2006 TELMO RODRIGUEZ Gago "g" Toro
$17.95 bottle...$178.00 case
Telmo Rodriguez is a ridiculously talented, passionate winemaker who has projects running almost the breadth of Spain. He never seems to lose sight of the goal, which is delivering absolute top quality wine from each appellation he inhabits. This 2006 Gago "g" perfectly illustrates this fact. 100% Tinto de Toro (the local clone of tempranillo), I first tried this fabulously satisfying bottle about 9 months ago when the local importer dropped a sample bottle by. I absolutely loved it. Rich, ripe, and darkly colored, with succulent yet savory black fruit, earthy spice, and a beautiful texture that frankly wowed me. However (and so many times in this business there's a big old "however") it also wholesaled at $22 a bottle. Not that it wasn't worth $30+ on the shelf, because it absolutely was. But at that point my $30+ Spanish slot was kind of jammed. Fast forward to about 3or 4 weeks ago, when the whole Telmo line switched to a different distributor here in PDX, leaving the old wholesaler with a big pile of Telmo's wine they didn't particularly want. The new distributor didn't want the old vintages, so the old supplier was forced to do some serious discounting. Now I remembered how thrilled I was by my initial tasting of the "g" bottling, and badgered my rep for a deal. Much hemming and hawing ensued, until finally, and I was SHOCKED at how much they dropped the price, they cut lose with all 40 cases of the 2006 Gago "g" which I delightedly scooped up and can now offer to you at slightly more than half its original price, and four dollars under the old wholesale cost!! This is nothing less than one of the best closeout deals I've ever come across, and this wine at this incredible reasonable price is a flat out steal! Needless to say it is limited to the 40 cases...well, actually 39 because I'm keeping one...so I highly encourage your serious consideration on this. Parker's Wine Advocate gave it 92 points and called it "....an opulent, buxom beauty that will deliver pleasure now through 2018." To which I might add that this passionate Spaniard also has a heckuva lot of class and style!
I'm going to reprint a writeup I did on this wine back in March, when I thought I had sold through all of the bottles of ONE OF THE BEST WINES I'VE HAD IN THE LAST TEN YEARS! All caps really aren't my thing...kind of like shouting at you. But if ever a wine deserved to be shouted about it is this unbelievable Rioja. I took a bottle out into the "wild" on our recent 4th of July camping trip and poured it for others. It once again simply stunned me. And now I am thrilled to lay my hands on 15 more wooden six packs. It isn't cheap, but is totally worth splurging on a bottle or six. You will be astounded by this sensual, even sexy Spanish tinto, I promise!
2001 BODEGAS LUIS CANAS Rioja
Reserva "Seleccion de la Familia"
$34.95 bottle...$180.00 six pack (in wood boxes!)
This was the bonus-bonus in last Friday's tasting and when I tasted it at the end of the evening I liked it quite a bit, but as usual after a 13 hour day my palate wasn't at its sharpest. I had almost a full bottle left so I took it home and stuck it in the fridge to keep it fresh. We had some friends over for paella Sunday night so it seemed the perfect time to pull it out. So I did. And the swooning commenced! I don't geek out on too many wines, but as I was letting this sit in my glass, taking sips (okay, more like gulps) I was absolutely blown away by how good this is. This really is one of the best Spanish wines I've had in the last ten years. The quality and character of the fruit is simply astounding. 2001 was a great, classic year in Rioja. The Rioja vintage as a whole was rated at 93 points by The Wine Spectator. This Cañas 2001 was also given 93 points by The Wine Advocate, who raved: "Dark ruby-colored, the enticing aromatics include cedar, spice cabinet, mineral, violets, black cherry, and blackberry. This leads to an evolved, complex, ripe Rioja with superb intensity and depth. It has a long, pure finish and should continue to evolve for several more years. Drink it through 2020."
2006 GOZZELINO Barbera d'Asti "Sciorio"
$19.95 bottle....$195.00 case
For long time VINO denizens a wine that almost needs no introduction. A staple of our shelves in Sellwood for years, this single vineyard wine from Beppe Gozzelino mysteriously disappeared for two vintages. Now it's back, and not to be sales cliché guy, but it really is better than ever. I can hardly tell you how excited I was to take this home and give it a test slurp after my importer dropped off a sample bottle. The last time I'd had it was the 2003 vintage, and now to have a bottle from the classic 2006 vintage to try....well, my glass was all a quiver! My anticipation was amply rewarded, as Beppe did not disappoint. The 2006 Piedmont vintage is known for it perfect balance of just right ripeness allied with firm, but not harsh tannins and a perfect dose of that needed acidity. This darkly hued Barbera is richly textured, with loads of cherries rolling across your palate on first taste. Then the intrigue starts, as plum jam, spice, smoke, and that delicious Piedmont earth starts to emerge, tantalizing and teasing me back for another taste...and another...and.... reminding me once again how much I LOVE great Barbera. There are ample tannins here to back up all that fruit, so even though this is superb to drink right now, I can easily see it lasting for 5-8 more years in a cool basement. As I've said innumerable times, Barbera is one of the world's best food wines. The Gozzelino "Sciorio" in truly one of the world's great Barberas. Add those two facts together and this is firmly in "Must Buy" territory!
2006 CHERRY HILL WINERY Estate Pinot Noir
$16.95 bottle....$165.00 case
I have to admit I had never heard of these guys before they brought their delectable 2006 pinot noir in for me to taste. Apparently they grow grapes at their vineyard for some of Oregon’s big name winemakers. They also recently started bottling a bit of their own, and man is this stuff good, especially at this exceptionally affordable price (all too rare for Oregon noir, right?!) Classic Oregon noir, with aromas and flavors of strawberry, cherry, plum, spice, and smoke with touches of Willamette Valley earth around the edges. This ’06 is drinking exceptionally well right now. Rich and ripe, with lovely texture and feel on the palate. The finish is broad and full, velvety smooth and leaving a silky layer of fruit in your mouth. For the money this is a steal, and I highly recommend you add this one to your repertoire. Perfect for dinner tonight with some roast chicken or grilled salmon. Not bad all by its lonesome either!
2009 MAS CARLOT “Les Enfants Terribles”
Costieres de Nimes
$14.95 bottle...$148.00 case
If ever I needed proof that good things come to he who waits, this fabulous bottle of southern French goodness is it! The last vintage I was able to carry was the 2005. It was tremendous. In fact I just opened a bottle of it a couple of months ago and it was awesome. Now…finally…the Enfants Terrible has reappeared, and it is sensational. Super-rich, layered with dark fruit and a full, palate-coating texture. This has everything I want and love about Rhone reds. Also jumping on the terrible Babies bandwagon is Parker’s Wine Advocate, where he raved thusly: “This is one of the best run estates in Costieres de Nimes. Owned by the husband and wife team of Nathalie Blanc-Mares and Cyril Mares, The 2009 Enfants Terribles is superb. Its dense ruby/purple color is accompanied by notes of blackberries, blueberries, camphor, licorice and sautéed mushrooms. The wine exhibits good density and richness as well as a heady finish. It should drink nicely for 5-6 years. 90 points!”
I already have some tucked cozily away in my basement. I very much encourage you to grab some. Whether you have it now or later, you’ll be most
2009 MONTARIBALDI "La Consolina" Barbera d'Asti
$13.95 bottle....$138.00 case
It's hard not to mention again how much I love Barbera. Perhaps the best food wine in the world....lovely cherry scents and flavors...juicy texture. It's all here in this bargain '09 from Montaribaldi. Check out once again our man MK's rave review: "It's an experience many travelers have had. You go to some location and you're served a wine at dinner. It's inexpensive and you exclaim, "This is wonderful stuff. Why can't we get this at home?" This is that wine -- at least if you were traveling in the Piedmont region of northwest Italy. The "La Consolina" 2009 from Montaribaldi is precisely the kind of really good barbera that you'd be served in a restaurant in the Piedmont region. Young, fresh and brimming with flavor, it slides right down with your pasta or pizza and before you know it the bottle is empty...and you're looking for more. Worth noting is that this also is an accurate reflection of the style of barbera that comes from the Asti zone, which is to say silky, refreshingly crisp and devoid of unneeded oak or any other winemaking flourishes that signal "importance." If this wine were human you'd say it had confidence and charm!"
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