Friday January 29, 2010 Downtown Tasting

Domaine A. Cailbourdin Pouilly Fume “Les Cris” 2006
on sale at $11.96, reg. $27.99
(100% Sauvignon Blanc; Loire Valley, France)
“Ripe gooseberries can be discerned in the aromas... Citrus zest, anise, fresh herbs and wet stones on the nose, with a suggestion of white flowers.... Firm on entry but soft in the middle, with gentle acids framing lime.... Ripe but juicy and taut in the mouth, with a strongly mineral flavor of liquid stone lifted by grapefruit and spring flowers.... There is a steely, flinty character in this medium-bodied, dry, impressively-extracted, fresh, vibrant Pouilly-Fume.” (We cut and pasted this from reviews of several vintages by Stephen Tanzer and Robert Parker.)

Laurent Miquel, Chardonnay-Viognier 2008
On Sale at $6.96, regularly $9.99, For two weeks thru 2/1/10
Laurent Miquel makes wine in the town of Cessnon-sur-Orb in the hills of the northern Languedoc in sunny southern France. This Chardonnay-Viognier (vee-own-yay) blend is part of their Pere et Fils line, named after Laurent and his father, Henri. I love the interplay of its floral, peach, and pear aromas; its round palate and fresh, lively acidity; and its soft, dry finish.

Masciarelli, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2006, $9.99
(100%  Montepulciano; Abruzzo, Italy)
East of Tuscany on the Adriatic coast lies the province of Abruzzo. There they make an easygoing, well-priced, everyday wine called Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. In Italy this construction always means the grape of the town/region. So Barbera d'Alba means the Barbera grape of the town of Alba, and Vino Nobile de Montepulciano means the “noble wine”of the town of Montepulciano (Sangiovese grape).
“One wine that I have never known anyone to dislike is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. It is about as fun to drink as it is to say. It is fruity yet earthy, juicy yet dry, naughty yet nice. You get blackberries and black truffles for less than $10 a bottle. Seriously, I recommend keeping a half case of it alone on hand.” --Megan Headly, C-ville Weekly, 12/15/2009

Bodegas Borsao, “Vina Borgia” Campo de Borja 2008, $7.99
It is the flagship of the winery and our most international wine. It has a very clean look, with an intense cherry red colour and violet tones. In the nose, one can appreciate a deep aroma of mature fruit with floral tones. In the mouth, it is a wine with body and pleasant tannins in perfect harmony with its tartness that gives us a wine rich in red fruit hues with spicy tones typical of the high quality Garnacha. In addition, it has a retro-nasal aroma that brings back the olfactory sensations of its youth and a long, complex aftertaste.
Varieties: 70% Garnacha, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Tempranillo.

Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona, Toscano IGT Rosso, $11.99

Bodegas Castaño, "Solanera" 2005 On Sale $9.96, reg. $16.99

Bodegas Castano Monastrell Dulce Yecla (500 ml) on sale at $, reg. $29.99
(100% Monastrell; Yecla, Alicante, Spain)
On the Plaza de Toros in Spain’s hot, eastern inland town of Yecla, Ramon Castaño Santana and his three sons are changing expectations of Yelca from rough, high-alcohol plonk to polished, elegant wines...This begins with the same sentence as the Wine of the Week because it comes from the same winery, Bodegas Castano. The 2003 Monastrell Dulce is produced from ungrafted pre-phyloxera vines in the style of Banyuls with fermentation stopped by the addition of alcohol.
“Dark and dense it releases an enormously fruity impression which will overpower anything else 
brought within smelling range: aromas of sun-dried raisins (plums, sultanas, fig bread, caramelised milk pudding) and crystallized with a background of cocoa powder and thoughts of toffee. A plethora of scents which give it great complexity. On the palate it is dense, sweetish, generous with  a surprising acidity which gives it freshness and does not feel exhausted, but leaves us with a long-lasting aftertaste of raisins. Tannins are there, but do not intrude. An exciting wine, seductive and provocative. Its perfection will be reached with desserts where chocolate predominates, caramelised puddings, blue cheeses (Stilton, Roquefort,Cabrales, Gorgonzola, Valdeón…) and with cream cheeses such as Torta de Casar or de la Serena.” --winery       

“Inky, saturated violet. Deep scents of boysenberry, dark chocolate, licorice candy and molasses. Very rich on the palate, with broad, sweet dark fruit flavors enlivened by juicy acidity. An interesting forest floor note reminiscent of young vintage port joins the chewy dark berry flavors on the long finish, but the wine remains bright. 90 points.” –Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar
Also 92 points.–Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate

Archived Tasting Notes

Broadbent Selections Tasting

This tasting was on 12/18/2009

Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2008 - $14.99
(100% Sauvignon Blanc; Marlborough, NZ)
“Spy Valley is a small, single-vineyard estate located in Marlborough, New Zealand's premier wine growing region. Marlborough is an agricultural area with diverse, fertile soils, and more sunshine hours than any other region of New Zealand. Powerful fruit aromas of passionfruit, grapefruit and an underlying 'sweat' character. Complex mineral and sweet-pea notes add interest. Rich and ripe with generous palate weight. Sweet fruit flavours dance over the tongue and end with a sustained, dry finish.”

Bodegas Weinert Carrascal White 2007 - $11.99
(70% Sauvignon Blanc 30 % Chenin Blanc; Mendoza, Argentina)
Founded in 1975, Bodega y Cavas de Weinert is located in Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina´s cradle for top quality wines. The original building of 1890 of spanish colonial architecture, reminiscent of an old winery owned by the family Otero until 1920, catches the eye by its beauty, inviting those who pass by to know what it guards in its inside. A crisp and refreshing blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc. A great summer wine perfect for grilling or picnics.

Chateau Musar Cuvee Blanc 2008 - $15.99
(Chardonnay, Viognier, Vermintino; Bekaa Valley, Lebanon)
Chateau Musar was established in Lebanon in 1930 by Gaston Hochar, and the winery is presently run by his two sons, Serge and Ronald. Serge studied oenology at the University of Bordeaux and has been the winemaker at Chateau Musar since 1959, successfully delivering nearly every vintage despite Lebanon's wartime difficulties. In1984, Decanter Magazine recognized Serge for his winemaking skill and his courage, naming him the magazine's inaugural Man of the Year. Château Musar makes every effort at producing totally natural wines, letting each one develop its own character. The Cuvee Musar is the second wine of the Chateau.

Chateau Musar Cuvee Rouge 2007 - $15.99
(Cinsault, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah; Bekaa Valley, Lebanon)

The vineyards of Château Musar are located at an altitude of over 3,000 feet (1,000 meters) in the Bekaa Valley where the vines are sheltered by the surrounding mountains running parallel to the Mediterranean coast. They cover 180 hectares and produce a limited yield of about 35 hl/ha. The Bekaa Valley is almost frost and disease free, with long mild summers, rainy winters with an annual rainfall of 500mm, and an average temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. The vines are grown on a gravely soil with a limestone base. The composition varies from one year to the next, giving Château Musar a different character and identity each year. The Cuvee is made with more Cinsault than then Grand Vin and without oak aging.

Casa Ferreirinha Esteva 2007 - $13.99
(Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Barroca; Douro, Portugal)
The Douro Region is one of the most important and oldest demarcated regions in the world. Wine-growing in the Region has been practiced seen time immemorial and its increase during Roman occupation is well known. Casa Ferreirinha wines are decidedly "old world" in style, showing the terroir of the Douro, ripe fruit with good structure and long aging potential. These are from the same vineyards and grape varieties that Port comes from so naturally these are big, flavorful wines. No table wines were commercially made in the Douro for over 200 years until Ferreira made their first Barca Velha in 1953. Ever since then, this has been considered the greatest wine from Portugal and the Douro has become know as the finest red wine producing region in the country. Because of what Ferreira started, other producers have followed and table wine is now almost 50% of the wine produced in the Douro. Esteva is a blend of Tinta Roriz, Touriga Franca, and Tinta Barroca grapes from vineyards in the Upper Douro, aged in used French oak barrels. This name comes from a white flower that grows wild in the Douro and is made for consuming within two to six years from the vintage date.

Bodegas Weinert Carrascal Red 2005 - $11.99
(45% Malbec, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot; Mendoza, Argentina)
This is Argentina's answer to Château Musar: traditionally made with an unusual, old-fashioned character that toys with the border of faultiness. And in an age when all wines appear to be beginning to taste the same, it's a very welcome change. A blend of Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, it has a rich, savoury, slightly leathery nose. It's not overtly fruity, and there's a little bit of volatile acidity. The medium-bodied palate shows some herby, spicy character, and there's a touch of sweetness to the fruit. Some meatiness emerges after a while and there's spicy complexity. Old fashioned in a nice way.

Broadbent Fine Rich Madeira - $16.99
(Tinta Roriz (Tempranillo), Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca, Tinta Barroca; Douro, Portugal)
Imported from Madeira, a volcanic island 400 miles off the North African coast, Broadbent Madeira is the product of Michael and Bartholomew Broadbent, both world renowned Madeira experts. The wines were hand-selected on the island by Michael Broadbent, Chairman of Christie's International Wine Department and the world's most experienced taster of Madeira. Bartholomew Broadbent is deemed one of the world's foremost authorities on Port and Madeira, and is credited with spearheading the revival of Madeira in America. Aged in oak casks for at least 3 years, the Fine Rich Madeira has a concentrated aroma and intense flavor. It can be served with dessert, cheese, or as an after dinner drink.