2008 Cuvée des Colosses – Rich, Red, Languedoc Wine

Price: $118/6 ($20/bottle) SOLD OUT

Our good friend Yorick is a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy, wont to set the table on a roar. He is well versed in fine literature and wine. We’ve asked Yorick to join the team at Elie Wine Company and periodically browse our inventory for some hidden gems — sometimes obscure, always a good value — and share them with you. Alas, poor Yorick! He cannot hold his wine, or much of anything for that matter. But he does have exquisite taste.

Yorick’s very first selection is a fascinating Languedoc red wine. Labeled as a mere Vin de France from Hérault, and with the vintage year printed only on the cork, you might pay no heed to this bottle sitting on the shelf unless you recognized the name Baptiste Cuvelier.

With the current family holdings including Léoville-Poyferré, the venerable second growth Bordeaux house in Saint-Julien, Baptiste Cuvelier has wine roots that go back to the early 1800s. He now runs production at Cuvelier Los Andes, located in Mendoza’s Valle de Uco. But it was the 2008 vintage when he sourced handpicked, organically grown Languedoc grapes (45% Syrah, 40% Carignan, 15% Grenache) for Cuvée des Colosses.

The fruit was sorted in the field, and then transported in refrigerated trucks. The Syrah saw three week traditional Bordeaux-type fermentation in a four-year-old French oak vat. Half of the Carignan and all of the Grenache were fermented together in a stainless tank, the other half of the Carignan was fermented using the carbonic maceration method to preserve aromatics and reduce tannins. The blend was made mid-May and the wine, unfined and unfiltered, was bottled in late August 2009.

We purchased five cases of Cuvée des Colosses after a visit from Baptiste Cuvelier in 2010. Upon release it was rather muscular but after a few years in our temperature controlled shop it has evolved into a charming wine with a bounty of fruit, soft tannins, and an overall roundness that allows for easy drinking with everything from simple grilled vegetables to lamb or beef shawarma.

It doesn’t appear that this particular cuvée was ever produced before or after the 2008 vintage. So here is an opportunity to taste both a quality Languedoc red with a bit of age that has been stored properly, and a singular creation that may never occur again.

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Posted on 2013.05.23 in France, Languedoc-Roussillon  |  Read more...

La Vie en Rosé – Current Release, Dry & Food-Friendly French Rosé

“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”
— Rainer Maria Rilke

Whether you’re hanging out with friends on the front porch, grilling in the backyard, or just relaxing on a cozy chair with a good book and all the windows thrown open to the warm breeze and birdsong, this weather calls for a glass of fresh rosé by your side.

We’re stocked up with cases of the 2012 vintage of dry, pink wine from the classic French regions Bandol, Coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence, Côtes de Provence, Côtes du Rhône, Lirac, Tavel, Beaujolais, Marsannay, Chinon, Sancerre, and Côtes du Lot.

With such a variety you’ll find everything from delicate wines redolent of flowers and early strawberries to meaty and herbal wines big enough to pair with the heartiest of grilled meats and even satisfy the most ardent red wine drinker.

And at Elie Wine, you won’t find any close-outs of last year’s wine that has been languishing in warehouses. We’re a wine shop, why would we want to sell you mediocre wine?

Give us a call to reserve your bottles, or stop by the shop and we can help you select some wine to take home. We’re offering 20% off the store price for a limited time.

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Posted on 2013.05.16 in France, Beaujolais, Languedoc-Roussillon, Loire, Provence, Southern Rhone  |  Read more...

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Cava

Cava VallDolina Reserva Brut Nature 2009 (disgorged: October 2012) SOLD OUT

Cinco de Mayo, the fifth of May, the day when Mexicans in and around the city of Puebla celebrate a victorious 1862 battle against the French Army and the United States simply celebrates Mexican culture. Every year at this time, displays of Mexican made alcoholic drinks show up near the checkout at virtually every supermarket and convenience store around the country.

You won’t find any mass-produced Mexican beer and Tequila at Elie’s, because we’re a wine shop.

But we will suggest an inexpensive sparkling wine from Spain to pair with the festivities. Whether you’re eating spicy camerones a la Diabla from La Terraza or chicken tacos from Mi Pueblo, Cava VallDolina is a crisp and versatile wine that will elevate any celebration.

The visionary winemakers Raimon Badell and Ferran Gil of Masia Can Tutusaus combine superior geography with their artistry and skill to produce Cava VallDolina. Of all the areas in Penedès producing the classic Cava grapes, only the mountainous terrain in Massís del Garraf, the home of Masia Can Tutusaus, offers the cooling significance of altitude that nurtures a higher acidity in the grapes.

These guys believe in making contemporary wines that respect Mediterranean culture without becoming slaves to the past. They respect Mother Nature and, above all, they respect their vines and their soil. The grapes are handpicked, the wine is bottled at the estate and aged in contact with lees for a period of 24 months, and the disgorgement date is clearly indicated on the label, ensuring that you are drinking the freshest wine possible.

The end result of all this attention to detail is a scandalously drinkable wine with aromas of apple blossom, wheat crackers, and sunshine and a complex finish that sometimes doesn’t exist in sparklers twice the price.

If you’re having a few people over for brunch, try mixing it with equal parts fresh-squeezed orange juice for Mimosas to match this simple recipe for chilaquiles.

In the spirit of the holiday we’ve focused on Mexican Cuisine. The truth is Cava VallDolina will drink nicely alongside countless foods — from pizza to sushi to fried eggs and beyond. Just a few days ago we used a bit of it to cook a simple mushroom risotto, and then drank the rest of the bottle while we ate. Perfection! Fine dining isn’t always about pricey menus and white linen.

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Posted on 2013.04.30 in Spain DO, Cava  |  Read more...

Sample Saint-Émilion Grands Crus Classés from the 2010 Vintage

More 2010 Bordeaux! This Saturday we’re opening two bottles, both Grands Crus Classés from well-known Châteaux in Saint-Émilion. Predominately Merlot, these wines are supple and offer drinkability across a broader window of time. Think about pouring these while you’re waiting on some of that Cabernet Sauvignon based Bordeaux to mature. Special pricing will be offered for the day only.

2010 Château Fombrauge SOLD OUT

Chateau Fombrauge covers over 128 acres and is planted with vines averaging 30 years of age that grow from blends of clay, limestone and sandstone. Sorted fruit is fermented in large oak tanks and then transferred to French oak barrels (50% new) to age an average of 16 to 18 months, depending on the vintage. 2010 grapes were picked late in the season and produced a ripe and generous wine in a modern style. 80% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon. 91 points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.

2010 Château Monbousquet SOLD OUT

Château Monbousquet traces its history all the way back to 1540 but its modern era began with a jump in quality in 1993 when it was purchased by Gérard Perse of Château Pavie fame. The entire 79 acre vineyard was analyzed and drained and the winemaking facilities rebuilt. Today, the 40 year old vines see less water during prolonged wet spells. Perse gets the most he can out of sand, clay and gravel soils. Modest yields in 2010 produced a full-bodied blend of 70% Merlot and the rest mostly Cabernet Franc with some Cabernet Sauvignon all aged in 60% new, French oak barrels for an average of 20 months. 93 points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.

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Posted on 2013.04.26 in France, Bordeaux, Saturday Sips Wines  |  Read more...

Sample 2010 from Pessac-Léognan and Pomerol

Deliveries of the fine 2010 Bordeaux vintage are pouring in, so to speak, and we’re eager for you to give them a try. This Saturday we’re opening two bottles, both second label wines from distinguished Châteaux.

Second label Bordeaux have always offered incredible value, but as the selection process for the “Grand Vin”, or first wine, has gotten stricter, today the best “seconds” offer an even greater value than in the past.

Robert Parker’s wine advocate gives the first wines of these two houses nearly perfect scores. The second label wines shouldn’t necessarily be thought of as lesser, just ready to drink earlier.

2010 Le Petit Haut Lafitte SOLD OUT

From the soils of Pessac-Léognan on the left bank of the Garonne in Northern Graves. Château Smith Haut Lafitte’s history in Bordeaux dates back over 800 years. The estate started out life as part of the Du Boscq holdings and vines were first planted in the year 1365 on the gravelly Lafitte Plateau. Jumping ahead a few hundred years, George Smith bought the estate in 1720. Smith added his name to the property which we now know of as Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte. Le Petit Haut Lafitte is a blend of 55 % Cabernet Sauvignon and 45% Merlot. Maturation is carried out in barrels for 14 months.

Château Smith Haut Lafitte

2010 La Gravette de Certan SOLD OUT

From the Pomerol plateau made up of clay and gravel soil overlooking the Dordogne River, and taking its name from a parcel of vines purchased in 1946, comes the second label wine from Vieux Château Certan. Proprietor Alexandre Thienpont believes his 2010 second label wine is better than many vintages of Vieux Château Certan produced in the 1970s. The blend is equal parts Merlot and Cabernet Franc. We can’t seem to find anyone that has tasted this wine with anything other than high praise for its structure and beauty.

Vieux Château Certan

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Posted on 2013.04.12 in France, Bordeaux, Saturday Sips Wines  |  Read more...

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