June 2013

Grand Cru  

2006 EIEIO Pinot Noir Meredith Mitchell Pinot Noir – $74.98 2010 Duckhorn Merlot Napa Valley – $46.98

***

Sparkle

2002 Pol Roger Brut Champagne– $83.98 Moingeon Vin Mousseux Brut Rose “1415”– $14.98

***

Robust Reds

2011 Round Pond Cabernet Sauvignon Napa – $29.98

2009 Truchard Cabernet Sauvignon Carneros – $28.98

***

Vintage Values

2011 Ceretto Blange Langhe Arneis – $16.98

2011 Gigi Pinot Noir Monterey – $23.98

 

June 2013

2006 EIEIO Meredith Mitchell Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley

McMinnville, OR

“The list of requirements for any potential (vineyard) property was almost as long as winemaker

Jay McDonald’s list for dateable women” – Jay McDonald

And on his farm he had some Pinot…From Meredith Mitchell’s prized vineyard, with an oink oink

here and an oink oink there. Jay MacDonald is the anti-wine business negotiant, you won’t find his

wines plastered with every sell-out wine reviewers scores or on the second shelf at Safeway. He

instead chooses to remain true to the craft of finding outstanding fruit, making the wine with his bare

hands (some machinery may have been involved, but it’s a closely guarded secret on how exactly he

does it), and finally he showcases the wines along with other small boutique wineries as the

proprietor of The Tasting Room in Carlton, OR

He started out with the idea of a small wine shop that catered to the little guys, the ones who had to

do everything themselves, growing, making, and marketing their wines. No big tech dollars to spare,

just a passion to farm, a drive to create from the fruit of the land, and a lot of back breaking hard

 

June 2013

work. He gave these independent small wineries the chance to collectively showcase the region that

is now famous for Burgundian styled Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the Willamette Valley.

Along the way he was asked to help out here and there, and one thing led to another, and Jay had a

barrel of his own wine in the making. Not wanting to drink the entire barrel himself, but tempted, he

bottled it and soon found out that he was actually pretty good at making the wine as well as selling

it. With all of the small wineries and their vineyards at his disposal, he put his passion of Burgundy

first and soon created a name for himself in wines that are terrior driven. Cold weather, rocky

terrain, and a limited growing season make for pure fruit and mineral driven forces of nature that

only get better with time in the bottle.

***

The Meredith Mitchell Vineyards are as close to Grand Cru status as you’re going to get in the

Western Hemisphere. Highly sought after, and allocated to some of the Oregon legends, this is one

of the hard to get a hold of sights in the AVA. Located in the coastal foothills of southwest of

McMinnville, the soils are shallow and rocky. The maritime influences keep it rather chilly most of

the time, with a relentless breeze that eventually produces some rather thick-skinned Pinot Noir. This

thick-skinned characteristic makes for a high skin to juice ratio and high tannin content, resulting in

high acids and extreme fruit concentration. Only 25 acres are planted to the vineyard and the vines

are now nearly 25 years old, this gives a depth of flavor to the mature vines along with a steady

stream of minerality coursing through the roots into the berries.

***

Ratings and Raves:

“Bright Ruby in color, along with extreme aromatics of pencil lead, blackberries, red cherries and

petrol. Revisiting the nose you’ll find spiced macerated black cherries and plums, a little black

 

June 2013

pepper, and anise. A big powerful wine, with an amazingly balanced mouth-feel that envelops the

palate with hints of hickory smoke, more red cherry, brambleberries and intense earthiness. The

linear finish has a vibrant almost electric amount of bright acidity to make the mouth water and

want another taste”

Recommended Food Pairings:

Cured meats, soft washed rind cheeses, roasted game and pan-seared duck is the direction I would

head with a wine of this stature. Well played with game meats or stinky cheese, you’re looking for

strong flavors to match the intense earth and minerality of this Willamette Valley beauty. Don’t even

think about putting this with pasta, unless you’re having wild boar ragout over Pappardelle. Since

this was a wine made with the idea of aging, I’d give it more than 15 minutes in the decanter, this

one needs to breathe and open up to reveal the intense kirsch flavors that are hiding in the farm

flavors and earth tones. Don’t be afraid to conduct a blind tasting with your favorite Gevrey or

Pommard along with this one, you’re going to be surprised which one is from France and which one

isn’t.

2

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June 2013

Even though the movie sideways is nearly 10 years old, we still hear the after-shock of “I’m not

drinking fucking Merlot” resonate in the choices wine drinkers make when it comes to Merlot. Well,

we can attest that this isn’t Miles’ Merlot, and yes, we’re fully aware that for a while Merlot wasn’t

done well. It became very popular in the early 1980’s and supply couldn’t keep up with demand.

More than one winery was trying to get on the band wagon and were growing the grape where it

shouldn’t have been grown, and more than one wine maker was trying his/her hand at a varietal they

knew very little about; the result was a glut of mediocre Merlot and it quickly lost it’s way in the

drinking community. But that was then, and this is now, and now is time to start drinking Merlot

again. Wine makers are giving this grape a second look and working it to it’s full potential. Small

lots, reduced harvest, colder climates, and attention to concentration and low production, have all

contributed to a new and improved look at this noble grape.

Made along with 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 1% Cabernet Franc, the wine is sourced from various

locations within Napa Valley. Benefiting from microclimates and the variety of choice fruit,

Duckhorn is able to craft a blend that shows the strength of Napa terrior, but the delicate fruit that

only Merlot can balance. Aged in French oak barrels (25% new) for 15 months, it has the ability to

age or decanted for immediate enjoyment.

***

Ratings and Raves:

With firm tannins and exceptional length, this is a lovely and age-worthy wine that shows how

much Merlot can excel in a cooler growing season. The aromas are rich and inviting with layers

of Amaretto, sweet spice, and cedar. On the palate, lush flavors of plum, blackberry and cherry

dominate, with the tannins adding structure and depth.

***

 

June 2013

Recommended Food Pairings:

It’s a wine for every meal and gathering. Robust, but smooth, powerful, yet fruity and mellow, you’re

not going to have a problem finding the right meal to go with this wine. Start with marinated Tri-

Tip, then move on to barbequed ribs, throw in a hearty stew, and don’t forget my favorite dish;

anything with lamb. Soft cheeses will work, so will mushroom ragout over polenta, and so will

Bolognese and pasta. Merlot is versatile, all you need to do is properly decant this wine and the

marriage of fruit and tannins will complement most meals, although, I don’t recommend sushi, but

grilled swordfish…sure, give it a shot, I bet it’s going to go better than you think.

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June 2013

since, and a vintage where the rewards of patience are and will continue to be very fine indeed. The

wine was aged for nine years in Pol Roger’s famously deep cellars, kept at a constant 9 degrees, the

perfect natural ambiance for gentle autolytic ageing and the nurturing of an exemplary equilibrium

and a very fine and persistent mousse.

And as with all great things, fools rush in and the winemakers at Pol Roger, needless to say, are far

from foolish. Indeed Cellar master Dominique Petit, formerly of Krug, is regarded as one of the

greatest winemakers in the region and he knew from the beginning that the wine would need an

unusually long cellaring before release. This, to borrow a phrase from another friend of Pol Roger,

is his finest hour, thus far… The blend is a traditional one of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay;

after the double-débourbage (cold-settling) the first fermentation is in stainless steel, kept relatively

cool. Full malolactic fermentation ensues, followed by the second fermentation in bottle and then the

lengthy slumber beneath Avenue de Champagne in Epernay. The bottles are hand-tuned by

remueurs, the prestidigitatory efforts of whom ensure the completion of yeast autolysis and ensure a

blameless richness and length on the palate.

Beyond the impressive color, the 2002 is, quite naturally, still relatively restrained on the nose, with

whispers of gunflint, acacia and orchard fruit evidenced; the palate is magnificently poised, with a

nascent honeyed richness deferential to the power and ripeness of the vintage, but very fine stony

acidity holding it together in a tight and adamantine structure. The finish is clean and pure,

amazingly refreshing for its age, elegantly tapered and very long. Finely poised and full of potential,

this really is a great vintage Champagne that will age extremely well.”

***

 

June 2013

Ratings and Raves:

“Firm with a toasty base mixing with flavors of quince paste, pastry, dried apricot, raw almond,

and a hint of lemon curd. There’s a clean-cut note of minerality/salinity throughout, accompanied

by a fine bead and a lingering finish.” 93pts – Wine Spectator

Recommended Food Pairings:

Oh man…this wine is such a beauty; I almost don’t want to serve it with anything. But, how could

you pass up all of those exotic flavors to pair with your meal? Almond, quince paste, apricot…so

many wonderful dishes come to mind. I would try to keep it simple, go with trout Almondine, roast

chicken with apricot glaze, or lemon chicken, but be careful to only use the zest of the lemon, not the

juice when using citrus. Soft and hard cheeses alike will match up effortlessly, so will Charcuterie

and fresh quince. You could just pop the cork and share it with your favorite person in the back yard

with a warm fire on a spring night…

 

June 2013

NV 1415 Moingeon Brut Rose Vin Mousseux, Burgundy

Burgundy, FR

“Tiny bubbles in the wine…make me feel happy, make me feel fine ” – Don Ho

***

Jehan Moingeon a French laborer, could not have fathomed way back in 1415 that one day his name

would grace the label of one of the premier sparkling wines made in Nuits-Saint-Georges. Two

brothers, many, many decedents later in 1895 started a Cremant house in the heart of Burgundy, and

somehow managed through many wars, trials and efforts, to keep the winery whole through 1922,

finally passing it on to family members. In 1975, the winery took the official name of La Maison du

Cremant, with the publication of a decree on Burgundy sparkling wines, which acquired the status of

an AOC under the name Cremant de Bourgogne.

***

 

June 2013

The company founded by Jehan Moingeon elaborates its crémants by assembling grapes from the

Yonne and the Hautes Côtes, which contribute their freshness and crispness, to which they add

grapes from the Mâconnais, which provide a more pronounced wine flavor and aromatic strength.

The grapes are today harvested by hand and are transported in pierced cases to the presses. The juice

is fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. The wines are then elaborated with the

blending of three grape varieties: chardonnay, pinot noir and aligoté. The next stage is the creation of

effervescence: the wines are bottled and yeast is added, allowing the second fermentation process to

begin, in keeping with the principles of the traditional Champenois method. Depending on the lots,

the effervescence process in the bottles will last between 10 and 20 months. The last stage is the

disgorging of the bottles, followed by the addition of a liqueur. The amount of liqueur will vary to

achieve the level of dryness or sweetness required: brut, sec or demi-sec.

Mousseux is just another word for sparkling wine in Burgundy. Cremant is also a dead give away for

a sparking wine that is not from Champagne. In France it’s a big deal to give a wine credibility by

where the grapes are from. It would be a travesty to call something merely Cabernet Sauvignon,

without knowing it’s origin, is it from Languedoc, or is it from Bordeaux, one location difference

can mean hundreds of dollars in price, and a world of difference in quality. The same goes for

sparkling wines in France; there is a big difference in terrior, grapes, storage and aging methods in

Champagne than in Burgundy, and that makes all the difference in the wine.

 

 

June 2013

***

Ratings and Raves:

“This is a wonderful summer quaffer, meant to be enjoyed on the deck on a hot afternoon with a

plate of sliced meats and cheeses. Pinot Noir fruit is bright, clear and crisp, fruity and fun, there

is plenty of sparkle to make this a celebration wine too. Don’t be fooled by it’s origination, it’s

made exactly the way sparkling wines are made in Champagne, the quality is there, so is the fun.

Vintage Wine Merchants

Recommended Food Pairings:

It’s fun, it’s fruity, and it’s meant to be enjoyed during any occasion. Having a party, get a case, going to a dinner, bring two bottles, wondering what to serve as an aperitif, pop open a bottle of the 1415 Rose and pour freely along side Charcuterie, Sushi, or anything with an Asian influence. Don’t be afraid to take this one with you to Amber India and serve it along side any curry dish, or across the street at White Shallot with the clay pot black cod, and certainly don’t be afraid to call us at the shop, we’d be happy to join you for dinner!

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June 2013

When Bob retired for real this time, he passed the wineries day-to-day business to his son and

daughter, Miles and Ryan. Both professionals in the business world prior to running the winery, but

with a solid memory of growing up in the vines and having a touch of farmers blood in their veins,

they are dedicated to continue the legacy of making world class wines.

***

The Napa Valley bottling is blended first with Rutherford home vineyard wine lots, and then to give

the wine balance and early approachability, they use a blend of various vineyards throughout Napa

Valley. The idea is to produce a wine that is fruit focused and ready to go with your next meal with

out having to wait 5 years for the wine to mature. A short and cool maceration period ensures well-

balanced tannins, and aging in two-year-old barrels for 15 months; allow the fruit to be the focus,

and the structure to be the background. This is a well-balanced Cabernet Sauvignon ideal for

Wednesday night dinners, aromas of cherry cola, and dark fruit jam mixed with subtle sage, clove

and lavender. Warm dark fruits, herbs and spices blend together with velvet tannins and just enough

acidity to keep it fresh and lively, make this wine approachable and engaging with just about any

meal.

Recommended Food Pairings:

There is no doubt about it, this wine is a go to bottle ready for action at the drop of a hat. No need to

shelf this bad boy for a few years, no need to decant for 8 hours, or picking the perfect meal, nope,

all you need to do is pop the cork and enjoy the Rutherford dust, velvet texture, and fruit forward

flavors. Go ahead and grill up a marinated tri-tip, feel free to slap a little BBQ sauce on a few

chicken thighs and wings, or on some St. Louis style ribs. Better yet, grill up burgers, and roast some

sweet potato fries in the oven, or come by Vintage and share a bottle with friends before heading

over to the movie theatre. No matter what you do, you’re not going to be disappointed with enjoying

this wine with any occasion.

 

June 2013

 

2009 Truchard Cabernet Sauvignon, Carneros

Napa Valley, CA

“I like my wine like I like my women, ready to pass out” – Robin Williams

***

The Truchard Estate Vineyard encompasses 383 contiguous acres, of which 270 acres are planted.

The vineyard is a series of hills and valleys, and contains a variety of soils: clay, shale, sandstone,

volcanic rock and ash. The various combinations of terrain, geology, and marine-moderated

temperatures provide unique winegrowing conditions. Only 20% of the grapes from the Truchard

Estate Vineyard are reserved for Truchard wines and the wines are handcrafted using traditional

winemaking techniques, and exemplify the high quality fruit of this unique estate; they are truly:

"wines with a sense of place". Truchard wines have garnered much critical appreciation. Wines from

the 1994, 1996, and 1997 vintages have been included in the Wine Spectator's Top 100 wines of the

world. Wine & Spirits selected the winery as the “Estate Winery of the Year” in 1997 and 1998.

***

 

June 2013

Truchard Vineyards was established in 1974, when Tony and Jo Ann Truchard came to the Carneros

region of the Napa Valley and purchased a 20-acre parcel of land. They transformed what was an

abandoned prune orchard into a vineyard and began selling the fruit to a local winery. Through hard

work and dedication they quickly developed a reputation as one of the outstanding vineyards in

Carneros. Over the past 31 years the Truchard Estate Vineyard has grown to 400 acres, of which 270

acres are planted and the Truchards now sell grapes to more than 20 premiere Napa Valley wineries.

The Truchard Estate Vineyard is a series of hills and valleys, which contain a variety of soils: clay,

shale, sandstone, volcanic rock and ash. The various combinations of terrain, geology, and marine-

moderated temperatures provide unique winegrowing conditions. Currently the vineyard grows 10

different grape varieties, making it one of the most diverse estate vineyards in California.

In 1989, the Truchards began making wine for themselves using only their estate-grown fruit. An old

barn on the property was converted into a winery; this barn became the symbol for Truchard

Vineyards and adorns the top of the wine label. With the addition of a 10,500 square foot wine cave,

the winery has become a beautiful, modern facility. The winery makes 11 different wines, producing

a total of 16,000 cases per year. Truchard wines are produced with the vineyard in mind; “a big

vineyard and a small winery”.

***

Rich aromas of raspberry, black cherry, and cassis; with a hint of cedar and vanilla are the first

things you notice. The mouth is layered with flavors of plum, red currants, and red berry jam. Ripe

tannins focus the palate and provide a lengthy finish of spice and red fruit. All of the fruit was gently

destemmed and crushed, then inoculated with Pasteur Red yeast. Fermentations were pumped-over

twice daily, with the temperature peaking at 88 F. Maceration time varied from 14 to 30 days

depending on vineyard block. The wine was aged for 20 months in French oak barrels (45% new).

Rackings occurred every 4 months until bottling in August of 2011. The final blend is 87% Cabernet

Sauvignon, 11% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, and 1% Malbec. This wine is drinkable right now,

but will gracefully age for the next 7 - 12 years.

 

June 2013

***

Ratings and Raves:

The vineyard in on the Napa side of Carneros, and the wine shows ripe flavors of blackberry and

black currant, with sweet vanilla and toast from new oak barrels. It’s a dry wine that gives an

impression of sweetness, and might benefit from a few years in the cellar – 89pts – Wine

Enthusiast

Recommended Food Pairings:

When you have a Bordeaux-styled blend, you have to think that you have a food wine. The mixture of

fruits gives the wine a complexity that is perfect for pairing up your favorite lamb and beef dishes.

Grilled or slow roasted, we suggest cuts with a little fat on the bone; rack of lamb, bone in rib eye,

or short ribs. If you’re just not into being a carnivore, then don’t fret, you can still match this wine

up to rich barley and portabella stew, or wild mushroom risotto along side grilled summer squash,

Vidalia onions, and oven roasted heirloom tomatoes.

 

June 2013

2011 Ceretto Blange Arneis, Langhe

Piedmont, IT

Produced at Ceretto’s Monsordo Bernardina Estate, Arneis is a white Italian wine grape variety

originating from Piedmont, Italy. It is most commonly found in the hills of the Roero, northwest of

Alba, where it is part of the white Denominazione di origine controllata (DOC) wines of Roero. It

can also be used to produce DOC wines in Langhe. Arneis (literally: little rascal, in Piemontese) is

so called because it is regarded as a somewhat difficult variety to grow. It is a crisp and floral

varietal, and has been grown for centuries in the region. The white wines made from the Arneis

grape tend to be dry and full-bodied with notes of pears and apricots. For centuries the white Arneis

grape was used to soften the tannins and harshness of Nebbiolo grape in the wines of the Barolo

region, hence the common synonym of Barolo Bianco or "white Barolo". In the 20th century, as

Barolo producers begun focusing on 100% varietal Nebbiolo, acreage steadily declined almost to the

point where the variety was on the verge of extinction. By the 1970s, only two producers were

making any kind of Arneis. The 1980s saw a renaissance in interest for white Piedmont wines and

plantings began to increase. As of 2006 there were nearly 1,500 acres of Arneis in the Piedmont

region.

***

 

June 2013

The name Blangé is derived from the word “boulanger,” or baker, from the French residing in the

nearby village of Cherasco long ago. And on the “white” side of Piedmont 10% of all of the bottles

of Arneis are called Blangé. Ceretto was one of the first wineries to bring this varietal back in to

vogue, buying one of the more suitable sites on the hillside of Vezza d’Alba was what made this

varietal a success for them. Perfect terrior, climate, vineyard practices, and wine making are what it

takes to make this finicky grape to come into all its glory. The extraction process is probably the

most interesting, rather than using all the grapes at one time during press and initial fermentation,

they separate the grapes based on ripeness, location, and condition of the grape. Each batch is made

separately, then blended into the final product and fermented again in stainless steel tanks. This give

the wine maker the ability to produce a finished wine that he has a little control over, and can use the

best of what the vineyards have to offer.

Recommended Food Pairings:

This wine is perfect, perfect, and more perfect for summer. Serve it chilled along side sushi, Asian influenced dishes and lighter fare. But be careful, there is a small amount of effervescence and a ripe pear and apricot flavor profile, so savory dishes are going to clash. You’re looking for exotic foods with spice and even a little heat to them. Fruit forward but dry, the wine is food driven, but can also be enjoyed by itself. We think you’re going to look like a rock star if you bring this to a dinner with any sort of curry involved; chicken salad, Dungeness Crab, and even a fried oyster Po’Boy would probably shine next to this wine.

 

June 2013

2011 Gigi Pinot Noir, Monterey

Monterey, CA

“Work is the curse of the drinking class” – Oscar Wilde

***

Monterey County’s cool ocean breezes and chalky soils are the perfect mixture for producing world

class Pinot Noir. Vintage Wine Merchants has developed relationships with numerous growers and

producers in order to find the perfect wines to call our own. The Gigi label has been around now for

nearly 4 years and it keeps getting better and better. This years Pinot Noir is quite the effort, a

leading wine maker in the industry had his hand in developing the warm and ripe red berry flavors,

while keeping the texture and mouth-feel brisk and lively. It takes maritime influences to achieve

that kind of balance. Don’t forget about that chalky soil, the mineral content, and the grounds ability

to hold water in a rather dry summer time climate is crucial for developing Pinot Noir into a wine

that can show well right out of the bottle, but also give it the stuffing to age gracefully over the next

2-3 years.

 

June 2013

***

Upon arrival at the winery, the fruit was carefully hand sorted, de-stemmed and allowed an extended

cold soak for maximum extraction. A gentle gravity flow process is used to minimize bruising the

juice during the winemaking procedure. The whole berries go through primary fermentation in

customer open top fermenters and the free run juice is racked into French Oak, 46% being new

barrels. The 2011 growing season was one of the coolest and wettest on record. Colder than normal

summer temperatures pushed harvest back into early October, this helped the wine achieve optimal

ripeness, without sacrificing flavor, resulting in intense concentration of berry flavors, and a

combination of textured acidity, and smooth tannins. Velvety, soft, and supple, yet bright, the wines

aromas offer ripe strawberry and plum. Light undertones of earth and minerality mix well with red

fruit, spice and smooth creamy vanilla notes, it’s fairly round and mouth filling, and a lingering

spicy cherry/strawberry meringue finish.

Recommended Food Pairings:

We like to keep it simple. Serve this Monterey Coast beauty with pan-seared blackened chicken breast, or crispy duck. Think about all those warm berry fruit flavors, and be careful with meats that are too fatty and will over power the delicate profile of Pinot Noir, it’s made to work with meals that are lighter, savory and simple. Stinky soft cheeses, mushrooms, cured meats, and filet mignon are going to work perfectly.