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Carl's Picks

May 2010

2009 Brumales Torrontes Clasico, Lujan de Cuyo
$8.99

This lovely Torrontes from Detour Imports is just the perfect wine for those warm and even not-too-warm summer days. Orange citrus notes and white peaches are predominant on the nose and palate. Incredibly well-balanced, this white wine is a pleasure to drink. Sip it by itself or seve with any number of dishes such as chicken, fish, or pasta. I had it with a lemon pasta and shrimp - it was perfect!

2007 Silex d'Orfeuilles, Vouvray
$19.99

I've always loved this Chenin Blanc from the Loire. The soil "silex" adds a very special taste to the wine: hrebal, citrus and mineral notes from the nose to palate make this an incredibly well-balanced wine. Have it with any number of chicken and fish dishes.

April 2010

2008 Chateau de Fongrave, Entre-Deux-Mers
$14.99

This Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blend is a wonderful white Bordeaux. Citrus and herbal notes combine with just the right amount of acidity to give it the balance and zing to keep you intrigued and asking for more. Great as an aperitif, but it would also be wonderful with any shellfish or white fish.

March 2010

2003 Heredad de Esporão Trincadeira, Alentejo
$16.99

This Portuguese red from the southern region of Alentejo is a luscious wine that is amazingly sensual on the palate. Spice, wood and roses on the nose are only a teasing introduction to when you take your first sip of this amazing wine. The spices and the fruit add to creaminess on the palate. I won't say more, but let you discover how great this wine is. What to have with it, I guess you could, but I would just like to savor its smooth sensuality.

January/February 2010

2006 Foley Pinot Noir, Santa Rita Hills
$37.99

I am a lover of Pinot Noir in all its forms and creations, admittedly, with a preference to some (Burgundy) more than others. This California Pinot from the South Central Coast in Santa Barbara County is very typical of Pinots from warmer climates. The color is a deep purple-red, the nose reminds me of strawberries, but there is an earthiness, a whiff of mushrooms, spice, plums, cinnamon, and even violets as the wine opens up and further develops. This Pinot is very well made, and also shows a youthfulness and dryness on the finish. Open it and smell the first aromas in the glass, then let it sit for a while to get the full range of aromas - you'll be glad you did. I think this Pinot is a good food wine, especially with a nice preparation of seared tuna or as an appetizer - try having some smoked salmon with it.

December 2009

Bottex "La Cueille", Vin de Bugey-Cerdon VDQS, Méthode Ancestrale
$25.99

The holidays are upon us, and it is the time for fun and festivity. This sparkling rosé made from the Gamay and Poulsard grapes give it its lovely vermilion hue. The wonderful aroma of strawberries, cherries, and a hint of spice carry through to the palate with enough fizz to give it a surprisingly dry finish. Produced in Savoie, this French sparkling wine is produced in the age-old single fermentation method to give the wine its lovely effervescence. This rosé is a perfect accompaniment for any holiday dish and of course, have it as an aperitif.

2004 Adagio Reserva Malbec, Mendoza
$12.99

Once a popular French grape grown in Bordeaux and now just in Cahors, Malbec now reigns supreme in Argentina. The Adagio is an excellent example of what amazing quality is now being produced in the region of Mendoza, Argentina. This Malbec, made by a small producer, is a lovely, dark, vermillion-colored wine with blackberry, blueberry, and a hint of perfume on the nose. In the mouth, these characteristics combine with a complexity of earth and mineral to give it a wonderful mouthfeel and balanced finish. This wine would go with red meats, stews, and hard cheeses, especially a wedge of parmesan. An amazing wine imported by the small company of Detour who knows quality and price. Pick up a bottle or two for yourself, or for that special someone for the holidays to enjoy - no one will be disappointed, especially you.

November 2009

Château Virant "Cuvée Gypsy Legend", Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence
$12.99

This French blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignane and Cabernet Sauvignon is just the right wine for these cold rainy November days. Dark red fruit, slightly reminiscent honey notes, with a bit of stone and mushroom flavor, make this wine a great one for red meats, heavy stews and flavorful soups to warm the body and soul.

2005 McCrea Cellars "Cuvée Orleans" Syrah, Yakima Valley
$45.99

There is little more that I can say that someone else has not already said about the great wines that this producer has made. These Rhône varietals are some of the finest in Washington or anywhere in the U.S. The Cuvée Orleans is a Syrah with a tad of Viognier added to give that hint of floral note and acidity to this dark, elegant, and rich wine. There are notes of red berry fruits, spice, rock, and coffee, which pervade this wine from start to finish. Decant this wine, if you can wait that long, to give it time to fully develop. This one has many pleasures to enjoy now, or hold for several years to come. This Syrah is a great wine for the holidays, with its dark complexity of flavors to go with any holiday meal.

October 2009

2004 Château Cardinal-Villemaurine, St. Emilion Grand Cru
$22.99

This Bordeaux from St. Emilion has a very seductive nose of dark fruit, mocha and tobacco. On the palate, these characteristics follow through with a hint of vanilla to form an excellent structure. I really like, no love, this wine, and with winter coming on, it will go really well with all kinds of red meats, with lots of lovely mushrooms to complement - maybe I don't mind the colder days approaching after all.

September 2009

2007 Albino Armani Incontro, Soave
$19.99

I have never been a great fan of Soave wines, because they always seem to be thin and watery, but this particular wine is a wonderful exception. The harvesting process uses some partially-dried grapes, utilizing the traditional passito method. This process is used in the Veneto region. This white is a blend of the Garganega and Trebbiano di Soave grapes. In the nose there are flavors of citrus, floral, pear, and herbal accents, that carry through to the palate giving the wines a wonderful dry-weight balance. I think of many things to have with this wine, from first course creamy pastas to main course seafood and poultry to all kinds of soft white cheeses to just drinking it by itself. This Soave is one you do not want to pass up.

August 2009

2008 Commanderie de la Bargemone Rosé, Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence
$17.99

'Tis the season for rosés, especially this year with the warm/hot weather. This wonderfully dry one is especially lovely, with a taste of strawberries and cherries. Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah and Carignane give it the brightness and spice to make it a real favorite of mine. There is a hint of herbs and minerals in the intensity of flavors to make it a wonderful rosé to drink by itself, or with any number of grilled meats. I actually had it with a homemade lasagna, and it held up amazingly well.

2007 Nieto Senetiner Reserva Malbec, Mendoza
$12.99

Argentina has made a name for itself in the production of Malbec wines. This deeply-colored red from Nieto is no exception, with prominent blackberry and vanilla notes, and hints of licorice and other spices on the nose. These characteristics carry through on the palate with a hint of brown sugar and caramel at the very end. The soft tannins make it a great accompaniment to grilled or barbequed meats, and also with hard cheeses.

July 2009

2008 Heitz Cellar Grignolino Rose, Napa Valley
$21.99

Heitz Cellar has a reputation for high quality and excellent wines - this rose is no exception, made from the Grignolino grape, which is primarily planted in the Asti province of Piedmont, and rarely found outside the region. heitz is the only other grower of this grape outside of Piedmont. Heitz produces a very limited quantity for the sole productin of this rose. The result of their efforts is a dry and delightfully fruity wine, reminiscent of strawberries and rhubarb. The wine has lots of body and a lovely strawberry red color. I had this rose with an Elizabeth David-inspired lasagna recipe. The acid and the fruit were a great match for the tomato cream sauce in the lasagna. You could also serve it with any number of grilled vegetables and meats. Of course, it would be lovely just to sip by itself.

June 2009

2005 Apolloni Pinot Noir, Willamette
$34.99

This Oregon Pinot has a wonderful earthy, red fruit and mushroomy nose that carries through to the palate. Well-balanced and at an affordable price, this wine is an exceptional buy. This particular Pinot would go very well with the morels that are currently in season, or any other wild mushroom. I even drank this by itself and still found it more than delightful.

2006 Fall Line "Artz Vineyard", Red Mountain
$31.99

Tim Sorenson produces an amazing wine with the Cabernet Franc, Merlot, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes from this appellation. Fruit, spice, earth and chocolate follow through from nose to palate with sufficient tannins to balance out all of the components. This Bordeaux-style wine has good aging potential, but well-crafted enough to drink now. Red meats and hard cheeses would make this wine even more of a pleasure to drink.

May 2009

2006 Spindrift Cellars Pinot Noir, Willamette
$21.99

Strawberries and blueberries on the nose floow through to the palate - smooth and well-balanced. This Oregon Pinot, aged in French oak, delivers a lot for the money. Serve with tuna or broiled chicken, or any number of soft cheeses.

2006 Domaine Joel Rochette "Les Micouds" Vendange a la Main, Morgon
$21.99

Okay, I'm on a Beaujolais kick for several reasons. It is overlooked because of the bad press that the Nouveau variety has given it in the past. It's a great summer red wine (or any time, as a matter of fact) when you want a lighter-style red, and, most important of all, I love it! There are three major red Beaujolais: (1) Beaujolais AOC, which is the most common type of Beaujolais, covering about 60 villages; (2) Beaujolais-Village, which is a step up, including 30 communes/villages, and (3) the highest category, Cru Beaujolais, which includes only 10 villages, Morgon being one of them. Fermentatioon begins with carbonic maceration, and then allowed to age in wood for a brief time (unlike Beaujolais Nouveaus which see no wood aging). This red is full-bodied, with flavors of strawberries, spice, and granite. This wine is great with ham sandwiches, all kinds of cheeses, and roasted or fried chicken - yummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm........!

April 2009

2007 Domaine Andre Neveu "Le Grand Fricambault Silex", Sancerre
$26.99

This French Sauvignon Blanc has very slight herbaceous and yellow fruit notes. The finish has an elegant, creamy quality that would make it an ideal candidate for shellfish and different types of whitefish.

2005 Chateau Vaissiere, Minervois
$21.99

This Minervois has notes of dark red fruit and an earthy quality to it. There is also just a hint of violets at the very end. This red wine, with its slight tannic nature, would be a good candidate for red meats and stews.

March 2009

2007 O'Reilly's Pinot Noir, Oregon
$17.99

Affordable Oregon Pinots are becoming difficult to find these days, but this one bucks the trend. Bright red fruit with a good balance of earth and herbaceous notes to round out the finish, this Pinot is easy to drink. Very much like the Papillon Pinot Noir, but with a more tasteful label (God, what were those people thinking?). Easy to sip by itself or try with broiled chicken or a mushroom dish to bring out that earthiness.

2006 Spring Valley Vineyards "Uriah", Walla Walla
$49.99

This Walla Walla red is a huge monster with tons of dark fruit, spice and vanilla, which keeps delivering to the very end. The grapes that make up this wine are Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec, and they beautifully balance this wine. The soft tannins make it easy to drink now - try it with a steak!

February 2009

2006 Domaine de la Maurelle, Gigondas
$24.99

Give this wine some time in the glass. You can discover earth and spice notes, giving way to dark and brooding red fruits that finish with hints of lavender and vanilla. This Cotes du Rhone is another example of how fascinating and exciting French wines can be. Oh, what to pair with this lovely wine - maybe something simple like a roast chicken, or a hard cheese to enjoy the subtleness of the flavors.

2007 Cave de Tain, Crozes Hermitage, Cru Cotes du Rhone
$21.99

So you only drink red wine? Too bad! This white, made from the Marsanne grape, is one of the loveliest wines I've had in ages. Citrus and floral notes give way to peaches and apricots. Such a sensual velvety mouthfeel, this wine is one to remember for the 14th to put you in that right frame of mind. If you want to have some food with it, maybe cream sauces with seafood or poultry. I'd drink this sans anything or maybe even take a bath in it - the possibilities are endless. Just buy it and drink it!

December 2008

2004 Chateau Saint-Andre Corbin, St. Georges-St. Emilion
$19.99

Rich, smooth, dark and earthy are the sensations which greet you with this Merlot and Cabernet Franc blend. This Bordeaux is amazingly affordable, especially in these "R" times. The wine has other wonderful qualities, such as dried cherries, and a hint of cinnamon/allspice with a splash of chocolate added for good measure. This wine is easy to drink and great for the holidays, and would go nicely with red meats.

2004 Domaine Borgnat cuvee Brut Blanc des Noirs, Cremant de Bourgogne
$21.99

Want an imported vintage sparkling wine made in France at a fantastic price? Try this cremant, made in Burgundy from the Pinot Noir grape, aged for a minimum of 9 months using the traditional method. This sparkler has great citrus notes, especially lemon, and is medium-dry with a toasty almond hint at the end. There is a lot of versatility to this wine - drink it as an aperitif, adding a little creme de cassis, and voila! a festive holiday ruby-red Kir Royale! You could also pair it with rich seafoods or pasta, because of the citrus notes and dryness.

November 2008

Bugey Cerdon Sparkling Demi-Sec Rose, VdQ France
$23.99

Bugey Cerdon, made from the Gamay and Poulsard grapes, is crisp and tart, with flavors of strawberry and cherry. Made in the methode ancestrale, this wine, partially-fermented in Champagne-style bottles, produces a wonderfully light, lovely rose sparkler that is just perfect for the holidays. Enjoy it with white meat of turkey, or as an aperitif.

2006 Avanti Pinot Noir, Delle Venezie IGT
$14.99

This Italian Pinot Noir is dry, light, and earthy, with lots of minerality and mushroom flavors, finishing with subtle notes of red fruit. I chose this red wine as a good match for the holidays, especially for pairing with white meats such as turkey or even pork. The price is also very appealing!

October 2008

2007 La Boatina Pinot Grigio, Venezia-Giulia
$17.99

This Pinot Grigio is very much like all good Pinot Grigios - yellow fruits and citrus, all well-integrated. The exception to this flavor profile is the creamy and slight toastiness of this wine that makes it oh so appealing. This wine would be great with soft white cheeses, shellfish, "fish fish", and pastas in white or light tomato sauces. I just made some cheese ravioli and had it with a very light tomato sauce - delicious! - even though I made it myself.

2006 Domaine de la Seigneurie Saumur-Champigny
$19.99

This French Cabernet Franc is a typical one and oh, so good, with less fruit than the American versions. The nose presents all kinds of earthy and mineral qualities, especially the dusty/pencil shavings with hints of red fruit. All of these characteristics carry through to the palate to make it a wonderful wine of many flavor nuances. Definitely a food wine, I could see it paired with red meats, beef and lamb especially, but I think I might be adventuresome and try light tomato pastas, because of its nice acid balance. Semi-soft to hard cheeses would do well with this wine. Gotta love those French winemakers!

September 2008

Champagne Deutz Brut Classic
$49.99

This affordable French champagne is an old favorite of mine. Medium dry, it has a wonderful, toasty, yeasty nose, which carries over to the palate. Light notes of lemon finish off this delightful sparkler. Serve as an aperitif or enjoy it throughout the meal.

2005 Cherry Hill Winery "Papillon" Estate Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
$19.99

This Oregon Pinot Noir is one that you don't have to take out a loan to enjoy. Slightly leaning on the side of red fruit, but still with enough earthiness to make it very appealing. I can see this wine paired with roast chicken, creamy pastas and soft cheeses. I have to say something about the label, though: I love dogs as much as the next person, but OK, why couldn't they have found something else?

August 2008

2007 Can Feixes Blanco Selecio, Penedés
$16.99

2005 Château Jalouise, Bordeaux Supérieur
$12.99

July 2008

2006 Pra Soave Classico
$18.99

2003 Chateau Branda, Puisseguin-St-Emilion
$27.99

June 2008

2005 Elena Walch Gewurztraminer, Alto Adige
$10.99

This delicious wine from Italy has aromas of grapefruit, honeysuckle, and citrus peel.  These notes are also nicely balanced on the palate, and a touch of lychee makes this wine a joy to drink.  I paired it with a homemade papardelle in a creamy, rich meat sauce.  The wine’s acidity made it a good match to the richness of the pasta.

Lillet, Podensac
$18.99

Lillet has long been one of my favorite aperitifs.  The floral and herbal notes carry through to the palate.  Try this on the rocks, with a twist of orange peel, for a lovely beginning to any meal, or just to sip on the deck.  Let’s hope the summer begins quickly!

May 2008

Julien Chopin Brut Champagne a Monthelon
$39.99

Pinot Meunier is the lesser-known of the the three varietals authorized in the making of Champagne. Julien Chopin, one of the smaller Champagne houses, close to Epernay in the village of Monthelon, is unusual because of the blend of 90% Pinot Meunier and 10% Chardonnay. The additional Pinot Meunier produces amazing notes of floral and clove, followed by a lemony palate and toasty finish; the overall effect is delightfully refreshing. This is one champagne to accompany the (hopefully!) warmer days coming. Pair with seafood, especially oysters on the half-shell, or with salads or soft cheese.

2006 Hubert Lapierre "Cuvee Vielles Vignes" Moulin-a-Vent
$18.99

This Cru Beaujolais is a rich and powerful wine, especially when you realize that it is produced from the Gamay Noir grape, known for light and fruity like the familiar Beaujolais Nouveau. In the right hands of this producer, this grape can become a surprisingly complex wine: spicy, with an overlay of dark red fruit and earthy minerality, nicely balanced with perfect acidity. Very low in tannins, this wine is very versatile, pairing with everything from hard cheeses to any substantial meat dish. Try it as a wonderful substitute to a Pinot Noir.

April 2008

2005 Trenel, Saint-Veran
$18.99

I am a lover of French chardonnays - this one is no exception. The nose starts with a wonderful whetstone and flintiness that is so characteristic of these wines, along with a hint of asparagus. Spice and soft vanilla notes balance the mid-palate and finish. This wine is a good choice for cheeses and rich cream sauces, especially pastas - I enjoyed this one with a quatro formaggio pizza from our neighbor La Vita e Bella - it was really goooood!

Soligo Prosecco
$17.99

Proseccos are sparklers that can express great character and depth. This one happens to do just that - a prominent lime zest on the nose is followed by notes of mocha-almond creme follows with a pleasantly dry, nutty finish.

March 2008

2005 De Ponte Cellars Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills
$44.99

This Pinot is crafted in the Burgundian style, but with an Oregonian touch. Lovely red fruit flavors and earth notes carry through to create an amazing texture. This wine is what makes Pinot so wonderful to drink.

2005 Schoenheitz Muscat Vin d'Alsace
$19.99

I love this wine, featured at one of our recent tastings. Lovely citrus flavors and yellow fruit gives this wine a wonderfully dry finish, unlike many domestic versions that can be overly sweet and cloying.

January 2008

2006 Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
$31.99

This is a good, solid Oregon Pinot at a reasonable price, with subtle flavors of earth and fruit that slowly develop to produce a well-balanced, pleasingly-satisfying wine.