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News > Hot Buys: Red |
2006 Fattoria de Felsina Chianti Classico Riserva
Reg. $27.99 NOW $23.79 (net)
I generally write about new arrivals in my weekly e-mail but an article in Wednesday’s New York Times about Riserva Chianti tasting they did prompted me to make this offer. Rather than repeat what the article said here is a link to it (http://events.nytimes.com/2010/07/21/dining/reviews/21wine.html?ref=dining).
What really caught my attention was that a longtime favorite of mine, Fattoria de Felsina was the favorite of the group. I like this wine so much that I want you to try it so to entice you I am dropping the price until the end of the month. If you haven’t had classically made Chianti in a while, or if you just love Chianti this is an offer you won’t want to pass up.
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Andrew Will Merlot 2008 - Washington
Was $28.99 NOW$24.99
If there is an upside to the economic downturn this is it; an Andrew Will wine for $24.99. Chris Camarda has long been known for his beautiful single vineyard blends but wisely realized that folks needed a bit less expensive alternative. The amazing thing about his wine is that, while it costs less, you would not know it by tasting it. This is merlot at its best; full of plush fruit, with soft tannins but still with complexity. There was a time when wine like this ruled Washington. Maybe its time has returned.
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Brand Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 - Washington
Reg. $14.99 Now $12.99
Get used to this story. A top vineyard or top winery has excess fruit. They want to sell it. There’s a lot of fruit out there, so the price is going to be good. But here’s the hitch, the top vineyard’s or winery’s name must not be used in association with the future wine that this fruit will end up in. Kapeesh? Basically, it’s someone who usually charges a lot more for their wine and doesn’t want consumers thinking they can find that same wine in a different bottle for a lot less money. This phenomenon is becoming very common in Washington. We’re seeing tons of custom labels with secret fruit sources coming through the pipeline lately, and in the right hands, it can be a good thing. If a good winemaker and a good fruit source combine to make a great value, who could complain? This Cabernet is just one example of what I’m talking about. All that matters is that it’s delicious, rich, fruit forward and cheap as chips!
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Dupeuble Beaujolais 2008 - France
Was $15.99 NOW $11.99
In order to make room for the highly touted 2009 vintage we have been offered a great price on this very tasty Beaujolais that we were happily selling for $15.99. This is classic Beaujolais, medium bodied, full of crushed red berry fruit and oh so easy to drink. It is the perfect weight for summer drinking (give it a slight chill) and, based on intense research we can say it will go with a wide variety of summer meals.
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Fleur Pinot Noir 2007
Reg. $16.99 Now $11.99
What!?! A California Pinot on hot buy! Yup, a California Pinot on hot buy. It’s one thing to find a really delicious red wine for 12 bucks. You can find those values from anywhere. But for Pinot Noir to be a good value, especially for 12 bucks, that takes some doing. Hence, the hot buy. This delicious central coast Pinot has all the hallmarks that make a twenty dollar bottle of Pinot seem worth it, but this one is eight bucks less. Bright red cherry, strawberry, and hints of rhubarb mingle across the palate with hints of vanilla spice to compliment. The soft acidity and medium weight makes this good for spring BBQ, also a perfect accompaniment to a last minute roast chicken on the way home from work. Or, do what I did, drink it by itself while watching the Mariners, it was practically the only hit that night.
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Milbrandt Vineyards Malbec 2007 - Washington
Reg. $19.99 Now $16.99
Shhhh…What’s that sound? It’s like a mosquito buzzing around. But, wait, no, it’s…Malbec, of course, the buzz word of the wine world for the last few years. People always seem surprised when they see Malbec from anywhere but Argentina. Yet, it came from S.W France and can be found literally up and down the entire west coast. Yes, even Oregon. It’s just that most wineries have really only used it for blending until the recent success of Argentina’s Malbec. Now, it seems more and more single varietal expressions are popping up from everywhere. This Milbrandt Malbec a perfect example. The classic hallmarks are on display here, full bodied, rich dark red, purple/black fruits lustily swirl together with decadent notes of cocoa and vanilla spice, all framed by a plush texture and effortlessly smooth finish.
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Podere Ruggeri Corsini Barbera D’Alba 2008 - Italy
Reg. $16.99 Now $14.50
Have you ever smelled a wine and then immediately had visions of what you want in your mouth with it? Does that make sense? I’ll explain, I smelled this wine the other night and suddenly was overcome by the desire to eat Serious Pie Pizza (not a plug, honestly, it’s what I craved). In fact, I can’t even look at the bottle now without visions of a cherry bomb pepper with sweet fennel sausage pizza dancing through my head. And with each glorious bite, I want this incredible Barbera washing the chewed remnants down my throat! This is text book Barbera! Bright reddish purple fruits, hints of licorice and sage, soft texture, good acidity and it makes you crave pizza. That’s my hallmark of a good Barbera; it should make me crave pizza.
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Sleight of Hand, The Spellbinder 2008
Was $17.99 NOW $15.29
If you are looking for a Washington wine that you can drink on a regular basis look no further. This blend of 42% cabernet franc, 21% cabernet sauvignon, 14% syrah, 12% merlot, and 11% sangiovese is one of the most pleasurable local blends I have tried in a while. With no new oak and a modest 13.5% alcohol, this wine shows great fruit and wonderful balance and, owing to the healthy percentage of cabernet franc, it is very food friendly.
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Hot Buys: White |
Domaine Matrot Bourgogne Blanc 2008
Reg. $17.99 Now $13.99
Too cool to drink Chardonnay? I’m not, I love it. I hear a lot of people say they hate Chardonnay, which is fine, but then I hear why. “It’s too oaky, too buttery,” I often hear them say. Well I’m here to tell you it’s not the grape’s fault. Oaky and Buttery is a category of Chardonnay, a very valid category, but unfortunately it has tainted the image of this great grape, leading to false assumptions by those who have yet to see the light. This Matrot is what I love about Chard. It’s clean, minerally and crisp, with all the natural flavors inherent to the grape, not flavors derived from winemaking technique.
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Domaine Vigneau-Chevreau Vouvray Brut N.V. - France
Reg. $21.99 Now $17.99
Chenin Blanc is by far one of the most versatile white wine grapes. From the dry, crisp austere types, to the semi sweet, bright and minerally, even unctuously sweet dessert and the many styles in between, this grape produces world class whites in all styles. Sparkling too! The Vigneau-Chevreau family has been working in and making Vouvray since 1875, so if experience matters, they’ve got it. Certified Biodynamic since 1999, so if eco-friendly matters, they’ve got that too. But most importantly, the wine is delicious! Bright golden apple and stone fruits mingle underneath a blanket of dried honey, ginger and dusty minerals which all crescendo towards a wonderfully crisp, dry finish! Very refreshing and dangerously chugable too!
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Garofoli 'Podium' Verdicchio Dei Castelli Di Jesi 2005
Did you know Verdicchio could age? We certainly didn't. At least, I should say, we wouldn't expect to be wowed by an aged Verdicchio the way that we were by this wine. It seems that bottle age really relaxes the acidity of this crisp white. Allowing for minerals to integrate with subtle floral aromas and crisp citrus fruits. It also seemingly lengthened the finish of this wine, instead of being crisp and abrupt on the palate, it lingers, gently reminding the taster to take another sip, and another, and another, and another...
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Isabel Sauvignon Blanc 2009 - New Zealand
Reg. $18.99 Now $14.99
Most of the wine that we see from New Zealand is made by huge commercial wineries that purchase their fruit. Massively produced wines, from massively farmed grapes, resulting in generic quality at best wines might be why most people aren’t as excited about kiwi S.B. as they used to be. Thus, I present to you, a kiwi you can get excited about. This winery has been family run and using estate fruit since it’s inception in 1982. It also boasts some of the oldest vines in the Marlborough region. Using organic methods to grow their fruit and make their wines, I found that this wine displays much more complexity and subtlety than what I’m used to from N.Z.
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Maison Bleue Chardonnay 2009 - Washington
Was $19.99 Now $16.99
This is a winery that I’m excited to follow! I’ve only had a few selections from them, but I’m already sensing an overall theme to their production values. Balance. It seems that balance and elegance are two values that this winery is trying to bottle and from what I’ve tried so far, it’s working out. What I love about this Chardonnay is that it has beautiful clarity/purity of fruit both in the nose and on the palate, while the subtle use of oak gives the wine a little more texture than a typical stainless steel cuvee. Also, no malo-lactic fermentation, which I think allows the fruit to maintain the aforementioned clarity and keeps out cloying margarine flavors. It’s medium in weight, crisp in the finish and perfect to pair with halibut, salmon, crab, scallops, or just by itself. Drink chardonnay, it’s good for you.
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Syncline Viognier 2009 - Coyote Canyon Vineyard, Washington
2009 Syncline Viognier
Was $19.99 NOW $16.99
Our good friends at Syncline are well known for their Rhone inspired red wines but less so for their whites. I doubt that will change much as their reds are wonderful but that does not mean you should overlook this distinctive viognier. While many viogniers tend towards a softer, more perfumed style, James and Poppie have fashioned a wine that has all the wonderful fruit associated with this grape, while retaining plenty of acidity and minerality to balance.
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