Featured Wines - July 2006

A Certified Organic Wine, the 2003 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico exudes all the natural flavor and goodness of this great estate. The 2003 Coltibuono Chianti Classico is a formidable blend of Sangioveto (90%) and Canaiolo (10%) from a very hot vintage. Nonetheless, this pure, silky wine aptly reflects the hauntingly beautiful landscape of southern Tuscany, at the same time that it recalls all the auspicious attributes of Chianti Classico: b...

Wrought from Chile's outstanding 2003 vintage, Undurraga's 2003 Founder's Collection is a soft exquisitely textured Cabernet that not only tastes terrific now, it holds the promise of many more good years to come. From its deep majestic robe to its chocolate, menthol, spice box nose, straight through to its impeccably balanced finish this youthful Undurraga Cabernet shines with personality, good breeding, and great flavor. This is not the usual r...

An artful blend of Shiraz, Cabernet, and Merlot from one of Scarpantoni's original vineyard sites, the 2003 Scarpantoni School Block is the kind of red wine most of the wine drinking world wishes it could drink every night. Deep in color, rich in flavor, and smooth around the edges, the 2003 School Block is the ultimate Australian tonic. More specifically, Scarpantoni's 2003 School Block is an enchanted meritage style blend that combines the best...

Rosenblum Cellars Fess Parker Vineyard Santa Barbara Roussanne 2004 offers extraordinary rewards for those willing to explore and seek treasure, for this white wine is a true gem. Composed of 100% Roussanne from the celebrated Fess Parker Vineyard, this rare and unique grape varietal infuses this 2004 Rosenblum Cellars rendition with a complex blend of tropical aromas and flavors. When one holds a glass of the Rosenblum Roussanne, the aromatic pr...

The 2005 Villa Giada Moscato d'Asti is a light, lovely elixir that captures the essence of spring and captivates the senses. It exudes the pure scent and savor of Moscato: pear, peach, mango, and just enough of that kinky, exotic touch of true Moscato to be compelling. Perhaps, this is why Andrea Faccio's wine is so hard to put down. Moscato d'Asti is typically light, effervescent, low in alcohol, and long on flavor, but the Villa Giada is more t...

Light, lovely, and delightfully uncomplicated, the 2005 Château Lamothe de Haux Bordeaux Blanc embodies all that is good in white Bordeaux. A dazzling robe, replete with a pale yellow hue, captures the color of the summer sun and sets the table for the sprightly pleasure to come. For openers, the 2005 Château Lamothe flaunts a bright, seductive nose that recalls the scents and savors of early summer: aromatic herbs, citrus, fresh mown grass, and ...

The 2004 Mas Carlot Les Enfants Terribles Costières de Nîmes is a joyful medium-bodied wine that offers up as much pure, straightforward hedonistic pleasure as any young Rhône wine we have tasted lately. It proffers a dense purple robe for the eyes and a beautiful array of scents and savors to tantalize the nose and palate. Cherry and black fruits dominate an aromatic profile that artfully blends in touches of bark, pristine woodlands, pain grill...