Click... here for Labor Day fine wine:

One of our favorite importers is Peter Click’s-Click Wine Group. Most commercially recognized through the brand ‘Fat Bastard,’ The Click Wine Group's soul is a less cheeky and quite serious portfolio of Australian wineries. Peter Click founded Click Wine Group in 1987, long before the huge category growth from Australia. Peter’s hope was to introduce American consumers to high quality, boutique Australian wines. Peter's love affair with "Down Under" began with his first trip to Australia. Working in a Sydney wine shop, he experienced a tasting tour of Australian wines and later went on six-month 4,000-mile walkabout to explore Australia's wine country and culture. It is worth exploring the Click Wine Group’s Aussie products as they tend to be great value for quality. We'll explore four of Peter's more interesting offerings in this blog.

Certainly one of the best values that we carry in our stores is the ‘2 UP’ Shiraz. This wine is a collaboration between Peter Click and Kangarilla Road winemaker Kevin O’Brien. Before creating the Kangarilla Road vineyard and winery, Kevin was a winemaker educated at the highly regarded Roseworthy College in Adelaide. Kangarilla Road is located in the McLaren Vale district west of the Adelaide Hills and east of the Gulf of St. Vincent.


The vineyards of the Southern Fleurieu contribute color together with a signature blackberry and spice. The McLaren Vale vineyards give depth and texture together with the complex spice, dark plums and cherry always associated with this region. Together the two regions provide depth, complexity and a powerful mid-palate. The summer of 2005 brought mild daytime temperatures and typical cool nights. The wines show intense fruit and excellent balancing acidity. Thus, as far as vintage years go, 2005 will be remembered as one of the truly great ones. Fermentation is in submerged cap and static open fermenters. The wine is pressed at dryness and matured in French and American oak for 12 months.



An amazing offering for $14 (I assume discount stores will have it priced even lower), this firm is a joint venture between importer Peter Click and winemaker Kevin O’Brien, who produces the youthful cuvees from McLaren Vale’s Kangarilla Road estate. This deep ruby/purple-tinged Shiraz offers gorgeous aromas of sweet blackberries, figs, plums, and kirsch. Dense, opulent, and full-bodied, it is a terrific South Australian fruit bomb. Enjoy it over the next 2-3 years. It is the type of wine value that simply can’t be found in California. 90 points Wine Advocate

2 UP Shiraz 2005, Retail $13.99 Warehouse $11.99

Throughout many of the premium vineyards of South Australia you'll find large signs which read "Nepenthe Viticulture." That's because Nepenthe is widely known as the premier cool-climate viticultural management company in South Australia. In the past decade, Nepenthe wines have made a huge splash in the premium, cool-climate Australian wine scene. Nepenthe is located in the Lenswood area of the Adelaide Hills, one of the premier cool climate wine regions in Australia. The vineyards are on beautiful, wooded rolling terrain that is only a 40-minute drive from the center of Adelaide. With an altitude above 1,200 feet, plentiful rainfall, and deep, well-drained soils, the vineyards are ideal for cool climate varieties such as chardonnay, pinot noir and sauvignon blanc.

All around the world, there are winemakers who combine Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon in various proportions, but few include other varieties. While the heart of the wine is much-admired Adelaide Hills Sauvignon blanc (which provides the distinctive tropical nose and palate), backed up by Semillon (adding the fine palate structure and delicate herbal edges), there is 5% Pinot Gris added which contributes roundness and spice which lifts the blend to a notch above the ordinary. This blend makes up the fresh and zesty Tryst white.

The sumptuously rich, but light on its feet Nepenthe 2005 Tryst White is a gorgeous blend of 59% Sauvignon Blanc, 36% Semillon, and 5% Pinot Gris. A stunning effort, it offers subtle aromas of spice, honeysuckle, citrus oil, and orange marmalade. 91 points Wine Advocate

Nepenthe Tryst White 2005, Retail 14.99 Warehouse $11.99

Approximately 25 miles from Adelaide’s back door is the McLaren Vale wine district. RockBare's winemaker, Tim Burvill, has established strong relationships with grape growers throughout the vale. So he has his choice of the best grapes the area has to offer. He then uses a winemaking process without a lot of handling or manipulation. The idea is to get the best grapes and let the fruit speak for itself. Tim Burvill gained extensive winemaking experience working at Southcorp, where he was responsible for making one of Australia's most expensive premium chardonnays, Yattarna. So Tim knows all the most modern winemaking techniques. But when Tim created the RockBare label in 2000, he made a conscious decision to incorporate winemaking techniques that go back a hundred years or more. Using a minimal-filtering or no-filtering approach and very little oak ageing, Tim makes wines that are filled with complex flavors driven by the fruit. McLaren Vale is most famous for its Shiraz. One taste of RockBare's Shiraz and you know why. It has a deep, intense color and a peppery taste with hints of licorice.

The fruit for the Rockbare Reserve Chardonnay 2003 comes off one of the Penfolds Yattarna Vineyard. These 20-year-old vines are nestled in a particularly cool part of the Adelaide Hills. This allows for the slow and maximum flavor development in the berries during ripening. The wine underwent 66 percent barrel fermentation, 50 percent malolactic fermentation and was stored for 10 months on lees with battonage. In 2003 there was a nationwide drought; extreme heat in some regions; widespread rains in February; and low fruitfulness in cool-climate areas. As a result Adelaide Hills had low crops with very intense, yet elegant flavors.

This pale straw wine with green hues bursts with lifted mineral aromas integrated with peach, mango and limes. The powerful fruit aromatics are supported by background vanilla bean oak nuances. The palate is reminiscent of limes, citrus and passion fruit with a subtle buttery Malolactic note that is underpinned by spicy oak, and a creamy mouth-feel as a result of the traditional method of lees contact. Individual, fine-grained, French oak barrels were selected for perfect integration, complexity, and fruit expression. The aim of the oak in this RockBare Chardonnay is to compliment the primary fruits inherent in the grapes.

The Rockbare Reserve Chardonnay underwent 66 percent barrel fermentation, 50 percent malolactic fermentation and was stored for 10 months on lees with battonage. The oaking regimen included 33 percent new French barriques, 33 percent one-year-old French barriques with 33 percent remaing unoaked. Wonder what happened to the other 1%?

There were tiny crops from the drought year of 2003 with yields being 50 percent down on the previous vintage. This resulted in an early vintage where full fruit flavor was easily attained. By comparison, the 2002 vintage in Australia was universally defined by one factor, cool temperatures. 2003 was a more complex matter where four factors converged during vintage: nationwide drought; extreme heat in some regions; widespread rains in February; and low fruitfulness in cool-climate areas. As a result Adelaide Hills had low crops with very intense, yet elegant flavors

The superb 2003 Chardonnay Reserve exhibits a slight greenish hue to its color along with notions of peach, lemon blossom, orange rind, and a nutty, brioche-like component. Medium to full-bodied, with a fabulous texture as well as a long finish, it is reminiscent of a New World version of a premier cru Chassagne-Montrachet from the likes of Michel Niellon. 91pts Wine Advocate

Rockbare ‘Adeleide Hills’ Reserve Chardonnay 2003, Retail $24.99 Warehouse $19.99

Rockbare’s regular Chardonnay employs cool fermentation over four weeks, with 40 percent maloactic fermentation and maturation on yeast lees for five months. This is fruit forward, complex Chardonnay that has brilliant green hues and pungent aromas of grapefruit, green herbs, lime juice and spice that leap from the glass. The wine has an intensely flavored palate with crisp flavors of tangerine, pear and honeydew. The fresh citrus fruit rounds out nicely with an attractive, cleansing lemon-peel tang in the clean, long finish.

There was a combination of hand and mechanical harvesting is used at picking all day and all night. This helps ensure, especially for the white varieties, that the grapes arrive into the cellars cool, protecting and enhancing the more delicate flavors and minimizing the risk of oxidation. Cool fermentation was employed over four weeks. The grapes are harvest from McLaren Vale and the Adelaide Hills.

The remarkable Rockbare 2005 Chardonnay sells for a song. It sees about 40% malolactic and includes 13% Semillon in the blend. A flamboyant perfume of lemon blossom, flowers, orange marmalade, and white peaches is followed by a wine with great weight in the mouth, gorgeous acidity, beautiful freshness, and a long, heady finish. This terrific Chardonnay blew me away. 92 points Wine Advocate

Rockbare Chardonnay 2005, Retail $15.99 Warehouse $13.99

Rockbare is not just a Chardonnay winery. Killer Shiraz from old vines will light up your glass. Rockbare’s Reserve Shiraz is made predominantly from 140-year-old Barossa Valley Shiraz vines. The Reserve Shiraz goes through a warm fermentation in small open fermenters, spending 18 months storage in oak of which 70 percent is new French oak barrel with 30 percent being new American oak barrels.

Structured, massive, and backward is the 2001 Shiraz Reserve, whose major component emerges from a 100-year plus vineyard. Its deep plum/ruby color is followed by aromas of figs, plums, black currants, berries, licorice, and pepper. This full-bodied, powerful, moderately tannic, rich Shiraz requires 1-2 years of cellaring. 91 points Wine Advocate

The 2002 Rockbare Shiraz Reserve is a blockbuster-styled Shiraz. Its dense purple color is accompanied by gorgeous aromas of toasty oak intermixed with licorice, spice box, blackberries, and figs, fabulous concentration, a huge, muscular yet silky-textured, opulent mid-palate, and an explosive finish. Enjoy this knock-out Shiraz over the next 10-12 years. 92 points Wine Advocate

Rockbare Shiraz Reserve 2002, Retail $33.99 Warehouse $27.99

Rockbare Shiraz Reserve 2001, Retail $33.99 Warehouse $26.99

Why not finish with one of the world’s best values in a dessert wine? Campbells produces some of the world's finest and most intense dessert wines. This family-owned vineyard and winery uses a modified ‘solera’ method of blending and maturing new and old wines over a period of years. Some of the material used for blending is 70, 80, even 90 years old. The solera, originally made famous by the Spanish and Portuguese, is a series of up to seven casks, each containing wine at successive stages of maturation. The result is a uniformity of quality, age and concentrated character.

The unctuous, light amber-hued non-vintage Campbell’s Muscat exhibits a sweet, caramelized, raisiny character with notes of plums, fruitcakes, and marmalade. It is gloriously sweet yet relatively light on its feet. 93 points Wine Advocate.

Campbell’s Liqueur Muscat 375ml, Retail $18.99 Warehouse $15.99

The non-vintage Campbell’s Tokay reveals hints of Chinese black tea interwoven with caramel, buttered nuts, prunes, and toffee. These wines rarely improve in the bottle, but even after 5-10 years, they do not reveal any signs of falling apart. 91 points Wine Advocate.

Campbell’s Tokay 375ml, Retail $18.99 Warehouse $15.99

Dorothy, you always had the ability to get back to the Wine Warehouse.....just CLICK your heels three times and repeat: there's no place like the Wine Warehouse, there's no place like the Wine Warehouse.....

Another ‘Day-o’ blog with a different ‘Day-o’

Aromas and flavors hint at apples and lime-blossoms with a reasonably complex aromatic intensity. It is one of Spain’s oldest noble grape varieties, even known in ancient Roman times. It is chiefly found in the basin of the river Sil in the eastern part of cool climate Galicia. If this description is somewhat appealing and makes you curious to try the wine, you likely have been ‘waiting for Godello.’

Let me hit you with some knowledge: Godello is also known as Verdello in Spain, which is not to be confused with Verdejo. The vine looks quite similar to the Verdelho of Madeira and the Azores, however their DNAs are distinctly different. Godello as Verdello is a substantial part of the blend in Italy’s Orvieto. Godello is also known as Gouveio in Portugal. Godello based wines have tremendous personality thanks to their freshness, generosity, length, well-balanced acidity and mineral quality. They have the ability to age well in cask and mature in bottle. The vine is early budding and ripening with medium-sized, compact berries. There is a high amount of dry extract which contributes to a rich mouth-feel. Spain had around 2,200 acres planted in 2004, but that number has been increasing as we curious wine-drinkers enable the grower’s spirits by purchasing more Godello wines.

One of our favorite Godellos is from Abad dom Bueno. Abad dom Bueno is situated between rainy Galicia and sunny Castile in Bierzo. In the late 1990s, a group of small, mostly young growers revitalized Bierzo much in the same way that Priorat was rediscovered ten years earlier by resurrecting the previously lackluster wine region. Bierzo has a humid and mild climate that is influenced by the Atlantic with abundant sunshine. The region's vineyards lie at 400 to 800 meters high, sheltered by the Montes de Leon and the Cordillera Cantábrica. Even though the specialty of Bierzo's slopes and terraces is the Mencía grape which yield fruity reds with a spicy character; on these same slopes one can find the Godello grape. From Bierzo, the Abad dom Bueno Godello has fresh tropical fruit character with delicately perfumed aromas. Texturally the wine carries the weight of a nice, medium bodied, un-wooded Chardonnay. This wine has absolutely fresh and pure primary fruit characteristics of pear, melon and lemon. Fresh and charming. This wine has no sulphur added. Hence, no sulfites…

Abad dom Bueno Godello 2006, Retail $13.99 Warehouse $9.99

The unofficial home of Godello in Spain is Valdeorras which is the easternmost wine zone of Galicia. Steeply terraced vineyards are planted predominantly with productive vine varieties such as Garnacha Tintorera, Alicante Bouchet and the white Palomino which is famous for the Sherry wines from Jerez. The indigenous white Godello, which had all but disappeared from Galicia in the wake of phylloxera but is being aggressively replanted.

Valdeorras was settled by the Romans who took advantage of the microclimate to plant the first vines and build the first presses, thereby establishing a secular culture and tradition of grape-growing and winemaking, the fame of which spread along the Route of Santiago. The fertility of the valleys, the mineral wealth of the mountains and its position as one of the entry points into Galicia lead to Valdeorras being inhabited from the earliest times. The first references to the region and its people are found in Pliny the Elder’s ‘Historiæ Naturalis.’

Average vineyard altitude here is between 240 and 350 meters above sea level. The vineyards of Rafael Palacios are located at very high altitude and often on very small terraces. With steep terraces, tractors are a risk and thus much of the vineyard work is performed by hand. The harvest is also carried out by hand. Fermentations and ageing take place in large oak barrels. These containers give additional complexity to this minerally wine without giving a woody character to the wines. The wine is aged on its fine lees for several months, adding a creamy character and refreshing crispness before bottling.

2005 is the first vintage of Louro do Bolo, a wine produced from 40- to 50-year-old Godello vines by winemaker Rafael Palacios, brother of the renowned Alvaro Palacios. This light gold-colored tank fermented and aged wine offers notes of mineral, melon, and citrus in its attractive aromatics. This is followed by a smoothly textured wine with excellent depth, intensity, and balance leading to a long, pure finish. Drink this excellent value over the next 12-18 months. 89 points Wine Advocate

Rafael Palacios Louro do Bolo Godello 2005, Retail $15.99 Warehouse $12.99

The Prada family began to plant Godello in 1885 on old stone terraces high on the hillsides surrounding the river Sil. Many years later, several of these parcels had been sold to other estates, but in 2001, the young generation of the family began buying back these small blocks that had been in their family for generations. They now own almost the entirety of what had been sold and bottle it under “Pezas de Portella”.

The region of Galicia and Valdeoras is heavily influenced by the Atlantic, with high levels of rainfall and relative humidity. Temperatures are quite moderate and the region is extremely fertile, with miles and miles of green rolling hills. The vineyards are planted on these gently rolling hills on alluvial soils. Many of the vineyards sit on the valley floor and the hills just above on soil that is rich in organic material. As much of the vineyard plantings are on very delicate terraces, it is important to maintain a guard against water erosion at Val de Sil. There is grass cover between the rows and the property is cultivated using organic methods. Fermentations take place in stainless steel tanks and ageing is carried out in both tank and wood. Val de Sil fells that the minerality of Godello does not suit well to heavy-handed uses of oak, but that a small amount brings an additional level of complexity to the wines.

The 2006 Montenovo is produced from 100% Godello with vines ranging from 35-50 years of age. Tank fermented and aged, this medium straw-colored wine offers a complex array of mineral, melon, and citrus aromas and flavors. With an excellent core of ripe fruit and refreshing balance, this excellent value would match well with shellfish. Drink it over the next 12-18 months. 88 points Wine Advocate

Bodegas Val de Sil Montenovo Godello 2006, Retail $11.99 Warehouse $9.99

I’d be willing to bet that by serving these three wines, you can lay title to having the first ‘Godello Night’ on your block. Godello is just one more fun alternative to those wishing to escape from another day of Chardonnay. If you’d like, you can call it Verdello night, or maybe Gouveio night………

To oak, or not to oak? That is the question…..

It was announced at the end of a yoga session that I apparently enjoy an enviable position by being able to travel to various wine regions for the Wine Warehouse. After the announcement I was pleased at the number of fellow yoga junkies who smiled and said that they shop at our stores. Last Saturday, one very limber, side crowing and head standing young lady had an epiphany about her wine tasting likes and dislikes. She realized that she likes her whites without oak. Mr. Bloggy was curious and asked which wine was the catalyst for her un-oaked realization? The wine was Steele California Chardonnay? Apparently some genius restauranteur had told her that the reason that she liked this Chardonnay is because it was fermented in ‘steel(e)’ just as the name suggests. All of Jed Steele’s wines that I have ever consumed were neither shy with the oak nor without overt fruit characters. To confirm my suspicion I went onto Steele’s web site and pulled this winemaking note on the Steele Chardonnay: ‘The juice is fermented in French oak barrels of which 30% are new. The wine remains in barrels for eight months.’ Translation: this wine will be oaky with a sweet vanillin overtone. Needless to say, our previously un-oaked convert was somewhat annoyed at the restauranteur and curious to find out what it was that she liked about the Chardonnay.


Before taking wine advice to heart, it is best to know that your wine advisor is competent and will give you good advice. This is what we do at the Wine Warehouse. Secondly, it is not a bad idea to taste differing wine styles and identify what makes them taste differently and which styles that you prefer. This knowledge will help to guide you when making future wine purchases.

How about we continue our journey on oaked versus non-oaked wines? Stainless steel is widely used for holding wine, both for ageing and, most importantly for fermentation. Stainless steel for winemaking became popular in the 1960’s after some Aussie winemakers had taken a visit to a dairy processing plant and though that these tanks could work equally as well in wine production. Advantages of using steel include wines being able to be produced in a sanitary environment, having a great advantage over wood because it is easy to clean and oxygen can be completely excluded from it and by efficiency of use for inert gas to fill the head space for oxygen protection if necessary. The bottom line is that SS fermentations lead to wines with pure, primary fruit aromas and flavors of the grape.



Stainless steel and oak are commonly used in combination to produce wine. There is efficiency in the hygiene, the temperature control abilities and consistency of steel tank fermentations. Even though there is now a trend back to wooden and cement vats in Bordeaux, a large percentage of Bordeaux reds are fermented in SS and left to mature in oak barrels just after the malo-lactic conversion has taken place. Some are now completing malo in barrel in an effort to better integrate the oak to the wine.

Oak has been the traditional method for fermentation and ageing for centuries. Oak flavors in turn can be traditional. If a wine is fermented or matured in a wooden container, many different aspects of that container may shape its character and flavor, apart from those compounds that may be directly extracted from the oak wood and absorbed into the wine as wood flavor. For the winemaker, the most obvious advantage of ageing a wine in wood rather than an inert container is that wood encourages natural clarity and stability.

Barrel fermentation or fermenting in small oak barrels is particularly well adapted to wine made from Chardonnay grapes. Barrel fermentation offers the possibility of extracting a controlled amount of oak flavoring into the wine and, since barrels have a large surface to volume ratio, refrigeration may not be needed.

New oak barrels are the most expensive but they are not necessarily valued the same by all winemakers. New barrels have strong oaky flavors that can overwhelm subtle wines and some winemakers, especially in Burgundy, deliberately minimize this effect by using only a small proportion of new barrels or by ‛breaking in‚ new barrels on lesser wines. Within a given type and style of wine, the richest wines will absorb the most oak with positive effects. Older barrels are still important for wines where the winemaker seeks slow oxygenation of the wine without the perceptible oak flavor. Older barrels are common for producers making Port, Sherry and in many cases Rioja.

When barrels are expensive and the wine to be produced is not, winemakers and winery owners will seek ways of economizing on barrel purchases. Winemakers are now looking increasingly to barrel alternatives such as inner staves and oak chips. Currently it is possible to utilize the efficiency of stainless steel tanks, while obtaining characteristics of oak ageing in barrels by gently bubbling in oxygen to the wine while using staves or chips. The process is called micro-oxygenation. This is not deception or trickery, but a more efficient way to bring a particular style of wine to market and a more reasonable price. With the current state of the $ versus the €, a new French oak barrel that can hold 225 liters which is around 25 cases of wine costs approximately $900. Using the handy-dandy Bloggy calculator, it converts to $4 per litre of wine or $3 added to the bottom line for every 750ml bottle produced. That $3 turns into $6 to the consumer after the bottle passes through the food chain of wine distribution.

Listed below are some fun comparisons of oaked and un-oaked wines where you will be able to see the difference in their respective styles.

Your un-oaked Chardonnay option…….

Novellum Chardonnay (Languedoc, France)

The Languedoc’s climate is very similar to California’s. Before fermentation, there is a cold soak for the Chardonnay which extracts extra aromatics from the skins. After the alcoholic fermentation, the Chardonnay is passed over the lees of the Viognier produced at the estate. Some of the Viognier is allowed to develop botrytis, so that aromas that are picked up by the Chardonnay are rich and full, usually consisting of peaches, honey, honeysuckle, and pear. Year after year, the Novellum Chardonnay is one of the best Chardonnay values on the market. No oaking for flavor here, skin contact and lees contact are the methods for complexity.

Novellum Chardonnay 2006, Retail $10.99 Warehouse $8.99

Your oaked Chardonnay option…………..

Calamity Chardonnay ‘Carneros’ 2005.

Besides this wine coming off of vines in a fantastic part of the Napa Valley, the fermentation was done in barrel on natural yeasts that tend to ferment out slower and gives a rich glycerol coating to the palate. This Chardonnay is extremely fresh, but the texture and flavors are a mouthful.This wine has characters of pear, tropical fruits and vanilla jumping out of the glass.. Ripe and complex, turning elegant and creamy, with lots of peach, pear, fig and nectarine flavors that are smooth and plush.

Calamity Chardonnay ‘Carneros’ 2005, Retail $21.99 Warehouse $14.99

Your un-oaked Sauvignon Blanc option………

Southern Eclipse from Marlborough in New Zealand is cool-fermented exclusively in stainless steel for primary fruit expression on both the bouquet and on the palate. This wine displays fresh tropical fruit aromas with green apple, gooseberry, grapefruit and a hint of passion fruit flavors on the palate. There is a nice crisp zing to the finish. Sancerre in France has been the standard bearer of crisp zingy Sauvignon Blanc for the world. Marlborough can act a bit like Sancerre on steroids as its characteristics can be a bit amplified. This wine is an example of Marlborough meeting Sancerre, not running over it.

Southern Eclipse Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Retail $14.99 Warehouse $12.99

Your oaked Sauvignon Blanc option……………..

Also from Marlborough in New Zealand, Richardson Sauvignon Blanc uses a combination of whole bunch and de-stemmed fruit. The whole bunch pressed fruit went through a warm wild ferment in barrel, after which it sat on lees for four months. Occasional lees stirring occurred throughout that period. The de-stemmed fruit was vat fermented at a cool (14 degrees average) temperature which captured the fruit essence and created the structure for the wine. The two procedures add to the complexity of the finished wine.

Michelle Richardson's note: This wine has an intense bouquet, reminiscent of ripe gooseberries and melon with a hint of nettle. The palate is full and inviting with the wild ferment portion creating a viscosity that wraps around the natural Marlborough acidity, and the cooler ferment provides structure, fruit spectrum and provides a lingering and strong finish. Only 300 cases made it into the US.

Richardson Sauvignon Blanc 2006, Retail $24.99 Warehouse $19.99

Yes, there are red wines that do not see oak. Your un-oaked Cabernet Franc option…

St. Nicolas de Bourgueil “Les Rouilleres”

100% Cabernet Franc from 15-35 year old vines. A pre-harvest grape sorting and de-stemming was utilized before fermentation. The grapes were macerated for 8-10 days and then aged in stainless steel tanks for 7-9 months before release.

Dark, bright red. Minerals and crushed raspberry on the nose with fresh and vibrant fruit characters following through on the palate. Fresh and supple from a ripe vintage.

St Nicolas de Bourgueil “Les Rouilleres” 2005, Retail $15.99 Warehouse $12.99

Your oaked Cabernet Franc option…..

Domaine des Roches Neuves (Saumur-Champigny)

One of the brightest stars in French winemaking today, Thierry Germain is making the wine world re-think how it has perceived Cabernet Franc from the Loire. His tiny property is certified biodynamic and his yields are a miniscule 15-30 hl/ha, almost a full 40 hl/ha under his neighbors and hence, the lack of the need for beets. The vines are vibrant and wild, with tiny berries filled with concentrated fruit and mineralityA low-yield bottling of pure Cabernet Franc, this wine is fermented in large oak casks before ageing for 12-14 months in 1 year old French oak barrels.

Dark red-ruby color. Bright red berry, mineral, leather and truffle nose. Chewy blue and black fruits are evident with a hint of truffles and earth. Displays supple, ripe, and harmonious balance. Finishes with fine, sweet tannins and a supple grip.

Domaine des Roches Neuves Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes” 2005, Retail $29.99 Warehouse $24.99


Times a' wasting............Let's get tasting................

Lateral blogging from Normandy….

I know that this is officially a wine blog, but we are going to do a little lateral blogging today and venture into the land of cider. Why is fermented fruit not considered a wine? The purist’s definition for wine is that ‘wine is an alcoholic beverage obtained from the fermentation of the juice of freshly gathered grapes.’ Let’s recognize that top quality cider is not just for beer drinkers anymore. The ciders we are featuring display finesse and elegance as well as most grape wines will.

Here in the US and in parts of Canada, where the term "cider" almost exclusively refers to non-alcoholic juice or apple cider as we use the phrase hard cider to denote the fermented version. Cider varies in alcoholic content from less than 3% in Cidre Doux to a maximum of around 8%, and appears golden yellow and is sometimes cloudy.

The UK has the highest per capita consumption as well as the largest cider producing companies in the world. The drink is also popular and traditional in Normandy and Brittany in France. Cider is now making a resurgence in both Europe and here in the U S of A.

Conventional apple cider has a relatively high concentration of phenolics and antioxidants which may be helpful for preventing heart disease, cancer, and other ailments. This is, in part, because apples themselves have a decent concentration of phenolics in them to begin with. Cider can also be very acidic and contain high sugar levels.

Cider apples are a group of apple cultivars grown for their use in cider production. Cider apples are grouped into four main types according to the nature of their flavor components. ‘Sweets’ contain high sugar levels which encourage fermentation and raise the final alcohol levels. This group is low in tannins and acidity. ‘Sharps’ are high in acidity and add 'bite' to the cider. They tend to be low in sugar content and have little tannin. ‘Bittersweets’ are high in sugar but also contain raised levels of tannin which tastes bitter and is astringent. A certain amount of bitterness is expected in all but the sweetest ciders. ‘Bittersharps’ are high in both tannins and fruit acids. Although apples grown for consumption are suitable for cider making, many cider-makers prefer to use a mix of eating and cider apples. There are many hundreds of varieties of cultivars developed specifically for cidermaking.

Cider production methods begin once the fruit is gathered from the trees. The fruit is then "scratted" or ground down into what is called "pomace" or "pommage". Historically the scratting was done using pressing stones with circular troughs, or by a cider mill. Cider mills were traditionally driven by the hand, water-mill, or horse-power. Today, most mills are likely to be powered by electricity. The pulp is then transferred to the cider "press", where the pommage is pressed and formed by pressure into a kind of cake, which is called the "cheese".

Traditionally the method for squeezing the juice from the cheese involves placing clear, sweet straw or hair cloths between the layers of pomace. This will usually alternate with slatted ash-wood racks, until there is a pile of ten or twelve layers. It is important to minimise the time that the pomace is exposed to air in order to keep oxidation to a minimum. The cheese needs to be constructed evenly, or the whole pile slithers onto the floor.

This pile is then subjected to different degrees of pressure in succession, until all the 'must' or juice is squeezed from the pomage. This juice, after being strained in a coarse hair-sieve, is then put into either open vats or closed casks. The pressed pulp is given to farm animals as winter feed, composted or discarded, or used to make liqueurs.

Fermentation is best effected at a temperature of 40 to 60 °F. This is low for most types of fermentation, but works for cider as it leads to slower fermentation with less loss of delicate aromas. Shortly before the fermentation consumes all the sugar, the liquor is "racked" into new vats. This leaves dead yeast cells and other undesirable material at the bottom of the old vat. Care is taken to fill the vat completely and eliminate unwanted oxygen which can take away from the primary fruit aromas of the cider. The remaining available sugar is fermented and generates a small amount of carbon dioxide that helps to prevent air seeping in. This also creates a certain amount of sparkle, and sometimes extra sugar, such as white cane sugar, is added at this stage for this purpose and also to raise the alcohol level. Racking is sometimes repeated if the liquor remains too cloudy.

Let me hit you with some knowledge: A pear is a tree of the genuus Pyrus and the juicy fruit of that tree, edible in some species. The English word pear is probably from Common West Germanic pera, probably a loanword of Vulgar Latin pira, the plural of pirum, which is itself of unknown origin. The place name Perry can indicate the historical presence of pear trees.

We will be looking specifically at French Cider (cidre in French.) French cidre is an alcoholic drink that is produced predominantly in Normandy and in Brittany. Higher quality cider is sold in Champagne-style bottles (cidre bouché), and while much of cidre is sold in corked bottles, some screw-top bottles exist. Until the mid-20th century, cidre was the second most-consumed drink in France (after wine) but an increase in the popularity of beer displaced cider's market share outside traditional cider-producing regions. In restaurants in Brittany, cider is sometimes served in traditional ceramic bowls (or wide cups) rather than glasses. The ‘kir normand’ is a cocktail aperitif made with cider and cassis, rather than white wine and cassis for the traditional kir.

Normandy is steeped in tradition. Normandy is home to some of the world’s most beloved culinary treasures based upon the two greatest raw materials here; apples and cream. The region is the home of ‘Camembert’ as well as some other local cheeses that are made from the abundance of milk and cream. Normandy is also Calvados country, the famous apple digestif. Now we move onto the cidre. Eric Bordelet’s cidres originate from the Pays d’Auge which is different from the rest of Norman cider in that it has its own appellation with tightly controlled laws for its production. There are limits on the varieties of apples used and the villages in which they can be grown. The laws are based on the AOC system that controls wine production, and although most wineries don’t allow cows to wander through the vines like they do through orchards, much of the rest is the same.

Our featured cidre producer was formerly the sommelier at Arpege, which is one of Paris’ most famous Michelin 3-star restaurants. Eric Bordelet was encouraged by his good friend Didier Dageneau to pursue his dream of making world-class cidre in his native Normandy. Of course if one is friends with Didier Dageneau, it is logical to presume that the path of Monsieur Dageneau’s biodynamic farming methods will be followed as well. By moving back to his family’s farm, Eric was blessed with some of the most exquisite raw material he could have ever wanted. There are some 100 varieties of apples on the farm and a small orchard of pear trees that was planted around the year 1700. The entire production is farmed without chemicals and the property was certified organic in 2005. These ciders are exquisite drinks, handcrafted and as authentic a beverage as you will ever find. WW of course ships these in refrigerated containers to maintain these cider’s delicacy and fresh characters.

As stated earlier, higher quality cider is sold in Champagne-style bottles (cidre bouché)……..all the cidres below are presented in these Champagne style bottles.

Sidre Doux

From young apple trees, this cider is fermented from December until April. Sidre doux is produced from up to 100 different varieties of apples. Fresh, appley aromas with hints of wood, almonds, and vanilla. Doux in French refers to rich character of sweetness. This cidre is indeed off dry and really easy to consume. Produced using Biodynamic methods.

Eric Bordelet Sidre Doux, Retail $14.99 Warehouse $11.99

Sydre Argelette

19 different varieties of apples (40% bitter, 40% sweet, 20% high acid) make up this benchmark in apple cider from Normandy. “Argelette” is the old Norman word for a plot of land that was so stony that the apple trees could barely survive, producing tiny apples with wild “sauvage” aromas and flavors. Earthy and complex. Made from 19 varieties of apples, ‘Argelette’ is the old Norman word for a plot of land that was so stony that the apple trees could barely survive, producing tiny apples with “sauvage” aromas and flavors. Produced using Biodynamic methods.

Eric Bordelet Sydre Argelette, Retail $18.99 Warehouse $15.99

Poire authentique

20 different varieties of pears are harvested through mid-December for this stunner. Poire authentique displays a very high acidity and clean mouth cut. On the palate one finds flavors of pear, honey, and even fresh cut apples. This cidre is medium sweet with a clean, crisp finish. Produced using Biodynamic methods.

Eric Bordelet Poire Authentique, Retail $15.99 Warehouse $12.99

Poire Granit

Poire Granit is produced from tiny pears grown on 300 year old pear trees that stretch some 20 meters high. These trees have never seen a drop of agro-chemicals. Poire granit is complex and structured like a fine champagne, yet exhibits a fine delicacy of pristine fruit flavors. A sumptuous revelation of purity and character, the palate reveals delicate, dry pear flavors lifted by tiny and airy bubbles that finish with a dancing honeyed undertone. Produced using Biodynamic methods.

Eric Bordelet Poire Granit, Retail$24.99 Warehouse $19.99

Chilled sparkling cider on a warm summer day………..now that’s chillin!

Really; it’s ok now to be seen with a glass of Rose in your hand

Rosés are wines that have colors which fall somewhere between a red and white wine. Rose wines are suddenly the rage in the UK and this style of wine is making its way on to our shores in droves. One would think that by living in Florida that the rose style of wine would already be on our radar screens. Florida’s Mediterranean-like summer climate makes a nicely flavored and dry Rosé wine perfectly appealing for meal-time.

Historically, rosé wines have been made by a number of different methods, but today two methods are most used. The most common rose production technique is to have the skins and juice to macerate just after crushing for a short period of time until the desired rose hue is achieved. The red Grenache grape has been traditionally used for many roses largely because of its relative lack of anthocyanins or color compounds. For Grenache, a maceration of eight to 12 hours is common. Highly pigmented grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon may need less contact time, while very lightly colored grapes may need a full day or two of maceration.

The second method common method of making rosé would be to blend in a small amount of finished red wine into a finished white wine. While a pink colored wine can be achieved by this process, the hue and flavor of such a wine are quite different from those of a wine made by short-term maceration. Champagne is one of the few controlled appellations in which the blending method of rosé wine-making is sanctioned. Rosé champagne is more often made by blending than by maceration. A vin gris or blush wine is made as above but with no maceration. Both tend to be paler than most rosés.

Provence is probably the region most famous for its Rosé wines. It’s not uncommon for Provencal Rosés to fetch a higher price than their red wines. Fantastic Rosés can be found in the southern Rhone in particular with the appellation of Tavel which specializes in Rosé wines. In the Languedoc, Roses are more common than white wines. Moving north, lighter versions of Rosé can be found in the Loire valley from the ultra quaffable and slightly sweet Rose D’Anjou to the very serious and classy Sancerre Rosé which is made from Pinot Noir grapes.

The Southern Rhone’s most famous appellation for Rosé is Tavel. Nine varieties are allowed in the appellation and Chateau de Trinquevedel uses all nine in their Tavel Rosé. The grapes in order of importance are Grenache, Cinsault, Clairette, Carignan, Syrah, Mourvedre, Bourbelenc, Grenache Blanc and Calitor. Tavels have a friendly cassis and raspberry entry on the palate and tend to finish with a stony and minerally dry finish that is a fabulous foil for the palate to be refreshed after a bite of food.

Chateau de Trinquevedel Tavel Rosé 2006, Retail $15.99 Warehouse $12.99

From Provence, we have received in the latest vintage of Chateau Paradis. Paradis takes its grapes from near the Luberon and is predominantly made from Cabernet Sauvignon grapes with some Grenache and then a smattering of Sauvignon Blanc added in for a zesty character. This is classic Provence Rose displaying a pale salmon color, a beautiful delicacy of flavor with a long and intriguing red fruit finish.

Chateau Paradis Provence Rosé 2006, Retail $16.99 Warehouse $13.99

In the Languedoc region of France, Jean Orliac is considered the “father” of the Pic St. Loup. As one of the original founders of the wine-growing region, Jean has fought for lower yields in the zone and pressed for full AOC status based on the particular microclimate in the area that is so unique to the tiny corner of the Languedoc. This estate continues to be a quality leader and the benchmark property of this pristine setting of an appellation.

Jean Orliac’s L’Hortus Rosé de Saignee is produced from 50% Syrah, 40% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre grapes. The wine undergoes maceration on the skins for up to three days and then the rosé juice is bled from these tanks hence the word ‘saignee’ which in French means ‘to bleed.’ The juice taken out of the tanks increases the skin to juice ratio of the remaining wine and will add structure and intensity to the red wine to be made.

L’Hortus Coteaux de Languedoc Rosé Saignee 2006, Retail $12.99 Warehouse $10.99

Neighboring L’Hortus in the Coteaux de Languedoc we find Chateau de Lascaux. Lascaux is located between Montpellier and Nimes and has hillside exposures and a Mediterranean influence. They believe that their stony-limestone based soils contribute to their wins finesse and complexity. Their Rosé is a Saignee of 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah. Flavors of cassis and strawberry lead to a nice dry and minerally finish.

Chateau de Lascaux Coteau de Languedoc Rosé 2006, Retail $12.99 Warehouse $10.99

The third Coteaux de Languedoc Rosé wine is from Chateau St Martin de la Garrigue. Last year during our ‘Return to France’ tasting tour, winemaker and general manager Jean-Claude Zabalia poured his St Martin wines at four of our WW stores. Jean-Claude’s rose consists of 50% Cinsault, 30% Syrah and 20% Grenache Noir. Bursting with red fruits, this rose has a nice weight to it combining with a long dry strawberry and cassis flavored finish.

Ch St Martin de la Garrigue ‘Coteaux de Languedoc’ Rosé 2006, Retail $12.99 Warehouse $9.99

Spain also takes its pink wines seriously. There are two categories of Spanish Rosé; rosado which is light pink and clarete which ranges from darker pink to light red.

Bodegas del Rosario is located in the town of Bullas, 50 miles from the Mediterranean coast. Bullas sits 600 meters above sea level in the foothills of the Sistema Ibérico, the southernmost mountain range in Spain. Bullas, as a town and D.O. designation, enjoys the fame of having the highest Monastrell vineyards located 600 to 900 meters above sea level. It is not unusual to see a touch of snow in the vineyards during the winter. Modern winemaking methods are employed such as earlier than traditional picking, shorter oak-aging of the wine with temperature controlled fermentations that emphasize primary fruit characters and thus elevating the wines of this region.

The town has centuries of winemaking history. The best-adapted grape to this region is Monastrell, accounting for 80% of the appellation's 5,500 hectares. Due to the altitude of the vineyards, this D.O. experiences some of the largest temperature fluctuations of the Spanish Mediterranean regions. Because of the cool nights, the Lorca Monastrell Rosé is extremely fresh with just enough vibrant acidity to reign in the massive strawberry scented juice. This wine is completely refreshing, yet finishes dry.

Lorca Monastrell Rosado 2006, Retail $9.99 Warehouse $7.99

And for those of you who are ‘fizz’ fans…….

From Champagne:

Lasalle Brut Rosé, Retail 49.99 Warehouse $39.99

Moet et Chandon Brut Imperial Rosé, Retail $44.99 Warehouse $39.99

Veuve Clicquot Brut Rosé, Retail $59.99 Warehouse $49.99

And from the Savoie:

Bugey Cerdon Rosé, Retail $19.99 Warehouse $15.99

Although a rose is a rose, a rosé wine is best when it is shipped refrigerated to safeguard its delicate fruit flavors. Rosé is also best when consumed in the first 18 months of its existence. These wines fit the above criteria. Even though it costs us more to ship this way, you’ll still be buying them at the lowest prices in the state. It’s what we do……..