10/24/22 The Cellar Door's 'ANIMATED' HotSheet

2018 GRAMERCY CELLARS SYRAH
LOWER EAST
$24.99 BTL./$299.88 CASE

Initially the mission of this Gramercy Cellars wine was to make a Syrah at a lower cost as well as a thank you their industry friends and customers. The bigger secret that is revealed is just how high the quality truly is in this fabulous Washington Syrah that comes from one famed Walla Walla vineyard (Les Collines) and three prominent Yakima sites (Olson, Marcoux and the mighty Red Willow). Combine this with the fantastic 2018 vintage and fireworks go off.

Potpourri-like aromatics of sandalwood, licorice, driving black berry, smoked bacon and roasted earth carry over to a smooth, silky texture that has exquisite stand-up character, succulence and a finish that is long, airy and caressing. Drink over the next 6-8 years with braised short ribs, seared pork chops with a butter-mushroom-paprika sauce or something as simple as a Sunday meatloaf.

2020 BERTHAUT-GERBET
HAUTES-COTES-DE-NUITS ROUGE
$34.99 BTL./$419.88 CASE - LIMITED

Popular thinking is that Burgundy is expensive and there is certainly truth with that assessment. In fact, there is quite a movement towards highlighting wines from areas that were once not considered to be of a stately pedigree. I often state that I love all Burgundy and these days it excites me to no end to offer wines from top to bottom of this region that are remarkable and will please anyone who wants to dive in or a Burgundy diehard who likes to drink and learn from all the appellations.

Amelie Berthaut is one of Burgundy’s fast rising stars, reimagining the region of Fixin, just north of Gevrey-Chambertin. A range of wines is produced and this one comes from fifty-year-old vines situated just above Vosne-Romanee and Nuits Saint-Georges. Receiving all of the love that the Domaine’s top Premiers and Grands Crus, this wine is one hell of a glass of Pinot with refined, yet elusive aromas, quite formidable for just having Hautes-Cotes de Nuits appellation status. Cherry-pit, cooking herbs, violets give way to a texture that is well formed with excellent mid-palate depth, power and persistence. Moves nicely and given the power and depth of 2020, performs mightily. Drink over the next 10-12 years. In addition, a limited amounts of Berthaut-Gerbet’s Fixin, Gevrey, etc. available – Inquire!

2021 ROCCA DI MONTEGROSSI
TOSCANA ROSATO
$19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE

It is time to toss aside the archaic thought of solely drinking Rosé wine in summer. Truth be told, there are many wines that show even better after summer and into the following year. If after tasting this and your mentality hasn't changed then I recommend that you go home, kick your furnace up to 84 degrees and uncork some bottles of this stellar dry pink wine to get you in the late-October/upcoming holiday spirit.

Given the pedigree, perhaps this wine should be called Chianti Classico Riserva Rose since the grapes all come from the specific single vineyard of San Marcellino within the Classico zone. Alas, there is no such designation but nonetheless, it is flavorful, distinguished and full of pleasure. The 2021 is 100% Sangiovese, enticing, and explosive all at once. Generous and bursting aromas of strawberry, white pepper, sage and mineral lead into a brisk, mouth-filling, uplifting and invigorating texture that really coats and sweeps the palate clean. Have this one with spicy pasta dishes, grilled chicken or fish, and best yet, is that it will go with the many items on the holiday turkey or ham plate.

2020 TERRE NERE ETNA ROSSO
$23.99 BTL./$287.88 CASE

Marc de Grazia's Terre Nere wines from Sicily's Mt. Etna area certainly are among the finest on this still-active volcano. Not only are these sultry wines top-drawer, they still represent excellent price/quality rapport.

An outstanding Italian wine adventure from predominantly Nerello Mascalese, the new 2010 is ruby red in color with a persistent bouquet of mulberries, black cherries, mint and sage. Flavorfully textured, dry with plenty of generous, ripe fruit, all carrying into a lingering and balanced finish. We highly recommend drinking this hearty red over the next 3-4 years with grilled and roasted red meats or hard sheep's milk cheeses.

2020 DOMAINE DU CROS MARCILLAC
'LO SANG DEL PAIS'
$17.99 BTL./$215.88 CASE

For years, many have been trying to figure out France's obsession with Jerry Lewis movies. There are those who will now disclaim this saying that the generation is now a generation removed, but we do not believe it. Perhaps it is Jerry's lighthearted and forward way that totally goes against their nature, however, in some twisted way, the French must think that Jerry has as much soul as James Brown, Sly Stone or even Lionel Ritchie for that matter. What Jerry Lewis lacks in soul, the French more than make it up with soulful wines and nothing gets us more excited than underdog wines from off the AutoRoute regions, and the obscure region of Marcillac is one such area.

The remote Aveyron region is better known as the home for Roquefort cheese but there is delightful, country French wine produced there. The name of this wine translates into ‘blood of the country’ and this offering is a true taste of France’s once famed village life. Very red with aromas of licorice whip, crushed cranberry and mineral, it shows purity and great character. 100% of the Fer Servadou grape, the wine is bright, lively and full of life with a fun finish, it will go beautifully with pate, duck confit from the Laurelhurst Market, Kansas City barbecue (ribs or pulled pork, your choice), perhaps a grilled steak - you get the picture.

2020 BROADSIDE CABERNET SAUVIGNON
'MARGARITA' PASO ROBLES
$19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE

In order to counteract all the cerebral, refined, suave wines, we have to feature one disorderly version. Picture a loud, large, cold weather NFL fan with his shirt off and cheering on his team. Maybe a bit unsightly but a fun guy to be around. Broadside is a cool Paso Robles project that is relatively new to us and shows full, unapologetic full flavored California traits.

The 2020 Margarita is 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petite Verdot and is a love letter from Paso Robles. Charging aromas of boysenberry, telltale Paso chocolate-dust combine with spearmint and fragrant spice-box. In the mouth, there is plenty of judicious fruit from front to back which will appease all big cab-lovers. Smooth oak tannins give the wine extra spine and dimension. A crowd-pleaser that will make any Cab lover remove their shirt.

2016 MARCHESI DI GRESY
BARBARESCO 'GAIUN'
$99.99 BTL./$599.94 - 6 PACK

95 Points – The Wine Advocate…2016 for Barbaresco (and Barolo) are in the Rushmore realm of the likes of 1989, 1999 and 2006, seamless vintages that do not come around very often. Marchesi di Gresy is one of the most important and legendary producers in all of Barbaresco and they solely own a magical single vineyard that sits right in a sweet amphitheater called Martinenga. Originally, a member of the Produttori del Barbaresco until 1973, current proprietor Alberto Di Gresy wished to showcase his single cru, thus making his own statement in the bottle. Over the last 30+ years, he has definitely succeeded with superb wines that have been renowned and loved by Piedmont aficionados the world over.

Within Martinenga are two supremely special sub-sites that are only produced in top vintages. Gaiun sits up at the top and just below the renowned Asili vineyard. Its brother Camp Gros (see next wine) sits next to Rabaja. Asili, Martinenga, Rabaja, quite a respectable Grand Cru neighborhood indeed! Intense nose of coriander, rose petal, red plum and subtle coffee. Asphalt and spices come out. Lots of depth and persistence. Rich, broad, Grand Cru depth follows into the mouth, which shows poise, but the firmly structured tannins are all about this section of Barbaresco. The finish is polished, expansive and mouth-coating. Easily a 20-year ager but will be approachable by 2025.</div>