Featured Wines - June 2009

The 2006 Red Belly Black Chardonnay is a 100% Chardonnay that is sourced from several sites that lay atop an ancient limestone sea bed near Padthaway, Australia’s most renowned appellation for Chardonnay, as well as the Chardonnay friendly limestone cliffs above the Murray River. Together, these sites endow the 2006 Red Belly Black Chardonnay with a set of complex aromatics and a myriad of flavors that are nearly as indicative of French Chablis a...

Opening a bottle of Caldora wine is always a gratifying experience. In the case of the 2007 Caldora Sangiovese, the pleasure begins in the eye: ruby red and dressed to kill, the robe on this wine elicits a hedonistic stare. In fact, the 2007 Caldora Sangiovese is utterly enticing and nearly impossible to resist. Moreover, the wine’s visual allure is matched in the olfactory by a generous dollop of pure Sangiovese fruit, which is ever so deftly la...

A jewel of a wine, the 2007 Opawa Pinot Noir is one of the prettiest Pinot Noirs we’ve tasted in quite some time. Reminiscent of Premier Cru red Burgundy from Beaune, the bright, ruby red 2007 Opawa Pinot Noir seduces with its knockout nose, soft charm, and sensual flavor profile. This delectable Pinot Noir exhibits a fragrant aroma of old fashioned roses, plums, red cherries, and a waft of oriental spices – the very hallmarks it seems of the fin...

An intense young red from 100% Tempranillo vines the 2006 Emperador de Barros provides a mouthful of wine, and more. For starters, this purple potion offers luscious scents of red currant, kirsch, and plum that literally pour from the glass. With patience and a little aeration, these heady scents seep inextricably into the center of the wine and emerge full throttle on the palate. Aromatic, heady, and vibrant, the 2006 Emperador de Barros epitomi...

Fresh and snappy, the 2007 Pomelo Sauvignon Blanc provides an excellent introduction to Randy Mason’s exciting world of Sauvignon Blanc. More importantly, this juicy, complex Sauvignon Blanc offers a good dollop of drinking pleasure. Scents of ripe grapefruit, fig, pineapple, and herb tantalize the nose and then all joyfully re-present themselves in the mid palate of this racy, medium bodied Sauvignon Blanc. Creamy in texture and mighty easy to d...

Brilliant and precise, the 2007 Morgadío Albariño Rías Baixas provides grand testimony to the inherent greatness of Albariño and Morgadio’s high level of expertise with Spain’s must illustrious white varietal. Dry, pure, and beautifully scented, this remarkable white wine exhibits fresh apple and pear aromas, pinpoint minerality, and a crisp, long finish. This is a white wine for people who appreciate a truly dry, white wine. In no way does the 2...

The 2006 J. Rickards Ancestor Selections Vineyard reminds us of why we love good, old-fashioned California Zinfandel and why prime examples of this varietal (such as Rickards’ Ancestor Selections) sell out nearly overnight. Kudos to both Rickards and Holman for giving us a taste of our forbearers and an exuberant, gratifying Zinfandel to enjoy now and for years to come! A fleshy, flamboyant, and just plain fun to drink wine, the 2006 J. Rickards ...