Featured Wines - May 2011

The 2009 Martinsancho is a veritable tour de force in winemaking and the most profound dry Verdejo we have ever tasted. The 2009 Martinsancho sports a beautiful sun splashed robe and a knockout nose. An amplifying aroma of apricot, fresh citrus, spring flowers, minerals, and liquid stones – all of which signal a purity rarely seen in other white wines – wafts from the glass and caresses the nose.

Framed by gentle, dusty tannins that add both balance and definition to the wine, the textured 2005 Koonowla Cabernet Sauvignon makes a compelling case for Clare Valley as a premier source for bright, personality-filled Cabernet Sauvignon. Moreover, it is nearly impossible to believe this wine weighs in at 15% alcohol. With the 2005 Koonowla Cabernet there is no massive tannin to fight through, nor does one have to hunt for the rich, succulent flavors that only physiologically ripe Cabernet can offer.

If one could imagine a blend of California Chardonnay, Puligny-Montrachet with its enticing cachet of texture and purity, and the refinement and eminent drinkability that emanate from the most beguiling wines of Pouilly-Fuissé, it may well be the 2009 Biltmore’s Reserve North Carolina Chardonnay. Neither big nor brawny, this Chardonnay ingratiates with soft natural tasting flavors, which are enhanced by extensive oak barrel aging, rather than obscured by it.

Heady with the scents of red and black fruits, mint, eucalyptus, and subtle spice, the deeply colored 2008 Langhorne Crossing is a smorgasbord for the nose. On the palate, it expresses a beautiful spectrum of berry flavors, a gentle complex herbaceous tenor, and smooth spice tones from 15 months in American and French oak barrels. Although elegant and smooth from the moment the bottle is opened, we found the 2008 Langhorne Crossing Red to handsomely reward aeration.

The 2005 Rosenthal The Malibu Estate Meritage (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Petit Verdot) showcases the finest barrels of the four Bordeaux varietals grown at the estate. And thanks to exceptional Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc in 2005, the 2005 The Malibu Estate Meritage positively sings from the glass. It is in our experience the greatest single Meritage from Rosenthal to date.

On the palate this youthful Prieto Picudo is generous and mouth filling. It explodes on the tongue with a burst of juicy, red and black fruit flavors, seasoned with hints of anise and freshly ground spices. On the back end, excellent structure and a warm, long finish round out the pleasure profile of this unique wine and leave the senses begging for more.

Marvelously consistent with each release, Nino Franco's Prosecco Rustico Brut NV is an outstanding example of the exuberant Valdobbiadene style of Prosecco. It graciously embodies all that is good about an awakening land and the fruits of the harvest. It offers up the light, lovely scents of pear, apple, and white peach, all of which are entwined in a delicate, round body. In addition, what makes the Rustico even more appealing is that it offers ...