Being a wine consultant at K&L means tasting 50 (or more) wines over the course of a normal week. It’s a lot of fun, but very hard work too! This week we had the pleasure of having Mulan Chan (K&L’s Rhône and French Regional buyer) here in Hollywood. We tasted wines from about every major wine region in the South of France, from Collioure to Bandol, Crozes-Hermitage to Beaumes-de-Venise, and north to the beautiful Savoie region in the Alps. For me, tasting these wines is almost like having a ticket home; they take me right back to my childhood (see my bio below). The taste profiles of these wines ranged from a bit rustic, to very refined, from light and juicy to very traditional, and some had an almost animal characteristic. When it is all said and done, it still amazes me the enormous variety of styles there are in the South of France, and all so food-friendly. In fact, one can (and one should, at least once in a while) plan a whole meal around these wines, from appetizer to dessert. It will be like eating on a table al fresco—under the shade of an old and gnarled olive tree, with family and friends. Garrigue and lavender whiffing in the breeze, laughter and sun, lots of the sweet Provençal sun!

“Oh, la doucer du Midi…”

Here is the list of some of the wines we tasted:

Bugey-Cerdon (Méthode Ancestrale) "La Cueille" Patrick Bottex
Fun, fun and more fun! Here’s a wine bursting with raspberries and bright red apples. Very light in alcohol (8%) and full of bubbles. Rosé from gamay and the very indigenous poulsard variety. For me this wine is picture perfect for Thanksgiving— the last thing I would want is a heavy and cumbersome wine for this late afternoon dinner. Instead this is a light, refreshing, food-friendly wine that would pair just about perfectly with turkey, cranberry and everything that goes with it. And it doesn’t give me a headache! I could give this wine nothing less than 5 stars for what it is!

2005 Collioure "La Pinede" La Tour Vieille
Rich and full-bodied? Sure is. But it’s a bit more than that! Lip smacking dark fruit, with very velvety tannins to just put it all in perspective. Mostly grenache, this wine would pair with just about any kind of red meat, like spicy lamb couscous with grilled vegetables! Collioure is the appellation that occupies the same geographical area as the vineyards of Banyuls, but it refers only to dry wines. It is the last (or first, depending on where you are coming from) wine region of France, crossing the Spanish border.
4 stars

2004 Bandol Domaine de la Bastide Blanche
I have a sweet spot for Bandols, for mourvèdre in particular, which makes up 75% of this one. Its vivid blood red color almost jumps from the glass. Cassis and tar and deep black cherry intermingled with…what is it? Black truffles? Espresso beans? And yes, it has tannins, but not aggressively so. Decant this beauty for all its glory. Oh, this is a blockbuster for sure, but one that would not only go very well with food, but indeed demands a juicy Gigot d’Agneau! 5 stars – I said I had a sweet spot for Bandols!

1997 Rivesaltes Ambré Domaine Fontanel
Unfortunately Rivesaltes has been a bit obscured lately by the brightness of the other dessert wines of France (Sauternes & Co), but it is so rich and complex, so full of caramel and spices and honeyed-roasted-almond flavors, that it just about blew everybody’s mind at our staff tasting. If you would like to really impress your friends with you cool finesse and knowledge of wine, pair this delicious wine, slightly chilled, at the end of your meal with some hard cheese from either Spain (this area of France was, until 1659 part of the Catalan Kingdom) or France, and just bask in your success. Plus, a wine like this means you won’t have to worry about making dessert! 4 stars

—Jacques Moreira
Rhone and French Regional liason in Hollywood

Bio:
Having being born in Rio de Janeiro into a very proud French/Portuguese family (my grandparents fled a very dark and occupied France), gave me the best of all worlds, one very old, and another very new. I’ve always had three different perspectives on everything growing up, three different opportunities to understand the world around me and to try to make sense of it all. From Ipanema Beach, to the pebbly coastline in Nice, (where I spent most of my childhood and where my family is from). Caipirinha and Feijoada, codfish and Vinho Verde, Daube and Bandol, and the always present Port, rosé, and…beer for those 110 degree summertime days in Rio! I always worked in the food business, in Paris, Nice and San Francisco. While working at Jules Verne in Paris, I decided to devote my career solely to wines and eventually got my sommelier certification through the International Sommelier Guild.

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As promised, here are my picks for where to stay and, particularly, where to eat in the South of France.

In Limoux:
Grand Hotel Moderne et Pigeon
Owned by Eliane and Jean Luc Desmoineaux
1 Place General Leclerc-11300 Limoux
Tel:+33 (0)4 68 31 00 25
hotelmodernepigeon@wanadoo.fr
http://www.grandhotelmodernpigeon.fr
In the heart of the town—old hotel with spiral staircase and stained glass windows. They are getting a michelin star for sure. Eaten there two times—fabulous both times. Owner/chef is hands-on here. Worth a night's stay and dinner. Try the five-meat cassoulet—to die for—not literally.

Another place in Limoux:
Tantine et Tonton
29 avenue Fabre d'Eglantine Limoux
Tel: + 33 (0)4 68 31 21 95
Tantine was new and cozy. Fabulous food. Service is spotty. Decent wine list. Try the scallop ravioli.

Near Limoux, in Malepere (10 minutes west):
Domaine Gayda
11300 Brugairolles
Tel: +33 (0)4 68 20 65 87
Fax: +33 (0)4 68 20 78 31
www.maisongayda.com and info@maisongayda.com
Beautiful setting and stunning decor. Relatively new but superb service and excellent food. Try the floating island dessert The roti veau with puree of white beans was mouthwatering. Also a working winery.

In Montpellier:
Le Grillardin Restaurant
3 Place de la Chapelle Neuve 34000 Montpellier
Tel + 33(0)4 67 66 24 33
A quaint and very well-priced restaurant in the old part of town. Our meal was fabulous—nice small upstairs eating area. Good regional wine list.

Le Jardin des Sens (Garden of the Senses)
www.jardindessens.com
** Michelin. Jacques et Laurent Pourcel run the show. There’s also a hotel attached. Wow, what a romantic setting! The restaurant is surrounded by glass windows looking out into a vast garden with waterfalls, etc. Stunning. Fabulous wine list—pricey. Try the nine-course meal and give yourself a few hours. Great Valentine’s Day place. Bring lots of euros and a good appetite. -Make reservations-probably best restaurant in the area.

La Compagnie des Comptoirs
Managed by Frédéric CHÂTEAU.
51, Avenue de Nîmes - 34000 MONTPELLIER
Tel: +33 (0)4 99 58 39 29 Fax: +33 (0)4 99 58 39 28
This bistro is located across the street from Le Jardin. It was created by Olivier Château and the Pourcel brothers. A fun place that is very lively and a bit crowded tablewise. Food is fresh and delicious and wine list is very good.

In St-Chinian area of Languedoc:
Le Petit Nice
Nice lunch place on the river. Good food, cheap. All the locals are there. Semi-family style.
In the heart of this small hill town.

Near Pic St Loup, in small town of San Mathieu:
Lenny’s
Don’t let the outside look distract you. This is a serious eating place where the wine people all go. Find the town on a map and ask anyone around.

Les Baux in Provence:
L’Oustau de Baumanière
Relais Gourmand Restaurant
3520 Val d'Enfer Les-Baux-De-Provence
Tel: +33 (0)4 90 54 33 07
www.oustaudebaumaniere.com
Hotel here—bring big appetite. Rich food.

La Cabro d’Or
13520 Les Baux de Provence
Tel: +33 (0)4 90 543 321 Fax : +33 (0)4 90 544 598
http://lacabrodor.fr/anglais/index-gb.htm
contact@lacabrodor.com
This is the bistro restaurant of L’Oustau de Baumaniere. They have fabulous food (* star Michelin) and a spa. Gorgeous setting. I will go there someday for a rest.

Nice:
Restaurant Chantecler in the vernerable Hotel Negresco.
37 Pomenade des Anglais 06007 Nice
Tel: +33 (0)4 93 16 64 00
chantecler@hotel-negresco.com
** restaurant. Only go if you are hungry and have a few extra euros to spend. Great wine list especially from the South of France. Order the chef’s menu and plan to spend several hours. You may see the owner of the hotel dining with one of her dogs at her special table near the alcove on right side of restaurant. She lives in the Negresco.

Sablet:
Les Genets
Route de Vaison 84110 Sablet
Tel: +33 (0)4 90 46 84 33
cavesgenets@wanadoo.fr
www.gite-vaucluse.com
A rustic bed and breakfast place with a nice small restaurant. In the heart of the Côtes du Rhône area just a stone's throw from Seguret and Gigondas. Our friend Cecile Chassagne has her winery under the dining room.

—Clyde Beffa Jr

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Manischewitz memories are enough to make any wine lover pass up the invitation to Bubbie’s for a Passover Seder, no matter how good the noodle kugel. Rest assured, this year you can have your kugel and eat it too. While searching the K&L stocks for something to bring to my folks’ this year, I came across the wines of Israeli producer Recanati. Founded in 2000 by a group of Israeli wine lovers led by Lenny Recanati, the winery gets most of its fruit from quality vineyards in Galilee. It is crafted by Davis graduate Gil Shatsberg. All of the wines are Kosher year round and Kosher for Passover. In fact, the two Yasmin wines are Mevushal, meaning they’ve been flash-pasteurized and can be shared amongst the religious and non-religious alike.

2006 Recanati, Yasmin White, Israel (Kosher, Mevushal) ($8.99) This blend of emerald riesling (60%), sauvignon blanc (15%) and French columbard (15%) has a bright nose full of stone fruit, pear and lemon aromas. The lemon and stone fruit continue onto the palate, backed by vibrant acidity with a clean streak of minerality. Only a kiss of sweetness makes this a great pairing for, what else, kugel and poultry.

2005 Recanati, Yasmin Red, Israel (Kosher, Mevushal) ($8.99) The Yasmin red is a blend of 50% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot and 20% shiraz. Lots of ripe berry fruit and kirsch aromas and flavors with good acidity.

2006 Recanati Sauvignon Blanc, Israel (Kosher) ($10.99) I’ll be drinking this 100% sauvignon blanc throughout the Sedar. It’s got enough acidity to stand up to horseradish and matzo and a nice streak of minerality to balance out the sweetness of charoset. Lightly herbaceous on the nose the palate is crisp and full of stone fruit flavors. Tasty.

2004 Recanati Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Israel (Kosher) The fruit for this reserve bottling comes from vineyards grown on the slopes of Northern Galilee, where the rocky, well-drained soils are best-suited to the varietal. Aged in small, French oak barrels, the wine shows lots of currant and cassis aromas and flavors with hints of cedar box and tobacco and walnut. Approachable now, decant for a half hour and serve with mom’s brisket.

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Gary Westby (K&L) Angelo Ferrio (Cascina Ca’ Rossa) and Mario Roagna (Cascina Val de Prete)

Lucky me—with Greg St. Clair in Hollywood and Guido Parres tied up for the night, Cinnamon and I had a chance to represent K&L at a great dinner in Palo Alto. La Strada restaurant is a big personal favorite of ours, located right in the middle of downtown on University Ave, and we try to dine there at least once a month on our own. This was no normal night at La Strada, however, Chef Elide Cordero had flown in from Piemonte where she is co-owner of Ristorante Il Centro in Priocca and she prepared a fantastic meal with head chef Donato Scotti of La Strada. Accompanying the food we enjoyed the wines of Cascina val de Prete presented by winemaker and owner Mario Roagna and Cascina Ca’ Rossa presented by winemaker and owner Angelo Ferrio.

The meal began with a great starter of pureed cauliflower with sausage and balsamic next to a frittata layered with cotto salami. It was paired with the very rich, aromatic 2006 Cascina Val del Prete Arneis “Luet.” The stone fruit flavors in this quite decadent and full-bodied white soared with the frittata in particular.

The antipasti course was actually two courses, first a tuna caper and anchovy stuffed pepper dish and then the best fresh ham I had ever had… The “Cosciotto di Maialetto al Sale e Intingolo di Erbe” a ham from a suckling pig cooked in salt and herbs and then cut impossibly thin on the Testarossa meat slicer by Donato.

Intingolo Ham

Donato Testarossa

These two antipasti were paired with the 2006 Cascina Val del Prete Barbera d'Alba “Serra de Gatti,” which I thought was incredibly adventurous with the tuna stuffed peppers, but turned into a revelation for me. Cinnamon thought it was the best course and the best pairing of the night, and I was impressed with the rich texture and wonderful freshness of the wine with the very savory tuna. The wine was very dark, and the tuna was very light, but the pairing was a huge success. With the delicate, melt-in-your-mouth ham the rich-textured wine also showed well. This barbera is stainless steel fermented and then aged for only three or four months in old barrique, and the varietal’s natural low tannin and good acidity eliminated the usual metallic flavor problem that is often encountered when pairing red wine with fish and ham. Yum!

The meal then began in earnest with the primo or first course and Cinnamon was already complaining of being full. We also started getting into the big hitting wines, the Roero’s proper, an appellation that was just elevated to full DOCG status for the 2005 vintage. Roero is a bebbiolo appellation and the wines must be at least 95% composed of that varietal to qualify. Two single-vineyard Roero’s were poured; the 2005 Cascina Ca' Rossa Roero “Audinaggio” from a sandy vineyard that was vinified in new barrique and the 2004 Cascina Ca' Rossa Roero “Mompisano” from a calcareous vineyard that was aged three years in old, large botti. The primo was super-rich ravioli that were stuffed with three meats and then sauced with a veal and sausage sugo… The picture below tells the story better than I can, trust me when I say it was rich! I think one could die if one tried to eat this great dish without some wine!

Ravioli Sugo

The Audinaggio was a very modern nebbiolo with plenty of flashy new oak, extraction and ripeness. It was a very impressive and showy wine, but with the food I gave the more traditional Mompisano the nod… I thought it was the wine of the night! It had a nose reminiscent of Musigny, with black cherry fruit and a mineral streak that headed in the direction of iron. Like all the other great nebbiolo that I have had, it was the chorus of complexity that this wine had aromatically that most impressed me. It also had the tannin and mid-palate punch to handle the over-the-top sugo. Some of this will certainly be going into my cellar! I can’t wait to check in on this wine in another 10 years!

The secondo was the richest dish of the night, a beef course that had been braised in Roero wine and accompanied by potato puree. I would compare this to a Provençal daub, but rather than have the beef cut into small pieces before cooking, it is cooked whole and then sliced and served with the ultra-rich sauce. We had the 2004 and 2005 Cascina Val del Prete “Roero” to accompany this big time meat dish.

Brasato al Roero

These wines both had massive tannins—and with the brasato we needed those tannins! They both showed more of the new-style Barolo side of nebbiolo and definitely had the barrel spice from the barrique that they were brought up in. The 2004 had a fresher zing than the more opulent 2005 and also had more smoke and complexity than its younger brother. The 2005 showed a lot of promise and a lot of body nonetheless.

It was then on to dessert: a chocolate mousse on the top a crisp hazelnut cake paired with the bubbly, red, off dry, powerfully aromatic and completely charming 2006 Cascina Ca Rossa “Birbet” Brachetto. After enjoying this pairing it was time to say our good byes and walk home. What a great time! Thank you Donato, thank you Angelo, thank you Mario and thank you Elide!

Elide Cordero of Ristorante Il Centro in Priocca and head chef Donato Scotti of La Strada

—Gary Westby

Editor’s Note: Many of the wines mentioned in this piece are set to come to K&L shortly (if they are not already in-stock). Follow the link to add yourself to the waiting list for any of the wines not yet available. These are gems you won’t want to miss.

Posted by Leah Greenstein at 7:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Whether you buy into the whole Valentine’s Day romance thing or not—it’s a great excuse to gather those close to you and show them you care by cooking up some love. Gary Westby and Scott Beckerley recommended a number of food-friendly sparklers in the February newsletter, including the 2000 Launois Blanc de Blanc and the 2002 Franck Bonville Brut Millesime Blanc de Blanc. These Champagnes pair amazingly well with a broad variety of foods, from sweet to savory. I wrote up a quick menu that would go nicely with these romantic vinous treats, starting with a Dungeness Crab and Fennel Salad recipe and promised the rest of the recipes on the blog. So, without further ado, here are the promised recipes:

Crab & Fennel Salad
Organic Brined Chicken with Long-Cooked Broccoli and Polenta
Cheese Plate

Dungeness Crab and Fennel Salad:
2 fennel bulbs
1 lb fresh Dungeness crabmeat
½ lb fresh baby spinach

Dressing

2 tbsp lime juice
¾ tsp sesame oil
¼ cup olive oil
½ tsp white pepper
1 tbsp Sriracha
Honey to taste

Remove fennel stalks. Cut bulbs in half lengthwise then slice the crosswise, creating half moons. Lightly toss in a large bowl with crab meat and spinach.

Whisk lime juice, oils, pepper, Sriacha and honey in a small bowl to emulsify. Plate salad and drizzle with dressing.

Organic Whole Brined Chicken:
1 whole Organic chicken (3-5 lbs)
1 ½ cups course kosher salt
1 cup pure cane sugar
3 Bay leaves, bruised
1 tbsp whole peppercorns
1 sprig fresh rosemary
8 cups water (enough to completely submerge the chicken)
1 ½ tsp chipotle chile powder

Combine all of the ingredients in a large stock pot or brining bag, making sure the entire chicken is submerged. Refrigerate for at least eight hours and up to 24. Heat oven to 500 degrees or fire up the grill to the same temperature. Pat chicken dry and rub chile powder over skin. Place chicken on roasting pan and cover. Cook in oven or on grill about an hour, until the juices run clear; there won’t be a lot of drippings, but you should baste occasionally. When cooked through, let rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.

Long-Cooked Broccoli:
2 broccoli crowns, separated into florets
1/3 cup olive oil
¼ tsp hot chile flakes
½ tsp coarse kosher salt or Malden sea salt
¼ tsp cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl, making sure to coat the broccoli florets with olive oil. Spread out on a cookie sheet and bake for about 20 minutes. The broccoli will be super tender and a deep, dark green. Some of the leaves might singe, but this actually adds depth of flavor to this side dish.

Polenta:
6 cups water
1 ½ cups polenta
1 tsp coarse kosher salt
1 tbsp butter

Bring salted water to a boil in a large sauce pan or “Dutch Oven.” Slowly add the polenta, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Lower heat and simmer, adding butter and salt and pepper to taste. This is a very simple polenta that can be quickly spiced up by grating fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano over it.

Cheese Plate:
The trick to a good cheese plate is diversity. Try using a soft cheese, a stinky cheese and an aged cheese for textural and flavor contrast. Spice the cheese plate up with fresh dates, a drizzle of honey and some dry roasted almonds.

Cheeses to try: La Tur, a tangy, soft, rich cheese; Piave, a firmer, aged cheese with nutty notes and hints of caramel; Lemon Stilton, a white Stilton with candied lemon peel!

—Leah Greenstein

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We’ve got a rough job here at K&L. More than 100 wines were poured at the recent Union des Grand Crus de Bordeaux 2005 Vintage Tasting and we endeavored to taste them all. Imagine the stained teeth! Here are the combined impressions of Hollywood Assistant Manager Keith Mabry and K&L Writer/Editor Leah Greenstein’s impressions of some of the most stand-out wines of the event:

Whites: The acid levels weren’t quite what we expected in the 2005 whites, but there were a few standout examples that will definitely be great for nearer term drinking.

Domaine de Chevalier Blanc This was a stunner with great mouthfeel and complexity. Lots of minerality on the palate. The quality was reminiscent of Grand Cru Burgundy. Acid is present but a little on the round side making this a candidate for drinking over the next few years.

Château Olivier BlancThis was also fantastic with great acidity and vibrant citrus flavors and lanolin-like texture. The sémillon in this wine, the blend is 50% sémillon and 50% sauvignon blanc, really stood out and gave it a distinctness that separated it from the pack.

Château Malartic-Lagravière Blanc Comprised of 80%sauvignon blanc and 20%sémillon, this is a grapefruity, grassy, fresh and crisp white. Highly recommended.

Château Smith Haut Lafitte Blanc Also highly recommended. A blend of 90% sauvignon blanc, 5% sémillon and 5% sauvignon gris, this is creamy and rich with a sweet finish.

Sauternes/Barsac: As with other white of the vintage, the acid levels fell a bit short. Only a handful of the stickies tasted seemed like long-term agers.

Château Guiraud, Sauternes A favorite by far, with brilliant acid levels and layers of flavors. Should be a good buy relative to the field of players.

Château Suduiraut, Sauternes The nose of pineapple and citrus was explosive, but the wine seemed a bit rounder in style than usual. The glycerin and nose will carry this for the near term.

Château Doisy Daëne This was surely a highlight. Lemon and green apple aromas kept the nose bright. Nice acidity balanced by a full, viscous palate.

Château Coutet Nice texture, this lush sticky was quite tropical and sweet! Always a great value.

Right Bank Reds: These were quite distinct with aromatics very different from their left bank cousins.

Château Angélus This was potent but definitely in need of a decade of aging. Cab franc seems to dominate the characteristics.

Château Troplong Mondot One of Keith’s favorites of the tasting. “I’m definitely putting a bottle or two of this away. This is going to be a killer wine!”

Château ClinetThis was a beautiful Pomerol with classy flavors and a roasted mineral style.

La Conseillante This was another of Keith’s favorites for its opaque extracted style.

Left Bank: Depending on the parish – Haut-Médocs were balanced, Margaux were elegant, Pauillacs and SaintEstèphes had a lot of power and the Saint-Juliens were just plain sexy.

From Haut-Médoc don’t miss the Château Cantemerle and La Lagune, both excellent balance and flavors.

Margaux: Keith and Leah both loved the Château Du Tertre and Château Lascombes (“one of my favorite wines of the tasting,” says Keith). The Du Terte was enchanting with blue fruit and violets on the nose and palate with a fabulously spicy finish. The Lascombes was a gorgeous ruby-garnet hue with olive, black pepper and black raspberry on the nose. Full-bodied with a nice juicy mid-palate and ripe tannins on the finish. One of the best sleepers of the vintage was the Château Ferrière, which was a bit closed down right now, but quite promising.

Sexy Saint Julien: An amazing line-up of wines! It was hard to find a bad wine here. The Gruaud-Larose was a standout showing the same quality (if not better) as its 2000 counterpart. The Château Lagrange will be a great crossover wine for California buyers. Both the Château Langoa- and Château Léoville-Barton were outstanding. The Langoa is showing well already, while the Léoville is just beginning to hint at its “A Game.” The Château Léoville-Poyferré was another resounding success and the Château Talbot is one of the best I’ve ever tasted from this winery, says Keith.

Pauillac: Another fantastic line-up. Château Haut-Bages Libéral is one of the great sleepers; Keith found the Château Lynch-Bages a trifle disappointing (too tightly wound on the nose). The Château Pichon Baron is always a favorite and delivered again with gorgeous mulberry and spiced plum flavors. And the Château Pontet-Canet was the wine of the tasting. If you don’t have a few bottles of this coming in on futures, don’t wait. When the reviews hit, this wine is going to blow up in price.

Saint-Estèphe: The Château Ormes de Pez was nice, with core of sweet fruit and vibrant acidity. This is always a great value, too! The Château Phélan-Ségur was a definite winner with sweet crushed berries and relatively mild tannins. The Château Lafon-Rochet should turn into a good sleeper.

Stay tuned for pics from the fun festivities!

Posted by Leah Greenstein at 1:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

We at K&L Wine Merchants know how stressful the holiday season can be—from fighting for parking spots to standing in line to buy gifts to trying to remember what size Aunt Bea wears. Why not give a gift that will surely be appreciated? You can't go wrong with a bottle of wine, a handcrafted whisky, a wine accessory or a K&L Wine Club gift subscription. To make the shopping experience easier, we've polled our buyers for the favorite holiday gift and provided links directly to the site. Holiday shopping in one click? Now that's a dream come true.

Susan’s Pick:
The Forgotten Casks, K&L Blend #1 2007, Cognac ($219.99)
Do you know what happens when you are lucky enough to travel to France as a Spirits Buyer? You create your own cuvée with the “Cognac Master” Alain Royer. After sampling barrels and demi johns of some of the most outstanding cognacs I’ve ever tasted from Ch. Paulet’s Forgotten Casks line-up, I got my chance. The result is our K&L Blend #1 2007. I can guarantee that you are going to completely, fully, totally fall in love with this exceptional cognac! This would make an UNFORGETTABLE holiday gift!

Jimmy C’s Pick:
2003 Kirkham Peak Shiraz-Cabernet Sauvignon* ($12.99)
The softly undulating hills of the Clare Valley lie 130 km north of Adelaide, just one hour’s drive west of the Barossa Valley. Situated in a high-altitude pocket, the vineyard’s cold winters and long hot days during the ripening period ensure the resultant wines are rich yet refreshing, delicate yet robust. Cabernet sauvignon also benefits from the region’s terroir and the ensuing wines can be high in alcohol and body with deep color and concentration of flavors. The 2003 Kirkham Peak Clare Valley Shiraz-(60%) Cabernet (40%) is a full-bodied wine that is loaded with spice and fruit. The nose has notes of eucalyptus, clove and blueberry. The wine is nicely balanced on the palate with notes of cocoa powder and fresh, cooling menthol playing off of the sweet fruit.

Shaun’s Pick:
Schott Zwiesel “Forte” Wine Glasses, In stock and available ($8.99/stem)
After long years of intensive research and development, in collaboration with the University of Erlangen, Schott Zwiesel has succeeded in creating a new type of crystal glass. The use of unique ingredients combined with an advanced manufacturing process, has created an incredibly pure, hard and clear glass that is highly resilient to dishwashers, accidental breakage and chipping. Tritan is a unique, patented crystal glass that sets new standards. Shippable in 6- stem cases.

Thornton’s Pick:
Special Champagne six-pack for K&L Club Members (Only $169.00)
K&L Wine Club members rejoice! With this Champagne club six-pack you get two bottles each of the following delicious Champagnes: Pehu Simmonet Brut, De Castellane Brut Rosé and Gobillard Cuvée Tradition Brut. Bought individually these wines would cost $241.94 retail and $203.86 as a wine club member, but while the limited supply lasts you pay only $169 for all six bottles of Champagne!

Bryan Brick’s Pick:
1998 Señorío de P. Peciña Gran Reserva, Rioja ($42.99)
This is a new find for us and we couldn’t be more thrilled about the producer. Founded in 1992, Señorío de P. Peciña is relatively new on the scene, but fully old-school in their approach. Their winemaker spent 20 years at one of our Spanish faves, La Rioja Alta, and his approach really shows here. Made from vines averaging 40 years of age, this shows incredible density, but stays away from all that new oak and textural glycerin. As light as a feather and full of pipe tobacco, porcini mushrooms and roasted anise seed, this is incredibly complex stuff. Perfect for any serious holiday dinner or a quiet night with a book and a warm fire.

Jeff’s Pick:
2006 Tessier Cheverny Rouge ($13.99)
This time of year tends to pull us in all sorts of wonderful directions, what with family and work and getting all wrapped up in the “season,” sometimes what you need is a good honest bottle of vino after a long day. Nothing too complicated, nothing to have to think about, just a friendly glass or two or three to raise the spirits. The Tessier Cheverny Rouge, a luscious blend of gamay and pinot noir, gives without expectation of being the next hot wine in the press or the object of wine collector desires. This medium-bodied beauty is supple and elegant, a portrait of restraint and purity and just about one of the happiest wines we have in the store. Enjoy its cherry scented nose, spicy licorice-tinged palate and ample sweet fruit just above cellar temperature and over the next 5-8 years. This is just delicious, honest wine.

Mulan’s Pick:
2005 Côte Rôtie, Joël Champet, “La Viallière” ($49.99)
The estate is located in the Côte Brune in the lieu-dit La Viallière. Joël Champet represents the 3rd generation of winemakers in the family. He inherited the vineyards from his father Emile, and his grand father already owned some land where he used to grow some vines, fruits and vegetables. Joël farms three hectares (7.40 acres) in Côte Rôtie and only uses syrah grapes for his wines, no viognier. The soil type in this area is schist and the slopes are quite steep at 50-degree angles or more. Production is about 1,000 cases per year.

Chip’s Pick:
2006 Morgon “Vielles Vignes” Thevenet ($25.99)
Wow! This is Gamay. Thevenet belongs to Kermit Lynch’s “Gang of Four. These are 4 Morgon producers who do things the natural way; natural yeast, no pesticides, barrel fermentation, no sulfur added and no fining or filtration. Big and beefy with beautiful soft smoky raspberry and strawberry flavors you have to taste this wine to believe the intensity. Perfect for the holidays because it will go extraordinarily will with turkey, duck, ham, pork, beef, guinea hen and chicken. Deck the Halls!

Greg’s Pick:
1999 La Colmbina Brunello di Montalcino* ($34.99)
If you really want to make someone happy this year, the 1999 La Colombina is the BEST Brunello deal around! For all of your friends who have visited Tuscany (or would like to), Brunello is the King of Tuscan wines! The 1999 vintage is perfectly balanced, and the La Colombina Brunello is layered with warm, ripe, plummy fruit, full of spice and herbs and has a long and dynamic finish. Easy enough to drink with pasta but perfect for that T-Bone Bistecca Fiorentina and at a remarkably low price. Perfect drinking Brunello for a great price is a sure way to ensure wonderful holiday parties.

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It's Champagne season! Whether you're looking for a wine to add some sparkle to your office holiday party, to liven up a festive dinner or for that perfect gift, K&L has a bubbly that suits your needs.

LeClerc Briant
The highlight of my fall was easily September’s trip to Champagne with Gary and Cindy Westby. It was my first trip to the region and after 10 days of cool, rainy weather (before we arrived) it was all sun and temperatures in the high 70s. This turned an otherwise mediocre harvest into quite a good one, though yields were less than normal. Toward the end of my trip, we visited LeClerc Briant, who ended their harvest on September 15. I was also able to meet the lovely Amelie, Pascal LeClerc’s biodynamic consultant whose true passion is working to produce the finest biodynamic Champagne. The tour of the cellar was amazing; all of the riddling is done by hand in chalk caves far beneath the surface of Epernay. A cellar specialist can riddle up to 60,000 bottles per day, which makes my wrists ache just thinking about it. Later in the day, we toured the chalky (and rocky) hillside vineyards of Les Crayes and Les Chevres Pierreuses. A dinner at Pascal’s house later that night, with recipes from LeClerc Briant, rounded off the day with great food and (of course) LeClerc Briant Champagne. We tried the 2002 LeClerc Briant Divine ($39.99), which is my featured wine for November. The wine had a very pretty, very open nose with notes of tropical fruits, mandarin oranges, bananas and a slight hint of coconut and brioche. On the palate the flavors were rich: poached pears, cashews and cream. A blend of 50% chardonnay and 50% pinot noir, this is a very viscous champagne with a big mouthful of flavors, crisp on the mid-palate with a very fine finish. An excellent cellar candidate. We recently stocked the 1990 and it tasted exquisite after 17 years. To obtain maximum enjoyment of Pascal’s latest release I suggest trying the 2002 on its own. The tropical notes and luscious palate really stand out. If you prefer to enjoy this wine with food, try it with creamier cheeses or light chicken dishes!
—Scott Beckerly

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Happy Thanksgiving and Holidays everyone. Early this morning (September 30), my winemaking buddies and I gathered to press off the three tanks of Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel that we crushed on September 3. While the guys were busy cleaning and setting up the equipment for this pressing, I went through for a second time that morning and punched down the caps of the remaining eight tanks of Geyserville Cabernet Franc and Syrah that were still fermenting (these will be pressed off in two weeks). The color and aromatics in and from the fermentation tanks this year have been absolutely amazing, the clusters have been perfect, and the pH’s, sugars and acids are in total harmony—what winemakers worldwide dream about—unbelievable! I turned to the guys as they were washing everything down and said, “In my 34 years of making wine, I cannot recall a harvest producing such monumental juice. And I am hearing this quiet enthusiastic glee from winery personnel, too. If all of us don’t blow it, this vintage has the potential of being one of the greatest.” More later!

Our Burgundy buyer, Keith Wollenberg, continues to discover superb Gems. His most recent discovery, 2005 Domaine Pascal Bouchard Chablis “Grande Reserve Du Domaine” ($18.99) is an outstanding non-premier cru, premier-cru acting Chablis that must not be overlooked. Produced from 40-year old, low yielding vines and fermented mostly in stainless steel tanks, this lovely chardonnay provides tons of that classic limestone minerality on the nose and in the mouth, yet with the richness of character and structure of a premier cru. The mouthwatering finish is crisp and bright. The Beaner has informed me that this will be one of our house whites for the month. (9 cat faces)

Our newly arrived 2006 Kirkham Peak Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc ($11.99) is a great follow up to the 2005 production. Perfumed aromas of gooseberries and lime zest, this too is a crisp, clean and mouthwatering white on the palate. Eby purrs at the thought that this will be one of our house whites for the month. (8 cat factes)

Also landing is the new vintage (2006) of Blason Pinot Grigio ($8.99), which is clearly, and hard to believe, better than the ’05. The nose shows white peach qualities and is distinctively floral, almost like walking into a room full of orchids. In the mouth, you will be treated to lovely pinot grigio fruit with viscosity and freshness and a finish that is remarkably bright and snappish. This Gem will be our other house white for November according to both Eb and the Beaner. (8 cat faces)

Finally, Anderson is once again hooting over the next two Bordeaux Gems that we have chosen for our November house reds. The 2003 Château Beaumont Haut-Médoc ($15.99), which is owned by Beychevelle, is deeply colored and offers an opulent bouquet of currants, plums, cedar and roasted coffee. Good fullness of body in the mouth with silky, integrated tannins, excellent backbone and depth, the warm finish lingers for six minutes and thirty-four seconds. This is a nice, near-term drinker and should not be put down for any length of time. (9 wagging dog tails) The 2005 Château Birot Premieres Côtes de Bordeaux ($12.99) is a deep ruby in color and shows lush and ripe blackberries, currants and spicy fruit aromas underscored by cigar box and antique tones. Medium-full in body, you will discover a Gem that is round and soft, yet well-structured and long on flavor. Again, this new world style wine is meant for near-term consumption. (9 wagging dog tails)

If you have any questions regarding these Gems, you can contact us at jimbarr@klwines.com. Enjoy this month’s selections,

—Jim, Anderson, Eby, and Vanilla

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It’s such a typical left wing Northern California thing—moaning about this most carnivorous of holidays. Us Veggies (okay, pescetarians too) get all worked up and say things like “tofurkey…wattle it take?” Seriously—I think gobbler smells like an old locker room, especially when you carnivores do that sandwich assemblage that means you’ve finally finished the bird off for good. But take that with a grain of salt from a yam killer like me.

A turkey is just an ugly Apteryx with a corn nut for a brain. Kind of makes being a vegan look good. (You put the stuffing WHERE?)

We love Thanksgiving at K&L for one simple reason—ANY WINE GOES WITH THANKSGIVING DINNER. Truth is, no wine really goes with it either, so every suggestion is valid. What’ll it be? Red, white or pink? Everyone has such conflicting emotions. The wine business is hell, I’m tellin’ ya.

Jim Barr does a turkey call. I know that is not surprising in itself, but to hear him go “gwahbble guh-wahbble” is absolutely priceless. With his bald dome, hanging flap of skin under his chin and his locker room scent, the guy is a natural.

Wines that don’t go with Thanksgiving dinner:
1994 Ducru-Beaucaillou, St-Julien ($86.99) Loads of character here— layers of ripe red fruits, minerals and earth. Not too heavy and (thankfully) not too tannic. A real beauty in a style I adore. Plus, I’m coming over for the feast, so make me thankful and serve this one.

2005 Stonyridge Larose, New Zealand ($89.95) Claret style Kiwi wine? Yup. World class stuff and ’05 was killer down there. The wine has unmistakable Bordeaux styling and will age beautifully. Herbs and cassis and balance here. This is a great wine and it will get better. Decant three to four hours or lay it down. A must for the balanced cellar.

1983 Sterling Cabernet Sauvignon ($29.95/Magnum) Focused and full flavored, a lovely mature cabernet for thirty bucks a magnum. C’mon cheapskate, here’s your chance—show up with a mag of cab for gobbler and be a hero.

While Thanksgiving is a uniquely American anomaly, other countries have adopted the holiday. Adapted it, too. Some examples:

United Kingdom: Thanksgiving is called “Black Thursday” here. The Brits were big losers as far as Turkey day goes. Later they tried the beads and baubles thing with the Irish, with disastrous results. For the feast, crow is substituted for turkey.

Turkey: Ah, the mother country. Turkey Day is actually on Christmas day here and the gobblers are festooned with lights and tinsel. The Manger Parade takes to the streets at midnight. Maria Muldaur is cast as Mary, Daniel Day Lewis as Joseph. After the ceremonial pipes are lit everyone sees Jesus.

Norway: Ludefisk is dried, reconstituted and pounded into the shape of an elk. The drink of choice is Bordeaux laced with Aquavit, called “trow uppe” by these hearty Norskies.

Happy Gwahbble Day!
—Joe Zugelder

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In just three short days Americans, in red states and blue states, north, south, east and west, will brave the elements, road hazzards and air traffic to join their families and friends for the feast of feasts. Haven't decided what you want to drink with your Turducken? Over the next few days I'll post our staff's favorite Thanksgiving picks to help ease the strain. So loosen those belt loops and think of what you're thankful for this year. It's turkey time.
—Leah Greenstein, K&L Wine Merchants

Brick's Backyard Picks: Thanksgiving
For me there is simply no better day in the year than Thanksgiving. The feast, the company and the drinking, although not unusual, are much more special on this holiday. Oh, and the football isn’t a bad thing to watch either, pre- or post-digestion. What to drink is always the biggest question, though, hopefully I can shed some light on this most important of choices.

Don’t underestimate the power of pinot noir. The medium-bodied weight and red fruit generosity make even the worst turkey disasters palatable and the triumphs bordering on sublime. The 2003 Westwood Los Carneros Pinot Noir ($59.99) is the perfect splurge for the holiday bird. This is powerful pinot, but power that is built on structure and balance not on huge alcohol. Full of Burgundian quality, honestly this may be even better next Thanksgiving, with notes of sous bois, mushroom and cranberry sauce. Never losing grasp of its sweet edge this comes at you with surgical-like precision and will highlight all of the trimmings as well as the main course. Only 400 cases were made of this gem.

Try gewürztraminer for something more off the beaten path. Both bone dry and off-dry styles work with the typical cornucopia standard on Thanksgiving. The 2006 Londer Dry Gewürztrainer, Anderson Valley ($23.99) would be, as the names suggests, completely dry. This lack of sugar is more than made up for by a hugely spiced nose of lychee, clover honey and freshly cut roses. Zippy and refreshing this would be a great foil to cranberry relish with its steely mango, fig and key lime fruit. This vibrancy will keep you awake during the dullest of conversations. Remember to always overeat—this day comes once a year, so enjoy it.
—Bryan Brick

Boutique Corner
This month marks the start to holiday madness: family dinners, long hours of shopping, office parties and Aunt Martha’s famous dessert. The holidays are always a great time for pinot noir. It goes perfect with turkey, duck or vegetarian-friendly nut roast.

2006 A to Z Oregon Pinot Noir ($16.99) This might be better than 2005. Clear and vibrant, this wine has a beautiful dark color and aromas of mixed berries, earth, smoke, violets, Asian spices and minerals. In the mouth, the wine mirrors the aromatics with a succulent texture and good acidity. Beautifully balanced between richness and power, this wine possesses amazing depth and purity.

2005 Joseph Swan “Cuvee de Trois” Russian River Pinot Noir ($24.99) This balanced, fragrant and generous wine is a fine contrast to the oversized, oaky, high alcohol pinot noirs that are the darlings of the press. This small production wine is made by one of our state’s most consistent and experienced hands at pinot noir, Rod Berglund. The wine comes from three vineyards, including Saralee’s and the young vines on the Swan estate. It is aged in French oak, only 1/3 of which is new. The result is a brilliantly colored red wine with fresh red cherry fruit, subtle earthiness and a long, vibrant finish

2005 Roessler Cellars “Savoy” Anderson Valley Pinot Noir ($39.99) The wine out of the Anderson Valley is getting better and better every year. An earthier-styled pinot noir unlike many found in California, the Roessler Savoy from the Savoy Vineyard displays darker fruit, smoky, roasted meats, mushrooms and forest floor. Enjoy it now or cellar for a few years.
—Mike Jordan

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K&L's German wine buyer Jeff Vierra evaluating the Wehlener Sonnenuhr auslese wines from J.J. Prum.

On November 7, members of K&L wines staff, including Cindy, Gary and Jim Westby, Jeff Vierra, Eric Story, Alex Brisoux, Jeff Garneau and Joe Manekin gathered to taste 11 vintages of J.J. Prum Wehlener Sonnenuhr Auslese. All of the wines came from Gary and Jim's cellars, with the exception of the fabulous 1994, which is currently available from K&L.

The Wehlener Sonnenuhr vineyard in the Middle Mosel is one of the best terriors in Germany and J.J. Prum's wines are perhaps the most distinctive produced from this site. His regular auslese-style wines generally have little or no botrytis, as he saves botrytis grapes for his gold capsule, beerenauslese and trokenbeerenauslese bottlings. Fruit for the auslese generally comes from the choice mid-slope "filet" section of the vineyard. This tasting indicates that the wines take 15 to 20 years to take on a mature quality and in good vintages they can stay fresh for more than 25 years.

Wines tasted in two flights. First flight: 2002, 2001, 2000, 1999, 1998. Second flight: 1996, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1990, 1983.

2002: AP number 29. Very pale, white gold. Match-sticky and apply on the nose. Pure stone fruit (peach and apricot) with slatey minerality. Slow-fading finish. Perfect balance. Complete wine with exceptional potential.

2001: AP number 28. Pale white gold with a hint of straw. Quite a lot of sulfur. Seems to have plenty of concentration, but at this stage the fruit and sweetness are so dominant it's hard to discern underlying complexity. Good length and concentration predict a fine future, but young and a little awkward now.

2000: AP number 26. Darkest of the lot, almost golden. From a difficult vintage. Musky, almost leathery perhaps from SO2 used to stabilize the wine. Refreshing, light and interesting, but outclassed here by the others in the group.

1999: AP number 14. Pale straw. Peach and apricot. Less minerality than most of the others. Pretty and easy at this point.

1998: AP number 7. A defective bottle was replaced with this one. Pale straw, but darker than the 1999. Wet vintage. A little sweaty on the nose. Diesel and minerals. Full bodied. If the 1999 is feminine, this is masculine.

1996: AP number 7. Pale gold. White flower smell. Packed with minerality and acidity. Great texture, concentration and length, but perhaps a little disjointed from youth and exuberance. This should last for many years.

1995: AP number 8. Light gold. Apricoty nose with a little butterscotch. Apart from the 1983, this was the most evolved wine of the group. Soft, straightforward, delicious, but lacking the tension of the other wines.

1994: AP number 20. Light yellow gold. More minerals than fruit on the nose. Pure, focused, racy flavors. Concentrated. Long, swelling, and detailed finish. Suave.

1993: AP number 8. A bad bottle? Color OK. Pinched aromatically with notes of woodruff and cheese. There seems to be a good wine hiding here.

1990: AP number 24. Light gold (similar to the 1996). Spice, slate, and apricots on both the nose and taste. Some evidence of botrytis in a Sauternes-like character. Depth, power, and length. Showing both youth and maturity.

1983: Gold. Butterscotch and slate. The first bottle that is truly "ready to drink". Sugar resolving. Expansive from start to end. Lacy and dryish compared to the others.

The tasters ranked the wines:

First: 1983 with 3 firsts and 2 seconds
Second: 1996 with 1 first and 3 seconds
Third: 2002 with 2 firsts and no seconds
Fourth: 1990 with 1 first and 2 seconds
Fifth: 2001 with no firsts and 1 second
Sixth: 1994 with 1 first and no seconds
Seventh: 1995
Eighth: 1999
Ninth: 1998
Tenth: 2000
Eleventh: 1993

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This month, in honor of our French Connection wine tasting event here in San Francisco,
I would like to feature to delicious wines from importer extraordinaire Charles Neal.
In addition to being one of the foremost authorities (yes, in the world!) on Armagnac, Charles represents a fantastic range of French wines from some pretty off-the-beaten-track locales. This month, a tasty little white from the Savoie region of France tops my list. Got Savoie? In addition, the varietal du jour, malbec finds it home in the southwest region of France known as Cahors. Got charcuterie?

2006 Roussette de Savoie Domaine Edmund Jacquin “Marestel” ($14.99) Looking for something special today? Try this unique and delightful wine from Domaine Edmund Jacquin. Made from sustainably farmed altesse, a little-known varietal from the little known Roussette de Savoie appellation, the wine expresses the grape’s high natural acidity. A little residual sugar and a lot that completed malolactic fermentation, give this wine a nicely rounded, medium-bodied palate. Aromas of quince, flowers, apricot and a touch of honey remind you a fresh, spring day. This cuvée pairs well with lighter fare, like chicken, fish and crisp salads.

2003 Cahors Château la Coustarelle “Grande Cuvée Prestige” ($14.99) Château la Coustarelle is owned by Michel and Nadine Cassot and located in the village of Prayssac, next to the renowned Clos de Gamot. Their 30 year old vines are planted on slopes that give yields of between 45-50 hl/ha. This Grand Cuvée Prestige sees a 20 day fermentation period, after which aging takes place in oak barrels, a fifth of which is new each year. The 3,000 case production is bottled unfiltered. This blend of 90% malbec and 10% tannat shows a deep purple color. Lots of vanilla on the nose buttresses substantial dark fruit. Medium to full-bodied with plenty of ripe blackberry fruit on the palate, along with a hint of licorice. Fine tannins are extremely well-integrated on the finish.

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When you have two estates that date from the 16th and 18th centuries, respectively, and that were classified in 1855 as third and fifth growths, it’s hard to think of them as rising stars. But in today’s ever-changing Bordeaux landscape I can tell you, unequivocally, that the meteoric rise in popularity of Ch. Maléscot-St-Exupéry (Margaux) and Ch. Pontet-Canet (Pauillac) is richly deserved and absolutely no fluke.

Jean-Luc Zuger is the man in charge at Ch. Maléscot-St-Exupéry today and he is fully aware of the historically great terrior of his vineyard and its royal beginnings. The motto “Blue blood will always tell” was instituted in the 16th century by the Esousse royal family and carried on by Simon Maléscot in 1697, who lent the vineyard his name until Count Jean-Baptiste de Saint-Exupéry bought it in 1827. When Jean-Luc’s father Roger bought the estate in 1955 he added “Simper Ad Altum” meaning “even higher,” to the label. Jean-Luc was more than ready when he took over, immediately becoming very selective with his fruit and investing in 80% new oak. Maléscot’s style features old vine fruit, is always masculine and well-defined when evaluated young; rounding out just beautifully and gaining richness in the mid palate over time. A classic Margaux wine with fantastic aromas of ripe grapes, leather, minerals and earth.

1997 ($39.99) Drinking well right now with an hour of decanting, showing elegant crisp, firm fruit. It went superbly with Tri-Tip!

2002 ($47.99) A big, dark wine with some serious tannins that needs seven to ten more years in the cellar; the breed and class of the vineyard really comes through in this difficult vintage.

2003 ($49.99) Even a classic styled wine like Maléscot can’t escape the heat of 2003! This wine has had layers of rich, soft, opulent fruit from day one and everyone loves it. This wine will not close down.

Alfred Tesseron always pours his beloved Ch. Pontet-Canet from a decanter these days. He wants his wine to show its best and it does. In my opinion Pontet-Canet is by far the brightest rising star in Bordeaux today. Alfred has improved everything at the estate and his new cone-shaped, cement fermentation tanks are the final touch. A masculine, very deep, dark purple wine with great purity and power, the quality today blows away dozens of more famous names like the TGV streaking through the countryside. The wines made recently are awesome and the 2004 ($52.99) is fantastic, and quite frankly the only example you need to try to understand just how great a wine is being made here. In my opinion it is the best overall Bordeaux in our inventory for the money. Decant and try one, even thought it is brutally young, if you love Bordeaux you need to experience this quality while the price remains reasonable. The 1996 ($79.99) is a wine I bought a case of on futures and it is progressing nicely, still vibrant and young but not perfectly ready yet so get out your decanter and air it out for two hours.

We just purchased two other 1996s from St-Estèphe. Phélan-Ségur ($49.99) is just about ready now and features bright, zesty, spicy, very attractive cherry fruit. The 1996 Ch. Potensac ($34.99), from the stable of Léoville-Las Cases, is always classic, stern and firm with dark fruit and grip. Like all the 1996s it needs to visit our friend the decanter for a couple hours.

In our K&L universe we sadly lost a few stars recently. Coach Bill Walsh brought more happiness to the San Francisco Bay Area than anyone could ever have dreamed of. Homer Zugelder, the father of our own Joe Zugelder, just exuded class and was a coach and mentor to hundreds of people that were lucky to have known him. And my old golf and wine buddy Don Kunesh; the undisputed King of the napkin trick! So I raise my glass and toast all these fine men and know that they would want me to say...
GO NINERS!

Cheers, and feel free to contact me anytime with questions on the wines of Bordeaux at x2723 or Ralph@klwines.com

—Ralph Sands

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Don't Miss this weekend's French Connection Tasting in San Francisco... In the meantime, whet your palate with few French wine recommendations from Nadia and Keith:

Affordable CDP
We’ve been fortunate to receive a second allocation of the lovely '04 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Chante Cigale ($29.99), which tastes better than ever.

Domaine Chante Cigale’s 102 acres of land, located between Orange and Avignon within the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, has been owned and operated by the Sabon Favier family for several generations. The wines produced by this Domaine are classic, well made, and reasonably priced. Recently, Christian Favier passed the reins to his son Alexandre, who is fast becoming a rising star in the region. Still in his early twenties, he has already been lauded by notable journalists Stephen Tanzer and Jancis Robinson.

The soils of the vineyard are made up of clay and chalk covered with a layer of this area’s classic large galets (pebbles), which keep yields naturally low. The vines are more than 45 years old and situated near the Plateau de Carbières, close to Château Mont Redon. Harvesting is done by hand, accompanied by a selective sorting . The grapes undergo a traditional long cuvaison (the maceration of the grape skins during red wine fermentation that transfers aroma, color and tannin to the wine) at a high temperature and with extended maceration on the skins. This is followed by aging for 14 to 18 months in foudre (large oak barrels), 10% in new barrels and 30% in concrete vats. This Châteauneuf-du-Pape offers dusty red fruits, earth and meaty notes. Clove and allspice take center stage on the palate, leading into a finely textured, medium-bodied wine. This will reward the patient and will take on weight and depth with a bit of aging.

—Nadia Dmytriw

Delightful Whites
One of our favorite producers is Denis Barraud, who runs the Domaine des Nembrets. He lives in the village of Vergisson, on the slopes of the Roche de Vergisson, a towering monolith in the hills of the Mâcon. It is one of the more complex areas in France geologically, the land has been so folded that adjacent vineyards may have completely different geology, and thus may be classified as St-Veran, Mâcon-Vergisson, or Pouilly-Fuissé. It gets a bit complicated, but the simple thing is that all of these wines are hand harvested, artisanal wines from a talented young vigneron. Denis is a dedicated young grower, who has gotten a very good write-up in the Revue des Vins de France. This is the fifth vintage we have worked with Denis and he has a string of successes that continue with his 2006s. We also have one new wine from Denis this year.
The 2006 Mâcon ($12.99) is crisp, with lots of ripe fruit in the middle and a lovely thread of minerality at the finish. No oak, just classic, clean, focused Mâcon. The 2005 St-Veran ($13.99) offers a richer character and a lovely, round mouthfeel. But Denis’s real pride and joy are his Pouilly-Fuissés. The 2006 Pouilly-Fuissé Chataignieres ($19.99) has lovely minerality and a fine, elegant style, combined with a rich middle. The 2006 Pouilly-Fuissé “Les Folles” ($23.99) comes from a vineyard adjacent to his winery, from some very old vines. It is ripe, floral and lovely, with very pretty character and a lingering finish. I was most impressed. Finally, we have the 2006 Pouilly-Fuissé “La Roche” ($25.99) from the most mineral, rocky slopes of the Roche (thus the name). The high limestone content gives this a racy quality. This sees a bit more new oak and some lees stirring. The result is a wine that can hold its head high in any company, including the famous wines from Puligny or Meursault! Á Sante!

—Keith Wollenberg

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I visited Sicily for three days at the end of April and beginning of May this year and in this miniscule amount of time the essence of Mt. Etna was permanently etched into my soul. Greg's Conversion on the road to Catania, as I refer to it now, was not unlike me stepping out of the desert after 40 days of fasting. I arrived in Sicily having slept only two hours in 36, flown 6,000-plus miles and driven 1,200 kilometers (thanks to a couple of Red Bulls) and, in a state of physical exhaustion, arrived five minutes late for my first appointment (I hate to be late). I was fortunate enough to meet first with Ciro Biondi, who is as gracious an Ambassador as the region could have. I had tasted his wine and been impressed with the depth of character and, while fascinated, I was still trying to understand what the “Etna” grapes were all about. Nerello mascalese and nerello cappuccio are the two dominant red varieties and carricante is the dominant white. Ciro showed me the first of his three vineyards and I was really stunned. It looked like it was a scene from Hawaii, a black sand beach, no terracing, no trellising, just 40-60 year old head trained vines stretching up a 35-degree slope. I was dumbfounded, the steepness is hard to describe. Ciro chuckled and brought me to the next vineyard, the same black sand beach yet with a 50-degree slope....for you skiers that’s a Black Diamond! The 2003 Vini Biondi Etna Rosso “Outis”($32.99) is rich and complex; it feels more like pinot or nebbiolo in the mouth and it’s gorgeous. Ciro’s 2005 Vini Biondi Etna Bianco “Gurna” ($24.99) is predominantly carricante, but from a field blend of 40 year old vines that is lush, exuberant and delicious to drink.

We also met with Andrea Franchetti, the owner of the famed Super Tuscan property Tenuta Trinoro, at his property on the north side of Etna—a new winery called Passopisciaro. His 2005 Passopisciaro Sicilia Rosso IGT ($31.99) is made from 40 year old vineyards; it is heady, supple, passion in a glass and it too really feels more like nebbiolo or pinot than anything else, drinkable and exciting. Andrea’s new project, the 2005 Franchetti Sicilia Rosso IGT ($109.99) is a blend of 60% petit verdot and 40% cesanese d’afile. You might say what the hell is that? A tiny production of 250 cases will make this wine very hard to get. This was WITHOUT A DOUBT the most impressive wine I tasted on my last trip, powerful structure and body from the petit verdot, while the rich, supple texture and heady aromatics come from the Cesanese. Trust me.

I’m running out of space so I’m just going to list what I really think are excellent wines from Etna. First, the 2004 Villagrande "Fiore" Bianco Sicilia IGT ($24.99) is a delicious 100% carricante. The powerful, (really) challenging, mineral-laden 2001 Benanti Etna Bianco Superiore “Pietramarina” ($44.99) is a multiple 3 Glass Gambero Rosso award winner. Yes this is the current vintage.The supple and expressive 2002 Benanti Rosso di Verzella Etna Rosso ($22.99) is drinking beautifully now as is the powerful, barrique-aged 2001 Benanti Rovitello ($46.99). Just outside of Etna, still nerello-based, the Palari wines are not to be missed. The 2003 Palari Rosso Soprano ($26.99) and the 2004 Palari Faro ($64.99) are stunning wines. If you’ve tried Sicilian wines before, but haven’t tasted Etna, you really need to give them a try!

—Greg St.Clair

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Lodi isn’t the first place on peoples’ list of the world’s exciting wine regions, much less in California. But they do one thing inarguably well—zinfandel. Why, you may ask? Well they have the heat the grape revels in and a gaggle of “old vine” zinfandel that produces intense flavors.

A perfect example of this is the 2005 Moss Roxx “Ancient Vines” Lodi Zinfandel ($34.99). Moss Rox is the oldest operating winery in Lodi, founded in 1934, and while the vines for this wine might not date back to the Ice Age, they are between 50 and 100 years old, somewhere in the vicinity of the age of one Mr. Jim Barr. The wine instantly jumps out of the glass with its freshly grated cinnamon and sappy boysenberry fruit. Boisterous and brambly this comes at you like a tidal wave of flavor, drenching your palate in black pepper, blueberry, fennel and homemade pie crust. The even better part is that this will not set your mouth on fire; the usual high octane alcohol levels are perfectly balanced.

Not to be out done is one of the most popular and quickest selling Zinfandels in recent years here at K&L. The 2005 Klinker Brick “Old Ghost” Old Vine Lodi Zinfandel ($35.99) is equally intense but holds itself quite differently. As a selection of the winery’s best fruit, the grapes come from a 90 year old vineyard that is still running strong. Not as aggressive but every bit as flavorful as the Moss Roxx, this shows more cola spice, raspberry, white pepper flavors and has an indestructible frame of bright lip-smacking acid and pliable tannin. This seems to hover on the palate, never showing the anvil-like weight that so many zins have these days. A benevelont ghost, surely, and a ghost that loves mountains of grilled, braised and slow roasted meats. Mmmmm, meat.

—Bryan Brick

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2005 Kunde Estate Sonoma Chardonnay ($11.99) A long time favorite chardonnay for K&L, Kunde is a medium-bodied wine that shows a complex mix of apricot, pineapple and mango flavors that linger on the finish. An excellent choice for many of your favorite Fall dishes.

2004 Kunde Estate Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon ($15.99) Made from a blend of 87% cabernet sauvignon, 1% Malbec and 12% syrah, this bold, yet fresh cab has rich, deep color and full body. Aromas of black cherries whet your palate, while the mouth-filling blackberry and dark, Mexican chocolate flavors are followed by youthful chalky tannins. Don’t wait for a steak; this wine is great with burgers, short ribs and pasta with tomato-based sauce.

2003 Napanook Napa Red ($38.99)
2004 Dominus Napa Valley Proprietary Red ($99.00) The second wine from Dominus Estate (3,100 cases), the 2003 Napanook, is a blend of 91% cabernet sauvignon, 4% cabernet franc, and 5% petit verdot and malbec. In 1836 George Yount, for whom the Napa Valley town of Yountville was named, planted the valley’s first vines where Napanook vineyard now stands, before selling the land in 1850 to Charles Hopper. The vineyard has changed many times since then, and in 1982 Christian Moueix, who’d fallen in love with the Napa Valley and its wines while studying at U.C. Davis, entered into a joint venture with Robin Lail and Marcia Smith called Dominus. Over the years Moueix has worked to restore the unique character of the original vineyard, becoming full owner in 1995. The 2003 Napanook is a wonderfully balanced, fresh Bordeaux-style wine that should be enjoyed over the next 5 years. The 2004 Dominus is a blend of 85% cabernet sauvignon, 8% cabernet franc and 7% petit verdot. The 2004 shows more of a fleshy, creamy texture than the ‘03 and actually shows well now with decanting. Great pick for a mid-term cellaring wine.

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This stunning terroir in the Limoux region of the Languedoc, the site of Domain Begude, boasts high elevations, limestone-clay soils and wide-sweeping views of the Pyrenees and Corbieres. Since the 16th Century this 25 hectare property has produced thriving vines. Now under the care of James and Catherine Kinglake, the young, dynamic winemaking team have taken an organic approach and are proving to be quite a success. The long, slow growing season at an altitude between 370 and 400 meters provides the grapes the opportunity for tremendous ripeness coupled with ample acidity. As a direct result, the wines are delicate, mineral driven, crisp, fresh and delicate, and better yet, absolutely affordable.

2006 Vin de Pays d’Oc Domaine Begude Sauvignon Blanc ($12.99) This sauvignon blanc is made in the style of a Loire Valley Sancerre. There’s nothing soft or grassy about it. A sharp minerality is first apparent on the nose, leading to zesty citrus fruits and hint of wet stone. It’s lean, lively and piercingly delicious.

2006 Vin de Pays d’Oc Domaine Begude Pinot Rosé ($12.99) A steal at $12.99, this rosé is decidedly delicate, salmon colored and zippy, with essences of strawberry, raspberry, and cranberry. This subtle beauty would be best with a watermelon and heirloom tomato salad, or grilled fish.

—Keelyn

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2004 Dominio de Tares Baltos ($13.99) I love wines from the mencia grape, grown in northwest Spain’s Bierzo DO. Dominio de Tares is a benchmark producer in the region who makes a range of wines that begins with this Baltos. After a bit of bottle age, this wine has really come into its own. There is a delicious, juicy blueberry fruit character, with a streak of slate minerality and a touch of nutmeg on the finish from six months aging in American oak.

2000 La Rioja Alta Alberdi Rioja Reserva ($18.99) While I am hesitant to claim any wine as a “dead ringer” for a more expensive, highly sought after one, I am tempted to do so in this case. The 2000 Alberdi smells and tastes just like a village Chambolle-Musigny. Bright, high-toned red fruit aromatics lead to a mouth-watering palate of wild strawberries, with nutmeg and allspice nuances that are the hallmark of traditional Spanish Rioja aged in American oak. Any fan of honestly made, fairly priced, staunchly traditional wine should try the 2000 Alberdi. SOLD OUT

Vinedos de Ithaca ‘Odysseus’ Pedro Ximenez 2006 (500ml) ($25.99) This is serious Spanish white wine for the true connoisseur or adventurous imbiber. Unlike Pedro Ximenez from Jerez, this version from Priorat is vinified dry. It is produced from 75 year old vines that yield a rich, viscous, slightly honeyed, yet dry white wine with a distinctive peach pit note. Truly delicious and, in the 500ml bottle, it is perfect for an intimate weeknight meal with someone you love.

—Joe Manekin

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To meet Wilhelm Haag, of the Fritz Haag wine estate, is both pleasure and pain. He is an absolute gem of a human being, kind, energetic and a pleasure to be around. But I’m frightened every time I see him. His handshake is a bone-crushing experience famous in the German wine world. You know it’s legendary when you see Haag and start your plan of attack. Do you go in straight away and get it over with? Or, do you put it off until the end so you can run out with your eyes watering, hoping no one notices? Haag’s wines are not unlike the man. Always made in a traditional style, they are beautiful with bracing minerality, depth of flavor, fine, racy acidity and fantastic longevity to boot—a unique combination of hard-core inner power surrounded by a delicate, whimsical personality. The 2006 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer Kabinett ($25.99) is born from a south-facing, 32 hectare vineyard that consists of iron-rich slate soils with a bit of sand mixed in as well. The slate really jumps out of the glass here, balanced out by tart green apple and lemon cream essences. The 2006 Fritz Haag Brauneberger Juffer-Sonnenuhr Spätlese #7 ($38.99) is produced on a 10 hectare “filet” section of the Juffer. This is a much steeper section, some parts at a 75% grade, that is well-sheltered and benefits from the reflection off the river. This is a very streamlined and juicy wine with a deeper, broader display of aromatics: fleshy stone fruit and just a hint of rich cassis. It starts off by coating the palate with its rich texture. Then, the high concentration of slate, which the Sonnenhur is known for, takes over and gives it a light, delicate finish.

—Eric Story

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This month I’m writing about two more great deals for your outdoor dining pleasure: a full-bodied syrah rosé and a punchy syrah-based red. The rosé comes from the négociant-élèveur duo Gregory Hecht and François Bannier. Better known as H&B, this young and dynamic team only makes reds and rosé from the Languedoc-Roussillon. The Vin de Pays du Côtes de Thau Rosé ($9.99) is a pink wine for red-wine lovers. It’s rich, fruity and structured, yet totally refreshing and crisp. The color is dark and rich and the nose is punctuated by strawberry and pomegranate. The juice is pressed from the skins immediately after harvest to preserve the freshness of the fruit. But this is no tutti frutti bubble gum rosé. It’s bold and weighty, has plenty of stuffing and is a perfect match for seared ahi tuna, or cold poached salmon. The Côteaux du Languedoc St-Félix de Lodez “Les Hauts de la Brune” ($8.99) is a dark expression of syrah (80% syrah, 10% grenache, 10% mourvèdre), brimming with berry, spice and leathery notes. This blend packs a punch for your buck. Like the '04, the '05 is rich in berries, licorice and spice, but it has more minerality than the '04 and demonstrates more structure and depth as well. The wine opens with a graphite minerality and then pepper, blackberries explode mid-palate. The wine finishes with some noticeable tannin. In keeping with the character of the 2005 vintage, this wine has a lot of immediate appeal but also has ageing potential.

Taste the two together and they make for a delicious study in the diversity and versatility of syrah.

—Nadia Dmytriw

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