Wine Club Newsletter - November 2012
By Gary Parker The holiday season is here, and as typical this time of year, many wine collectors will raid their wine lockers to pick out the wines they want to serve with their celebratory gatherings, myself included. This is just one of the great benefits of collecting wine, the topic of my column this week. As you may know, I (a.k.a. The WineSellar & Brasserie) have been storing wine for individual wine collectors for nearly 30 years. Some people store one or two cases with us, one enthusiast has over 1,000 cases here. The average sized collection is about 30 cases, or 360 bottles. I am not sure if that sounds like a lot or a little to you. Once you get the bug, it seems like you can never have too many bottles of wine. I mean, 360 bottles is only a years worth of wine to some. It can make you insecure, only a year’s worth! So why do you start a wine collection? Because we know that fine wine improves with age, and historically, collectible wine increases in value as it gets more complex and rare over time. For example, if you bought a wine today for $50 to store for ten years, provided you purchase an age-worthy wine, it will likely increase in value during the period you’re storing it. Not that you would consider selling the wines at a later date, but to purchase that same wine ten years later would cost significantly more than $50 . . . if you could even find it. This is part of the reason you start a wine collection. Another is having a passion for wine, and the anticipation associated with the ownership of a delectable you will someday consume. The soul of wine collecting belongs within the confines of bottles you put in your cellar, the wines that you best relate too. Usually there is a story behind the wine people collect. It is a wine from a winery visit, from a certain region, varietal, or a wine that just knocked them out when they tried it. Many wine collectors are savvy, and purchase only wines that they have tried. These are not necessarily limited to expensive bottles of wine, but include wines that may be under the radar as far as notoriety or fame, but still quite excellent and age worthy. This is my favorite style of wine collection, one where the owner ferreted out the quasi-hidden gems and invested in a future together with them. They all have good stories and memories to go with their bottles. Another type of collection is the one where all the “Big Boy Name” wines in unopened wood boxes are stacked in up the cellar each vintage, most likely not even tried before they were purchased. I think of wines like Chateau Mouton Rothschild, Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Chateau Latour and other high end Bordeaux that are famously rated high by the critics, and yield a hefty price tag. However, these are the wines that tend to increase the most in value, and are the easiest to purchase and perhaps sell at a later date, should they choose to do so. Another reason for building a wine collection is sharing it with friends later down the road. This has always been so rewarding for me, to share a bottle of wine that I have kept for many years to mark a moment in time with a friend, fellow collector, or loved one. It says a lot to the person you are sharing it with. You have taken the time and energy to save the wine, it cannot be replaced, and it is going to be served to them, exclusively. It is a sign of caring and friendship, as well as a mutual appreciation for a special wine that you have held for years, just for this moment. It’s particularly fun as I get up in years, as I now have wine I purchased 30 years ago, waiting patiently for their manifestation and gracing my table. I was married in 1985, and bought enough wine from that vintage to enjoy one for every anniversary date for the 27 we have celebrated so far. I’m just staring to get a little nervous, because I only have 19 bottles of 1985 left, so I am not sure if the wife is going to leave me or I won’t be around after 19 years. Consequently, I am always on the hunt for a good 1985 vintage collectible to help quash my insecurities. I also have wines that were produced in the year the wife was born, and in fact, many of my friend’s birthdates. It’s fun to pop a bottle from their birth year on them. Earlier this year I had a dinner party in the private dining room in The Brasserie with fourteen very good friends, and I had a bottle of wine from the year each couple got married. That was really fun, and the gesture showed these people that I have a special place in my heart for them. That was a great benefit of collecting wine. Finally, a last piece of advise for those who wish to participate in this admirable, gratifying hobby: Don’t buy too much of one kind of wine. I’ve seen more than a few people start with all California Cabernet, which is then replaced by Bordeaux, then replaced again by Burgundy, and missing everything in between. It seems to me in the beginning, collectors are attracted to the bolder, full flavor wines, and later they are more appreciative of the subtle and gentle complexities some wines have to offer. So spread your wine collective love to all kinds of wine, and share the joys of wine collecting with your friends and loved ones for the holidays and special events to come. Gary Parker, Owner The WineSellar & Brasserie Growing Region: Friulano, Italy Varietal Blend: 100% Friulano Fermentation: Steel Tank Fermentation Suggested Retail: $24.00 WineSellar Club Case Price: $18.53 Broad Strokes: The name Tocai Friulano is officially banned from wine labels exported from Italy, as the Hungarians argued (and won) that the name “Tocai” can easily be confused with their great dessert wine, Tokaji. So now it is called “Friulano” versus Tocai Friulano. It has long been established that the vine variety known as Tocai (Friulano) is in fact a relative of Sauvignon Blanc known both as Sauvignon Vert and Sauvignonasse. The wine it produces is fuller-bodied and less aromatic than Sauvignon Blanc but can produce perfectly wonderful wine with vigorous acidity and fresh, sappy fruit, sometimes with a sort of ‘green’, leafy streak. Appearance: Nose: Texture: Flavor: Serving Options: Growing Region: Scansano (Montalcino), Italy Varietal Blend: 100% Sangiovese Fermentation: Steel Tank and Vat Fermentation Suggested Retail: $20.00 WineSellar Club Case Price: $16.19 Broad Strokes: The Grand Duke of Tuscany christened the vines here as "Morellino" in recognition of the very black coloring of the grapes. The name derives from the dark mantle, "morello", of the breed of Maremma horses that were once used to tow the cars. Appearance: Nose: Texture: Flavor: Serving Options: Growing Region: Los Carneros, Napa Valley, California Varietal Blend: 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah Fermentation: French Oak, 20% New Suggested Retail: $37.00 WineSellar Club Case Price: $29.69 Broad Strokes: From the winery: Le Corbeau (The Raven) is predominately Grenache, made in the style of the seductive and expressive wines of the Chateauneuf du Pape region of the Rhone Valley. This is a “thinkers wine”, very complex from start to finish. (Note: if you don’t feel like thinking you still will enjoy!). The 2007 Le Corbeau will age beautifully for the next 6-10 years and pairs nicely with duck, lamb, venison, wild mushrooms, cassoulet and stews. Growing Region: Central Burgenland, Austria Varietal Blend: 40% Blaufrankisch, 27% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, 10% Syrah Fermentation: Stainless Steel and Barrel Fermentation Suggested Retail: $38.00 WineSellar Club Case Price: $31.49 Broad Strokes: Growing Region: Carneros, Sonoma County, California Varietal Blend: 100% Pinot Noir Fermentation: 19 Months of Barrel Fermentation Suggested Retail: $75.00 WineSellar Club Case Price: $67.50 Broad Strokes: LaRochelle is calling this line of wines the Grand Cru Collection, which features extremely limited production, and fruit is source only from the finest sites in California. Only 115 cases of this wine were produced. Appearance: Nose: Texture: Flavor: Serving Options: Growing Region: Santa Rita Hills, California Varietal Blend: 100% Syrah Fermentation: French Oak Suggested Retail: $23.00 WineSellar Club Case Price: $19.79 Broad Strokes: Not quite. Not Rozak. Somewhat "old school" and definitely below the radar, Rozak Vintners began as Rozak Ranch Vineyard off the grid at the end of a remote dusty road on the outside corner of the AVA. As a city kid, I was somewhat unprepared for the significant challenges that followed starting with nothing more than a bare piece of earth with no power, phone, water, roads and certainly no vines! The local ranchers and farmers just rolled their eyes and said "what the hell is everybody going to do with all those grapes?" They most certainly could not understand or grasp the concept of restricted yields and sustainable farming. Here is a great holiday recipe, which works very well with Pinot Noir or a strong, assertive white wine. Ingredients:Primer For Collecting Wine
2010 Scubla, Friulano, Colli Orientali del Friuli (November, 2012 - The WineSellar Club)
90 Point Rating in the Wine Advocate!!!
I really like the packaging overall – it is unique in its label design and coloring, and features a good, well weighted, sturdy bottle. The wine shimmers in the light, looking clean, brilliant and the viscosity is quite present as the wine clings to the inside of the glass. The hue is straw/corn, with little flickers of green streaks.
Flint and roasted pine nuts layer the assertive tropical fruit, mostly papaya. You can sense the firm acidity from the nose, which also reveals a fine mineral component. Notice the vanilla essence and Lychee nut aromatics.
The wine is medium bodied, and feels very weighty, thick in the mouth upon entry, through to the finish. It expands in your mouth, as the youthful, lively acidity keeps the rich fruit in check. The finish is long and clean.
To the nose we go for the flavor profile. Tropical fruit center (papaya, mango) has some citrus characteristics, mainly orange and very ripe Meyer lemon. On comes the mineral, with some chalk and stone like fruit, with the roasted pine nuts (and almonds) as well as the Lychee nut flavors.
Folks, this wine will improve for another 2-3 years, so it will make great drinking next summer. It definitely has the fortitude to stand up to most any dish that needs a white wine accompaniment.2011 Morellino di Scansano, Tenuta Chiaccio Forte (November, 2012 - The WineSellar Club)
The Chiaccio Forte Estate extends through the heart of the Maremma area, in Scansano, and the name is linked to the nearby ancient Etruscan site. Sangiovese is the most important grape variety grown in the vineyards.
There is no doubting you are holding an Italian bottle of wine in your hand as you take a first look at the packaging. I like the looks of it overall, as it is totally appropriate for what’s inside. The wine is beautiful, with a dark red/gray center with burnished edges. It is also very viscous.
Classic Sangiovese nose, with a bit of earth, leather, herbs and solid black cherry fruit. I kept getting chestnut and chicory wafts, along with crushed herbs (mostly sage) tobacco leaf and tree bark. There are some wood notes, but are quite mild overall.
The wine has a really cool texture. It is medium in body, with excellent balance, showing good length in the middle, with a nice, crisp acidity to hold it all together. It is mouth watering as you drink it, making your lips smack, and finishes with a touch of astringency.
A very good bit of complexity with its juicy red fruits of strawberry and cherry. The excellent balance helps the flavors come through evenly, such as spice and herbs chicory, sage, nutmeg, tree bark, anise and tobacco. It’s really a lovely drink.
I can’t think of anything more perfect to have with the “Morrelino” than Italian food. Medium spiced pastas, pizza’s, salami and cheese are waiting to be combined with this beauty. Take me to Italy!2007 Elyse, “Le Corbeau”, Hudson Vineyard (November, 2012 - Two-Rouge Club)
91 pts Connoisseurs' Guide, 90 pts Wine Enthusiast
Appearance:
Very good packaging overall, although it is hard to read the particulars off the label. Even when you do make out the words, it isn’t particularly revealing as to what’s inside. The size 6 font on the back label provides more info, if you feel like straining. The wine itself is beautiful, black at the core, with a dark ruby magenta rim dripping red/black wine curtains.
Nose:
I love the nose, and the wine overall. Smoky, charcoal underlies deep black fruit, red fruits, anise, roasted nuts, kirsch, hazelnut, almond skin and black pepper. A fruit bomb nose that keeps coming at you, changing it, it is fascinating and complex.
Texture:
Did I say fruit bomb? The wine is explosive. It is creamy and rich, large and velvety, decadent and nearly perfect in the mouth. It has a very classy structure. You’ll notice a rich sweetness that comes to you in the middle palate, lingering for what seems to be a minute, and then finishes with a nice touch of astringency.
Flavor:
In the flavor profile, there is no sign of the wine being five years old, aside of it having complexities that come only with age. It is still youthful, with exuberant black and red fruits that are laced with toasty oak. Roasted nuts, strawberry, black cherry, black pepper, raspberry, kirsch, and listen to these: soy, worchestire, maple syrup, Dr. Pepper/cola. So there!
Serving Options:
Just drink it and enjoy life. This is a total winner of a wine, and makes me glad I am in this industry that allows me experiences such as these.2009 K & K Kirnbauer, “Das Phantom” (November, 2012 - Two-Rouge Club)
Winery Notes: Central Burgenland - better known as the wine lovers BLAUFRÄNKISCH COUNTRY - is in the eastern province of Austria. The most famous wine villages of central Burgenland are Horitschon, Neckenmarkt, Lutzmannsburg and foremost http://www.deutschkreutz.at/&usg=ALkJrhgpWSlUOePwA3ArlTGw96NKEtQRVg">German Kreutz.
Surrounded by three hills to the north, west and south and by the geographical proximity to Europe's largest steppe - Lake Neusiedl - could build a particularly wind-protected and storing the heat microclimate. Deep, loamy clay soils make red wines - especially the BLAUFRÄNKISCH - produced in a quality never before achieved in Central Europe.
Appearance:
It does have the all the artistic trappings of a phantom. Black, with silver font that is fitting to the theme. The boxes they come in also are very nice. The red garnet hue is quite pretty, with the wine having a touch of magenta on the edge of the glass.
Nose:
The first note that leaps out from the glass is none other than the predominate Blaufrankisch, which may remind you of broken branches, freshly stirred earth and brooding spice. Later, you’ll detect wild berry, cherry and perhaps cranberry, and notes of wood, yeast and dough.
Texture:
The international varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah) bring lushness to the palate, which softens up the more rustic Blaufrankisch. The wine is smooth, velvety, medium in weight, and very easy to drink.
Flavor:
Dark berry fruit with strawberry attacks the front of the palate. Reminiscent of a delicious home made cherry and raspberry pie I had recently; compote, light spice (cinnamon), piecrust, and vanilla ice cream.
Serving Options:
Food makes this wine sing out loud. Medallions of veal in natural juices and herbs would be excellent, as would lamb dishes.2009 LaRochelle Pinot Noir, Donum Vineyard (November, 2012 - Gary Parker Collection)
While this is the first LaRochelle wine that we have brought into the store for quite some time, Donum has always been a favorite for beautifully elegant Pinot Noir. This wine is a first for LaRochelle as well, as it is the first time they have harvested fruit from the Donum Vineyard. The Donum clone is a Massal (best and strongest vine survive) selection from a grouping of clones brought to California by the Champagne House, Roederer. The clone has been the workhorse for excellent Pinot Noir producers such as Calera, Chalone, Hanzell and Swan.
For as great as the wine is, Ii don’t understand the difficult to read (if not impossible) label that is closer to Braille. OK, OK Gary, leave it alone. The wine is fantastic looking, inviting, enticing, solid and richly colored.
Rare meat, beefy, dark fruit, plum, vanilla, Indian spices are some of the aromatics that come to you earlier on. As it opens, we get increased level of fruit (wine was closed for 10 minutes). Woodnotes of vanilla, mahogany wood, chocolate/vanilla and underbrush come about.
That great, irreplaceable Pinot Noir texture comes front and center. Although a “big” style Pinot, it still carries elegance with its sweet and silky impression as it spreads evenly over the palate through the very long, very pleasing finish. Gorgeous.
I’ll try to keep it brief, as I could go on and on. Rich berry fruit is captured by dark mahogany wood and essence of even darker fruits come forward as it develops. Ripe, stewed cherry fruit with spice, strapped leather, hot roasted nuts and black tea are to die for.
This is a 2009 that is still in the stage of infancy. If you ever want to put away a good Pinot Noir for 6-10 years and watch it become a miracle, this is it!2006 Rozak Syrah, Santa Rita Hills (November, 2012 - Gary Parker Collection)
From the Winery:
New! Improved! Flashy! Catchy New Names!
Appearance:
And looking at the comments from the winery, it translates directly to the packaging/label that is simple and unassuming, which is nice. However, it doesn’t represent the quality of the wine inside. The actual wine itself is beautiful looking, opaque at the center, and still very dark red at the edges. Clinging curtains.
Nose:
Deep, rich black fruits with cherry and plum. The nose is assertive, with black and white pepper, crush of herbs, licorice, and a nice, dark, damp earth touch to it as well. Mineral, and complex.
Texture:
Did you see it was from the 2006 vintage? That translates to a softer tannic and youthful acid profile, which this Syrah totally displays. It’s balanced, rich, even, has some creaminess, and is long in the mouth and finish.
Flavor:
Black fruits most assuredly, with black and white pepper, Indian spices (cardomon) and a note of very ripe black olive. Maybe a touch of prune is in there. The wood treatment is nice, smoky, with some vanilla oak presence, kind of feeling like a long grain wood. The mineral line of flavor stays with you all the way. Nice
Serving Options:
I’m having mine with lamb stew. Will keep for a few more years. Can you believe the price for a 2006? Awesome!!!Chestnut Fennel Soup
Method:
To serve, heat the wild mushrooms and divide between 6 warm soup plates.
Ladle the soup over the mushrooms, and serve immediately.
The WineSellar & Brasserie