December 20, 2011

Stocking Stuffers

The request came via email: Would I suggest a few gift wines for Christmas in the $10 to $20 range? Despite the degree of difficulty, I have accepted the challenge. Not that there aren't any number of swell wines in this price range, but it was only a month ago that I offered up my 20-20 Thanksgiving (20 wines for $20 or less) column, which included many, if not most, of the top wines in this category from my 2011 tasting sessions.

After glancing at my tasting notes, I was very happy to discover I could cover this same ground again without repeating any of the recommendations from the Thanksgiving piece. Voila, what follows is a full case of other top-notch wines that are sure to please without straining the budget. Please note that all but one of the recommended wines is white. For additional red wines in this price range, please visit creators.com and revisit My 20-20 Thanksgiving!

Wines are rated on a 100-point scale. Wines are chosen for review because they represent outstanding quality or value, and the scores are simply a measure of this reviewer's enthusiasm for the recommended wine.

Angel's Secret 2010 Petite Sirah, High Valley ($17) — The grapes for this superb petite are sourced from the Shannon Ridge Vineyard in the rugged High Valley region northeast of the Napa Valley. It is said to be California's highest vineyard, at an elevation of more than 2,000 feet. This vintage expresses the intensity of fruit for which the vineyard is renowned, with impressive layers of blackberry, black plum and blueberry. There is an inviting floral note of violets, with hints of black pepper and a savory note of smoked game. All in all quite remarkable for a red wine in this price range. Rating: 92.

Colome 2010 Torrontes, Valle Calchaqui, Argentina ($15) — There is no longer any doubt the influence of European and American viticulture and technology has elevated the wine game in Argentina. This push by outsiders is manifest in the wave of classy Argentine Malbecs on the market. The improvements extend to other grape varieties as well, most notably the lowly Torrontes. This is an aromatic white given little import by aficionados, though recent vintages have turned a few heads. Once thought to be nothing more than a simple but pleasant diversion from the region's noteworthy red wines, torrontes more and more is growing up into a serious wine that offers a bit of complexity and finesse, and at a reasonable price. Colome's 2010 is a lovely, elegant torrontes that delivers aromas of lime, grapefruit, tropical fruits and a tantalizing floral note that doesn't overwhelm the senses or the taste buds. Torrontes, in the right hands, is now a wine that can stand up to grilled fish, shellfish and other savory morsels. This is something that could not have been said of torrontes just a few years ago. Rating: 91.

Villa Maria 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand ($15) — Dollar for dollar, Villa Maria's "basic" sauvignon is probably the best bang for the buck in its genre. You could pay more — even Villa Maria has more expensive versions of the same wine — but if you're simply looking for a sauvignon with classic Marlborough personality, structure and flavor, the Villa Maria Private Bin is hard to beat at the price. This vintage shows juicy, lip-smacking flavors of gooseberry, passion fruit and grapefruit, scintillating minerality and a crisp, bracing finish. Rating: 91.

Alois Lageder 2009 Pinot Bianco, Vigneti delle Dolomiti, Italy ($14) — Lageder is probably best known for his white wines, and this lovely pinot bianco might be clue as to why that is. It shows a floral, honeyed nose of baked apples and pears, juicy and refreshing acidity on the palate, and a clean, fresh finish — a perfect quaffer, but serious enough to tackle steamed shellfish, grilled fish and savory tapas. Rating: 91.

Martin Codax 2010 Albarino, Rias Baixas, Spain ($15) — This well run cooperative provides a good home for the grapes of hundreds of growers in the fractured Rias Baixas, where small vineyard plots are the norm rather than the exception. The 2010 albarino exhibits notes of pear and lime, with excellent acidity and a rich, textured mouthfeel that is the result of what the winemaker calls "light" sur lie aging. The alcohol comes in at a refreshing 12.8 percent. Rating: 91.

Veramonte 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Valley, Chile ($12) — Sauvignon blanc has been Veramonte's most consistent winner since the winery opened with great fanfare in 1990. The 2010 Reserva delivers a burst of juicy grapefruit, with hints of green citrus and lemongrass. It's a first-class sauvignon at the remarkably low price of less than $12, and sure to please whether you're merely quaffing it on a warm summer day or getting down with steamed shellfish or light appetizers. Rating: 90.

J Vineyards & Winery 2010 Pinot Gris, California ($16) — Love the sweet red citrus fruits and floral element I find in this deliciously quaffable pinot gris from J, the Russian River Valley winery best known for its stylish sparkling wines. The perfect dry, refreshing party white. Rating: 88.

Castello Banfi 2010 San Agelo Pinot Grigio, Montalcino, Italy ($17) — Crisp and refreshing, this Banfi pinot grigio is made in the lighter style that is particularly popular worldwide. It offers notes of citrus and peach, with a hint of fennel in the bouquet. This is either the perfect summer quaffer,or a wonderful foil for tapas, mild cheeses and shellfish. Rating: 88.

Kenwood Vineyards 2010 Pinot Gris, Russian River Valley ($16) — Not being of the "anything but chardonnay" crowd, I am loathe to promote this Pinot Gris as an alternative to Chardonnay, though that's precisely what it is, a very good alternative selection for delicately flavored fish and spicy appetizers that might be overwhelmed by Chardonnay, a heavier wine. It shows vibrant notes of tropical fruit and is well balanced, fresh and clean. Rating: 88.

Simi 2010 Sauvignon Blanc, Sonoma County ($14) — Simi winemaker Steve Reeder made his first big wave in the wine business when he elevated the Kendall-Jackson Sauvignon Blanc program with impressive showings at a number of major wine competitions. He later moved on to Chateau St. Jean, where he also delivered top-notch sauvignon, and he's doing the same for Simi. The common thread among all of these sauvignons is balance and complexity. The 2010 Simi is a perfect example, for it's many different things without being too much of any one thing. It exhibits subtle herbal notes, hints of yellow citrus such as grapefruit and lime, red citrus such as tangerine, and a thread of minerality with juicy acidity. This is a refreshing sauvignon that is pleasant to sip on its own, but a wonderful accompaniment to savory appetizers and soft, ripe cheeses. Rating: 88.

Sella & Mosca 2009 Vermentino, Sardinia, Italy ($12) — Of all the delicious crisp white wines from the Mediterranean, vermentino is perhaps the least well known. For such a lovely wine, that's a pity. The '09 La Cala is a good example of the grape and the Mediterranean style. This wine is light and refreshing, low alcohol at 12.5 percent ABV (alcohol by volume), offers slightly tart aromas of lime citrus, with a distinctly floral note that is exotic and inviting. It's the perfect wine for tapas or steamed shellfish, though not as bracingly acidic as the popular wines made from the albarino grape. Rating: 87.

Liberty School 2008 Chardonnay, Central Coast ($12) — I'm often asked for suggestions for wedding wines. The problem everyone has is they want to treat their guests, especially those who appreciate the difference between good wine and swill, to something nice, but the size of the wedding party makes the per-bottle price a daunting issue. No problem. Liberty School has been delivering big flavor for small change for as long as I can remember, and its '08 Central Coast Chardonnay will be a crowd-pleaser. It offers ripe pear, apple and tropical fruit aromas, a luxurious, oily texture on the palate, and enough firm acidity to keep the flavors fresh. Party on! Rating: 87.

Follow Robert on Twitter at @wineguru.

December 17, 2011

The Winter Wine

To every wine there is a season. Perhaps that is a bit of an overstatement, but for fortified port wines, time and place are everything.

On a cold, wintry night, few beverages warm body and soul as well as a glass of port by the fire. And at 18 to 20 percent alcohol, which is typical for port, the log on the fire is optional. There is plenty of heat in this sweet libation.

Now that the Port "season" is upon us, this would seem to be the time to clarify a few of the terms related to port that perennially mystify so many wine enthusiasts. First and foremost is the term port itself. Port is a style of wine that is made to be sweet (though there are dry white ports) and served with cheese or dessert, usually after dinner. Port-style wines are produced the world over, but true port is made in the Douro Valley region of Portugal from indigenous grape varieties.

Tawny port is a port that is subjected to extended aging in barrel, where it loses color and takes on a tawny shade of brown, or caramel. Tawny ports also lose their primary fruit aromas the longer they age, evolving toward aromas of caramel, candied fruit and nuts. Tawny port is especially good with desserts that are flavored with brown spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon and ginger. The most common tawny ports you will come across are those that have been aged an average of 10 or 20 years prior to bottling.

Ruby ports are those that see some time in barrel, but are aged primarily in the bottle. The top of the line in this category is vintage port. The great port houses only "declare" a vintage in the very best years. Ruby port made in non-vintage years are blended into "vintage character" ports such as Fonseca Bin 27 or Graham's Six Grapes. Vintage-character ports sell for a fraction of the price of vintage ports, but they represent tremendous value because they are delicious. The major difference between vintage character and vintage is structural — vintage Ports are capable of improving with age over decades of cellaring, vintage-character ports are softer and fleshier when young and meant to be drunk upon release.

Late bottled vintage port, or LBV, also represents tremendous value, for these are ruby ports that while they fell short of the vintage designation, they are a cut above vintage character. These wines are aged up to four years in barrel and meant to be drunk within a few years of release. Because they don't combine multiple vintages, as vintage-character ports do, they do carry the year of production on the label, which causes confusion to some consumers who think they are purchasing a vintage port. Late bottled vintage will be clearly stated on an LBV label.

Vintage port is the ultimate in the world of port and thus the most expensive, generally starting at about $50 a bottle but often topping $100 when the vintage is deemed extraordinary. Vintage ports require several years in bottle to tame the tannins. I typically don't open my vintage ports until they are at least 10 years old. They are capable of holding up 40 to 50 years in the exceptional vintages.

When drinking port, always remember they are big, complex wines, so they need to be served in glasses that allow the wines to aerate sufficiently to bring out the full range of aromas and flavors, as well as soften the tannins if the wine is being served young.

And remember that at 20 percent alcohol by volume, a little bit of port goes a long way, or at least until the chill is gone.

November 4, 2011

In Praise of Brick and Mortar

My friend Tish, aka William Tisherman, is a New York wine journalist who passionately opposes the use of scores with wine recommendations. We have debated the merits ad nauseum and have agreed to disagree. I use scores, I believe they have value and I do not plan to abandon scores anytime soon.

Recently, however, Tish has taken a tact on the use of scores with which I can agree. He is part of a movement in New York City that encourages wine merchants to eschew the published scores from the wine mags in favor of promotional prose that draws upon their own expertise.

Truth be told, that's how I learned the basics in my earliest years as a wine enthusiast. As a young sportswriter living and working in Manhattan, I visited real brick and mortar wine shops and picked the brains of some of the finest wine merchants in the city. This was some 40 years ago, long before RP and WS, and it was the greatest wine education money could buy.

There's no question something was lost when wine buyers moved away from small, neighborhood wine shops to big-box stores with broader selections and lower prices. If you buy your wines at a grocery store, a giant big-box store such as Costco, or a liquor store, you're not likely to find anyone on staff who can answer your questions about a wine's taste or structure, or recommend a wine to serve at your Saturday night dinner party.

Visit a neighborhood wine merchant and you stand a much better chance of finding just the right wine for you. This is still the best way to buy wine and I applaud Tish for championing the cause.

But here's the rub: That's not the reality for most wine buyers. In the state of California, where I live now, sales at grocery store chains and the likes of Costco drive the retail wine business. The average person buys wine when they're also out shopping for food. The average person knows what they like when they taste it, but half of them can't remember the name of the wine, the winery or the vintage when you ask them.

That's the person who needs the shelf-talker with a useful description of what's in the bottle. If a decent score from a reputable reviewer would help close the deal, the retailer would be foolish not to use it.

I don't understand why some people have a problem with that. There is nothing inherently evil about scoring a wine in a review. Any score I attach to a wine is simply a measure of my enthusiasm for that wine. Think of it as an applause meter. The higher the number, the more I liked it.

Is there something really so bad about that?

Follow Robert on Twitter at @wineguru.

November 2, 2011

Six Yummy Wines for Thanksgiving

Bonny Doon Vineyard, Central Coast (California) 'Le Cigare Volant' 2007 ($35): While this Le Cigare Volant is a bit riper than what we're used to, that's merely a reflection of the conditions of the vintage rather than a stylistic shift by winemaker Randall Grahm, who has studiously avoided the fad of ever riper, ever sweeter, ever higher alcohol wines. Unless, of course, he's doing it by design and making a dessert wine. The 2007 Le Cigare exhibits juicy black-fruited aromas, with more subdued red fruit notes in the background, a hint of garrigue, and an intriguing touch of anise on the finish. The tannins are supple and elegant. With a bit of aeration, this Le Cigare just gets better and better, so decanting is suggested if you plan to drink it now. 94 Robert Whitley Nov 1, 2011

Clos de Gilroy, Central Coast (California) Grenache 2010 ($18): As an early devotee of the grapes of France's Rhone Valley, winemaker Randall Grahm has been ahead of the curve throughout the evolution of those grape varieties and the so-called "Rhone-style" wines made in the United States, primarily in California. While the early focus was understandably on the most noble red grape of the Rhone, Syrah, and the great wines of Hermitage, Cote-Rotie and Cornas, Grahm understood the total Rhone experience had much more to offer. The great wines of the southern Rhone, particularly Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas, owed a good deal of their charm and appeal to the less-well-known Grenache grape. In this his latest Clos de Gilroy Grenache, Grahm captures the very essence of Grenache, the succulent red-fruited aromas laced with minerality, the juicy palate, the hints of freshly ground black pepper, and the lip-smacking length and finish you will find in so many of the better wines of the southern Rhone. 90 Robert Whitley Nov 1, 2011

Joseph Drouhin, Cote de Beaune (Burgundy, France) 2009 ($34, Dreyfus Ashby): Though light in body, especially for this vintage, the Drouhin Cote de Beaune delivers intense strawberry aroma on the nose, and that remains consistent on the palate. This wine is lovely, delicate and well balanced, and shows a floral note of violets and a savory note of earthy mushrooms. It is so approachable now I could easily recommend it for near-term consumption, but history and my memory tell me it will be even better in five to seven years. 90 Robert Whitley Nov 1, 2011

Skalli, Cotes-du-Rhone (France) 'Les Rabassieres' 2009 ($15, SFW Americas): The problem, really the only problem, with Cotes-du-Rhone is that it can be anything. Skalli's Les Rabassieres resides in the upper echelon, where the wines have more substance. It is heavy on Grenache at 60 percent, with the remainder of the blend given to Syrah and Mourvedre. This was a superb vintage in the Rhone Valley, with a late-summer heat wave that pushed the grapes to full ripeness heading into the tricky fall weeks of harvest. The wine exhibits lovely aromas of sweet red fruits such as raspberry, currant and strawberry, with a hint of spice, and savory notes of dried herbs and garrigue. It is full and supple in the mouth, with sweet, smooth tannins and good balance despite palate weight that might surprise. For the money, one of the most compelling value reds I've tasted this year. 90 Robert Whitley Nov 1, 2011

October 27, 2011

Hot Off the Press

Ancient Peaks, Paso Robles (California) 'Renegade' 2009 ($23):  Renegade is a good description of this blend, for it's a combination you're not likely to see often: Syrah (46%), Malbec (31%) and Petit Verdot (23%). I do believe it is one of the most complex reds I've tasted this year in this price range. On the palate the wine is layered with red- and black-fruited aromas, with hints of spice and tobacco in the background and well judged oak. The tannins are beautifully integrated, and the wine exhibits good balance between acid and sugar. It's a lovely wine that will pair with any number of grilled meat dishes, roasts and even savory cheeses. 90 Robert Whitley Oct 25, 2011

Alta Luna, Vigneti delle Dolomiti IGT (Trentino, Italy) 'Phases' 2009 ($14, Palm Bay Imports): This is a new brand from the Cavit winery in northern Italy's Trentino region. One of the wines I tried was an inoffensive and unexciting Pinot Noir, but for $13.99 I didn't expect grand cru Burgundy, so for the price i was fine. The second red wine I tasted from Alta Luna, however, got my attention. Phases is an eclectic blend of two native grape varieties -- Teroldego and Lagrein -- with Merlot. Because of the cool climate in the foothills of the Alps, the native grape varieties can sometimes fail to ripen fully, producing lackluster reds at best. The early ripening Merlot grape is a clever safeguard against a poor vintage. The '09 Phases hits on all cylinders, though, exhibiting the red-fruited characteristics of the native grapes and the darker fruit aromas of Merlot. The wine is nicely structured, with smooth tannins and firm acidity, and should pair beautifully with sauces featuring tomatoes, olives or savory herbs, as well as grillled meats. Best of all, it's an excellent value, a wine that rises well above its modest price point. 88 Robert Whitley Oct 25, 2011

Alta Luna, Dolomiti IGT (Trentino, Italy) Pinot Grigio 2010 ($14, Palm Bay Imports):  Crisp and refreshing, this Pinot Grigio from northern Italy exhibits nuances of green apple and citrus, with good acid balance and a clean finish. For the money a very good Pinot Grigio from one of Italy's best areas for the grape variety. 87 Robert Whitley Oct 25, 2011

October 22, 2011

Presumptuous in the Extreme

A tip of the hat to Dr. Vino for pointing out this bit of narcissism from the Sea Smoke winery in California's Santa Barbara region. Grand cru is a classification of vineyard, most notably in the Burgundy region of France. It is an official classification with historical underpinnings.

California has no such official classification for vineyards. Perhaps it should, but that is not the reality at the moment. To use the term grand cru is to mislead the consumer. The wine in the bottle is not from a grand cru vineyard.

What's more, if a ranking of Pinot Noir vineyards in California did exist, I doubt very much Sea Smoke's patch of land in the Sta. Rita Hills would be included. Sea Smoke enjoys a strong following among certain wine enthusiasts, but I've never thought the wines merited either the price or the attention.

October 21, 2011

The Future of Central Coast Whites?

Ordinarily a discussion of outstanding white wines from California's Central Coast would likely begin, and possibly end, with Chardonnay. After all, from Santa Babarba to Monterey there are thousands of acres of Chardonnay vineyards, making Chardonnay the vast region's most reliable money crop.

To be sure, Central Coast Chardonnay is a worthy wine. Yet I've recently indulged myself in a couple of unusual white blends that make me suspect the potential for great white wine in the Central Coast goes well beyond Chardonnay, no matter how good.

The wines are the 2009 Trenza Blanco, Edna Valley and the 2010 Ranchero Cellars Chrome, La Vista Vineyard, Paso Robles. Trenza Blanco is a 50-50 blend of Albarino and Grenache Blanc; Ranchero Cellars Chrome a 70-30 blend of Grenache Blanc and Viognier. These are not blends you will find every day in the cellars of any California winery, though the world of California wine would be a better place if other wineries embraced the daring, innovative thinking of the two winemakers involved, Christian Roguenant (Trenza) and Amy Butler (Ranchero Cellars).

Christian, a native of France's Burgundy region who came to this country a couple of decades ago to make the ill-fated sparkling wine, Maison Deutz, has a long track record for both the skill of his winemaking and his willingness to experiment. He is the guiding hand behind the Tangent wines, including Tangent's outstanding Albarino, and also recently introduced a Gruner Veltliner under the Zocker label.

He also makes the Baileyana wines, which along with Trenza, Tangent and Zocker give the Niven Family of Paragon Vineyard fame one of the most impressive portfolio of brands in all of California. Not only do they make great wines at their Edna Valley operation, they dare put them in bottles with screwcap closures!

Butler's story is a bit more modest, but no less interesting. She is a specialist in the Rhone grape varieties and made numerous award-winning wines at Edward Sellers in Paso Robles before departing to start the Ranchero Cellars project.

She entered three of her wines -- Chrome, the 2009 Carignan "Old Vines" Columbini Vineyard, Mendocino County, and the 2010 Viognier La Vista Vineyard, Paso Robles -- in the Sommelier Challenge wine competition in September and won silver awards with both whites and a gold award for the Carignan.

All three wines rock, but I'm most enamored of the Chrome because it bolsters my argument, along with the Trenza Blanco, that the Central Coast has a very bright future in eclectic white blends, if only more winemakers would head down that path.

My recent review of the Trenza Blanco for Wine Review Online and the Creators Syndicate:

Trenza, Edna Valley (Central Coast, California) 'Blanco' 2009 ($20):  Trenza's blanco is a shining example of the potential for unusual grape varieties to do well in many of California's cool, coastal appellations. The grapes are unusual only in the sense that traditionally they have not been widely planted, if planted at all, in this country. This is a 50-50 blend of Albarino (the delicious white from the Rias Baixas district of Galicia in western Spain) and Grenache Blanc, a staple of the white wines of the southern Rhone Valley of France. The Albarino provides the zing, the Grenache blanc the heft. It's a lovely combo that shows aromas of red citrus, such as tangerine, and crisp pear. There is a flinty, edgy minerality throughout. I absolutely loved it. 94 Robert Whitley Sep 6, 2011

October 20, 2011

Despair Over Challenging California Harvest

I've linked to a depressing report from The Drinks Business on the trauma in the California wine industry over the 2011 harvest, which will be very late and much of which has been battered by autumn rains, particularly in the North Coast.

My good friend Ira Gourvitz, who owns the Fallbrook Winery outside of San Diego, tells me his Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles, which he uses in a California appellation blend, isn't expected to come in until mid-November, and that yields are down dramatically.

Chardonnay in Napa and Sonoma has been especially hard hit with botrytis, the Noble Rot that makes for delicious sweet wines, but something you don't particularly want in your table wines.

The worst vintage I can remember for botrytised Chardonnay was 1989, a very wet year that led many Napa and Sonoma wineries to steeply discount their Chardonnay.

Click here to read the report.

October 20, 2011

Rockin' Rioja Reserva

Beronia, Rioja (Spain) Reserva 'Seleccion de 198 Barricas' 2004 ($60, The San Francisco Wine Exchange):  What's surprising about this particular Rioja Reserva is the intensity of fruit aroma and freshness nearly eight years on. Rich and powerful, it delivers layers of blackberry, black currant and cherry fruit with a strong overlay of oak vanillin. It probably needs another two to three years to approach its best form, but that shouldn't be a problem, for this is certainly a 20-year-plus Rioja for the discriminating collector. 94 Robert Whitley Oct 18, 2011

October 16, 2011

Wines of the Languedoc: An Interview

Earlier in the year I participated on a panel that evaluated a selection of wines from the Languedoc with the intent of choosing those that best represented the region. Those wines selected by the panel would then be included on the Languedoc's "Ambassador's Tour" of the United States.

Following the tasting I was interviewed for my thoughts on the wines. The interview was filmed.

Click here for the video.

October 12, 2011

Stellar Chardonnay from Patz & Hall

Patz & Hall, Carneros (Napa Valley, California) Chardonnay Hyde Vineyard 2008 ($55):  Winemaker James Hall of Patz & Hall has delivered another stunner from the celebrated Hyde Vineyard in Carneros. Hall is one of a small circle of California winemakers who really "get" Chardonnay, consistently producing charismatic Chards that are flavorful and exquisitely structured, with impeccable balance. This style is all to rare for the genre. The '08 Hyde exhibits striking notes of lemon creme, minerality and the textural feat of rich, oily body combined with crisp, fresh acidity. 96 Robert Whitley Oct 11, 2011

Patz & Hall, Sonoma Coast (California) Chardonnay 2009 ($35):  You could pay an arm and a leg for one of those sensational vineyard-designate Patz & Hall Chardonnays, or you could elect to save a bundle of cash and purchase one of their appellation wines, such as this Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. In either case, you would likely be pleased with the purchase. The '09 P&H Sonoma Coast is a lovely Chardonnay that exhibits smoky minerality and beautiful balance. It's a gorgeous Chardonnay from one of the masters of the grape variety. 92 Robert Whitley Oct 11, 2011

October 9, 2011

Italian Reds That Wear Well

We enjoyed two absolutely delicious Italian reds from my cellar last night.

I took a 1998 Il Poggione Brunello Riserva and a 2000 Masi "Costasera" Amarone to dinner at Enoteca Davanti in San Diego's Little Italy.

The Il Poggione, one of my favorite Brunellos, was spectacular from the first sip, while the Masi Amarone needed a bit of aeration to open up and show its stuff.

Both wines have been stored for years at 59F in one of my refrigerated wine cabinets. They were in pristine condition and could have gone another decade or more, at least. The longevity of Amarone is an accepted fact: These are big wines that require time in the cellar to be tamed.

Wines made from Sangiovese, such as Brunello, are not as widely recognized for their ability to age. I know better because for years it was my ritual to order a bottle of the 1957 Ruffino Riserva Ducale Oro, a Chianti Classico, from the amazing cellar at Bottega del Vino in Verona, during the annual VinItaly wine fair. The well-aged Chianti was always superb, even 50 years on.

Brunello di Montalcino offers serious wine collectors tremendous value in cellar-worthy red wine, as the Il Poggione Riserva from the less-than-heralded 1998 vintage demonstrates. In fact, I would submit that the '98 vintage in the Montalcino region is vastly underrated, in some part because it followed the legendary 1997 vintage.

The key pairings for each wine were a creamy polenta topped with a savory ragu made from braised pork shoulder with the Il Poggione Brunello, and an assortment of five Italian cheeses served with the Amarone for the finale to the evening.

October 5. 2011

Two Cabs That Rock

Nickel & Nickel, Oakville (Napa Valley) Cabernet Sauvignon Martin Stelling Vineyard 2008 ($140):  This vintage of Martin Stelling Vineyard Cab from Nickel & Nickel isn't as immediately inviting nor as hedonistically perfumed as some more recent vintages, but it is no less wonderful. It's loaded with brooding, black-fruited aromas of blackberry and cassis, with a backnote of spice and mocha, firm tannins beneath the beautifully layered fruit, and a long, lingering finish. This is a massive wine of extraordinary complexity. The nose eventually blossoms as the wine is aerated; not surprising given that I peg this as a wine not likely to reach its peak for at least 15-18 years, perhaps longer. 97 Robert Whitley Oct 4, 2011

Nickel & Nickel, Oakville (Napa Valley) Cabernet Sauvignon Kelham Vineyard 2008 ($95):  This Nickel & Nickel Cabernet is sourced from a vineyard on the western side of Oakville, in the shadows of the Mayacamas, and though it is on the valley floor it delivers fruit with one of the most compelling characteristics associated with mountain vineyards -- big, bold, intense flavor! This beautfully balanced red shows bright black cherry, blackberry and cassis fruit, with a hint of spice in the background, and well judged oak -- all French, with 50 percent new and 50 percent once-used. It has the structure to improve with cellaring for up to 15-20 years. 95 Robert Whitley Oct 4, 2011