Featured Wines - January 2006

A mélange of all the top white varietals from the finest vineyards in Languedoc, the golden hued 2004 H de l’Hospitalet Blanc shines likes the Provencal sun. Chardonnay, Viognier, Marsanne, Vermentino, and more combine to provide one delightful tasty concoction in this latest offering from Gérard Bertrand. The scents and savors of apricot, pineapple, and other tropical fruits dominate this luscious wine. Throw in a dollop of nectar, a pinch of Me...

The 2001 Santa Monica Tierra de Sol Chardonnay is no ordinary New World Chardonnay. It is neither brash nor flabby, and despite barrel fermentation it is definitely not all about oak Instead, Don Emilio chose to fashion his outstanding Tierra de Sol Chardonnay in the Burgundian tradition, which means this Chardonnay is built to last. The 2001 Santa Monica Tierra de Sol continues to wear a pale yellow robe and emit a heavenly scent reminiscent of ...

Bold and brooding, the nearly opaque 2003 Boccadigabbia Rosso Piceno possesses the color of aubergine on its edges, and in its forbidding center the wine appears as the deep well of blackness that seems to subsume the earth just before dawn. Make no mistake, this is no cherry colored strawberry scented whole berry fermented red. This is authentic, old-fashioned Rosso Piceno – the specialty of Italy’s Marches. In fact, Boccadigabbia is the finest ...

Balance is the hallmark of the 2003 Cape Mentelle Margaret River Shiraz. Despite its youth, the Cape Mentelle Shiraz is table ready and poised to offer a full-bodied tasting experience. A deep ruby red color and a gratifyingly voluptuous aroma let us know from the outset that here is a wine worth exploring. As one expects from a top quality Shiraz, a complex array of fruit flavors greets the palate. Pleasing in its intensity, an overall berry tim...

The 2003 Altico Monastrell-Syrah is a concentrated, velvety dry red wine with a hedonistic bent. Big, balanced and juicy, the 2003 Altico offers up copious quantities of ripe black fruits, subtle earth tones, and peppery spice in a very harmonious format – not unlike the more refined examples of Gigondas or even Châteauneuf-du-Pape that one encounters along the Rhône. And like all of Agapito Rico’s wines, the 2003 Altico is eminently drinkable an...

The 2001 La Ciarliana Vino Nobile di Montepulciano showcases the noble in this illustrious appellation’s name. In the words of one of the more artistic and philosophical members of the panel: “this is a very masculine wine, with a strong feminine side.” And indeed, the 2001 La Ciarliana Vino Nobile is a resonant, highly structured wine with plenty of mineral and tannin to assure a long healthy life. From a true Vino Nobile with a 28 day maceratio...

The 2002 Cape Mentelle Margaret River Chardonnay transports you to a breezy terrace overlooking a blue ocean harbor. The fresh and fruity aromas of the Cape Mentelle Chardonnay conjure memories of past summers and the pleasing, timeless fragrance of the sea. Perhaps a vision of the western coast of Australia, replete with breaks the envy of surfers around the world and a seascape speckled with billowing sails, will complete the image in your mind...