KERMIT LYNCH: Wine Artistry for Everyday

KLWM wines offer everything you could ask for in a wine for daily enjoyment: strong sense of place, focused flavors and aromas, elegant balance, complexity and a satisfying finish. 

 If you missed this tasting, don’t miss these wines. They’re fantastic!
white
2007 KUENTZ BAS Alsace Blanc $12.99 (Alsace)
WOW!  Traditional Alsatian blend: 65% sylvaner, 20% pinot blanc, 15% Chasselas (Alsace) Inviting nose, focused and pure fruit; finishes very clean and dry. A marvel of charm & precision!

2007 DOM. CHAMPELOU Vouvray Sec $17.99 (Loire Valley) STUNNING!
100% chenin blanc. “A fetching nose of quince, orange, lime, narcissus, freesia, sweet corn, and green tea ushers in a luscious yet remarkably delicate palate, with a perfectly judged hint of sweetness supporting pear, quince, and citrus. Savory salinity, a hint of caramel, chalk, and citrus zest as well as a suggestion of vanilla cream inform an ear-to-ear finish of lift and refinement.” –WA

rose
2008 DOM. FONTSAINTE “Gris de Gris” $13.99 (Languedoc) PURE NECTAR!
Blend of 60% Grenache Gris & Grenache Noir; 5% 10% Mourvèdre; 15% Carignan; 10% Cinsault. “Honeysuckle, green tea, cranberry and strawberry on the nose. Juicy, finely etched red berry and citrus flavors are gently sweet and given spine by nervy minerality. Richer on the finish…” –IWC
red
2006 DOM. FONTSAINTE Corbieres $12.99 (Languedoc) DEEPLY FRUITED NECTAR!
60% carignane, 30% grenache noir, 10% syrah. Luscious blueberry fruit, well-balanced, soft sweet tannins, juicy and delicious!

2007 CLOS la COUTALE Cahors $15.99 (Southwest France) MEATY ELEGANCE, even better the 2nd day!
70% malbec, 30% merlot. “Philippe Bernede’s 2007 Cahors continues Clos la Coutale’s long-running streak of excellence. Smelling of ripe mulberries, cassis, cardamom, carob, and black walnut husks, it offers a juicy and expansive palate. Peppery pungency & sirloin juices dominate a long finish. “–WA

2006 CHATEAU de LASCAUX Rouge $16.99 (Languedoc) DELIGHTFULLY SPICY!
60% syrah, 40% Grenache- “The Chat. Lascaux rouge smells of fresh red raspberry, smoked meat and soy, comes onto the palate brightly with ample fruit concentration covering its tannins, and finishes with lovely fresh berry tang, herbal pungency and salty-meaty savor.”-WA

2006 DOM. JOGUET Chinon “Cuvee Terroir” $19.99 (Loire Valley) EVOLVES BEAUTIFULLY in your glass! 100% cabernet franc, 20 yr old vines. “The tannins are melting, the bouquet fully expresses itself: drink now, no need to restrain yourself, it’s a wonderfully aromatic wine.”–Joguet

NEW ARRIVALS: BURGUNDY
RED BURGUNDY from ROSENTHAL
Rosenthal Imports has championed traditional, family-run domains in Burgundy and beyond for more than 30 years. These are wines and producers to follow vintage after vintage.

2006 DOM. ROLLIN “Haut Cote de Beaune” Rouge $25 Vibrant, fresh, elegant with beautiful garnet color. Tremendous value in delicious-drinking burgundy. “Each vintage has a character and that character is not only worth expressing, it’s essential.” –Remi Rollin

2001 DOM. BITOUZET-PRIEUR Beaune 1er cru Rouge “Les Cent Vignes” $40
Classic Burgundian vinification is practiced at this traditional domaine with a unique style of wine. Vincent Bitouzet’s ancestral roots in Burgundy cover at least the last two centuries. They were one of the first of the family domaines in this region to bottle their wines.

2006 DOM. FOURRIER Chambolle-Musigny Villages Vielles Vignes $72 “Raspberry, flowers and crushed stone on the perfumed nose. The palate shows an almost liqueur-like raspberry character while retaining sap and freshness. Finishes with dusty tannins and good length.” — IWA
“The Fourrier ’06s are very impressive and worth a close look … they are ultra pure wines fashioned in an elegant and understated style.”– Burghound

NEW ARRIVAL:
2008 CHAT. MASSIAC Minervois “Sentinelle de Massiac” $12.99
Dom. Massiac is owned by Bernard & France Boudovresques in the heart of Minervois. Powerful blend of 75% Syrah and 25% Carignan. Earthy, spicy and intense with aromas of clay and bacon. The vines are grown in rocky clay-limestone soil, a geologic composition common to the estate. Deep color & rich fruit with dominant flavors of black currant.

WINE DOG DEAL: Liguria
2006 COLLE dei BARDELLINI Vermentino “U Munte” $17.99
Travel to the lovely Ligurian coast with this fresh, sea-breeze vermentino from the gentle slopes of the Ponente.
2006 COLLE dei BARDELLINI Vermentino “Vigna U Munte” Reg. $25; Spec. $17.99 (15% off six pack = $15.29/bottle. Lots of freshness with cedar and citrus aromas, med.-full-bodied, a perfect companion to anything from the ocean, and much else!

TUSCAN SPECIAL:
2003 ARGIANO Brunello “Duemilatre” $40 (declassifed Brunello) 91 pts.
Special 15% off 6-pak

Il “Duemilatre di Argiano” is the declassified version of Argiano’s 2003 Brunello di Montalcino. Instead of its $75 price tag, this wine from Argiano’s top vineyards is now $40! With the purchase of a six-pak, the price is a blistering $34! 

“Argiano’s medium-bodied 2003 Brunello di Montalcino offers outstanding clarity and definition in its dark cherries, tobacco, earthiness and underbrush. The tannins of the vintage are there, but the wine is beautifully balanced and is just plain delicious. The Brunello spent a year in used French oak barrels followed by a year in cask. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2018. 91 pts. –Wine Advocate

WINE DOG DEAL: Veneto
Angiolino Maule “Masieri” $10.99
Biodynamic Bargain

2005 La Biancara di ANGIOLINO MAULE “I Masieri” Bianco $10.99
Angiolino’s estate, in the hamlet of Biancara, now covers about 9 ha planted principally to Garganega. For more than 16 years now, he has used biodynamic viticulture, as well as non-interventionist vinification using natural yeasts, and without temperature control or fining/filtration. “I Masieri Bianco” is 100% Garganega from the Masieri vineyard aged in stainless steel tanks — a fresh, crsip, authentic expression of grape and place. It’s why we love wine!

Fresh & Local: WEST COUNTY CIDER
Preserving our local heritage

WEST COUNTY CIDER Reine de Pomme $12

WINE TASTING: VENETO, new arrivals
SAT. SEPT. 19, 3-7pm BELMONT Store
For pure drinking pleasure from aperitivo to postre, the range of wines from Italy’s Veneto region is tough to beat. Join us in Belmont on Saturday to taste a selection of these very sociable, flavorful wines.

Featured wines:
2004 TOMMASO BUSSOLA Valpolicella Ripasso $25
“Ripasso” refers to the addition of Amarone grape must to the fermented Valpolicella, which adds more body, complexity and flavor. Tommaso Bussola aged his 2004 Ripasso exclusively in Austrian oak.
Eric’s tasting notes: “Deep, dark baked flavors of spiced walnut and cherry-chocolate cake. Incredibly rich with huge chocolately tannins. Balanced in a BIG way.”

“2004 Valpolicella Superiore Ripasso Ca’ del Laito reveals notable richness in its ripe jammy fruit, caramelized sugar, grilled herbs and toasted oak. The wine offers terrific depth on the palate in an engaging style.” –Wine Advocate

2003 TOMMASO BUSSOLA Valpolicella “TB” $40
“The 2003 Valpolicella Classico Superiore TB is wonderfully seamless in its vibrant dark cherries, chocolate and spice notes. It offers outstanding depth, notable poise and a long, finessed finish. Though not labeled as such, it too is made with the ripasso method, in this case using the leftover pomace from the estate’s top Amarone bottlings. It spent two years in French oak. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2013. 90 pts.” — Wine Advocate

2008 ADAMI Prosecco Giardino “Tranquilo” (still) $17.99 -bubble-free Prosecco!
Top Prosecco estate ADAMI breaks new ground with a “still” version of their wine from their excellent Giardino vineyard. Delicate aromas and flavors, fresh, with flavors of green apple. An ideal wine for lighter meals, fish and as an aperitif. Even without the sparkle, it shines!

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WINE TASTING: SAN FEREOLO, Dogliani SAT. SEPT. 19, 2-5pm CONCORD Store

In the wild, windy hills of Dogliani (dol-yahnee) in Italy’s Piedmont region, the Dolcetto grape is king. Nicoletta Bocca of SAN FEREOLO is the pioneering spirit and artist behind these wines, grown amid the vineyards, meadows, and woods on her farm in the Dogliani hills. Nicoletta left her career in the city in the early 1990’s to farm her family’s vineyards in this challenging, distinctive terroir. In recent years, she led a group of Dogliani producers to obtain the important DOCG designation for Dogliani Dolcetto. At the same time, Nicoletta committed to biodynamic farming for all her vineyards and wines.

2003 SAN FEREOLO Dogliani Ris. “1593″ 1.5L $75 VINTAGES EXCLUSIVE
“1593″ refers to the year the dolcetto grape in Dogliani was first documented. This exceptional Dogliani Riserva is bottled by Nicoletta only in certain vintages, in tiny quantities. Absolutely, this is one memorable wine. In our experience, anyone who encounters “1593″ is compelled to get their hands on more. By then, it’s usually too late — the wine is long gone. SAN FEREOLO “1593″ is here again, only in magnums — perfect for an occasion when you wish to surprise your guests, or your host, with an exceptionally delicious, rare wine.
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2004 ALTESINO Brunello di Montalcino “MONTOSOLI” 95 pts. EXCLUSIVE

Eric Broege visited the Montalcino region and the Altesino estate in April to taste the vaunted 2004 Brunellos. He had a long visit and dinner with Guido Orzalesi, and tasted 2004’s as well as barrel samples from recent vintages. The verdict? A resounding “BRAVO!”

“Montosoli” is a five-hectare vineyard  northeast of Montalcino at an altitude of 350-400m. The grapes from this vineyard have been fermented and aged separately since the 1975 harvest.

2004 ALTESINO Brunello di Montalcino “Montosoli” $120 95 pts.  “The estate’s 2004 Brunello di Montalcino Montosoli is a big, strapping wine loaded with dark fruit, smoke, new leather and minerals. The Montosoli, from one of Montalcino’s top sites, shows considerable density and richness. The tannins build on the finish, rounding out a gorgeous Brunello that achieves a brilliant combination of power and elegance. Drink: 2009-2022.”–Wine Advocate

“Shows meat and blackberry on the nose, with hints of rose perfume. Full-bodied, with silky tannins and a long, rich and flavorful finish. Love the cocoa, berry and light vanilla bean aftertaste. This is always classic in an outstanding year. Best from 2010 through 2015. 1,500 cases made. 95 pts.”–WS