I’ve got a ‘custom crush’ on you

Let me make one thing clear: there is plenty of wine in the world. There is not a day that goes by where we are not approached by a winery looking for new distribution. Wine Warehouse is fortunate that through our volume of sales we tend to be a magnate for new producers coming into the market. A former distributor of mine is in charge of giving Australian wineries without US distribution leads into the market. Charlie called me up and asked if I could meet with a winery that I was unfamiliar with. It turns out that the Rocland winery has an amazing although somewhat stealth track record with wine production.

Rocland is best known as a custom crush facility. A custom crush winery has all of the tools necessary to produce wine and will fine tune the process to the needs of their customers. A few of the custom crush wines that Rocland has produced recently are the highly reviewed ‘Layer Cake’ and ‘Boarding Pass.’ Rocland is located in the heart of winemaking country in the prestigious Barossa Valley. This location sets up nicely for taking in and producing wines from premium South Australian grapes.

Franc Rocca is the man in charge and the brains behind the launch in the US. Franc originally came from the cut flowers business but is busy making a name for himself with his wines. Franc’s Reserve wines are marketed under the Rocland label whereas his branded wine will be using a ‘Kilroy was here’ label. The Kilroy name refers to the US military habit of scrawling "Kilroy was here" graffiti wherever they travelled and, according to Franc, is ‘all about making your mark in the world.’ The pictures used on the label are old pictures showing Franc’s family and a sizeable amount of money was spent to come up with concept. The Kilroy label was designed by the same lady who designed the ten million case ‘Yellow Tail’ brand. She now commands quite a premium for her label designs.

Peter Gajewski, nicknamed ‘Juicy’ is Rocland’s new Chief Winemaker. Peter has nearly 30 years experience in the wine industry and is happy to be able to return to the Barossa Valley where his career originally started. Peter had previously spent 24 years with Penfolds and is now looking forward to ‘making a whole heap of iconic Barossa wines’. “I am looking forward to working with other people’s product and help make the best wine for small to medium wineries.” It will be a new chapter for Peter when it comes to working with other people’s fruit, yet he is looking forward to the customer focus. “Obviously the Barossa is well known for consistent, quality fruit that is very user friendly. “They are so versatile and well renowned.”

On to the Kilroy wines…………………they will be available in the shops next week

The Kilroy wines are produced from grapes harvested from selected premium vineyards of the North-Western Barossa Valley. This premium region has consistently low yields which result in full and rich grapes that are beautifully balanced. Extreme care is taken to ensure the fruit is harvested once it has reached its full flavor potential.

The Cabernet grapes were gently crushed in open fermenters, where it was drained from the skins daily and returned, to extract the full, rich generous flavors. Care is taken ensuring strict temperature regimes were met resulting in the maintenance of the fruits structure. Slow even pressing occurs after 7 to 10 days allowing a lovely, silky tannin structure that supports a balanced oak profile.

Maturation for 22 months in temperature controlled cellars allowed the wine to be bottled once reaching its full flavor and will develop well into the future. Whereas Australia may be known for its Shiraz, this Cabernet Sauvignon will make a believer out of you.

This Cabernet displays dark crimson, vibrant red and purple hues. Blackcurrant aromas with subtle minty notes that are typical of Cabernet Sauvignon. Nice weight on the entry, this Cab bursts with Cassis and deep blue fruits on the palate. The oak is nicely integrated which leads to a smooth and silky finish.

Kilroy was here ‘Barossa’ Cabernet Sauvignon 2006, Retail $23.99 Warehouse $18.99

Kilroy Shiraz was also harvested from selected high-quality vineyards in the North-Western Barossa Valley. The Shiraz grapes were gently crushed in open fermenters, where they were drained from the skins daily and returned, extracting the full, rich generous flavors now present. Temperature contol was employed; slow and even pressing occurred after 7 to 10 days allowing a lovely, silky tannin structure to support a balanced oak profile. 22 months of barrel maturation was utilized for a complex and ready to enjoy offering.

This Shiraz is better balanced than the Boarding Pass and has received a 5* rating in Winestate from Australia. This is the best possible rating from the Aussie’s best wine magazine.

‘Inviting and enticing. It needs an old armchair, a fire and a good book,’ suggested one judge. Lovely spicy blackberry fruit and excellent vanillin oak, with some complexity developing. ***** Winestate Magazine

‘Kilroy Was here, is an early drinking but still flavor-packed, robust red.’ 92points Huon Hooke, Sydney Morning Herald

Kilroy was here ‘Barossa’ Shiraz 2006, Retail $23.99 Warehouse $18.99


Kilroy Sparkling Shiraz was harvested from selected high-quality vineyards in the North-Western Barossa Valley. This region produces consistently low yielding vines resulting in intense and complex fruit that is full of flavor.

The Shiraz base wine for the sparkling is softened by yeast lees stirring for six months in French and American hogsheads resulting in a rich creamy mid palate. The residual sugar is lifted to enhance the fine tannin and oak balance. The wine is drinking wonderfully now, but will continue to gain complexity well into the future.

The color shines a bright cardinal cherry red. The aroma seems to display rich chocolate strawberries with a hint of vanilla from the oaking. The palate has a creamy entry and a chocolaty-fraises du bois character. This is by far the best sparkling Shiraz that I have ever had and one of a few that I have understood. Tasty! Fantastic as an aperitif and great with a chocolate dessert. Fun stuff!

Kilroy was Here ‘Barossa’ Sparkling Shiraz 2006, Retail $26.99 Warehouse $21.99

The Lot 147 vineyard is located on Rocland’s estate, situated on the Sturt Highway in the famous Barossa Valley. This rugged vineyard site just slightly northwest on the Barossa Valley floor displays all the hallmarks of fine traditional Barossa Valley Shiraz.

The Lot 147 Shiraz was crushed into open fermenters. Fermentation lasted for 10 days, during this time the juice was roughly racked off skins and returned. Careful attention was taken to the monitoring of the wine during this process. The wine was then gently pressed and racked into barrel to complete malolactic fermentation. Further rackings were conducted to ensure full integration of oak and tannin.

The wine was matured in barrels for 22 months in temperature controlled cellars allowing the wine to integrate to the beautiful beast that it is.

"Subdued, brooding, inky nose with a rich, ripe, licorice/plum palate. Great flavor concentration and length. Smart oak. Will open up in time and should age very gracefully. ****1/2 Winestate Magazine

The '06 Rocland Estate Lot 147 Shiraz is a statuesque red in big, bold but well-made modern Barossa style: very good. 94 points Huon Hooke, Sydney Morning Herald

Rocland ‘Barossa’ Lot 147 Shiraz 2006, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $24.99

"Kilroy was here" graffiti is all about making your mark in the world…….this is exactly what Rocland Estate is doing.

Look.....it's the Southern Eclipse

The long awaited shipment of Southern Eclipse is here and in the stores. These are wines from winemaker Michelle Richardson. Michelle Richardson’s degree is in Microbiology. After working as a flying winemaker, Michelle joined the Villa Maria Winery in 1992 and quickly progressed to become Villa Maria’s Auckland Winemaker in 1994. Her talent and experience helped her achieve an enormous responsibility by winning the job of chief winemaker for the entire Villa Maria group. Villa Maria is the largest independently owned wine group in New Zealand. After leaving Villa for a brief stint at Peregrine Wines in Central Otago, Michelle decided to venture out on her own.

Michelle’s achievements include being named Winemaker of the Show at the New Zealand Wine Society Royal Easter Show in 1997, 1998 and 2000, and she gained the title of ‘New Zealand Winemaker of the Year’ at the Australian Winestate Awards in 1998, 1999 and 2000.There is a string that runs through her wines, they all have a purity of expression, possess a sense of place with persistent, complex and long flavors in the mouth.

I had the opportunity to spend a few days with her in 06. Michelle made a comment that really stood out to me that she did not wish to make automated wines. Michelle prefers to touch the grapes as they come in, feel the texture of the grape must and be in contact with the wine from its initial stage of fermentation through its final state before bottling. When you try these wines you will see what she means. The wines all have a beautiful texture and serious flavors that bring one back for the next sip."The foundation of my winemaking career has been making wines from various vineyards sites here and overseas. This gave me a first hand insight to how important it is to choose the right variety to that particular region and vineyard site. When it came to making wine under my own brand I wanted to make the best I could from the region I thought the variety suited. I could have chosen one region and made the wines that best suited that area but I love too many varieties and they don't all like growing in the same place.” Michelle Richardson

Wine Warehouse has just received two releases from Michelle from the 2006 vintage. ‘2006 saw uncannily good weather as this years harvest progressed with amazingly good grace. It allowed me to get to my various vineyards around the country without any difficulties and make decisions at a leisurely pace. However, I am used to making quick assessments under pressure and relying on a gut feeling. The extra time to think initially caused me to second guess my judgments. It was an interesting observation and I decided early on that I needed to stick to my first decision. I factored in this extra 'mind time' by getting out and doing more hand-plunging of my various Pinot Noir ferments, a very physical but also a very meditative activity - a slight disclaimer is necessary - these ferments were a very manageable 3 ton size.’ Michelle Richardson

The wine is an exciting new project called Southern Eclipse. Southern Eclipse wines are created from grapes governed by the southern skies. Under an ever-changing moon and NZ’s four constant Southern Cross stars, this wine captures the essence from the land of New Zealand. The initial Southern Eclipse release was the 2006 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc. Michelle did a custom crush for Wine Warehouse from a different vineyard than the one who supplies the grapes for her Richardson ‘Marlborough’ Sauvignon Blanc.

This cuvee is cool-fermented exclusively in stainless steel for primary fruit expression on both the bouquet and on the palate.Southern Eclipse SB shows fresh tropical fruit aromas with green apple, gooseberry and grapefruit with a hint of passion fruit flavors on the palate. There is a nice crisp zing to the finish. This is an extremely refreshing wine that is here just in time as we head towards our summer weather. This wine is Marlborough meeting Sancerre, not running over it.

Southern Eclipse Sauvignon Blanc ‘Marlborough’ 2006, Retail $17.99 Warehouse $12.99

With Pinot Noir being one of the hottest categories in our stores, we felt that a Southern Eclipse Pinot was a must. New Zealand Pinot Noir from the south island and in this case Marlborough most resembles a fine example from Oregon. Texturally this wine lies somewhere between Burgundy and California as there is more overt raspberry scented fruit than one typically finds in Burgundy’s Pinot Noirs. We are very happy with the Southern Eclipse Pinot Noir. As usual these wines were shipped on a refrigerated container to maintain its character and freshness.

The Pinot Noir was hand picked, hand plunged and naturally fermented in open-top vats. The wine spent 10 months in French oak barrels. The wine has a soft raspberry and flowery bouquet which leads to a seamless black raspberry flavor with a hint of tasty new French oak. The finish is long and silky. This is a beautiful wine that can benefit from twenty minutes in the fridge before pouring.

Southern Eclipse Pinot Noir ‘Marlborough’ 2006, Retail $24.99 Warehouse $19.99

Saint Joseph from a classic year

Not just a biblical figure or a name for baby aspirin, Saint Joseph the French Rhône appellation stretching out from the hills of Hermitage in the Northern Rhone. Saint Joseph is a relatively new appellation that was founded in 1956 extending from Condrieu in the north to Valence in the south, comprising some 2500 acres. Approximately 90% of the production is red wine produced exclusively from the Syrah grape. The 10% which is white is produced from Marsanne and occasionally Roussanne grapes.

The wines of St Joseph tend to be faster maturing than their northern Rhône neighbors, the soils are similiar where on the best sites granite predominates, the difference lies in St-Joseph’s east-facing vineyards losing the sun up to two hours earlier during the later stages of ripening. Red Saint Joseph can be a delightful expression of Syrah fruit, one that has all of the flavors of a classic Syrah wines from the Rhone and is one of the most approachable northern Rhône reds to taste young.

In 2005, both the Northern Rhône enjoyed a superb harvest. The region's top domaines produced cellar-worthy reds and ripe, concentrated whites. 2005 is also the most consistent vintage the Rhône has seen since 1990, with all the major appellations and grape varieties performing well. Many producers with less prestigious pedigrees made their best wines in recent history, highlighting the excellence of the 2005 vintage. From top to bottom, 2005 is a vintage for seasoned Rhône lovers to stock up on. They are definitely great wines, but the best will need some cellaring.

Due to increasing demand worldwide for the wines of the Rhône and the lowly status of our dollar, these wines are generally becoming less of a value yet we own a few at good prices. In 2005, the Northern Rhône is at the top of its game, producing dense, structured Syrahs. The vintage is a welcome return to form following the generally leaner, crisper profile of the 2004s, though the previous vintage did produce some excellent reds and gorgeous whites. The 2005 reds display layers of black currant, fig and raspberry fruit to go along with the dark olive, leather and game notes that are pulled from their unique vineyard sites. The 2005 Northern Rhône's white wines display an abundance of distinctively exotic flavors and ripe textures. The '05 whites may not be as flashy as the aromatic and seductive '04s were, but instead offer one a more compact and reserved profile that is indicative of the vintage.

Wine Warehouse currently is featuring the 2005’s of Philippe Faury. Faury’s Saint Joseph wines are classically styled and offer a mouthful of flavor for the money.

In the town of Chavanay, Philippe Faury took over his family’s business in 1979. At the time Faury’s domaine was comprised of only 6 acres of vineyard. Phillipe has been able to grow the property to 27 acres. The new vineyards were planted in rugged terrain where the vines are difficult to cultivate.

Faury Saint Joseph red is produced from 100% Syrah grapes grown on vines that are between 5-50 years of age that are grown on granitic soils. Spicy raspberry and pepper aromas lead one to earthy, refined black cherry, leather, orange peel and vanilla on the palate. This is a shining example of Northern Rhône Syrah from a spectacular vintage.

Phillipe Faury Saint Joseph Rouge 2005, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $24.99

Faury Saint Joseph white is produced from 80% Marsanne and 20% Roussanne grapes whose vines are between 5-15 years of age grown on granite based soils. Beautiful pear, lanolin and vanillin aromas jump from the glass, the palate has a seductive minerally and oily texture that leads to flavors of pear, honeysuckle and a well balanced toasty oak finish.

Philippe Faury Saint Joseph Blanc 2005, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $24.99

Bruce Neyers; Kermit’s selling machine produces some of the finest wines in Napa…

For years, the Wine Warehouse’s French shelves have been dominated by the wines that sport a Kermit Lynch logo on their back label. This phenomenon is due largely in part to the quality of the wines and equally because of the selling machine known as Bruce Neyers who is Kermit Lynch’s National Sales Manager. Behind his daily grind, Bruce works his magic on some of the finest wines produced in the Napa Valley.

Founded in 1992 by Bruce and Barbara Neyers and now with their winemaking partner, Ehren Jordan, Neyers Vineyards produces about 15,000 cases of wine annually. Approximately 25% of the production is Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon grown on their 50-acre Conn Valley ranch. Neyers purchases additional grapes from a select group of high-tier growers, among them the Sangiacomo family of Sonoma County, Will Nord of Napa, Cam Thieriot of Sonoma Coast, Lee Hudson of Carneros, Rich Pato of Oakley in Contra Costa, and the Tofanelli family of Calistoga.

Winemaker Ehren Jordan, returned to the Napa Valley in 1994 following a two-year stint in the Northern Rhone town of Cornas. Ehren worked for Jean-Luc Columbo, one of the most respected winemakers in Europe. Ehren’s training with Columbo not only expanded his technical knowledge of winemaking, but more importantly served to enlarge his scope of the craft, giving him a deeper respect for the role of grape growing and its importance in the production of fine wine. Most of Kermit’s producers farm organically, make their wines naturally which is without use of cultured yeast or laboratory designed malo-lactic bacteria. These traditional wineries are also comfortable bottling their wines without filtration.

The wines……..

Before working with Kermit Lynch, Bruce was the National Sales Manager for the Joseph Phelps Winery. As Phelps was and is known for their Cabernet Sauvignon, Bruce planned from the beginning for Neyers Vineyards to grow world class Cabernet Sauvignon. Bruce and Barbara Neyers spent a few years looking at Napa Valley vineyard property and in 1984 they found the property. The vineyards sit at 250 feet above the main Napa Valley floor, with some parcels rising to almost 900 feet. The vineyard is planted on hillsides with the slope facing due south, maximizing exposure to the sun and guaranteeing proper ripeness. Conn Creek bisects the slope, so there's ample water for the site. The soil is rocky, with a near-ideal combination of gravel and clay; the vines struggle to grow here which Bruce theorizes, enhances the flavors. In 2004 the vineyard yielded barely 20 tons of Cabernet Sauvignon from almost 12 acres of vines, less than 2 tons/acre. 950 cases produced.

'The well-made, richly fruity 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Neyers Ranch exhibits loads of herb-tinged, smoky, berry fruit intermixed with black currants and cherries. This medium-bodied, well-made Cabernet is best consumed over the next decade.' 88 points Wine Advocate

Neyers Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Neyers Ranch’ Conn Valley 2004, Retail $44.99 Warehouse $39.99

Neyers began to develop the vineyards on their 45-acre home ranch in 1984, soon after they bought the property. In 1999, they converted the farm entirely to organics. Since then, they feel that each vintage harvested seems to yield darker and more flavorful grapes. Neyers Merlot is always a blend with the 05 being comprised of 75% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc. 3000 cases produced.

'The 2005 Merlot Neyers Ranch exhibits aromas and flavors of red currants, cranberries, mocha, and herbs in its medium-bodied, zesty, French-like profile. Consume it during its first 5-7 years of life.' 87-88 points Wine Advocate

Neyers Merlot ‘Neyers Ranch’ Conn Valley 2005, Retail $34.99 Warehouse $29.99

The Sangiacomo Family developed this vineyard in the mid-1990's, using budwood from the three primary red wine vineyards in the northern Rhóne: Cornas, Hermitage and Cóte-Rótie. The 12-acre parcel was divided into three blocks, and each is harvested and fermented separately. The vineyard is located in what is proving to be one of the most favorable spots for Syrah in California. This is the third bottling of wine from the Old Lakeville Road vines, with each being regarded as one of the most highly rated cuvees of California-produced Syrah from its particular vintage. 1190 cases produced.

'The 2006 Syrah Old Lakeville is deep ruby/purple, offering hints of charcoal, blackberry, raspberry, and cherry notes. It has impressive ripeness and density, richness, and more tannin and structure than the Hudson Vineyard. This particular cuvee will benefit from 1-2 years of cellaring and should last for up to a decade.' 90 points Wine Advocate

'Ripe and grapey, with rich, elegant spice, pepper and juicy, dusty, wild berry flavors that are sleek and focused, ending with a long, persistent finish. Drink now through 2012.' 93 points, The Wine Spectator.

Neyers Syrah ‘Old Lakeville Road’ 2006, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $24.99

Bruce doesn’t know of a Zinfandel vineyard in Napa Valley that is grown at any higher altitude than this one. These low yielding, hillside vines in the Chiles Valley are grown at an elevation of more than 1800 feet. The rocky, shallow soil ensures that the fruit is packed full of generous, spicy flavors with the 2006 yielding barely two tons per acre. This Zin is already exhibiting an attractive precociousness. 1064 cases produced.

'The 2006 Zinfandel from High Valley (1,800-foot elevation) is my pick of this group, as it was in the previous vintage. Deep, beautiful briery fruit intermixed with black cherry, pepper, and earth jumps from the glass of this wine, which has beautiful density, good acidity, and a nice, powerful finish that combines purity and elegance. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.' 91 points Wine Advocate

Neyers Zinfandel High Valley 2006, Retail $34.99 Warehouse $24.99

Bruce’s love affair with Domaine Tempier of Bandol (Provence) and their Mourvédre began in the late 1970's when Alice Waters of Chez Panisse fame arranged for him to visit as a guest of the owners. Bruce was thoroughly impressed. Thus, Bruce found it impossible to turn down Rich Pato's offer of the small crop of Mourvédre from the 100 year-old vines on his Oakley ranch as they became available in 2006. Mourvédre itself is a variety that resists oxidation, making it frequently one of the longest-lived of all red wines. It's uniquely expressive as well, combining elements of fruit, mineral, earth and leather into a package that can be greater than the sum of its parts. We at the Wine Warehouse tasted this Mourvedre with Bruce last year and our managers insisted on us bringing it in. This Mourvedre was the hit of the Neyers tasting. 353 cases produced.

'The 2006 Mourvedre Pato Vineyard is relatively stylish for a wine that can often be rustic and animal. The wine displays civilized blueberry and raspberry fruit with earth and spice. It is well-made, medium to full-bodied, with excellent ripeness and sweet tannin. Drink it over the next 5-6 years.' 90 points Wine Advocate

Neyers Mourvedre ‘Pato Vineyard’ 2006, Retail $44.99 Warehouse $29.99

As Neyers Chardonnay’s go……………..

‘I thought this was the strongest line-up of wines Neyers has yet produced, although last year the wines were nearly as good, so he seems to be on a roll. He has produced a very strong group of Chardonnays from a vintage that one has to be somewhat careful with given the problems with botrytis in many of the lower-lying vineyards. These are all pure, clean examples of Chardonnay.’ Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate

Grapes were harvested over the last week of September through the third week of October from the Sangiacomo Kiser, El Novillero and Yamakawa vineyards in Sonoma Carneros, and from the Clos Pegase Vineyard in Napa Valley Carneros. The grapes were whole-cluster pressed and the juice racked without settling to a combination of new, once, and twice used French oak barrels for a completely natural sugar and malo-lactic fermentation lasting two to five months. The must was aged in barrel seven months until bottling in July of 07. Neither fining agents nor yeast foods or other additives were used throughout the process, and the wine was lightly filtered at the time of bottling. The length of the growing season of 2006 was exaggerated, lasting well into mid-Autumn, almost a month longer than was experienced in 2005, increasing the richness and flavor of the wines, and insuring that the grapes ripen fully. 4400 cases produced.

'The 2006 Chardonnay Carneros has a nice, smoky nose of hazelnuts, honeyed citrus, and a touch of tropical fruits in a medium to full-bodied wine with, again, great fruit purity, richness, and zesty underlying acidity.' 90 points Wine Advocate

Neyers Chardonnay ‘Carneros’ 2006, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $23.99

Grapes for this wine were harvested in late September from its vineyard in Yountville, then whole cluster pressed, racked to 60 gallon French oak barrels for a natural, indigenous yeast fermentation that lasted almost six months during which the yeast lees were stirred weekly; racked just once in mid-July prior to bottling with no fining or additives used in the processing. The wine was lightly filtered at the time of bottling. In 2006 the Yountville vineyard endured a much smaller than normal crop -- 50% of the original estimate was lost during flowering -- so the fruit that was harvested was loaded with ripe flavors. The vineyard is planted on a shallow soil outcropping, which keeps the natural nitrogen level low, and extends the length of time of the fermentation. This makes for a unique combination of aromas and flavors, a wine more mineral and earthy, with fruit components less tropical than those found in the Carneros. 2700 cases produced.

'The 2006 Chardonnay Napa reveals many tropical fruits, plenty of orange and nectarine notes, medium to full body, and loads of pure fruit in a sexy, sensual style of Chardonnay to drink over the next 1-2 years.' 89 points The Wine Advocate

Neyers Chardonnay ‘Napa’ 2006, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $23.99

In his new book, The Science of Wine, British writer Jamie Goode interviews the controversial Loire Valley winemaker and biodynamic guru Nicolas Joly about the longstanding practice of fermenting wine by adding a laboratory cultured yeast strain. Joly remarks: "Adding yeast is absurd. Natural yeast is marked by the subtleties of the year. If you have added yeast, you have lost something of that year. Joly's approach to the use of indigenous yeast is an important element in traditional winemaking in France, and it's the same approach practiced at Neyers Vineyards with Chardonnay. Indigeous yeasts extend the fermentation time, thus adding an element of risk to the process, but the outcome can't be duplicated with laboratory-designed yeast. There is a richer mouth-feel component as longer fermentations tend to add a bit of glycerol richness to the wine and more complex flavors on the palate. Bruce feels that there is a buttery richness and a spicy mineral-like complexity that make up the key components in this wine. The vines originate from a vineyard which is located southwest of the town of Sonoma in the hills overlooking San Francisco Bay. Neyers produced 548 cases of El Novillero Chardonnay in 2006.

'Leesy (suspended yeast cells) complexity is noticeable in the 2006 Chardonnay El Novillero Vineyard. This wine exhibits good acidity and much more minerality, with hints of pineapple, buttered citrus, brioche, and waxy notes. The wine is a superb Chardonnay, pure, medium to full-bodied, and I suspect capable of lasting 3-4 years.' 92 points Wine Advocate

Neyers Chardonnay ‘El Novillero’ 2006, Retail $41.99 Warehouse $34.99

We will soon have a few other Neyers offerings within the next month. Be on the lookout for the Syrah Cuvee D’Honneur 05 and the Chardonnay Theriot 06.

Virtual wine heads, unite!

There was a time in the wine world where a wine without a winery had no identity. Enter the age of the virtual winery. In the UK, the virtual wine has had a life for some time now. Buyers own brands or ‘BOB’s rule the day for the major supermarket chains in the UK. The US always seem to be around five years behind the UK in anything wine related and in this case it might be even longer. This phenomenon is changing as today anyone in the US with a cool label and some good juice has a chance to make it in the marketplace. All it takes is for a wine to show value for money and for the winery to have the proper connections to take the wine to market. The two wine labels that we will look at today have all of the above. Toasted Head is a brand that has been around for a little over a decade. The other wine that we will look at is Plungerhead. This label is the new hot brands of Don Sebastiani and his new company. Don had previously run his family's Sebastiani Winery.

Toasted Head was the brainchild of the innovative marketing team at the RH Phillips Winery. The ‘toasted head’ is a wine reference to toasting the heads of the barrel to give more intense smoky characters to the wine that will be kept in the barrel. Typically only the side staves are toasted in a barrel as this is the process to give the wood the ability to bend and form a barrel. Toasting the heads gives even more smoky character to the wine. Before the ‘Toasted Head’ brand was formed I knew a group of guys in Napa who called their rock band the ‘Toasted Heads.’ As the world’s largest wine company Constellation now owns the Toasted Head brand, it may have been financially advantageous for the Toasted Heads to have registered the name. Toasted Head is now in the stable of wine giant Constellation. Constellation is the largest wine company on the planet and gobble up brands like it is nothing. Toasted Head was sold by RH Phillips to Vincor of Canada before it was then consumed by Constellation.



The Chardonnay was the initial wine under the Toasted Head label. Bright fruit flavors with toasty oak components are its hallmark. Aromas and flavors include tangerine and pear fruit aromas highlighted by clove and nutmeg in this mouth-watering. This medium-bodied wine is aged in French and American oak, has a crisp acidity, a creamy texture and a long finish, with pear and toasty butterscotch oak flavors.

Toasted Head Chardonnay California, Retail $13.99 Warehouse $9.79

The Toasted Head Merlot is a worthy companion to the Chardonnay. Toasted Head Merlot’s multi-dimensional aromas of toast, anise, red berries, and leather lead to a bright raspberry and rich black cherry flavors on the palate that linger on the finish. A spicy mid-palate and a toasty vanilla finish complete the experience.

Toasted Head Merlot California, Retail $13.99 Warehouse $10.99

Plungerhead

There is ‘traditional’ and then there are ‘The Other Guys.’ Plungerhead was made by The Other Guys, a division of Don Sebastiani & Sons. Don and his sons Donny and August, third and fourth generations negociants, are recognized for delivering quality, value and doing things differently. Richard Bruno, Director of Winemaking, and his team select small lots of grapes from choice appellations to create balanced, expressive wines and creative blends. Plungerhead makes Zinfandel from selected prime vineyards in California. Plungerhead is one of a number of successful wines in the Don Sebastiani and Sons umbrella who now sell an impressive two million cases a year. Serious stuff!

Don Sebastiani & Sons mantra is to strive to produce quality wine at an approachable price, regardless of the outcome of a particular growing season.
Don Sebastiani states his philosophy: “When my great-grandfather, Samuele, first started in the wine industry more than 100 years ago, he made bulk wines and concentrate. My grandfather, August, focused on wholesale bulk wines and generic retail jug wines, and my father emphasized varietal wines. As fourth-generation Sebastianis, my brother and I want to direct our attention to making appellation-specific wines. Plungerhead is a perfect example.” Don Sebastiani continues to be at the top of his game. Other successful brands of his that we are working with are Talus, Smoking Loon, Aquinas and Hey Mambo.

Not only do the folks at ‘The Other Guys’ marketing make fun wines, but they believe in packaging innovations as well. Plungerhead is stoppered by a revolutionary wine bottle closure that combines the convenience and safety of a screw cap and the celebration of cork. ZORK is, easy to remove by hand, simple to reseal and is completely recyclable. To open the ZORK, one simply pulls the tear tab, unwinds it and removes it. As the ZORK is pulled out, you'll hear it pop. To reseal the bottle, the ZORK is pushed back in. No corkscrew. No crumbling. No cork taint. No worries. The ZORK covered Plungerhead is built for speed and convenience. Brilliant!

The Plungerhead ‘old vine’ Lodi Zinfandel has deep purple color with cocoa, vanilla, clove, and cherry pie aromas. Rich and sappy in the mouth with flavors of boysenberry preserves, cedar, dried raspberry, and coconut spice finishing with great depth from barrel oak aging. This is a Zin that has beautiful depth and richness and unlike many others, has a fine balance of fruit flavor and strength.

Plungerhead ‘old vine’ Lodi Zinfandel, Retail $16.99 Warehouse $12.99


Virtually signing off………….or am I?

‘Le Grand Legume’ was ‘in the house’

It doesn’t take one very long to notice the passion and intensity of the man known as ‘Bobby.’ Bobby Kacher may be the most driven individual that I have ever met. Believe me, when dealing with wine marketers and salespeople, you see plenty with drive. None can touch Bobby though. Although it has been around five years since I have seen him in person, it seemed like it was just yesterday after Bobby gave me a big hug and a bearded kiss on the cheek. Bobby and his largest producer, Yves Grassa of Domaine du Tariquet stopped into the Warehouse on Monday to sample our store managers on the vibrant wines of Domaine du Tariquet.

I think that Bobby and I have known each other for around twenty five years? My favorite Bobby story originates from the time that we were both living in the D.C. area nearly twenty years ago. Bobby was traveling around to different markets with Burgundy producer Jean-Marc Joblot and I was invited to have lunch with the two of them. Jean-Marc was working on his English and seemed in awe of traveling through America with Bobby who was really beginning to garner a lot of attention for his portfolio of wines. I asked Jean-Marc how the trip was going. He replied that the trip was fantastic as he was able to visit America with ‘The Big Vegetable.’ Apparently ‘le grand legume’ is their equivalent of our ‘the big cheese.’ Every now and then I’ll refer to Bobby as just ‘legume’ to cut out the formality.

Nearly 25 years ago Bobby left the importer that he was working for and founded Robert Kacher Selections. His aim was to associate himself with growers and producers who had both the passion and energy to strive to become among their country’s most renowned winemakers. Bobby has spent the first two decades of Robert Kacher Selections almost half the time in France, in an effort to select and to develop a fine portfolio of French boutique estate wines that he imports into the US. Through this hands-on approach of working side by side with growers and producers, Bobby is able to ensure the quality and authenticity of every wine in his collection. Bobby’s detractors would say that he has perhaps too heavy a hand in the production of the wines that he imports? History has proven that the wines that RKS brings in have a following and have been and continue to be extremely well received.

Bobby continues to work as a partner with the growers and winemakers in all aspects of viticulture and vinification, constantly pushing them to produce an even higher quality product. Some of Bobby’s mantra to his growers and wine makers include lowering yields, using state-of-the-art trellising where allowed, green harvesting of fruit at ‘veraison’ (the point at which grapes start to change color), hand harvesting of fruit at the point of physiological ripeness (not analytical ripeness) and doing a triage (a sorting of the grapes to rid them of damaged fruit) as the fruit is harvested. This formula is straightforward, basic and has proven to be a great success.

Bobby’s dedication and passion for the wine business has resulted in numerous awards and accolades: Recently Robert Parker named him “one of the 20 most influential wine personalities of the past 20 years.” Previously in 2004 Bobby became Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole, one of only a handful of U.S. importers to ever receive the prestigious honor.

Robert Kacher Selections was recently named the exclusive importer of the wines of Domaine du Tariquet. Domaine du Tariquet was the first property to produce crisp, refreshing and award-winning white wines in southwestern France’s Armagnac region. As the demand for the family estate’s Armagnacs dwindled in the 1970s, proprietor Yves Grassa started experimenting with wines made from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. The results were astounding and many of his neighbors have followed him into wine production. Currently Grassa’s Tariquet Chardonnay happens to be the single best selling white wine in the Bordeaux region of France. In provincial France, this is indeed an oddity. Robert Parker has called Yves Grassa, “one of the most talented winemakers” of southern France.


Grassa had spent some time in the US studying viticulture and winemaking, gaining the knowledge of specific techniques from the UC Davis program. These techniques allow him to maintain freshness and elegance in the must by minimizing exposure to air. Fermentation is carried out in cool tanks, maintaining the primary fruit aromas and flavors of the grapes. In the vineyards at Domaine du Tariquet, grapes travel from field to tank in refrigerated wagons that are essentially wine tanks under a layer of inert gas. In the tank, the juice and skins are kept at cool temperatures for hours and then fermented slowly. For even more attention to detail on the freshness spectrum, all of the new Domaine du Tariquet wines being imported by Robert Kacher Selections will use the screw cap rather than a cork. “This guarantees fresh wine every time,” says Grassa. A few of the wines in our stores will actually have a cork. This is because of a shortage of bottles in France for the screw cap technology that the French invented. Go figure…….

Under Grassa’s direction, Domaine du Tariquet stays in step with environmental issues as well. No waste is discarded, everything is recycled, and water and electricity are under close watch. The winery enjoys International Standards Organization (ISO) certification, a guarantee of cleanliness and quality control with standards for meeting requirements of climate change mitigation and sustainable agriculture. Sustainable agriculture or ‘lutte raisonee’ is one step below organic. Tariquet has adopted environmental best practices, such as organic manuring. In order to limit the impact of treatments on the grape juice, they use partially de-mineralized water with a lowered pH level to dilute active ingredients. The results have been spectacular as pesticide treatments have been cut by 40% and their effluent treatment plant ensures that their waste water no longer has an environmental impact. In the vineyard and winery, the use of sulfites has been reduced to the strict minimum, as antioxidants such as Vitamin C are used as a partial alternative.

Wine production is strictly controlled within the Domaine from viticulture to bottling and adheres to sustainable agriculture. To prevent oxidation the grapes are taken directly from the vines to the vats in isothermal tanks. The estate features a water treatment facility and they recycle and reuse all materials. As wine tends to oxygenate quicker in smaller containers, Tariquet keeps the wine in large temperature controlled tanks until bottling is needed which helps to guarantee consistent quality and freshness. Tariquet then bottles in lots as needed to maintain freshness and vibrancy in their wines.

Yves Grassa is not only the first in Gascony to dare to plant Chardonnay, Sauvignon or Chenin Blanc grapes; he may also be the world’s most efficient vintner; making wine in the middle of his vineyard. There must be a carbon credit in there for Yves somewhere……..

Domaine du Tariquet Classic White 2006, Retail $9.99 Warehouse $7.99

A delicious, light and refreshing wine as it has only around 11% alcohol. With floral aromas, it displays citrus flavors with a touch of exotic fruit. I mean this as a compliment....this is the ideal poor-man’s Albarino.

Domaine du Tariquet Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Retail $10.99 Warehouse $8.99

This 100% Sauvignon Blanc displays intense floral notes, as well as a degree of minerality. Green apples and green melon lead the flavor charge with a medium bodied texture and a refreshing zingy finish. This wine is New Zealand meeting California in style.

Domaine du Tariquet Chardonnay 2006, Retail $12.99 Warehouse $10.99

An elegantly styled Chardonnay that is partially aged in French oak barrels. Ripe honey, pineapple and vanilla are evident in the nose and on the palate. A hint of granny smith apples also finds its way into the mix that finishes with a fresh and vibrant aftertaste.

Domaine du Tariquet ‘Cote Tariquet’ 2006, Retail $15.99 Warehouse $12.99

This wine is a blend of equal parts Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. It is delicious and displays pink grapefruit, pineapple and citrus flavors on the palate, with a touch of spice. It has a beautiful if not slightly oily texture. Its exotic aromas and flavors make it a candidate to pair with spicy and Asian food.

Domaine du Pouy Blanc 2006, Retail $8.99 Warehouse $6.95

Aromas of grapefruit and flowers jump from the glass of this straight-forward light-bodied, stainless steel-fermented wine. Layers of flavor are present, most notably citrus, and orange peel. Fresh, vibrant and built for speed. This wine is made by Yves Grassa with grapes that come from neighboring Patrick Bize’s farm.

Salut.......

Larger than life; Vinny 'G' hits his stride in 05

Daniel Haas is Vineyard Brands French wine buyer and I take his comments about Burgundy very seriously. Vineyard Brands has a fabulous selection of independantly owned Burgundy producers which has enabled Daniel to visit Burgundy up to four times a year for decades and thus know every nook and cranny of the Cote D'Or. The long and the short of this blog is this: 2005 Red Burgundies are some of the finest Pinot Noirs that this planet has ever seen. Unlike Bordeaux, many Burgundy producers talk about their wines in terms of barrels, not thousands of cases. Snooze now on the offer and they will be gone. Below are some of Daniel's comments on the vintage. After that you will see some reviews by Daniel 'DH' and Steve Tanzer 'ST.'


Vincent Girardin's wines are always the most modern examples in Vineyard Brands stable. Modern Burgundy to me means bright fruit, depth, concentration and a well balanced finish. 2005 reds by Girardin may be his best range that I have ever tried. Now on to Danny's comments.



Every once in a while a vintage comes along that is everyone’s fantasy. If you could create a perfect vintage, it would be 2005 for red Burgundy.

I saw pictures taken by one producer of grapes hanging on the vines and they were poster-child perfection – not a blemish. Clusters that were a work of art. This was a season to sit back and watch nature work its magic. There was no reason to use sulphur spray as there was no rot; there was neither overproduction nor underproduction; the grapes weren’t too big or too little.

The temperature during the season was never too high nor too low; rainfall was minimal until some small rains came in mid-August which refreshed the vines. As far as the entire growing season was concerned almost every month was of average temperature. January: normal. February: cooler than nor­mal. March: slightly warmer than normal. April: slightly above normal as well as in May, June and July, but only slightly. August had below normal temperatures but not by much. September was average.

Precipitation was below average for January, July, August and September – the perfect scenario for no rot and a perfect harvest. As far as rain was concerned, only May was wetter than normal and June had normal amounts of precipitation; during all the other months drought conditions applied. The precipi­tation in June was 30% of normal rainfall; less than 20% in July and August; less than 10% for the entire month of September.

The amount of sunshine was normal but not all the time, so the grapes ripened slowly with good hang time. Green shoots emerged around the 23rd and 24th of April – not early or late. Full flowering of the 2005 reds came on June 11th in the Côte de Beaune and June 13th in Côte de Nuits. The temperature at the beginning and middle of flowering for the whites produced shatter; the reds, which flowered about a week later, had warmer temperatures and didn’t experience shatter – those grapes were in perfect condi­tion. Since it wasn’t too hot the rest of the summer the skins were not very thick and with a lot of pulp loaded with juice.

August was uneventful save for a little rain in the region on August 24th and 26th. These rains re­started the vegetative cycle and helped with the water stress. The temperature never got above 29º (84ºF) with the exception of the 31st of August. September was warm early up until the 9th with daytime highs in the upper 20s, (80s) then it cooled down. There was one rainstorm on September 7th and another on the 9th, both about 8mm (.314”) and then no precipitation until the 17th when another 6mm (.23”) fell. After that only a trace till October came around and harvest was over.

In most of Burgundy, the harvest began between the 16th of September and the 19th. Most of the Côte de Nuits started on the 19th. The harvest was perfect, not a drop of rot, no reason to use the sorting tables, no reason to chaptalize. Nothing to do, the harvest made itself. Since the grapes were ripe on all levels you can have a perfect reading of alcohol of 13º but the skin and pulp is not phenolically ripe and you can have alcohols of 122 to 125 that are truly riper than the 135 ones. In 2005 you had alcohols and phenolic ripeness, not over ripe or with pruniness. The wines also were slow to evolve in the cellar. They did not need pump-overs or heavy extractions. They were naturally extracted. Since malolactic was so slow the wines were not racked so they were resting on the lees which were healthy giving them fresh­ness. The end result is powerful wines without any astringency, sweet, ripe tannins, balanced acidity, color and elegance and finesse from the long hang time and slow evolution in the cellar. There is nothing more to say other than if you don’t buy this vintage, just skip this grape altogether. My only refrain is, alas the prices are up 25-30% from the 2004s and with the falling dollar it’s a double whammy. DH

From Steve Tanzer: “Ever the flexible merchant, Vincent Girardin increased his purchases of Pinot Noir grapes in the sexy 2005 vintage, then cut back drastically again in 2006, making only 30 barrels of red wine in the latest vintage. (The only parcels he will continue to buy every year are Clos Vougeot, Charmes- Chambertin and Chambertin-Clos de Beze, because he’s happy with his sources.) Girardin told me that because 2005 featured very strong material his objective has been to make “a classic vintage.” He used 60% whole clusters to vinify his wines from the Cote de Nuits, and about 30% for the Cote de Beaune. He did no pigeages, relying instead on two remontages per day “in order to coat the entire cap and to avoid getting rustic tannins.” The premier crus are aging in 30% new oak and the grand crus in 40%, and because he believes the wines need long elevage, he won’t bottle until April. Girardin told me that the 2005s are currently carrying 13.3% to 14% alcohol without chaptalization.





Vincent Girardin was born in Santenay, in the Cote de Beaune and is part of a winemaking family with roots back to the 17th century. Now in his forties, Vincent began his winemaking career in 1982 with only 5 acres of vines. When his father retired, Vincent took over another 10 acres to which he could devote himself. In order to sell his wines, Vincent did not hesitate to go from door-to-door in the big cities to convince his first clients. Vincent and his wife Veronique have grown the Domaine to one that is relatively large in Burgundian terms. The key here is the attention to detail that the Girardins maintain which keeps their reputation in the upper echelon of both red and white Burgundy producers.

At Domaine Vincent Girardin the grapes are harvested by hand, then sorted twice, once in the vineyard and for a second time in the winery. The sorting process eliminates all elements that are not fully ripe or not in the best condition. The presses are pneumatic in order to preserve the purety of the grapes. Next the wines are aged in oak barrels. This carefully controlled ageing process allows the wines to achieve their full potential. In order to preserve their natural qualities to the utmost, the red wines are neither fined nor filtered.

The work in the vines is carried out with respect for the environment and nature. Vincent Girardin’s vineyards are farmed organically and the soil is worked to ensure proper aeration. Vincent Girardin rigorously controls the yields by pruning, adding only natural-slow release fertilizer, severe removal of excess buds, and green-harvesting.



“Vincent Girardin, the extremely talented owner and winemaker of this négotiant house...(his) top wines, the grand and premier crus, are at the same quality level as those crafted at Burgundy’s other excellent domaines and négotiants. What sets this firm apart is the bevy of delicious, eminently drinkable wines it produces from lesser known appellations.” The Wine Advocate

“Girardin’s wines are vividly fresh and full of life, saturated with vibrant pinot and chardonnay fruit. Vincent Girardin’s wines...test the boundaries of tradition, but never quite break them, with results that are both consistently impressive as well as a pleasure to drink. Their strength isn’t delicacy and grace, but neither is it simply brawn – and in that way they offer an intellectual paradox as well.” Wine & Spirits

“Vincent Girardin, the Côte de Beaune’s golden boy.”
Wine Spectator

2005 Bourgogne Rouge Cuvée Saint-Vincent Pinot Noir
Stelvin closure. Good color – light crimson. Smoky, rustic, raisined nose; earthy, too. On the palate, smoke and nuts; ripe, raisined fruit, very silky coffee/mocha, with a bit of jammy toast. Nice for the ap­pellation with no tannins but nice baby succulent, sweet Pinot fruit on the finish. 17.9/20 DH

Vincent Girardin Bourgogne Rouge 2005, Retail $21.99 Warehouse $18.99

2005 Emotion de Terroirs Pinot Noir
Stelvin closure. 75% Marsannay, all hillside vineyards. 10% Gevrey, 15% Bourgogne old vines, next to Chambolle and Vosne-Romanée. All purchased grapes. Deeper color; more vinous, with more depth and class. On the nose, smoky and rustic. On the palate, some black licorice and silky acidity. Easy, lush, minty chocolate; has more tannins but they are ripe. Very easy and grapey, very pure and elegant for a Bourgogne. 18.2/20 DH

Vincent Girardin Emotions de Terroir Rouge 2005, Retail $24.99 Warehouse $19.99

2005 Santenay Villages Charmes
55 year old vines; located under the premier cru Santenay Clos Rousseau. Deep color tinged with purple. Arustic nose; very earthy and rustic on the nose but on the palate it’s beefy and bacon. Anice balance of very sweet fruit; very luscious and all in balance. Jammy on the finish with strong tannins. 18.4/20 DH

Vincent Girardin Santenay Charmes 2005, Retail $32.99 Warehouse $26.99

2005 Santenay Premier Cru Gravières
Even deeper in color than the Maladière. Ariper and more foxy nose of woods and meaty bacon, too. Toasty, smoky fruit with some oak present but the wine has more power than the Maladière and is juicier, more intense and classier. Racier, with juicier acids that are long on the palate. Quite classy, very typical Pinot with a beautifully balance mint chocolate finish. 18.8/20 DH

Vincent Girardin Santenay Gravieres 2005, Retail $39.99 Warehouse $32.99

2005 Puligny-Montrachet Villages Rouge
175 cases. Smoky tobacco nose, very herbal. On the palate, it has the most tannin of all the wine so far; thick, textured, milk chocolate fruit. Alittle less juicy with more smoke and tobacco on the palate. Finishes with some compact tannins. 18.6/20 DH

Vincent Girardin Puligny Montrachet Villages Rouge, Retail $42.99 Warehouse $36.99

2005 Chassagne-Montrachet Premier Cru Clos St. Jean
Not tasted. DH


Vincent Girardin Chassagne Montrachet Clos St Jean 2005, Retail $42.99 Warehouse $36.99




2005 Savigny-les-Beaune Premier Cru Serpentières
375 cases produced. 40 year old vines, from 3 growers. Very deep in color. No rustic elements on the nose or bacon fat. Cleaner, more pure Pinot. Mostly chocolate licorice on the palate, it’s all in the texture and acidity. Very round at first then the acids refresh the wine. Some smoky bacon fat with no tannin, just luscious, lively acids but the finish has a bit of tannin. Smoky. 18.9/20 DH

Vincent Girardin Savigny les Beaune Serpentrieres 2005, Retail $39.99 Warehouse $32.99

2005 Beaune Premier Cru Grèves
425 cases produced. 50 year old vines, from 2 producers. Deep color. Juicy fruit nose. Mint chocolate, more vegetal and quite acid, and more dry tannins. Tobacco and mincemeat, smoky bacon. Al ittle less structure than the Savignys but a little but more classy. Finishes with tobacco and bacon. 18.7/20 DH

2005 Beaune Greves (from 45-year-old vines on limestone-rich soil) Good ruby-red. Ripe aromas of black cherry, minerals and chocolate. Sweet, fat and fruity, with firm acidity and mineral character giving energy to the middle palate. Finishes with substantial ripe tannins. This should offer early appeal. 88-91pts ST

Vincent Girardin Beaune Greves 2005, Retail $54.99 Warehouse $44.99

2005 Volnay Villages Vieilles Vignes
35 barrels from 5 vineyards. A very classy nose; black in color. Tobacco on the palate. It’s very rich and creamy coffee/mocha and has power and racy acids and a luscious middle. Toasty fruit with tannins on the side, like a barbecue sauce - a sweet and smoky finish. 18.9/20 DH

Vincent Girardin Volnay VV 2005, Retail $49.99 Warehouse $39.99

2005 Pommard Vignots
Very rustic on the nose, foxy like a Pommard should be, along with bananas and nuts. Very spicy on the palate, with milk chocolate and café au lait. Lots of thick texture with no tannins and a little bit of side acids. An opulent, juicy, Raisinette finish. 18.9/20 DH

Vincent Girardin Pommard Vignots 2005, Retail $49.99 Warehouse $41.99

2005 Pommard Premier Cru les Grands Epenots Vieilles Vignes
The deepest color so far, so deep you can’t see through it. Smoky tobacco, very bacony nose. You can sense the depth of fruit. Very penetrating on the palate; it’s massive, with lots of oily, powerful multi layered fruit; smoky and multidimensional. Long, long flavors and sweet ripe tannins; candy-like with jammy raisins. So concentrated it’s incredible; powerful, like a grand cru. 19.3/20 DH

2005 Pommard Grands Epenots Vieilles Vignes Bright ruby-red. Wild black raspberry, smoked meat and a minty nuance on the nose. Sweet on entry, but less expressive than the Greves, in a tougher, more solid style. But then this is Pommard. Finishes with broad, dusty tannins. 88-90pts ST

Vincent Girardin Pommard Grands Epenots VV 2005, Retail $79.99 Warehouse $69.99

2005 Pommard Premier Cru les Rugiens
Black in color. Tar, tobacco and bittersweet chocolate on the nose. Massive and ripe with tons of inky, thick textured fruit. Cherry licorice and more red fruits than the Epenots; more acids. Lovely, elegant, all in up-front fruit. Luscious red licorice and smoke. Very Pinot and elegant, but big. 19.3/20 DH

2005 Pommard Rugiens Deep, full ruby. High-toned, complex nose offers currant, flowers, nutty oak, tobacco, spices and an earthy element. Dense, lush and concentrated, with a suave, fine-grained texture. There’s plenty of material here. 89-92ptsST

Vincent Girardin Pommard Rugiens 2005, Retail $79.99 Warehouse $74.99

2005 Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
Pitch black in color. The typical rustic, coffee tobacco notes, along with a little vanilla bean. Toasty oak, silky fruit on the palate. Alittle bit metallic with lots of coffee without a lot of sugar, but enough baby acids. Smoke and toast on the finish and a bit of tea leaves. 18.2/20 DH

Vincent Girardin Gevrey Chambertin VV 2005, Retail $59.99 Warehouse $47.99

2005 Chambolle-Musigny Villages Vieilles Vignes
Animal nose – very leathery and rustic. A bit of mint chocolate also. The fruit is very Chambolle, lacy and silky with round extracted flavors. Sweet but bittersweet, too. Baby tannins and acids all in balance. A silky finish of tobacco and black licorice. 18.4/20 DH

Vincent Girardin Chambolle Musigny VV 2005, Retail $54.99 Warehouse $47.99

2005 Corton-Perrières Grand Cru
Deep color, crimson and black. Avery deep, powerful nose of black coffee; very floral. On the palate it’s fat and oily with strong tannins but not overpowering. Typical black cherry and currants and raisins on the mid palate. Very typed Pinot with a tobacco and coffee toasted finish. 19/20 DH

Vincent Girardin Corton Perrieres 2005, Retail $79.99 Warehouse $69.99

2005 Corton Renardes Grand Cru
The color of ink. Aripe, salty iodine nose, with some milk chocolate. On the palate, more richness, easier, more luscious than the Perrières. Abit of cherry pie – sweet, candied sugar-coated tannins but mostly lively acidity. Quite thick and palate-staining super meaty bittersweet chocolate rustic finish. 19.1/20 DH

2005 Corton Renardes Bright ruby-red. Highly aromatic nose combines redcurrant, tobacco, dried flowers, spices and iron. Offers more mid-palate precision and verve than the Bressandes, with redder fruits and attractive floral lift. A bit less stiff today. Finishes with dusty, ripe tannins. Despite the rather soft extraction he did, Girardin says that all of these wines still need further “refining” in barrel. He finds them quite reserved today but still believes that 2005 will be a vin de plaisir. 90-93pts ST

Vincent Girardin Corton Renardes 2005, Retail $89.99 Warehouse $74.99

2005 Corton Bressandes Grand Cru
Another opaque wine, again the smell of salt and iodine – a sign of a classy wine. Milk chocolate and burnt toast along with cherry juice, too. Abit of rum, super ripe and lacy with compact, square fruit all in elegance. Very classy, black fruit with the most tannin of the three grand crus, but also the biggest acids and finish. Cherry syrup. 19.2/20 DH

2005 Corton Bressandes Moderately saturated ruby-red. Very ripe aromas of black plum, mocha, chocolate, spices, game and earth, with a whiff of menthol. Plump and sweet but a bit unrefined and austere; this needs further elevage to gain in definition. Most promising today on the sweet, juicy, oak-spicy finish, where the solid tannins arrive late. 89-91pts ST

Vincent Girardin Corton Bressandes 2005, Retail $89.99 Warehouse $74.99

2005 Echézeaux Grand Cru
A very classy nose of milk chocolate, very ripe. Deep purple in color. On the palate, lots of creamy, intense, jam-packed fruit of cassis and cherry with tobacco notes. Long fruit with generous tannins. Sweet, candied jelly paste; a sugar-coated bittersweet finish. 19.4/20 DH

2005 Echezeaux Good medium ruby. Expressive aromas of black raspberry, minerals, game, tobacco and smoke, lifted by a floral topnote. Sweet black fruit flavors show good definition but offer less lift than the Suchots today. This is more stern and tannic-and a bit high-toned on the back. 89-92pts ST

Vincent Girardin Echezeaux Grand Cru 2005, Retail $169.99 Warehouse $139.99

2005 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru
Deep, deep color. A raisined nose. Fat, luscious, oily fruit. Meaty, all in silky elegance. Low in tannin but high in sweet, pungent raisined fruit. Very floral and minty; some side tannins but not dominating. A compact, jammy black cherry finish. 19.3/20 DH

2005 Charmes Chambertin Bright medium ruby. Cool, reserved aromas of red cherry, flowers, brown spices and minerals; this is rather Chambertin-like. Dense, suave and deep, with ripe acids and enticing floral character. But this still needs more elevage and definition. Finishes quite broad, with a fine dusting of tannins and noteworthy aromatic
persistence. Very promising wine, best today on the nose and aftertaste. 91-94pts ST

Vincent Girardin Chames Chambertin 2005, Retail $169.99 Warehouse $139.99

2005 Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru
Purchased grapes from behind the château, in front of Grands-Echézeaux. Rustic, leathery, somewhat animal. The color of ink. Tobacco on the nose. Bittersweet chocolate and black fruit, mainly black cherry and café au lait. All in texture and finesse. Round and silky with good fruit and extension and lively acids. Smoky coffee and burnt toast, stones and minerals; an elegant finish. 19.3/20 DH

2005 Clos de Vougeot Bright ruby-red. Scented aromas of black raspberry, rose petal, minerals, licorice and blood orange. Racy and light on its feet; not a dense style of Clos Vougeot but quite refined and perfumed. Finishes with very suave tannins and subtle aromatic persistence. I like this! 91-94pts ST

Vincent Girardin Clos de Vougeot 2005, Retail $179.99 Warehouse $159.99

2005 Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru
Black/purple in color. On the nose, ripe rôti of roasted nuts. Very elegant and classy already, you can tell it’s a grand cru. On the palate, it’s the best in the cellar and very floral, all in finesse. Long, long cherry juice, layers upon layers. Smoky, herbal, spicy, roasted peanut and chestnuts with black cherry jam – tobacco soaked in jam. 19.6/20 DH

2005 Chambertin Clos de Beze (five of the eight barrels come from very old vines planted next to Mazis-Chambertin) Moderately saturated red-ruby. Knockout nose of red cherry, faded rose, minerals, brown spices and red licorice. Perfumed and sharply delineated, with superb inner-mouth lift and delicacy. The potential alcohol here was 14.2% but there’s no sense of excess weight. This really stains the palate on the back, with the tannins arriving late. Made entirely from tiny berries, notes Girardin.
Offers great potential and is likely to evolve in bottle for a long time. 92-95pts ST

Vincent Girardin Chambertin Clos de Beze 2005, Retail $299.99 Warehouse $259.99

The value of Single Quinta Ports……..

Blue-purple madness. If you’ve never tried a young, quality Vintage Port just after release, you now have a chance to purchase from the Wine Warehouse a few stellar offerings from Taylor Fladgate and Fonseca. The blatant fruitiness and power shines through on these Ports.

Approximately three in every ten years we can expect to see the major Port houses declare a Vintage Port. This phenomenon is certainly due to Port houses only declaring in the most formidable and age worthy vintages. The reputation of a Port house will continue to be judged in fifty years from now based upon the quality of this Port as it develops. To declare a vintage in a less than spectacular year will be unfortunate for the next generation who is running the house. The other reason to declare vintages very selectively is to keep the supply down and thus demand and price up. As the core of a Port house’s Vintage Port is often from its finest vineyard, in non-declared years this vineyard will often produce formidable wines.

Produced in exactly the same way as a vintage port, Single Quintas are bottled after two years in cask. Single Quinta Vintage Ports are neither fined nor filtered, and thus develop a "crust", or deposit, exactly as does a vintage wine. They also represents a superb value, often priced at roughly half the cost of a declared vintage port of similar age.

As for the ubiquitously stellar 2005 vintage, the growing season in the Douro started with budburst from about 24th of March, later than usual as a result of the cold weather and the shortage of water. The whole growing season was marked by low vigor and small berry size for all grape varieties. The Douro Valley experienced its first rain since November 04 on the night of 06 September which interrupted a port harvest that had started earlier than any other.

Producers are reasonably optimistic about the quality of wine likely to be produced, and overall quantity, which was threatening to be dangerously low, was boosted by the six hours, roughly 20 mm, of rain on sep 06/07. The first grapes harvested were tiny and almost raisiny things but the rain really boosted volumes and potential alcohol levels were back to 12.5 to 13 per cent after a few days of the uninterrupted sunshine that has characterized the 2005 Douro growing season.

On to the Ports…………….

The Port house of Fonseca and Guimaraens was not formally founded until 1822, when Manuel Pedro Guimaraens acquired control of the company through purchase of the majority of the Fonseca holdings. Consistency of style has remained one of the fundamental principles of the Fonseca philosophy since its founding. The firm has traditionally purchased wines from the same growers whose operations have been under its control. The practice of shippers investing in vinification equipment to make their own wines from purchased grapes is a phenomenon only prevalent since the mid 1960s.

In the early 1970s, it became obvious to the top houses that consistent supplies of high-quality grapes would be seriously jeopardized unless they took decisive measures to secure their own resources. During the 1970’s, Fonseca Guimaraens purchased three exceptional quintas, all classified grade "A", which continued to strengthen its position in the Port hierarchy. These three properties are among the finest in the Douro. Perhaps their finest is the Quinta do Panascal?

In 1978 Fonseca acquired the Quinta do Panascal, a property located in the spectacularly beautiful Tavora Valley, also in the Cima Corgo to the south of the Douro River. At present, 67 of its 97 acres are planted, supporting 114,800 vines which produce 860 hectolitres of must annually. Adjacent vineyards produce another 196 hectolitres. New plantings at Panascal continue to focus principally on Touriga Nacional, Touriga Francesa and Tinta Roriz.

Quinta do Panascal is now firmly based as the backbone to the famous Fonseca vintages. The Fonseca Viticultural team developed the first organic vines in the Douro valley, in a designated region of Quinta do Panascal. Using recognised viticultural methods, the team has been able to refine these techniques, over several years, for growing quality organic vines in the Douro valley.A lot of work at Quinta do Panascal is focused on “batch” planting of the top five of the six varietals. Batch planting affords not only the advantage of harvesting the varieties efficiently at optimum maturity and vinifying them separately, but also naturally coincides with planting each varietal in microclimates that are best suited to it.

Tasting note: Opaque purple black with a narrow magenta rim. The nose is rich and exuberant, brimming with dark, seductive blackberry and cassis aromas laced with licorice and a hint of sweetness. The round, luscious palate follows through with a dense jammy blast of wild berries and a mouthful of rich and supple tannins.


Fonseca Quinta do Panascal 2005, Retail $62.99 Warehouse $49.99


The original company that became Taylor, Fladgate & Yeatman was officially founded in 1692. Taylor Fladgate’s top vineyard is the Quinta de Vargellas; a spectacular vineyard in the far upper reaches of the Douro Valley which is the source of the wines which embody the character of Taylor Fladgate's vintage ports in declared years. This property, acquired by the house in 1893, covers 101 hectares (250 acres), half of which are planted in vines on the slopes which descend to the banks of the river. The unsurpassed quality of this vineyard was recognized as early as 1808, when that vintage Quinta de Vargellas appeared for sale on the London market in the early 1820s, surely the first single-quinta port ever to be commercialized.

Commenting on the 2005 vintage, wine maker David Guimaraens noted: “2005 will be remembered as a hot and dry year. However the effects of the drought were offset by rain in early September and by perfect picking conditions. The crop on all the Taylor estates was one of the healthiest we have seen for years.”

The 05 Vargellas displays inky black color with a hint of purple on the rim. The bouquet displays strong blackcurrant, cherry and blackberry aromas. Hints of cedar and violets provide an exotic twist which is the hallmark of classic Vargellas Vintage Ports. On the palate the first impression is supple and restrained but the finish reveals a tightly knit fabric of well defined but supple tannins that then unleashes a powerful surge of rich black fruit flavor.

Taylor Fladgate Quinta de Vargellas 2005, Retail $69.99 Warehouse $53.99

It is commonly thought that Vintage Ports will remain in a fresh state after opening if the wine is decanted and taken away from any sediment that may be present. These Ports should remain fresh for nearly a week once opened. They are perfect to enjoy after dinner either on their own, with a salty cheese such as Stilton or can match quite nicely to a chocolate dessert. Of course one can age these Ports for decades if they are properly cellared. Enjoy, but remember at 20% alcohol, they pack a punch.