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After a week off, I am back and better than ever.  This weeks wine is an old one but great one.  The world of wine has gotten so big that we often over look some old favs.  Now don't get me wrong, I love trying new wines from new places just as much as the next person.  But there is something about that oldie that reminds you why you got into the wine world after all.  For me it was Cousino~Macul Antiguas Reservas Cabernet Sauvignon, Maipo Valley Chile.

Cousino~Macul now in its 7th generation of family winemaking, is no dumby to making top notch Cabernet.  Located in the Macul district of Santiago, the Cousino family's sole purpose is to produce the ultimate Chilean wine.  In the late 1800's, Luis Cousino traveled to Bordeaux with his wife in an effort to study the world's best winemaking techniques.  When the couple returned, they not only brought with them some of Bordeaux's best Cabernet plantings, but several of the regions top experts.  These old Bordeaux plantings are throughout the estate in the Macul and Buin properties.  These centuries-old vines yield powerful wines rich in concentration and serious in structure. 

The Antiguas Reservas 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon has been crafted from estate vineyards with the philosophy of blending Old World elegance with New World style and flavor.  Since this wines debut in 1927, it has been well-structured with rich flavor and finesse.  These wines have a classic framework that will age gracefully.  Elegant, approachable and sustainably farmed, Antiguas Reservas is widely viewed as the benchmark for Chilean Cabernet.

As much as the rich tradition, location, and commitment to quality from the family is attributed, we must also tip our hat to Winemaker Pascal Marty.  He has held several esteemed positions at renowned wineries around the world(Baron Philippe de Rothschild, d'Armialhas & Clerc Milon to name a few).  The last project that he over saw was the joint collaboration in Chile between Rothschild & Mondavi by producing a wine called Almaviva.  Since Marty joined Cousino~Macul in 2003 his track record for the Antiguas Reservas Cabernet speaks for itself.  4 straight vintages of 90+ from Robert Parker.  The current vintage is awesome and for under $20 bucks it's hard to beat....

"This Antiguas Reservas vintage shows an intense red color with hints of violet and burgundy.  It has an expressive nose, with aromas of red berries and black cherries.  In mouth, it is nice and fruity, with notes of ripe plum. Its rich acidity and soft tannins makes it a well structured and elegant wine."  Pascal Marty

It is an ideal wine to accompany red meats like steak with mushrooms, stewed lamb, doves, partridges and kidneys in sherry.

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This weeks wine of the week is a wine that I recently had at a dinner at Reynolds Plantation, Willakenzie Pinot Blanc.  This Pinot Blanc from the Willamette Valley shows a great depth of character and complexity. 

"The 2009 Pinot Blanc opens with aromas of exotic fruits, including grapefruit, gooseberry, guava and pineapple, along with perfumed honeysuckle, jasmine and orange blossom, with a hint of lemongrass. On the palate, this wine has flavors of honeydew, juicy grapefruit, green apple and stone fruits, marked with an initial richness and a hint of sweetness that evolves into a bright, fresh acidity".

WillaKenzie Estate is a small family-owned winery dedicated to the highest expression of terroir, making great wines from the Pinot family of grapes: Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Meunier, and Pinot Noir, as well as Gamay Noir made in the Beaujolais crus style. Owner Bernard Lacroute developed a passion for Pinot Noir in his native province of Burgundy.

The sedimentary Willakenzie soil on which the vineyards are planted and for which the winery is named, displays subtle variations throughout the estate. Differences in elevation, from 300 to 750 feet, inclination, from gently rounded hilltops to 40 degree slopes, top soil depth, restrictive sandstone layer depth, drainage, exposure, row orientation and microclimate all contribute to create specific terroirs, which are expressed in the distinctive character of each WillaKenzie Estate wine. A further level of diversity and complexity is provided by the selection of more than 10 different clones of Pinot Noir planted across the estate. Creating estate wines that explore and express the specific qualities and combinations of clones and terroir is at the heart of WillaKenzie Estate’s philosophy.

WillaKenzie Estate - 2009 Pinot Blanc, Willamette Valley

"Lively, silky and refreshing for its pear, citrus and green almond flavors, dancing brightly through the finish." - Harvey Steiman

October 15, 2010-Wine Spectator 90 Points

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Happy 4th.  I hope everyone is in front of a grill with a cold one in their hand.  Or maybe a glass of vino? 

This weeks wine of the week is Decoy Sauvignon Blanc 2010, Napa Valley California.  This is a winery that is part of the Duckhorn Wine Company.  This winery is truly a unique propriety in the fact that it benefits from talent, expertise, & experience from all of Duckhorns winemakers.  Bill Nancarrow, of Duckhorn Vineyards,  oversees the crafting of Decoy’s Bordeaux varietal wines. Paraduxx Winemaker David Marchesi oversees Decoy Zinfandel. Migration Winemaker Neil Bernardi produces the Decoy Chardonnay and collaborates with Goldeneye Winemaker Zach Rasmuson on Decoy’s Pinot Noir.  An unbelievable track record of winemakers to produce what they call "The everyday wine for the well-informed". 

Duckhorn Vineyards has been crafting Sauvignon Blanc since 1982 and has expanded on this tradition with the Decoy Sauvignon Blanc.  The 2010 Decoy Sauvignon Blanc was fermented exclusively in stainless steel to achieve the lively expression of Sauvignon Blanc, highlighting grapefruit, kiwi, kaffir lime, lemon zest and fresh-cut grass aromas. The palate is bright and balanced, and the flavors echo the aromas, with additional notes of pineapple, gooseberry and minerals leading to a full, refreshing finish.  Serve this as an aperitif with a seafood terrine.

This wine can be found easily around town and for about $20.

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This weeks wine of the week is definitely a thirst quencher, especially in this heat.....William Fevre "Champs Royaux" Chablis 2009.  No, I am not talking about that box stuff that your grandma drank from Cali.  Chablis, you know the place.  The place known for its fossil infused limestone soils(called Kimmeridgian).  That place that produces crisp, citrus, minerallity driven chardonnay.  That place that real chardonnay drinkers go to drink chardonnay.  Yep I said it!  If your into butter bombs churned with an oak 2x4 this is not the region for you.  For the rest of you fans, read on....



Click on me to check out the website



William Fevre(aka Billy Fever) has been in the region of Chablis for over 250 years.  1998 the great Champagne House of Henriot purchased the estate with one priority in mind, to make the best Chablis from all cru levels that represented the terrior of Chablis.  Leaving no rock unturned(or limestone), Joseph Henriot has meticulously hand harvest, hand sorted, and with a new state of the art gravity flow winery has put Domaine Fevre back of the map as the premier Chablis producer.  

The 2009 "Champs Royaux" (a proprietary name that Fevre makes exclusively in the region) is a blend of 50% estate fruit and 50% contracted fruit.  Made in all stainless steal tanks to preserve the purity of the fruit & terrior, this wine is a delicious aperitif or with a big plate of raw oysters. 



Kimmeridgian Soils



Domaine William Fevre was a good estate and with the help of Joseph Henriot it is now a great estate.  The Champs Royaux is the entry level Chablis and is around $20.  I would start there and move through the ranks(Premier Cru & Grand Cru).  A very cool estate to explore the range of wines.

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This weeks wine of the week is a fairly new wine to the market and is already making a splash; Route Stock Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley Oregon 2009.

"Route Stock Cellars crafts wines from the signature varietals grown along the wine routes one travels when visiting the world’s most celebrated wine regions. These are classic grape varieties, best suited to each different wine-growing region and sourced from family-owned vineyards. We invite you to enjoy these wines inspired by the beautiful vineyards and the families that tend them along these historic wine routes." WDL

The Route Stock Cellars Pinot Noir is Route 99W which is the main drag that will twist and turn you through the famed Willamette Valley in Oregon.  This Pinot Noir is made for Wilson Daniels Ltd. by there friends at Ponzi Vineyards.  Ponzi is one of the premier wineries in the Willamette and is using there younger vines from there own estate to make this awesome Pinot Noir. 

This Pinot Noir is a fresh, pleasing wine that captures the character of the Willamette Valley in Oregon. The color is a light, translucent ruby hue characteristic of Pinot Noir. The bouquet reveals notes of raspberry, baked cherries, violets and orange zest with a hint of herbs. On the palate, look for notes of raspberry, cranberry and spice enveloped in a light, food-friendly acidity. This wine is made exclusively for Wilson Daniels Ltd one of the country's leading wine brokers and the total case production is only about 8,000 cases.  Even though production is low this wine can be found around town.  Want to try a glass, head down the Porterhouse Grill!

Wine & Spirits

91 points, Best Buy

RouteStock Cellars - 2009 Pinot Noir "Route 99W", Willamette Valley

"Made for the Wilson Daniels group by the Ponzi family, this affordable red has a high-toned kirschwasser scent with a touch of raspberry, reminiscent of Beaujolais. Hints of smoke and root spice tug at the generous fruit. A simple pinot for a picnic." - Patrick J. Comiskey: April 2011

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This week’s wine of the week is an old favorite: Champalou Vouvray, Loire France 2009. 

The Loire is a fascinating region due to the diversity and the many different styles of wine that are made in the region.  Even though there are many different white and red varietals grown throughout the region we are going to focus on Chenin Blanc or locally known as Pineau de la Loire.  Just like the Loire itself, Chenin Blanc is a varietal of great diversity.  Chenin Blanc can be dry to sweet and still to sparkling.  There are four levels of sweetness: Sec, Demi-Sec, Moelleux, & Doux(listed from driest to sweetest). 

Vouvray is an appellation in the Loire known for producing not just Chenin Blanc but some of the world’s best!  Chenin's from this area can be richly flavored with stone fruits like apricots and honeyed and spice notes (even when they are dry).  Surprisingly, these wines can be long lived.  Most white wines lose there vibrancy over the years but that's not the case from some of the top producers in the region.  Fortunately for me, Champalou remains as one of the best if not the best producers of Chenin Blanc.

Catherine and Didier Champalou started the domaine in 1983, and have since made their estate one of the most highly acclaimed in the region.  The Champalou family farms twenty-one hectares of vineyards on clay, limestone, and siliceous soils. They embrace sustainable farming while also integrating the use of the lunar calendar more traditionally associated with organic viticulture. The Champalou house style produces wines of great elegance and tenderness, highly aromatic with impeccable balance. No one comes close to copying their distinct style.  The 2009 Champalou Vouvray is a sec which is the driest wine the estate produces.  This is a wine that has great freshness and a delicate aroma of the wine that makes it a perfect partner with grilled fish and white meats, shell-fish, roasted vegetables and oriental food. When young, this is also a first-rate aperitif wine.

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Wine of the Week....David Bruce Santa Lucia Highlands 2009 Chardonnay:

David Bruce Winery founded in the early 1960's in the Santa Cruz Mountains has continued it's tradition as a new world winery that lives and breaths the old world mentality of making wines; through sustainable farming, healthy vineyards, & a minimalist approach in making some of the worlds best Pinot Noir's and Chardonnay's.  What some people fail to remember is that David Bruce Winery was one of the 12 California Wineries that participated in the 1976 Paris Tasting that put California on the map!  Even though today it might be an after thought, but David Bruce was one of the first California winemakers to put Chardonnay through malolactic fermentation, implement whole berry fermentation with Pinot Noir, and import French barrels for aging.  Today, David still makes award wining Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with a total case production of only 60,000 cases.  He also still believes in producing California's best Chardonnay and Pinot Noir every year.

The 2009 Santa Lucia Highlands Chardonnay shows how beautiful mountain fruit Chardonnay really is.  If I were to use one word to describe this wine it would be balanced.  Wonderful tropical fruit with polished light oak toast and mid palate weight that has a back bone of acidity makes this wine not only food friendly but extremely enjoyable by itself. 

Here is what Mr. Bruce had to say:

"Aromas of mangos, white peaches, apricot, and and pineapple caress the mind into believing it was a summer day on the ocean beach. Follow that with flavours of toasted walnuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, apricots, peaches, caramel, and toasted bread. This wine is clean and as crisp as a sauvignon blanc, enjoy with a variety of foods from asian cuisine, salads, soups, and even creamy dishes."

Mountain fruit and how this wine is made would make you think that this wine is expensive but it is not.  You can find it at fine wine retail stores for around $15 which makes this wine worth every penny.  Enjoy!