Eat more bacon, drink more Shiraz…………..

If Dan Philips has his way, you will be heeding these words that I witnessed him write on a friend’s wine bar wall. Dan is the founder of The Grateful Palate which specializes in hedonistic gastronomic pursuits. The Grateful Palate has been extremely successful due to Dan’s ability to spot a winner combined with his marketing savvy. As 2007 is the year of the pig, you can imagine the marketing opportunities promoting bacon this year. The Wine Warehouse stores are filled with a plethora of Dan’s Australian wine selections with a majority of them receiving 90+ points from both Robert Parker and The Wine Spectator. Please be aware. Many of these wines are not for the faint of heart. Grateful Palate reds tend to go for maximum extraction and can be heady fruit bombs. Strap on your helmet!

"No one has done more to bring the great treasures of South Australia, particularly the old vine Grenache and Shiraz cuvées, to the American public than Dan Philips. Moreover, he has paved the road for other innovative Australian importers to do similar high quality work. Readers may not realize he is also the world’s greatest authority on "makin’ bacon." His Bacon of the Month club and his pursuit of artisinal, tiny bacon producers throughout the United States have made him a household name in the pork industry. As I know all too well, the quality of his bacons is extraordinary." Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate.

Below you will find a smattering of the Grateful Palate selections that are currently in our stores. Please note that not all selections may be available at every location.

Hobb’s The Gregor Shiraz is made from grapes that are hand picked and then placed onto drying racks. Over a period of time the drying process concentrates the berry flavors while maintaining their natural acids giving a unique flavor characteristic found only in this style of wine.

Made from yields of two tons of fruit per acre, and aged two years in both new and old French oak, the 2003 Shiraz Gregor (from 16-year-old vines) possesses a roasted/scorched earth character as some of the fruit is dried a la Amarone. Rich and full-bodied, with a broodingly dense, concentrated style, an inky/blue/purple color, fabulous length as well as intensity, and riveting fruit, it can be enjoyed over the next 12-15 years. 96 points The Wine Advocate

Hobb’s Shiraz ‘The Gregor’ 2003, Retail $134.99 Warehouse $99.99

Shirvington Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 was 100% barrel fermented and aged for 12 months in 80% American oak and 20% French oak. 85% of the oak was new and the remaining 15% was one year old.

The deep ruby/purple-colored 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits a restrained, elegant bouquet of black fruits, minerals, and toasty new oak. Medium to full-bodied, with excellent concentration, purity, and texture, it should be consumed over the next 7-10 years. 90 points The Wine Advocate.

Shirvington Cabernet Sauvignon 2004, Retail $64.99 Warehouse $49.99



The 2003 Rusden Cabernet Sauvignon Boundaries demonstrates how superb Barossa Cabernet can be. Aged 30 months in primarily old French (70%) and new American (30%) oak, it is a singular, distinctive effort offering notions of lead pencil shavings, tar, spice box, cedar, and juicy black currants. Deep, full-bodied, and rich with velvety tannin and a 45 plus second finish, this beautiful Cabernet Sauvignon should age effortlessly for 15 or more years. 94 points The Wine Advocate.

Rusden Cabernet Sauvignon ‘Boundaries’ 2003, Retail $79.99 Warehouse $59.99

Henry's Drive 2004 Shiraz. Cut from the same mold as the Dead Letter Office, the rich 2004 Shiraz is slightly more linear, but exhibits notes of espresso roast, blackberries, creme de cassis, flowers, and toasty new oak. Deep, rich, and layered, it is best consumed over the next 5-7 years. 91 points The Wine Advocate.

Henry’s Drive Shiraz 2004, Retail $39.99 Warehouse $29.99




Kay's Amery Shiraz 2003. One of Australia’s most traditional winemakers, Colin Kay fashions old style, high quality, distinctive Australian reds. Tarry, chewy, and fleshy, the 2003 Shiraz Hillside has a bit more punch (15% alcohol) as well as a sappy character that is not present in the regular bottling. It is a broad, savory, expansively flavored, full-bodied Shiraz to enjoy over the next decade. 92 points The Wine Advocate.

Kay’s Amery Shiraz 2003, Retail $44.99 Warehouse $29.99





Above is a picture of Jancis Robinson visiting the Brothers in Arms winery.




Brothers in Arms Shiraz 2002. More backward as well as more concentrated and layered than the 2000, with additional up-side potential, the 2001 Shiraz reveals a dense inky purple color along with a pretty nose of vanilla interwoven with acacia flowers, blackberries, and licorice. Full-bodied and opulent with a structure not dissimilar to some 2002s, give it 1-2 years of cellaring, and drink it over the following 12-15. 91 points The Wine Advocate.

Brothers in Arms Shiraz 2002, Retail $39.99 Warehouse $29.99

Trevor Jones consistently produces one of the world’s best non-oaked, or “Virgin” Chardonnays, Trevor Jones’s offerings attain a laser-like precision without sacrificing any of their rich, white peach, pear, and honeyed citrus fruit. The medium to full-bodied, beautifully pure, charming, tasty 2005 Virgin Chardonnay will be very flexible with a variety of cuisines if drunk during its first several years of life. 90 points The Wine Advocate.




Trevor Jones Virgin Chardonnay 2005, Retail $16.99 Warehouse $12.99
Trevor Jones Boots Grenache 2003, Retail $16.99 Warehouse $12.99

Marquis Philips’ 2004 Merlot is a tasty, dark ruby-hued example with sweet white chocolate characteristics intermixed with notions of road tar, black cherries, and currants. Supple-textured, medium-bodied, and luscious, it can be enjoyed over the next 2-3 years. 87 points The Wine Advocate. This partnership between Dan Philips and winemakers Sarah and Sparky Marquis (who will no longer be making these wines starting with the 2005 vintage) has been a blockbuster success in the American market. And why not? They are delicious efforts possessing varietal character in addition to being loaded with fruit. In short, they are hedonistic, fun wines to drink ... just what wines should be. And, when you consider their prices, they represent exceptional values. The 2002s were knock-outs, the 2003s, while good, were less successful, and the 2004s hit the bull’s eye once again.

Marquis Philips Merlot 2004, Retail $14.99 Warehouse $12.99

Paringa's 2003 Shiraz’s (only cropped at a measly 6 tons of fruit per acre) deep ruby color is accompanied by sweet aromas of ripe cherries, berries, smoke, and pepper. With good ripeness, medium body, and a soft, supple texture, it can be enjoyed now and over the next 2-3 years. 87 points The Wine Advocate.

Paringa Shiraz 2003, Retail $9.99 Warehouse $7.99

The Wine Warehouse has been trying to figure out a way to promote The Grateful Palate’s wines for years. We have finally been able to work out a deal to offer these wines at a terrific value. Personally I am happy we are working with these wines as I have known Dan’s wife for many years back when she was a self proclaimed member of the Bimbettes. I have also known their National Sales Manager, Robert ‘Negroni’ Farver since his days with The Chalone Group. Hope that you enjoy these offerings. And remember…………..

Skippy can drive!

Stop stirring, they’re fat enough already………..

In the last blog we discussed the succession of superb vintages coming out of the Rhone valley. We need to take a look at the home of Chardonnay and the reference point for the variety; Burgundy. After the atypically hot 2003 vintage, 2004-2006 wines offer classic flavors and textures that can not be replicated outside of this region.

The Cote de Beaune is the home of many of the world’s finest wines, namely Meursault, Puligny Montrachet and Chassagne Montrachet. The soils in the Cote that are used for Chardonnay tend to be lighter and with a higher degree of limestone than the richer limestone/clay soils that is preferred for Pinot Noir.

Let me hit you with some knowledge: The Cote de Beaune is the southern stretch of the Cote D’Or which stretches for 30 miles southward from the town of Dijon. You know, the mustard place. ‘The Cote D’Or represents the fault line of the hills of the Morvan from the plain of the Saone, which, in the Jurassic period 135 to 195 million years ago, was an inland sea. The predominant rock is Jurassic limestone, which favors both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir varieties.’ Oxford Encyclopedia of Wine

The 2004’s White Burgs are out in our stores, the 2005’s are just coming in and the 2006’s will begin to trickle in near the end of this year and into next year. The 2004 vintage was preferred by the purists to the 03 and 05 vintages as the wines have a reasonable amount of racy acidity that the 2003’s and 2005’s do not have. You need to decide for yourself what style of Chardonnay floats your boat when making your purchase.

The 2005 vintage was heralded in wine regions all over the world. The judgment of a particular vintage begins with the success that has occurred in the regions of Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Rhone Valley. These regions have all arguably produced some of the finest wines than they have made in the last 50 years. In the Cote de Beaune the yields were naturally low due to a cool spell during flowering in June which brought some uneven development of the berries and less of a crop set. Cool nights and reasonably warm days are good growing condition for ripeness and maintaining balancing acidity. Some isolated hail storms in June reduced crop levels further and actually stretched out the harvest as the leaves were also damaged which are the catalyst for the photosynthesis of the berries. When harvested, the grapes yielded wines that were intense and rich, fleshy and vibrant, and a vintage that will appeal immediately once poured into a glass.

One of the current examples of a French estate that is split because of the Napoleanic succession code (remember, you can’t spell succession without the letters succ-s) is the estate of Philippe Colin. Phiippe and his brother Bruno split what was the estate of Colin-Deleger. Phillipe has nice holdings in the vineyards of Chassagne Montrachet, St Aubin and Santenay. We have a beautiful preview to the 2005 Red Burgundy wines with Phillipe’s Bourgogne Rouge. This is a beautifully styled Pinot Noir, with class, elegance and a bounty of red fruits that will last for days once opened. The 2005 whites are here in force and are everything that you would want in a white wine; they combine power and elegance, grace and length, with complexity and balance.

Phillipe tends to produce a precise, restrained and minerally version of Chardonnay. He stopped stirring the lees in December as lees stirring adds texture and creaminess to the wine and felt that the wines already possessed enough ‘gras’ or fatness on the palate.

With all wine, it is essential to treat it with care. These Burgundies were shipped in a refrigerated container and stored in a temperature controlled warehouse. You will find them in the precise condition that they were in when they left the cellar.


Phillip Colin’s wines from 2005:

Reds:
Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2005, Retail $21.99 Warehouse $17.99

Whites:

Maranges ‘Vignes Blanches’ 2005, Retail $26.99 Warehouse $21.99

Montagny ‘Sous les Feilles’ 2005, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $24.99

St Aubin ‘Les Combes’ 2005, Retail $41.99 Warehouse $34.99

Chassagne Montrachet 2005, Retail $49.99 Warehouse $39.99

Chassagne Montrachet ‘Clos St Jean’ 2005, Retail $74.99 Warehouse $59.99

Chassagne Montrachet ‘Embrazees’ 2005, Retail $74.99 Warehouse $59.99

Chevalier Montrachet ‘Grand Cru’ 2005, Retail $294.99 Warehouse $219.99

Come on! Live a little! Try these Burgs while they are still around. Remember that in the world of wine, we are currently living in the best of times.

You’ll be doing the hand gyrations and the la-la-la-la song from the Paulee in no time.

Don’t overlook the sandwich……….

We’re talking about the 2004 vintage in the southern Rhone. Being sandwiched between two very distinct vintages can make the middle one feel left out. 2003 was a scorcher of a year after the disastrous 2002 flood vintage. The 2003’s are very expressive and ripe. The heat spikes made the wines a bit more rustic than usual. The 2005 growing season could not have been more even. So what about the 2004’s? They show none of the severe tannins of the 2003 vintage. The 2004 growing season was hot from May through July. Even though 2004 was another drought year, it was not with the extreme conditions found in 2003.

Producers who had the experience and guts to wait until the end of September to pick brought in grapes whose flavors had finally caught up to their sugars. The grapes had achieved sugar ripeness, yet still had some under-ripe tannins to resolve through longer hang-time on the vine. Because of the longer, more moderate season, acidities in 2004 are higher than in recent warm vintages such as 2003 and 2000 with most growers comparing the vintage to more traditionally-styled years, such as in 1999. We have had some stunning wines from 2004. This is not a vintage to be overlooked.

Let me hit you with some knowledge: Chateauneuf-du-Pape has 13 authorized grape varieties that can be utilized in its production, 8 of them red and 5 of them white. The most important red variety is Grenache Noir for its potency, with raspberry and cracked pepper characters. Syrah is known for its meaty and dark fruit characters with structure and tannins. Mourvedre’s character is meaty, spicy and saddle-leather. Mourvedre is grown in the warmest spots as it is a Mediterranean variety that is used to the heat. The other red varieties are Cinsaut, Muscardin, Vaccarese, Picpoul, Terret Noir and Counoise. Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourbelenc and Picardin are the permitted white varieties. The Perrin’s Chateau de Beacastel uses all 13 varieties in its red by using a small percentage of the white varieties to co-ferment with the red. The Bruniers at Vieux Telegraphe also co-ferment a small amount of white varieties into their CDP red. Co-fermentation experiments have shown that the co-fermented reds can actually turn out darker due to the chemical reaction between the red and white grapes. This process is also known in Hermitage with Syrah and Marsanne, in Cote Rotie with Syrah and Viognier, and is emerging as a trend in the new world with Shiraz/Viognier.

Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe is one of the standard bearers for the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation. Blessed with just over 160 acres of vines, the red grape vines average over 50 years of age. These older vines have had the opportunity to let their roots grow deep into the subsoil which insolates the vine against the conditions of drought years and excessive rains. These older vines tend to be in balance and lower yielding for more intensity of fruit character.

Daniel Brunier allows the grapes to do the talking in his wines. VT is not a product of overt new oak, but a harmonious gathering of several key grape varieties which generate power and complexity all by themselves. The grapes are sorted twice before being partially crushed and de-stemmed. Fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel vats and then on to marry in epoxy lined concrete vats for 10 months before being racke into large oak foudres for 12 months. The wine is not filtered and then bottled. This is an absolute world-class wine. This is priced below many classified Bordeaux Chateau’s second labels. This CDP is still an amazing value.


DOMAINE DU VIEUX TÉLÉGRAPHE Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 2004
Pure and silky, with raspberry, cocoa, truffle and mineral notes that glide along fresh acidity. Long, silky finish lets the fruit and minerality hang nicely, while the garrigue hangs in the background, This should blossom in the cellar. Best from 2008 through 2025. 94pts Wine Spectator

The 2004 Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape, which is a selection of the oldest vines of the estate, is a stunning wine made from a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 15% Syrah, and the rest various other red varietals. There are 17,000 cases from their huge holdings in the famed eastern sector known as La Crau. This wine has deep ruby/plum color and a sweet nose of kirsch liqueur, licorice, and salty sea breezes. This is a top-notch Vieux Telegraphe, and I could tell that Daniel Brunier thinks it’s the finest he’s made since 1998. The tannins are sweet, the wine full-bodied, but certainly capable of 15-20 years of evolution. 92-94pts The Wine Advocate

Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape 2004, Retail $51.99 Warehouse $39.99

Telegramme, originally the label was used for the washed out disaster of the 2002 vintage. It proved to be so popular that the Brunier family now uses it for the grapes that do not make it in the Grand Vin. This wine and the Perrin Sinards are a much better option than the usual negociant bottlings of CDP.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Télégramme 2004
Racy, with cassis and red plum fruit held in check by racy mineral, garrigue and graphite notes. Long, taut finish. Drink now through 2014. 89 points Wine Spectator

Chateauneuf du Pape Telegramme 2004, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $24.99

The Perrin’s of Chateau de Beaucastel fame produce a Chateauneuf du Pape from the younger vines at Château de Beaucastel, together with a leased vineyard of 7 hectares that lies to the west of Beaucastel, in the commune of Orange. The blend is 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 15% Mourvèdre. The wine is vinified in the same manner as Château de Beaucastel and is matured in casks for a year before bottling.

The 2004 Perrin Chateauneuf du Pape Les Sinards includes culled-out lots that don’t make the grade at Chateau Beaucastel plus purchased grapes from a 10-acre vineyard in the northern sector of Chateauneuf du Pape in the quarter known as Gres. It is about 70% Grenache and the rest Counoise, Syrah, and Mourvedre. The wine shows earthy, animal notes with hints of saddle leather, black tea, sweet cherries, and licorice. It is rich, medium to full-bodied, and well-made. 88-90pts Wine Advocate

Perrin ‘Les Sinards’ Chateauneuf du Pape 2004, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $24.99

Chateau de Beaucastel 2004 was the top scorer in The Wine Spectator’s CDP issue. It is just arriving in the state as we blog. Look for it to be in our stores shortly.

Let me put a 'Shout'o'neuf' out to TD in the warehouse.

The sandwich vintage will prove that it’s a fine time to be a Rhone wine lover………

Democracy, existentialism and the ménage a trois:

Welcome to the delayed wine blog. I had spent last week out in Napa Valley at the Master of Wine’s pre-examination seminar. Tasting, writing and educational seminars seemed to go 24/7. Some of the week’s highlights included four days of twelve wine blind tastings. Some of the wines of note were Faiveley Coton Charlemagne, Chotard Sancerre, Zind Humbrecht Riesling Herrenweg, Riffault Sancerre Rouge, Ch Cos D’Estournel 1995, Errazuriz Syrah, Marques de Murrieta Reserva, Ch Leoville Barton 2000, Robert Mondavi Reserve Cab Sauv, Croser Brut from Oz, various German estates, a Recioto di Soave, a Vin Santo, Verdelho Madeira, Fino Especial Sherry, Dry Oloroso Sherry and plenty more. As wine tasting is a sport, this line up may make you want to get your helmet on and jump in. One caveat; you have 2 hours and 15 minutes for each flight of 12 to identify them, give reasons, describe how the wine was made, give the quality level, its ability to age, the level of acidity, its alcohol level and in some cases residual sugar levels.



Spending most of my Napa week in a room at the Villagio in Yountville, we were able to do some exam prep work on the theory section. A couple of my favorite questions of the week were; ‘Modern viticultural methods, where allowed, are making it easier to produce superior wines around the world. Are these advances making it possible to raise yields while maintaining high quality?’ Another one that they made up specifically for me as I am only sitting the viti/vini paper; ‘As a consultant winemaker, you have a winery client who has a perception that Robert Parker favors a certain style of wine. What techniques would you use to improve his Cabernet Sauvignon wine’s appeal to Mr. Parker?’ If you would like to try these at home, please limit yourself to an hour per paper. Tally ho!

We have a new blogger on the Wine Warehouse site doing a stint at Boekenhoutskloof winery in South Africa. Rebecca Robinson works in our Sarasota store and was looking to get a better perspective on the world of wine and winemaking. Boekenhoutskloof winemaker and good friend Marc Kent, is one of the real guru type winemakers in South Africa and has visiting winemakers join him for the harvest every year. Rebecca has a tremendous amount of excitement and energy for this project. For all of you who have thoughts of working a harvest someday, I know that you will find this blog enlightening.

Let’s move onto a few wines…………..As one cannot live consumed by completely cerebral adventures, the movie Talledega Nights can be a nice diversion. Jean Girard is a French character in the movie and a ‘Formula Un’ driver who is ready to take on the boys of NASCAR. Girard is asked by Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) what France had ever given to the world? Girard answers: ‘democracy, existentialism and the ménage a trois.’ He could have easily said: ‘Burgundy, Beaujolais and Pouilly Fume.’ Saying that these are all from the outstanding 2005 vintage would have been the trump card.

Philippe Colin is one of several Colins and Delegers who have begun producing Burgundies from the former great Colin-Deleger vineyards in and around Chassagne-Montrachet. One must thank the Napoleanic code for both the fragmentation of once great domains and the rise of corporately owned companies. Philippe Colin’s first 2005 Pinot Noir release is with his Bourgogne Rouge. This wine shows amazing black cherry and raspberry fruits and a very balanced and persistent impression on the palate. You had heard all of the hype about the 2005 Bordeaux wines….get ready for the 2005 wines from the Cote. They are every bit as impressive.

Phillipe Colin Bourgogne Rouge 2005, Retail $21.99 Warehouse $17.99

Domaine Chanrion in the Cote de Brouilly is a ten acre farm run by Nicole Chanrion. This wine made from the Gamay grape from vines averaging over fourty years of age. It is fermented in temperature controlled vats and aged in large oak foudres before Nicole bottles it without filtration. This wine sings of raspberry and banana in the nose with deeply textured crushed red fruits on the palate. This wine is both expressive in the mouth and light on its feet. A wine from a top Beaujolais producer in a top vintage like 2005 is not unlike a good quality Pinot Noir in style.

Domaine Chanrion Cote de Brouilly 2005, Retail $17.99 Warehouse $13.99

Regis Minet farms a twenty acre plot of twenty five year old Sauvignon Blanc vines on the argilo-calcareous soils of Pouilly Fume. These chalky soils contribute to the pinpoint precision that Minet’s Pouilly Fume achieves in both its bouquet and palate attack. Fermented by natural yeasts in temperature controlled stainless steel vats, the wine does not go through malo-lactic conversion in order to highlight its primary fruit aromas and flavors.

Very racy, with nervy lemon zest, honeysuckle, straw and mineral notes that run through a crisp, mouthwatering finish. Delicious. 1,700 cases made. SMART BUY 90 pts Wine Spectator

Regis Minet Pouilly Fume Vieilles Vignes 2005, Retail $19.99 Warehouse $16.99

Frenchy can drive!

Don’t fear the Spanish Acquisition part 2:

In Spain, even though traditional wine regions remain at the forefront of both prestige and value, new Spanish wine regions are emerging in the marketplace. These are regions that have existed for many years but were not marketed much outside of the home country. In the past few years, Spain has brought to market many products which represent incredible value for money. Value for money is how Spain is penetrating most export markets and are filling a particular niche here in the US.

If you drive through the countryside in Spain it is amazing to see the amount of old vines that dot the countryside. Many of the grapes from these vines go to the local co-ops and get lost in the soup of large regional blends. Importers around the world have started to recognize the best co-ops, are culling out the best cuvees and are working with these wineries to make more commercially viable wines. Qualitative improvments have catapulted Spain’s current wine revolution and has made it one of the world’s three biggest wine producers. With the introduction of irrigation, Spain is making almost 30 per cent more today than in the early 1990s which in turn gives producers the ability to sell wine at a more favorable price. Speaking of favorably priced Spanish wines................

Bodegas Artazu:
Continuing the theme of last weeks blog, we will look at wines from less heralded regions of Spain. Bodegas Artazu is located in the northernmost zone of the Navarra region. Originally the kingdom of Pamplona, the region is not far from Basque, Catalan and Castillian strongholds, and one can feel these influences in the area. Over 90% of the vines were wiped out during the 19th century from Phylloxera, but in the 20th century, the region quickly rose to become a major Spanish wine region.

Navarra is similar to Rioja in the sense that it is affected by both Atlantic and Mediterranean influences. As Artazu is located in the northern part of the region, it benefits from small doses of the cold winds of the Pyrenees as well, helping to make wines of extraordinary elegance. The soil is mainly composed of limestone, but some zones contain large amounts of red clay in alternating layers with the chalk.

The Artazuri Garnacha is a 100% tank-fermented old vine Grenache made by Artadi’s brilliant winemaker, Juan Carlos Lopez de la Calle. An elegant, deep ruby/purple-tinged red wine, it boasts sweet/spicy strawberry, raspberry and cherry fruit characters, displays medium body with a supple texture and a silky finish. All this for under ten bucks.

Artazuri Navarra Garnacha 2005, Retail $10.99 Warehouse $8.99


Capcanes:

The neighbor of Spain’s now famous Priorat region, Montsant is historically and culturally quite similar to its more “known” neighbor. Located in northeastern Spain, not far from the Catalan capitol of Barcelona, the region lies just to the west of the Priorat and shares the hilly, rocky landscape.

In Montsant, vineyard parcels are planted at altitudes between 300 and 700 meters above sea level. The climate is Mediterranean and is quite warm with moderate rainfall levels. Soil in the lower altitudes is deep, rich, and fertile while soil in the northern altitudes is very poor, with high levels of schist and granite. Many of Montsant’s higher vineyard parcels are terraced with extremely old vines. These terraces have much in common with those of the Priorat but the wines sell at a fraction of the price of their famous neighbor.


Bright, dark red. Superripe nose offers licorice, flowers and spicy, smoky oak. Creamy, supple and sweet, with fairly dense flavors offering good definition and supported by solid structure. 88pts International Wine Cellar




Capcanes Mas Donis 2004, Retail $12.99 Warehouse $9.99


Castell del Remei:

Castell del Remei is located in Western Catalonia in the D.O. of Costers del Segre, just to the west of Barcelona. Costers del Segre is a small winegrowing region that is divided into six sub-zones and covers 3,886 hectares. Tempranillo is widely planted here, as is Garnacha, and as of the last 20 years, high levels of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot have also been planted.

Costers del Segre is heavily influenced by a warm, arid continental climate. The summers are quite warm and rainfall is lower than the Spanish average. Soils in the zone are made up primarily of chalk interspersed with some clay-based parcels. Vineyard parcels in the region are mostly at lower altitudes, with the majority of vineyards under 300 meters altitude. However, because of the low amounts of rainfall and more significant vineyard stress, yields stay quite low and thus the intensity of the grapes stay high.

Deep ruby. Intense dark cherry, licorice, espresso and vanilla notes on the nose, with floral and spicy elements. Quite spicy and concentrated, with intense flavors of bitter cherry, dark plum, cassis and licorice. Tangy acids provide lift, and there's an impressive penetrating quality to the dark fruit on the long finish. This is drinking beautifully right now.



Gotim Bru 2004, Retail $12.99 Warehouse $9.99


Tikalo:

La Mancha is Spain’s largest D.O. at over 30,000 square kilometers and lies some 60 kilometers south of Madrid in the hot, arid plains of the Castillian meseta. Historically a region of high grape and wine production, La Mancha has transformed itself in the last few years into one of Spain’s most exciting wine-producing zones as a result of conscientious winemaking combined with its ideal growing conditions which consist of high altitude vineyards, hot days, and cool nights. Soils in the zone are usually clay and limestone, with small patches of granite and gypsum.


Its deep ruby/purple color is accompanied by pure, sweet notes of black cherries, licorice, and wild mountain berry fruit. This medium to full-bodied Tinto exhibits notions of pepper and spice along with fine purity, surprising glycerin, and plenty of heart, soul, and quality for its price. Drink it over the next 1-2 years. 89pts Wine Advocate


Tikalo Alba Liza 2005, Retail $7.99 Warehouse $6.99











Jam packed and fun red. Rich flavors of red and black cherries, tobacco, leather, smoke, cedar and plums are blend well in this fun drinking red.

Tikalo ‘Kios’ 2004, Retail $ 14.99 Warehouse $11.99


Este:

Este is a tremendous value that is produced in a small denominated wine zone in the eastern corner of Castilla-La Mancha in Central Spain. Typically producing strong and sturdy wines that were often used for blending. Monastrell (Mourvedre) and Garnacha are the predominent varieties. Temperatures range from as high as 104 degrees in summer to 32 degrees in the winter.

Cherry color, with a good bouquet. Intense aroma, black crystallized fruit, mineral and vanilla background, fruity, strong, touches of oak, expressive and long with a fruity reminder at the end.

Este , Retail $8.99 Warehouse $6.99


Cuatro Pasos:

Let me hit you with some knowledge: Mencia is an increasingly valued red grape variety grown so widely in north west Spain that plantings total over 22,500 acres, notably in Bierzo, Ribeira Sacra, and Valdeorras. DNA typing has laid to rest the once-popular theory that Mencía and Cabernet Franc were related. In addition, the rediscovery by young winemakers of old, low-yielding hillside plots of Mencía has dispelled the notion that this variety necessarily produces light reds since wines of great concentration and complexity have emerged from these forgotten vineyards on deep schists and produced a Priorat-like revolution in the region. Mencía is identical to Portugal’s Jaen. Oxford Encyclopedia of Wine

Grown in the cool northwest area of Spain in Bierzo, Cuatro Pasos displays characters that show smoky, spicy, sweaty saddle leather. There is bright cherry, pruny, peppery, cardamom notes mixed with mineral, leather, smoky, coffee flavours. This is a fun wine because it has layers of flavors to be discovered. See for yourself whether this resembles Cabernet Franc or not.

Cuatro Pasos ‘Mencia’ 2004, Retail $12.99 Warehouse $9.99


Manana………………………..