NV J Cuvée 20 Brut, Russian River
Our New Year's Eve sparkling wine, and quite a good one, made to celebrate the winery's 20th anniversary. Small bubbles, elegant and fine rather than powerful, yet with good depth and some complexity, good acidity, superbly balanced and smooth, with a long taste. Tasted again on Valentines Day, and confirmed the high opinion. Close-out price $19; regular price $29.2006 Martinborough Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Te Tera, Marlborough, New Zealand
Rating: Very Good +
A smooth and harmonious wine, with a bit of softness, good acidity, and tamed grassiness. Medium-bodied, with some depth and a long taste. The winery is based in Martinborough, but used Marlborough grapes for this wine. Close-out price $8; regular price unknown.2002 Wawerner Herrenberger Riesling Spätlese, Dr. Fischer, M-S-R
Rating: Very Good
Nice riesling aroma and flavor, Spätlese sweetness, moderate acidity, easy-drinking, but lacking some intensity and depth. Moderately long taste. A minor wine village on the Saar, and Dr. Fischer wines no longer seem to be what they were. Accompanied left-over roast goose. Close-out price $11; regular price $15.2002 Rüdesheimer Magdalenenkreuz Riesling Spätlese, Josef Leitz, Rheingau
Rating: Good +
Spätlese sweetness, medium-bodied with some pineapple-peach character and good acidity, fairly long taste. More depth and a bit more sweetness than a 2002 Piesporter Goldtröpfchen Riesling Spätlese from St. Urbans-Hof served before the Rüdesheimer. Accompanied Christmas roast goose. Close-out price $16; regular price unknown.2004 Laetitia Pinot Noir, Arroyo Grande Valley
Rating: Very Good -
Fragrant, with a touch of firmness, but little evidence of tannin or wood. Cherry flavors with good acidity. Moderate depth and length. Regular price $22, less 20% discount.2006 Montagny, Domaine Faiveley, France
Rating: Good ++
Some white burgundy character, but relatively mild. Good acidity, dry, with moderate intensity and length. Clean and good, but not special. Close-out price $13; regular price $19.2006 Hirsch Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, California
Rating: Good +
Starts with a wonderful perfumed aroma, then provides a depth of dark raspberry fruit that is a pleasure to savor. The color is a bit lighter than some PNs, it's medium-bodied, and there's no massive extract or layers of tannin and wood. It's superbly balanced, with levels of complexity and a very long taste. Close-out price $22; white-label price $33 (showed up again later at $44 and $66, the latter of which is the regular price).2004 Meursault, "Le Limozin", Domaine René Monnier, France
Rating: Excellent
Recognizably white burgundy, with varietal fruit, good acidity, oak in balance; all the pieces are there, but there's nothing especially eye-opening. Moderate intensity and fairly long taste. Close-out price $29; regular price $50.2007 Château Graville-Lacoste, Graves, France
Rating: Good ++
A very good deal in a reliable white bordeaux. The body and flavors are similar to good California SB, with some but not too much wood. There's good acidity and just a touch of austerity. Medium-bodied with a moderately long taste. Close-out price $10; regular price $16.2004 Viré-Clessé, Climat "La Verchère", Bret Brothers, France
Rating: Good ++
I was prepared to dislike it because it did not have the acidity and touch of leanness that I favor in a white burgundy. But it also avoids the flaws of many California chardonnays. There is plenty of luscious chardonnay fruit to provide real intensity, and a perfect proportion of oak helps provide complexity without being noticeable. The taste is complex and long, so that one can savor each sip. Golden color. Close-out price $25; regular price $35.2003 Rosemount Shiraz, Hill of Gold, Mudgee, Australia
Rating: Very Good +
Straight-forward good Aussie shiraz: some tannin and a touch of austerity, good dark-fruit flavors, medium-bodied, with a moderate long taste. Flavorful but not much complexity, and a bit reluctant. Close-out price $12; regular price $17.2004 Vision Cellars Pinot Noir, Rosella's Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands
Rating: Good ++
Not as much as I expected from one of the well-known quality vineyards: relatively light-colored, medium body, nice varietal aroma, good acidity, mild red raspberry, some tannin and inobtrusive oak. Moderately long taste of moderate intensity. Good but not eye-opening. Close-out price $27; regular price unknown (about $50?).2004 Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru, Clos des Guettes, Domaine Gagey, Louis Jadot, France
Rating: Good ++
All the characteristics of a good white burgundy: dry, ample acidity, some vanillin oak, and good varietal fruit. Fairly long taste. The only quibble is that the intensity could be a notch higher, but this is a very enjoyable wine to savor. There's a nice consistency in the Jadot style with white burgundies. Close-out price $24; regular price $33.2006 Clos de la Siete, Michel Rolland, Mendoza, Argentina
Rating: Very Good -
A wine to put hair on anyone's chest: 15% alcohol, massive extract, impenetrably dark color. The label says 45% malbec, 35% merlot, 10% cabernet sauvignon, 10% syrah. Lots of concentrated blueberry flavor, substantial tannin and some wood, moderate acidity, and a fairly long, intense taste. Clearly made for the long haul; it won't develop elegance, but maybe more complexity. Close-out price $11; regular price $17.2004 Cala Silente, Vermentino di Sardegna, Santadi, Sardegna, Italy
Rating: Good ++
There's some body to this wine, from extract and time in wood. Reminds of a good pinot bianco, with good acidity and balance. Fairly long taste. Close-out price $10; regular price $18.2005 Montes Alpha Chardonnay, Casablanca Valley, Chile
Rating: Good ++
Not my kind of chardonnay: fairly soft with moderate acidity, probably a trace of residual sugar, varietal character with inobtrusive oak; a bit fuller than medium-bodied, good intensity with moderately long taste. Alpha is the higher-quality Montes line, and this will probably please fans of California chardonnay. Close-out price $15; regular price $22.2006 Nasiakos Moschofilero, Mantinia, Greece
Rating: Good +
According to the label, this wine purports to capture "the fine aromas of a field of fragrant flowers", "the pronounced flavors of dry mountain spices and the acidic tones of lemon zest as an aftertaste". A bit over-poetic but not too far off - the wine is fragrant, has very good acidity, yet with a trace of softness that makes it easy to drink. A bit lighter than medium-bodied, with good length. Close-out price $11; regular price $18.
Rating: Good +
Red-tag close-out sales this month:Whites:
2005 Montes Alpha Chardonnay, Casablance Valley, Chile ($15, orig. $22) 2004 St. Michael-Eppan Pinot Bianco, Südtirol - Alto Adige, Italy ($9, orig. $16) 2006 Nasakios Moschofilero, Mantinia, Greece ($11, orig. $18) 2004 Savigny-lès-Beaune, Clos des Guettes, Domaine Gagey, Jadot, France ($24, orig. $33) 2004 Viré-Clesse, Climat "La Verchère, Bret Brothers, France ($25, orig. $35) 2006 Montagny, Domaine Faiveley, France ($13, orig. $19) 2007 Château Graville-Lacoste, Graves, France ($10, orig. $16) 2006 Sancerre, Cuvée des Moulins Bâles, Celestin Blondeau, France ($11, orig. $19) 2006 Martinborough Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Te Tera, Marlborough, New Zealand ($8, orig. $??)
Reds:
2006 Hirsch Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast ($22, orig. $33) 2004 Vision Cellars Pinot Noir, Rosella's Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands ($27, orig. $??) 2004 Vavasour Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand ($13, orig. $19) 2001 Barbaresco Riserva, Rizzi, Italy ($25, orig. $50)
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