Friday Sips
THE CELLAR DOOR'S FRIDAY SURPRISE
White Burgundy
Ridge Zinfandel
Legit Champagne under 40
Ridge Zinfandel
Legit Champagne under 40
2020 CHAGNOLEAU MACON-VILLAGES
'CLOS SAINT PANCRAS'
$23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE
'CLOS SAINT PANCRAS'
$23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE
Over the moon white Burgundy indeed, this delectable Macon wine comes from one of the most prolific sources. Domaine Chagnoleau is a superb estate run by two of the area’s top winemakers, Frantz Chagnoleau who worked at Olivier Merlin and his wife Caroline Gons who is the winemaker at Dominique Lafon (he of Comte Lafon Meursault fame) at Heretiers Comte Lafon in Macon Bussieres. Dominique has served as somewhat of a Mr. Miyagi to the couple and their wines are now some of the most sought after and delicious in the region.
This wine comes from a single, wall-enclosed site just outside of the Vire-Clesse appellation. A very cold and windy site with sand interspersed with fine limestone and the wine aged in large, old barrels, this is essence of Macon indeed. These large barrels don't impart any oakiness on the wine, they just bring about more depth and body. Piercing, steely, beautiful mineral dominates this offering along with a robe of lemon and apple tones. In the mouth it is athletic with plenty of depth which all carries over to an expansive mineral driven finish that extends nicely. Drink this offering over the next 5-6 years with fresh trout, halibut or chicken.
This wine comes from a single, wall-enclosed site just outside of the Vire-Clesse appellation. A very cold and windy site with sand interspersed with fine limestone and the wine aged in large, old barrels, this is essence of Macon indeed. These large barrels don't impart any oakiness on the wine, they just bring about more depth and body. Piercing, steely, beautiful mineral dominates this offering along with a robe of lemon and apple tones. In the mouth it is athletic with plenty of depth which all carries over to an expansive mineral driven finish that extends nicely. Drink this offering over the next 5-6 years with fresh trout, halibut or chicken.
2018 RIDGE ZINFANDEL
'PONZO VINEYARD' RUSSIAN RIVER
$29.99 BTL./$359.88 CASE
'PONZO VINEYARD' RUSSIAN RIVER
$29.99 BTL./$359.88 CASE
93 Points – The Wine Advocate…Words like breathtaking, staggering and astounding come to mind when describing the grand Zins from Ridge. Since 2002, Ridge has worked with grapes from this Russian River vineyard and proved that Zin can thrive in an area where Pinot Noir dominates. Ponzo is three plots, two planted in the 1990s and one that is interspersed with Petite Sirah from 1952. The old one forms the base of what goes into this single vineyard offering.
97% Zinfandel, 3% Petite Sirah and the slightly cooler climate and morning fog allows this to be a very civilized, 14% alcohol Zinfandel. The 2018 Ponzo is extremely sensual and chock full of expressive notes of black raspberry, chocolate, vanilla, and spice entice on the nose. As any good Zinfandel-blend from Ridge should be, it is packed with exquisite fruit on the palate, along with milk chocolate, clove, briar, smoke and vanilla tones that bring about terrific complexity. Once again this iconic estate has managed to make a Zin with beautiful fruit, that is in total balance, and simply delicious. Bravo! Drink over the next 10-12 years.
97% Zinfandel, 3% Petite Sirah and the slightly cooler climate and morning fog allows this to be a very civilized, 14% alcohol Zinfandel. The 2018 Ponzo is extremely sensual and chock full of expressive notes of black raspberry, chocolate, vanilla, and spice entice on the nose. As any good Zinfandel-blend from Ridge should be, it is packed with exquisite fruit on the palate, along with milk chocolate, clove, briar, smoke and vanilla tones that bring about terrific complexity. Once again this iconic estate has managed to make a Zin with beautiful fruit, that is in total balance, and simply delicious. Bravo! Drink over the next 10-12 years.
CHAMPAGNE MOUTARD BRUT NATURE
'COTE-DES-BAR'
$35.99 BTL./$431.88 CASE
'COTE-DES-BAR'
$35.99 BTL./$431.88 CASE
Champagne Moutard is a gem of a producer located in the southern reaches of the Champagne region known as the Cote-des-Bar. This particular area is closer in proximity to Chablis verusu Reims and is prized for its Pinot Noir. The soils (limestone/kimmeridgian) drive this bubbly and given the slightly warmer conditions and base wine, the no dosage aspects are very in check as there is ample pleasure to go along with the electric minerality.
80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay. Dynamic dimension, sneaky power and above all, silky, finesseful bubbles virtually glimmer from the glass. Brioche, honey, orange, prominent mineral and nougat scents lead into a texture with a seductive mousse and ample expansion all buffered by livewire aspects all culminating in a zesty, smoky finish. If you love Champagne, you are going to want some of this one!
80% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay. Dynamic dimension, sneaky power and above all, silky, finesseful bubbles virtually glimmer from the glass. Brioche, honey, orange, prominent mineral and nougat scents lead into a texture with a seductive mousse and ample expansion all buffered by livewire aspects all culminating in a zesty, smoky finish. If you love Champagne, you are going to want some of this one!
