A slightly elevated and more serious line-up from the home office this week; France dominates this group but Oregon makes a cameo with a Chardonnay in recycled glass. Let’s dive in.
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Not always do I talk about the wines I bring home, but this week turned into a particularly neat line-up, spanning South Australia, Piedmont, Germany and Bordeaux. All are new to the store and all have something to offer for everyone. Happy reading and happy tasting.
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My number one – really only – rule for Champagne is to treat it like any other wine – drink it often and on any occasion. These Savart Champagnes are partly the reason why. Plus two more sought after Michel Sarrazin Burgundies to round us out.
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Spring has officially arrived, and so have three new Italian Whites for $25 or under.
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With Spring upon us, we’ve been talking about (and sipping), a few new white wines. But Spring isn’t all about rosé and whites. It’s about new life, growth and new beginnings. Which is why I want to share the newest line-up I’ve been building, of domestic Pinot Noirs.
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In September of 2000, we were fortunate enough to secure a few tons of Cabernet Sauvignon from a small grower in Oakville. The grapes were hand picked and sorted, and we crushed and fermented them in small lots. Our little project had begun. Our philosophy of making wine is similar to our philosophy of raising children – give them a lot of tender loving care, nurture always, then let them go on to express themselves and become the unique individuals they were meant to be. We believe that our gentle handling and minimalist intervention in winemaking yields unique wines that are elegant and balanced – a true expression of their roots.
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To some it may seem a tad too early, but last Tuesday at 10AM I was confronted with an array of single malt whiskies from the House of James Eadie. A momentous task lay ahead, but in the knowledge that I was doing this purely for my customers, I lifted my glass and proceeded to taste through 10, 11, 12, 21 and 26 year old whiskies. The range of distilleries included Ardmore, Blair Athol, Aushroisk, Cambus, Cameronbridge and Caol Ila. It was like taking an early morning hike through the Highlands of Scotland. All that was missing was a plate of Kedgeree and a Haggis.
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Last Tuesday, I ventured into uncharted territory. I found myself in some mystical city called NYC, way down at the bottom of Broadway. What led me there was a whiff of wines that I had never tasted before. It was a special morning for many reasons - not least, it was my first outing to the city since BC. It was my first restaurant lunch in the city since BC. And it was the first time I tasted a succession of wines that I had only heard of, in passing.
The occasion was a 9.00AM 'glasses up' tasting in the offices of one of my favorite importers, Grand Cru Selections.
How do you begin at 9.00 to taste a series of wines that blow your mind?
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The spirit of Jacques Reynaud, the godfather of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, is always present. When the legendary founder of Château Rayas died suddenly in 1997, his wife asked their nephew, Emmanuel Reynaud, to take the reins at both Château Rayas and Château de Fonsalette. Already making wines at his father’s Château des Tours, Emmanuel agreed.
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In the early days I admit to having a love affair with Bordeaux. Not with the region per se, but with the wines. I remember as a student taking time off from my studies in Perpignan and roaming the vineyards around the 1st growth chateaux
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Last year I got my hands on a small allocation of these 'cult' whiskies. The second allocation was delivered yesterday - sadly, just another 6 bottles of each. If you want some email me today, because tomorrow they will be gone
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When your resumé includes 'wine-maker', Stag's Leap Vineyards (16 years) and Far Niente you are pretty much assured that people will sit up and take notice. That's been the problem with obtaining wines from Robert Brittan.
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Let's ditch the tie this year. I mean, what's the chance dad is going to be wearing a tie in the coming months? What about a bottle of whiskey this year? Or a big bad red coupled with a big bad whiskey?
Here are some ideas…
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If it weren't for the circumstances it would be a beautiful morning. The sun is out, it's dry and we are very much open for business.
Every morning, we have been delivering wine to those that want it. During the day, we have been carrying out curb-side delivery.
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“It is not easy to cultivate vineyards situated on slopes of up to 38%. It requires a special kind of experience that only those who have known these lands meter by meter since their childhood can have. Nor is it easy to thin out plants if you have not seen them grow. It is not easy if you don’t have clearly in your mind the idea of a task begun centuries before. It is for this reason that we take care of everything in person.” - Giorgio Conterno
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The Dow Jones will recover. The opportunity to buy Hermanos Peciña 2009 will be short lived.
Let’s not dwell on the collapse of the Dow Jones. It has always recovered and if there is one overriding experience that I learnt from all my years in the financial industry it is this: when markets fall significantly they create an opportunity to buy. Then you hold what you bought and buy a bottle of wine to celebrate how clever you are.
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Many customers have been asking me about the threat of Trump’s 100% tariff on European wines, and what the status is. The simple answer is that, for now the 100% tariff is behind us. But it is also still ahead of us.
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The beginning of the year always sees some movement across inventory and distribution centers. I wrote last week about Granville Pinot Noir (on sale at $38 down from $50), and the week before I offered a range of Parusso wines at 20-35% off. […] Another wine that I first tasted and fell in love with, Trediberri, is set to do the same.
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An unexpected pleasure yesterday whilst tasting some unexceptional pinot noirs from Oregon. The least expensive wine in the group was this pinot from Granville Winery in Dundee, Oregon. After the sales rep had left I went to Google and did some research on the wine and the winery and what I found convinced me to buy the 4.7 cases that the distributor had left in inventory.
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I have mentioned this occurrence before but I will admit, it doesn’t happen that often and it doesn’t happen this quickly. One of our beloved Barolo producers is jumping ship.
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