Oct
23
2009
WINE DOG DEALS!
“Ferdy the Wine Dog” sniffs out the good deals!
2007 VILLA ROSA “Poggio al Rovi” Toscano Rosso $11.99 (red)
We’re faced with many decisions when it comes to buying wine, some very basic; ” Does the wine taste good? Is it worth the money? Will people be happy with it? Will they come back for more? These are all issues that we consider with regard to our customers. Regarding the producer there are other questions to consider. Is the wine unique? Is it authentic or is it an approximation of the genuine article? Was the wine created to supply a vague world demand for a certain style? Or was it simply made, the way wine has always be made, for generations, for millennia, true and pure. A real wine.
A beautiful example of true Tuscany, a chianti made in the old-school manner with local white grapes in the blend. A perfect table companion, but don’t be fooled by its quaffability– there’s real substance in its powdery mineral character and gripping tannins that command your attention. Superb!
2007 VALLE REALE Trebbiano d’Abruzzo $12.99 (white) The Pozzoli family is proud of their vineyards located in the “green heart” of Abruzzo, on the hillsides above the hot coastal plains. Valle Reale vines benefit from a cooler microclimate with calcareous soil rich in fossil material, more extreme temperatures and longer maturation of the grapes. The trebbiano has a late-harvest quality, a little richer, ripe orchard fruit, supported by underlying minerality and salinity. A tremendously satisfying white for the money!
Oct
23
2009
NEW ARRIVALS: TRADITIONAL PIEDMONT
2006 ALBINO ROCCA ‘La Rocca’ Langhe Cortese $30
The first time I met Angelo Rocca was during one of my initial visits to Barbaresco. I walked into the local enoteca in the village center, and Angelo was sitting with a fellow Barbaresco producer drinking what turned out to be the very last bottle of beer in the place. My friend Aldo and I 
were planning on a beer, but we ordered Angelo’s top white wine ‘La Rocca’ in his honor. Angelo quickly extended an invitation to his house, to tour his cellar and taste through his wines. His ready, broad smile endears him to all, and his superb wines need no translation.
2006 Albino Rocca ‘La Rocca’ $30 is made from 100% Cortese (the same grape as Gavi) and aged in French oak barrels. The 06 ‘La Rocca’ is a deep golden color, weighty and viscous with a beautifully complex and rich bouquet of apple pie ‘al la mode’ & buttered popcorn. Baked spiced apples, pie crust, carmel and vanilla cream, with notes of buttery, toasty oak. On the palate the wine has tremendous freshness, crisp apples, lively acidity, and powdery minerals, a hallmark of great wines made in Barbaresco. In short, a gorgeous, full-bodied white wine of great richness and complexity. HIGHLY recommended!
2005 Guido Porro ‘Vigneto “Santa Caterina” Barbera D’Alba $17.99 This traditional, gulp-able Barbera from Kermit Lynch is the real deal — Barbera as it should be, 
pure and fresh, not over-oaked or overwrought. Guido Porro, a small artisanal producer based in Serralunga, makes wines with a remarkable purity and clarity — qualities that have become quite rare. Jump on it!
Oct
23
2009
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 »
Oct
09
2009
NEW ARRIVALS from BURGUNDY: DOM. ROBERT CHEVILLON, Nuits-St.-Georges
2007 DOM. ROBERT CHEVILLON Bourgo
gne Passetoutgrains Special $19.99
A perennial favorite when we have it, Dom. Robert Chevillon’s Passetoutgrains, a traditional blend of gamay and pinot noir, is a distinctive pleasure on the lighter side. Chevillon produces outstanding Nuits-St.-Georges, and in their Passetoutgrains, hints of black cherry, licorice and spice are brightened by the fresh fruit of gamay.
2007 DOM. ROBERT CHEVILLON Bourgogne Rouge $30 “A pretty, even elegant, red pinot fruit nose trimmed in a bit of warm earth leads to supple, round and attractively complex middle weight flavors that are really quite forward yet impeccably well balanced. Top value!” – Burghound
2007 DOM. ROBERT CHEVILLON Nuits-St.-Georges “Les Saint Georges” 94 pts. $110 Quantity discounts apply!
“A completely different nose that is more red fruit driven and less overtly spicy yet every bit as complex as the aromas merge seamlessly into the rich, full and classy flavors that are marvelously pure, elegant and taut before culminating in a delicious, serious, dense and powerful finish that really stains the palate with extract. A stunningly good Les St. Georges and absolutely recommended. 94 pts.” – Burghound
“Sweeter and fatter than the Cailles today, with superb intensity and the refined texture of a grand cru. The vibrant, rising whiplash of a finish features a bitter cherry flavor sharpened by building minerality. Really an essence of this seductive vintage. 94 pts.“-IWA
Oct
02
2009
WINE DOG DEAL: Stylish white
2008 CAPESTRANO Passerina $9.99
Made from 100% passerina, this is a surprisingly lively white wine from Marche region with engaging peach and citrus blossom aromas and light tropical fruit flavors. Soft, tangy finish. Pair with cheese & fruit, fish with citrus flavors, salty snacks and spicy foods.
