February 9, 2014

News from Heights Chateau

Your weekly correspondent will be MIA for the next two weeks . .  heading out to Tucson for a little relief from this winter weather. Here's this week's report:


NEW WHITES:
(new vintage) Carta Vieja 2013 Sauvignon Blanc @$6.99 (Chile)
modern-styled, fruity, and easy to drink with an intense varietal expression
Finca Antigua 2011 Viura @ $10.99 (Spain)
light-bodied with moderate acidity, floral notes and white fruit on the nose, and a soft palate with a citrus apple finish
Barbera 2012 Inzolia @ $13.99 (Sicily)
A fresh, rich bouquet of white fruits with touches of almond, full and round in texture with snappy fruit and fresh acidity
Pala 2012 Vermentino @ $13.99
From Sardinia, floral and herbaceous on the nose, medium to full-bodied on the palate, with good balance and a long finish
Sant' Isidoro 2012 Isidoro @ $14.99
100% Pecorino from the Marche region of Italy with alluring aromas of honeysuckle, plenty of texture, and a long, drying finish
Chavy-Chouet 2011 Bourgogne Aligote @ $14.99
Refreshing, dry, medium-bodied, with more than a hint of crispness on the palate
Archambeau 2011 Graves @ $15.99
Lovely apple notes on the nose complemented by herbal undertones, remarkably full-bodied and elegant.
La Cadalora 2012 Pinot Grigio Vallagarina @ $16.99
From a practicing organic winery in the Trentino region of Italy, wild flowers and mineral notes on the nose, soft and round on the palate with good persistence and medium acidity
(new vintage) Ca' Lojera 2013 Lugana @ $16.99 (the Veneto, Italy)
A pleasingly complex bouquet of melon and tangerine laced with floral notes and hints of mint
Cantina Terlan 2012 Terlaner @ $17.99
From Italy's Alto Adige, a blend of mostly Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay with a little Sauvignon Blanc added in, complex yet fresh with a good acid structure and a pleasing warmth
Zocker 2011 Gruner Veltliner @ $19.99
A surprise . . . a GV from California's Edna Valley, crisp and structured with a round, smooth mouthfeel
Monchhof 2010 Riesling @ $19.99
From a Mosel estate that goes back to 1177, juicy, rich and creamy with great balancing acidity
Monchhof 2012 Riesling Spatlese @ $26.99
racy, with a searing mineral intensity, with apricot and orange notes emerging as this resonates on the palate
 
NEW REDS:
Circa 2011 Rosso @ $9.99
A Sangiovese/Merlot blend from Tuscany with a little Syrah and Alicante blended in, rich, with a hint of dark chocolate, great mineral notes, and a long, smooth finish
(new vintage) Terra Rosa 2010 Malbec @ $11.99 (Argentina)
a rich purple Malbec with an exotically perfumed nose, an elegant mouthfeel, smokiness and ripe blueberry flavors with inviting, complex textures
Antica Enotria 2011 Puglia Rosso @ $11.99
A blend of Sangiovese and Montepulciano, soft and dry with nice tannins and a good finish
Michelet 2012 Buzet @ $12.99
A 60/40 blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc from just south of Bordeaux, with aromas of flowers and summer red fruits, light and soft tannins that give a sensation of sweetness
(new vintage) Two Ponds 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $12.99
an elegant Cabernet from Washinton with subtle flavors of cinnamon and cloves coupled with ripe black cherries; hints of leather and tobacco that led to a toasted oak finish with well rounded tannins
 (new vintage) Adanti 2010 Nispero @ $13.99
Red fruits with floral overtones on the nose, medium-bodied and supple with soft tannins
Sant' Isidoro 2011 Pinto @ $14.99
100% Sangiovese from Puglia, fresh and lively, with racy red raspberries and a crisp tangy finish
Quattrochi 2011 Malbec @ $14.99 (Argentina)
Aromas of mature plums and sour cherries, full=bodied and smooth with sweet tannins and balanced acidity
Chateau Bourbon La Chapelle 2010 Medoc @ $14.99
A Cab/Merlot blend that is a special selection from the vineyard of Chateau Castera in the Medoc, medium-bodied on the palate with excellent balance and rounded tannins on the finish
Chateau Roquefort 2009 Cote de Bourg @ $14.99
A 90/10 blend of Merlot and Cab, fine and supple on the nose, fleshy and delicate on the palate with good length
(new vintage) Cambon 2012 Beaujolais @ $16.99
From vineyards located between Morgon and Fleurie, an unfiltered, unchaptalized, unfined, unsulphured wine that is a pure expression of Gamay fruit
De Tierra 2008 Pinot Noir @ $19.99
Sourced from two estate vineyards in Monterey, a classic cold-weather Pinot with bright berry flavors
Baileyana 2012 Pinot Noir @ $20.99
A big Central Coast Pinot with great acid structure, soft smooth tannins, and a smoky, spicy finish
Jezebel 2012 Pinot Noir @ $21.99
Produced by Oregon's Daedalus Cellars, a blend of wines from several Oregon vineyards, beautifully balanced with great depth of flavor
Chavy-Chouet 2011 Bourgogne @ $22.99
Sourced from the Pommard region of Burgundy, with classic red Burgundy aromas, ripe and rich with a fairly full body
Palliser Estate 2008 Pinot Noir @ $29.99
From Martinborough, New Zealand, a Pinot with red fruit and spice flavors, sweet, suave tannins and very good length
Chateau Rollan de By 2009 Medoc @ $30.99
A Cab/Merlot/Petit Verdot blend medium-bodied, with notes of cassis, vanilla, licorice, and earth
Vielle Cure 2004 Fronsac @ $32.99
Called a "sleeper of the vintage, supple-textured and expansive, with great purity and texture
(new vintage) Produttori del Barbaresco 2009 Barbaresco @ $33.99
a rich, full-bodied expression of this wine, redolent of warm, dark berry fruit that is supported by ripe tannins and excellent acidity
Pala 2008 S'Arai @ $44.99
From Sardinia, a blend of Cannonau, Carignan, and Bovale Santo, with sweet dark fruit, minerals, wild herbs, and toasted oak