Quite a few of you have left messages and emails the last few months as to when I plan to return to work. It will be during this month of June, unless I have further complications from the operation. In any case, thank you for your concern, and all will be well soon.
An old favorite direct import from the Loire Valley has re-appeared at our doorstep (I think for the third time in the last nine months), the 2005 Franck Millet Sancerre Blanc ($13.99). Typical of this great vintage in Europe, this sauvignon keeps getting better with bottle age. With its intense aromas of lime-peel and nectarine, underscored by a subtle hint of chalky minerality, the flavors are loaded with personality of a bright, fresh nature, and with a clean, mouthwatering finish. This will be our 14th vintage importing Franck Millet’s wines. Because we have built an incredibly loyal following for them, it is strongly advised not to wait to stockpile this gem. Vanilla has order me “to stockpile this as our house white for the month and put it in as one of the wines in the Hall Of Jim’s Gems Fame.”
And the rosé gems keep on coming… Two wonderful, direct import rosés are available now, one a repurchase by our Loire Valley wine buyer, Jeff Vierra, the 2005 Domaine La Grange Tiphaine Touraine Rosé ($9.99), and the other by our French Regional wine buyer, Mulan Chan, the 2006 Domaine Begude Vin De Pays d’Oc Pinot Rosé ($12.99). Produced from a field blend of gamay, grolleau and cot (the Loire’s name for malbec), the Tiphaine is brilliant pink/red in color, gushes with aromatics of fresh strawberries and brisk minerality, is dry, yet vivacious and bright on the palate, and, as with the Millet Sancerre, the finish is clean, crisp and mouthwatering. Produced in the foothills of the Pyrenees, the Begude rosé is more salmon pink in color, flaunts plums and strawberries in its vibrant nose and across its dry, snappish, stylish palate impression. Both are absolutely delicious, perfect as summertime sippers, and will be, according to Eby, our house rosés for the month. Don’t miss them!
As with the Millet, we have been directly importing the next wine, a Bordeaux, for a long time (16 years). From a “legendary” vintage, the 2005 Chateau Jouanin Cotes De Castillon Rouge, “Cuvee Prestige” ($11.99) offers an incredibly delicious, medium full bodied, silky smooth, moderately complex, well-structured Bordeaux at a gem of great price. Drink this puppy near term as we plan to. Anderson says this is one of our house reds of the month.
From Spain, the 2003 Biurko Crianza Rioja “Los Valles” ($11.99) is a super-valued gem that is made from 15- to 20-year-old Tempranillo vines. Deeply colored, the nose explodes with white pepper spiciness and cherries, while in the mouth, you will be treated to a rich wine of superb focus, perfect balance, with really fine acid structure and minerality. This is our other house red for the month, according to Anderson.
Enjoy the wines! —Jim, Anderson, Eby and Vanilla