The Wine Guild of Charlottesville

The Triumphant Return of Yet Another Guild Favorite

Posted on Jul, 31. 2012 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

We’ve not been around for that long, but I feel like we’ve definitely found a nice rhythm with a familiar handful of wines…and bringing back new vintages of old favorites (provided they live up to the old standards, of course) is something that brings us a sense of excitement and satisfaction…much like building a vertical in your cellar. It’s not often, because estates sometimes fall off the map or just go in different directions than what we’re interested in bringing to the table, but when it does happen (as with the Mondesir), it just feels right.

Cue the 2011 Familia Mayol Malbec. We offered the previous vintage last August, and it was understandably a huge hit (with many coming back for refills). Well, we’re always on the lookout for good Malbec…but, to be honest, it’s not easy. There’s no shortage of South American Malbec, as it seems to be the easiest varietal to get to produce passable juice in large quantities down there. We’re looking for something more, though: a more pure expression of the grape, without fanfare, too much adulteration, and certainly nothing that breaks the bank (because, in South American wine tradition, oftentimes the more it costs, the more extracted, alcoholic and opulent it is).

Will originally wrote the offer for the 2010, and I loved that wine, but somehow never really got to spend enough time with it. The 2011 brought it all back home for me, though. It’s undeniably Malbec, but there’s something else that screams “northern Rhone Syrah” flitting around the periphery. It’s a meaty wine at its core, a lot to chew on, a lot to savor (spicy cigar box, stewed cherries, and faint autumn smoke), but it’s almost like this is cool-climate fruit (and it’s not…this comes from a frickin’ desert!) That aforementioned ripe center is draped with a restrained, cool sleekness…and that’s what really sells this wine for me. Anyone who’s had steely blueberry-laden Côte-Rôtie knows what I mean. And what else…it finishes with a perfect punch of acid and lingering earthiness. 

As Will said last year (see the original 2010 offer below; we both independently came to “cool climate fruit” in two separate vintages, for what that’s worth), this is a model of consistency, focusing on a particular (particularly intriguing and enjoyable) style, and doing that style well, for a steal. Fans of Malbec need look no further; fans of restrained, composed, yet expressive everyday reds also should pay close attention.

From the first time around:

Heirloom tomatoes with feta, fresh herbs and steamed green black eyed peas. Chicken roasted with garlic and herbs over a small fire. Slow cooked pork, spiced and lightly smoked. Young summer squashes sauteed in butter with fresh thyme. The final mowings. The cool breezes on a hot dry day with the whir of cicadas chanting in the air. It is August and these are a few of my favorite things.

I am drinking Malbec because I found a Malbec that is fantastic for these things. We have featured Argentianian producer Familia Mayol many times here at the Guild as they continuously produce wine at every level that is both exciting and new. The 2010 Malbec has been loaded with juice from the top vine holdings of the estate and is one of the finer everyday priced Malbecs I have come across.  

There is a firm but easy tannin to the wine with cleanly expressed varietal fruit. Mature structure and bright fruit tones evoke an almost Mediterranean style with a cooler climate clarity. Old world in style, which is to say the fruit is in no way overdone and the focus overall seems to be pointed towards nuance and charm, words seldom used for the great black grape. All of this and lacking nothing in power, this is a food friendly Malbec that is drinking perfectly right now, something to be gulped on its own on outdoor porches and an inspiration to grill many wonderful things. 

Gather together with some friends and make certain you have had your fill of all the flavors of summer, fresh ripe tomatoes, fresh light goats cheeses, mozzerellas and fetas. Grilled fishes, roasted chickens, fresh herbs, loads of the freshest olive oils and garlic and plenty of top quality grilled steaks. And above all make sure you have the right wine, in almost any case it will be this Malbec. 

An exciting new find from a consistent Estate.

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The Heroic Return of our Best-Selling Wine Offer Ever

Posted on Jul, 31. 2012 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

Pop quiz, hotshot: can you name the last DEFCON wine we offered? Yeah, me either. It's that rare. 

We see a lot of great wines, with a scant few worthy of the DEFCON label, but this is one that holds a special place in Guild history as "the best-selling offer ever". The first time we offered the Chateau Mondesir, it was the vaunted 2005 Bordeaux vintage. "Vintage of the Century!", they cried, leaving the less breathless among us to wonder what happened to 2000. In any case, the '05s were amazing, and nothing since has compared...but then the 2009 Bordeaux vintage came in and we were wowed all over again. We tasted a score of 09s, and offered plenty of them out to you all, but this is what you would call a classic case of 'the straggler that overtakes the frontrunner'. 

As I said, the 2005 vintage of this wine was the best selling wine in our history - with roughly half of the members we have now, we roared through about 50 cases of this stuff! People tried it, immediately understood, and returned to the well for more (that includes me!) Well, I have tried intermediate vintages since then, and while they all were quality, nothing really reached that original level of quality and depth of the 2005 until now. This is a return to the glory of 2005, with all the depth, the balance, the "vastly outpacing its cost" of the original. It's what I've been waiting for (not least because I'm running dangerously low on my 2005 Mondesir).

Hello Everyone,

Ben Martin from Elite wines came by late last week with a stunning Bordeaux at a really good price. Premier Cotes de Blaye is the best of the regions taking the name of the town of Blaye and is a really great area to find deals in Bordeaux. Often these wines can be a bit astringent with the greenness of the younger vines one so often encounters in this area but every so often you come across a gem and in a good vintage everything can come together to make for quite a delicious Bordeaux at quite a stunning price.

"Blaye is a fortified town on the north bank of the Gironde estuary just opposite Margaux in the Bordeaux region which has been exporting wine much longer than the famous Medoc across the water. Today it lends its name to several of the Bordeaux Cotes appellations...Today by far the most important wine produced here is robust red from the Premieres Cotes de Blaye, made on 4500 ha of vineyard, mainly from Merlot grapes supplemented by Cabernet Sauvignon" -Jancis

This particular Blaye is from Chateau Mondesir a relative of Mondesir-Gazin but with the same wine maker. Made up of Merlot and Malbec and taking the best from each grape the Mondesir is extremely full bodied with nice ripe chewy tannins. The fruit is dark berries and cocoa but again those tannins are what really drew me to this wine. There was real substance here and for the price this would be a great Bordeaux to drink over the next 5 years. Those who like their Bordeaux a little softer and smoother will want to give it 3 years anyway or at least an hour or two of decanting.

As a serious wine this Bordeaux trumps any of the inexpensive Bordeaux we have tried or offered since fall and I recommend to anyone who has enjoyed the five or six under $15 Bordeaux to give this one a try. It is a drink by the case steal.

 

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Our House Sancerre, She’s Back!

Posted on Jul, 31. 2012 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

I'll make this short, because I fully understand that we have inundated you with Sauvignon Blanc this spring. The Patianna, the Cottat, the Bourgeois, all great wines. This one's a throwback, though...a wine that we have been superfans of since our inception, one that I cannot turn my back on. Doubly so after tasting a brand new bottle of the 2011 this afternoon, so refreshing in the unwelcome afternoon heat and humidity.

The 2011 Cherrier Sancerre. It needs little introduction. Some of the finest Sauvignon Blanc on the planet, and you Guilders have bought enough of it in the past to know that much...but, admittedly, no two vintages are the same. So: 2011. I've loved all my 2011 Sancerre, but this...this makes my toes curl, baby! It has less plushness than in previous vintages, and that has been replaced with a succinct, pure citrus component---lime, to be exact. The acid is just so pristine and in your face, much like fresh lime juice, but softened considerably by a touch of richness in the center. All of this wineplay leaves an air of excitement on your palate, and that's what Sancerre should be about. And, as with our Apremont from a couple weeks ago, this wine is just magnificent when young! Okay, enough of this; here's my original Cherrier notes from a few years back:

• The Cherriers have been making classic Sauvignon Blanc near Verdigny since 1927 (the brothers Francois and Jean-Marie are third-generation winegrowers here), and their wines have long been a no-brainer for me. I still have a bottle or two of the '06 Blanc in my cellar, and it's aging nicely...but the 2008 Blanc is something else entirely. Often, classically-styled Sancerres are offputting for a lot of people, because they don't really have any ripeness up front, they lack a soft approachableness (yes, I just made up that word) when young, and they're often built for food pairing. And while Cherrier does make classic, pure Sauv Blanc, it's always had a more approachable face to it than many others at this age. The 2008 Blanc, though, has been consistently slaying me with its mix of classic Loire flint and new-world-ey plush attractiveness. It's got bright, pleasant acid, but it's never too much---always walking that knife's edge between bracing and soft. But it's still Cherrier---still pureSauv Blanc, with all of the haunting soul, the wet chalk and fresh air and lemons, without being haughty or unapproachable. It's pristine and beautiful; the fact that Dionysos has it on (deep) discount is even more reason to love it. Sancerre this cheap is rare; great Sancerre at this price is but a myth. Here's your Sasquatch.

If you haven't saturated your wine racks with Sauvignon Blanc yet, now's your chance to seal the deal!

2011 Francois et Jean-Marie Cherrier Sancerre Blanc "Les Chailloux" Cuvee Vielles Vignes
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Retail Price: $22.00

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Parallel Paths: The Classic Reds of La Rioja Alta

Posted on Jul, 31. 2012 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

As Spain has gone from "big wine drinker but not big wine exporter" to "one of the hottest wine producers on the international market" in the past 15 years or so, it's been fascinating to watch the stylistic evolution of various subregions and producers. Some producers have fully embraced the broad-stroke "international palate" of drink-now unctuousness and accessibility, while a select few have remained steadfast in the ways of old (growing traditional wines that reflect both generations of hands worked to the bone and the unique terroir of their homeland). As you might expect, we seek out the latter whenever possible.

Rioja is perhaps the most well-known red producer of Spain to outsiders, and with good reason: it often produces wines of power, stoicism and brooding depth. What most don't know is that there are several regions within 'La Rioja', producing rather unique styles of wine. Rioja Baja has a very Mediterranean climate and produces perhaps the most familiar Riojas: jammy, rich reds with low acidity and a big punch. The other two subregions, Rioja Alavesa and Rioja Alta, do not see the kind of ripeness of Baja, and thus typically produce wines with much more expressiveness, balance and classicity.

La Rioja Alta (taking its name from its subregion) is the old guard, a house in production since 1890, farming some of the most hallowed ground in one of the oldest recognized wine-producing regions in the world. This is not a position to be taken lightly.  In fact, it appears to be the basic framework of their decision-making.  The longevity of the house and traditional style of the wines is a welcome reminder of good stewardship -- a thing done well and carefully tended, to be handed down through the generations. With this very long view, and the massive storage cellar it requires, there is no pressure to create wines to be sold immediately after bottling.  After all, when you’ve been making wine for 120 hundred years, something in the cellar will always be drinking well, which means in the most basic sense, you can always play for time, allowing barrel and bottle age to reveal the true character of the wine.

This is rare, and to be celebrated – this is La Rioja Alta.

We tasted three of their current releases, side by side, and were astounded that these wines are not only available to us with such provenance and age, but also at prices that defy all known convention. These are three brothers, of different eras but aging side by side, and their parallel paths are compelling to drink in - coming from the same estate, the same basic styles of winemaking, but from different sites, different growing seasons, and different blending choices. You owe it to yourself to get at least one of each of these:

• 2005 Rioja Vina Alberdi [$16.83-Grand Cru,  $17.63-Premier Cru] – the house’s basic rendition of Tempranillo from Rioja:  robust, still muscular, balancing a very Old World style with vibrant fruit and the youthful edges of American oak.  There's an electricity to it, as it shows off its youth, without being nervy or anxious.  Just more energy than one would expect, crafted in an expert manner.  This wine takes me back to a long sliver of a bar in 1990s New York called ‘Enya’ where on Tuesday nights, traditional Spanish Flamenco dancers stomped and clapped amongst the tightly packed bohemian crowd, mesmerized by guitar and long skirts and boot heels -- the whole affair coming to crescendo in one sudden unforgettable flourish of jet black hair and red carnations.

"Dark red. Redcurrant, dried cherry and vanillin oak on the nose, with a smoky mineral quality in the background. Lively red fruit and rose pastille flavors are complemented by sweet vanilla bean and cola nuances. The oakiness fades away on the long finish, which is juicy, expansive and seamless. This wine's lively acidity makes it refreshing and easy to drink now, but it really deserves patience." 90 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar 

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• 2001 Rioja Vina Ardanza Reserva Especial – "Reserva Especial" and "Gran Reserva" are, like vintage Porto or Champagne, relatively rare designations in Rioja - even more so at the hands of La Rioja Alta. To wit: the 2001 Reserva Especial is only the third time, ever, that the house has issued this crowning label; the last time this wine was made was in 1973! Suffice it to say that you're getting something very special here. Tempranillo and Garnacha aged in what is perceptibly slightly finer American oak.  Gorgeous fruit on the nose, tempered nicely by vanilla and baking spices, with a dark, brooding palate of berries, chocolates and peppered spice.  Eleven years after vintage, still young, still showing the tannic structure and bite that belies its long future development.  There is unreal depth after it has time to breath, showing off a brightness and brooding darkness at the same time. Full-bodied in the same way Ali was a heavyweight; a showoff, but never without the pedigree to back it all up. You really must drink some of this to understand what genius this estate (and region) is capable of.

"The current release is the 2001 Reserva Especial, a deeply colored wine with a lovely perfume of cinnamon, lavender, incense, balsamic, and black cherry. Medium-bodied, velvety-textured, and already complex, it will continue to evolve for another 5-10 years and offer a drinking window extending from 2016 to 2036. For those seeking immediate gratification, it has the virtue of being approachable now." The Wine Advocate, 94 Points 

"Deep red. Sexy, intensely perfumed bouquet of ripe raspberry and cherry with suggestions of potpourri, sandalwood and vanilla. Shows more power and darker fruits on the palate, picking up a touch of singed plum that adds a serious quality to the sweet black raspberry and cherry flavors without costing the wine any of its vibrancy. The long, sweet finish hangs on with very good tenacity." Stephen Tanzer, 92 Points

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• 1998 Rioja Gran Reserva 904 [39.59-Grand Cru,  $41.39-Premier Cru] – Simply having a wine with this kind of (graceful) age available to us 14 years later, I consider to be a privilege. Soft, subtle and with an understated elegance;  clearly at peak and showing a beautiful, dense tapestry of secondary and tertiary aromas and flavors melding seamlessly with acids and tannin.  Fascinatingly light-bodied and elegant, with a touch of raisiny sap, and brickish signs of pristine age.  The wine oozes old-world ruggedness, red rocks and hot sun and sparse underbrush, all background players to the gnarly old Tempranillo vines just effortlessly doing what they were meant to do.  I would imagine that this wine flows when a prized daughter of La Rioja Alta marries well.

"Beautiful cigar box, orange peel, clove and rose aromas draw you into this mature, supple red, which shows pronounced acidity and dried citrus, tobacco and spice flavors. A bit lean, a reflection of the vintage, but a lovely example of the traditional style. Drink now." Wine Spectator, 90 Points

Alpine Purity

Posted on Jul, 31. 2012 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

If there ever was a quality, a descriptor, of wine that draws me in on a wire, it's "purity". For better or for worse, I am a sucker for wines that have a very clear, pure "message", that express their terroir and lineage and handling in a way unclouded by pomp, by distractions, by unnecessary oak or unctuousness or any other kind of superfluous dalliance. For me, tasting a wine like this in a lineup is like putting on glasses, like that Claritin commercial where a lens washes across the screen and the world goes from muddy to crystal clear. They are rare, and this is not necessarily a bad thing; if all wine was uncluttered, then these few wouldn't be quite so special.

When I think of this purity in wine, a few particular styles pop into my head, like coastal-flavored Muscadet, or Spanish Viura, or Premier Cru Chablis, or...Apremont. Yes, Apremont, jewel of Savoie (that backwoods mountain region in the east of France)...a village producing some of the most obviously Alpine wine on the planet, and without any of the curiousness of oxidized Juras, etc. Behold, the 2011 Marc Portaz Apremont: a perfect example of this flawless soul. What I frankly adore about wines of this caliber is that the clarity never means compromising expressiveness; this is a pure wine, but it still explodes from the glass with stony crispness and soft lemon/herb, and a precise balance of acidity and velvety softness. What really strikes you with this wine, though, is that it is "mountainous", to borrow that term - it is like mountain air, like melting snow, like wet rocks and sparse vegetation. It's a wine that transports you if you're in the mood for contemplation, or a wine that's just unflinchingly refreshing, balanced and gulpable if you're not. 

If you don't know Apremont, then here's a perfect chance to acquaint yourselves. If you do, then trust me when I say that this is the absolute freshest, liveliest example you will find right now. It just hit the shores a few weeks ago, and Apremont is something you just need to drink young. In other words, it's got everything going for it, and you should be drinking it.

2011 Marc Portaz Apremont
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Retail Price: $13.50

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The Best New Bartender in Town: You

Posted on Jun, 04. 2012 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

As I'm sure you've all surmised, I'm into wine. What you may not know is that I'm also an avid homebrewer and craft beer lover. Over the past few years, though, my quest for complete alcohol-geekdom has brought me into a new realm of drink: the artisan cocktail. Hey now, you're thinking, you guys can't sell booze! No, unfortunately, we cannot (yet). But if there's anything I've learned in the past couple years of messing around with cocktails, it's that the spirits are only half the battle. The rest, well, that comes from creative recipes and excellent supporting ingredients. So, I'm trying something new for today's email. Below, I have three of my very favorite cocktail recipes, which I will explain in detail, and they each include both the booze (which you can buy at any local ABC store!) and the other stuff, which we can sell you (at the typical Guild discount, of course). So, let's get to this:

The Mole Manhattan

A spicy take on the classic.I use either bourbon (Evan Williams, of course) or rye whiskey as my base spirit; rye is generally not quite as sweet, depending on your mood. For the vermouth, I'm in love with the Vya Rouge, a perfectly balanced, expressive American vermouth; however, for a little more rustic, rooty take on things, an Italian Amaro (in this case, Cardamaro) hits the spot. It's herbal, funky, and makes for a great variation on the typical savory character of vermouth rouge. Beware, though, as it is also a bit sweeter than the Vya, so you may want to go the rye direction here. Last, but not least, is one of my absolutely favorite new bitters: the Xocolatl Mole bitters from Bittermens. It changes this drink into something extraordinary, something that will turn heads. It is modeled on the traditional cinnamon-chocolate mole sauces of Central America, and those two flavors are the most prevalent. I love cinnamon in my dark-cocktail bitters, and the addition of cocoa into the mix is perfect for this drink. The orange rind also adds a fresh citrus zing that is necessary in a drink with so many brooding flavors floating around, but unlike lemon, it won't clash with the chocolate notes from the bitters.

• 2oz Bourbon or Rye Whiskey
• 1oz Vya Rouge Vermouth or Cardamaro
• 20 drops Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters
• Orange rind (garnish)

Place ice in a lowball glass. Rub the orange rind around the rim and express it over the ice before adding it to the glass. Add the drops of bitters, then the whiskey and vermouth. Stir gently; enjoy!

The Woodberry Schooner

I'm shamelessly lifting this recipe from the cocktail artists at the Columbia Room in D.C.; we recently had our first experience at this backroom mecca, and this drink was certainly one of the highlights. Its base is white/silver Tequila; to that, you add a bit of sweet white vermouth (we're huge fans of the Dolin Blanc), some lemon juice and simple syrup, and 15-20 drops of Bittermens' Orchard Street Celery Shrub, which is similar to bitters but with much more herbal, spicy, savory character and less citrus/bitter notes. It's not for everything or everyone, but I fell in love with it because of this drink. The unmistakable spiciness of the tequila works so well with the citrus and herbal celery, to give you something that is sweet, savory, spicy and downright refreshing.

• 1oz Tequila silver/white
• 1oz Dolin Blanc sweet white vermouth
• <1/2oz Simple Syrup
• 1/2oz Lemon Juice
• 15-20 drops Bittermens Orchard Street Celery Shrub
• Lemon rind (garnish)

Combine all ingredients (except garnish) in a mixing glass with ice - if you want more celery character, aim for the high end of the range with the shrub...otherwise, 15 drops should do it. Stir, strain into a cocktail glass, express the lemon rind over the top, and add it to the glass.

La Bicyclette

Elderflowers, the chief ingredient in St. Germain liqueur, are hand-picked in the Alps and delivered to market via bicycle every year...hence, the name. If you've never had St. Germain, then you're in for a treat. Its flavor profile is complex and intoxicating, resting somewhere between passionfruit and peach; I've only begun to scratch the surface of its possibilities, but the Bicyclette is my favorite so far. It combines the St. Germain with gin, vermouth rouge (the Dolin and Vya versions are both excellent, with the Vya being a more modern, smoother version), and bitters. The original recipe calls for peach bitters - I used Fee Bros. - but the flavor seemed a bit redundant, so I tried Bittermens Orange Cream Citrate (citrates have a sour base rather than a bitter one), and have been very pleased with the results. A perfect summertime pre-dinner refresher!

• 2oz Gin
• 3/4oz Dolin or Vya Vermouth rouge
• 1/2oz St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur
• 2 dashes Bittermens Orange Cream Citrate
• Lemon rind (garnish)

Combine all ingredients (except garnish) in a mixing glass with ice. Stir, strain into a cocktail glass, express the lemon rind over the top, and add it to the glass.

Please click here to order any of the products featured (except the spirits, of course).

Dolin Blanc (750mL)
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Dolin Rouge (750mL)
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Vya Sweet/Rouge (750mL)
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Cardamaro Amaro (750mL)
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Retail Price: $22.00

Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters (4oz)
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Retail Price: $18.00

Bittermens Orchard Street Celery Shrub (4oz)
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Bittermens Orange Cream Citrate (4oz)
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Esporao Rocks

Posted on Jun, 04. 2012 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

Down to brass tacks right up front this morning: if you missed Wednesday's special "Fifth Wednesday" event with Esporão, you missed some killer great wines---but plenty of you were able to come by and crowd up our tasting room up (yes, we need a 3rd air conditioner for days like that).

In either case, I've been a huge fan of this family of wines for as long as I've known that Portugal made good wine, so I was thrilled to be able to bring all this to your attention. Esporão was essentially my intro to the real story of modern winemaking in Portugal, and what that represents to me today is, well, Spain ten years ago. Wines of stunning purity and quality that are so obviously underpriced for their quality level (relative to similar wines in France and the US) that you just know that the international market is going to catch on sooner than later and double the cost of all these great deals. It happened with Spain...$15 Crianzas started getting 92+ Advocate scores, and that was really all she wrote. Now, so many impostors are making Spanish wines to score well with certain critics, the prices for real soulful wines are through the roof, and, well, here I am trying to get you in on one of the lower floors of the "next big thing". Ignore at your own peril.

We tasted 10 wines on Wednesday. Great, world-class whites that you mightn't peg as Iberian; full, expressive reds that defy their price tags in every respect. My favorites:

2011 Esporão Verdelho: This was one of my new favorites long before this tasting was even a discussion. Verdelho is not a different spelling of Verdejo; it's its own grape...actually, one of the four main grapes of Madeira. This wine, though, brings almost none of the qualities of Madeira to the table, and instead rests triangulated between Sauvignon Blanc, Verdejo and Pinot Gris. It's tremendously fresh, clean wine, with white flowers and fruit pits flanked by a seriously satisfying plushness; a bright and springy acidity follows it up to leave your palate refreshed and demanding more. I bought this as soon as I tried it a month or so ago, and a few of you have have seen it on the shelves and even tried it. For those who haven't, it's a brilliant new addition to your summer white lineup!
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*
2009 Esporão Private Selection (White): A new one for me, and a real head-turner. I kept coming back to this wine, because it's so uncharacteristic of Iberia. It reminded me of an Anton Bauer Gruner Veltliner that I had aged for 7 years or so, and turned out like classic Grand Cru white Burgundy. This, of course, is current vintage stuff, but it has a serious deep yellow hue; while it's obviously not Chardonnay, it has that distinctively integrated oak character beset with lively fruit and a regal character that laughs off its meager price tag. The wine leaps out of the glass without ever being too obvious, and all the little pieces and parts come together so effortlessly that you just want to keep smelling it. If you like great white Burg, and/or high-end California chard, but are getting a bit tired of paying so much for 'em, this is your new favorite substitute.
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2008 Quinta dos Murças Duoro Reserva: Of all the great reds we tasted, this one sticks out for a number of reasons. First and foremost, it is a beautiful cellar wine, something that exists on a plane by itself somewhere amongst West Coast Zin, Northern Rhone Syrah and Cali Cab. I'm drinking a glass of it as I write this, on night #2 of being open, and it's blossoming into something of a graceful juggernaut. The body and spicy fruit of Central Coast zinfandel; the steely bluish fruit of Cote Rotie; the rugged depth and classicity of old (original) Napa cabernet. But this is no imitation of any of those things; the elements all gel together to bring you a serious contender for "cellar anchor". The structure is sufficient that you can expect it to get better for at least another 5 to 10 years, but not so taut that you can't drink it now. If you love big red wine, you need to have this. [typical retail: $42.50; Grand Cru: $30.99; Premier Cru: $32.44]
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Retail Price: $42.50

The Masochist

Posted on Mar, 08. 2012 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

The characters we come across in the travails of this vinous adventure are nearly as fundamental to what we do as their lands and the wines that they produce. Some are kind old souls, some are jokers, some are serious brick walls, and others care only for the business of it all. Each character has its place, each serves a purpose, but only the true masters of their craft produce magnificent wines yet still manage to not take it all too seriously. It's just grape juice, after all, and we're not long for this earth...

Enter Jean-Marie Rimbert of Domaine Rimbert in the might-be-unknown-if-not-for-him region of St. Chinian (Languedoc). I've been a personal fan of his for years...his basic red blend, mostly Carignan, is magical, and can often be found for under $10. The man treats Carignan like his own Pinot Noir...the artistry and love that find their way into this juice are palpable and not unlike that of the great terroir-varietal matchmakers in the Cote D'Or and Loire.

St. Chinian, a tiny appellation not terribly far from the Mediterranean, is the oldest winemaking region in the Languedoc, dating back to the days of Roman rule. Rimbert's wines capture that classicity and old-world traditionalism so perfectly while always maintaining a liveliness, an awareness, that they exist on a separate plane of reality from much of the Languedoc. To wit: the 2009 Mas au Schiste. This is 40% Carignan, 30% Grenache and 30% Syrah, and the play on words here has to do with Jean-Marie's propensity to dive into these abusive (schiste-heavy) terroirs headfirst:

The lightness of the wine (again, like Pinot) is tempered by a very brooding structure - one that keeps making me wonder whether drinking now is the best move, or waiting 10 years would bring out another level. Suffice it to say, I'll be doing both. The schiste-ey minerality is draped over the fruit like a tarp-sized veil: covering everything, but never smothering it. Underneath that veil, there's tobacco, and raisins, and cherries, and that distinct aroma of walking through a very old southern European village after a soft morning rain (seriously). Tremendous ambition goes into this bottle, along with firm tannins and an all-important punch of blunted acid that will help this stay electric for another decade. Honestly, it's been years since a Languedoc wine has rocked my core like this, and fans of southern France (or, namely, anyone else who is into damn good red wine at a steal) should not pass this up!

Unfortunately, since being introduced to the industry, the wine's already moving out of the warehouse at an alarming rate...but I've secured the last 9 cases for the Guild through the end of the week; please let us know how much you'd like as soon as possible and we'll allocate accordingly.

2009 Domaine Rimbert, St. Chinian 'Mas au Schiste'
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Retail Price: $21.50
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A Defcon Returneth!

Posted on Jan, 26. 2012 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

You know that bittersweet feeling of getting in on a great thing just as it's on its way out? Well, that's how we felt (see below) when we discovered Jean Gauradet, the "Best Kept Secret in Pommard", in his last vintage, and sold out his 2006 Monthelie to the Guild. Such is life; however, rumors of the estate's untimely demise due to his ungrateful offspring were greatly exaggerated. Under new leadership but still within the watchful tutorship of Jean, the estate (now known as Domaine Berthelemot) is back with a vengeance - and is delivering the same awesome displays of power, grace, classicity and beauty that we've come to expect from a Defcon veteran (for the uninitiated, our "Defcon" label applies to absolute, 100%, no-brainer wines that transcend simple adjectives and superlatives, and has only been used on a small handful of wines since the Guild's inception).

Of course, upon hearing of the wine's return, I was instantly skeptical - I've had enough "Defcon"-ish players in my time that never repeat their all-star batting average in subsequent seasons, and so I tend not to get my hopes up - but a little part of me really wanted it to be true. And so I tried a swirl of it, a week fresh off the container, and it was almost what you'd expect after its long journey: all the pieces were there, but it felt jumbled. So our rep waited patiently for another couple of months, and called me last week with a bottle waiting to be sampled. It's here, I could tell from the tone of his voice. And sho'nuff, it's here. Our 'baby Pommard' is back, and I couldn't be more thrilled. After almost 3 years, the Defcon Returneth! I still have some of the 06, and it's not been long since my last bottle got uncorked, and the similarities are (for obvious reasons) uncanny - this is that same classic juice, with perhaps just a bit more force and focus---a bit more Pommard-iness. I know: Oh, darn! So, here, just go back to my original offer, and you'll see why I originally fell in love with this wine:

Some of you may remember that I featured Jean Garaudet not to far back---his '05 Bourgogne was outstanding, and the Guild took it all. Well, I'm the picture of confidence when I say that his '06 Monthelie just takes it to a whole new level---several levels up, honestly. Monthelie is not very well known---it's a tiny southern Beaune appelation sandwiched between Muersault, Volnay and the hills. While it can often produce thin, inexpressive, run-of-the-mill red burgundy, there is plenty of potential tucked away up there. The better examples turn that lack of body into grace and finesse. Ted Stevenson, in the New Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia, calls Monthelie the most underrated in all of Burgundy.

As for Jean Garaudet, Pierre Rovani calls him "the best kept secret in Pommard...(Garaudet’s) elegant wines, saturated with lavish amounts of ripe fruit and harmonious, mouthfilling, satisfying flavors, offer formidable evidence of the positive effects of low yields and old-vines". After being so impressed with Garaudet's Bourgogne, I was expecting a similar wine in the Monthelie, perhaps with a bit more depth and a touch less concentration. So when we opened the bottle and poured the first glass, you can imagine my surprise when the wine lept out of the glass with power, concentration, extraction and meat. This is Monthelie? It was full of brute force, spicy, with an aura of recklessness---not at all what I was expecting. It was almost like he'd blended some typically dark, rich Pommard in here.

As the wine opened up, it began to find its footing, and by the end of the second glass, I was getting some of that finesse, finally. The front end of it was still a bit concentrated, but behind that, there was a perfumed quality, like aged Chateaunuef from a lean vintage, and bright red fruit with tongue-enveloping acidity. Still, though, it was leaping out of the glass. Every sniff was huge, and it was not relenting. The depth was immense, and we marveled at this juxtaposition of the concentrated front end and the precise acidity and intensity of the mid-palate. It was just so unassuming, like a genius who doesn't realize his own brilliance. I was blown away, to put it lightly.

So Kevin corked the last few inches of wine and sent it home with us, explaining that it still had some opening up to do. On the drive back, Steph asked how much it costs; she was expecting mid-$30's. Try mid to upper teens, I said. I'm not sure she believed me.

An hour or so later, I poured the last glass; surprise surprise! I was treated to yet another level. That perfumed character that it had eluded to earlier had taken over. The concentration up front had backed off a little, and it was now (as I put it in a quick "holy crap!" e-mail to Kevin as I was drinking it) like fresh-cut spring flowers drizzled in cherry reduction. The bright, fresh nose gave a new meaning to the old "bouquet" that gets tossed around; this is the kind of elegance, finesse, and whispers of greatness and I would hope for from a $40 bottle of 1er cru Burgundy. But Monthelie? For the 3rd time that night, I was slayed by this unassuming bottle from a backwoods Beaune village.

This is all terribly bittersweet, though, because Jean Garaudet is hanging it up. This will be his last vintage, as his children (fools!) have no interest in taking the reigns. So here we are: his last year; it's amazing wine, wine that far, far outpaces its tariff, and so I'm writing this DEFCON e-mail with flashing red lights and sirens. I can say with utmost confidence that a Burgundy of this caliber, at this cost, comes along maybe once every couple years (especially since the Guild gets a special price break.) I'll be ordering plenty for myself, Kevin's taking a good chunk, but the supply is not that deep. He's been sampling it around the area, and I'm afraid that someone else is going to jump on it soon, so I implore you: do not flounder or falter. If you love great Burgundy, and love great inexpensive Burgundy even more, you simply cannot do better than this.

2006 Jean Garaudet Monthelie (Côte de Beaune)

There you have it. One of the very best wines we've had the good fortune to offer here at the Guild returns like Roy Hobbs to knock it out of the park again. At the price of many a village-level Bourgogne, you have what could be mistaken for some mean Pommard. I dare you to say no...

2009 Domaine Berthelemot Monthelie
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Retail Price: $34.25
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A Sauvignon Blanc for All Seasons

Posted on Jan, 16. 2012 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

On the heels of a couple of relatively pricy collectors' offers on ageable reds, I've got your first stunning bargain of 2012. Hey, don't scoff at Sauv Blanc in January - this is wine that works with any season, and is priced so that you can stock up now for the next few months without busting your budget.

As some of you may know, I have a serious soft spot for Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre...it is, by most measures, the best in the world, and it's become an annual tradition of ours to go through a case or so of the Cherrier when it shows up in late spring. Now, there are scores of Sauv Blancs from outside of France that strive to craft a similar reputation, but the problem with this varietal in the modern wine world, as with Chardonnay, Cab, etc., is that with so many producers on the bandwagon around the globe, there's a frustrating abundance of cheap grapefruit-bombs out there to wade through (or, alternately, you just have to pay through the nose for quality) - so much so that I've taken to just hunkering down with a couple trusty Sancerre producers just to be safe.

That having been said, you can be pretty sure that when you see me of all people get excited about an affordable bottle from Mendocino County, it must be something special...and here we are! The 2009 Patianna Sauvignon Blanc is some of the best sub-$30 SB I've tasted, Sancerre included - and to be honest, I think it's actually more accessible than a lot of those French examples right now; rather than being a tight ball of minerality and acid that needs time and patience to open up, this is wide open, full throttle, right now. That's certainly not to say that it's a flabby, oaky, or overly-obvious attempt to placate the 'California palate', either; this is actually very Sancerre-esque, just with much more unctuousness.

The Patianna estate is fully certified organic & Demeter-biodynamic, and the wine here reflects their dedication to terroir expressiveness: there's a stony, chalky front end that's buffeted by soft citrus and lychee, with only a touch of that typical passionfruit/ivy character that can so often overpower 'new world' Sauv Blanc. There is bright, powerful acidity and energy throughout, and the wine is dangerously gulpable, but what really struck me after a few sips is the sheer depth of the wine: it's anything but one-noted, with layers of terroir and varietal character, all held together with a confident structure that is rarely if ever found at this price range. This is what you call rarefied, and at under $17, almost unheard of.

It's also getting plenty of attention from the press, and is thus disappearing fast. It showed up on the cover of Wine Enthusiast recently, and made #5 in their top 100 wines of 2011:

Winemaker Mike Lee continues to prove his prowess with Sauvignon Blanc in this latest vintage from Patianna, Patti Fetzer's line of organically farmed wines from outside of Hopland in Mendocino County. Fermented entirely in stainless steel without undergoing ML or barrel aging, it delivers everything you love about the variety, inviting one in with melon and minerality, then following through with a surprising creaminess and almost decadent, mousse-like finish. 93 pts.

2009 Patianna Sauvignon Blanc
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Retail Price: $21.99
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The Best NV Port Deal Ever?

Posted on Dec, 09. 2011 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

Well, given that I haven't been around for too many decades, I'll qualify that slightly-hyperbolic subject line with "that I've ever seen"...but don't let that little detail diminish the truly incredible nature of this offer.

Port, to me, is one of the enigmas of the wine world. Too many barriers to entry (vintage port costs an arm and a leg and requires aging, non-vintage stuff is often trash) mean that most people, rather than trying to wade into the pond, just forgo it altogether...but when it's done right, when it's aged well enough, and/or when it's priced in a range where you can experiment with it, Port can be something very special and, once in awhile, life-altering.

Now, for the uninitiated, here's a few basic ins and outs of Port: all true Port comes from the Duoro region of Portugal; there are two main types of port, ruby and tawny---ruby is reddish and sweeter and richer, tawny is often a bit drier and more sherry-like; like in Champagne, "vintages" are declared by the powers that be only when a great growing season comes along---in these cases, the wine is aged in barrel for a maximum period of 2.5 years, and then ages in the bottle from there on out. Tawnies, on the other hand, are aged only in the barrel (the years in barrel are typically indicated on the bottle), hence the more brownish, tawny color and increased oxidation (the tradeoff is that they don't change once they're in bottle...all the aging is done in the barrel). Lastly, when juice from vintage years is aged in barrel a la tawny, it is called Colheita.

The bottle I'm bringing you today is a 10 year old (10 years in the barrel) tawny from a new (to the states), small producer, Messias. Dionysos' Kevin Schultz personally selected this on a recent trip to Portugal, and I can't say enough about it. It really is the whole package. And look, I love good vintage ruby port, even late-bottled-vintage stuff, but for my money, right now, without worrying about aging or spending a bunch of money, good tawny is where it's at. It's not sherry, but it's in that direction, and that's what I love---the time in the barrel really brings another class of elements to the table. A brooding, raisiny nose is buttressed by soft aromas of leather and tar, and salty Marcona almonds, and pecans dressed with caramel. The palate starts with sweet cookies, caramel and a touch of smoky charcoal, but it's never actually that sweet. The alcohol is very well-integrated, as is the oak; the finish is dry, spicy and lingering. "Truly awesome" is how my notes finish out. It is.

But it doesn't stop there (but wait, there's more!) Unlike so many great wines of late, this wine has a classic, romantic pre-Prohibition package that just says "porto!" to me (literally and figuratively). Simple, stenciled white lettering, no frills (see below), and the bottle actually comes in a very sleek, attractive box---making this the perfect gift idea. I'd be thrilled to get this under the tree, myself.

Okay, so, remember way back in the subject line, where I used the word "deal"? I think I also said something about it being "the best ever". I meant it. We're talking under $19! I think I've said enough...this is the only tawny you need.

Messias 10 Year Tawny Porto
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Retail Price: $24.75
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The Latest Chapter in My Sordid Love Affair With Mont Olivet

Posted on Oct, 27. 2011 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

I've been waiting for an opening in the schedule so I could bring you what I consider to be a perennial champion of the wine world, from one of my favorite Rhone producers, and it's finally here. I'm drinking a bottle of the 2009 Clos du Mont Olivet 'Montueil - la Lavade' Cotes du Rhone, and all I can say is that it's pure, stunning deliciousness wrapped in a shell of classic Chateauneuf-esque garrigue and earthiness, tied up with a ribbon of restrained classicity that a wine of this price has no business getting anywhere near.

My ire towards the world of village-level CdR is well-known, and well-founded. I think, more than any other type of wine, the proportion of frumpy, uninteresting, "generic red table wine" Cotes du Rhones that I've had has been so overwhelming that for a long while, I just gave up on them altogether (as I've done with Chianti and other common basic-level European wines from time to time), waiting for something to bring me back from the brink whenever it felt the urge. Well, last year, when I tried the 2008 vintage, that day finally came. In a difficult vintage, here's this inexpensive little village wine that tastes like a scaled-back Chateaunuef---we're back in business, baby!, I said to myself. Well, I've tasted plenty of village CdR between then and now, and none have really done it for me like the La Lavade does it for me. So when the 09 shipment came in, I knew you all deserved a heads-up.

The La Lavade, as I said, has a core of pure deliciousness; it's big without being sappy or extracted; it's luxurious without being cloying or candied. The nose is full of garrigue, limestone and ripe berries with just a hint of woodiness - it promises depth and breadth, while not being overly obvious, which just draws you in further. The first sip is a bit like tart cherry pie: big acid for structure, soft tannins, bright fruit and a velvety chocolate element that winds its way through your palate. The finish is lingering, but not obnoxious.

As I said a year ago, I've been in love with Mont Olivet ever since, years and years ago, one of their aged Chateaunuefs unexpectedly transported me to another world. They walk that line between classic ageable brilliance and drink-now approachableness, and their wines always tell a story. My verdict here, though, is that Rhones of this caliber at this silly low price only come along a few times a year, and with a vintage like 2009, this has the potential to last five years (which is saying a lot for a wine at this price). Not that I think you can wait that long, but hey, maybe you forget about a few bottles down in the back of your cellar, right?

Okay, Autumn is upon us, and it's time to move on only the best reds for winter. This is my first entry in that column. Go!

2009 Clos du Mont Olivet 'Montueil - la Lavade' Cotes du Rhone
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Retail Price: $16.00
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Chidaine’s Le Bouchet Returneth!

Posted on Jul, 21. 2011 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

It's back, just like that...and it's not a pre-order! Last time, we offered the Francois Chidaine Le Bouchet Vouvray on pre-order, sold a bunch of it, and it took perhaps 8 months to finally arrive on a boat. This time, what do they do? Suddenly, just a couple months after the '08's arrive, all the '09 Chidaine stuff is just here, no preorder, no warning, and I have just a few days to figure out what to do before it's all gone. So I took 4 cases (they only had 5, but it wouldn't be right to monopolize all the stuff that made it into the US, would it?). Here it is, one of the very best examples of long-aging Chenin Blanc (which is the only Chenin Blanc!) on the planet...again at such a steal of a price, I'm thrilled just to be actually writing this email right now and actually have the wine on hand. In fact, I took a bottle home last week to try it out, and I love this stuff even more than before. Such energy, such youthful exuberance and plush pear syrup and dank, stony classicity. Such profundity.

I suppose it just all comes down to this: if you were to ask me, off the cuff, name your favorite cellar white wine under $25, eleven times out of ten this wine is my response. Sure, there are better things for hot days on the patio, or to pair with certain dishes, but most occasions, I'd rather be drinking this. Now, not everyone shares my palate, my affinity for the best white grape on the planet, but for those who do, I challenge you to find a better Chenin for this price that will last this long and deliver this much sheer joy for the next two+ decades.

The price has actually gone down a bit from last year, and of course WA's Schildknecht still has great things to say:

Quince preserves, honey, and high-toned herbal and floral essences on the nose of Chidaine's 2009 Vouvray Le Bouchet - from a site with octogenarian vines between his Clos Baudoin and Huet's Clos du Bourg and not harvested until October 19 - reveal its proclivity for noble rot (even when picked in the first week of October). This is a demi-sec in all but name.. Tangerine cream, candied grapefruit rind, quince preserves, and nougat inform a rich, creamy palate that nonetheless incorporates a welcome persistence of juicy fresh citrus. This combines the best aspects of typical 2009s of its genre with the sense of levity, refreshment, and overall elegance that Francois Chidaine has almost uniquely managed to capture this year. Expect a wine that will be worth following for at least two decades. 92-93+ Points, Drink 2010-2030

If you're new to the Guild or for some other reason haven't seen my love note to Francois already, I'll quote it below, for the third or fourth time. If you've seen it already, then, well, you already know how I feel about the matter. That he's tackled a Vouvray property with such consistent, stunning success is even more reason to worship him:

Francois Chidaine, and Montlouis in general, tend to fly under the radar for the most part, for better or for worse. Vouvray? Huet! Savennieres? Baumard! Montlouis? ...? And, considering that Loire Chenin as a whole flies under the radar in the first place, they're pretty much running in stealth mode when it comes to the wine world at large. While that may be great news for people like me (people who love, love, love Loire Chenin more than any other white wine and don't mind their favorite estates remaining relatively inexpensive), I can't help but continue to try to push this amazing wine on all of you. It is the essence of white wine geekery, very little (if any) oak, almost no forward opulence, but tons of minerality and fruit; depth and purity. Even their sweeter wines are precise and intentional without being cloying or lazy. This is the essence of Chenin Blanc: one of those things in life that you should experience as often as possible.

Me, I got hooked on Chidaine 3 or 4 years ago with his Les Tuffeaux, a cellar-worthy demi-sec that we tried at one of the Guild's very first tastings (I still have every one of those bottles in my cellar, by the way). When Steph and I toured the Loire the following year, we made a special point to visit Chidaine's understated little tasting room/wine shop in Montlouis, located just on the other side of the road from the river Loire. Having only tried the Tuffeaux, and not really having had much experience with Montlouis wines in general, we were nothing short of blown away! Why, oh why, does Vouvray (right across the river from Montlouis) get all the attention, while most people have no idea what/where Montlouis is? That's the old name-game for you. In any case, Chidaine is the wine that opened my mind and palate to the wonder of Montlouis: their wines have the finesse and craftsmanship of Huet, the balance of minerality and fruit of Closel, and a playful softness that just warms my heart (really!).

These are some of my favorite white Loire bottlings, not only because of their beauty and precision, but because of their cellarability. They show pleasantly well up front, but can age for a decade or more, especially in the case of the demi-secs. And I know I'll get no protests when I say that few things are as amazing as aged Chenin...so we're bringing you this pre-arrival offer in order to get your cellar stocked. These bottles are not in the country just yet, but the importer is giving us the opportunity to pre-order them now (don't delay...the high Parker scores mean little to none will be available by the time it actually arrives, and even then, northern VA will likely take whatever is left over)

2009 Francois Chidaine Vouvray Le Bouchet
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Retail Price: $31.00
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As I said above, we've only got 4 cases minus the one bottle I took, so we may need to allocate---please let us know your maximum requested amount and we'll do our best to fill your order!

Tasting: Introducing The Spanish Wine Importers

Posted on Jul, 20. 2011 by Evan Williams

Categories: Events

A few weeks back, I met with a relatively new distributor, The Spanish Wine Importers, and tasted through a good portion of their portfolio. I was impressed, to say the least, with their tight focus and small, quality-driven selection; it's really refreshing to see this approach to portfolio management, where instead of casting a wide net and bringing in wines from all over the world, the focus is on a small number of artisans from a single region. There's something to be said about not spreading yourself too thin, and you can tell just by tasting the wines and talking with them that each of their wines is like a child to them.

Carolyn and Travis Vernon, who own and run the company, are UVa alumni, and have returned to Charlottesville to take advantage of Travis' many friends and connections over in Spain, to bring us an impressive handful of wines that I guarantee you've not tasted before. Be sure to stop by between 5:30 and 7:30 tonight to welcome them to the Guild!

The Guilty Pleasure…Returns!

Posted on Jul, 01. 2011 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

As you know, we recently received our pre-order shipment of Terry Theise selections - a few of which we tasted on Wednesday - and the first bottle I got into myself was one that has been a favorite of ours for awhile, the Geil Scheurebe Kabinett. It was every bit as refreshingly different and new as I remember it. I think of it sort of like a palate reset button...it's really like nothing else, but still familiar...different without being so far out in left field that you wonder if it's a lab-grown muscat clone from Turkmenistan. I don't need to say anything else, really, because Will said all that needs to be said about the 2009---and it all applies to the 2010 just as well. Enjoy! (oh, and if you're easily offended by not-so-vague sexual innuendo as wine descriptor, I'd suggest skipping to the end...)

I will admit that I am still wonderfully overtaken by the Terry Theise book, Reading Between the Wines. I keep going back to the text for the poetry of wine writing that is so powerfully sentenced by Theise and the intensely sublime Philosophy that he draws from the Oenological realm.

He has a way of mixing the archaic with the divine that captures the dualistic nature of wine, regaling it as high art and yet profoundly defending its need to be gulpabley delicious as its first function. He defends wine hierarchy throwing out the sales pitch mentality of, "If you like it then it must be good" -that socialist rhetoric which is weaseled at every new wine drinkers fragile ego to make us feel 'right' and keep us involved.

And yet I defend that the presence of a hierarchy of greatness in wine does not automatically connote snobbish elitism. A tremendous figure or shapely strong body is at once recognized by all as a more healthy physical state and no one is confused by the fact that you have to work really hard to obtain this state of physical perfection. Why would grasping the essential truths in an art such as wine be any less strenuous to obtain? And yet we are told by the professionals in the wine trade that our saggy fat bodies are just as valuable as the tight rippling stomachs of the tremendously fit. It seems they want to keep our memberships at their specific gym.

The wine I have for you today is the comfort food of the tremendously fit. Or rather, if between making the extremely moralizing films of the American Ideal, Frank Capra snuck away to watch some Three Stooges clips, this wine would be those clips.

The wine is German and the grape is Scheurebe (Shoy Ray Beh) and no one who has read Theise will be able to duck the need to seek out and try this wine as his descriptions are oddly and perhaps darkly compelling:

Scheurebe is like “… Riesling just after it read the Kama Sutra,”

“Put another way, (Scheurebe) is what Riesling would be if Riesling were a transvestite. If Riesling expresses all that is Noble and Good, (Scheurebe) offers all that is Dirty and Fun. It is Riesling’s evil, horny twin,”

He then goes on to make some sort of 'Missionary' vs, 'Reverse Cowgirl' comparison that somewhat eludes me. Throughout the book, Scheurebe is described in this... lets call it compelling manner. What could I do but seek out a bottle to try.

I have not put in the work on this wine that Theise has but I could not help but find it deliciously compelling. For me it was like a blend of Gruner Veltliner and Muscat, having the spicy almost spritzy sensation on the palate that Gruner can give, like acupuncture on the tongue to reawaken its life, standing it up to be accompanied by the white spring flowers and honey suckle dew sprightliness of a sort of Muscat like flavor sensation. Odd when in fact Scheurebe has nothing to do with either of these two other grapes.

It is delicious, it is lively and it is a little more serious than simply fun. This will be a great wine to have around through the Spring, a little something different for our palates to muse upon awhile. I highly recommend this wine to every palate type except for the most prejudiced against white wines that contain some natural sweetness to them (a palate type that I don't understand, often coming from folks who roll their eyes at sweetness in wine while they gulp down a 34 oz Soda and drink New World Red wines that differ from fruit jelly only in their textures and alcohol content). This is a great lunch wine or afternoon sipper (as Michael Davis and I thoroughly proved a week or so ago) and it is the perfect wine for Asian and Eastern foods as well as hearty veal and potato dishes in rich sauces and gravy's.

Delicious and very well made, enjoy.

2010 Geil. Scheurebe Kabinett. Bechtheimer Heiligkreuz -Rheinhessen (A Terry Theise Selection)
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Retail Price: $17.00
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