Earthy, Intense, Biodynamic Red from Arid Central Spain

Uva de Vida “Latitud 40” (Vino de la Tierra de Castilla 2015) Joven
Special 6-pack Price: $124 (~$21/bottle)

The wife-and-husband team of Carmen López and Luis Ruiz have harnessed the soul of the land to produce wines of purity, brilliance and energy, expressing the native grape of Graciano, a key variety of the Gran Reservas in Rioja that contributes higher aromatics and brightness. Biodiversity of plant and animal life is promoted in their 33 acres of vines planted at 1,600 feet of altitude in the clay-based soils near the tiny village of Santa Olalla in the autonomous community of Castilla-La Mancha, just up the road from the city of Toledo.

When they began the Uva de Vida project in 2005 their first intention was to cultivate vineyards with high quality fruit without the use of synthetic chemicals that they could sell at a better price than the typical cooperative producer. They almost immediately discovered that buyers weren’t all that interested in fruit grown with biodynamic techniques so the couple decided to produce the wine themselves.

With an aim of capturing the essence of the landscape of Central Spain, Uva de Vida employs minimal intervention techniques from start to finish. The fruit is collected by hand in small boxes to keep it intact until fermentation is started spontaneously with indigenous yeasts. Aging for the “Latitud 40” Joven is completed in stainless steel vats before bottling without fining, filtering, or the addition of sulfites. The risk a winemaker runs with this type of minimal intervention is that the wines can show aromatic and flavor characteristics that have nothing to do with the terroir and everything to do with bacteria in the cellar. That is certainly not the case here. Uva de Vida’s wines are pure.

100% Graciano and nearly opaque deep red, a glass of “Latitud 40” radiates aromas of cherry fruit leather, dark chocolate, herbs, and salty, sun-baked earth. These heady scents merge seamlessly into a mid-weight sip of blackcurrant fruit with a long and juicy finish. This is a wine that ought to pair with nearly any food charred on a grill.

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Posted on 2017.08.03 in Saturday Sips Wines, Spain DO  |  Read more...

The Champagne Society – August 2017 Selection: Champagne J. Lassalle

Champagne J. Lassalle 2009 “Cuvée Angéline” Brut (Premier Cru)
Price for The Champagne Society members: $72 (regular price $85)

A superb summer in the 2009 vintage of Champagne produced a clean crop of high quality fruit, with particularly good Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims. For our August selection we chose to highlight this with a cuvée comprised of 60% Pinot Noir from the Premier Cru village of Chigny-les-Roses in the Montagne de Reims.

Champagne J. Lassalle 2009 “Cuvée Angéline” is a blend of 60% Pinot Noir and 40% Chardonnay from vines with an average age of 50 years. Only made in great years with a maximum production of 500 cases, this singular Champagne is aged a minimum of seven years on the lees before disgorgement. The result is a wine of depth and purity that bursts from the glass with a rush of expressive fruit, dried flowers, cool herbs and honey.

Jules Lassalle established this family-owned Champagne house in 1942. When he passed away in 1982 his wife, Olga, and their daughter, Chantal Decelle-Lassalle, stepped in and took over the estate, upholding Jules’ high standards and progressively pushing the domaine to the next level. In 2006 Chantal’s daughter Angéline (namesake of the Cuvée Angéline) joined the estate as winemaker.

Champagne J. Lassalle works with all three varietals authorized in the region (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier) on 39 acres of vineyards, all of them Premier Cru. These tough, hardworking women continue to follow the vinification methods established by Jules in the forties: they use the same wooden basket press he installed in the winery over fifty years ago, pressing and vinifying the individual plots separately. All cuvées are aged extensively once in bottle—even the non-vintage cuvées, which are a minimum of five years old. This results in an astonishing complexity and depth from the beginning of their range up to the luxury cuvées.

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Posted on 2017.08.01 in France, The Champagne Society, Champagne  |  Read more...

2014 Bordeaux PART VII, Pauillac & Haut-Médoc

This Saturday we will be continuing our tasting series of the excellent 2014 vintage in Bordeaux. Our seventh and last shipment takes us to possibly the most famous of the great “Left Bank” appellations, Pauillac. Touting three of the five “First-Growth” wines, Pauillac is considered by many to be the benchmark for classic Bordeaux elegance.

Because of the warm autumn in the 2014 vintage there have been claims that declare it a Left Bank vintage, thanks to the later ripening qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon versus the earlier ripening Merlot. Taste for yourself, we’ll have an assortment of these wines open to taste this Saturday. All prices are based on the purchase of six or more bottles.

Although Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate ratings don’t factor into how we select the wines we carry, we do understand that many drinkers find them useful. You’ll see the ratings for the 2014 vintage of each wine following the text.

Haut-Médoc

~$15 Château Larrivaux SOLD OUT
Historic estate located near the border of Saint-Estèphe, and managed by Bérengère Tesseron since 2005. Larrivaux is one of the few “Left Bank” wines predominately made with Merlot. (89)

~$53 Château La Lagune
Classified “Third-Growth” estate currently family-owned and managed by Caroline Frey, who also manages the legendary estate of Jaboulet in Northern Rhône. (92)

Pauillac

~$42 Château Grand-Puy-Ducasse
Classified “Fifth-Growth” estate consulted by Hubert de Boüard of Château Angélus. Grand-Puy-Ducasse has continued improving their wines through vineyard management and technological innovation. (88)

~$45 Château Pédesclaux
Classified “Fifth-Growth” estate that saw a complete modernization in 2007 and new vineyard parcels purchased adjacent to Château Lafite Rothschild and Château Mouton Rothschild. (92)

~$45 Château Haut-Bages-Libéral SOLD OUT
Classified “Fifth Growth” estate. With recent modernization of the winemaking facilities and a shift toward biodynamic farming, Château Haut-Bages-Libéral represents some of the best value classed-growth Bordeaux. (88)

~$77 Château Duhart-Milon
Classified “Fourth Growth” estate owned by the Rothschild family and adjacent to the vineyards of Château Lafite Rothschild. (89)

$102 Château Clerc Milon
Classified “Fifth Growth” estate purchased by Baron Philippe de Rothschild in 1970. Newly constructed wine making facilities were completed in 2007 with an entirely gravity fed vat house. (92)

$119 Château Pontet-Canet
Classified “Fifth Growth” estate. Since Alfred Tesseron took over the estate in 1994, the property has continued to improve year after year and is presently producing wines at the level of the best “Second Growths.” (94)

$136 Château Lynch-Bages
This classified “Fifth Growth” estate is one of the most recognized producers in the world. Since 1973 it has been owned by Jean-Michel Cazes and is now run by his son, Jean-Charles. (92)

~$47 Les Griffons de Pichon Baron (Second Wine) (91)
$136 Château Pichon Longueville Baron
Classified “Second Growth” estate currently managed by Christian Seely, in 1987 it was purchased by the group which also own the Châteaus Cantenac-Brown, Petit-Village, and Suduiraut. (94)

~$42 Réserve de la Comtesse (Second Wine) (91) SOLD OUT
$153 Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande
Classified “Second Growth” estate. A complete renovation in 2008 and vineyards adjacent to Château Latour help make this one of the top estates in Bordeaux. (93)

$586 Château Mouton Rothschild SOLD OUT
Little needs to be said about this legendary “First Growth” known throughout the world not only for the superlative quality of wine but also the changing label image produced by some of the most celebrated artists of their day. (95)

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Posted on 2017.07.19 in France, Bordeaux, Saturday Sips Wines  |  Read more...

2014 Bordeaux PART VI, Saint-Julien & Haut-Médoc

This Saturday we will be continuing our tasting series of the excellent 2014 vintage in Bordeaux. Our sixth shipment takes us to the smallest of the great “Left Bank” appellations, Saint-Julien. These are the classic Cabernet Sauvignon-based blends that put Bordeaux on the map centuries ago, all classified “Second,” “Third,” and “Fourth-Growth” wines.

Because of the warm autumn in the 2014 vintage there have been claims that declare it a Left Bank vintage, thanks to the later ripening qualities of Cabernet Sauvignon versus the earlier ripening Merlot. Taste for yourself, we’ll have an assortment of these wines open to sample this Saturday. All prices are based on the purchase of six or more bottles.

Although Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate ratings don’t factor into how we select the wines we carry, we do understand that many drinkers find them useful. You’ll see the ratings for the 2014 vintage of each wine following the text.

Haut-Médoc

~$19 Château Citran SOLD OUT
Managed by Céline Villars and owned by the Merlaut family, who also own several properties in the region, including Château Ferrière, Château Gruaud-Larose, Château Chasse-Spleen and Château Haut-Bages-Liberal. (89)

~$35 Château Sociando-Mallet
Sociando-Mallet was a forgotten and derelict property by the time it was bought by Jean Gautreau in 1969. The estate has since seen considerable expansion and modernization, and subsequently a reputation for quality. (92)

Saint-Julien

~$50 Château Lagrange
Classified “Third-Growth” estate. With recent extensive renovations including modernization of their entire wine making facilities, Château Lagrange has risen to become a model estate in Bordeaux. (92)

~$54 Château Branaire-Ducru
Classified “Fourth-Growth” estate. Patrick Maroteaux has owned this property since 1988 and has invested heavily in new plantings as well as modernizing the cellars. He was one of the first “Left Bank” producers to begin filling his tanks entirely by gravity. (89)

~$57 Château Talbot
Classified “Fourth-Growth” estate. Completely renovated wine making facilities, vat rooms and barrel cellars along with increased levels of sorting and reduced yields make today’s Château Talbot wines the highest quality. (90+)

~$58 Château Saint-Pierre
Classified “Fourth-Growth” estate owned and operated by Jean-Louis Triaud who also runs Château Gloria. Château Saint-Pierre was one of the first estates in the Médoc to embrace the use of satellite imagery to help identify which vineyard parcels are ready to pick. (92)

~$75 Château Gruaud-Larose
Classified “Second-Growth” estate owned by Jacques Merlaut who also owns Château Chasse-Spleen, Château Haut-Bages Libéral, and Château Citran. (90)

~$82 Château Léoville-Poyferré
Classified “Second-Growth” estate. One of the most exciting properties in Saint-Julien thanks to owner Didier Cuvelier and his extensive commitment to vineyard improvement. (93+)

~$93 Château Léoville Barton
Classified “Second-Growth” estate. Since Anthony Barton took over the reins from his Uncle Ronald in the mid 80s, quality has soared at Léoville Barton and the wine has become one of the most exhilarating in the Médoc. (94)

~$45 Croix de Ducru-Beaucaillou (second wine of Ducru-Beaucaillou) (92) SOLD OUT
$153 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou SOLD OUT
Classified “Second-Growth” estate. Owned by the Borie family since 1941 and led by Bruno Borie since 2003, Château Ducru-Beaucaillou is presently producing the best wines in their long, illustrious history. (96)

~$54 Clos du Marquis (distinct cuvée from Léoville-Las Cases ) (92) SOLD OUT
$187 Château Léoville-Las Cases
Classified “Second-Growth” estate. Owned and operated by the Delon family since 1902, Château Léoville-Las Cases is one of the oldest classified growths in the Médoc and the leading estate in Saint-Julien. (96)

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Posted on 2017.07.12 in France, Bordeaux, Saturday Sips Wines  |  Read more...

First Shipment of the “Extraordinary” 2015 Vintage White Burgundy

Join us this Saturday to taste several wines from what the pundits are deeming an “extraordinary” 2015 vintage throughout the Côte d’Or. Typical of warm, sunny years the 2015 whites are clean, pure and rich, favoring ripe orchard and soft citrus fruits over bracing minerality.

The husband and wife team of Nathalie and Sylvain Langoureau farm about 24 acres of prime vineyards in Saint-Aubin, Meursault, Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet. This is a heart and soul garagiste operation based in the tiny hamlet of Gamay, nestled between Puligny-Montrachet and Saint-Aubin. Sylvain vinifies his wines with ambient yeast and small percentages of new oak. The finished wines are elegant, focused gems produced in very limited quantities.

Sylvain describes 2015 as a vintage of maturity, “…the fruit was super-clean and quite ripe…(the wines) are very rich with fine complexity and just enough supporting acidity to maintain the proper balance. They should drink well young and age over the short to perhaps mid-term and as such should be ideal for those who like their whites on the younger side.”

Because the wines were directly sourced from the Domaine the prices are already quite low for wines of this pedigree, but with a 15% discount on the purchase of six or more, you might want to stock up.

All prices are based on the purchase of six or more bottles.

The 2015 Whites of Domaine Sylvain Langoureau

~$33 Saint-Aubin SOLD OUT
High up on the back slope of the Côte d’Or behind the Grand Cru of Montrachet, the commune of Saint-Aubin is known for refined white wines and excellent value.

~$42 Saint-Aubin “Les Frionnes” (Premier Cru) 
Steep slopes located between the villages of Saint-Aubin and Gamay, where the soil is nearly pure limestone.

~$42 Saint-Aubin “Bas de Vermarain à l’Est” (Premier Cru)
A stone’s throw from “Les Frionnes” on the same steep limestone slopes.

~$50 Chassagne-Montrachet “Les Houillères” SOLD OUT
Single vineyard on the border between Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet just below the Grand Cru of Montrachet.

~$67 Meursault “La Pièce Sous le Bois” (Premier Cru)
Located just above the plot “Sous le Dos d’Âne.” “La Pièce” designates a patch or a plot of vines, situated in this case, below the wood “Sous le Bois” of Blagny.

~$67 Puligny-Montrachet “La Garenne” (Premier Cru)
From vines planted in 1954 on one of the highest Premier Cru slopes in Puligny-Montrachet.

~$67 Puligny-Montrachet “Les Chalumeaux” (Premier Cru)
Premier Cru vineyard bordering Meursault and the vineyards of “Sous le Dos d’Âne” and “La Pièce Sous le Bois.

The 2015 Reds of Domaine Sylvain Langoureau

~$21 Bourgogne-Hautes-Côtes-de-Beaune “Clos Marc” SOLD OUT
From a tiny walled vineyard above Saint-Aubin, easy drinking patio party Burgundy.

~$30 Chassagne Montrachet “Les Voillenots Dessous” SOLD OUT
Although Chassagne-Montrachet is renowned for its white wines the commune produces just as much red wine. A superb value from a parcel located below the village of Chassagne-Montrachet.

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Posted on 2017.07.05 in Saturday Sips Wines  |  Read more...

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