Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Now that Beaujolais' early-November nouveau fever is behind us, it's worth a gentle reminder that this Burgundian neighbor has a handful of Cru sites that raise the affably fruity Gamay grape to loftier vinous heights. Among these Cru sites, those of Chenas, planted in granitic soils on the slopes of Mont Remont, result in Gamay vines that have to dig deep for their water needs. This results in smaller, more concentrated grapes, and subsequently in wines that are structured and age-worthy. Pacalet's Chenas is a nice introduction to this balancing act between Gamay's bright red fruit flavors and its potentially more serious side on the palate. And in this case, it pulls it all off with the added benefit of a spicy, earthy, and complex nose.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Argentina's Zuccardi seem to have mastered the Malbec thing, from solid entry-level bargain wines all the way through to inky, long-lived premium level wonders. Their new label named after current family patriarch Jose Zuccardi, is a worthy addition to the lineup. This is a rich, generous Malbec, full of powerful and ripe dark fruit flavors, but it's also a serious red wine; structured, complex, and likely to reward those patient enough to let it sit in the bottle for a few years.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Few dessert wines pair better with seasonal Winter desserts than Tawny Port, and few do the Tawny style better than Graham's. Their 20 Year Tawny is a minor wonder of caramel, toast, baking spice, and dried fruit flavors and aromas. It's a crowd-pleasing choice for the holidays, given that it retains the more generous, rich, fruit-forward aspects of a ten year tawny, while also displaying the smokier, nuttier aspects of a twenty year as a compelling backdrop.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
The stony, terraced Roussillon soils are capable of offering wines that outperform their price points, an aspect of the region that attracted the attention of M. Chapoutier when they invested in their Bila-Haut label. The Les Vignes de Bila-Haut Blanc is a blend of three white grapes that do exceedingly well in the area: Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, and Macabeu. What you get is a fresh, citric, and smoky white that is accessible (in both price and palate) while also offering hints of the exotic, making it a great pick when you're in the mood for something a little out of the ordinary.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
One of the things that's most fun about exploring the wine world is finding bottles that combine affordability, pleasure, and an X-factor. Such is the case with Maetierra's "Atlantis" Albarino, from Spain's Rias Baixas. In terms of meeting the exciting trifecta described above, 1) you can find this white for under $15; 2) it's zesty, citric, energetic, and sure to please a crowd; 3) there's something exotic about its hints of tropical fruits and even oyster-shell. Take the hint from its namesake, and serve it with seafood.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
It could be seriously argued that we are in a sort of golden age for Cru Beaujolais, the villages near Burgundy that make the world's finest interpretations of the Gamay grape. While Beaujolais is justifiably famous for overly-enthusiastic quaffable reds, areas such as Brouilly are making serious wines with surprising aging potential. Jean-Claude Lapalu has been making wines under his own label from his older, organically-farmed vines since 2000. His Brouilly shows bright red cherry fruits with intriguing depth, spice, and excellent structure.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Some things are deemed classics for a reason: they perennially embody a textbook definition of something. And you'd be hard-pressed to find a more textbook example of a classic Veneto Valpolicella Ripasso than the one offered by Tommasi. They've mastered the technique of "repassing" Valpolicella over the remnants of Amarone, resulting in a wine that combines impressive strength with equally impressive poise. What's really classic, however, is how Tommasi is able to do this so well, and so consistently, for so many years running.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
While Zinfandel has found a very consistent flavor and aroma profile in USA, its kissing-cousin grape Primitivo has not really had such luck in Italy. Too often, Italian Primitivo's expression feels all over the aromatic map, in some cases being too rich and jammy, and in others too thin and green. Cantine-Feudi di San Marzano's "62" Riserva Primitivo finds an excellent (and enjoyable) middle-ground, displaying all of Primitivo's ample spiciness while also treating us to the plummy, rich fruit flavors that are a hallmark of Puglia reds.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Marcillac and its signature grape - Fer Servadou (sometimes also called Mansois) - are not exactly household words even for avid lovers of French red wines. The grape itself nearly went extinct during Europe's phylloxera epidemic, but started to make a small comeback when mines were opened in Marcillac, and the miners needed something local to slake their collective thirst. Domaine du Cros' Lo Sang del Pais is a nice introduction to the seldom-regarded Fer Servadou: peppery and sporting notes of currants and licorice, with robust, grippy tannins and a rusticity that doesn't lack for some elegance, too.
Contributed by: Joe Roberts
Prunaio's foray into the relatively new "Gran Selezione" Chianti category really dates back to the 1980s, when they were producing IGT Toscana reds in vineyard selection styles. Their Sangiovese Grosso selection is pedal-to-the-metal, full-throttle all the way: think licorice, plums, dried orange peel, truffles, graphite, and plenty of palate power. As plush as this is now, there's ample tannic structure to suggest it will develop more subtlety with a few years of bottle aging.
