The weather was even nicer yesterday than Thursday. When your in the Napa Valley and the temperature is in the mid 70's it is hard to have a bad day. Our first appointment is at Twomey with Tim Duncan. The winery used to be Stonegate Winery and was purchase by Silver Oak in 2000. Here we taste the current releases.
01 Silver Oak Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon – Soft and fleshy – A wine made to enjoy early
01 Silver Oak Napa Cabernet Sauvignon – Shows well today. In stock
02 Twomey - lush, thick and sweet wine – loaded with mocha, vanilla bean and blackberries

Our second stop for the day was Corison winery. Corison put on an exciting open house vertical tasting (if that makes any sense). Probably one of the best tastings I have attended in Napa, the older vintages from Corison showed great. It is nice to have an opportunity to taste wines from Napa that develop and age this well.
Flight 1 = all Corison Napa Cabernets
1989 - well developed, still fresh, bright, fruit was a bit hard to find but still alive
1990 - Great nose, complex, alive balanced and sweet. This wine combines bottle age aromas and well developed fruit. Perfect time to drink!
1991 - mushroom and earth forest floor, wet stone , my least favorite
1992 - rich, ripe and fresh. Great balance and depth of fruit Excellent! Best wine of the tasting.
1993 - big rich fruit, blackberries and mocha Less aromas than others but great fruit!
1994 - Minty, spicy and toasty. Rich and chewy in mouth. Still young- Excellent!

Flight 2= all Corison “Kronos” Cabernet
1996- Minty spicy nose. Red fruits, bing cherry long finish. Still firm and shows some tannin.
1997 - Fresh, bright vanilla bean and mocha. Lush rich mid-palate- Excellent!
1998 - Definitely lighter and more earthy. OK at best. Well made for a tough vintage.
1999 - Big and burly for corison. Firm with big ripe tannins Good
2000 - Very nice wine, drinking great now. A big step ahead of 98. Drink tonight
2001 - Big like 99 but with more fruit. Still young. Needs time. Excellent

After the Corison tasting it was time for lunch. A bit tired of sit down fancy meals, we headed for Taylor’s Refresher for a Burger, a favorite stop for many. It was my first trip to Taylor’s and I have to say it was a good burger. Although not quite at the “In and Out” level, it was still delicious.

There is nothing like a wine tasting after a cheeseburger. Shafer Vineyards was our next stop. Here we tasted all the new releases, set to be in stock the first week of March. They are the 2004 Chardonnay, the 2003 Firebreak and the 03 Cabernet. Along with the new releases Shafer was also pouring older vintages of Hillside Select. These vintages included 1986, 1991, 1995, 1996, 1999 and the 2002. The 2002 was probably the favorite. It is big, dense, thick and intense in its fruit .Everything you would expect from Hillside Select. The 1995 showed well while the 86 was past its peak . The rest were a bit on the tannic side, as well and being a bit simple.

Our next stops were two appellation tastings. The first was the St. Helena appellation tasting and the second was the Spring Mountain tasting. There were lots of wineries at each tasting. Overall the quality from Spring Mountain was extremely high. Our favorites included Terra Valentine, Spring Mountain Vineyards, Keenan, Schweiger and Stony Hill.

Our final stop of the day was at the new Paraduxx Winery, which is owned by Duckhorn. This stop was nice because we were greeted with a glass of Schramsberg Sparkling Wine at the door. After the Sparkling Wine we tasted a flight of older vintages, all served from large format bottles. Our favorites were the 1997 Estate Grown Merlot and the 1993 Three Palms Merlot. The 1983 Three Palms Merlot was the oldest wine of the day, and it showed quite well; still alive but getting a bit tired, kind of like us at this point. Along with a ton of current releases from Duckhorn, we also had a chance to taste wines from Goldeneye and Paraduxx. The winery was quite sleek and even had a DJ for the event. – Trey Beffa

Day 2 was all about tastings and experiencing the different terroirs of Napa. From the mountains to the prairies to the oceans to the seas we drove all around tasting the various vinous offerings Napa was willing to put in front of our palates. There was no greater contrast than the vertical at Corison versus the vertical at Shafer. Shafer was all rustic dense hillside black fruits and Corison was lifted elegant valley floor fresh cherry fruit. Both wonderful in there own ways. The Spring Mountain tasting was very nice. It was held in the old house that was featured in the night time soap Falcon Crest. Being an LA boy, I kept asking, “Is this real?” Speaking of LA, I was doing most of the driving this day and I got accused of being an LA driver, whatever that means. All I did was slow down when I saw a tanning salon. Sheesh, some people – Chip Hammack

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Friday February 24th, Napa Valley
The weather is absolutely gorgeous up here. Chip Hammack, Martin Reyes and I are roughing it up in Napa. Today is the start of the Premier Napa Valley Wine Auction. Premier Napa Valley is a mid-winter barrel auction for the trade. This is one of the two auctions put together by the Napa Valley Vintners Association (The other, the Napa Valley Wine Auction, is held in the summer).
It’s amazing how many people are in town. Retailers, wholesalers and restaurateurs are here from all over the county. The auction itself is actually on Saturday, but many of the wineries have open houses, tasting events and parties on the days leading up to the auction.
The three of us got a head start yesterday. Our first appointment was a lunch at Redd restaurant, with Bob Roux of Caymus. Redd is the new hot spot in the Valley. Located in the restaurant heavy town of Yountville, Redd is sleek and modern and is run by Chef Richard Reddington. We were joined by some nice folks from New York, which brought the total for lunch to 10. We were lucky enough to enjoy a nice glass of Sancerre to start and then worked our way to the 1991 Caymus Special Select, which was served out of a 3 Liter. The 1991 Special Select blew us away. Its aromas were reminiscent of a Right Bank Bordeaux. The wine was developed but still fresh and loaded with fruit.
After lunch our next appointment was at Opus One. We had a nice little private tasting, which included 1993, 1997 and the current 2002 vintage. The 2002 was showing great! If you purchased some from us recently, hold on to it. Our next appointment was a quick tasting at Flora Springs, which was highlighted by the 2002 25th Anniversary Cabernet.
Since we hadn’t eaten for several hours, we decided to have an early 7 p.m. dinner at Bouchon in Napa, one of my favorite restaurants in Napa. Bouchon is a classic French Bistro. We went light, with a first course of Fois Gras followed by a delicious steak and frites. I brought a magnum of ‘75 Poujeaux , which showed great and paired with the steak nicely. It was an easy first day. Lots more to do tomorrow…More to come!
—Trey Beffa

Addendum: If the weather stays this nice Trey and I are going to scrap plans for opening a store in L.A., and we’re going to open a Martini Bar/Health Spa called BeffHams here in Yountville. We’ve been in talks with Thomas Keller to do the food. The concept revolves around a kind of gorging and purging scenario (very big these days in Hollywood). From what we’ve seen so far, we think it could really work. We also have plans to expand to a miniature golf/wine tasting contest. We think it would be an ideal way for Anne to study for her MW exam.
—Chip Hammack

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On a cold day in San Francisco, I was lucky enough to attend an intimate lunch at One Market. The occasion was a vertical tasting of Château Montelena Estate Cabernet Sauvignon.
The table was occupied by some of the top sommeliers in the city. Mark Bright of Michael Minna, Andrew Mosblech of A16 and Jonathon Tennenbaum of Harris Restaurant. You ask what I was doing there? Who knows. Maybe they needed to bring down the wine IQ at the table.
Our host was owner/winemaker Bo Barrett. He is a straight-forward, speak from the heart style of person, a refreshing personality in this politically correct world we live in, and his knowledge of the Napa valley and winemaking is second to none
Bo’s family has owned the winery (an estate going back to the late 19th century), since the mid 1960s. The wines were first made by the Barretts in 1972, and of course were put on the map when in 1976, the 1973 Chardonnay was voted top wine in a tasting in Paris. The Cabernet Sauvignon has been one of the top Cabernets from Napa Valley since the eighties and they continue to be among the very best, as I can safely attest, based on the following wines enjoyed during lunch:

2004 Napa Chardonnay – This is always one of the best Chardonnays made in California, along with Stony Hill and Mayacamas. The wine has great balance and a strong lemon character. The tropical fruit comes forward on the finish. No oak to speak of and zero malolactic fermentation. Drink/Hold.

1998 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – This wine was the most open of the five. From a much vilified vintage, this wine showed great balance with cassis, smoke and chocolate. The tannins are soft, and this wine will be great another five years. This is not your typical warm-vintage California Cabernet. Drink.

1999 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – This was my favorite wine of the tasting. Bright fruit, great structure and a tight, long finish. This wine took a little time to open up but when it did, it was close to perfect. This is a wine that will show greatness for another decade. Drink/ Hold.

2000 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – This was one I could never really warm up to. The wine showed good ripeness and balance with mineral and red fruit. The tannins were not quite soft enough for me but it did show itself much better with food. Drink/Hold

2001 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – 2001 is a great vintage in my book overall, and this wine helped me to continue to believe. This wine showed beautiful balance and acidity with ripe fruit, earthiness and soft tannins. It never completely opened up but still was very enjoyable. This one should drink for another 15-20 years. Make this the last one of the five to open up. Hold.

2002 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon – This wine was the biggest and most powerful. Black fruits definitely come forward in this wine. Very rich and supple with good structure. This wine opened up eventually and showed a bright nose and a very lush, long finish. One could decant this now and be very happy but I think in 2-3 years this wine will show itself to be outstanding. Hold.
Thanks to everyone at the lunch. It was a very good time.
—Mike Jordan

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2002 Blason “Venc” Friuli Isonzo Bianco ($14.99) Venc is the Friulian name for a branch of a willow used to hand-tie the grape vines. The Venc bianco is a blend of pinot bianco, tocai friulano and 5% sauvignon blanc, tank fermented and aged “sur lie” with some of the pinot bianco being barrel-fermented. This is one of those wonderful wines that work well as a cocktail white or with food. Love the floral aromatics on this baby and the palate of pear, hazelnut and a dash of vanilla.
2002 Blason “Vencjar” ($19.99) Bordeaux from Italy? Even better, Vencjar is a blend of cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon and merlot in equal parts. This is a big full-bodied red with soft tannins. Very user friendly with dark red fruit blended with walnut, leather, spice and a long richly textured finish.
2003 Baricci Rosso di Montalcino ($18.99) Great value is the first thing I think with regard to this wine 100% sangiovese. This is one of those Rossos that is a little more rustic. Lots of terroir from the “Montosoli.” Sweet earth mingles with rich and ripe fruit. It will take about an hour to let this vino to open up, and then watch how quickly this bottle empties. I’m thinking baked rigatoni with this.
2000 Baricci “Colombaio di Montosoli” Brunello di Montalcino ($36.99) Like its little sister up above this also has the classic “Montosoli” nose with lots of spice, cinnamon, cardamom and anise with a touch of leather, and brings that to the palate as well. This will need at least a couple hours of decanting and will drink over the next couple of years. Your next Sunday night dinner featuring a pork roast or even corn beef. Happy St. Paddy’s day. —Mike Parres

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By the time this missive reaches you Mike Parres and I will have been sloshing through Italy for a couple of weeks. We will have tasted more than 170 of the new 2001 Brunello di Montalcino—the
sacrifices we make for you! If you haven’t heard before, this 2001 is The Vintage of the Millennium! Sure, it is only the second year of the millennium, true. All the levity aside, this will be a truly great vintage.
This 2001 vintage will be a hybrid of the 1997 vintage’s ripeness, proclaimed by many to be the best, and the balance, length and focus of 1999, proclaimed by most Italian wine insiders as the classic vintage. A freeze hit Tuscany Easter Sunday, 2001, after a balmy early spring. Many vines had budded out, and the initial prognosis looked bad. But nature’s pruning actually made the wines more concentrated. A long growing season (without any global warming, month-long heat spells) allowed the wines to be balanced, showing incredible length and aromatic—sangiovese’s classic characteristics.
For me 2001 is the single best vintage I have tasted. I loved many of the 1997s, but there were many overripe wines. I loved almost all of the ’99s, yet my palate leans toward the more balanced, and I balk at super ripe fruit without acidic balance. The 2001 vintage has everything: concentration, size, color (harder in sangiovese), classic aromatics, balance, length, aging ability and immediate appeal. You will see amongst the critics a more universal acclaim. Daniel Thomases who writes for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and whose palate
generally leans toward the more classic style, wrote about “many flabby and characterless 1997s produced in Montalcino.” He will most assuredly give the 2001 wines high praise. James Suckling who writes for the Wine Spectator and whose palate leans toward the riper has already said this about the 2001 vintage: “They are rich and powerful yet show wonderful balance and length. They are a combination of the structured and tannic 1999s and the refined and fresh 1997s.” He has also thrown out a couple of handfuls of 95+ point scores to whip up the initial press frenzy. The Wine Enthusiast will be doing a big issue on this vintage as well, so be forewarned. The scores will be flying high! I don’t give scores but try and write about character and style. In the upcoming weeks I will be tasting almost the entire DOC. I will be writing my vintage report that will be available to you. I think it is important for most everyone to understand that while scores offer you some insight to the writer’s preference, it may not be yours. Best to talk with someone who knows!
The initial offerings are just coming out now as I write this (February 3, incurring the ire of our crack newsletter staff by being a day late!), and we will have our first offering available in the middle of March. Anyone who is interested in receiving the first offerings and the vintage report that Mike and I will prepare please send an email to greg@klwines.com, and I will get you our first offering.
—Greg St.Clair

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The extremely ripe 2003 vintage lead to lot of variability in the wines. However, there were a few domaines whose wine struck me as outstanding. One of these was Patrice Rion, in Nuits-St.-Georges. Somehow, Patrice’s wines, both domaine bottles and negociant, retained a clear sense of place as well as grace and balance, which only a handful of producers managed, in my opinion. This is so extraordinary a range that I visited Patrice directly to be certain I could get the wines!
The 2003 Patrice Rion Gevrey Chambertin ($34.99) is meaty and rich, while the 2003 Patrice Rion Chambolle Musigny ($34.99) shows delicate red fruits and transparency of fruit. The 2003 Patrice Rion Nuits-St-Georges , V.V. ($34.99) is so poised that Allen Meadows writes: “It’s rare to find a Nuits villages with this degree of style and grace.” The 2003 Domaine Patrice Rion Chambolle Musigny, Les Cras ($36.99) is from Patrice’s own vineyard and is a complete standout for its Chambolle charm and lovely red fruits. The 2003 Patrice Rion Nuits-St.-Georges 1er Cru “Les Cailles” ($49.99) is another Burghound Key Buy, with punch and muscularity. The 2003 Domaine Patrice Rion Nuits-St-Georges 1er Cru “Clos des Argillieres” ($51.99) is muscular and taut with power, minerality and elegance. Finally, the piéce de resistance, his 2003 Patrice Rion Chambolle Musigny, 1er Cru “Les Charmes” ($59.99) is so full of sweet, pure pinot fruit that it is just irresistible. Á Santé.
—Keith Wollenberg

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Several of us here at K&L have been patiently waiting for these 2004 white Burgundies to arrive. Over the last several vintages winemaker Pierre-Yves Colin has been producing what could be some of the best values in Burgundy. A patient and meticulous man who farms as organically as possible but refuses to be hamstrung by dogmatically following any viticulture or winemaking philosophy, Colin wants the wine to speak of the vineyards from which they come. He uses only the wild yeast from each vineyard and keeps lees stirring to a minimum this vintage. If I try to characterize his 2004s, I’d say they are bright with charming fresh citrus and stone fruits and a driving persistence. Here are some wines well worth trying:
2004 St-Aubin, “Les Charmois,” 1er Cru ($29.99)
2004 St-Aubin, “Murgers des Dent de Chien,” 1er Cru ($29.99)
The wines from St-Aubin could represent the “best value” in white Burgundy. Not a sexy appellation but these are the best vineyards made by one of the best vintners sold at a reasonable price. Les Charmois is located next to Chassagne-Montrachet, Les Chaumées, 1er Cru and has very Chassagne-like character, more open with a clean and bright pear and floral tone. The palate is fresh with a pleasant creaminess on the mid palate. Murgers des Dent de Chein is located next to Puligny-Montrachet, “La Garenne,” 1er Cru. From a spot higher in elevation, this wine is rich and posses a driving stoniness.
2004 Chassagne-Montrachet, “Les Encégnières” ($39.99)
2004 Puligny-Montrachet, “Le Trézin” ($39.99)
The Les Encegnieres is “only a village vineyard located just below Batard-Montrachet, and shares the rich clay loam of the surface soil. Bright and long, this real estate gives this wine a rich and oily mid palate. The Le Trézin is one of the highest vineyards in the AOC, which makes the wine racy and stony. With its lovely floral tone, finely etched character and long finish, this wine is a real charmer.
—Kirk Walker

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Now that the winter thaw has started, it is time to celebrate. So, pop a bottle or two of Champagne. Heck! At these prices, buy a case!
To start with, we have the ultra low-priced Ariston Carte Blanche Brut ($22.99). The grapes that make up this lovely wine are from the steep, sunny slopes of Brouillet. This results in riper fruit. A rich soil of shellfish fossils provides minerality and depth in the final blend, which consists of 40% chardonnay, 30% pinot noir and 30% pinot meunier. In the nose, you will find pistachios, brioche, red fruits and just the faintest hint of coconut. On the palate, lemon curd and custard come out in the forefront. These flavors are followed by red plum and currant fruit. Roasted nuts round out the finish. This newest incarnation of Carte Blanche has smaller bubbles and less yeast than the previous blend. A perfect match for brie and other creamy cheeses as well as a pan-seared whitefish crusted with almonds.
Second on this month’s list, is the Tarlant Brut Zero ($26.99). The current trend of Ultra-Brut, no dosage (no sugar added) Champagne is at its apex with this wine. A blend of 1/3 each of chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier with fruit from hillsides in Oeuilly in the Valley of the Marne. Soils in the area are a mix of chalk, sand, limestone and sparnacien (chalk and clay). The final blend is from the 1998, 1999 and 2000 vintage, which was bottled in July, 2003. A fantastic nose of tangerines, stone fruits and minerals. In the mouth, citrus fruit, nectarine, lime and hazelnuts. This wine absolutely begs to be served with oysters! Another bonus is that the Tarlant family does not advertise, is that their Champagnes are organic! —Scott Beckerley

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One of my favorite names in the wine world is Bouzy, a grand cru village on the south-facing side of the mountain of Reims, in the very heart of the pinot noir country of Champagne. This village is famous for making the red wine that colors the best rosés in all of Champagne. Usually, producers only use a small amount (7%-12%) of this rare and expensive ingredient in their very best luxury rosé cuvees. The De Meric Grande Sous Bois Bouzy Rosé Brut ($34.99) is an exception to this, and is made from 100% Bouzy pinot noir. There are two distinct methods for creating a rosé Champagne, the first involves blending fully red wine with white until the desired flavor and color is reached. De Meric produced this rosé by using the distinctly more risky method of maceration, where all of the skins are allowed to be in contact with all of the juice, creating the rosé all at once. When using the blending method, one selects a small amount of very healthy grapes (a little botrytis is common in Champagne, but one does not taste it, because the grapes are pressed so quickly and the skins are discarded) to make the red wine. One needs healthy, perfect grapes when making a maceration wine. De Meric did just that, making only 1400 bottles of this fantastic Champagne. It is all from the 2003 harvest (though not labeled as vintage), and was 100% fermented in small old oak barrels. The 2003 harvest was the earliest and warmest since 1852, and provided perfect conditions for this kind of Champagne. The color, atypical for a maceration rosé, is very delicately pink, what the French call oeil de perdrix (eye of the partridge). It has a very extroverted maraschino cherry aroma, but comes across much more elegant and restrained on the palate then one would assume. This is probably the most fun of any bottle we have ever imported directly. Sadly, when it is gone, it is gone. Our allocation, while generous given the very limited production, is still very small at 21 cases. I hope that you will try it and enjoy it as much as I have, but please don’t fall in love; it is unlikely we will ever see it again. —Gary Westby

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I awoke with a start, my face dripping with perspiration. What a nightmare...there were acrobats and Republicans, cocktail waitresses and an Indian elephant. Man, scary. I looked next to me. There was a tusk sticking out of the covers. Time to get up. There was work to be done. Not by me. I didn’t have any. Semantics.
The door opened. She lit up the room like a nuclear Christmas tree. I was pining already. “Mr. Berg?” she asked with a voice that dripped molten honey. “I have a problem.” So did I. I remained seated.
“I’ve been robbed. Cases of wine from the estate of Pichon Longueville, Comtesse de Lalande. Three different vintages: 1994, 1995 and 1996. Mr. Berg, I MUST have them back by Saturday. I’m hosting a dinner party for international diplomats. Can you help me?”
The Lord helps those who help themselves. But asking her if I could help myself was out of the question. I assured her that I would do what I could. Even if it took a million years. It’s all about billable hours.
Her name was Tatiana, a liason to the American consulate. The diplomats in question were flying in from Sweden, Norway, Lebanon and Canada. I checked backround information on all of them—clean as a whistle. I searched motive, and found none. My mind raced like Jesse Owens. I ran over scenarios like a monster truck from hell. Nothing.
The Swede was Staffan. He was still bristling over the jokes that Olaf, the Norwegian made (three Swedes leave a bar after one drink. Well, it COULD happen! Haha! Ya sure). Neither were an easy suspect.
The man from Lebanon. He was interesting. Could have cut his teeth on Musar, Lebanon’s finest wine estate, and later developed a taste for Bordeaux. The Canadian? A beer drinker. Doesn’t fit the profile.
One thing was certain; The three vintages of Lalande served a very useful purpose: The 1994 ($159.00) was a tremendous success for the vintage. The bouquet is a kaleidoscope of warm, lush black fruit, and the wine can be enjoyed now. The ’95 ($309.99) is smoother and more debonnair. Smoke, cedar and bittersweet chocolate notes balance the rich red and black fruits. Outstanding. The ’96 ($299.99) is built for the long haul, as one enjoys first the ’94, followed by the ’95. Sweet, rich fruit it has, but the structure for long term aging is ever present.
Time was running out. Time always runs out. But who did it?... Then it hit me like an angry blackjack dealer. I leapt up, grabbed my hat, made the bus in seconds flat…
I burst into the room like a poltergeist on acid. Tataiana spun round like a dervish. The room got as quiet as outer space. Metaphors hung in the air like clouds.
“Tatiana, I have solved the crime. Olaf, please step forward.” A nervous Olaf stepped up. “You may go. Staffan, you may go as well.”
I stared at the Lebanese diplomat, then turned to the crowded room. “This is the thief. I kept wondering: Why three consecutive vintages? Then I realized… Tripoli! Triple, for three vintages! And Tripoli is the capital of Lebanon!” I was smug as a Cheshire cat, really feline good.
Then the Canadian spoke. “Impossible, yknow, eh? I took the wine.”
Gasters were flabbered. Instead of the cheese course, incredulity was served. But I was dining on crow.
“Why? Why did you take my three vintages of Lalande?” Tatiana bellowed like an accordion. The Canadian smiled wanly.
“Hat Trick.” —Joe Zugelder

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It is amazing to me that thirty-five years ago I started in this business, and, come June, I will have been with K&L for nineteen years. I keep telling our young, rookie-type wine specialists to “not blink; you will suddenly realize that you have been employed in this industry for thirty-plus years and it will seem as if you just started yesterday.” It has all been a blur, and not just because of all the wine I have drunk!
One of the many things I’ve discovered over the years is that it is incredibly easy to buy and sell high-quality expensive, cult-type wines. Finding inexpensive high quality wine for customers has not only been much more challenging, but one of positive attributes that has kept my interests alive and fresh for all these years. A perfect example of this is with the 2004 Domaine La Tour Saint-Martin Menetou Salon Morogues ($13.99), a sauvignon blanc-based white coming from the Loire Valley. Rivaling some of the great Sancerre sauvignons, this Menetou Salon, which is just southwest of its much more famous neighbor, shows perfumed aromas of lime peel zest and wet stone minerality that carries over onto a clean, crisp, mouthwatering set of flavors. This lovely creature is the perfect wine for shellfish. This will be our house white for the month.
Our new 2003 Kalinda El Dorado Cabernet Sauvignon ($12.99) was a major surprise when I first tasted it, due to the fact that it presents itself more in the style of a Stag’s Leap cabernet rather than the Sierra foothills. Medium deep ruby in color, the nose offers cassis to blackberry fruit with a hint of vanilla bean and dust. On its amply complex, broadly fruited palate, it shows superb focus, excellent structure, soft round tannins, and a long, silky finish that refuses to quick. Anderson has informed me that this will be one of our house reds for the month.
One of my favorite Rhone Valley producers has returned with the introduction of their new vintage. The 2003 Château du Montfaucon Cotes du Rhone “Cuvee Baron Louis” ($14.99) offers a complete wine with its deeply colored robe, pronounced violet to white pepper spice to plum fruit on the nose and in the mouth, superb depth and richness, and soft, round tannins. This grenache (60%), syrah (20%), mourvedre (10%), and carignan (10%) Châteauneuf-style blend is a classic, elegant wine that will drink wonderfully now and for the next three to six years. Anderson has informed me that this will be our other house red for the month.
It amazes me just how the 1997 Bordeaux have evolved; they continue to pick up fleshiness and broadness, yet are immensely enjoyable to consume now. Such is the case with 1997 Château Les Ormes-de-Pez, St-Estèphe ($19.95). This is a delicious drink that is medium deep ruby in color with developed, aged bouquet of blackcurrants, cedar, and tobacco. In the mouth, this is round, soft, and resolved, with well-integrated, sleeky tannins, wonderful fullness, layers of character, and a long, warm, distinctive finish. As Anderson has pointed out to me, “this wine screams drink me!” and you need to put some in your collection for that special occasion or dinner.
If you have any questions regarding these wines, you can email me at jimbarr@klwines.com. Enjoy this month’s selection or else!
—Jim, Anderson, & Eby

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This month I will be talking about two of my favorite producers from two of my favorite wine producing countries, Germany and Austria.
Schlossgut Diel has been producing some of the Nahe’s finest wines for quite sometime now. The 2004 Schlossgut Diel Dorsheimer Pittermännchen Spätlese ($39.99) is a rich style of spätlese balanced out by a fantastic splash of red spices and tropical fruits with a cleansing acidity that lingers on the finish, most likely due to the slate, quartzite and gravel vineyard site. The 2004 Schlossgut Diel Riesling Classic ($23.99), a zippy wine with just a smidge more residual sugar than a trocken, reminds me of ripe green apples. A great match to lighter first course dishes for that next dinner party you are having.
The wines of Leo Alzinger are everything the Wachau region of Austria should represent: power, grace and beauty. We are happy to have the 2004 Alzinger Grüner Veltliner Loibenberg Smaragd ($49.99). With its peppery aromas, surrounded by white stone fruit and earthy mint, and a full body richness that mingles around a juicy yet stony mineral backbone of love, this is one of the best ’04 Grüners I have had to date. There is also the 2004 Alzinger Riesling Steinertal Smaragd ($54.99), a true testament to what top notch Riesling from a great region and a great producer should be. This one has set the bar way up there! A bit of smokiness, a bit of tart apple, spicy peach and a juicy sense of a stone that has been dipped into a cold mountain stream, this wine is brilliance in a bottle!!! —Eric Story

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2004 Bodegas Muga Rioja Blanco ($11.99) 90 points Robert Parker: “The finest white wine I have yet tasted from Muga is the 2004 Blanco, a value-priced blend of 90% Viura and 10% Malvasia. Spring flower garden notes intertwined with notions of honeyed pear and citrus soar from the glass of this perfumed white. It is well-textured, with terrific fruit, wonderful purity, and surprising body...”
2004 El Quintanal, Ribera del Duero ($10.99) Made from 100% tempranillo, El Quintanal is a red wine that is sure to please many a palate. The lush black cherry fruit is complemented by vanillin oak and a long round finish, showing all of the balance and depth of the 2004. Enjoy with grilled lamb chops with garlic mashed potatoes!
2004 Vina Y Tia De Lozar, Ribera del Duero ($10.99) 89 points Robert Parker: “Wow! What a super bargain ... A tasty, surprisingly textured, rich offering, it displays notes of melted licorice, creme de cassis, cigar smoke, cedar wood, and spice box. This fleshy, medium to full-bodied, pure, persistent, savory, unfiltered cuvee will provide immense pleasure over the next 2-3 years.”
2001 Bodegas Y Vinedos Pujanza Pujanza, Rioja ($24.99) 90 points Robert Parker: “...Precise notes of graphite, sweet currants and cherries, cigar tobacco, spice box, and subtle wood are present in both the aromas and flavors of this medium to full-bodied, supple-textured, spicy, well-knit offering.”
2001 Finca Villacreces Reserva, Ribera de Duero ($31.99) 91 points Robert Parker: “A blend of 75% Tempranillo, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Merlot ... A complex nose of dried herbs, blueberries, black currants, licorice, and espresso is followed by a ripe, full-bodied, opulent, pure, elegant as well as nuanced wine.”
—Anne Pickett

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I had a small distributor stop by the San Francisco shop in late January to taste us on several wines, and were they fantastic. All of these wines are new to K&L Wine Merchants. Nothing is more fun and satisfying than finding a small production winery with exceptional wines.
2000 Galleron “Aves” Napa Valley Zinfandel ($17.99) Gary Galleron has made wine at places like Whitehall Lane, Grace Family, Hartwell and Vineyard 29. This wine made us all smile. This Zinfandel has six years of aging on it with fantastic fruit and excellent structure. It’s not a wine for you Turley fans, but if you want a hearty red for a nice steak, this is the one.
2002 Martin “Talty Vineyard” Dry Creek Zinfandel ($15.99) Michael Martin, the owner/winemaker, makes four Zinfandels. From the Talty Vineyard, near Martin’s estate, this wine is big and fruity with hints of spice and pepper. The wine finishes long and clean.
2003 Olabisi Knight’s Valley Syrah ($21.99) Olabisi means “joy multiplied.” Ted Osbourne is the owner/winemaker who was last at Storybook Mountain Vineyards and is now the winemaker at the super premium winery Pina Cellars. This one is big and bright with lovely pepper that explodes in the mouth with layers of flavor. It is a wine that is very quiet on the finish. Decant for best drinking.
See you in the City… —Mike Jordan

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People in the wine industry have a tendency to generalize California Chardonnay. It is perceived by many as over-oaked, heavy and lacking acidity and balance. While this may be true for some it is unfair to say all California Chardonnay is in the same style. There are many that could easily be confused with a great White Burgundy if tasted blind. Two of these wines I believe are the 2003 Varner “Home Vineyard” Santa Cruz Chardonnay ($28.99) and the 2003 Varner “Bee Block” Santa Cruz Chardonnay ($29.99). Both really show what California Chardonnay is capable of. The Home Vineyard is made up of vines that are 23 years old. The Bee Block's vines average about 15 years old. Both wines are made in a truly “hands-off” approach. Owners Jim and Bob Varner both believe the wine is made in the vineyard and not in the cellar. New oak is kept in check, 50% new French on the Bee Block and 40% on the Home. Both wines show great acidity and freshness, along with rich mid-palates and long spicy finishes. I think with a couple more years in the bottle both will gain even more complexity and richness.
Another wine in a similar style is the 2003 Hanzell Sonoma Chardonnay ($54.99). Minimal new oak and very little malolactic fermentation makes this a precise and pure Chardonnay worth lying down for a while. This wine shows mineral-driven fruit aroma with flavors of white pear, green apple and citrus notes. Subtle hints of toast and spice notes remain in the background and linger on the finish. For those of you looking for that “typical” California style, I would recommend one of the best. The 2003 Sbragia “Gamble Ranch” Napa Chardonnay ($34.99) is for those of you who are looking for that rich, lush and creamy texture in a white wine. Owner Ed Sbragia, the current head winemaker at Beringer, has created this wine with all his signature techniques. The wine is rich and opulent with a buttery, nutty quality that seems to linger on the palate for several minutes.
—Trey Beffa

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Monterey County and its sub-appellations hold an increasingly prominent place in California’s wine history. Currently, Monterey is re-affirming itself as a world-class winemaking region for grapes like chardonnay, pinot noir and other warm-climate haters. Santa Lucia, without a doubt, is the premium growing region in Monterey, and one of the best producers there is Morgan Winery. Founded in 1982, Morgan’s quest for shocking Chardonnays and perfect Pinots has produced wines that are heads, shoulders and torso above much of the surrounding wineries. The 2004 Morgan “Metallico” Chardonnay ($16.99) is a laser of a wine, made in stainless steel, no ML, yet clean, bright, crisp fruit with superb minerality and focus. The richly dressed 2004 Morgan “Twelve Clones” Pinot Noir ($24.99) jumps out of the glass with sumptuous aromatics and rounded vanilla and cherry notes. Double L, short for Double Luck, named for the owner’s twin daughters, is an organically grown vineyard that is probably one of the best pinot/chardonnay vineyards in the Central Coast. Each effort, the 2003 Morgan “Double L” Pinot Noir ($46.99) and the 2004 Morgan “Double L” Chardonnay ($27.99), reflects the exquisite purity, power and refinement that come from meticulously cared for, pesticide-free vines planted at the right place with the right grapes.
Farther south, we run into Graff Family Vineyards, the family that started it all in Monterey. What, you say? Never heard of them before? The family only co-founded Chalone! Now, the same winemaker whose deft hand makes world-class pinot noir is making wine from the old family estate. The 2003 Graff Family Chalone Pinot Blanc ($15.99) shows the classy, elegant and supple side of this lovely grape while the 2003 Graff Family Chalone Mourvèdre ($15.99) shows the softer, sexier side of this otherwise powerful, husky grape. In fact, it’s one of those rare bottles that appeals to the entire spectrum of wine appreciators, from beginners all the way up to our own store manager! I’ve seen it with my own eyes. Incredible! Take a bow, Monterey. You have superstars in your midst. Enjoy! —Martin Reyes

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Spring hits us this month, and it’s about time! I’m ready for some fresh sauvignon blanc on the patio, and I’ve found just the wines!
The 2004 St. Supéry Napa Sauvignon Blanc ($13.99) is a great backyard quaff. Crisp and clean on the nose with notes of tangerine and sweet chalk, the wine has a touch of Asian pear filling out the palate of bright and crisp lime peel, lemon, sweet fresh hay and a smooth lemon curd touch. Absolutely refreshing.
I stole the 2004 Morgan Monterey Sauvignon Blanc ($10.99) from Martin’s article on Monterey, and I’m not sorry! Creamy in texture with exotic fruits, Mexican papaya, white peaches and apricot. It’s lifted a bit with notes of citrus and a lively acidity and finished clean and crisp. Everything you want from an everyday SB, varietally correct, easy to pair and a crowd pleaser.
If you really want to wake up your palate, try the 2004 De Sante Napa Sauvignon Blanc ($16.99). Leading of with a bright figgy/grassy noted nose, this zippy and lively sauvignon blanc is absolutely mothwatering! White grapefruit, guava, fresh grass, lemon blossom and a chalky/fine mineral edge combine to perfection. I love this wine. It’s a bit like a cross between New Zealand and classic Napa. If I were Jim Barr I would give this many cat faces.
The 2001 Spring Ridge Santa Cruz Mountain Chardonnay ($12.99) breaks the SB rule for this article, but this wine is a steal so I’m putting it in anyway. The rich nutty/praline nose reminds me of the Burgundian notes found in expensive Chardonnay. A palate of exotic pear and Fuji apple mingles with hazelnut, orange rind and fine minerals. Rich and opulent, but not overbearing, the oak is fully integrated and simply complements its fantastic fruit, and the acidity forms a wonderful complement to the supple textures. —Shaun Green

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In January, Clyde, Elisabeth and I spent a week and a half in South Australia. With the exception of a day trip to the Clare Valley, we divided our time between the Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. The trip offered a view of everyone from the “big boys” (Penfolds, Rosemount, Jacob’s Creek) to the smaller producers (Hewitson, Torbreck, Longwood), and quality was very high across the board. For me, it was a chance to revisit 2003, taste many of the 2004s coming on to the market, and barrel sample the much anticipated 2005 vintage.
Tasting the warmer 2003 vintage confirmed what I thought from my visit in 2004, which was that the wines generally were more even and balanced in the cooler region of McLaren Vale. The 2004s showed well in the Barossa as well as McLaren Vale with the cooler vintage offering wines of good balance and a more streamlined structure. Whether it was the cool 2004s and the somewhat cool, long, even season of 2005, or a maturing of winemaking styles, the trend seemed to be showing better balance of wood and control of alcohol levels.
The 2005 vintage showed what I’d been hearing from various Australian winemakers since last year. These guys experienced a perfect, long, even growing season with very good balancing acidity and fine mid-palate richness. This was certainly true of all the white wines I tasted and that are now starting to come in. The reds out of barrel were superb, and we were able to get a preview from Thorn-Clarke, Elderton, Craneford, Ross Estate, Tait, Kaesler, Hewitson and Clarendon. So, to sum it up, the 2004 and 2005 vintages will give fans of Australian wine much to look forward to whether it’s wines for current consumption or for the cellar.
Here are two classic Barossa Valley Shiraz to try:
2004 Torbreck Woodcutters Red Shiraz ($17.99) and the 2004 Hewitson Ned & Henry’s Shiraz ($17.99) David Powell from Torbreck and Dean Hewitson are both making superb wines. You owe it to yourself to try these great examples of the vintage and varietal. The Woodcutter is from 10- to 15-year-old vines that are cropped at about 2.5 tons to the acre and sees larger neutral barrels. There are notes of tar, black olive, meats and blackberry with a juicy, long finish. Parker gave this 91 points. Ned & Henry’s has 9% mourvèdre added and shows ripe silky boysenberry and blackberry fruits with meats and spice. Dean uses all French barriques, very few of which are new. The wine has superb balance and length. Cheers! —Jimmy C

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This month I would like to share with you one of the most exciting discoveries of my trip through the Rhone Valley last year. Domaine de la Ferme Saint-Martin is a small domaine located in the Cotes du Rhone appellation of Beaumes de Venise. Vigneron Guy Jullien farms approximately 22 hectares of vineyards of several parcels spread across the appellations of Beaumes de Venise and Cote de Ventoux. Guy deeply believes in making wine that is respectful of both the soil and nature. For this reason, yields are kept low, and he tends to his vines organically. In order to preserve the purity of his gorgeous syrah and grenache grapes, Guy vinifies in cement vats, and elevage in old wood is utilized only for syrah. I first met Guy after an incredibly long and very hot day of tasting. Guy’s good friend and neighbor Eric Tabardon thought that it might be a good idea for us to meet, and boy was he right. Each wine, from the entry level “vin de soif” up to the cuvee Saint Martin, exhibited a distinct personality. As I tasted, my mind conjured up the perfect occasion: on the deck with grilled veggies, with roast duck, or on a cold rainy night with great friends and a beef daube. Fantastic! The 2004 Beaumes de Venise Rouge Domaine de la Ferme Saint Martin “Terres Jaunes” (ORGANIC) ($12.99) is comprised of grenache (70%) and syrah (30%) from limestone and clay soils formed some 240 million years ago. This “yellow earth” imparts a brightness to the wine, along with fine tannins and a tight mineral core. Bright cherry, violets and black licorice provide a forwardness and charm that will captivate you. Notes of white pepper and star anise add an element of spicy complexity, coupled with good acidity that will make this red Rhone a lovely companion at the table. I hope you will taste this delicious gem of a wine! —Mulan Chan

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This month I would like to get on my soapbox and champion one of the most underrated wine regions in France: Provence. Sure, it’s beautiful. Of course, the food is great. But what about the wine? Provence certainly gets lots of attention in the form of tourism, but because of its good looks does not often see the need to develop quality wines. Fortunately, there is a small but growing group of vignerons producing wines that are delicious and characterful. Château Estoublon, located in Les Baux de Provence, consist of 10 hectares of vines and 35 hectares of olive trees, all organically grown. Winemaker Remy Reboul is after rich and elegant wines that are reflective of the sun-drenched colors and flavors of Provence. The 2004 Les Baux de Provence Château d’Estoublon Blanc (ORGANIC) ($19.99) is a blend of ugni blanc and grenache blanc. This most serious Provencal white is rich and grand, with notes of honey and almonds. On the palate, however, it is pure refreshing fruit showing citrus along with more tropical notes toward the end. A dead ringer for a great white Châteauneuf-du-Pape! The 2003 Les Baux de Provence Château d’Estoublon Rouge (ORGANIC) ($18.99) is composed of grenache, syrah and about 10% cabernet sauvignon. Ripe griotte aromatics and notes of black olive and thyme abound in this supple red. The wine maintains the requisite amount of mineral drive and acidity to keep make this a perfect accompaniment to an eggplant tian or leg of lamb. —Mulan Chan

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2004 Grand Enclos du Cerons Blanc (dry) ($13.99) Cerons is an area just north of Sauternes and Barsac known for producing value-priced sweet wines, although some excellent dry wine is also produced. This bone-dry blend of semillon and sauvignon blanc comes from soils that consist of flinty stones over gravely subsoil, which show in the wine’s character. Crisp, clean aromas of stone fruit and mineral lead to a firm, steely mid palate that is substantial and beautifully fresh. Great with shellfish, goat cheese or as an aperitif.
2002 Reserve de Comtesse Lalande, Pauillac ($25.99) Pichon Lalande’s 2nd wine is delicious and a bargain to boot! This is bright and deep with lots of blackberry and cherry fruit, hints of herb and mineral, plenty of plump merlot juiciness in the middle and toasty, well-rounded tannin on the finish. Enjoy this now with decanting, or cellar several years.
2003 Bernadotte, Haut-Médoc ($19.99) The team at Pichon-Lalande also crafted this rich, chunky beauty from the much heralded 2003 vintage. Sweet blackberries abound in the chewy middle, and there is surprising elegance on the long finish. This shows the forward ripeness of the 2003 vintage but has plenty of underlying structure for those who want to cellar some.
2003 Lascombes, Margaux ($39.99) This 2nd Growth with vineyards spread throughout the appellation of Margaux has been on a roll since it changed hands in 2000. This is viscous and extracted with boatloads of plush blueberry fruit, toasty oak and licorice flavors in a flashy, velvety, full-bodied style. 92-95 points from Robert Parker.
2003 La Couspaude, St-Emilion ($45.99) This tiny (by Bordeaux standards) “garage” wine has become known for producing jammy, oaky fruit bombs that have enough underlying structure to age well, and never appear heavy or over the top. This fat, low-acid wine has lots of ripe black cherry and sweet oak richness in addition to an opulent liquid-mineral component on the perfumed finish. This is flashy, flamboyant, fruity and already easy to drink. —Steve Bearden

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We spend an incredible amount of time and energy bantering about the virtues and differences of the 61 great estates, First Growths thru Fifth, that make up the 1855 Classification. These are of course the top wines of Bordeaux. They represent about 25% of the Médoc appellations total production and are collected and treasured worldwide, but these wines are by no means the only great wines made in Bordeaux. There are over 450 estates that make up the Syndicat des Crus Bourgeois. They account for about 40% of the Médoc wine over three levels of status. In ascending order, Crus Bourgeois, Crus Grands Bourgeois and the top level Crus Bourgeois Exceptionnel. These titles are bestowed as a result of government controlled law and are revisited every 12 years. The previous six vintages are evaluated and judged, changes are made and the new classification released.
One of the Exceptionnels is now a top selling wine at K&L, and you may be surprised to hear that the wine is Ch. Phelan Segur. The reason is simple: Phelan is an elegant St-Estèphe in a commune with few elegant wines. The blend of 60% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot and 10% cabernet franc tastes good at almost any stage of its life. The wine of Phelan is not “pushed.” Rather, it is naturally extracted and honest wine. It tastes good, it’s a fine value, and it has early drinkability. This is a winning combination, my friends.
1996 Phelan Segur, St-Estèphe ($31.99) is your perfect example of Claret at 10 years of age. Good definition and focused, already a nice drink but will hold for numerous years. For the price it is hard to stay away from with an hour decanting.
2000 Phelan Segur, St-Estèphe ($26.99) still needs 5-7 years to blossom. It is firm with everything in good harmony, very similar in many ways to the 1996. It will be one of 2000’s earlier drinkers.
Also, just in stock ... 2003 Carbonnieux Blanc ($24.99) …sells fast!
Please feel free to contact me anytime with questions or advice on the wines of Bordeaux at ex 2723 or Ralph@klwines.com. Toujours Bordeaux! —Ralph Sands

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Another year flying by faster than a Shelby Mustang 500GT! Buyers leaving for all parts of the wine world. Chanty, Elisabeth and I have been back for over a month from Aussie Land. We did find some excellent wines on this trip from the very good 2004 and outstanding 2005 vintages. They should start arriving soon. Speaking of the 2005 vintage, it promises to be very good to great in quite a few wine regions. For sure the wines from the Barossa and McLaren Vale areas of Australia will be superb. Also great reports from Bordeaux and California. The Futures campaign for 2005 Bordeaux promises to be very hectic and fast moving. Other regions are forecasting excellent vintages, and our buyers will tell you what they find on their trips. Let’s all slow down a bit and enjoy this year! —Clyde Beffa Jr

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When looking for great wines from Bordeaux we often think of the bigger names and overlook other appellations by fear of the unknown. Well, fear no more: Moulis is here to save the day. The smallest appellation in the Médoc (surface wise) with only 600 hectares, which represent 4% of the region, offers wines of high standards as the 1975 Ch. Poujeaux ($79.99) can attest. This wine offers delicate red fruit on the nose. The wine has fresh and still lively sweet slightly red berry fruit on the palate. WOW!!! You want all wines to achieve this with age. It was served with the cheese course at the Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel diner K&L organized at the University Club, and it was the best paring of the night. We also had 2003 Ch. Poujeaux (Pre-Arrival $22.99). It was a great vintage, the warmest ever recorded, and this wine shows you the best of 2003. Tones of fruit in the glass: raspberry, cassis, red cherry, a bit of spice as well as some smoke. It has good structure and a very long finish. Another hidden gem of the vintage is 2003 Ch. Chasse-Spleen ($25.99). A more traditional style, the nose was fairly closed. Slightly rustic touch, showing fresh berries, cherries and spices. Will keep for a good ten years.
Two other good buys are 2002 Ch. Potensac ($17.99) and 2001 Les Ormes the Pez ($24.99). The Potensac, owned by the Delon family (Léoville-Las-Cases), is still quite young. Showing black currants, dark berries, earthy tannins and good acidity, it will be drinkable after 2006. Les Ormes de Pez, St-Estèphe, is straightforward. Good dark fruit with a bit of spice. Firm structure that still needs more time but opens up well with decanting. —Alexandre Brisoux

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The Angeles Wine Agency tasting on January 24th 2006
A couple weeks ago I had the great opportunity to attend the 2004 Châteauneuf-du-Pape tasting put on by the Angeles Wine Agency. Over the course of three hours I tasted and took very inspired notes on over 40 CNP’s from the 2004 vintage. What can I say a this point other than, holy smokes!? I am just getting to know this vintage, and I am already head over heals in love. The vintage, at this point displays fantastic potential. Fruit, richness, acidity and length..these CNP’s have got it all. What is going to make a vintage like this difficult is deciding which one’s you like the most. The following wines were, in my estimation, real standouts. The ETA on these wines will be some time in the late spring/mid summer. If one, or two or all of these CNP’s strike your fancy lemme know, and I will keep you posted as they become available. Please excuse all of the non-sequitors.
2004 Domaine Moulin-Tacussel CNP (80% Grenache, 10% syrah, 7 % mourvèdre, 3% cinsault) Rich and forward but in a more traditional sense. Beautiful concentration of blackcurrant and deep cherry fruit, followed by just the slightest hint of roasted herbs, thyme, and stone. The structure is taught and tannins are fine, not coarse. This represents one of the best values in the lineup.
2004 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Cuvee Tradition ( 90% grenache, 5% mourvèdre, 5% cinsault) Spicy, spicy spicy red fruits and star anise on this puppy. Notes of red plum and dark chocolate. Reminds me of the Dagoba chocolate bar with tiny flecks of chipolte.. Yowzah!
2004 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Cuvee Cuvee de Mon Aieul (100% grenache)
Châteauneuf-du-Pape in a long blood red velvet gown. Buxom, fleshy and ripe..but always classy. Hey get your mind out of the gutter.. I’m talking about wine!
2004 Le Vieux Donjon Rouge (70% grenache, 20% syrah, 10% mourvèdre & cinsault) One of my favorite Châteauneufs..always. More on the classy side with dark, purple fruits, a touch of bramble and nicoise olives. Lovely..
2004 Mas de Boislauzon Cuvee de Quet (65% grenache, 35% mourvèdre) I don’t know if Parker has rated this one, but I bet it will be high. One of the most dense and concentrated of the bunch with an emphasis on black fruits and tea…orange pekoe and lavender. ..shows a lot of class and sophistication despite its big, bad ass proportions.
2004 Cuvee du Vatican Cuvee Tradition (70% grenache, 15% mourvèdre, 15% syrah) Sappy, honeyed nose, with red currant spice box, hibiscus. Lovely balance and concentration and just a hint of earth. Another excellent value for the vintage.
2004 Cuvee du Vatican Reserve Sixtine (50% grenache, 30% syrah, 10% mourvèdre, 10% other..) My favorite super cuvee. Mon Dieu! AWESOME POWER AND GRACE. This cuvee straddles the line between new world seductiveness and old world sophistication. I predict that this one will age as well as Sophia Loren, however the scary thing is that something this intense and breathtaking tastes good NOW! That’s all I can say about this one. Talk amongst yourselves.
2004 Bosquet des Papes Cuvee Tradition (75% grenache, 11% mourvèdre, 9% syrah, 5% cinsault, counoise and vaccarese) Along with Vieux Donjon, Bosquet is always one of my faves. The 2004 Tradition definitely “represents”. Red currents, roses and hibiscus come through on this one. More feminine and elegant rather than big, thick or muscular.. This is no wimpy wine… do not overlook..
2004 Bosquet des Papes Cuvee Chante le Merle (70% grenache, 10% syrah, 15% cinsault, 5% mourvèdre) Bosquets super cuvee. Big, bold but not bad ass. Try this one with the Boislauzon Cuvee de Quet and see who wins.
2004 Domaine des Relagnes Cuvee Tradition (80% grenache, 10% syrah, 10% mourvèdre & cinsault) If you are into purity of fruit, ethereal beauty, wine that dances on your palate, flirts, no teases you with its charm and delicacy (note: I am not saying thin) then you must try these wines. As far as being the “package” in terms of price, quality, and accessibility Domaine des Relagnes over delivers. Cinnamon stick, red fruits, blackcurrant tea..
2004 Domaine des Relagnes Cuvee Vigneronne (65% grenache, 20% syrah, 5% each mourvèdre, cinsault and other..) Black cherry, rosehips with a bit more depth than the tradition. Very subtle notes of stone and that “tar” thing.
2004 Domaine des Relagnes “Les Petit Pieds d’Armand” (90% grenache 10% syrah) Relagne’s super cuvee. Up there with the Chante le Merle in terms of depth, concentration and elegance. Definitely age-worthy but showing beautifully right now, with fine tannins and a silky texture. A few of these will definitely find their way into my cellar/closet!
—Mulan Chan

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Last week I was in New York for a tasting of 2004 Burgundies (more on that later). While I was there I ate at wonderful restaurant I wanted to share with you all. It is in Tribeca, and is called Landmarc, at 170 W. Broadway. (http://www.landmarc-restaurant.com/ ) The food is simple, but wonderful, with lots of French favorites on the menu, but plenty of more modern items as well. I was impressed by the food and the ambiance, but overwhelmed by the wine program.

Prices for wines appear to be only about $5 above retail, and the selection is an excellent one, with Nicolas Potel Burgundies, Jolivet Sancerre, and lots of interesting wines to pick from. They do not have any wine by the glass program, since their half bottles are so reasonably priced. In a town where Beringer founder’s Merlot went for $10 a glass at my hotel, $15 for a half bottle of Nicolas Potel’s Bourgogne Rouge is just a steal. Every table had a good bottle of wine on it, as you would expect with prices like these.

Kudos to proprietors Marc Murphy (formerly of le Cirque) and his wife Pamela Schein Murphy for a wonderful place and an extremely fair concept on wine. If I lived nearby, this place would be a regular hangout.
-Keith Wollenberg (K&L Burgundy buyer)

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I was fortunate to have dined at quite a few nice restaurants in Paris during my three trips there in 2005 and would like to share a few recommendations with you. One of the perks of being in the wine business is that wine goes best with food (but both are rough on the waistline!).
Hiramatsu *(52 rue de Longchamp in the 16th) is fantastic. This restaurant gained its first Michelin star faster than any other. Ph from france 1-56-81-08-80. closed Saturday and Sunday. $$$
Guy Savoy*** (18 rue Troyon-in the 17th) a *** Michelin and one of the best restaurants in the world. In france dial 1-43-80-40-61. Closed Saturday and Sunday nights as are most all 2 and 3 star restaurants in Paris. $$$+
Atelier de Maitre Albert (1 rue Maitre Albert in the 5th-across from river on right bank.. no lunches Saturday or Sunday) for great roasted chicken or lamb shanks. Also it is now under the direction of Guy Savoy. Fax: 011331 53 10 83 23. $
If you saw and enjoyed the movie “Something’s Got to Give,” go to the bistro Le Grand Colbert (2-4 rue Vivienne-behind Palais Royal in the 2nd). Thanks to the movie and the delicious food, it is one of the hot spots on the bistro scene. Owner Joel Fleury. Le.grand.colbert@wanadoo.fr $
If you love caviar, Kaspia (17 place de la Madeleine-right bank high rent district in 8th) is a must stop. And try one of their Russian vodkas with the caviar. www.caviarkaspia.com. Phone: 01133 1 42 65 33 32. $$$ And on the left bank load up at Petrossian (on 144 rue Universite in the 7th). Closed Sunday and Monday. $$
The rather new Astrance ** (4 rue Beethoven-in the 16th across river from Eiffel Tower) was fabulous (only about ten tables) Closed Saturday and Sunday. Phone: 01133 1 40 50 84 40. $$$
La Tour d’Argent** (15 Quai de la Tournelle in the 5th-great view of Notre Dame) did not disappoint. What a great wine list and quite reasonably priced for Paris. They listed but were not serving any wines younger than 1999. Closed Monday and Tuesday lunch. One of the few Paris two star restaurants opened both Saturday and Sunday night. Phone: 01133 1 43 54 23 31. $$$
The new l’Atelier (Joel Robuchon) in the Hotel Pont Royal at 7 Rue de Montalembert (7th) is worth the wait as they do not take reservations-all counter seating, but exquisite food. $$
And if you like Indian food try Yugaraj (14 rue Dauphine-close to Pont Neuf in the 6th)-spicy food-very few tables and good value wine list. contact@yugaraj.com. Closed on Mondays and lunch Thursdays. $-$$
A few good ones in the 7th on Rue St Dominique:
#79-Thoumeiux for great cassoulet and good hearty meals. bthoumieux@aol.com$
#129-Fontaine de Mars. Great bistro cooking-very friendly. Great “Tete de Veau” and southwest France cooking. lafontainedemars@wanadoo.fr $
#135-Violon d’Ingres* is a very affordable starred restaurant in Paris. Closed Sunday and Monday Also very friendly owners and staff. violondingres@wanadoo.fr $$
Also in the 7th, Le Divellec* at 107 rue Universite specializing in seafood. Closed Saturday and Sunday. $$
In the 6th or 5th, some favorites: Rotisserie d’en Face (2 rue Christine off of Rue Dauphine in the 6th) $ owned by Jacques Cagna whose own restaurant Jacques Cagna* is at 14 Rue Grands Augustins, across the street. rotisface@aol.com $$
Brassiere Balzar (49 Rue des Eccoles in the 5th) Phone: 01133 1 43 54 13 67 is a bustling French bistro-noisy, crowded, good steak tartare. $
$$-Expensive $$-Moderate $-Good Value
*** Three Star, of course!
—Clyde Beffa

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