The Wine Guild of Charlottesville

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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The Ultimate Sancerre Returns!

Posted on Jun, 30. 2011 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

If you've been around for a few years, you'll surely recognize this bottle. Cherrier Sancerre has become for us, how shall I put this, an annual go-to no-brainer. Every year, the rep marches in with the newest vintage, and every year, this wine somehow continues to get better and better. Forget the ebb and flow of climate, growing seasons, rain...none of that seems to matter to this stalwart perennial. Whatever Francois and Jean-Marie are doing, it's working, because they keep stepping it up without ever abandoning the core style that makes it great, classic Sancerre (what I mean to say is that they aren't making it "better" by oaking it into being softer, etc.)

So I tasted the 2010 a few weeks back, and was expectedly enthralled. I told the rep I'd like to do an email offer, and put it my queue. A few days later, I get a call from him. "It's an emergency!", he prefaces the phone call with. As I'm sitting there wondering how I'm going to come up with his bail money, he continues: "Arrowine just bought 178 of our 190 remaining cases of Cherrier!" Ah, an emergency. When Arrowine goes that deep, you know it's serious business. Not willing to take any chances, I bought all that he had left that wasn't allocated. We ended up with around 8 cases, and after what people have picked through already at the Guild, I'd say we have 6 left. We may be able to source more later in July, but right now, we're going to allocate up to 6 bottles per member, on a first-come-first-served basis.

Also, on a side note, I'd just like to say that we went through some of this at Will & Lisa's farm party a few weeks ago (chilled down in a baby pool filled with ice next to the turkey hut, as is the norm out there), and it was as perfect in its role as party wine as it is as a classic, contemplative gem.

Here are my tasting notes from the 2008---and like I said above, the style hasn't changed, the wine has just gotten inexplicably better.

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 pure Sauv 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:

Francois et Jean-Marie Cherrier Sancerre Blanc "Les Chailloux" Cuvee Vielles Vignes
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Retail Price: $22.00
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(P.S. - I tried that last 2006 from my cellar a couple months back, and it had aged quite gracefully. A bit calmer, a bit more sophisticated and feminine, but still unmistakeably Cherrier. If you have the capacity and the patience, I recommend hiding a few bottles for 5 years.)

From an Across-the-Board Solid Lineup, a Champion Emerges

Posted on Jun, 16. 2011 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

Okay, look, we tasted 8 damned good wines last night from Margaux & Company. Real contenders, I say! But...

8 wines go in, 1 wine comes out.

Now, I won't mince words: the wines were pricier than the recent budget wines that we've been seeing (summertime just somehow doesn't lend itself to spending more than $25 on most stuff, for whatever reason). And they weren't from big, well-known houses (which is a good thing, in my view, but I digress...), either. So what was this about? Well, we had a really cool showing of some of the biggest Sauv Blancs I've ever had (I didn't know SB could be that massive and powerful), a really intriguing Viognier, some Pinot and Tempranillo that were full of energy and poise and ruggedness, a ~$35 Cab-heavy, euro-styled cuvee that deserves an email all its own...but the best we saved for last.

When we first opened the Longoria Blues Cuvee, it was almost too intense, too extracted...so brimming with nerve and power and potential energy, that I was a bit skeptical. I've had plenty of wines like this, I thought, wines that try to do too many things at once: try to be acidic and powerful and jammy and precise and zippy and brambly and bloody and funky, and end up just being a muddy mess of intensity and undelineated pieces and parts. So we poured this monster into a decanter, swished it around for a bit, and poured and poured. By the time I got back to it, it was almost 2 hours later. Whoah, what a difference a couple hours in a decanter makes! Suddenly, this is the definition of new world poise and old world classicity. A kitchen-sink blend made up of mostly Cab Sauv and Syrah, it reminded me of the great Napa Cabs in one breath, and of big, meaty merlot-heavy Bordeaux in the next. Very big, very structured, very elegant, prominent tannins and bright acid, perfumed and full of dark fruit, herbs and...and definitely at a level far above its price range.

I'll just go ahead and say it: there's no reason to be paying $50+ for mid-range Napa or Washington State Cab blends when this stuff is out there for less than $25; a challenger, a heavyweight. And the fact that it needed so much time to open up, the fact that it's so full of power and energy and tannic structure, makes me honestly believe it'll last another 5 years. But, on the other hand, it's drinking so nicely now (after some time exposed to oxygen, of course), I'm not sure it'll last that long in your cellar. In any case, here it is, your champ (and of course, the great Skip James):

2007 Longoria Blues Cuvee Santa Barbara County
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Retail Price: $30.99
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Tasting Tonight! Santa Barbara wines with Margaux & Co.

Posted on Jun, 15. 2011 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

Due to the rescheduling of our last tasting, we're doing tastings two weeks in a row (this one is the regularly scheduled version). Tonight, we'll be joined by our old friend Rob Gardner, now with Margaux and Co. The focus is wines from Santa Barbara County, CA; given how euro-centric we admittedly can be, this will be a welcome shift, I'm sure. The lineup looks really sweet---three producers (Longoria, Brander, and Vozelzang), six wines, and several varietals (including Sauv Blanc, Viognier, Pinot Noir and more).

I'm really excited to finally get Margaux & Co. in here---Rob's pushed for us, and the wines he's bringing are something you need to experience. Be there tonight from 5:30pm to 7:30pm!

It’s Got Soal…and it’s Super Bad!

Posted on Jun, 09. 2011 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

There, I got my groan-inducing pun out of the way (I've been listening to some old JB cuts today, so I could be forgiven). Anyway, what I'm on about is a rockin' new Portuguese Alvarinho, Soalheiro, which is the solution to your white wine doldrums (you know, it gets hot, and all you want to drink is either beer or white wine, but after awhile, all those inexpensive whites just start running together...) I tasted this a couple weeks ago next to a few other similar wines, and it's been on my list ever since.

This stud of a wine is from the far northern Vinho Verde sub-regions of Monção and Melgaço: roughly 10 granite-ey hectares in an area the locals call the "Suntrap"...Alvarinho (known as Albariño up in Spain) grows really well here (it's common in many Vinho Verdes, actually). Let's get this out of the way now, though: This is no Vinho Verde! If you want cheap gulping wine, we brought in a few cases of the Famega Vinho Verde recently. But the Soalheiro is on another level entirely---a level you've gotta get to. This is one of those wines that, to me, is a melange---a beautiful synergy of the best elements from other wines/grapes from other places. Honestly, I've never been able to really geek out about Spanish Albariño. It's almost always passable, but rarely very unique, delineated or precise in any way. The Soalheiro, on the other hand, is all of those things. It's got the wet-stone minerality of a classically-styled Sancerre; the acidity and layered precision of a sec Chenin, the fruity ripeness of Spanish Albariño, and the refreshingly clean and crisp profile of a Vinho Verde (it's even got that slight green tinge and a touch of spritz!)

Oh, and it's deep! There are layers here, depth, real character. It's everything I've always wanted Albariño to be, everything I knew it could be. And it's frankly unlike any white I've had lately...you could say it scratches that itch---a refreshing summer wine that is different without being wonky or weird for weirdness' sake. This isn't something you slog down every hot afternoon to cool down and relax, though; it's something that you open to break the steady stream of cheap vinho verde, to serve with good food, or to just geek out over. It's Albariño, er, Alvarinho, done right.

2010 Soalheiro Alvarinho
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Retail Price: $23.25
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This is Your One-Stop-Shop For 2010 Rosé!

Posted on May, 12. 2011 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

Because you deserve better, I'm going to spare you the predictable spiel about how "it's springtime!" and "the flowers are out and the bees are buzzing". The fact of the matter is, it's that time of year...and if you're not jonesing for rosé right now, then I could be forgiven for questioning whether or not you're actually a robot. Look, I'll be honest: for the past few weeks, I've been drinking the stuff like water...brushing my teeth with it, using it as aftershave...I'm even thinking of getting a little bottle cooler to put on my bedside table, in fact.

In all seriousness, though, we've understandably had a lot of demand for rosé as the weather has warmed up; this offer has been a long time coming, and is the end result of extensive product testing on our part. Admittedly, there's no shortage of rosé out there...distributor reps will show up with 5 or 6 or more wines, gushing over them all, and we'll rip through 'em and find one or two we like. Heck, I was in Feast the other day and saw a rack with probably 8 or 10 different pink wines on it! As a consumer, when faced with this kind of selection overload, one might have a tendency to ask some half-knowledgeable floor staff for their "pick", or maybe even resort to choosing based on its color or the label design. You could even just spend a bunch of money trying out different ones and go with the one you end up liking...

...or you could just wait for this email. We've done the testing, been through a ton of pink wine, and selected 2 bottles that we believe represent irreproachable value at the two ends of the typical rosé price spectrum...wines that, in concert, should cover most palates, most events, most dishes, with ease. You really should have both of these wines around this summer, as they each fill different roles. My suggestion to you is to figure out how much you think you might need going forward of each of these wines, then get 10-20% more than that. Because once you get the bug, it's all you'll want to drink...and I can't imagine it will be available much longer. So without further ado, I give you our two Wine Guild Rosé Selections for Spring 2011!

2010 Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Rosé

This was first in a lineup of perhaps 6 or 7 pink-hued samples, and while it was succeeded by pricier wines that had deeper character, this was the obvious star of the bunch in terms of price/value. You guys have had the white and red Guilhem wines before, so you already know that their wines (from the brilliant Mas de Daumas Gassac folks) effortlessly outstrip their modest price tag. But let's be clear: this isn't thinking rosé. This is drinking rosé. Not to say that this wine isn't impeccably composed, because it is, but it's just not overly serious (nor overly lax, either). It's a pinkish-salmon color, which in my view is just so gorgeous compared to that popular deep-pink hue, and comes in that classic Celtic-esque Guilhem packaging (no high-school-art-project label like half the cheap rosés out there). Once in the glass, watermelon jolly rancher comes bounding out to meet you, sprinkled with faint tropical fruits and a soft white floral/perfume thing. The palate is where it really shines, though. The acidity is just prevalent enough to give the wine structure on your tongue without distracting you from the lush red fruit (and again, watermelon), and it ends with a clean, refreshing finality (making you want more, right now!) We immediately pre-bought a ton of this wine because we knew what kind of insane value it represented (and suspected it would not last long in the distributor's warehouse), and I've had bottles chilling in my fridge ever since. You really can't do better than this for everyday gulpable rosé! And, let's be honest, how can you turn down a price like this?

2010 Moulin de Gassac Guilhem Rosé
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Retail Price: $8.99
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2010 Francois et Jean-Marie Cherrier Sancerre Rosé "Les Chailloux"

This lovely juice was a huge Guild sensation last year, and I think I love this vintage even more. My notes from last spring:

I tasted the Dragon side-by-side with the Cherrier rosé about 6 weeks ago, and was struck by how brilliant and lovely this stuff is - indeed, it's that much better. Nevermind that the Dragon has sold out---I was buying the Cherrier when I could still get Dragon, and I stand by that! And so, after ordering bottle after bottle after bottle of this stuff from Kevin at Dionysos, he caught on that I kind of really loved it [...] I can't really even think of another rosé that I'd touch right now. We drank yet another bottle tonight; it's such a bright, explosive display that you almost miss the fact that it's very classically-styled, very well-groomed (but with a wild streak). Peach, chalk, lemons, even a bit of weight and seriousness, rounded out by a feminine, almost sweet finish of seashell/salt and crisp, not-quite-ripe berries. It is THE rosé of the year...I mean it this time!

This all still holds true, but I'd amend that for the 2010 simply by saying that it seems to have a more defined herbal/berry Sancerre quality to it this vintage. This truly is a unique accomplishment, as so many rosés are lacking in the terroir-delivery department. This is a more serious, more robust, deeper wine than the Guilhem...it sings with food, but doesn't need it. This stuff, it's just such a complete experience---who knew sub-$20 pink wine could accomplish so much?

2010 Francois et Jean-Marie Cherrier Sancerre Rosé "Les Chailloux"
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Retail Price: $21.49
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A 95 Point Vouvray for under $25

Posted on May, 06. 2011 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

Back in September, I sent out a lengthy screed on "The Craftsmanship and Geekery of Loire Chenin Blanc". The crux of it was that Chenin Blanc is the greatest white grape on the planet, and that one of my very favorite producers of Loire Chenin, Francois Chidaine, was available for presale, with stellar Wine Advocate press and incredible prices for the quality in the bottle. Well, the remainder of the presale wines finally came in last week...and much to my surprise, the best-rated wine of the bunch (and the only actual Vouvray), the 2008 Vouvray Demi Sec Le Bouchet, still has a handful of cases available on top of what we preordered. So, I took a bottle home last weekend, chilled it down, gingerly poured a bit into my glass on Sunday night, and was subsequently awestruck at the vast and magnificent wonders that lay before me. I can't say I didn't expect it---Chidaine is a god among men as far as I'm concerned---but my first thought was that my Guild brethren needs to know about this wine, ASAP, before those meddling northern-Virginians get their grubby paws all over it.

This is a cellar white, akin to Grand Cru Alsacian Riesling or Pinot Gris, meant to age for years if not decades (Schildknecht's drinking window is 2010-2035), and meant to transport you to another plane of existence for at least a short time before the bottle is gone. You can drink it now, and it will rock you with its youthful energy, but if you can bear to wait, that reward will be greatly multiplied.

Here's what David Schildknecht or Robert Parker's Wine Advocate had to say:

The most white truffle-scented of the lot of Chidaine wines of its vintage, his 2008 Vouvray Le Bouchet also delivers deep, slightly torrified low-tones as counterpoint to the vintage-typical sense of citrus. Toasted almond and hazelnut; malt and honey; luscious, rind-tinged lime, pineapple, and tangerine, play on a palate of slickly oily richness, while truffle, musk, and otherwise ineffable forest floor and animal scents play in the background. At only 19 grams residual sugar, if this had the spiny, electric personality of the corresponding Clos Habert Montlouis (or, indeed, that possessed by most of Chidaine's 2008s) it would probably taste totally dry, and as it is the sense of sweetness here is subtly integrated and hence highly discreet. This amazingly multi-faceted triumph for its vintage - not to mention phenomenal value - will almost certainly be worth cherishing and wondering at for the next 25 years. 95 Points.

I agree with his summation entirely: a triumph, and a phenomenal value. And hey, this is the second time we've offered this gorgeous wine---you can't say I haven't given you ample warning! (Depending on demand, we may need to allocate, FYI).

2008 Vouvray Demi Sec Le Bouchet
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Retail Price: $31.50
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An Affordable Pouilly Fuisse that Drinks Like a Meursault!

Posted on May, 05. 2011 by Evan Williams

Categories: Wine

We really had a solid lineup at last night's tasting, across the board, but this wine...this is something that deserves your undivided attention. I'm speaking of the 2009 Petite Chapelle Pouilly Fuisse, from Mathilde Lafleur, and please believe me when I say that I was not being hyperbolic in my subject line.

Pouilly Fuisse is the best known appellation in the little sister of Burgundy proper, the Macon. With limestone and clay abound, the terroir here is perfect for growing Chardonnay, and while it does get plenty of attention in Maconnaise terms, there's often a very conspicuous ceiling in terms of depth and that otherworldly character that the vineyards north of Chagny in Beaune are more capable of. What I personally love about Maconnaise wine, though, is that it's by and large so unabashed and unpretentious. The top half of the crop hardly ever over-oak their wine, some welcome natural oxidation, and they all, with very few exceptions, put the grapes and the terroir on display with no masks. But, again, the flip side is that so often the quality of that fruit has a bit of a ceiling compared to Beaune fruit.

So when you find a wine with the best of both worlds, you don't mince words or waste any time. I'll be frank: this is every bit as good as the $30+ wines that we tasted at Chateau Meursault. It far outpaces its modest price tag, with an energetic raciness and plush, ripe fruit surrounded by an absolutely lovely shell of rich vanilla and praline (which is what really reminds me of Meursault). The composure of this wine, the quality level, will astound you, astound your dinner guests, and astound your wine geek friends when you pour it to them blind. With the price of merely acceptable Cote d'Or Bourgogne Blanc creeping into the upper teens and lower $20's, there's simply no better deal in everyday White Burg (and few comparable deals in the white wine world as a whole) than the Petite Chapelle.

2009 Petite Chapelle Pouilly Fuisse
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Retail Price: $21.00
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Tasting: Affordable French

Posted on May, 04. 2011 by Evan Williams

Categories: Events

We're holding our bi-monthly tasting tonight with Billy Keonig from Monsieur Touton, one of our favorite distributors of French wines. We'll have a handful of eminently affordable wines for spring and summer - some that have at times graced our shelves, and piqued your interest, but you perhaps never got to try. Be sure to stop by for a taste, and to pick up your wines, too! We'll have bread, cheese, oils, etc. for you to taste as well. See you tonight (5:30-7:30)!

Tasting Reminder: Stock Tasting Tonight

Posted on Apr, 20. 2011 by Evan Williams

Categories: Events

As some of you may know, about once a quarter we buck the typical distributor-guest-theme format for tastings and instead allow you to taste some of the stuff on our shelves that you've been eying, without having to buy a bottle ahead of time. And they're no slouches! This is wine we have in stock and can get more of, and are gung-ho about (it wouldn't be on the shelves otherwise!)...and it's always a great opportunity to taste-and-take. Please stop by this evening between 5:30 and 7:30 for a taste (and some bread, cheese, salami and good company too!)