sip & quip: “eat local, drink european”
Eric Asimov, NY Times wine columnist, takes on the contemporary dilemma of what to drink with the locally-sourced cuisine. Beyond issues of style — Italian wines with Italian food — is it hypocritical to prefer european wines with locally farmed foods? Is wine the same as a peach? What about the environmental/energy concerns?

  “At many restaurants in the Bay Area, the dedication to using local ingredients does not extend to the wine list. …A surprising number of Bay Area restaurants offer wine lists dominated by European bottles. …it’s a little hypocritical, but we also recognize there’s a certain style and authenticity that you can’t get anywhere else.”

“Not everybody sees wine in the same light as ingredients like produce or meat. Wine is different from a carrot or a peach. .. once the grapes are crushed, fermented, aged and bottled, the wine will not lose its freshness or succulence if carefully shipped.” Continue Reading »

2007 KEN WRIGHT PINOT NOIR!
JUST ARRIVED– Limited quantities.
“Ken Wright Cellars has long been one of the reference points for Pinot Noir fanatics.” –Robert Parker

KEN WRIGHT CELLARS was founded in 1993. Located in rural Carlton, Oregon, Ken Wright is the ultimate terroirist: he views pinot noir as the perfect vehicle for expressing the characteristics of a particular vineyard site. Ken has been instrumental in elevating Willamette Valley pinot noir to one of the most sought-after wines in the world.

The 2007 vintage in Oregon produced classically styled wines; wines that favor freshness and purity, length and elegance, over brooding dark fruit and concentration –exactly what pinot noir excels at.
VINTAGES is pleased to offer the following 2007 Ken Wright bottlings –quantities extremely limited. A great Thanksgiving wine!

2007 KEN WRIGHT Abbott Claim $60
2007 KEN WRIGHT Savoya 60
2007 KEN WRIGHT McCrone $60
2007 KEN WRIGHT Guadalupe $60

2002 ALBINO ROCCA BARBARESCO due mila due $25! The recent visit and tasting with Barbara Engist-Rocca allowed us to not only indulge our palates in the winery’s outstanding 2001 and 2004 Barbarescos, but to re-taste the 2002 Barbaresco. In 2002, their only bottling contained the combined fruit of both “Brich Ronchi” and “Loreto” vineyards. Leave it to the Wine Dog to sniff out a great deal from a not-so-great vintage — the 2002 Barbaresco offers lightly floral aromas, lush cocoa tannins, characteristic cherry-chocolate flavors. “Rocca’s 2002 Barbaresco is one of the best wines of the vintage. It displays an evolved nose of leather, spices, and tobacco, with plenty of sweet stewed prune flavors in a relatively soft and supple style for the vintage, finishing with substantial tannins.” — Wine Advocate

2003 MARGE PRIORAT (red) Special $19.99!
One of the most magical settings in Spain, the Priorat lies in the rugged hills of Northeastern Spain in Catalan, not far from Barcelona. Although the region has been producing grapes for centuries, it did not gain international fame as a world-class winemaking region until the 1990’s. From Celler de l’Encastell, “Marge” is a blend of 60% Garnacha, with Syrah, Merlot, and Cabernet aged in French and American oak. Named for the local term for stone walls, “Marge” offers pretty aromas of of pepper, spices, black cherry, and black currants. A plush, ripe, wine with nicely balanced structure. Woof!

Our price: $19.99
List price: $25

*GIACOMO CONTERNO BAROLO MONFORTINO
2000 GIACOMO CONTERNO BAROLO “MONFORTINO” Yet another spectacular vintage from GIACOMO CONTERNO has just arrived at VINTAGES. Once again, uber-critic Robert M. Parker is left “speechless.”

VINTAGES is thrilled to offer the legendary Barolo Monfortino from the most respected winery in Piedmont, and one of the finest in the world: GIACOMO CONTERNO. Conterno’s reputation is unsurpassed in Italy, and it has earned its place in the top echelon of wineries in the world. “Cantina Conterno” began in 1908 when Giovanni Conterno started making wine. Three generations later, Roberto Conterno continues the estate’s uncompromising winemaking traditions and, incredibly, has pushed the bar even higher for outstanding, legacy-quality wines year after year. VINTAGES has been fortunate to develop a personal relationship with Roberto Conterno, and the privilege of securing a quantity of Giacomo Conterno Monfortino and Cascina Francia Barolos. Continue Reading »

ANGELO GAJA, Piedmont legend

A genius for sure, Angelo Gaja can not be faulted for what he puts in the bottle. This work of art is worth every cent it will fetch. –Robert Parker

Angelo Gaja is a fourth-generation Piedmontese winemaker recognized for bringing Barbaresco into prominence on the world wine stage. Internationally acknowledged as one of Italy’s and the world’s greatest winemakers, Angelo Gaja is known for producing elegant, opulent wines that are true to their origins. He was among the first to vinify and promote single vineyard Barbaresco crus, beginning with Sorì San Lorenzo in 1967. His single vineyard Barbarescos are now virtually unrivaled in their intensity and have achieved legendary status in the wine world. His inventive vineyard and cellar practices consistently break new ground, often putting him in the center of controversy among the local cognoscenti and critics. Born in Alba in 1940, Angelo attended the Enological Institute of Alba, from which he graduated in 1960 with a degree in enology. Angelo and his wife Lucia live in Barbaresco with their son and two daughters.