Rednecks ‘n Red Rhones 2013 – “Danica, DANICA, DANICA”
Or “Grenache, you made me do it, but I didn’t want to do it.”

START YER ENGINES!

In this first of three reports on our selections, I’ll focus on the three wines currently available in Day-twah from a producer that we’ve been fans of for some years now, Domaine Sainte Anne. We actually consumed the regular Côtes-du-Rhône during that playoff clinching regular season finale against the Dallas Stars, while the two Côtes-du-Rhône Villages provided some serious red Rhône mojo for the big overtime win in Game 2, on Anaheim ice.

2011 Domaine Sainte Anne Rouge Côtes-du-Rhône, 14.5% alc., $12.99: I’ve been looking for a wine like this dark garnet lovely since about 1990. Back then, we were getting an inexpensive Côtes-du-Rhône from Tim McCarthy’s Cost Plus Wines in Detroit’s Eastern Market. I believe the producer was Chapelle Saint-Martin, and it had the most delightful violet character that we found beguiling, and indeed, it was the wine that made us true fans of Rhônes in the first place. It couldn’t have cost more than $8 a bottle, and we went through cases, but eventually, it sold out. So, imagine our delight in finding another wine with that same floral-violet character! This one has a solid core of berry and plum fruit, equal parts red and black, with the requisite earthiness underneath. Full bodied, without being in any way heavy, it’s structured for at least a few years in the cellar, but it’s so good right now, it’s hard to keep our hands off; the fact that we’ve already gone through almost half a case in the last few weeks should be ample proof of that. An appealing wine in every way, and yes, it’s very food friendly. Find this wine

2010 Domaine Sainte Anne Rouge Côtes-du-Rhône Villages, 14% alc., $14.99: Clean, garnet color; even prettier than the Côtes-du-Rhône, with an almost perfumed violet character on the nose that fleshes out on the palate with a solid core of black and red plum and berry, and again, the solid earth and mineral terroir. Full bodied and nicely structured, with good length on the finish. This will be silky in a few years, but it still has some tannins that need to soften up a bit. A lovely wine with a very nice future ahead of it. Find this wine

2009 Domaine Sainte Anne Rouge Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Cuvee Notre-Dame des Cellettes Rouge, 14% alc., $18.99: Clean, dark garnet in color, and much deeper and darker than either of the preceding two wines. There’s only a hint of the violets initially, with lots of earth, iron, briar and bramble over a deep core of black plum, currant and berry. Full bodied and very well structured for several years of development, and, as it opens with air, more and more of the floral quality that I love emerges. This is a 10-year wine, no sweat; it will quite likely go well beyond that with even decent storage conditions. Find this wine

Domaine Sainte Anne imported by AHD Vintners, Ltd., Warren, MI

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.

Jim Cowan Photo by Chris Witkowski - click to enlarge

The 2013 archive is presented by date the notes were compiled and submitted. Prior year’s tasting notes may be found here.

May 9, 2013

2010 Louis Michel, Chablis:
12.5; clean and penetrating lemon and mineral scents; likewise on the palate with good breadth, intense and vigorous; good length. Not a hint of wood anywhere; Chablis and distinctively so. Under screwcap. About $20. I buy a case of this almost every year and the closure allows me to have a glass at a time over the span of a week; nothing like a glass of Chablis to start off dinner. Find this wine

1995 Laurel Glenn, Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Mountain:
12.5% abv; the aromatics tend toward the greener aspects of cabernet although not so much that I’d call it bell pepper; in the mouth it is slightly rustic, grippy, has full albeit young, fruit, and good sustain. Needs more time than the 1994 and 1996 versions I have had recently as it shows little development. Of the three, the 1996 was in a great place last week, the 1994 seemed past it and this seems too young. Find this wine

2005 Alain Michaud, Brouilly Prestige de Vielles Vignes:
13.0% abv; restrained nose that is mostly dark fruit and earth; much the same in the mouth with considerable concentration and structure, opened some with air; medium length but quite intense. Showing the first glimpses of its old vine depth and sap; a wine that will take many years to develop and has the balance to promise delight. With fennel sausage in chunky red sauce, yummy. Find this wine

2005 Alain Michaud, Brouilly Prestige de Vielles Vignes :
13% abv; somewhat tired and attenuated on the nose although it’s clearly Beaujolais; similar in the mouth despite good flavors and grip; medium finish. Either past prime or not a representative bottle. Good with carbonara. Find this wine

Best, Jim

May 5, 2013

2002 Brégeon, Muscadet:
12% abv; a clenched fist when opened with no aromatics, little flavor and piercing/almost spritzy acidity; after about 15 minutes it became very pretty with lemon, mineral aromas; lemon-drop and stone flavor impressions and nice length; with about an hour open it was superb with greater depth and breadth, more integration and a lively balance that made me wish I’d decanted this. With linguini and white clam sauce; none better. Find this wine

2009 Ducroux, Régnié:
12% abv, Demeter; the nose is ladies’ face powder, red fruit and warm earth; the same in the mouth with an accent of black olive, slightly rustic and vigorous with good length. Quintessential Beaujolais and delicious with a rough chopped hash of grilled chicken, caramelized onions, corn and spinach. Find this wine

2011 Poggio Anima, Grillo Uriel:
13.0% abv; a perplexing wine: on one hand it is unusual and character driven on the other it’s resinous (as in retsina) and slightly sour; I’m not sure I like it but I won’t dismiss it. Better after being opened and a week in the fridge; seems more of a piece. Pretty darn good with salad Niçoise. Thanks Steve. Find this wine

2007 Pépière, Muscadet Granite de Clisson:
12% abv; any attempt to parse this wine by descriptor would fail; it is, at this moment, quite simply the finest Muscadet I have tasted. Comparison to premier or even grand cru Chablis is not without appeal and yet it retains its sense of place albeit in a more noble form. Deep, pure, rich and delineated and yet, the sum is greater than its parts.
Clearly, I am having difficulty with adjectives; hopefully, gentle reader, it will suffice to say that it is a masterpiece. With a shrimp and vegetable pasta, other worldly. Oh my! Find this wine

Best, Jim

April 30, 2013

1996 Laurel Glen, Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma Mountain:
12.5% alcohol; expansive nose with all sorts of red fruit and chocolate tones, accents of herb and earth, quite complex; extraordinary balance in the mouth and without edges, flavors echo the nose, richness without cloy, concentration without being extractive, complete and with great finesse, but again, balance is the lasting impression; long, delicious finish. A mature wine without being an old wine. Some secondary development, well resolved but does not lack grip and as pretty a cabernet based wine as I have had in years. A recent ’94 of this bottling showed more age and less fruit, albeit, still enjoyable. This bottle was at a whole different level. At peak (or at least, one of them). Find this wine

2007 and 2008 Edmunds St. John, Prophyry:
Both 13.0% alcohol and sourced from the Barsotti Ranch in El Dorado County; the 2008 is under screw-cap, the 2007 under Diam cork and the difference is noticeable with the ’08 being almost barrel sample-like and the ’07 smelling and tasting of chocolate-covered currants and seeming more developed; both are more black fruit than red and both are well balanced. Personally, I like the 2007’s complexity and nuance but these are two are very pretty gamays. Find this wine

2006 Pepière, Muscadet Clos des Briords magnum:
12% alcohol; closed on day one; several days later this has become quite full and rich yet still bright, stony and with plenty of cut; it accompanies salmon cakes as though it were made for no other purpose and its length is astonishing. But based on day one performance, I will let even my 750’s sleep. Find this wine

2005 Dom. Vissoux, Fleurie Poncié:
12.5% alcohol; . . . I am not sure how many cases of this I bought but this is my last bottle; obviously, I should have saved some but its my favorite wine and I just don’t care about what it will be tomorrow. ‘Had this on my 60th birthday, had it when my grandson was born and every bottle I have opened has brought me pleasure. No less so now; still flamboyant cassis and black fruit on the nose; rich, textured and deep in the mouth with lots of concentration, some development and a long, delicious finish. With grilled chicken, the bomb. A fond farewell to a wine I will not forget. Find this wine

2009 Edmunds St. John, Rocks and Gravel:
13.8% alcohol, 50% syrah, 42% grenache and 8% mourvèdre; on release this was really delightful but it is closed now and even a couple days on the counter did not help. This needs time . . . lots of it. Find this wine

Best, Jim

April 6, 2013

Whites:

2010 Louis Michel, Chablis:
Textbook Chablis for the stainless steel crowd; delineated, fresh, some complexity and good breadth. Not deep or long or in anyway profound but distinctly Chablis (which all by itself, makes it preferable to 99% of other chardonnay) and only $20. Screw-cap. Find this wine

2010 Chateau de Maligny, Chablis:
Much like the Michel with a bit less approachability and a bit more complexity. Charming now, reasonably priced (low $20’s) and has a future in the cellar. Nice. Find this wine

2009 Edi Simčič, Rebula:
12.5% alcohol from Slovenia; rebula is also known as ribolla gialla; obviously, not a wine done on its skins this is mildly citric with almond hints on the nose and about the same in the mouth. Not much concentration or complexity and a wine that I won’t buy again; nothing really wrong with it but not much character; about $21. Find this wine

Vilmart Champagne, Grande Cuvée:
Charming from the outset, strong bead, nuanced and floral. Pretty wine. Find this wine

Louis Roederer, Champagne Brut Premier:
Fine bead, clean and representative of its place. Find this wine

1999 Nigl, Grüner Veltliner, Piri Privat:
Exceptional; full, rich, bright, lively and complex; this wine is getting better and better. A long life ahead but superb now. Find this wine

2009 La Casa, Rueda:
Light, correct and pleasant; a nice aperitif or back porch sipper. Find this wine

1999 Buena Vista, Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos:
I’m not sure how an American winery gets to use this nomenclature . . . but there it is. In any event, the wine was rich, bright, not over-sweet and unctuous. I liked it. Find this wine

Reds:

2001 López de Heredia, Rioja Tondonia Reserva:
One of the nicest surprises in awhile as I don’t often buy tempranillo/grenache/etc.; a little disjointed at first but over two hours integrated into a delicious, nuanced wine with grip and sustain. Complexity is its strongest point, youth its weakest; that is to say, in time, this should be even better. With grilled flank steak and frites, outstanding. About $34 (current price). Find this wine

1976 Lopez de Heredia, Rioja Viña Tondonia:
Profound! Elegant, constantly changing in the glass, highly complex aromatics and flavors, lovely balance and great length. Over the course of the evening, it had multiple personalities, all of them fascinating. Certainly as fine a Rioja as I have had. Finesse.
The more I drink Lopez de Heredia, the more convinced I am that they are among a handful of producers worldwide that are utterly dependable. Find this wine

2010 Montesecondo, Chianti Classico:
13% alcohol; 80% sangiovese, 17% canaiola, 3% colorino; biodynamic; “warm” red fruit smells with some dark notes and hints of chocolate; full in the mouth with significant tannin that is well hidden behind young fruit, a bit soft, but good length. I like it but won’t pay $26, for it again. (I hear nice things about the rosso from this house at a less expensive price and will look for some.) Find this wine

1928 Chateau Lafite (375ml):
From the look of the label, this may be a forgery. Regardless, the wine itself is quite nice; starts disjointed and tannic but after thirty minutes it seems to find its stride and the Pauillac starts to shows. Well past its prime but more than simply interesting. Find this wine

1947 DRC, La Tache:
Not only a rare treat but a birth year wine; substantial ullage. This bottle is also past its prime but the power in the remaining autumnal, savory beverage is remarkable. Little fruit but the nose is expansive and the wine fills the mouth; a paradox, to be sure. Lost little over the course of the evening and showed great character. Find this wine

1978 Mt. Eden, Cabernet Sauvignon Santa Cruz Mtns.:
Past it.

1984 Fretter, Cabernet Sauvignon Lucky Lake Vnyd. :
After time in the decanter, this is exactly what I would expect of a well done 1984 Napa Cabernet. A hint of scorched earth but amounting only to a level of complexity; balanced fruit and structure, not completely resolved yet but quite drinkable and resolutely Napa Cab. Good, not great. (This is apparently a rare bottling with something like a case or two produced.) Find this wine

1988 Champet, Côte Rôtie:
I nearly dismissed this wine when opened as the bottle stink was overwhelming. After air, it was wonderful; full of the ash, tar, violet elements so indicative of the AOL with solid, even expressive, fruit and great nuance. Almost, but not quite delicate, in the mouth; the grip keeps it from being too tender. Lovely wine, at peak. Find this wine

1995 Tempier, Bandol la Tourtine:
Showing little and what was there was not particularly interesting. Perhaps, we are into this too early. Find this wine

1997 Thunder Mountain, Cabernet Sauvignon Bates Ranch:
Excellent; lively, juicy, almost playful in the mouth. Showing young but approachable. Easy to drink. Find this wine

1999 Jasmin, Côte Rôtie (mag.):
Considerable brett and very closed. Find this wine

1979 Chanson, Gevrey-Chambertin:
A pretty, slender wine with enough earth to relate it to the AOC and enough fruit to keep it interesting. Too much oak influence for me but others thought it very nice. A touch drying. Find this wine

2007 Overnoy/Houillon, Arbois-Pupillin:
Not my favorite vintage from this producer (that would be 1996) but still a wine that is so utterly fascinating for its elegance, complexity and wild nature that it surpasses everything else on the table. Perfectly paired with a lentil and duck confit salad. Find this wine

2005 Marcassin, Pinot Noir Three Sisters Vnyd.:
Over-ripe for my taste and still quite young. Plenty of stuffing but I can’t get past the cooked elements. Find this wine

1973 Ridge, Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello:
Started tannic and angry but opened up over the evening and became a much more complete wine, albeit still not resolved. Others were more impressed than I but I didn’t throw my glass away. Find this wine

1984 Ridge, Cabernet Sauvignon Monte Bello:
Whereas the Fretter (above) was quintessential Napa, there are no torrefied notes from this Santa Cruz Mountain wine. Complete, full, still young and without much secondary development but delicious, nonetheless. Find this wine

2006 Lagier-Meredith, Syrah:
Always a strong, concentrated look at Mt. Veeder syrah, this comes across as balanced and nuanced. Maybe a bit young but still a pleasure. Find this wine

1998 la Fleur de Boüard, Lalande de Pomerol:
Good, solid Bordeaux with enough merlot character to denote its AOC and enough character to be of interest. Rounder than expected but not flabby. Nice. Find this wine

2009 Story, Zinfandel:
Red vodka. Find this wine

2008 Hamilton Russell, Pinot Noir:
South African pinot that tastes like it; a bit dirty to my palate with a lot of whole-cluster character tending toward green. Not my thing. Find this wine

Self Promotion:

2011 Cowan Cellars, Mourvèdre Rosé:
This started life pretty acidic and savory. It is softening slightly but the fruit flavors are really coming out and the wine is better balanced. I suspect that time in the cellar will be its friend. Went through ML so it’s pretty stable. Much better as it warms to room temp. Find this wine

Best, Jim

We rarely eat beef anymore, because of our changing dietary habits. We avoid giving any support to factory farms, for health, environmental and animal cruelty concerns, and when we do consume the flesh of four-footed mammals, it’s usually in the form of Kim’s pork projects or pasture-raised, grass fed lamb.

We also don’t drink much wine from Argentina these days, either, not because they aren’t making high-quality juice down there, but for the same money, or less, our preferences come from southern France. Mostly different grape varieties, true, but those are what we like, and we tend to stick with them. Still, we are always happy to see what they’re producing in South America when we get the chance, and such was the case a few weeks ago.

We’d never heard of Hand of God Wines before we tried these two, but it’s obvious that they have some seriously good things going for them. Hand of God is a collaboration between American venture-capital entrepreneur Jon Staenberg and Argentine winemaker Santiago Achával, better known for his highly acclaimed Achaval-Ferrer winery in Mendoza. The two selections we sampled for review were sourced from the two estate vineyards, Stolen Horse Vineyard, planted in the 1920s in the Cruz de Piedra area of the Maipú region, and Sobremesa Vineyard, established in 2007 in Valle de Uco. Stolen Horse consists of 8 acres of old vine Malbec, while Sobremesa is planted to more than 47 acres of Malbec, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Viognier, Roussanne, Marsanne and Sauvignon Blanc. (A white blend of 35% Viognier, 35% Marsanne and 30% Roussanne, 2011 Fingerprint Series Único, is yet to be released.) Both the new and the old world techniques are used to produce the wines; the vineyards are still plowed by horse, even though tractors could do the job more quickly.

So, we have these two Malbec-based wines for our consideration, and to taste them in their best setting, we need beef, right? No problem, we know right where to go. Our friends at Western Market, in Ferndale, carry natural, grass-fed and organic meats from C. Roy Meats in Yale, Michigan. If we’re going to eat beef, that is the kind we want, and because we don’t consume it in anywhere near the volume that we once did, one good sized rib eye, grilled medium rare, was enough for Kim and this taster. It proved to be the perfect match for these two fine selections. We started with the blend.

2010 Hand of God Fingerprint Series Red Wine Uco Valley, Mendoza, Sobremesa Vineyard, 55% Malbec, 35% Syrah and 10% Petit Verdot , 14.5% alc., $45.00: Looks like a glass of purple-garnet ink; toast and coffee over deep, dark black currant, berry and plum in both flavor and aroma. Full bodied and very well structured for a nice long rest in the cellar. It’s a young, rambunctious thing right now, so it really does need some time to develop. The oak, while not overwhelming, does dominate at this point, but time in the bottle should resolve that aspect.

Sobremesa Vineyard is located at 3,600 ft. above sea level in the Uco Valley, Mendoza. Grapes were hand-harvested at 1.8 tons per acre, with only a fraction of the highest quality grapes used in this blend. (Petit Verdot is not listed among the varieties grown at Sobremesa, so I don’t know where that component comes from, but at only 10% of the blend, I’m not sure that it matters.) 20 months in 50% new French oak, 50% 2nd year seasoned oak; no racking, unfined and unfiltered. 1100 cases (750ml), 300 magnums (1.5l) produced. Find this wine

2010 Hand of God Old Vine Malbec Maipú Mendoza Stolen Horse Vineyard, 14.5% alc., $75.00: Another glass of purple-garnet ink, and another oak-dominated personality, with more toast and coffee over deep, dark black currant and blackberry on both the nose and palate. Bone dry, full bodied and very well structured for many years of cellaring. More old world in style than new, and perhaps a bit more approachable now with the beef. I’d love to try this again in 10 years or so. Grapes were hand-harvested at 1.2 tons per acre. 20 months in 100% new French oak; no racking, unfined and unfiltered. 806 cases (750ml), 150 magnums (1.5l) produced. Find this wine

The oak in both of these lends a somewhat astringent element that should resolve with cellaring. These are obviously wines of substance, and while the “toast and coffee” style of these and many other Argentine wines that we’ve tasted is not my favorite, I can appreciate it for what it is. These are both hard young wines right now, tight and primary. However, as I continued to sip a glass of each after dinner, during a 2 ½ hour music rehearsal, they opened considerably, revealing even deeper, richer cores of intense fruit. They are very impressive wines; if you don’t have the patience to wait 5 or 10 years for them to develop, I’d recommending decanting for at least an hour before drinking.

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.

2011 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Blanc Arroyo Seco “Beeswax Vineyard,” 62% Grenache Blanc, 38% Roussanne, 12.5% alc., $28: Clean, medium color; white peach and mineral nose carries over nicely onto the palate, where the minerality takes on a slightly chalky character. Full bodied, with good acids and length. As mentioned in the accompanying notes from BD, this is a food wine, rather than an easy sipper, and indeed, it pairs nicely with lightly braised chicken thighs and onions, a brown rice/beluga lentil medley and steamed broccoli. It seems somewhat muted when tasted alongside the ’10 Réserve, which is perhaps an unfair comparison. Considered on its own terms, it’s a solid white that will get better with some years in the bottle. 1650 cases produced. Find this wine

RG: “Another cool vintage with a blessedly low degree of alcohol (12.5%), much as we had observed in 2010.”

2010 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Blanc Réserve Arroyo Seco “En bonbonne,” 56% Roussanne, 44% Grenache Blanc, 12.4% alc., $50: Ever-so-slightly cloudy lime-tinged medium straw color; much more lively on the palate than the ’11 Beeswax. Bright white peach and apple, with some nice, underlying lemon-citrus; fragrant and flavorful, with several years of improvement ahead of it. Full bodied, with zippy acids and a long finish, this also pairs well with the same dinner as the proceeding selection. Made with biodynamic grapes from Beeswax Vineyard. 497 cases produced. Find this wine

RG: “We began our series of Réserve wines with the ’08 Le Cigare Volant Réserve and liked the result so much we replicated the technique with an analogous white version in 2009 to very interesting result. After the wine completes ML, we rack it to 5 gallon glass carboy, where it reposes sur lie, and we perform anaerobic magnetic batonage more or less monthly. The results are very impressive—especially in texture (wine also unfiltered, as you can see), extreme savoriness (umami central) and the development of an interesting hazelnut aspect (presumably courtesy of the reductive élevage). Available in 6-packs in stylish wooden Cigare boxes. (Wine Club primarily, but also limited availability through wholesale).”

Our colleague and partner in crime, Alan Kerr aka Canadian Zinfan, paid us a visit recently, and since we always value his input on tasting projects, we opened the following three selections with him.

2010 Bonny Doon Sparkling Albariño Central Coast, 12.5% alc., $32: This sparkler absolutely wowed us, especially considering that it’s made from Albariño. Showing rich medium color, with a fairly active bead, it’s rich and intense in the mouth, fairly exploding with ample mousse and citrus, peach and mineral character; Chef Kerr observed, “I’m getting that lime, and a biscuit-y note.” Medium bodied and then some, with excellent acids and intensity and a long lingering finish, this is the most delightful surprise I’ve had from any wine I’ve tried in quite some time; I just can’t say enough good things about it. 617 cases produced. Find this wine

RG: “This wine is composed of 100% Albariño from two exceptionally cool vineyards, Jesperson Vineyard in Edna Valley (84%), and the Ca’ del Solo Vineyard (16%). Fourteen months en tirage—didn’t want to lose too much of the primary citrus character that makes Albariño so delightful—and bottled with minimal dosage. Available only at winery/ wine club.”

The two Le Cigare Volant bottlings are identical blends, given different treatments, and were enjoyed with some delicious grilled lamb-sicles.

2008 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volant Central Coast “En foudre,” 45% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 13% Mourvedre, 7% Cinsault, 5% Carignane, 14.2% alc., $45: Clean, dark color; on the nose; initial impressions of iodine and seaweed evaporate quickly, according to Kerr. This is a very nice approximation of a southern Rhône, offering flavors and aromas of dark plum and berry, earth, iron and a hint of black olive. Alan added “a little bit of licorice and red currant lozenge.” Full bodied and well-structured for several years of development, with good length on the finish. 558 cases produced. Find this wine

2008 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volant Central Coast “En demi-muid,” 45% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 13% Mourvedre, 7% Cinsault, 5% Carignane, 14.2% alc., $45: Clean, dark color; a bit deeper and darker in character than the “En foudre,” being full bodied, well-structured and intense; Alan commented, “More elegance and structure.” Showing a similar flavor profile to the previous selection, but less approachable, so this is the one that wants more time in the cellar; still, both are very, very fine reds indeed. 558 cases produced. Find this wine

RG: “This was a paired set of wines that we made for our DEWN customers and sold on a limited basis through the wholesale channel. The cellar treatment of Cigare Volant is always a mix of puncheons and large wood uprights (equipped with “lees hotels”), in one proportion or another, dependent on vintage. I was curious to see the development of the individual components over time; so we reserved a portion of each component before the final blend. To many palates the “demi-muid” would seem more normative, perhaps more in the “International style,” but for me, the “foudre” is funkier, more soulful and ultimately the more appropriate interpretation for these meridional grapes. (But what do I know?)”

Of the two Syrahs that we sampled, one is approachable now, with some time in a decanter, while the second is one for the cellar.

2010 Bonny Doon Syrah, “Le Pousseur,” Central Coast, 57% Alamo Creek, 43% Bien Nacido, 12.8% alc., $26: Deep, dark and inky in color, with a lovely blackberry and plum nose, shaded with a subtle note of lavender, all of which carries over onto the palate, gaining just a hint of something resembling cocoa. Full bodied, and smooth, with a velvet-like texture, yet not without the structure to age and develop for several years. Kim really enjoys this from the very first sip, and so do I. 1016 cases produced. Find this wine

RG: “This wine has become in a sense our version of a “Brune et Blonde.” The Alamo Creek component (a warmer site, just northeast of Santa Maria) brings a wonderful earthy stoniness (it’s an old arroyo), and the Bien Nacido (cooler site, to the southeast of Santa Maria) imparts a rather classic smoked meat/violet perfume. Partially because we practice a reductive élevage in the cellar and partly due to our use of screwcaps, this wine is pretty wound up at the present time and benefits enormously from decanting. I love the 2010 vintage—fabulously flavorful wines achieved with at a modest alcoholic degree. (This one is 12.8%.) Great aging potential.”

2009 Bonny Doon Syrah, “Bien Nacido, X Block” Santa Maria Valley, 13.3% alc., $42: This looks like a glass of ink and smells a bit like the barnyard, with a solid core of earthy black plums, shaded with iron, iodine and black olive. Much the same on the palate, this is full bodied and very well structured. In truth, it’s all about promise at this point, and needs several years of quiet rest in the cellar, but patience will be well rewarded. I wouldn’t even think about opening one of these for at least five-to-seven years, and that might be too soon. 843 cases produced. Find this wine

RG: “A very successful, concentrated vintage from this famed vineyard. The wine is initially a bit reduced upon opening (Gentle people: To your decanters!) but opens nicely with some air. I’m always taken by the extreme meatiness/savoriness of the Bien Nacido Syrah from the X Block (it’s oldest Syrah planting). It’s a personal (crank) theory of mine that the Estrella River clone of Syrah, to which the X Block is planted is selfsame with the Serine clone. Someday perhaps we will know.”

I love Grahm’s description of Clos de Gilroy: “We are always aspiring to achieve weapons-grade Grenache from our growers, but sometimes the efforts fall slightly short and we end up with something that is Clos but no Cigare, i.e. this wine.”

2011 Bonny Doon (The Wine Formerly Known As) Clos de Gilroy Central Coast, 83% Grenache, 7% Cinsault, 6% Syrah, 4% Mourvèdre, 13.3% alc., $18: Clean dark color, almost opaque; dark plum and berry nose, with a good dose of earth and mineral. Sleek, yet substantial in the mouth, with flavors that echo the aromatics very nicely. The fruit and earthier qualities complement each other nicely, and a note of pepper adds to the appeal. Full bodied and structured to stand some time in the bottle, but more than approachable already. Based on this and an ’09 Clos de Gilroy that we enjoyed several months ago, it strikes me that this bottling is one in Bonny Doon’s book that’s deserving of far greater recognition. Good to pair with a wide variety of grilled red meats and pasta. 767 cases produced. Find this wine

RG: “Clos de Gilroy sees no oak, is bottled early, and aims to capture the wonderful peppery spiciness of cool climate Grenache. Best served with a slight chill.”

And, since I mentioned the ’09 Clos de Gilroy, here are my notes on that one.

2009 Bonny Doon Vineyard Grenache Clos de Gilroy, 88% Grenache, 8% Cinsault, 2% Syrah, 13.5% alc., $13.99: Clean ruby garnet color; ripe plum and berry nose, fleshing out on the palate with plenty of black and red currant, plum and berry, all underscored with a solid, decidedly earthy base, resembling something from the southern Rhone or the Languedoc. Full bodied without being at all heavy, smoothly textured, with enough structure to cellar for a few years, and yet drinking so well now, a case would probably not last a month at Gang Central. In fact, Kim and this taster like it so well, we might just have to test that premise out. Recommended with enthusiasm, and excellent with flat iron steak sliced thin and placed on a mixed green and beet salad! Made with Biodynamic grapes. Find this wine

Last, but I daresay the least of this survey is the current (and last) offering of Bonny Doon’s Nebbiolo.

2009 Bonny Doon Nebbiolo Monterey Ca’ del Solo Estate, 14.4% alc., $45: Clean, dark color, with a hint of the barnyard to the grudging black fruit nose. Deep, dark and not quite mysterious on the palate, with earthy black currant and dried black cherry flavors shaded with a smidgen of leather; not exactly a knockoff of the Piedmont style, but neither is it a California fruit bomb. Full bodied, sleek and well-structured for several years in the cellar. Pairs well with Kim’s red saucy pasta. Likes air, so decanting wouldn’t hurt, at this point. 508 cases produced. Find this wine

RG: “This was our last vintage of Nebbiolo before our funny, funky Soledad vineyard was sold. For the life of me, I can’t say why the grapes were so good. ’09 was the first time in seven or eight years that we didn’t dry a percentage of the grapes (in the style of Sforzato), but ’09 was a warm vintage, we thinned mercilessly—crop thinning and wing removal—and managed to achieve a reasonable degree of uniform ripeness. This wine demonstrates that not so obvious dictum that drinking Nebbiolo need not be an ordeal—there is an abundance of fruit—cherry, pomegranate, plum and licorice—along with the secondary savory earthy elements that so delight us nebbiophiles. I can only dream, but perhaps someday Nebbiolo may find a real home in the New World.”

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2004 Wyncroft Lake Michigan Shore Riesling Madron Lake Vineyard, 1.5 L, 13% alc.: It’s interesting to compare yesterday’s impressions of this wine with those from 2006, when we first tried it, shortly after it was bottled. Back then, it was quite primary, as one might expect, with subtle minerality taking a backseat to the upfront fruit. The intervening time has been very kind (and the 1.5 liter format didn’t hurt either), as it has developed into a thing of beauty, reminiscent of Jim’s great 1999 Wyncroft Lake Michigan Shore Riesling Avonlea Vineyard. Like a hypothetical cross between Riesling from Alsace and Austria, this is now all about river stones and petrol over under-ripe green apple and quince. Medium-full-bodied, it still exhibits excellent acids and good length on the finish. I can’t think of a better example of just how good dry Riesling from Michigan can be. Find this wine

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I’ve never been a big fan of the wines of M. Chapoutier. Some I’ve tried have been very good, and more have been not so great. The Bila-Haut bottlings I’ve had in the past have been decent, however, so there didn’t seem to be too much risk involved with trying this one, especially at the Costco price.

2009 M. Chapoutier Domaine De Bila-Haut Occultum Lapidem, 14% alc., $14.99: Showing clean, dark color, with earth, smoke and iron over dark plum and berry in both flavors and aromas, and very pleasingly so, I might add. The fruit and earthy characteristics play off each other very nicely. Full-bodied, and structured for at least three-to-five years of further development, perhaps more. Not a “great” wine, but certainly an enjoyable one, and priced fairly, all things considered. A blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan.

From the HB Wine Merchants web site: “The Domaine is located in the commune of Latour-de-France…just about as close as you can be to Spain, but still be located in France, with a great deal of history related to the Nights (sic) Templar, and the Cathar movement, hence the T in the title of the Domaine shaped like the Nights (sic) Templar Cross.” Find this wine

Imported by HB Wine Merchants, New York, NY

We’ve been fans of Perrin family wines for years, from their iconic Chateau de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape right down to the everyday La Vieille Ferme lineup. We’ve enjoyed previous vintages of the Les Cornuds, so, this was a no-brainer, again, especially at the Costco price.

2010 Famille Perrin Vinsobres Les Cornuds, 14.5% alc., $16.99: Not quite inky in color; the earthy black fruit-hint-of- iodine nose follows through on the palate, gaining a pleasant leathery note with air. This is a fairly brawny wine, full-bodied and structured for several years of cellaring. I can’t help but scratch my head when reading some review that say this is good to go now, because, to me, it really needs some time in the cellar. It has all the goods to be a solid red Rhône, but I’d lay it down for three-to-five years to see how it’s developing. I think it should be good for eight-to-ten and beyond, so I recommend patience.

From the Vineyard Brands tech sheet: “The most northern vineyard of the Southern Rhône. The Perrin family owns around 60 hectares in one single plot in Vinsobres. The average altitude is 300 metres on hills and terraces. Stony and sandy marl on the slopes, stony quaternary alluviums on the terraces. The entire harvest is destemmed. Syrah is vinified in wooden truncated tanks that are punched down and pumped over. The Grenache is vinified in stainless steel tanks. The Syrah is partly aged in one year old oak barrels. Blending takes place after malolactic fermentation and the wines age for a least 6 months before being released.” Find this wine

Imported by Vineyard Brands, Inc., Birmingham, AL

It’s great fun doing the Red Wings and Red Rhônes thing again, and as in days of yore, I like to think that I’m doing my small part for the team by uncorking some red Rhône mojo. I’m looking forward to seeing what else I can find to contribute to the cause…

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The theme was an all pork dinner with Kim and Anne’s cured products, starting with a charcuterie platter with coppa, prosciutto and lonzino (loin), prosciutto wrapped asparagus with truffle butter, grilled eggplant/loin/cheese sandwiches and a stinky cheese. The second course was pasta carbanara with guanciale (cheek). The third course consisted of pressed pork belly with king trumpet mushrooms, sauce and cannellini beans dressed in a black olive vinaigrette with spinach and basil. Dessert was dark chocolate and a 1993 Ridge Essence.

(A quick explanation is appropriate here: late last November, Kim and her MFF (Meat Friend Forever), Anne Keller Klumpp, purchased a 200 pound hog, then proceeded to learn how to butcher it Italian style for all things salumi, with instruction provided by Chef David Gilbert and our own Chef Alan Kerr. Anne’s husband Brian recorded the entire process, and the video-documentation can be viewed here. The prosciutto was from a 2011 hog leg but all of the remaining pork in this dinner came from the November 2012 hog.)

The same dinner would be repeated a few weeks later at Anne and Brian’s house with David (Gilbert) and Alan as the honored guests so this was Kim’s practice run.

We got things started with the 2010 Cornerstone Oregon Willamette Valley Chardonnay, which is drinking pretty much exactly as we remember it from about four months back. It’s a solid, cool climate Chardonnay, and was well received by all. Find this wine

2009 Sean Thackrey Cassiopeia Pinot Noir Clone 115 Anderson Valley Wentzel Vineyard: Bearing one of Thackrey’s minimalist labels, this seemed like a good choice to pair with the pasta carbanara, but, in fact, it needs at least another five years to resolve the still significant tannins. Still, it is not without charm already, as David commented, “I love the nose; funky, earthy…” It offers smoky plum and black cherry flavors and aromas, but a creamy note on the palate gets some insubordination from the acids and tannins. Patience is advised with this. Find this wine

2006 Ridge Lytton Estate Grenache Dry Creek Valley, 80% Grenache, 10% Petite Sirah, 10% Zinfandel, 14.7% alc.: It’s been a while since we’ve had any Grenache from Mr. Ridge, so Christina opened one that she had brought along to pair with the pressed pork belly. It shows clean, dark color, and exudes a lovely nose of spicy black fruit graced with a kiss of sweet oak, and the flavors echo nicely, finishing totally dry. Sleek, full bodied and still on the way up, but drinking so well already, there’s no reason not to open one tonight. Speaks more to Ridge’s house style than to specific varietal characteristics, and that’s just fine by me. Find this wine

2005 Peter Lehmann Mentor Cabernet Sauvignon Barossa, 14.5% alc.: This one came courtesy of Rebecca, and brought back fond memories of the summer morning back in 2005 that I spent tasting through every wine from Peter Lehmann available in Michigan with winemaker Ian Hongell and Brian Batridge, who at that time served as Hess Collection Central Region Sales Manager. It had been quite some time since we’d had any wine from Australia, so I was interested in seeing what it was all about. Deep and densely dark in color, it has a slightly green quality to it, though, in this case, it’s not really a detraction. Rich, intense and fairly ripe, with dark currant and berry character shaded with some subtle oak and a note of olives, it’s a solid wine that doesn’t really speak Cabernet to me. Find this wine
Imported by The Hess Collection, New World Wines, Napa, CA

2001 Ridge Geyserville, 74% Zinfandel, 18% Carignane, 8% Petite Sirah, $30, 14.4% alc.: I had stood this one up a few days before, reasoning that it might come in handy for the festivities, and I guess I was right! By this time, however, I was singing songs from my CD instead of taking notes, so I can only tell you that David nailed it when he commented, “This is so silky!” It’s drinking beautifully right now, but as any Ridge-rite knows, these are built to develop well past eleven years, so drink or hold. Find this wine

1993 Ridge Essence Paso Robles, 13.4% alc.: Labeled as “Vine-Concentrated Essence of Zinfandel Grapes,” and David confirmed that Benito Dusi finally said “No” to subjecting his vines to the kind of stress needed to produce this wine some years back, but what a lovely wine it is. Deep and dark in color, and still quite ripe, primary and sweet, this is just starting to develop some secondary characteristics, and I would expect that it will continue to do so for years and years. It was delightful with some good Trader Joe’s Organic Dark Chocolate, and, interestingly enough, the sediment that it threw had a soft, chocolate-like texture. David remarked, “The finish is really melted together right now,” while Christina and Rebecca both described it with a single word, “Awesome.” Many thanks to Allan Bree for this remarkable gift. Find this wine

All in all, it was a great night of food, wine and friendship. In fact, everyone had such a good time, we neglected to take any food porn photos. It’s just a good thing I kept the dead soldiers for the label shot above!

However, here is a shot from the same dinner we had a few weeks later. This is the charcuterie platter Anne put together of the meats she and Kim cured from the hog parts above. Photo by Alan Kerr.

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I do still love fine wine, however, and in the last several days, I realized that I still love to watch hockey. After not looking at a single game during this lockout-shortened season, I tuned in on all three of the Red Wings’ western Canada road trip this past week, and, in taking the time to relax and watch the action, I was reminded again and again why it’s such a great sport. It’s fast, it’s rough and it’s exciting in a way that no other game is for me. Yes, a lot of the names have changed since I paid close attention, most notably Nicklas Lidstrom, who decided to cash in on a Hall of Fame kind o’ 20-year career in the NHL. Still, there’s the solid core of Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Kronwall, Franzen and Cleary remaining from the 2007-08 Stanley Cup Champion team, and they’re just as much fun to watch as ever. I plugged right into the culture again, and it felt like home. My boys taking 2 out of 3 games didn’t hurt, either, but I did notice that we need a bigger TV…

With all of this, it seemed like the perfect time to revive the Red Wings and Red Rhônes tradition, so here we go. I didn’t actually drink these wines while watching those games, but tasting three fine Rhônes in such close time proximity with my renewed enthusiasm for Red Wings hockey works for me, so that’s my story, and I’m stickin’ to it.

I opened this one to welcome our house guest and soul sister, Ridge Vineyards Regional Sales Manager, Christina Donley, who graced us with her presence during her swing through southeastern Michigan a few weeks ago.

2003 Domaine du Pegau Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Réservée, 14% alc.: Clean, dark color, with no rust to speak of, as of yet. Classic Pegau character, with flavors and aromas of dark plum and berry, earth, iron and mahogany. The fruit has nice ripeness to it without going over the top, and this is delicious from the first pour straight from the bottle. Sleek, yet full bodied, and well-structured for several years of further development, yet oh-so-good right now. Great presence; a brilliant wine now and for many years down the road. Find this wine

Imported by J et R Selections, Mount Pleasant, MI

Alan Kerr aka Canadian Zinfan brought the next two over to share with us last week, and they did not suck. I assume that since no importer was cited on either label, Ontario’s monolithic LCBO brought them in.

2001 Domaine des Tourelles Gigondas, 14.5% alc.: Deep, dark and mysterious; big and boisterous in a great way. Not quite huge, and perhaps not surprisingly, the two 2008 Bonny Doon Le Cigare Volant bottlings that we tried just before this and the next selection held their own against the old world models, but that’s a story for an upcoming blog. This is all about big black plum, berry, currant earth and mineral, and it has the depth and structure to go for several years; it’s not even close to its peak. Still, it drinks well enough now, and shows everything we love about fine Gigondas. Alan says it cost about $35 Canadian; he also posted notes on the same wine some years ago on the old Gang of Pour website, which are interesting to compare with these. Find this wine

1999 Montirius Gigondas, Christine et Eric Saurel, Propriétaires-Récoltants, 14.5%: This big bio-dynamic bruiser still needs some serious time in the cellar, but Alan and I think it will be worth the wait. It shows the requisite black fruit, earth and iron, being full-bodied and very well structured indeed. Already 13 years old, this one might be ready at age 20, so have patience. Find this wine

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