti Verdicchio offers a nutty, apple nose and velvet, honeyed fruit on the palate. Mineral complexity plays on the mid-palate and yields to a long, rich finish. Lemon notes and hints of chamomile linger as one sip transitions to the next. Serve this now or over the coming year with roast chicken, pork and dishes featuring zucchini and summer squash.
2004 J. Christopher, Chardonnay, "Cuvée Lunatique," Willamette Valley, Oregon 14.99/160.00
This is J. Christopher's self-proclaimed "No Oak/No Malo" bottling. It's designed to be crisp and fresh, and anybody who's ever tasted a ripe Chardonnay grape will know that owner-winemaker Jay Somers has captured the raw essence of the varietal. Pale gold in the glass, the Cuvée Lunatique begins with a bouquet of lemon sorbet and fresh hazelnuts. The palate is crisp and fruity with suggestions of lemon zest and crushed stones. The finish remains brisk thanks to Somers' decision to block the secondary, malolactic fermentation. This is a Chardonnay for folks who have given up hope that the grape can produce a fresh, lively food companion. Drink now or over the next two years with brook trout, turbot, light chicken dishes or grilled vegetables.
2004 Routas Rouvière, Rosé ,Coteaux Varois, Provence, France 9.50/101.50
The rosés are coming! Robert Parker has already extolled the greatness of the 2004 southern French rosés , and the early arrivals that we've tasted are indeed inspiring. This fresh release from Routas is the early leader for its clean, clear salmon color and fruity bouquet of sun-warmed cherries, strawberries and Provençal herbs. The palate is ripe, dry, minerally and crisp with more notes of ripe red fruits, anise, pepper and dried herbs. Gripping and lip-smacking, the finish is clean, crisp, dry and calls for another bite of salmon, grilled ahi tuna, halibut, chicken, pork cutlets, summer veggies or marinated Portobello mushrooms. Start up the grill, and kick back with a bottle of well-chilled Provençal rosé .
2003 Boutari, Moschofilero, Peloponnese, Greece 11.99/128.00
This must be a very special newsletter. Not only do we have the honor to introduce an extremely cool new wine from Portugal made from a varietal that we've never heard of, but we also get to turn you on to an equally groovy white from Greece from an equally obscure and compelling varietal, Moschofilero. Medium gold and highly aromatic, Boutari's Moschofilero fills the room with Grand Marnier-like aromas of bitter oranges, honeysuckle, and tangerine. The fore-palate echoes the bitter orange note, but leads to a honeyed mid-palate of ripe honeydew melon and minerals. The finish is long, fresh and lingering, akin to a hypothetically dry Muscat-de-Beaumes-de-Venice. This wine is like nothing we've ever tasted before and proves that there are still discoveries for even the most jaded of palates. Drink now with squid, prawns and other crustaceans and cephalopods.
2002 Château Maine-Bonnet, Graves Blanc, Bordeaux, France 11.99/128.00
The Graves region in Bordeaux just south of the Médoc is so named because of its gravelly terrain, and produces some of Bordeaux's finest dry white wines. The gravelly soil, combined with hints of melon and figs, assert themselves in the bouquet of this delicious, affordable Bordeaux Blanc from Maine-Bonnet. A very pale straw color in the glass, the Maine-Bonnet adds aromas of crushed herbs, ripe figs and candied lemon to its minerally nose. The palate is pure and crystalline with flavors of honeydew, mango, kiwi and lemons. The finish is crisp and clean, just begging you to follow it with another bite of brook trout, sole, flounder or grilled chicken breast. Drink this over the coming year to capture all of its ebullient fruit character and verve.
2004 Dr. Loosen, Dr. L Riesling QbA, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany 9.50/101.50
Early reports from Germany indicate that 2004 is a superb vintage, combining charming ripeness of fruit with superb acidity. People are comparing it to 1996, 1994 and even the great 1975 vintage. Among the first 2004s to arrive is the always-excellent Dr. L from Loosen Brothers, and this year the good doctor kicks an extra modicum of booty. Pale gold with green glints, Dr. L. offers a pure, focused, slate nose and a crisp palate of green Riesling goodness. There's honeysuckle, there's pear, there's slate and minerals ... we could regale you with thousands of descriptors and adjectives, but nothing's gonna convince you like one gulp of this immensely delicious, serious, satisfying wine. If what ails you is the lack of truly great wines under $10, you'd better make an appointment with the Doctor.
2001 Tommasi, Vigneto Rafael, Valpolicella Classico Superiore, Veneto, Italy 11.99.128.00
The wines from the great Tommasi estate in the Veneto are perennial features in these pages. The newly released 2001 Rafael continues the winery's tradition of excellence with a beauty of a Valpolicella produced from 65% Corvina Veronese, 30% Rondinella and 5% Molinara. The wine sports a bright core of cherry fruit, an enticing nose of cinnamon, plums and cloves, and a firm dose of food-friendly acidity. Tommasi's 2001 turns the Valpolicella-meter up a notch with even deeper, juicier fruit and a delicious, complex bitter chocolate note on the back palate. The 2001 Rafael is sure to be a hit at your table with simple pasta, pizza, and chicken dishes. There are few more noble, delicious and seamless wines than this for less than $15.
2002 Dom. de la Cotelleraie-Vallée, Les Mauguerets, St.-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Loire Valley 19.99/213.50 Reg. 24.99
One of the rarities in the pantheon of great Loire Valley wines is St.-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, the only Loire Valley appellation to consist of a single commune. The region's gravelly soil gives the wines a special signature, which is fully realized in this example from Domaine de la Cotelleraie-Vallée. Produced from the noble Cabernet Franc grape, the Mauguerets offers highly perfumed aromas of violets, blueberries, tar and gravelly terroir . The wine begins with a dusty, peppery palate attack, then segues to a transparent, soil-driven mid- and back-palate showing notes of clay, gravel, black currants and licorice. The finish is long and lingering, offering cellar-worthy acidity. Loire fans must try this wine, and anyone who desires a lesson in why Cabernet Franc is the noblest "Bordeaux varietal" should pour this wine into their glass and lay a case in their cellar for the coming twenty years.
2003 Ca' del Baio, (Giulio Grasso) Dolcetto d'Alba, Lodoli, Piedmont, Italy 11.99/128.00
Whoa! This is serious Dolcetto. Thanks to the warm 2003 growing season, Ca' del Baio has fashioned a dark black-ruby monster of a Dolcetto that takes the varietal into new dimensions. The wine begins with ripe aromas of black plums, blackberries, tar and black licorice. The ripe fruit continues on the fore-palate only to be followed by firm, gripping tannins and further notes of black plums and licorice. The finish is firm and gripping, with food-friendly tannins peeking through the waves of black fruits and licorice. This is blockbuster Dolcetto! Pair with hearty Piemontese cuisine like tajarin , agnolotti or lusty American food like burgers, meatloaf, grilled zucchini and eggplant. Drinkable now with food, this unusually powerful Dolcetto will also reward a couple of years in the cellar.
2002 Terra Rosa, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza, Argentina 9.50/101.50
Laurel Glen's great winemaker, Patrick Campbell, is the mastermind behind the Terra Rosa project in South America. Sourcing world-class fruit from exceptional sites in Chile and Argentina, Campbell has created a succession of superb value Bordeaux-styled wines. A deep, nearly opaque, black-purple color, the '02 Terra Rosa Cabernet offers layers of cherry and plum fruit interlaced with notes of cedar and minerally lead pencil. Firm tannins sneak up on the back-palate and add structure to the jammy fruit while a terrific minerally, rocky soil signature runs a current across the palate. Sexy vanilla oak complements rather than overwhelms the sappy, saturated fruit. Composed of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon and 25% Malbec, this gives many a $25 California Cab a run for the money. Drink now or over the next two years, accompanied by grilled food like steaks, burgers, squash, eggplant, and chicken.
2004 O'Reilly's, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon 11.99/128.00
With his Abbot's Table and eponymous Pinot Noir, David O'Reilly is giving the folks exactly what they want: bold, satisfying wines that pack a ton of flavor at an affordable price. He hits the mark again in 2004. The O'Reilly Pinot Noir offers an intense, attention-grabbing nose of wild boysenberries, sandalwood, smoky oak and vanilla. Sappy, dense and palate staining, the Pinot grips the tongue with impressions of intense, freshly crushed blackberry and raspberry fruit, firm, supporting tannins and barrel notes of brown sugar and smoke. The forward fruit follows through on the long, mouth-coating finish and is complemented by suggestions of black cherries, cinnamon, toasty oak and minerals. This year's wine has all the bold, sweet fruit one has come to expect from O'Reilly, plus elegance and finesse. Pair over the next two years with grilled burgers, steaks, lamb, hearty vegetable preparations and other full-flavored fare.
2003 Dom. Rabasse Charavin, Côtes du Rhône, Rhône Valley, France 11.50/123.00
The Domaine Rabasse Charavin, run impeccably by Corinne Coutourier, has been awarded four stars by Robert Parker who notes, "...everything that emerges from Rabasse-Charavin possesses plenty of fruit, character and quality." This 2003 Côtes du Rhône smells like a top-notch Cairanne with its bright cherry fruit accented by wild garrigue and licorice. The saturated ruby color leads to the lovely fruit-forward nose and superb weight and texture on the palate. The wine balances its opulent fruit with framing acidity, tannin and suggestions of crushed stones, leather and dried herbs. This is a wonderful wine that expresses the warm character of the vintage without going over the top or losing balance. It's delicious now, but has the structure to age seven to ten years. Enjoy with hearty southern French fare like rosemary-encrusted leg of lamb, ratatouille, as well as simple dishes like burgers and grilled chicken.
2003 Casa Contini, Biferno Riserva, Molise, Italy 9.99/107.00
This wine has something for everybody. Molise is the last discovered region in Italy and seemingly bridges central Italy with the south. This wine fuses central Italy's Montepulciano grape (85%) with the noble southern Italian varietal, Aglianico (15%). The result is a deep black-garnet wine with fascinating aromas of black plums, wild game, leather and crushed herbs. Pit fruits like plums and apricots explode on the palate and are complemented by suggestions of blackberries, black pepper, sweet chestnuts, chocolate and earth. Firm tannins emerge on the back end and introduce a lovely lashing of Aglianico's dusty cherry fruit and crushed volcanic minerals. This is a noble, complex wine that belies its modest tariff. Drink now or over the coming five years with grilled burgers, pasta, vegetable casseroles, pizza, lamb - just about anything that calls for a lusty Italian red.
2001 Tenuta Ponte, Carazita, Rosso Irpinia IGT, Campania, Italy 9.99/107.00
Attenzione! This wine is for Italian wine lovers who long for grip, restraint and unbridled soil signature. The Carazita is a fascinating blend of Aglianico and Sangiovese, two of Italy's three noble wine grapes. The Aglianico dominates with its wild aromas of pie cherry fruit seasoned by fruitwood smoke and volcanic terroir; the Sangiovese adds notes of plums and leather; and small amounts of Merlot and Cabernet tame the wildness of the wine. While fruit is evident, the overriding theme to the wine is the soil. We like the wine now, paired with hearty food like braised rabbit, eggplant casseroles, squab or pork shoulder. It also shows the promise to age magnificently for five to ten years.
2001 Napanook by Dominus, Napa Valley, California 33.99/363.00 Reg. 41.99
For lack of a better term, Napanook is the "second label" of the great Dominus Estate. 2001 will go down as one of the finest and most balanced vintages in Napa history, and we're delighted to have secured enough of this very special wine to feature in this newsletter. The 2001 Napanook is blended primarily from Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. To call the wine a "baby Dominus" would belittle its quality - think of it as a lens that gives a glimpse of what the amazing '01 Dominus will become when it matures. The Napanook offers a saturated purple-ruby color and aromas of black cherry, black currant and pencil lead. The palate is smooth and suave with plenty of sweet black cherry fruit accented by hints of cedar, coffee, coconut and semisweet chocolate. The finish is long, lingering and sexy, reprising the black fruit and barrel notes and adding framing tannins to ensure another seven to twelve years of evolution. Drink now or cellar, but enjoy with foods like beef rib roasts, rack of lamb and game.
1999 Travaglini, Gattinara, Piedmont, Italy 19.99/213.50 Reg. 23.99
Thanks to a recent price drop (when was the last time you heard about a price drop for a European wine?) Travaglini's Gattinara is now a terrific value. A saturated garnet color with Nebbiolo's traditional amber rim, the '99 Gattinara expresses perfumed aromas of sweet black cherries, black plums and pencil lead. The fore-palate continues with sweet cherry fruit balanced by firm acidity and gripping Nebbiolo tannins. The back-palate introduces suggestions of tar, leather and menthol. The long, saturated finish shows hints of licorice, sous bois , dried bay leaf, minerals and oregano. This is serious Nebbiolo from arguably Gattinara's premier producer at a ridiculously affordable price. We suggest cellaring seven to fifteen years, but to enjoy the wine now, please decant at least three hours before serving with traditional Piemontese fare like beef brasato , risotto or grilled rack of lamb.
2004 Terre Gaie, Soave, Veneto, Italy 10.50/112.00
We folks in the wine trade often wonder why lovers of crisp Italian white wines chose Pinot Grigio and not Soave. Despite Soave's descent into industrial innocuousness in the 1970s, today's Soaves from the best producers are among the most crisp, food-friendly whites on the planet. Take this fresh 2004 offering from Terre Gaie for example. While it would be easy (and perfectly understandable) to quaff this with mindless gusto on a warm summer day, it would be unfortunate to miss the amazing mineral core that this Garganega-Trebbiano blend offers. Surrounding the mineral core are a lovely full, rich palate texture and those lemony, honeydew, almond-marzipan notes that make Soave so special. Pair this with shellfish, trout, halibut, and pasta dishes with seafood and enjoy over the next year. |
202 NW 21st Ave.
Portland, Oregon
1-800-903-9463 (WINE)
503-241-9463 (WINE)
www.linerandelsen.com
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Read this Month's 'L&E Special Focus' by Peter Gibson
Event & Tasting Information:
(to sign up for events or to be notified by email of future events, click here)
Friday Tastings
Saturday Tastings
Special Events
Index of Featured Wines:
2004 Ken Wright Cellars, Carter Vineyard, Cuvée L&E, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
L&E Third Annual Grower Champagne Six-Pack Sampler
2001 Delmas, Crémant de Limoux, Méthode Traditionelle, France
2004 Casa Santos Lima, Fernão Pires, Estramadura, Portugal
2003 Azienda Agraria Marchetti, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi, Marche, Italy
2004 J. Christopher, Chardonnay, "Cuvée Lunatique," Willamette Valley, Oregon
2004 Routas Rouvière, Rosé ,Coteaux Varois, Provence, France
2003 Boutari, Moschofilero, Peloponnese, Greece
2002 Château Maine-Bonnet, Graves Blanc, Bordeaux, France
2004 Dr. Loosen, Dr. L Riesling QbA, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany
2001 Tommasi, Vigneto Rafael, Valpolicella Classico Superiore, Veneto, Italy
2002 Dom. de la Cotelleraie-Vallée, Les Mauguerets, St.-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Loire Valley
2003 Ca' del Baio, (Giulio Grasso) Dolcetto d'Alba, Lodoli, Piedmont, Italy
2002 Terra Rosa, Cabernet Sauvignon, Mendoza, Argentina
2004 O'Reilly's, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon
2003 Dom. Rabasse Charavin, Côtes du Rhône, Rhône Valley, France
2003 Casa Contini, Biferno Riserva, Molise, Italy
2001 Tenuta Ponte, Carazita, Rosso Irpinia IGT, Campania, Italy
Napanook by Dominus, Napa Valley, California
1999 Travaglini, Gattinara, Piedmont, Italy
2004 Terre Gaie, Soave, Veneto, Italy
:: Friday Tastings ::
June 3, Riesling: You're invited to taste the finest Rieslings from Alsace, France: Weinbach, Trimbach, Zind-Humbrecht, Deiss, and more
June 10, Special Event: Liner & Elsen and Ewald Moseler Selections present a German Wine Tasting with Wilhelm (Fritz) Haag and Marcel Tyrell (Karthäuserhofberg). Nine wines will be featured from three great German wineries.
Tasting fee: $20.00
June 17, California Dreamin': Meritage wines from California
July 1, Celebrate the Fourth of July with lotsa bubbles!: Our mid-year Grower Champagne Tasting: get here early so you don't miss what's popping.
:: Saturday Tastings ::
June 4, Casa Bruno: The ultra cool Chris Davis of Casa Bruno will style you with Routas Rosé, Casa Santos Lima Fernão Pires, Dom. Rabasse Charavin Côtes du Rhône, and Ca'del Baio Dolcetto d'Alba. Plus! Dr. L Riesling and the superb Dom. de la Cotelleraie-Vallée, Les Mauguerets Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil.
June 11, Mixed Italian: Tom Kelley from Small Vineyards will be on hand to serve up Terre Gaie Soave, Marchetti Verdicchio, Tenuta Ponte Carazita Rosso Irpinia, and Casa Contini Biferno Riserva.
June 18, Mixed Tasting: The L&E boys will serve Ch. Maine-Bonnet Graves Blanc, Boutari Moschofilero, Tommasi Vigneto Rafael Valpolicella, and the knockout Travaglini Gattinara.
June 25, Carole Shelton Zinfandels: Come meet Carol Shelton, and taste some of California's finest Zinfandels. At table two: J. Christopher Chardonnay Cuvée Lunatique, Napanook by Dominus, Terra Rosa Cabernet Sauvignon, and O'Reilly's Pinot Noir.
:: Special Events ::
German Wine tasting Event with Wilhelm (Fritz) Haag and Marcel Tyrell.
Friday, June 10 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Come meet two of Germany's great winemakers. Wilhelm "the master of Riesling" Haag and Marcel Tyrell of Karthäuserhofberg. They will be on hand at L&E for a rare appearance in Portland to pour and talk about their wines. We will also feature the wines of Thomas Haag ( the oldest son of Haag senior) from Schloss Lieser. These are compelling wines, each as different as the places they grow. A complete tasting menu will appear on website. Tasting Fee $20.00
Small Vineyards and Liner & Elsen Present:
A Winemaker Dinner with Tre Donne at Fratelli in the Pearl
Sunday, June 12th, at 6:00 p.m.
Join us for this unique opportunity to meet one of Small Vineyards most popular winemakers, Rosanna Lequio of Tre Donne. One of three vivacious and charismatic sisters (Tre Donne), Rosanna is largely responsible for the estate's big Nebbiolo-based wines (Barolo and Barbaresco). In addition to the 2000 Barolo, we'll be enjoying their Barbera d'Alba, Roero Arneis, and Moscato d'Asti (plus one surprise), all paired with Fratelli's authentic Piemontese cuisine. Price per person $68.00.
(Please call 503-241-8800 for reservations.)
In-Store Event:
2003 Domaine Weinbach Tasting
Tuesday, June 21, 6:30 p.m.
Join us for our seventh annual Domaine Weinbach tasting. Dom. Weinbach was established in 1612, making it one of the oldest estates in Alsace, France. Founded by the Capuchin monks, Clos des Capuchins was named after the clos, or rock wall, that surrounded their beautiful vineyard. Since 1993 Laurence Faller has made the wine; last year when she joined our tasting, her wines demonstrated why Domaine Weinbach is highly regarded all over the world. Fourteen different wines will be served this year, including Riesling, Pinot Gris, Gewurztraminer, and a selection of vendages tardives . A complete listing of the wines to be served will be made available on our website or call for further information. Seating is very limited, and prior payment will confirm your reservation. .....$120.00 per person. |
