February 3, 2014

News from Heights Chateau

2014 is off to a bit of a slow start, what with taking inventory and the post-holiday season blahs, so I skipped last week and am here delivering the new items from the last two weeks. Hope you find something of interest!


NEW WHITES:
Cooper's Creek 2013 Sauvignon Blanc @ $10.99
Crisp and refreshing, reverberating with aromas and flavors of citrus, gooseberry and passion fruit plus just a touch of herb on the lively finish, a quintessential New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc
Clos-du-Chateau 2011 Bourgogne Blanc @ $30.99
Produced by Chateau de Puligny-Montrachet and made from grapes grown on vines right in front of the chateau, clean and crisp, with green apples, no great density but significant persistence
 
NEW REDS:
Urban 2012 Tempranillo @ $11.99
From Argentina's Uco Valley, a modern-styled Tempranillo, soft, fresh and fruit-driven, aged only three months in oak
Chateau des Reyssiers 2011 Regnie @ $12.99
Made from densely planted 40-year-old vines surrounding this historic Beaujolais estate, with flavors of raspberry and red plum and an underlying sense of minerality
Between the Vines NV Pinot Noir @ $12.99
From Scotto Cellars in Lodi, California, with hints of red fruit and spice and a very pleasant finish
Regio 2012 Zinfandel @ $13.99
Also from Scotto Cellars, a Zin filled with spicy flavors of dark fruit and quiet vanilla oak accents
Catena 2011 Malbec "Vista Flores" @ $14.99
From one of Argentina's long-time top producers, a Malbec with concentrated dark fruit flavors, notes of spice, tobacco, mocha, and licorice, velvety tannins, and a crisp long finish
(new vintage) Domaine de la Solitude 2012 Cotes du Rhone @ $15.99
a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, soft, round and straightforward, opulently fruity on the palate with a lingering finish
Zerbetta 2012 Barbera del Monferrato @ $17.99
From a relatively small producer in the Piedmont region of Italy, very approachable, with nice acidity, full tannins, and a subtle finish
(new vintage) Mas d'Agalis 2011 Yo No Puede Mas @ $18.99
a complex blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan from the Languedoc, earthy and somewhat rustic, with plenty of dark red fruit
Paolo Scavino 2012 Barbera @ $25.99
Floral, elegant, and expressive, with a high-toned texture and clean, harmonious acidity
Chalon 2011 La Grande Ourse @ $28.99
A Cotes du Rhone blend of Mourvedre, Grenache and Syrah, intensely aromatic, with notes of black fruits and spices, powerful on the palate with an enveloping texture and a long, savory finish
Pomar Junction 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $29.99
Made entirely from hand-picked estate-grown grapes at this Paso Robles winery, with aromas and flavors of dark berries and allspice and a firm yet silky tannic structure
(new vintage) Chambellan 2010 Chateauneuf-du-Pape @ $33.99
ripe cherries and black currants intertwined with herbs and spices, full-bodied yet supple with a velvety texture
Mathieu 2007 Chateauneuf-du-Pape "Marquis Anselme Mathieu" @ $46.99
Roughly 85% Grenache from vines planted in 1890, rich, seductive and fleshy, with sweet kirsch liqueur notes intermixed with plenty of licorice, tobacco leaf, earth, and spice