Friday Sips
FRIDAY SIPS
Dog Days Of Summer Selections
Today August 19 from 1:30 - 6:00 (note earlier finish time)
Dog Days Of Summer Selections
Today August 19 from 1:30 - 6:00 (note earlier finish time)
The AC is turned up to 11 and we're tasting some killer juice! Drop by to taste Chablis Premier Cru, Oregon wine, Chianti & a Zin from a legendary Napa producer.
2014 LOUIS MICHEL CHABLIS
PREMIER CRU 'SECHETS'
$32.99 BTL./$395.88 CASE
PREMIER CRU 'SECHETS'
$32.99 BTL./$395.88 CASE
Chablis hounds all know the prowess and greatness of this producer but lately it seems as though Domaine Michel is climbing their way into the pantheon of Chablis producers, which includes the likes of Dauvissat, Raveneau and Fevre. The delicacy and purity of Louis Michel is perfectly expressed within this wine. As usual, at Chez Michel, the wines are never oaked, involve serious excitement, and possess incredible nervosity and grip. In fact, the only wood one will see when visiting is the wood on the outside of the building.
Sechet is a select, sub-parcel of the famed Premier Cru Vaillons vineyard. The majority is blended into the Vaillons cuvee but one of the oldest parcels is culled out and hence we have something extremely special and one that is quite a steal! Vaillons is a combination of kimmeridgian soil with a clay base and hard limestone. Sechet is located at the cool, open end of the Valley and contains more of the veins of kimmeridgian limestone, which gives it even more profound minerality than the Vaillons. As we continue to tout, 2014 is a great Chablis vintage. The Sechets is very crystalline, precise and beautifully terroir driven. Ample saline scents along with pronounced crustaceans and classic flint-rock all with an underlay of perfume that is very characteristic of this offering. Brilliantly focused in the mouth, linear and electric with fine intensity from the 45-year-old vines, culminating with superb extension and mouth-watering persistency. Not inaccessible at the moment, but this wine will be at its pinnacle from 2019 through 2027+.
Sechet is a select, sub-parcel of the famed Premier Cru Vaillons vineyard. The majority is blended into the Vaillons cuvee but one of the oldest parcels is culled out and hence we have something extremely special and one that is quite a steal! Vaillons is a combination of kimmeridgian soil with a clay base and hard limestone. Sechet is located at the cool, open end of the Valley and contains more of the veins of kimmeridgian limestone, which gives it even more profound minerality than the Vaillons. As we continue to tout, 2014 is a great Chablis vintage. The Sechets is very crystalline, precise and beautifully terroir driven. Ample saline scents along with pronounced crustaceans and classic flint-rock all with an underlay of perfume that is very characteristic of this offering. Brilliantly focused in the mouth, linear and electric with fine intensity from the 45-year-old vines, culminating with superb extension and mouth-watering persistency. Not inaccessible at the moment, but this wine will be at its pinnacle from 2019 through 2027+.
2015 TIMOTHY MALONE WINES
VIOGNIER COLUMBIA GORGE
$13.99 BTL./$167.88 CASE
VIOGNIER COLUMBIA GORGE
$13.99 BTL./$167.88 CASE
Tim Malone is one of Oregon’s terrific newcomers who cut his teeth working alongside the likes Jay Somers at Jay Chrstopher, John Paul at Cameron and Tyson Crowley at Crowley wines. The future is bright for this guy with Pinot Noir but he is also making several fun and vibrant white wines from areas outside of the Willamette Valley including this zippy Viognier that comes from the Garnier Vineyard in Mosier.
Rose, lavender and lily aromas give strong varietal character. Throw out your preconceived thoughts of fat, overripe Viognier; this is cool and vivid with lemony tones that light up the senses yet owning depth and personality. Plenty of spice, which is natural for viognier, creeps through on the finish all while maintaining its luminous qualities. This is one for guzzling with hors d’oeuvres or lighter Asian fare.
Rose, lavender and lily aromas give strong varietal character. Throw out your preconceived thoughts of fat, overripe Viognier; this is cool and vivid with lemony tones that light up the senses yet owning depth and personality. Plenty of spice, which is natural for viognier, creeps through on the finish all while maintaining its luminous qualities. This is one for guzzling with hors d’oeuvres or lighter Asian fare.
2013 FALCHINI CHIANTI
COLLI SENESI
$11.99 BTL./$71.94 - SIX PACK
COLLI SENESI
$11.99 BTL./$71.94 - SIX PACK
Falchini is an excellent Tuscan producer on all levels but they are most noted for their fine Vernaccia wines. They are quite adept at reds, as many of our friends have experienced their fine Super Tuscan; however, the best buy on their roster is their delicious Chianti that comes from the hills around Siena. Made from Sangiovese and Canaiolo, the 2013 follows suit to the rest of the region with the wines being Chiantigiana, which means that they are on point Chianti without makeup, bells, whistles, steroids, etc.
Fine and balanced aromatics of cherry, licorice, coffee, wild herbs and spice, continuing in the mouth with a refined, classy, savory texture and plenty of length. Cook up some spicy sausage with penne pasta topped with tomato, vodka cream sauce, then pour a generous glass of this - sheer heaven! Drink over the next 2-3 years or 2-3 days.
Fine and balanced aromatics of cherry, licorice, coffee, wild herbs and spice, continuing in the mouth with a refined, classy, savory texture and plenty of length. Cook up some spicy sausage with penne pasta topped with tomato, vodka cream sauce, then pour a generous glass of this - sheer heaven! Drink over the next 2-3 years or 2-3 days.
2012 STORYBOOK MOUNTAIN
ZINFANDEL 'MAYACAMAS RANGE'
$34.99 BTL./$419.88 CASE
ZINFANDEL 'MAYACAMAS RANGE'
$34.99 BTL./$419.88 CASE
2012 marks Storybook Mountain's 36th vintage from California's native varietal. Mayacamas Ranch is their Napa Valley Estate containing the first plots planted in 1880. 2012 is also a spectacular vintage for Zinfandel.
This particular offering is quite wonderful in its youth with forward flavors of fresh blackberry, raspberry, baked pie, classic spice and roasted earth. There's also a hint of exotic dried sweet herbs and spice adding complexity to this blanketing red. Mouthfilling and long lasting on the palate, with great food-friendly restraint and balance, the ripe tannins frame the perfumed fruit perfectly. By no means is this wine undrinkable now, in fact it’s almost too smooth early on!! This is a great red for grilled steak and hearty, slow-cooked tomato-based stews with olives and eggplant. Storybook Mountain's Zins also have a real propensity to age and actually gain richness…no problem to lay a few bottles away and uncork them in a decade.
This particular offering is quite wonderful in its youth with forward flavors of fresh blackberry, raspberry, baked pie, classic spice and roasted earth. There's also a hint of exotic dried sweet herbs and spice adding complexity to this blanketing red. Mouthfilling and long lasting on the palate, with great food-friendly restraint and balance, the ripe tannins frame the perfumed fruit perfectly. By no means is this wine undrinkable now, in fact it’s almost too smooth early on!! This is a great red for grilled steak and hearty, slow-cooked tomato-based stews with olives and eggplant. Storybook Mountain's Zins also have a real propensity to age and actually gain richness…no problem to lay a few bottles away and uncork them in a decade.
