SPARKLING
Delamotte Champagne, NV (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Meunier) Mesnil-Sur-Oger, Cote de Blancs, Champagne Region of France.
Delamotte is a sister company to the Salon Champagne House. Aroma: smells of fresh bread dough intermixed with buttery citrus. Light to medium body, noted for it’s elegant minerality. Delamotte is the fifth oldest champagne house in the region, founded in 1760.
Mont Marcal Brut Cava, 2003 (Parallada, Xarel-lo, Macabeo) Penedes, Spain
Estate-bottled, among the best Cavas at any price. Excellent base wine made from equal parts Xarel-lo, Parellada and Macabeo. Aged a minimum of 24 months on the yeast, disgorged prior to each shipment. Aroma: Nice and fresh, with defined, attractive apple and pear. Palate: Dry and fruity in the mouth, with a tad of sweetness to the firm papaya, lime and apple flavors. Ripe and round enough, with balance. The total package in cava.
Graham Beck Brut Rose, NV (Pinot Noir 80%, Chardonnay 20%): Robertson/Stellenbosch, South Africa Salmon-pink color, Aroma: ripe strawberries, Palate: raspberry fruit, fresh sherbet, long creamy mousse.
Majella Sparkling Shiraz, 2004: Coonawarra, Australia
Fermentation: barrel fermenting, then aged for about 9 months in American oak. The wine is then sent off to Vinpac International in the Barossa Valley for secondary fermentation in the true "methode champeniose". After about 8 months on "lees", the wine is disgorged and a small amount of "liqueur" (sweetener) is added. In the true Aussie tradition Majella uses vintage port.
WHITES
Lurton Pinot Gris, 2007: Mendoza, Argentina.
Northern Italian-Alsace-style Pinot Gris, grown on the high-altitude slopes of Mendoza. Aroma: a crisp citrus aroma; has a tantalizing citrus-like bouquet of sweet peaches, apples, and ripe apricots. Palate: Rounded and complex, very clean and fresh with a delightful aftertaste and well-proportioned fruit, acidity, and good all-round richness. In Italy this varietal is known as Pinot Grigio.
Burgans Albarino, 2006: Rias Baixas, Spain
Aroma: honey, mineral, orange marmalade and peach, lemon, floral scents. Fermentation: 100% stainless steel Palate: Just off-dry, with bracing acidity, light and refreshing. Pairing: salmon, tuna, roasted chicken Albarino is also known as Vinho Verde in Portugtal
Santa Rita Reserva Sauvignon Blanc, 2006: Curico, (Casablanca Valley) Chile
Aroma: grapefruit, fragrant citrus blooms and juicy apricots is delicately balanced with citric flowers undertones. Palate: its fresh, dry and crispy flavors are smooth and finely balanced ending in a rich, persistent finish. Fermentation: 40% of the grapes were cold macerated for 18 hours at temperatures under 5ºC. The rest were crushed and immediately pressed. Free-run and low pressures were used to produce the Reserve level, in order to ensure high fruit concentration and a good acidity balance.
Groth Sauvignon Blanc, 2006 (Sauvignon Blanc 96%, Semillon 4%): Napa Valley, California.
Fermentation: 70% barrel fermented (in inert (old) chardonnay barrels that do not impart any oak flavor to the wine), aged sur-lie for 5 months, 30% stainless steel fermented Aroma: Citrus (lemony) and stone fruit (nectarine), minerally and herby. Palate: Pairing: grilled fish/chicken, cauliflower/leeks
Castelo de Medina Verdejo, 2006, Rueda, Spain
Aroma: vibrant; lemon zest explosion; nice barley aspect pungent grapefruit, guava & pineapple with herbal aromas; Palate: spectacular acidity; vibrant & fresh; beautiful mouthfeel; nice long finish; lemon/lime; very clean; subtle Pineapple flavor. Nice minerality on the finish. The Verdejo grape is indigenous to Spain’s Rueda region
Posada del Virrey Viogner 2005: Carmelo, Uruguay.
Viognier is usually a rare esteemed white wine grape; typically Intense and dry. Very perfumed peach and honey and lots of spices. This one is light and peachy (canned peaches in syrup) slightly reminiscent of lime jollyrancher candy (Jill). A picnic wine if you will
Dr Loosen “Dr. L” Riesling, 2006: Mosel Saar Rower, Germany.
Aroma: fresh, clean scent of ripe pears. Palate: fruity pear juice on the palate too, juicy and fresh, with just a touch of sweetness well balanced by zippy acidity; there's a prickly hint of barely perceptible carbonation on the tongue. Riesling fanatics might dismiss this as an overly simple, and it lacks the classic Mosel minerality. Still, it's a splendid summer sipping wine and food companion, and a refreshing quaffer at only 8.5% alcohol
HUGO by Marcus Huber, Gruner Veltliner, 2006: Traisental, Austria.
Fermentation: 100% stainless steel. AromaThere's a nice minerality to this, with crunchy grapefruit and pear flavors, and some peppery notes on the finish.
Catena Chardonnay, 2005: Mendoza, Argentina.
Greenish yellow color, smells of banana mango and apple with hints of sweet spice and wet stone. Full mouth feel but very clean, flavors of fig and pear finishing with crisp acidity.
Les Penitents Chardonnay, 2005: Coteaux Charitois, France (in-between the Loire Valley and Chablis
Aroma: The nose is floral (white lilies, white nettle), minerals (calcium) and slightly anise. La bouche grasse et vive évoque la verveine, l'abricot, le sucre d'orge et le raisin blanc croquant, puis développe des notes minérales en finale. Palate: The mouth evokes deep fat and lemongrass, apricot, barley sugar and white grapes, and then develops mineral notes in the finish. Jusqu'en 2010, servir en bouteille à 10°.
Pannotia Torrontes, 2006: Cafayete, Argentina
Aroma: floral notes of iris and hibiscus, two plants growing along the Cafayate plateau as well as light notes of orange zest, green apple, lemon, and peach. Palate: crisp, refreshing and tangy, but it is Torrontes’ floral character that most people will remember.
ROSÉ
Chateau Roubaud Rose (Grenache & Syrah), 2005: Costieres de Nimes, France
Appearance: a light peony color, a full smell, well balanced, with a pleasant fruity potential. A middle taste that is especially fruity and rounded with a pleasant peppered note. The end is deep with a delicious length.
Rose refers to pink colored wines because they are made from red grape varietals and very little skin contact.
REDS
Piper’s Brook ‘9th Island’ Pinot Noir, 2005: Tasmania, Australia
Ninth Island is the second label from the Pipers Brook vineyard and this wine is every bit as delightful as the main label. The color is rich vibrant cherry and ruby. Aroma: dark cherries, soft spices and a little strawberry. Palate: sweet cherries, a velvety texture, background tannins and perfect balance. Good structure and a lovely long finish
Chocolan Carmenere, 2006: Maipo, Chile
Appearance: Fermentation: fermented in stainless steel tanks. Aged in 50% French 50% American oak – 50% new, 50% used. Appearance: The color is characteristic of the variety, both deep and somewhat matte. Aroma: intense, with a vegetal character reminiscent of cooked green beans, black pepper, dried chili peppers, and dried grass. Palate: High acidity, persistent, and in keeping with the characteristics of the variety. The tannins are especially round. The word “Chocalan” means yellow blossoms. This name was given to the area by the indigenous population; a tribute to the thorn bushes which thrive in the contrasting climatic conditions of the Maipo valley..
Terrazas de los Andes Malbec, 2006: Mendoza, Argentina.
Deep intense wild blueberry and purple fruit attest to the wines power and concentration. Flavor is pure ripe berry plum with nuance of tobacco. Rich and silky tannins linger generously into full mouthfilling wine. Malbec is a French red wine grape that flourishes in South America and is widely planted in Argentina.
Torbreck Cuvee Juveniles (Grenache, Mataro (Mouvedre), Shiraz), 2006: Barossa Valley, Australia.
Fermentation: 100% Stainless Steel This wine is an un-oaked blend that is released in the year of its vintage. The wine was first made in 1999 after Tim Johnston, owner of Juveniles wine bar in Paris, suggested that Torbreck owner, David Powell, make a wine for him. Aroma: kirsch liqueur, pepper, and spice box in a fruit-driven, full-bodied style that is immensely satisfying. Palate: Blackberry fruit, earth and Asian spices when you first open it. After a little time in the glass, you may pick up notes of tar, licorice and black olive tapanade. Winemaker David Powell used to work in Scotland as a lumberjack and the names of his wines (with the exception of the Juveniles) refer back to that experience.
Arte de Vivir Tempranillo, 2004: Ribera del Duero, Spain
Sourced from 60-80 year old tempranillo vines, this is a rich, dense wine. Aromas: Characteristic tempranillo aromas of strawberries, spice and tobacco. Palate: Lower acid and alcohol levels. Fine grained tannins from oak ageing. Tempranillo is grown in 3 main regions of Spain: Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Toro.
Marques de Casa Concha Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005: Maipo, Chile
Appearance: Dark Ruby red, Aroma: Fine red cherries with hints of toasy French oak. Palate: smooth, almost silky texture, round, well balanced and tasteful with a long finish. Concentrated full body.
Susana Balbo ‘Crios’ Cabernet Sauvignon, 2005: Mendoza, Argentina (88% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Malbec, 5% Merlot)
Aroma: explosive, dark cherry, licorice, black currant, little dark chocolate, very lush, ripe & bright, Palate: Forward and juicy, with lots of raspberry and boysenberry flavor backed by toast and mineral hints. Fruit-filled finish. Crios means offspring and the three hands on the label represent Susana and her daughter and son. The Crios line of wines is meant to be consumed young.
Veramonte Merlot, 2006: Casablanca Valley, Chile (89% Merloter, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon)
Appearance: Dark ruby red. Aroma: Rich blackberry, cherry nose spiced with black pepper, tobacco hints of eucalyptus and mint, with a subtle underlay of oak Flavor: Youthful dark fruit aromas with hints of chocolate, pepper and toasted oak. Full of berry flavors and accompanied by velvety smooth tannins. Aged for 8 months in French and American Oak (20% new)
Seghesio Zinfandel, 2006: Sonoma, California
Fermentation: Small open-top and closed stainless steel fermentation, barrel aged for 10 months in 75% American and 25% French oak. Aromas: Briary, raspberry fruit, with lush dark blackberry/black pepper characteristics. Palate: Juicy adicity, fine grained tannins, barrel aging brings out anise/clove tones in addition to the berry patch flavors.
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