Highly Recommended Values

Memaloose Estate Cabernet Franc ‘Idiot’s Grace Vineyard’ Columbia Gorge 2009

February 5, 2012 By Shea Leave a Comment

Washington State was once the great promise land of American wine. A beautiful climate that can produce wines with great fruit but also freshness, cheap land and a willingness to innovate all suggested great things. Now, however, most Washington wines are mere copies of the big California blockbusters – overripe, over fruity and over priced. How some wineries can justify $50 USD price tags when some of the great wines of Italy and France sell for the same price shows a sad predilection in the market (though I suspect these wines are having difficulty selling these days).

Doing Washington Right

Enter Memaloose. These guys get Washington right – quirky yet delicious wines that merge new world and warmer climate fruit with freshness and great respect for old world traditions and flavours. Memaloose is not concerned with maximum extraction and extreme fruitiness. At the same time, they clearly do not shy away from the greater ripeness of the grapes in Washington compared to France (their inspiration).

Owner Rob McCormick has a history as an executive and consultant in the food industry. Winemaker Brian McCormick trained in Enology at UC Davis and spent time at Zind Humbrecht and in the Dry Creek Valley. However, this is clearly no stereotypical UC Davis project – rather, these guys are serious about making lighter styled wines that pair very well with food. Their achievement with this wine is all the more impressive considering that they only produced their first vintage in 2006.

Gorge Terroir

Columbia Gorge is situated just on the Washington and Oregon border. Extreme weather variations, including very high winds, make this a challenging but unique place to grow grapes. It is challenging insofar as one has to carefully match the right microclimate to the right grape – but unique insofar as almost anything can find a place in one of the many diverse climatic sub-zones. The Idiot’s Grace vineyard, where the grapes for this wine are grown, is at 300 feet elevation and sits on clay/loam soils.

Loire Meets Washington

Cool climate varietally expressive Cabernet Franc. Like Bernard Baudry meets Washington fruit lushness and all at 13% ABV. The wine is beautifully expressive both aromatically and on the long palate. There is almost nothing like this wine being made anywhere in the New World – in fact, it speaks of varietal and place so well that I think it is a new world benchmark for immediately delicious, perfumed, seductive Cabernet Franc – you know, the kind of Cabernet Franc that great producers in the Loire have been making unnoticed for generations. However, here you have a wine that is even more accessible and even more guzzle-inducing given the sheer lushness of the fruit and textures.

I have to place this as one of the most delicious wines I’ve had in months. It is too bad the production is limited to a mere 165 cases.

Excellent and Highly Recommended Value
$25 at Soul Wine Seattle

Filed Under: $20-$30, Cabernet Franc, Excellent, Highly Recommended Values, Washington Wine

Domaine Faury Saint Joseph Vielles Vignes 2008

January 31, 2012 By Shea Leave a Comment

This wine is the perfect example of what you should be able to buy in B.C. for $36. It is also an ideal exemplar of thinking more deeply about vintage and following your palate. 2008 is largely bandied in main stream media as a near write-off for the Northern Rhone, not dissimilar (though not quite as bad as) to 2002. Utter nonsense I say.

Trust Your Importer

Kermit Lynch is the great prophet of the Rhone valley in the United States, basically making a market where none existed before for wines like Auguste Clape and Vieux Telegraph.

Philippe Faury is a Lynchian wine-maker. That is, he has incredible attention to detail, respect for the soil and the environment but also pragmatism and a simple, measured clarity of methodology in both the vineyard and the cellar. Hand-picked, pipeage by foot, very gentle pumping over, all come together to make a seamless, consistent wine with great purity and expression. Aging is done in large 600l demi-muids and smaller 220l barrels.

Old Vines, Pure Fruit, and a Little Rant

The vines for this old vine St. Joseph were planted between 1937 and 1976 on a tiny .9ha plot. That means this wine is pretty hard to find, but it also means it is complex and deep even while the 2008 vintage gives it lightness and clarity. This is fresh syrah, made in an extremely classic style by one of St. Joseph’s best proponents, especially since its resurgence via Coursodon and Chave.

Pure aromas of pepper, stone, and crushed blackberries picked seconds ago from the bush. The ferral quality is tamed, but just present enough to make this wine breath the varietal purity of Syrah from the Northern Rhone, as only it can produce.

Of course, such delicacy and purity is only possible with proper shipping and storage conditions. Kermit Lynch guarantees both up until he sells it – something that you cannot be sure of with almost every single importer in B.C.

I am also skeptical that our wines need cost what they do, even with the absurd B.C. 123% tax rate as preliminary research and information has suggested to me that many importers add quite high markups to their wines (but at this point this is unsubstantiated and needs more research).

So, a beautiful Syrah drinking perfectly now or able to sit a few years. I see no reason to hold on to this, though and would love to do a vertical of these if at all possible. If you are down in Seattle or SF I highly recommend picking this up.

Excellent and Highly Recommended Value
$36 at Esquin in Seattle

Filed Under: $30-$40, Excellent, French Wine, Highly Recommended Values, Syrah

COS Frappato 2010

January 11, 2012 By Shea 2 Comments

A brief note for a wine that you can drink by the bucketful. Extremely pretty aromatics, long and light on the palate, but versatile with food. And, even though the Sicilian COS is a naturalist producer, here we have a perfectly clean and correct example of the Frappato grape. Absolutely delicious.

What is Frappato? It is generally considered an unimportant low-tannin grape native to Sicily. COS turns it into something special. The 2010 vintage particularly highlights their prowess with the grape.

Excellent
$33 at BCLDB and Highly Recommended Value

Filed Under: $30-$40, Excellent, Frappato, Highly Recommended Values, Italian Wine

Spotlight on Nebbiolo: Gianfranco Alessandria Langhe Nebbiolo 2008

December 15, 2011 By Shea Leave a Comment

Nebbiolo makes an expensive wine. There are several reasons for this. Nebbiolo consitutes only about 6% of planted vines in Piedmont, so it is relatively scarce even in its home. Yields are generally low and prime planting land is expensive. Because Nebbiolo is so sensitive to climate, only a few particular sites make good wine – thus the entry price point goes up and up. Add to that the great prestige of Barolo and Barbaresco, and you have the perfect recipe for expensive wine.

This Nebbiolo from Gianfranco skirts some of the major price uppers by sticking to the general “Langhe” moniker. This means that the fruit either comes from regions outside the big boys in Barolo and Barbaresco or it is declassified fruit. What is really impressive, is that the quality of the fruit hits far above its entry-level (for Nebbiolo) price point.

On Nebbiolo

Nebbiolo is an extremely tannic grape. It is difficult to turn into something accessible in its youth, but modern technology has started to move certain examples in this direction. Most wines would, however, be a shame to drink young. What is most impressive about Alessandria’s entry level wine is that it drinks so well even at this young age.

Unlike Sangiovese, the fruit quality of Nebbiolo is generally very good these days. Real challenges come in the cellar, however, and this is where the battle between traditionalists and modernists truly takes place. I will explore this topic in more detail in future posts; however, it is useful to note that most producers these days have eliminated the issues that led to bacterial infections and volatile acidity in the past. Thus the general quality of wine is quite consistent – the real trick is finding the values and the truly great.

Accessible, Delicious Nebbiolo

This Langhe Nebbiolo is made from 10 year old vines planted on south-east slopes in Monforte d’Alba. Only 3500 bottles are produced (under 300 cases).

The nose on this wine is clearly nebbiolo – classic bright cherry with nut skins. There is less expressivity and concentration compared to the big boys in Barolo and Barbaresco, but this is an extremely tasty wine.

The dense palate, with its firm and grippy tannins, loosens and opens with food. There is lots of dark cherry in this wine, which has a surprising density of fruit for its level. A wine with excellent concentration, structure and length. This is a super bargain for Nebbiolo and I’d call it slightly modernist but also restrained with the oak. In other words, quite a lovely amalgam of accessibility and traditional weight and tannin.

Very Good+ and Highly Recommended Value
$40 at Kits Wine

Filed Under: $30-$40, Highly Recommended Values, Italian Wine, Nebbiolo, Nebbiolo, Very Good

Spotlight on Sangiovese: Fattoria Bibbiani Poggio Vignoso Chianti 2009

November 1, 2011 By Shea 2 Comments

Brunello di Montalcino receives the high scores and big praise when it comes to Sangiovese. There are super tuscans and Chianti Classico riservas scrambling close behind Brunello for price and prestige. But what of the lowly Chianti? All but forgotten by many wine collectors, Chianti (sans classico and sans riserva) is yet consumed in vast quantities by a wide variety of consumers. My biggest problem with basic Chianti has always been its inconsistency in both style and quality.

Many Chiantis are simple, ‘rustic’ wines with few charms and high levels of brett. Others are overwrought wines with a considerable dollop of the international Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. I find most of the latter Chiantis to be boring wines with little ability to pair with food. Given the sheer scope of the region, however, it is possible to find small producers making traditional Sangiovese well. Enter Fattoria Bibbiani.

An Importing Venture Worth Noting

This wine is brought into North America by the superb but rarely written about “Small Vineyards” importer, working out of Seattle. Luckily for British Columbians, some of these wines are being brought into the province. Small Vineyards focuses on very small production wines made traditionally with biodiversity in the vineyards and minimal levels of interference in the cellar. I’ve attended a tasting put on by Small Vineyards in the past and can say that all of the wines I tasted then were charming, fairly priced and very food friendly.

The Estate

Fattoria Bibbiani is an old school wine estate, with a history of at least 1300 years. It has been with the Donato family for over 150 and is located 20 kilometres west of Florence on the bank of the Arno river. This is an interesting winery that has championed such projects as varietally bottling a unique clone of Sangiovese (Pulignano) that only exists on their estate. Bibbiani makes their Chianti with neutral methods, seeking simple purity of fruit. Techniques include: spurred cordon trained vines, stainless steel maceration and fermentation, and Slavonian oak aging in 10 year old barrels. The soils are limestone, clay and sandstone. Production is about 5,000 cases.

The Wine

Abundant, easily expressible cherry and strawberry fruit elide attempts at complexification. This is charming, free wheeling wine: clean, pure, simple and delicious. It also happens to be rockin’ tasty with pretty sweet fruit, leather and medium body. Perfectly suited for high acid pastas, pizza and anything with tomatos. In many wine lover’s search for greatness, they can miss the inimitable basic purity of a wine like this Chianti.

13% ABV. 85% Sangiovese, 10% Canaiolo, 5% Malvasia.

Very Good+ and Highly Recommended Value
$27 at Everything Wine

Filed Under: $20-$30, Canaiolo, Highly Recommended Values, Italian Wine, Malvasia, Sangiovese, Sangiovese, Very Good

Domaine Fouassier “Sur le Fort” Sancerre 2009

August 11, 2011 By Shea Leave a Comment

Sancerre has the biggest name in the Loire but often produces the least interesting wines. I opt for Savennieres, Vouvray, Saumur and Muscadet far more often than the generally overpriced sauvignon blancs of Sancerre. Sometimes, however, a winery can come along that challenges these tendencies, and Domaine Fouassier does just that.

Of Soils and Deliciousness

Sancerre is famous for its three types of soils: white chalky soils, limestone and flint. Fouassier categorizes its wines by soil types, with white and brown labels representing grapes grown in two types of limestone soils and grey labels those in flint. The Fouassiers are one of the oldest families in Sancerre and have a large estate extending 53 hectares, which allows them a wide range of wines in various terroirs.

This is extremely expressive wine, but not in that big over the top style that commercial Sancerre is made in. This is minerally wine but also is full of tropical fruit and tang. These are big and expressive on the palate too, and include a nice fairly lengthy finish by Sauvignon Blanc standards. A great food wine and a great wine by itself, this is outstanding for the price and well worth picking up.

Very Good+ to Excellent and Highly Recommended Value
$35 at Kitsilano Wine Cellars

Filed Under: $30-$40, French Wine, Highly Recommended Values, Sauvignon Blanc, Very Good

Fontodi Chianti Classico 2007

August 9, 2011 By Shea 7 Comments

Fontodi is a top producer in Chianti, a region much maligned both for its history of cheap dreck and for an overabundance of new Super Tuscan blends many of which have focused more on international rather than regional varieties.

On the other hand, Chianti, particularly Chianti Classico, has seen a bit of a resurgance lately, with top producers like Fontodi focusing on a terroir driven approach to Chianti and demonstrating that the Classico DOCG can offer stunning soil driven wines.

Fickle Grape, Rediscovered Terroir

Sangiovese, of course, is one of Italy’s greatest indigenous grapes, descendant from two other indigenous Tuscan vines called ciliegiolo and calabrese monotenuovo. Sangiovese is a vigorous grape that must be closely pruned but also that has difficulty ripening. The grape’s naturally light colour is what led to blending with both traditional varieties and the international grapes Cabernet and Merlot. Though I have to point out that while these noble French varieties have been much maligned, when done well, they can produce outstanding wine. That said, this Chianti is 100% Sangiovese (as is Fontodi’s Super Tuscan Flaccianello).

Perfectly Classic

A nose of classic medium bodied cherry becomes a fantastic full-bodied yet very well balanced wine with flavours of cherry, licorice and roots. This has amazing length and structure for basic Chianti Classico and is a superb example both of Fontodi and the outstanding 2007 vintage.

There is pretty much no Chianti out there in B.C. at this price point with this level of structure and complexity. That makes this wine an outstanding buy that you can lay down or drink now with a hearty plate of spaghetti and meatballs.

Very Good+ and Highly Recommended Value
$33 at BCLDB

P.S. The Portuguese Spotlight will continue soon – the contingencies of a busy life have created some delay.

Filed Under: $30-$40, Highly Recommended Values, Italian Wine, Sangiovese, Very Good

Spotlight on New Zealand: Kumeu River Estate Chardonnay 2007

July 17, 2011 By Shea Leave a Comment

This will be the last post in the New Zealand spotlight. And I feel it is suitable to end with a wine that represents how New Zealand is moving towards it own unique sense of terroir, marrying cool climate viticulture with respect for both old world restraint and new world pleasure. The best wines of New Zealand combine the reflective with the hedonistic so well that I am very excited for the Island’s future.

Methods

I wrote up Kumeu river’s entry level chardonnay earlier in this spotlight, which is made with purchased fruit. The Estate Chardonnay takes things to another level of depth and complexity. Grown on clay and sandstone soils, the vines are trellised in the ‘lyre’ system, which increases the grapes light exposure and helps to ensure greater phenolic ripeness.

The grapes are hand harvested, and once in the cellar they see 100% whole bunch pressing, full malo-lactic and barrel fermentation for 11 months.

Old World, New World

This is a very tasty wine and, despite not reaching the level of stunning complexity of the Pyramid Lion’s Tooth Chardonnay, it is also surprisingly complex and aromatically expressive. Minerals, stones, flowers and lemon make up the excellent bouquet, which would fool many to be Burgundy, though I think the fruit character is decidedly Kiwi. The oak is beautifully integrated and the palate is very bright and fresh with good length and balance. This is a wine with old world style and a new world sensibility and is outstanding chardonnay for the price.

Excellent and Highly Recommended Value
$40 at Kits Wine Cellar and Everything Wine

Filed Under: $40-$60, Chardonnay, Excellent, Highly Recommended Values, New Zealand, New Zealand Wines

Azienda Agricola Cos Cerasuolo Di Vittoria Classico 2008

July 2, 2011 By Shea 8 Comments

How exciting it is for a wine like this to be in British Columbia. Cos is not only an icon of the ‘natural wine’ movement, but it is an exceptional producer that is making some of the most exciting wines in Sicily.

Natural Wine or Just a Great Producer?

Natural wine has consistently been a galvanizing force for debate about the nature and purpose of wine. Commercial viability, faults, ideology, and ethics all come out to play when a natural wine hits the glass.

Often those in this debate can lose sight of a simple reality for all wine: it is producer more than philosophy or technique that makes great wine. Great grapes and terroir are also necessary, but it is the endless minute decisions made in the vineyard and the cellar that ultimately make a wine what it is. This means that in natural wine, just as with all wine, there will be those producers that make wines far and above what most others are doing. For me, Cos is one of those producers.

COS – So Hot Right Now

Founded in 1980 by three partners – Giambattista Cilia, Cirino Strano and Giusto Occhipinti, whose daughter has started her own much adored eponymous winery – COS set out to challenge what had become ‘conventional’ winemaking in Sicily’s only DO “Cerasuolo Di Vittoria” first by farming completely biodynamically, and second by steadily increasing the use of clay amphora for fermentation of their wines. The amphora fermented wines bear the name “Pithos”.

COS is located on the southeastern tip of Sicily and as such the climate is both hot and dry. Despite this, the wines bear a lightness and elegance that belies their origins in one of the hottest climates in Italy.

Perfect Italian Wine

Alas while we do not yet have access to the amphora fermented wines in the province, this wine, fermented completely in neutral concrete, is still an excellent introduction to the COS style and philosophy. Made from 18 year old Frappato and Nero D’Avola vines grown on limestone-silicaceous and clay soils, this wine is both enticingly aromatic and very fresh and juicy on the palate. Pretty red fruits and flowers flow easily from the glass, and it is this effortlessness that is the wine’s most striking quality.

This is also a wine with a substantial medium body that will balance kindly with a wide variety of food from cured meats to lightly spicy pastas and grilled meats. It also goes great with air, as my friend Sean is fond of saying. This is also the kind of wine I would lovingly buy by the case – so don’t go running out and snapping up the small allocation this province has!

Excellent and Highly Recommended Value
$35 at BCLDB

Filed Under: $30-$40, Excellent, Frappato, Highly Recommended Values, Italian Wine, Nero d'Avola

Spotlight on New Zealand: Kumeu River Village Chardonnay 2008

June 6, 2011 By Shea Leave a Comment

Chardonnay has crept up the New Zealand sales charts to enter the #2 position after Sauvignon Blanc. Despite this, most people haven’t tasted much Kiwi chard, let alone good Kiwi chard. I first tasted this at an industry tasting, then again at L’Abattoir and finally with my own bottle with food. Each time I tasted it I was impressed, despite this chard being made from fruit purchased from other Kumeu vineyards, a region northwest of Aukland with predominently clay soils over a sandstone base (the estate chards are at another level that I will hopefully discuss in a future post).

New Zealand’s Golden Coast

Kumeu uses only indigenous yeasts in their chardonnay, and generally combines a pure fruit driven approach with a deft use of Burgundian Cote d’Or techniques. There is serious history to this winery, which in a country like New Zealand, is one of the oldest, being founded in the 1940’s. It was not until the 1970’s that the winery planted international varieties like Chardonnay and until the 1980’s when it started bringing in techniques from Burgundy such as extended lees ageing.

Impressively Pure and Serious Chardonnay

This is a wine fermented both in French oak (1/3) and steel (2/3), which creates a compelling combination of pure chardonnay fruit and rich, voluptuous chardonnay as accented by oak. The nose offers pear lemon, a touch of oak and stoniness.

This wine is very impressive for this price. It is fairly round and rich but what keeps it tasty is that rather than becoming a goopy mess, it regains considerable focus on the finish and adds a nice line of minerality from the mid-palate onwards. It is not a profound wine, but it is a very good quality wine that will go with fish and seafood incredibly well and that would also make a great porch sipping wine if you feel like something with a hint of seriousness. I think this wine is of the same quality as good quality $35+ Chards from Macon.

Very Good and Highly Recommended Value
$26 at Kits Wine and Everything Wine

Filed Under: $20-$30, Chardonnay, Highly Recommended Values, New Zealand, New Zealand Wines, Very Good