The Wine House San Francisco

2009 Bordeaux Back In Stock: Chateau Couronneau

winehousesf — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:09:27 +0000

Whew! What a day yesterday was. I got up at 5:30 AM in order to prepare for a drive to the airport and a flight down to Los Angeles in order to participate in the Unions des Grands Crus de Bordeaux tasting of the newly bottled 2009 vintage. I’m sure I wasn’t alone holding high expectations for the wines from a vintage that was overwhelmingly impressive when I tasted them out of barrel two years ago. In a word, the wines shined. Shined. Like Soul Shine. Better than sunshine. Better than moonshine. Way better than rain (more on that later). The energy that filled the large room at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica was electric. Some of my overhears: “Classic Margaux. Note the subtlety, yet the expression.” “Psst. The wines aren’t normally this good so young, are they?” “I’m not wasting this glass.” I could go on and on, but the collective euphoria I experienced just means to me that the vintage will be a popular one for all of us who love wine, especially those of us who love Bordeaux. We will be getting our Cru Classé 2009 Bordeaux in different shipments throughout the calendar year, look out for emails alerting you to the in-stock availability as they come in. Some of the more well known names will begin to arrive in late March. In the meantime, we just reloaded on a 2009 Red Bordeaux that has shown so well that it sold out quicker than you can say 2009 Château Couronneau!

It is always with great pleasure when I visit Christophe and Bénédicte Piat in Ligueux around the time of the En Primeur tastings in Bordeaux each spring. They have a lovely Château and a lovely family, but that just makes sense as they are truly wonderful people. Proudly displaying the banner sporting the “Agricole Biologique” logo in front of their property, they believe in the methodology and the proof’s in the juice. My visit this past April was met with outstanding weather, and we decided to eat our dinner al fresco. Seeing that I had a long drive back to Bordeaux after dinner, I had to spit all of the wine that was served (so professional), assuring a clear head for the return leg. The toughest wine to spit? The 2009 Château Couronneau Rouge, of course. All of that 2009 goodness, the wine showed expressive dark red fruit, herbs, and earthy mineral. The tannins were smooth allowing for a sensational finish of high toned fruit, hints of autumn leaves, and a just-used shovel. This is not the first time I’ve written about this wine, but seeing that it sold out so quickly, many of you may not know that it’s back in stock. Ding! Ding! It’s baaaaack: 2009 Château Couronneau is here at TWH, back in stock! So we wait. The heavy hitters from the 2009 vintage will be arriving soon enough, many of them will benefit from short/medium term aging (though many will be highly enjoyable upon release). The 2009 Château Couronneau is one of those “highly enjoyable now” wines (though a few years in the cellar couldn’t hurt). To borrow from Meursault’s Jean-Baptiste Bouzereau’s list of quotes, “If pleasure is here for the taking, why not take it?”

So yes, an amazing tasting, an amazing day. I had a moment in that room. Time stood still. The sounds around me faded and I just looked around the room. I was tasting the best of the best. I had many friends around the room that I saw enjoying the occasion. I felt so perfectly placed that I snapped out of it and proceeded with my duties. Then the lights flickered and it was time to go. The final tally? 94 wines. Not bad. Please contact me should you want to discuss any particular wine in detail.

During the tasting, I overheard a rumor that ALL flights back to SF were delayed (and this was at 4:00 PM). I dismissed it, as my flight wasn’t until 9:40 PM. After dinner, I called the airline just to see where we stood, and gulp, the flight was delayed until 12:20 AM!!! Not good, not good, so not good. Waiting at the airport, by some stroke of good fortune, I happened to notice a fairly large group of people moving from the gates in the direction of ground transport/baggage claim, so I got up to investigate. Good thing I did. They stuffed all passengers (and checked luggage) from all 3 delayed SF bound flights into 1 and off we went at approximately 11:00 PM. With a significant rain storm pounding the California coast, I must say that I experienced the most turbulent flight in all my airplane experiences last night. All’s well that ends well and when I turned the lock on the treehouse door at 1:55 AM, I was relieved. What a day, indeed. – Peter Zavialoff

Please feel free to email me with any questions or comments on 2009 Bordeaux, the upcoming Wilco shows, or of course, English Football: peter.winehouse@sbcglobal.net

Owl House Red from Ledgewood Creek Winery

winehousesf — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 19:36:36 +0000

If I were to recommend a wine to you that had a screw cap and a picture of a cute owl on it, was non-vintage AND, here’s the kicker, cost less than $10 would you think that I lost my marbles? I probably would but then again in my defense, as I’ve been known to repeat ad nauseam, finding a fabulous bottle of wine for $100 is a lot easier to do than to find a wine worth recommending that costs well under $10! The NV Owl House Red from Ledgewood Creek Winery is a simple table wine made from a whole bunch of different grape varieties, but it is the smattering of Counoise that in my opinion gives it its character. Counoise is a dark-skinned Rhone varietal known for tempering the alcohol and tannin of Syrah and Grenache. When vinified alone flavors of soft plum and juicy cherry dominate with light tannins and medium acidity; it’s a wine meant to be drunk young. This too aptly describes the Owl House Red which is medium-bodied with soft tannins and a juicy core of plum and cherry. (As an aside, I just learned that Tablas Creek was the first to put Counoise on their front label in the States. But before that happened, Tablas Creek had to submit a full dossier of material to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms so that Counoise could be recognized as a legitimate grape. This process took two years!!!) When the Owl House Red arrived at the shop, I took a bottle home to get to know it better. I remember it was a particularly hectic day so I opted to forgo making dinner and ordered take-out from our favorite pizza place conveniently located down the street. We ordered pepperoni pizza – yeah, I caved – fortunately it turned out to be one of the best pepperoni pizzas I’ve ever had and with it easily siphoned off (with my husband of course!) a bottle of the Owl House Red. A simple red with a simple pie, nothing could have tasted better at that moment…truly.

Managing to shirk off my weekend write-up duties for the last couple weeks (thank you Pete for covering for me without even having to ask!), I felt I wanted to ease into 2012 with an honest serviceable wine that can deliver simple pleasure as we move away from the craziness (and excesses?) of end-of-year festivities and celebrations. I predict I’ll be grabbing several bottles of Owl House Red over the next few weeks while I recover from shopping like a rock star last month. Luckily it’ll be less painful tightening the belt as long as I’ve got a glass of this charming, juicy red on hand.
–Anya Balistreri

The Wine House San Francisco: Our Top Ten Wines of 2011

winehousesf — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:13:11 +0000

Happy New Year! It’s that time of year again where we pick the top ten wines that were released and passed through our shop in the calendar year 2011. We first did this in 2009, and the reaction was so positive that we did it again last year. It’s a fun exercise for us here; we taste a lot of wine throughout the year, most of which doesn’t even make it to our sales floor. Of all that DOES meet our standards and make it to the floor, it becomes a difficult task to narrow it down to just 10. But we get there; the most fun part of the exercise is that while discussing the wines, we get to relive the past year in tasting. Remember, some of these wines have sold out, but deserve to be mentioned here based on their merits.

2010 Lugana – Ca’Lojera
Kicking things off here is the first of 7 direct TWH imports in this year’s top 10! Speaking for those of us who have not met her, we’re so jealous that first David, and then Anya met with Ambra Tiraboschi at successive Italian tastings in New York City. The wines that come from Ambra’s Ca’Lojera are a rare breed indeed. Ambra’s Cabernet Sauvignon is a gem that is not to be missed. But it’s what she can do with the Turbiana variety that lands her in our Top Ten of 2011. Her 2010 Lugana is one of our favorite Italian whites that came this way in 2011. It’s yummy goodness of fresh white fleshy fruit and zippy acidity, not to mention modest price, pushes it right into the Top Ten. If this is only the first of ten of this caliber, you might want to grab a seat.

2009 J-M Chaland Vire-Clesse
Speaking of terrific white wine imports … David was (again) lucky enough to be tasting wine in Burgundy last winter and when he tasted through the unoaked Chardonnays from Jean-Marie Chaland he had an epiphany. Brand new for us are a whole line of delicious Maconais wines which scream “White Burgundy Values”. The top of the line Thurissey is made from vines over 90 years old! Seriously, run don’t walk to this wine.

2008 Claude Thomas Zinfandel
Here’s a real TWH story. You should see our calendar. I mean Anya’s calendar. It’s got names and times jotted down for every day she works. There is a line out the door for the opportunity to have Anya taste (and hopefully, buy) the respective wines that each wine rep sells. It’s gotten so out of hand that one producer periodically sends his friends in specifically asking for his wine. Ah, what some people resort to just to make a sale. Sometimes, one of these encounters results in an extraordinary upside surprise, “winemakers to watch” and all. Yet it happened again in 2011 with a Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel. When the 2008 Claude Thomas Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel was poured for her, Anya, who by the way loves Zinfandel, was all in! Ripe, brambly berry and spice, we’re all in too. What a pleasure for all of us here at TWH when Tom Stanley drops off cases of his wine! Well done, Tom.

2008 Vignobles Boudinaud Côtes du Rhône Mataro
Back to France. You love Mourvèdre. We love Mourvèdre. What’s not to love? Big, gamy, muscular, earthy wines always have a home with those who love the style. It says Côtes du Rhône on the label. It says Mataro on the label as well, which is what some people in Spain, and apparently in the south of France call Mourvèdre. It’s a Côtes du Rhône made from 100% Mourvèdre. We love that! All of us here at TWH were wowed by this wine in 2011.

2010 Domaine d’Orfeuilles Vouvray
One of our favorite Loire Valley producers, Domaine d’Orfeuilles, you know, the ones that make sparkling Vouvray. Or maybe you’re familiar with their sparkling Touraine Rosé made from Côt, or Malbec as it’s known elsewhere. Maybe you’ve heard of their demi-sec Vouvray “les Coudraies”. Obviously, we’re big fans of these guys! The wine that brought us to them? It was the 2005 Vouvray “Silex”. That was so long ago that there isn’t even a blog link to attach to it. But the ’05 Silex? Crisp and bone dry with that lovely apple-ey goodness that Chenin Blanc is known for … but the mineral swirl? The stuff of legend. So when the 2010 recently went out to wholesale accounts and the sample bottle returned to the shop, we poured out some tastes for our staff … Chris and I took one swirl and taste … “Dude, can you believe that?” (Yes, we talk that way. Mostly just to each other.) “That acidity? That freshness. The mineral. The Fruit? This is better than the ’05!” It was. And it is. And it will be.

Pleiades XX – Sean Thackrey
Ever been to Bolinas? It’s a fun little town just northwest of Stinson Beach in Marin County. It’s tough to find, though. Locals like to take down the sign pointing the way whenever Caltrans puts up a new one. This keeps a lot of tourists out; or at least that’s the locals’ rationale. But Bolinas is home to Sean Thackrey’s winery. Sean Thackrey has been making wine for three decades! And his wines are our kind of wines; he embraces unique winemaking techniques, and sources his fruit from all over California. He brings it all back to his winery in Bolinas and makes wine with his hands. Thackrey’s Pleiades XX cracks the top 5 due to its serious amalgam of complexity and intensity. We are ALWAYS on the lookout for wines like this one! We sold out of the XX, be on the lookout for the XXI!

NV Giavi Prosecco
Prosecco. Serious Prosecco. The NV Giavi Prosecco. You’ve never tasted Prosecco like this before. We’ve got a serious Champagne customer. Serious. This gent will ONLY buy the best highly allocated Grower Champagnes we can get our hands on. He loves this Prosecco. He is actually talking this wine up to restaurants he dines in. Word is out in the restaurant world. We haven’t been able to offer this in our retail shop for months due to the demands of fine restaurants here in the Bay Area and in LA! We’re finally back on track, and once again have the wine in stock for you to try. This is Top Ten kind of Prosecco. Try one and see for yourself.

2009 Château Puy-Servain Montravel Rouge Vieilles Vignes
“Everybody loved it.” That’s what a customer said about the 2009 Montravel Rouge Vieilles Vignes from Château Puy-Servain. What a great 2011 discovery this was!! Instead of relaxing in Bordeaux on the Saturday after the En Primeur tastings, I was off to Montravel to meet with Daniel Hecquet at his Château Puy-Servain. When I tasted his 2009 Montravel Rouge Vieilles Vignes I got butterflies thinking about how cool it was going to be to get the wine over here and onto your tables. And even cooler, the wine sold out quickly. We bought more from Daniel and the next batch should be here by the end of March.

2009 Domaine Michel Bouzereau Bourgogne Blanc
Back to White Burgundy. David has been tasting the wines from Domaine Michel Bouzereau for several vintages, and he’s liked what he’s tasted. But just as he pointed out in regards to the J-M Chaland wines, he likes to taste several vintages before pulling the trigger. Jean-Baptiste Bouzereau is the winemaker these days and he makes some of the finest Premier Cru Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet that we stock here at TWH. You could pick any of Jean-Baptiste’s Premier Crus and put them in the Top Ten, but that’s kind of like cheating. But what’s this? He makes a Bourgogne too! Not only that, it’s a “Bourgogne” though most of the grapes are sourced from in and around Meursault. One taste will have you hooked!

2008 Château Branaire Ducru, St. Julien
Keeping with tradition, we’re going to Bordeaux. It’s so hard to pick just one wine. In 2011, it was the 2008 Bordeaux vintage that hit the market. There were standouts in all categories Red, White, and Gold! But the wine that struck me greatest had to be the 2008 Branaire Ducru. It has everything I look for in a young claret. Its fruit is expressive, the aromas are deep and complex. On the palate, it has a round feel with noticeable structure and more fruit expression braced by the zippy acidity. Great weight and great balance. The finish is long and complex; a perfect reminder as to why I love the wines from St. Julien most. We only have a few bottles left, so sorry when it sells out.

Honorable Mention: 2001 Château Lanessan
Narrowing all that wine tasted over the course of a year down to only 10 is a very difficult task indeed. One main criterion for the list is that the wine be newly released and available to us in said calendar year. But there is one more wine that wowed us in 2011 that deserves a slight mention, the 2001 Château Lanessan. It too was an amazing discovery that was made in the office of one of our negociants in Bordeaux this past April. We sold out of our stock rather quickly, quick enough to still have a chance to buy more! We did, and it’s on its way here. It should arrive at the end of March. – Peter Zavialoff

A TASTE OF BURGUNDY JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012

winehousesf — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 18:42:04 +0000

Click here to receive the Taste of Burgundy Sampler automatically every other month.

Basic Facts for those of you who are new to the program: Every two months we select two Burgundies, one red and one white. We include write-ups detailing the background of the grower, the vineyard source, and the wine. Finally we knock a significant percentage off the prices of the wines, making the Sampler price $89.98. If you would like us to add you to the Sampler Club and receive the wines regularly, please specify “store pickup” or “ship it” in the comments field, and we will charge your card accordingly. If you would like us to ship faster than the standard ground service, please specify this as well.

2009 Chassagne-Montrachet Château de la Maltroye
One of our favorite Chassagne producers for many, many vintages has to be Château de la Maltroye. Jean-Pierre Cornut, himself a former engineer, is meticulous about the winemaking, and the proof is in the bottle. The château was acquired by Jean-Pierre’s grandfather in 1940; the first wines made by his great-uncle. Jean-Pierre’s father André worked at the chateau in the 70′s and 80′s despite being a pilot for Air France. When health issues caused André to take a step back in 1993, Jean-Pierre took over. The château is located smack in the middle of Chassagne, and it even boasts a Premier Cru vineyard named for the château. This village Chassagne is rich and vibrant, showing off the round apple-y flavors and citrus blossom aromas one finds in the best Chardonnays. Its acidity keeps it fresh and balanced. It is yet another precocious 2009 Burgundy, puppy-dog friendly and ready to go.

2009 Beaune Bressandes Premier Cru Albert Morot
Considered one of the finest estates in Beaune, the Domaine Albert Morot was founded in 1820. They began as negociants. In the late 19th century, they purchased 7 hectares of vines and the buildings that they currently occupy. The domaine was run together with the negoce business into the late 1980′s. Current proprietor/vigneron Geoffroy Choppin de Janvry has had the reins of the domaine since the 1999 harvest. Geoffroy had this to say about the 2009 vintage, “(it is) not a typical Burgundian vintage. While the quality of the wines is very good, they are built on their fruit and they’re very round and suave … The wines should be popular as they’re easy to appreciate and I think that they will age better than many people presently think.” We heartily agree; 2009 was a vintage of ripe, precocious fruit, yet the wines are marked by sturdy structure that suggests improvement with medium term aging. Geoffroy always makes wines that speak of their place of origin; this 2009 Bressandes is shining now and will through 2020. – Peter Zavialoff

Paul Pernot’s 2010 Bourgogne Blanc

winehousesf — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 23:03:21 +0000

Happy 2012! I hope everyone had a happy, safe holiday season, creating more great memories with loved ones. Mine have gone well, I spent some quality time with family and friends and tasted some pretty interesting wines in the process. After living vicariously through many of you, I’ve finally rung in crab season … with vigor! I’ve had this conversation with many a customer, because I’m not alone here, but it just seems logical that one would drink more red wine (room temperature) in the winter than chilled white wine. For me, again, it’s just the opposite. Though I enjoy seafood all year, it seems I eat more of it in the winter time. That’s going to pop the cork on a few bottles of white wine right there. So if crab season has just recently begun, I look forward to enjoying more of those delectable crustaceans for months to come. What to drink? Among staff here at TWH, the answer is simple. White Burgundy. I’ve heard Anya say it more than once, “If I were rich, I’d drink White Burgundy EVERY Day.” So would I. Grand Cru and Premier Cru White Burgundy is expensive. It’s delicious, but expensive. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a way. What if I told you we have a Bourgogne Blanc made by a famous producer of Puligny-Montrachet that is made from fruit sourced from in and around Puligny near the Meursault border, and it sells for $20.82 by the case? Imagine. White Burgundy.

Chances are, if you’ve read our emails with any regularity, you would be familiar with the name Paul Pernot. Sure, we like to write about Pernot and his wines. They’re that special. His following is huge. White Burgundy lovers clamor over his Grand Cru and Premier Cru Puligny-Montrachets year after year. We get small allocations, but the wines are snapped up quickly every year. All of the wines. Pernot’s Bourgogne Blanc is quite the popular low $20′s quaffer ’round these parts, as it sells out the quickest. All that yummy Chardonnay goodness, crunchy orchard fruit, citrus blossom, a kiss of deftly used oak spice, and lively acidity. In 2010, the wine is rich, yet crisp and lively. There is mineral woven into the fruit profile, and the finish is long and harmonious. It walks like Puligny-Montrachet. It talks like Puligny-Montrachet. It says Bourgogne Chardonnay on the label. We don’t care, as long as that keeps the price nice. There’s plenty of crab season to go; but mind you, Pernot’s Bourgogne goes well with so much more. It shines with any crustacean you toss at it. It pairs great with chicken, especially a rotisserie chicken with fresh thyme. Halibut, sea bass, trout, and it makes a great partner with a slow roasted pork roast. $20.82 per bottle by the case.We apologize in advance if the wine sells out again. It will.

So off we go, headstrong into 2012. I’m optimistic, though my football club has hit a rough patch. It is a year of transition, as much will change soon. But I’m optimistic. I see plenty of good things coming down the pipeline already. I’ll be in LA tasting the 2009 Bordeaux vintage out of bottle in less than a fortnight. A virtual swath of concerts featuring many old favorites and a couple of new acts await my attendance in the next month and a half. And I will make good on a few resolutions:
#1 Taste more wine from places outside France. (This will be tough, knowing what my friends have in their cellars.)
#2 Open more bottles at the bar at Picco on Monday nights. (If I can get in, they’ve been getting slammed lately.)
#3 Blog more. (Er, okay, just blog.)
#4 Visit Mom more often. (Though Sis and I did well in 2011!)
#5 Allow for the serendipitous. (How will the gods find you if you don’t let them?)
#6 Brevity. (I could go on and on.)

Happy 2012! – Peter Zavialoff

Please feel free to email me with any questions or comments on 2012, White Burgundy, or English Football: peter.winehouse@sbcglobal.net

January 2012 Dirty Dozen

winehousesf — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 21:45:07 +0000

Happy New Year! As the whirr of the holi-daze shrinks away in our rear view mirrors, we look forward to many more vinous discoveries coming in 2012! The new year brings hope and optimism, resolutions, and the NFL playoffs! There’s something going on there for us locals, and for you, how about the January 2012 Dirty Dozen? 12 bottles, all chosen for their versatility, packed in a box, for an incredible price. Go SF!

Be a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

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.

2009 Cheverny Le Domaine du Moulin, Hervé Villemade – $14.98 net price, $13.49 reorder
Brand new for us is this white blend from Cheverny in the Loire Valley. Cheverny is located just between the cities of Tours and Orleans and boasts one of the Loire’s most famous chateaux. Certified orgainic, Monsieur Villemade blends approximately 70% Chardonnay with 30% Sauvignon Blanc and the result is a delightful balanced wine that shows ample fruit and a crisp finish. A crab salad works fine here.

2009 Mâcon les Tilles, J.M. Chaland – $19.99, $15.99 reorder
Every now and then the Dirty Dozen gets a surprise visit from some highly esteemed appellation; this time it’s Burgundy! Jean-Michel Chaland crafts wonderful terroir driven Chardonnays from his vineyards in and around Mâcon. The vines for les Tilles are approximately 40-50 years old, and the wine is vinified all in steel tank. Rich, round, fleshy white fruit with a hint of the tropics. Drink with that lobster.

2009 Chardonnay, Lalande – $13.49, $10.79 reorder
Grassa. Yves Grassa. He’s the man behind the wines from Domaine Lalande in Gascogne. Seasoned DD veterans are familiar with the name and the wines, which are delectable vintage after vintage. Oscar Wilde once said, “Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.” We imagine Oscar never had a glass of Lalande Chardonnay. We also imagine an open face turkey sandwich with this.

2010 Rosé de Ecuyer de Château Couronneau – $11.99, $9.59 reorder
In Bordeaux, you hear a lot of fuss about the prices of the finest wines, but less often, do you hear about all the production (the famous wines represent around 5% of Bordeaux’s total output). Christophe and Bénédicte Piat are keeping it real for us, proudly sporting the Agricole Biologique banner on their property at Bordeaux’s eastern frontier. This Rosé is fresh and fruity and goes well with bbq.

2010 Scaia Bianco, Tenuta Sant’Antonio – $12.98 net price, $11.68 reorder
Now what do you get when you blend Garganega with Chardonnay? Tom likes to call it a “Super Soave”, and we can’t blame you if you do too as this wine has that soft, fleshy fruit sensation, yet is backed up with a fresh crisp finish. Toss some scampi and serve with pasta.

2010 Montravel Blanc, Château Calabre – $10.99, $8.79 reorder
Next up could very well be the best white wine bargain in the shop! Made just outside Bordeaux in Montravel, Daniel Hecquet blends 50% Sauvignon Blanc with 40% Semillon and 10% Muscadelle resulting in a knock-off White Bordeaux. All steel tank here, the wine is bright and fresh, with plenty of complexity on the palate, and will have you scratching your head as to how it can be done for this price.

2010 Zinfandel, Old Vines, Rail 2 Rail – $11.98 net price, $10.78 reorder
In Lodi, there is an 82 year old farmer named Andy D’Arrigo. He grows lettuce, prickly pears, and grapes. His Zinfandel vines are more than 45 years old, and he has no intention of selling any of his land because, “I don’t know how to grow buildings.” Surf enthusiast/winemaker Eric Laumann came upon Andy and the result is Rail 2 Rail Zin. Tee this up with a rich pizza with sausage and olives.

2008 Monastrell Hécula, Bodegas Castaño – $9.98 net price, $8.98 reorder
Nestled in Spain’s Yecla DO (appellation of origin) you will find Bodegas Castaño. This 100% Monastrell (Mourvèdre) is grown at altitudes of approximately 750 feet on vines 35 years of age or more. We have nothing but praise for this wine, as it outperforms its price point by a long shot. We’re not the only ones; Steven Tanzer says that it could be a Bandol and Robert Parker heaps praise on wine prospector Eric Solomon, saying, “Solomon’s wines are intense expressions of terroir.” This one could use a big juicy t-bone steak.

2009 Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon, The Royal – $11.98 net price, $10.78 reorder
Grab the passport, we’re off to South Africa. Though after one sip of this silky smooth Shiraz/Cab blend, you may think you’ve gone to the land down under, but alas, The Royal is from Africa’s southern tip. Adding 40% Cabernet Sauvignon to the blend gives the spicy Shiraz a blackberry backbone with just a hint of mocha spice. What to pair here? Think Africa. How ’bout ostrich fillet? Yum.

2009 Touraine Les Demoiselles – Domaine des Corbillières – $14.99, $11.99 reorder
Not new to us are the wines from Domaine des Corbillières. What IS new to us is Maurice Barbou’s Les Demoiselles cuvée, which is roughly 40% Pinot Noir, 30% Côt (Malbec), and 30% Cabernet Franc. Ding! Ding! Woot! Woot! Winner! Winner! The wine is an aromatic masterpiece of dark red, purple, and black berries, tobacco leaf, and cracked pepper, all singing around a mineral core. Fermented in tank, it’s fresh and juicy. We have a feeling that this one is a keeper. Enjoy with pasta with red sauce.

2007 Chianti Colli Sinese, Montenidoli – $19.99, $15.99 reorder
Oh wait, that pairing suggestion was meant for this wine! Oh well, we can have two pasta with red sauce wines in the same DD. Tuscan wine royalty Elisabetta Fagiuoli brews up some old-school Chianti using Sangiovese and Canaiolo. The wine is dense and rich with an herbal component that screams Old World. It is a Chianti that can be enjoyed now, but will gain in complexity if cellared properly.

2010 Malbec, Alberto Furque – $14.99, $11.99 reorder
Wine without filtration is the motto at Bodega Aconquija, better known to us as Alberto Furque. Winemaker Carolina Furque does not filter any of her wines. She feels that filtration removes important nuances in both aromas and flavors. Sometimes this may result in a little sediment, but the trade-off is worth it. This Malbec is grown at altitudes of around 3000 ft in the Andes Mountains, which is important for acidity levels in the wines. This wine will shine along side a roast pork tenderloin with chimichurri sauce.

Check Out Our Complete Inventory at WineSF.com

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

The Soon To Be Legendary 2009 Bordeaux

winehousesf — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:39:53 +0000

A Link To Our Complete 2009 Bordeaux Offer

New Year’s? Really? Whew! Time flies. So what’s on the agenda? January is always a particularly busy time of year as many northern-hemisphere wine industry folks are traveling around and there are always a plethora of tastings this time of year. One tasting that is highly anticipated will be the annual Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux tasting. I will be zooming down to LA on Friday, January 20th for the inaugural stateside tasting of 2009 Bordeaux in bottle. I took this trip 2 years ago to taste the newly bottled 2007s. This will be a totally different kind of tasting! Tasting the 2009s out of barrel was an amazing experience. In general, the wines showed expression and harmony, but they were marked by sturdy structure which indicated to me that the vintage will be legendary. I cannot wait to taste the finished product! The UGC has unveiled the vintage in London, Paris, Japan, Korea, and China. All reports that I’ve heard are heaping praise on the wines. A friend of mine who poured at all the tastings told me that they were so successful that she ran out of wine every time. I won’t know until I taste them myself, but as I’ve said before, I have a sneaking suspicion that 2009 will be my favorite Bordeaux vintage for the rest of my life. A wine sales rep heard me say that and asked me, “How can you possibly say something like that?” The answer is simple. I know what I like.

My impressions notwithstanding, the wines are coming. By the end of January, most US based Bordeaux-centric professionals will have tasted the wines, and if my suspicions are correct, there will be excitement, praise, and more hype. The end result will be depleted stocks and, say it ain’t so, higher prices. We bought a lot of wine from the 2009 vintage, we’ve sold a lot as futures, but we still have plenty available on a pre-arrival basis. The wines are due to arrive in various shipments throughout the calendar year 2012. I’ve been focusing in on the best deals, and there are some fantastic wines in the $20-$50 range. You cannot go wrong by having 2009 Bordeaux in your cellar. This is not an opinion, it is a fact. Please consider this a reminder, as you will be hearing all about the 2009 vintage and its wines for a long, long time to come. I will report back after the UGC tasting, but by then I won’t be the only one reminding you. – Peter Zavialoff

Please feel free to email me with any questions or comments about 2009 Bordeaux or if you would like some recommendations: peter.winehouse@sbcglobal.net

A Link To Our Complete 2009 Bordeaux Offer

Pow, Bam, Fizz – Happy New Year!

winehousesf — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 21:19:57 +0000

I am rarely surprised anymore by the things people say to me on the subject of wine. However, during a trip to Brooklyn a couple months ago for my friend’s wedding, I stopped into a small, and what I determined to be quite reputable, wine shop. I struck up a conversation with one of the employees. Upon asking him if they had any small grower Champagne, I was met with a somewhat astonished facial expression followed by “you guys know about grower Champagne out in California?!” I had to stop myself from laughing hysterically lest I come off as a phony (psst, I’m not really from California) AND offensive.

That said, I know we can be a bit Californicentric with our wine selections on the west coast, but when it comes to bubbles, well…. in the words of one of our favorite Californian winemakers when I asked him what he’s drinking these days… “Champagne. Especially from growers. That’s pretty exciting to me.” So yes world, we know all about Champagne!!! It is delicious; It is festive; It is one of the most diverse and versatile wines on the planet; It is exciting. Oh, and it’s available in California!

Grower Champagne – Champagne made from vines grown on and bottled by a single estate – is not necessarily inherently superior (or inferior for that matter) to one made by a négociant or co-op, but many small grower Champagnes today offer a distinct type of drinking experience that diverges from the larger producers. Not to mention the fact that it’s nice to know where the grapes for your wine come from. TWH carries both categories proudly and with discerning standards. All of our Champagnes represent the absolute best of the various sub-regions, styles, and producers from a region renowned for its pivotal role in history as the place for royal inaugurations and celebrations. Oh, and did we mention that our Champagnes are celebrity-endorsed?

Last night before we closed up shop, TWH staff was treated to a bottle of the 1999 Pascal Doquet Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Le Mesnil (That’s Pascal in the pic above, btw). The freshness, the vibrancy, and the complexity of this wine, after all these years, was mind-blowing. It’s nowhere close to retiring. And even after a long day of work, in the back of our warehouse, with no cause for celebration per se, we had a sense that the moment was special. THIS is why we drink Champagne. Happy New Year! ~ Emily Crichton

** Here are a few of our favorite bubbles in stock **

NV Arlaux Brut 750ml (Also available in 375ml)

Arlaux is a tiny Champagne house run by Christine Marechal. A recoltant-manipulant, Marechal is based in Vrigny, and owns just 7 hectares of Premier Cru vines, predominantly Chardonnay but with both Pinots planted alongside, on the north-western edge of the Petite Montagne de Reims. All of the Arlaux wines are made from the first pressing only and following both fermentations, are aged in the Arlaux cellars before release, with up to three years for the basic non-vintage cuvees, and up to five years for the reserve non-vintage and vintage wines. The entry level non-vintage is the Brut NV, a blend of 50% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Meunier and just 10% Chardonnay.- TheWineDoctor.com

1998 Arlaux Brut Millesime

This has a lovely character on the nose, which is evolving and interesting. There is elegant but rich tropical fruit with a lemon twist, and a nutty element coming in behind. The palate is impressive, defined and linear, but also creamy and harmonious. There is great fruit texture, fine acidity and perfect balance. A delicious wine which is very approachable now. – TheWineDoctor.com, March 2009

NV Pascal Doquet Brut Blanc de Blancs

92 Points- Wine & Spirits December 2008

Pascal and his wife Laure own and operate this fabulous small grower Champagne domaine in the town of Vertus, located near Avize. The Doquet’s Champagnes are made entirely from their 15 hectares (2.5 Grand Cru / 12.5 Premier Cru) which are all farmed organically and hand harvested.

In the Cellar the wines ferment in both tank and cask before being bottled to under go secondary fermentation where they are allowed to rest on their lees for a minimum of 2 years but often up to 3 before disgorgement; much longer than the law requires. This technique and patience allows for the wines to develop richness and depth.

This Brut Blanc de Blancs cuvee was aged in tanks for 6 months, including 3 months sur-lies. The wine is a blend 2 vintages: 67% of 2004 and 33% of 2002, and was bottled in April 2005.

NV Pascal Doquet Brut Rose 1er Cru

91 Points- Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

This Rose Brut Premier Cru cuvee comes from the Southern Cote des Blancs: Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Vertus, Bergeres-les-Vertus. The wine was aged in tanks for 6 months, including 3 months sur-lies. A Chardonnay base is used along with some Pinot Noir from Vertus. This is a blend of 2005, 2004 and 2003 vintages, which was bottled in April 2006.

NV Pascal Doquet Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Le Mesnil

92 Points- Wine & Spirits December 2008

This Brut Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs cuvee (100% Chardonnay) comes from Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, and was aged in tanks for 6 months, including 4 months sur-lies. The wine is a blend 3 vintages: 73% of 1999, 7% of 1998 and 20% of 1996, and was bottled in April 2000.

*2000 Pascal Doquet Brut 1er Cru Mont Aime

*1999 Pascal Doquet Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru Le Mesnil

NV Pierre Peters Cuvee de Reserve Blanc de Blancs

92 Points – Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar

Light, bright green-gold, with a strong bead. Vivid citrus and green apple aromas are complicated by subtle lees, spice and brioche qualities, as well as a slow-building floral quality. Firm and focused, offering tangy orange and orchard fruit flavors along with anise and sweet butter. Gains weight with air but not at the expense of the crackling fruit. The citrus notes linger impressively on the finely etched finish. I really like this wine’s delicacy and sneaky power.

And many many more…..

CA Cabs: 3 Under $20

winehousesf — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:51:55 +0000

Tis’ the season when one should have stock of that reliable Cabernet Sauvignon that you grab and tie with a ribbon as you run out the door to your next party. This Cabernet Sauvignon should be of exceptional value, this goes without saying, but it should also have an attractive outside appearance (I know this is a consideration when it comes to gift giving, so why pretend it’s not), and it shouldn’t have to cost a small fortune. I have a few favorites that meet these criteria that I’d like to share with you. BUT before I do, I’d like to boast that along with our vast budget-friendly offerings, we have in stock many hard-to-find, high-scoring California wines for those wine lovers on your list that are tough to WOW…to that end check out our offerings from Bedrock Wine Company, Carlisle and Varner. Ok, back to the task at hand, here are my recommendations for that last-minute gift for your neighbor who looks after your cat while you are away on vacation, the “within your budget” red for your legendary Boxing Day party, or that tasty boost needed to make wrapping gifts until 2am all the merrier…

Humanitas
At Humanitas, “Drink Charitably” is the motto. Proceeds from the sale of every bottle of Humanitas go to charity. Judd Wallenbreck, who moonlights as GM for Michel-Schlumberger in the Dry Creek Valley, began this new concept winery in the late ’90s. His thirty plus years of experience in the wine business has uniquely positioned him to be able create this charitable winery. Of course this concept wouldn’t go anywhere if the wines weren’t any good. The 2009 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is marvelous; mountain fruit from the western part of the valley with a small percentage of Malbec and Merlot blended in for complexity. Because we’re in San Francisco, every time we sell a bottle of the 2009 Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon, a donation is made to the San Francisco Food Bank. What a brilliant concept: you buy a stunning Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon that has been aged in French oak and tastes of crushed blueberries and tart dried cherries, pay far less then what you would expect to pay for a comparable wine AND in the process do something good for someone else!

2009 Humanitas Cabernet Sauvignon Dry Creek Valley
Red Wine; Cabernet Sauvignon; Sonoma;

$16.98

Twenty Rows
This gem of a wine comes from Lori and Brian Nuss who also own Vinoce atop Mt. Veeder. The 2009 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is primarily made up of fruit from Mt. Veeder and Yountville, so power and structure are its hallmarks. Lots of dark red cherry fruit, hints of chocolate and vanilla bean spice greet the palate. Like Humanitas, you get more (pedigree, quality, winemaking) than what you pay for. Plus, this isn’t some large-scaled, faceless operation with a big marketing budget to promote their wine. Twenty Rows is simply about a winemaking couple who understand that not everyone can, or will, pay top dollar for a Napa Cabernet, and are able, with skill and know-how, to fashion a wine that can bottle up all the pleasure of a top-notch Napa Valley Cabernet into a sub $20 bottle. Kudos to Lori and Bill!

2009 Twenty Rows Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley
Red Wine; Cabernet Sauvignon; Napa;

$17.98

Broadside
The 2009 Margarita Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is Chris Broc’s fourth vintage. This single-vineyard Cabernet outperforms its price range by a wide margin. Margarita Vineyard is the southernmost vineyard in the Paso Robles appellation, is only 14 miles from the ocean and has limestone soils, making this a Cabernet Sauvignon that along with supple rich fruit has a mineral thread that adds energy to the finish. Each time I drink Broadside’s Margarita Vineyard Cabernet, I am struck by this thing…this other thing that makes this Cabernet way more interesting than 99% of what I taste in this price category. Is it the limestone soil, the natural fermentation, the judicious use of oak (only 2% new in this vintage), or just magic? You be the judge.

2009 Broadside Cabernet Sauvignon Margarita Vineyard
Red Wine; Cabernet Sauvignon; Central Coast;

$18.98

I went from humbug to ho-ho-ho overnight. I haven’t yet started Christmas shopping (if you are over 21 and on my list, this year you’re all getting wine!), but strangely I’m not panicking. It’ll get done, it always does. And besides it isn’t about that anyway, right? Sunday I’ll be having dinner with my “adoptive” parents for our annual “before Christmas get-together”. It is all the more special this year because last year my other father was at Stanford hospital recovering from heart-transplant surgery. I’m relieved and thankful to report, he’s going great! The menu is set for magret de canard, so I’m bringing Burgundy! Some occasions call for the good stuff! I’d like to wish all of you good health and plenty of time with loved ones, Cheers
–Anya Balistreri

2009 Domaine des Corbillieres “Les Demoiselles”

winehousesf — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 23:21:21 +0000

12-11-11 … or is it 11-12-11? That would be the European way, and seeing that I was there a week ago, I’m still a little confused. Yes, I got to see the Blues play a home match, and hopefully brought them some good luck for the remainder of the season. Stopped over in Paris to visit Virginie and Carsten (the chef). Let’s just say that both Carsten and I worked that day as some great food and wine were served. It’s been a bit of a blur since I returned, and just like that, I’ve landed in the middle of party season. So for tonight, I’m going to the home of some relatively new friends with whom I first bonded over a bottle of 2006 La Croix de Gay (which was stunning, btw). Last time I visited them, they had 2 chefs visiting from Zurich and a swath of scrumptious wines from all over the world. As a beverage industry professional, I feel it necessary to represent by bringing over something outstanding, of course, yet something a little different. Genius! A Lorie Valley red blend, that’s the ticket. How about our 2009 Touraine Les Demoiselles from Domaine des Corbillières?

As we taste through the wines, it’s becoming pretty clear that 2009 was good to all the vignerons of France. It sure was a great vintage in Bordeaux. The Rhône Valley, both north and south, cranked out some great wines. We’ve been raving about the Cru Beaujolais, and it seems that the Loire Valley benefited too! Speaking of the Loire, we’ve been carrying the wines from Dominique Barbou’s Domaine des Corbillières for over a decade and a half. This year, we’re carrying something new from them, their Les Demoiselles cuvée. Made from 40% Pinot Noir and 30% each Côt (Malbec) and Cabernet Franc, it’s a complex little quaffer! Toss in the perfect weather that 2009 seemed to bring to the entire country, and you’ve got a winner. The aromas are of dense cassis, tobacco leaf, and cracked pepper. On the palate, the fruit really jumps out and widens. Held together by excellent structure, its complexity can be pondered long after the wine is consumed. It’s got great weight, a juicy mouthfeel, and a very reasonable price tag. Yep, this is another representative of the 2009 vintage. Oh yeah, as December Wine Of The Month, it discounts 20% on full case purchases!

So yes, we all will be hearing about, and hopefully tasting French wines from 2009 for years to come. Look out for an email in the not-too-distant future about 2009 Bordeaux. The wines have just recently been bottled and have been out on the road in Europe and Asia (to huge praise). The tour is scheduled to hit California in late January.

It’s off to my first party of the season tonight, representing TWH with a bottle of 2009 Domaine des Corbillières Les Demoiselles. Not too festive, as I will be here in the shop today (Sunday) from 12 noon until 4 PM. Off Monday though, and we’ll see about whether or not my visit to Chelsea left any good luck for the club as they tackle league leading, undefeated Manchester City at noon our time. Mad Dog In The Fog anyone? – Peter Zavialoff

Please feel free to email me with any questions or comments about wine or football: peter.winehouse@sbcglobal.net