2008 Chateau Couronneau Blanc

Customers, please note: we will be OPEN this Friday, July 3 from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM. In observance of Independence Day, we will be closed on Saturday, July 4.

I am really looking forward to reading this email tomorrow when I will have a different perspective on things. Touch wood, I am having a banner week. And as I write this, I am in the middle of the pinnacle of said week. I have been a fan of the band Wilco since their first disc “AM”, released back in ‘95. Well, I saw them last night, and in a word, it was epic. I will have the great pleasure of seeing them again this evening at the Greek Theater. So, as I have been feeling most of this week, I’m in the middle of a dream. Other highlights from this week were several meals shared with loved ones: one with my mother and sister, another with my best friend and his 9 year old daughter (I’m so lucky to be her favorite of Dad’s friends), one with my other best friend, another with just my sister, followed by a dinner with my brother. There was a killer jam session (which caused minor bleeding) on Wednesday night and now the Wilco shows! As if I needed anything else, this week also brought me one of my favorite gifts here at work, NEW WINE! I took a look at the list of new arrivals from our recent container, jumped for joy, and immediately made a beeline to the box containing the 2008 Chateau Couronneau Blanc! I pulled out a bottle and put it in the cold box excited to taste the brand new vintage. Chances are, if you have been anywhere near a conversation that I was having about wine, White Bordeaux would inevitably have come up. I guess I’ve been pretty excited by these wines for a while now. I fondly remember my visit to the chateau last spring; it was the only hot afternoon of the trip, seafood of all shapes and sizes were placed in front of me, and the crisp Sauvignon was just what the doctor ordered. It has been said, “If you’re not learning, you’re not on to something, and to not be on to something is to be lost.” So what’s a dream week without a little learning? I am certainly a wine geek. So, this is the kind of stuff that really gets me going. It seems that the Piats make this wine with 100% Sauvignon. Upon further examination, I discovered that it was actually 50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Sauvignon Gris. Aha! What’s that all about Christophe? A little investigation into this yielded some interesting information. Sauvignon Gris is also known as Sauvignon Rose as its skin is often pink in color. It is known for tiny yields which are responsible for grapes with a higher sugar content, thus resulting in wines with more complex aromas that make beautiful music together with the vibrant Sauvignon Blanc. Historically, the low yields were responsible for many of the vines being uprooted in favor of more fecund varieties. It seems that Sauvignon Gris is making a comeback, particularly in the Loire Valley, and, of course, Bordeaux. It is also popping up in the New World as well; in Chile and even some domestic locales. I guess winemakers the world over are picking up on what can be done with this grape. So there you go, we’ve got the 2008 Chateau Couronneau Blanc in stock. It’s a great example of what a 50/50 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris is all about, and it’s just $13.98 per bottle! Please excuse my exuberance, I’m not one to have a very good poker face, so when things are going well, I tend to glow. Hmm, I think I might buy a lottery ticket tonight. Yes, it will be interesting to read this email tomorrow. As I wrote in a song once, “If it’s a dream, baby keep me asleep, I want to be here ’til the end of time.”-Peter Zavialoff

Tasting Notes: Pale straw color, the initial aromatics include lemon blossom, grapefruit, savory herbs, a hint of dark rum, and gravelly soil. It’s rather like a breath of fresh air. On the palate, it starts out round and rich with fleshy, white stone fruit followed by tangy acidity turned citrus fruit and fades with the fruit and acid components wrapped around each other like Wilco’s bass and lead guitar. So glad to have this in the shop. Oh yeah, the sample bottle was still drinking well 3 days later …

And now for something totally different…

I’m gonna make this pencil disappear!

2005 Fortitude Field Blend Napa Red Wine; other red varietal; Napa; $14.98

The perfect scenario: Saturday night, following a lovely dinner and successfully getting my ebullient child early to bed, a chance to finally catch a flick – The Dark Knight! The evening was made all the better with a bottle of 2005 Frediani Field Blend from Fortitude. Like the movie, this is a really dark stuff. A black-fruited complex mélange of Charbono (58%), Carignane (32%), Petite Sirah (5%), and Valdiguie (5%), this unique blend from Napa Valley is a project conceived by Tony Soter of Etude Wines. The idea behind the project is to honor multi-generational wine growers by putting their name smack dab in the middle of the label. Now the Frediani name is not new to us, as we’ve been enjoying T-Vine Wine Cellars Napa Valley Syrah from this self-same vineyard for many vintages. I read somewhere that the Frediani family have been farming in the Napa Valley since 1898. Today, the Frediani’s farm about 9 acres of Charbono, the oldest vines planted in 1935!!! While I’m throwing out a bunch of statistics, here are some more: there are less than 100 acres of Charbono grown in California, half of it in northern Napa Valley. Not too many folks making wine with this grape and it’s a shame really.

Charbono was once thought to be related to Barbera or Dolcetto. After tasting the Frediani Field Blend, you can easily understand how this confusion could have occurred. The Frediani Field Blend has lovely blueberry and plum flavors, gentle tannins with some rip-roaring lively acidity. The Frediani Field Blend is Italianesque; it has none of the overpowering fruitiness one associates with New World wines. It is now known that Charbono is in fact related to a grape, one with many names, grown in the Savoie region of France and may ultimately be a relative of Dolcetto. This of course is all very interesting, but what about the wine? Well, as I’ve noted, there are layers of tart plum and darker berry flavors with an uncommon acid structure that I found pleasurable and refreshing. The first time I tasted this wine I was transported to a time when California made heartier, more rustic wines. Not to mention, it has 12.8% alcohol, which is practically unheard of these days. Not that I’m a basher of high alcohol wines (just like with oak, its all about the balance!), I think the lower alcohol translates to a brighter, more vivid fruit experience. Pair with tomato-based sauces or gooey cheesy things, as it will be able to cut through the fat or complement the acid in the tomatoes. I know what you’re thinking, ’cause so am I – PIZZA! Va Bene! So next time you find yourself enjoying a movie night at home, remember to order up your favorite pie, pour yourself a glass of the Frediani Field Blend and enjoy the show! Last month I made a point to mention Mother’s Day. I feel equally compelled to send greetings and shout-outs to all the Fathers out there celebrating their Day this Sunday. Thank you for all you do! Papachka, ya tebe lyublu. Anechka Balistreri

Roadtrips And Sauternes – 2005 Coutet

Ah, the road. I love road trips. Haven’t been on one in a while, but I’m on my way tomorrow (Thursday). If all is Rosy, I will be in The Big Easy when this email hits your inbox. But that’s not going to stop me from chiming in with my thoughts each fortnight.

One of the more interesting things about being in the wine business is the constant observation of human nature and how we react to big scores, low scores, big hype, and even one single line in a film! I have a very wide range of emotion when it comes to these observations. Say what you want about ratings, but they don’t seem to be going away any time soon. It is my feeling that in spite of having the best intentions for the consumer, the folks who use the 100 point scale have actually hurt us wine drinkers by giving producers a numerical reason to hold out for more cash. Alas, amidst all the hype, sometimes something goes unnoticed.

If you have a sweet tooth (most of us do, including me – even though I rarely have dessert), you may want to look into the wines of Sauternes. A little research into the topic yields fascinating results. Really, if you think about it, it has to be painfully expensive to make this wine. I mean when the time comes, you’re sending a lot of people out into the vineyard to hand pick grapes for several days, not to mention employing other people to inspect these grapes one by one when they come in. And that’s all before you even start to make wine out of them. Then there’s the cost of new barrels … why bother? You know why? Because the wines of Sauternes are among the best wines in the world that’s why. They are incredibly complex, pair well with an abundance of cuisine, both sweet and savory, and due to their sugar content, they can last a long, long time if properly cellared.

So, maybe 2005 Sauternes got lost in the hype of the 2005 Red Bordeaux and White Bordeaux and Red Burgundy and White Burgundy and the Southern Rhone Valley and the Northern Rhone Valley. I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point. When John returned from Bordeaux in the spring of 2006, in spite of having just tasted the superb red and dry whites of 2005, he was beaming about Sauternes! One point he made over and over was that the period for harvesting botrytised grapes was much longer than normal. In fact it was up to five times longer than some vintages. This made for incredible complexity. I have tasted several 2005 Sauternes, and I said it then, and I will say it now – I was, and continue to be, blown away. Kaboom! I have heard a lot of hype about the 2001, 2003, and 2007 vintages. I have tasted them. There is no comparison for me. 2005 was the Sauternes vintage. They’re still young, but they are already breathtaking. Sauternes are all about botrytis, and in 2005, the botrytis is profound. Chances are, if you’ve come in our shop and asked me for a recommendation for a 2005 Sauternes, my knee-jerk reaction would have been Cou-tet. As big a fan as I am of the vintage as a whole, I choose the Chateau Coutet as the finest of these sticky sensations. I will never forget that Sauternes tasting I went to last year where all the wines showed incredibly well. But the fun part was tasting the Coutet with a room full of wine people. It was quiet and professional, but when it came time for all of us to taste the Coutet together, wow! The din ratcheted up several levels, smiles were tossed around the room, and I didn’t notice too many people spitting. I went to check out this wine on Robert Parker’s website, and next to the wine was this, “92+”. As I always do, I like to read about the tasting experience in words. That usually tells me lots more about a wine than some numeric snapshot in time. When I clicked on the wine, it opened a window that said, “no tasting note given”. Whatever. See my tasting notes below. Sure Sauternes can be special occasion wine. Lord knows what kind of group you need to drink one out of magnum. Of all Bordeaux bottlings, I would have to say that you see more half bottles of Sauternes than anything. There’s a reason for that. A little half bottle of a great Sauternes is the perfect capper for any occasion. Break one of those out, and you’ll get comments like, “Wow. You thought of everything!” I’ve been known to do just that. Woo-hoo! I’m psyched about hitting the road. Let’s just say the last time I went to New Orleans (15 years ago), I was a cocky youngster and was humbled … deeply. I am returning seeking redemption. I will revel in doing my small part in helping this soulful old city continue its road to recovery. I’ll make a deal with you all. This email is scheduled to hit on Saturday evening at 9:00PM PDT. It will be 11:00PM where I am. Perfect time for finishing a nice dinner. Precisely at that hour, I will order a half-bottle of Sauternes from whichever restaurant I will be dining that evening. Hopefully, they’ll have the 2005 Coutet!

Tasting Notes
Here we all were in a small room, all quiet, swirling the same wine. Notes are being jotted down, sips taken, the spitting (romantic huh?), more notes, then all of a sudden, the euphoria we felt as a group couldn’t be contained, and smiles of glee and praise were heaped. My own note concluded with “Cover off the ball”. Hints of flintiness on the nose combined with the profound botrytis and some citrus notes, but I had no idea what was in store for me. The wine showed amazing weight, sat perfectly on the palate, gained in intensity, showed off candied fruit and spice-cake among other things, and finished like the grand finale of a fireworks show. The hit of the tasting. Need I say more? -Peter Zavialoff

June 2009 Dirty Dozen

Wow! June is here already, and are there things to do! We’ve got graduations and the beginning of summer vacation, Father’s Day, and the summer solstice to name a few. Most certainly, there are some June Brides out there saying, “Hey. What about us?” Of course. Whatever the occasion, the June Dirty Dozen has what you need. 12 wines chosen for their versatility, all for one low price. Cheers!

Reorder Special !!! 20% off 6 bottles or more of any one regularly priced Dirty Dozen wine! Or 10%/Net Wines – 5%/ Sale Wines

Click here to purchase the Dirty Dozen for $109.

2008 Domaine de Pouy – $8.99, $7.19 reorder
Grab a couple of clean glasses and get ready for the latest installment of what could very well be the anchor of our everyday sipping white wines. From Gascogne, this 3 grape blend is crisp and zippy and offers tremendous value year in and year out. The screwcap makes it perfect for picnics! Pair it with an ice chest and a warm summer day.

2005 Chardonnay Central Coast, 4 Bears Winery – $9.98 net price, $8.98 reorder
Due to some savvy shopping on our part, we were able to procure a stash of this Central Coast Chardonnay and be able to offer it to you for a smidge under $10. Notes of spice and tropical fruit combine with hints of peaches and herbs (I didn’t just say that, did I?) that make this the perfect wine for that barbeque chicken!

2008 Rose, Chateau Guiot – $10.29, $8.23 reorder
Take a look around here and it soon becomes obvious that a ship just came in. Actually, a couple of them. One was full of 2008 Rose. Made mostly of Grenache, this fruity Rose is always one of our most popular. So here’s to summer. Salad Nicoise, a baguette, and a bottle of the Guiot Rose, and you can almost hear Charles Trenet crooning “La Mer”.

2007 Sauvignon Blanc, Montpezat – $11.99, $9.59 reorder
The longer, warmer days of June beg for crisp, white wine. This Sauv Blanc from the Languedoc, is crisp, all tank fermented, and displays notes of citrus blossoms. Perfect as an aperitif or along side your fish tacos.

2008 Chardonnay, Lalande – $12.59, $10.07 reorder
They’re baaack! We’re happy to let you know that Lalande’s latest release Chardonnay is in stock. For a French Chardonnay in the ‘nice price’ range, they have a proven track record of making delicious wine. Think scampi here.

2006 Pinot Gris Tradition, Rene Mure – $19.99, $15.99 reorder
Alsatian Pinot Gris has a distinction all its own. Known as a noble grape of Alsace, it yields wines that have richness, depth, and complexity. This one here displays chalky mineral, a hint of mushroom, and flavors of melons and ripe peaches. The next time you get the urge to pair ‘a pinot’ with smoked salmon, chicken, or duck, make it Pinot Gris!

2007 Syrah ‘Only Girls’, Chateau d’Or et de Gueules – $11.29, $9.03 reorder
Named for the winemaker’s five daughters, the ‘Only Girls’ Syrah (from the outstanding 2007 vintage in southern France) could very well be the BIGGEST bargain in our shop. It’s 100% tank fermented Syrah, long on dark fruit, mineral, and fine tannins; and at the price, a steal. Great on its own, or serve it with a grilled tri-tip.

2008 Cotes du Rhone, Cote Jardin – $12.39, $9.91 reorder
You may have tried the wines from Veronique and Thierry Boudinaud before. They produce a couple of VDP wines under the Grange des Rouquette label. They now have 25 hectares in the Cotes du Rhone appellation. This can only be a good thing. Perhaps you artistic types can fill in the white parts of the label and make it a little more interesting.

2005 Palombieres, Montpezat – $13.99, $11.19 reorder
Back by popular demand! This blend of Grenache with Mourvedre has been as popular as ever with those of you who like a bright, fruity attack framed by the briary garrigue. This is one of those no-brainer party wines. Just pop it and watch it disappear before any talk of food. If you can wait, pair this alongside a pizza with olives and feta.

2004 Bergerac Rouge, Chateau Calabre – $7.95 sale price, $7.55 reorder
On the opposite side of the spectrum, this offering from just outside Bordeaux has its own following. Definitely NOT made in the round, jammy style of new world blends, it mingles earth with its herbal profile to keep the fruit in check.

2004 Cabernet/Syrah ‘Alex’, Chateau Guiot – $19.99, $15.99 reorder
Talk about a treat. This blend from the Costieres de Nimes is, in a word, big. It is a special wine that combines deep, dark fruit, a touch of smoke, and an earthy depth that will make it work well with anything hearty you may want to toss on the grill. Fear not if you don’t finish the bottle, as this has been known to last for days after opening.

2005 Carmignano, Enrico Pierazzuoli – $21.99, $17.59 reorder
This Super-Tuscan blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon was a big hit with those of you who tried the 2004 version. In 2005, the fruit was more ripe at harvest, yielding a bigger, more structured wine. Perfect with that juicy bistecca now, or cellar it and be rewarded in 3-10 years.

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Domaine Fondreche–2007 Fayard

The things that stick in your mind…
I was driving home, listening to the radio, when the person being interviewed mentioned that sales for Harlequin Romance novels have seen a sharp increase in 2009. As forms of communication and media rapidly change, it makes sense to me that more of us would want to fall back on simple pleasures like an easy read… or a delicious bottle of red! With this in mind, allow me to recommend a red that made me swoon – the 2007 Cotes du Ventoux Fayard from Domaine de Fondreche. As I sit here in front of the computer screen, I can imagine everything about the wine perfectly; the taste memory is vivid and it lingers. A hedonistic fruit missile of a wine, the Fayard drips with cherry red fruit and mouth-coating opulence.

There is a temptation to want to write every detail of my experience tasting this wine. The temptation is driven by my intense hope to convince you just how delicious this wine is and how disappointing it would be for anyone to miss tasting the 2007 Fayard. I’ve been known to choke, like the time when I was bowling with friends in Cleveland the night before my friend Jack’s wedding and all I had to do to win was to hit just one pin. Of course I threw a gutterball and my husband, then boyfriend, threw a strike to win (though I am pretty sure he was w-a-a-y over the line!). An admitted poor loser, I was devastated. I wanted it too badly. I am afraid I am running the risk of choking here again. How do I describe a wine I enjoyed immensely without falling into cliché? The trick is to go with it head on. So here it goes! The 2007 Fayard is a brand new cuvee from Sebastien Vincenti at Domaine Fondreche. The Cotes du Ventoux appellation is within the Rhone Valley and flanks Mount Ventoux. Sebastien Vincenti, who learned from Rhone master Andre Brunel, has taken this lesser known region and has exceeded expectations by reducing yields and creating pure, fruit driven wines. The Fayard is a blend of 50% grenache, 30% syrah, 10% carignan and 10% mourvedre. After vinification the wine sits on its lees in tank for 9 months before bottling. There are no hard edges; there are no hard tannins. Rounded, weighty fruit persists and tantalizes. The color is a mesmerizing shock of fuchsia. Flavors of sweet tangy Bing cherries and fragrant raspberries dominate. Beware: this wine goes down real easy! In the movie “Big” circa 1988, Tom Hanks plays a boy who wakes up one day to finds himself a grown man. In the film, his co-worker and lady-friend (she doesn’t know of his transformation and has grown-up feelings for him) invites herself to his place for a sleep-over. As he is about to open the door, he announces to her – “I get to be on top!” This line kept popping into my head as I drank this wine. Anya Balistreri

2007 Domaine de Fondreche Cotes du Ventoux Fayard Red Wine; Rhone Blend; Rhone; $19.99

“Like most of its siblings, the 2007 Cotes du Ventoux Fayard (a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, and Carignan) includes the smallest amount possible of SO2. Classic raspberry, kirsch, licorice, underbrush, and spice box characteristics emerge from this rich, medium to full-bodied, fresh wine. It finishes with considerable power as well as length. Enjoy this impressive Cotes du Ventoux over the next 3-4 years.” 91 points, Wine Advocate #181, Feb. 2009

May 2009 Dirty Dozen

Welcome to the sweet spot of spring. Ole man winter is dead and gone, and he’s left us with wonderful things like picnics, softball games, and barbeques. Yes, it’s grillin’ season! So when you’re on your way to that potluck bbq, tell ‘em you’ve got the wine covered, and stop on by The Wine House for the May 2009 Dirty Dozen!

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2008 Pinot Grigio, Inacayal – $13.99, $11.19 reorder
Part I of a brace of Argentine wines, here is an all tank fermented Pinot Grigio that’s rich, round and viscous. Grown at elevations of 3000 feet, the grapes get both proper ripeness and zippy acidity. It’s fruity, it’s floral, and even gives off hints of fennel. Really? Yeah, really. This is the kind of wine you want to have handy for those grilled prawns!

2004 Chardonnay, Gournier – $4.95 sale price, $4.70 reorder
Play a game with this one. Pop a bottle at your next gathering and just leave it where people can access it. Watch them taste it, then quiz them as to how much it costs. You’ll be amazed at the range. Perfect with fried chicken.

2006 Gewurztraminer Tradition, Rene Mure – $18.99, $15.19 reorder
Plenty of spicy, rich, rose petal-like fruit with a twist of chalky mineral, Mure’s Gewurz Tradition is a great example of what Alsatian Gewurz is all about. Oh what do they know about making wine? They’re only on their 12th generation winemaker there. The 13th may still be a little young, but no doubt will get the torch. Try it with red beans and rice.

NV Touraine Rose, Domaine d’Orfeuilles – $14.98 net price, $13.48 reorder
From the Loire Valley, made mostly from Cot, which is what the locals call Malbec, this sparkling Rose is just the bomb when it comes to value! It was featured in a past email write-up due to the fact that no one on the staff spat when they sampled it. Dusty minerals and raspberry are alive and well; this will be the big hit at brunch!

2007 Greco di Tufo, Torricino – $17.99, $14.39 reorder
If you like bone dry, lipsmacking whites that show hints of dried apricots, honey, and toasted almonds, then this wine is for you! Part of our ever-growing Italian section, this is the wine to serve along side a steamy bowl of mussels.

2007 Les Tours, Domaine la Hitaire – $ 9.99, $7.99 reorder
Wow! The hits just keep coming! It must be springtime, as this newly released white from Gascogne suits the warmer weather perfectly. This could be the ultimate picnic wine, as it is dry, reveals vibrant white fruit, and conveniently comes in screwcap. Most of our allocation was snapped up by a wholesale account, but we saved six cases for the DD!

2006 Zweigelt Liter, Ecker – $10.98 net price, $9.88 reorder
From Austria comes the herbaceous Zweigelt. If you haven’t tried this wine before, you’re in for a pleasant surprise. It’s got plummy fruit, and in spite of being tank fermented, has a spicy profile. Oh yeah, check out the liter bottle.

2004 Cabernet/Syrah, Domaine des Cantarelles – $13.99, $11.19 reorder
We just love these Cab/Syrah blends from the south of France. Spicy Cabernet fruit mingles with the smoky Syrah, and off they walk hand in hand like a romantic couple down the lane. The bonus here is that the folks at Cantarelles have a penchant for making earthy, Bordeaux-like wines. So fear not, pop this baby with that juicy, grilled rib-eye.

2004 Merlot, Domain de St. Antoine – $5.95 sale price, $5.65 reorder
Another visit to the “Are they kidding? …They’re practically giving the stuff away” section of the shop. 2004 was yet another rock solid vintage in the south, and this wine is your proof. It’s got fruit, it’s got earth, and a pinch of herbs de Provence. A versatile wine, it can be served with practically any grilled meat, even chicken, or try it with pizza.

2006 3 Cepas, Alberto Furque – $15.99, $12.79 reorder
Part II of our Argentine duo, this blend of Tempranillo, Syrah, and Malbec is short on price, huge on flavor. From the Uco Valley, which is considered to be the sweet spot of the Mendoza, these vines are also planted at 3000 feet in the foothills of the Andes Mountains. The blend is big, bold, spicy, and won’t back down. Not even to leg of lamb.

2004 Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Sabrine, Domaine Andre Brunel – $9.95 sale price, $9.45 reorder
Here we are with that Brunel character again. And here we are with another crazy sale wine! Again, 2004 was, ho hum, another great vintage in the Southern Rhone. Brunel makes several cuvees, and this one is the most robust, with hints of earth and spice to go with all that fruit. Serve it up next to spaghetti & meatballs and fuhggetaboutit!

2006 Grenache Noir, Gournier – $9.99, $7.99 reorder
Cherries and spice, cherries and spice. So, so friendly, fruity; it doesn’t need a big meal to put a smile on your face. The fruit is in the forefront, the tannins are present, yet stay in the back of the bus. Makes it perfect for parties. Or picnics. Yes indeed, it has a screwcap, so take it on out wherever you’re going and make ‘em smile.

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The Latest Steal – 2007 Syrah Only Girls

When I came in this morning, I had a wide variety of thoughts to write about, but couldn’t quite tie them together. I am as curious as anyone as to where this is going to go … I didn’t want to talk about the economy per se, but many of us have reigned it in a bit, and have become more careful as to where our money is spent. There has been much ado about inexpensive bulk wine lately, and that instigated a conversation this morning with my colleague Anya. The gist of our conversation was about current wine consumption and price points. These corporate entities offering passable wine at rock bottom prices are seeing a pretty fair increase in sales. Not to diss them, as they have good marketing and better timing, but they are corporations. Better to patronize the little, you know, family operations and such. How about a mother of five girls who raises money from her friends and relatives, and pours every drop of her strength into her wines? Yes, I am talking about Diane Puymorin, again. I didn’t want to talk about Diane Puymorin yet again, but I can’t help myself. First off, it was with much regret that I missed my chance to meet her and join those lucky people who made it to the dinner featuring Diane and her wines at Nopa back in the beginning of May. I was unlucky that I had a scheduling conflict. Anyway, if I can dictate (and I can) to whom my wine-buying dollars are directed, I want them to go to folks just like Diane. Yes, she has five daughters! In their honor she has crafted a tank-fermented, 100% Syrah she calls Only Girls, and she proudly lists their names right on the label. I would be hard pressed to find, in fact, I don’t believe I can find, a sub $10 wine that I like more than this one. It’s got everything I like. Aromatics of forest floor, Kalamata olives, purple fruit, a hint of smokiness, and black tea. The mouthfeel is bright, then deepens with fine tannins, a plummy middle, and finishes with bright acidity that frames the harmonic convergence with an exclamation point! All that with the distinctive savory quality that I only get from her wines. No sweet, jammy, extracted juice here; we’re talking elegance and harmony. No coincidence this one is wearing the “Peter’s Pick” sign in our shop right now!

I didn’t want to talk about the ceiling vent whose squeaking is causing mental trauma to staff and customers alike, and something must be done about it soon for fear of mass insanity. If you have been tormented by it, we sincerely apologize. If not, consider yourself lucky. What I wanted to talk about when I came in this morning was the FA Cup Final at Wembley played earlier today. I won’t go on about it as footy hasn’t caught on so much here yet. But it’s been a good day for the Blues. And, of course, I also (read always) wanted to talk about wine today. To our friend and customer Tom who walked out with a case of this very wine earlier this morning: Thank you for your kind words recognizing my passion (and long windedness) in regard to describing a wine. For my colleagues’ sake, I probably don’t need too much encouragement, but I do appreciate it. Wow. How did I get here? Anyway, try this wine, you won’t be sorry. In fact, I think I will pour this for my friends at Picco on Monday evening, and see what they think. -Peter Zavialoff Feel free to email me with any questions or comments regarding Chateau d’Or et de Gueules, family winemakers, or the English Premiership: peter.winehouse@sbcglobal.net

The Ultimate Refrigerator Door White

Mercurey is in retrograde. My best friend pointed it out to me, as did my colleague Pete. What does that mean? As best I can understand it, communication gets all messed up. Perhaps this explains why on Wednesday the Wine House email database had to be rebuilt or why on my day off, with a list of 10 really important things to complete, I couldn’t get a dial tone on my home phone. This wouldn’t have been such a big deal except that my cell phone does not get reception near my house. I had to go over to my best friend’s house to use her phone; thankfully she was there. Turns out she was waiting for the repair service to fix her Internet connection. So how does this relate to the 2007 Grüner Veltliner from Ecker? Well it reminds me that having a wine that you can count on to deliver flavor and pleasure becomes all the more important.

The Grüner Veltliner from Berger (which is available for purchase) is wildly popular and elicits exclamations like “oh, I love that stuff!” or “I’ll take a case of that”. I echo that sentiment. As I reached for a bottle, I couldn’t help but wonder about the other bottle of Grüner Veltliner stacked up next to it. David, our Austrian/German buyer, is always finding new, tasty treats, so I figured it was time to try something different. The Ecker, bottled in a tinted green bottle that could be mistaken for mineral water, made its way to the lower right spot on my refrigerator door. After proper chilling, it was time to twist off the cap and pour a glass. I am always amazed at the range of flavors that Veltliners show from herbal, green earthy flavors to riper, more succulent and unctuous flavors. The Ecker has a sweet smelling floral aroma like mimosa or tree blossoms. That delicate floral aroma moves from the nose to the palate. Next a spicy green, mineral note comes rushing in on the floral qualities. This combination is jolly and refreshing. The importer of this wine, Terry Theise, describes it as having “spring-water clear honesty”. At 12% alcohol, you can enjoy this wine any time of day without feeling like you’ve been run over by a freight train. AND, it comes in a liter bottle, prolonging the pleasure! The versatile, adaptable Grüner Veltliner is particularly food-friendly and works magic with artichokes, pungent bitter salad greens, and asparagus. On this occasion, I drank the Ecker with grilled chicken breasts that I served with a salsa composed of mango, cantaloupe, cucumbers and lots and lots of lime juice and a bunch of cilantro. The grassy cilantro with the Grüner Veltliner made a celestial match. As my candidate for the ultimate refrigerator door white, I found that this wine held up nicely after opening. I finished off the bottle on Day 3 and it was still fresh and lively. The long weekend looks to be promising especially after a rare night-on-the-town date with my husband. However, I am not convinced that the fog will burn off early enough to make it enjoyable swimming in the Russian River, where I’m headed. I am also quite certain that I will have little success in convincing my daughter of this! Oh dear! My clan is planning to make ribs three different ways. Who do they think they are, Michael Mina? I’ve got salad and sides duty, and the wine of course! Anya Balistreri

Hooray For Muscadet!

2007 Domaine de la Quilla Muscadet Sevre et Maine White Wine; other white varietal; Loire;

$11.99

Whew! Spring has sprung and we’ve been hustlin’ here. Two weeks ago, had you asked me, “What’s new?”, I probably would have thought for a minute before saying, sadly, “Not much”. Well, that’s all changed now! A few 40 foot trucks have been backed up into our loading dock recently, and they’ve left us with a bunch of new wines that we are so excited about tasting and telling you all about. If you’re nearby, you should stop by and check them out. If you’re not, that’s okay, we can fill you in via email or telephone. I guess we’ll eventually get around to tasting them all, but for the moment, one must proceed one wine at a time. Beware, I am about to talk up the very wine that solidified my status as a true wine geek. In brief (like that’s possible), my wine appreciation began with reds from California. Fortunately, I was always one to try new things, so I started trying old world reds, and when I put my nose in a 1988 Chateau Margaux I was gone. Gone gone. Buh-bye. I’m off the subject. Where was I going? Oh yeah, so for a long time, it was all about big reds for me and white wines were almost forgotten. Then, something really interesting happened. I had lobster with Chardonnay. The pairing was indescribable. Well, maybe not. How ’bout perfect? It was. So perfect that I mentioned it during my interview before I was hired here. So then, I thought, hmmm, there was something to this pairing thing. When I started working here at The Wine House, I found out quickly, that there were a lot of wines that I had no idea about, but needed to know about straight away. One of them was Muscadet. Our Muscadet producer is la Domaine de la Quilla. What sets them apart from their peers is that they leave the wine on it’s lees and bottle it at the end of May. Everyone else does this in March. It’s what gives these wines their distinct character. It was described to me as bone-dry, crisp, mineral-like, and lipsmacking. My cohorts here also advised me to drink it with shellfish. Oysters in particular were the optimal pairing. Not to yet again drift from the subject, but let’s just say that seafood and I have had a distant relationship. Though I do try to eat my share of it, and have two people that I’m close to pushing me to try new things, it is a relatively recent foray for me. I still haven’t eaten an oyster, but I’ll get there. So this time, I settled for jumbo shrimp, or prawns if you will. This bottle of Muscadet would be responsible for my cooking seafood at home for the very first time! I bought the shrimp, shelled them, and marinated them in garlic, lime, and cilantro for a couple of hours. It was so new for me, I felt like a kid. I then pulled out the grill pan and put ‘em on for a couple minutes per side, and popped the Muscadet. Talk about an eye opening experience. The citrus from the lime, the punch of garlic, and the herbal aspect of the cilantro were all matched by the crispness of the Muscadet. But it was the warm, mellow meatiness that jumbo shrimp has that was perfectly complimented by this wine. I was sold immediately, and have replicated this combo several times. The appellation of Muscadet lies where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Loire Valley. The wine is made from the grape variety known as Melon de Bourgogne. Seeing that there aren’t any White Burgundies made from this grape, I’m guessing that once upon a time, it took a trip to the beach, and decided to stay there. Forever. As I’ve said already, Muscadet pairs with les fruits de mer perfectly. How convenient. It is grown and made right there next to the ocean. It doesn’t ever work out this perfectly, and a good number of you are already on to this wine, but the last bottle of the 2006 Muscadet sold on the very day that one of the aforementioned trucks dropped off the 2007. And it is great! In a word, great! It is crisp and zingy, a wine that suits this time of year perfectly. And if you look for it, you can get more than a hint of the salinity of the nearby ocean. You know how you can hear the roar of the ocean when holding a shell next to your ear? Have a sip of this 2007 Muscadet and you will be bodysurfing in the ocean of Nirvana. -Peter Zavialoff

A Rosé Like No Other

I’ve been on a Wine House high. Last weekend I participated in an event at Golden Gate Meat Company that introduced their new line of grass fed beef to Bay Area chefs. I poured a few of our wines, and the positive response was nothing short of overwhelming. And then on Wednesday night, I joined David Netzer, store manager and the force behind the Wine House, along with Diane de Puymorin, winemaker for Chateau d’Or et des Gueules and Domaine de la Petite Cassagne, and 16 other wine lovers for a fabulous winemaker dinner at Nopa-more on that later! There is great stuff happening here and it all begins with the wine.

So, I am getting ready to write this email when it occurs to me that I should check my customer “want list” because I recall someone asking to be contacted when the 2008 Rosé Touraine from Domaine des Corbillieres finally arrives. Sure enough there was someone, so I call this customer. She politely tells me “thank you for the call, but I checked with the store earlier this week, was told it just arrived, and I bought some already”. This type of passion and zeal for a wine is usually reserved for high end Napa cabernets or high-scoring Bordeaux and Burgundy, not rosé. But alas this is no ordinary rosé, but a most delicate, nuanced, ethereal rosé from the Loire Valley. Unlike the rosés of sunny southern France, the Touraine rosé from Domaine de Corbillieres is ever so slightly pink and not at all a full frontal attack of fruit. No, this rosé is fresh and zesty on the palate with understated flavors of ripe peach and strawberry, lots of lift and snappy fruit flavors and a dry finish. Stick your nose in the glass and you could swear you were picking strawberries out in the garden. And then there is the color, oh how exquisite and sublime, like the thinnest, sheerest slice of fresh caught salmon imaginable. I was inspired to take out my Benjamin Moore color wheel. I have the color pegged somewhere between Bermuda pink and Sanibel peach. The Touraine Rosé from Domaine des Corbillieres, year after year, sells out the quickest of all our rosés. It has been my experience that those who normally shy away from rosé, gravitate and delight in the delicacy of this wine. I recently opened a bottle to serve with a pork tenderloin that I marinated in a combination of every single Asian condiment I could find in my fridge and pantry. It worked beautifully, however I think that the piece de resistance would be a match up with salmon, or some other meaty fish.

This week my daughter was down for the count with the flu. At any given time, I was used as a pillow, blanket and, my personal favorite, a tissue. As I tried to comfort this fever-ridden child, I could not help but get teary eyed as I thought how happy I was to be her mother. Maybe I am the sick one here. This Mother’s Day I will still be working, as my husband and I have an annual brunch celebrating our biological and spiritual mothers. To all you Mothers out there, I salute you! Anya Balistreri