October 1, 2013

News from Heights Chateau

One among you followers of this blog has asked me to identify country/region of origin for the ones, which I will gladly do starting with this week.


NEW WHITES:
(new vintage) Geografico 2012 Vernaccia @ $11.99 (Tuscany)
a fresh bouquet with lively floral accents, bright on the palate with lively mineral acidity and quite a bit of gunflint supported by white fruit
Drouhin 2011 Chablis Grand Cru Vaudesir @ $67.99
from a classic Burgundian vintage, rich and generous with plenty of texture, a wine with great balance, poise and harmony
 
NEW REDS:
Conde Villar  2010 Tinto @ $8.99 (Portugal)
a four-grape blend from the Alentejo region, soft and velvety, well structured, the tannins and acidity well blended with abundant fruit
Chateau Julien 2011 Merlot @ $11.99 (California)
a Merlot produced from grapes from the Monterey County appellation, food-friendly and approachable, with mild tannins and forward fruit
Ferdinand 2010 Chinon @ $12.99 (Loire Valley)
100% Cabernet Franc, a fuller-bodied Chinon from 50-year-old vines packed with plenty of dark cherry fruit
Montebro 2010 Priorat @ $13.99 (Spain)
full-bodied, with flavors of vanilla, cocoa, and ripe cherries, well balanced, with soft tannins and a slight presence of mature oak in the finish
Copertino 2007 Reserva @ $13.99 (Italy)
a blend of Negroamaro and Malvasia Nera from Puglia, a robust and generous wine that becomes refined and elegant with some ageing
Cantina Clavesana 2010 Dogliani "Il Clou" @ $14.99 (Piedmont)
produced by a 340-member coop in Clavesana, notes of red cherry and spicy leather beaced by a spine of bright acidity
Lacrimus 2009 Rioja @ $14.99
a modern-style Rioja, a blend of Tempranillo and Graciano, with great aromatic intensity, elegant and harmonious with great persistence on the palate
O.P.P. 2011 Pinot Noir @ $17.99
classic Willamette Valley Pinot, earthy, spicy, floral, with herb-framed flavors of cherry with gingery wood spice tones
Clos de los Siete 2009 Malbec Blend @ $19.99 Mendoza, Argentina)
a collaborative project of seven producers under the leadership of famed consultant Michel Rolland, a blend of Malbec, Merlot, Cab and Syrah, ripe, succulent, and impressively balanced
(back) Vina Alberdi 2006 Rioja Reserva @ $19.99
well balanced on the palate, with a gentle, silky quality and a pleasant acidity that results in a fresh and extensive finish
Clavesana 2010 Dogliani "110" @ $19.99 (Piedmont)
a single-vineyard Dolcetto, quite flavorful with hints of earth and minerals, tannins well balanced with medium acidity and a charming, smooth finish
Bench 2012 Pinot Noir @ $19.99
from the Sonoma Coast and from an ideal growing season, a Pinot with  good intensity with darker earth flavors and bright raspberry fruit and  fine tannins that add structure and balance to a long finish
Ricasoli 2011 Brolio Chianti Classico @ $20.99
elegant and well balanced, with a rich bouquet of berries and violets and a fresh and pleasant palate with evident hints of ripe red fruit
Drouhin 2011 Chorey-les Beaune @ $23.99 (Burgundy)
intensely fruity aromas and a body that is round, graceful, and elegant with hints of blackberries on the flavorful aftertaste
Poulleau 2010 Chorey-les-Beaune @ $26.99 (Burgundy)
light and supple, only moderately tannic, more elegant than powerful, with enticing aromas of Morello cherry and raspberry
(new vintage) J Vineyards 2011 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley @ $33.99
plush and full, a wine of great depth with elegantly composed layers,  with hints of cocoa, cinnamon and cloves, and the traditional Pinot Noir flavors of cherry and strawberry fully integrated with the subtle oak tannins
Caparzo 2008 Brunello @ $39.99 (Tuscany)
a penetrating bouquet reminiscent of wild berries, warm, full-bodied and harmonious on the palate, delicate, austere, and persistent at the same time