Vol. 3 No. 4
Standard Selection - (1) Red, (1) White
Buckeley’s Cabernet-Merlot 1998 Australia
Domaine de la Collonge Pouilly Fuisse 1998 France
Buckeley’s Cabernet-Merlot 1998 Australia
A Century of Tradition in Winemaking
Buckeley’s wines are the brainchild of importer Peter Click and celebrated Australian winemaker Rob Dundon. Produced from South Australia’s finest vineyards in Barossa, McLaren Vale and Langhorne Creek (soon to be South Australia’s next designated viticultural area or appellation), Buckeley’s wines are all estate bottled at Dundon’s historic Beresford Winery.
Founded in 1896, the Beresford Winery is located in the picturesque Happy Valley of South Australia. Constructed on a grand scale from locally quarried stone, Beresford Winery stands as a testament to the wonderful insight of the original founders, the Horn brothers. The winery’s grand old bluestone cellars were built into a solid rock hillside - no mean feat in itself over 100 years ago - to such an extent that half of the winery building is completely underground, providing wonderful naturally cool cellars.
The Beresford Winery is constructed on four levels to take advantage of the slope and was originally intended to be an entirely gravity fed operation with grape reception at the top and final aging and dispatch on the lowest level. Apart from some of the original winemaking equipment which today serve as artifacts and historic memorabilia the original winery is in perfect working order. The massive jarrah posts and karri floorboards, reputedly hewn from old ship timbers and ballast, the 50 centimeter thick stone walls, the old vats, and even the resident friendly ghost - apparently the spirit of a dedicated cellar worker who died in the 1920 - all exude a wonderful history which engulfs all who visit this imposing structure.
Despite a checkered history between 1930 and the arrival of the current owner and winemaker, Rob Dundon in 1989, Beresford Winery has been restored to the Horn Brother’s original concept of producing estate-bottled wines of character that reflect the outstanding climate and soil ("Terroir" as the French would say) of South Australia’s finest vineyards.
State of the art winemaking equipment was installed in 1989 in such a way as to blend tradition, history, and modern technology. This ensures the production of some of South Australia’s finest wines, all under the Buckeley’s label. As with the Horn Brothers before him, Rob Dundon has won many awards and medals for his wines, guaranteeing him a burgeoning export, as well as domestic market. To date, Rob has accumulated over 1000 medals for his wines. Testament to Rob Dundon’s ability to fashion supple, rich, full-flavored wines that consumers desire, Buckeley’s is becoming increasingly more difficult to come by. Alas, this is the price of success. "Enjoy this wine while ye may".
Although Buckeley’s produces a Chardonnay, a Semillon/Chardonnay and a Shiraz, as well as the all splendid Cabernet/Merlot, it is the latter for which Buckeley’s is most renowned.
"To Have Buckeley’s or None": The Story Behind the Name
William Buckeley (1780-1856) was an Australian folk hero who had a life of considerable hardship involving more than several close brushes with death. After surviving it all, he retired to the bush to live with the local Aborigines for thirty-two years. Adopting many of their indigenous ways, he lived on a diet of witchetty grubs and possum, grew his hair long and wore simple clothes. Although he acquired the nickname of the "wild white man", all he really wanted was a little peace and quiet. Hence, the Australian colloquialism: "to have Buckeley’s or none" meaning to have little or nothing or to have nothing but your own way. In the spirit of the expression we hope you enjoy Buckeley’s wines: so drinkable you will always be searching for more.
Blended from Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot fruit grown in the McLaren Vale, Langhorne Creek and Barossa regions of South Australia, Buckeley’s Cabernet-Merlot contains 84% Cabernet Sauvignon and 16% Merlot. The entire cepage was aged in three year old French barriques for 15 months before bottling.
Tasting Notes: A distinctive, medium-bodied wine, the 1998 Buckeley’s Cabernet-Merlot combines all of the scent and savor of Australia in a Bordeaux format. Sporting a ruby claret-like robe, soft succulent scents of blackberry, chocolate, plum, spice and eucalyptus well from the glass. Well-integrated fruit, oak, nutmeg and spicy berry flavors make for good, old-fashioned drinking from start to finish. The addition of Merlot in the Buckeley’s has decidedly tamed the exotic, sometimes aggressive nature of Australian Cabernet Sauvignon without sacrificing flavor or finesse. In fact, the Buckeley’s Cabernet-Merlot is a flavorful, seamless wine of charm and distinction that can be easily understood and appreciated without a lot of muss or fuss. We suggest opening it at least twenty to thirty minutes before serving. The only problem with allowing this wine a chance to breathe is we bet you won’t be able to wait even twenty minutes before diving into this easy to drink beauty. Enjoy!
Accompaniments: Considering the Buckeley’s rich, ripe fruit and supple, textured feel, it complements a myriad of dishes without overpowering the natural flavors in food. We have enjoyed this wine as much with burgers and barbeque fare as we have with more haughty cuisine.
We can just as easily endorse Buckeley’s Cabernet-Merlot with a finely prepared crown roast of lamb as we can with a traditional steak and kidney pie. We have also enjoyed this wine immensely with ribs and kebabs. We like marinated, lightly grilled vegetables, too, as another accompaniment. Yet, one of our tasters proclaimed, "I don’t need food with the Buckeley’s, it’s my new sit around sipping wine." And, indeed there is something to be said for consuming this Cabernet-Merlot with all or nothing. It has just enough spice and savor to pair up with uptown offerings, while it retains a smoothness and suavity rarely seen in such a young wine, rendering it easy to enjoy on its own. As always, we hope you will experiment, because rarely is there only a handful of dishes that do justice to a wine. Be adventuresome; no matter what you choose, we bet you will be always searching for more.
Recipe for Red Wine:
Roast Leg of Lamb
1 five pound leg of lamb
½ tsp. Thyme
1 clove garlic – crushed
½ tsp. Sage
1 tsp. Salt
½ tsp. Marjoram
1 tsp. Pepper
1 Tbl. soy sauce
½ tsp. powdered ginger
1 Tbl. vegetable oil
1 bay leaf
Lemon juice
Preheat oven to 300. Combine garlic, salt, pepper, ginger, bay leaf, thyme, sage, marjoram, ginger, soy sauce, oil and lemon juice. Cut slits in the lamb and rub the sauce thoroughly over and into the meat. Place the meat on a rack in a roasting pan and roast uncovered, 18 minutes per pound for well done, 12 minutes per pound for rare. Transfer the meat to a warm platter and let stand for twenty minutes before carving.
Domaine de la Collonge
A Family Legacy for Three Generations
Tucked in the green folds of the lovely Maconnais, Gilles Noblet’s Domaine de la Collonge exploits nearly 20 acres of some of the very finest vineyards in the commune of Fuisse, the village at the very heart of this celebrated appellation. From superb "terroir", southeastern facing slopes on a bed of limestone and clay, Noblet produces only one wine - an outstanding Pouilly Fuisse.
Unlike the large cooperatives and even many small growers in Pouilly Fuisse, Gilles Noblet grows all of his own grapes for his award winning wines. Preferring to concentrate his efforts on what he does best, he grows only Chardonnay for his highly sought-after Pouilly Fuisse. To ensure proper handling and the ultimate selection of grapes for his wine, all of the domaine’s grapes are hand picked.
In the cellar, Noblet combines time-honored tradition with modern technology. All of his wine is fermented in temperature controlled tanks where it undergoes malolactic fermentation, before being transferred to large wooden foudres and small oak barrels. The small oak barrels are typically referred to as barriques.
The use of wood for aging of Pouilly Fuisse is practiced only by a small number of the best growers in Pouilly Fuisse because of the high cost involved in barrel aging (a good barrique costs $500 or more). Nevertheless, Noblet insists that time in oak allows Pouilly Fuisse to garner subtle complexity and develop secondary characteristics over time. We heartily agree. Noblet’s wine possesses the distinction of great refinement and freshness when young. Yet, it can age up to ten years or more in great vintages. Over time the floral richness and vanilla tones of a young Domaine de la Collonge give way to honey, hazelnut and grilled almonds. Yum!
Quality and attention to detail, from the vineyard to the consumer, are the hallmark of Gilles Noblet’s Domaine de la Collonge. Noblet himself supervises all aspects of vinification and production, including bottling all of his wine at the domaine. It is no wonder this estate’s wines are a cut above.----Merci infiniment, Monsieur Noblet.
Pouilly Fuisse: Pride of the Maconnais
Sandwiched between the fabled Cote de Beaune to the north and Beaujolais to the south, the Macon is a green land of pastures and spectacular geological formations, a paysage that comprises high bluffs that shelter prehistoric sites and limestone-rich slopes that produce one of the world’s prettiest and most eminently drinkable Chardonnay wines—Pouilly Fuisse. Without question, Pouilly Fuisse is the finest and most renowned wine of the Maconnais and one of the great white wines of Burgundy.
Like all of Burgundy’s finest white wines, Pouilly Fuisse is the result of the magic of Chardonnay and a superb "terroir" (soil, climate and exposure). Nowhere else in the dozens of Macon Villages does Chardonnay reach the height it attains in the four communes of Solutre, Fuisse, Vergisson and Chaintre that comprise the Pouilly Fuisse appellation.
Although terroir certainly plays an important part in the quality of Pouilly Fuisse, the wine of this celebrated appellation probably owes as much to its proximity to the large market town of nearby Macon as it does its own inherent quality. The accessibility to nearby Macon has in the past two centuries afforded the growers of Pouilly Fuisse an outlet, as well as a strong local market for their wines. Ultimately, it is this distribution outlet that has sparked the supply and demand quotient that has afforded Pouilly Fuisse growers the capital to push their wines to higher limits. The worldwide demand for Pouilly Fuisse has allowed growers to purchase modern wine equipment, limit yields and practice "elevage" or barrel aging, all of which contribute to the overall quality of Pouilly Fuisse.
At its best, Pouilly Fuisse is the quintessential aperitif: light, elegant and subtle with an abundance of flavor. In its youth, it is the most easily understood of the fine white wines of Burgundy. Although many critics believe Pouilly Fuisse should be consumed in its first three years of life when the beguiling floral and mineral tones speak of freshness, excellent examples from producers such as Gilles Noblet repay laying down, not unlike the more celebrated Chardonnay based wines to the north in Chablis, Chassagne-Montrachet and the surrounding Cote de Beaune.
Tasting Notes: "Elegant and lovely" was how one taster described the 1998 Domaine de la Collonge Pouilly Fuisse. "Liquid minerals with beguiling floral tones" was another retort. Essentially, this Noblet Pouilly Fuisse could be the poster child for the wine of this famous appellation. Indeed, Gilles Noblet has captured all of the supreme elegance and freshness, as well as the ethereal quality, for which Pouilly Fuisse is most revered. In addition, his wine is infused with subtle vanilla tones, hints of spring flowers and a pinch of hazelnut and spice that speak from deep within the wine. We suggest chilling this refined beauty a couple hours prior to serving, then allowing it a few minutes in the glass to open up and express its feminine charm.
Accompaniments: A pretty spring or summer evening, a gathering of old friends, a sophisticated party, a simply prepared grilled fish straight from the drink, all make for perfect accompaniments to the 1998 Domaine de la Collonge Pouilly Fuisse. In its youth delicate foods, light fare and uncomplicated sauces provide the best pairings with Pouilly Fuisse. However, as the wine matures, it takes on a richer, more textured flavor and broader profile, whereby cream sauces and fuller flavored sea foods like salmon and scallops provide more interesting company. One of our favorite recipes with the Noblet Pouilly Fuisse is a delightful scallop dish prepared in a cream sauce with either pecans or pistachio nuts. The scallops, nuts and Pouilly Fuisse offer an award winning evening, regardless of the rest of the company. Sole Meuniere provides another wonderful pairing with the Noblet Pouilly Fuisse, as does a light Seafood Primavera. A votre sante!
Recipe for White Wine:
Peconic Bay Scallops with Pistachios
1 lb. bay scallops
½ tsp. thyme, salt & pepper
2 Tbl. olive oil
1/4 cup white wine
2 Tbl. sweet butter
½ tsp. lemon juice
½ cup shelled pistachio nuts
2 Tbl. heavy cream
nutmeg to taste
Refrigerate scallops overnight in a stainless steal colander, allowing them to drain. If the accumulated juices are free from odors, reserve and set aside. If not, discard the juices.
Heat a 15-inch skillet over high heat, add the oil and ½ the butter. When butter is melted, but not brown, toss in the scallops and sauté for 2 minutes, constantly shaking the pan. Season, shake the pan once or twice and remove the scallops with a slotted spoon.
Pour off excess oil, leaving a light film. Add nuts and sauté until lightly brown. Add the wine and lemon juice to deglaze the pan and then add the cream and reserved scallop juices. Bring to a rapid boil to reduce by half. Sprinkle with herbs and nutmeg.
Return scallops to pan and add remaining butter. Blend briefly but do not overcook. Transfer to a warm dish and serve immediately.
Great Mother’s & Father’s Day Gifts
All Your Life You Drove Your Parents to Drink…
Maybe it’s Time You Had Some Delivered!
Both Mother’s Day and Father’s Day are rapidly approaching (May 14th and June 18th!) and we’ve got some Great Gift Ideas for you! And no, it’s not a Liberace Unplugged CD! We are of course talking about our Microbrewed Beer, International Wine & Premium Cigar of the Month Clubs! And to help you justify giving such an ideal gift to the people that put you on the planet, we’ve put together a special offer for our members only. Gift subscriptions of 3 mo.s or longer will receive a 25 % discount on the First month!
It’s quick. It’s easy. And it’s a gift they’ll not soon forget. Simply call us at 1-800-625-8238 and tell us when you want the membership to begin and how long you’d like it to run for (2-12 months), and we’ll do the rest!
Premium Microbrewed Beer of the Month Club
Each month, you’ll receive 12, twelve oz microbrewed beers. We target award-winning microbreweries with reputations for creative interpretations of classic styles, and unique and complex brewing techniques. The beers we select are distributed only in the regions where they are made. Our focus is on variety as well as quality… you will receive four different styles from at least three American microbreweries each month.
And each shipment includes our monthly newsletter, The Brew Harvest Review.You'll learn all about how each hand-crafted beer is made, what ingredients are used to create the unique distinct flavors, and what to look for when you taste each beer. Both the breweries and the brew masters are profiled in depth, so you’ll develop a keen appreciation for the industry as well as the microbrews.
The Cigar Society
Premium Cigar of the Month Club
There is a strong sense of mystique and allure to savoring an artfully prepared cigar. And The Cigar Society is committed to enhancing that inherent satisfaction, by offering you a sophisticated portfolio of rich flavors, and insights about the world’s best smokes.
Each month you’ll receive five, aged, highly rated, hand rolled cigars… a wide variety of flavor and aroma profiles, gauges and lengths, tobacco blends, and wrapper types.
And The Society Brief profiles each month’s selections in depth, including how and where they were rolled and what to look for when enjoying them. And you'll be able to reorder your favorite cigars at discounted prices.
For Members Only
Give Your Friends FREE beer, wine and cigars!
Through our Customer Appreciation Program
Your name has real value to your friends, co-workers and family members through our Customer Appreciation Program! Every time a friend, family member, or frankly anyone joins our Microbrewed Beer, Premium Cigar or International Wine of the Month Clubs [or gives a gift] for 3 months or longer, we'll give them 50 % off of their first month, but only when they mention your name. And we’ll also give you 50 % off your next month too which can either be applied towards your current membership or you can try one of our other Clubs out! (We can add one more month to your order at 50% off for prepaid memberships!)
The Fine Print: Members giving gift memberships do not qualify for referral credits and you can’t give yourself a gift to qualify! This Program is mutually exclusive of any other promotions.
Membership Q & A
Note: Please do not use the web site to make any account related information changes such as address or billing changes, membership extensions, or terminations. To ensure timely processing of your request, please call us at 800-625-8238.
Q: What can I do if I’m having difficulty receiving my shipment at home?
A: You should consider having our discrete box delivered to your work location or to a neighbor 21 yrs. of age that can receive it for you. The box is brown corrugated cardboard and doesn’t say “Wine” on it anywhere. Consider having it shipped to your work location as many of our customers do.
Q: What should I do if I’m moving or want to extend my membership?
A: Please call us prior to the 9 th of the month to make all account related information changes such as address changes, membership extensions & terminations, or gift accounts desiring to continue their memberships. Address changes made after that time may require a repackaging and re-shipping charge and will incur a $5.00 service charge from UPS that will be charged to your account.
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A: If your shipment arrives damaged, please call us immediately toll free at 1-800-625-8238 and report the incident for a prompt resolution.
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A: We will send you a courtesy notice asking you for an alternative payment method and your order will be temporarily suspended until we hear from you. As we incur a $ 2.00 re-processing fee each time your card does not clear, that charge is passed on to you.
Q: What happens if I join under a special incentive program and don’t stay a member for the entire term committed?
A: Not a problem. Although we want to do everything we can to keep you as a member, we will allow you to cancel your subscription early, however, you will be responsible to pay for the item which was given to you as part of the promotion. If you received a discount based on a specific term, the amount discounted will be charged to your card.
