October 31, 2009

news of the week

Not quite as many new wines as the past two weeks, but quite enough, thank you! Check the store counter for new samplers (or, more conveniently, in the e-newsletter to come), and check our web site (www.heightschateau.com) for the calendar of coming events. I will be MIA next week, off to Key West for a few days of r7r; catch up with you in two weeks' time. Judy
 
NEW WHITES:
(new vintage) Pucela 2008 Viura/Sauvignon Blanc @ $7.99
 Crisp, dry, Granny Smith apples with a hint of citrus
Skouras 2008 White @ $7.99
 A blend of Roditis and Moschofilero from the Peloponnese
Collision Point 2008 Sauvignon Blanc @ $11.99
 From Lake County's cooler climate, lots of honeydew melon character with a clean, dry finish
Independent Producers 2007 Chardonnay @ $11.99
 A new unoaked entry from Hedges in Washington state, fresh and lively with a creamy middle
Tollo 2008 Pecorino @ $14.99
 From the Abruzzo, a grape literally brought back from the brink of extinction, juicy, fresh and  vibrant
Substance 2008 Pinot Gris @ $16.99
 From a new Washington state producer, a Pinot Gris bursting with citrus flavors and hints of  almonds
Matchbook 2007 Chardonnay @ $17.99
 Rich, round, creamy fruit with a long oaky finish
McKinley Springs 2007 Chenin Blanc @ $17.99
 A single-vineyard version from Washington's Horse Heaven Hills vineyard, full and round with good acidity in the finish
Tissot 2006 Roussette @ $18.99
 Fresh nose of hazelnuts and dried fruit, subtle flavors, round and supple
Zind-Humbrecht 2007 Pinot d'Alsace @ $21.99
 A blend of Pinot Blanc and Pinot Auxerrois, medium-bodied, completely dry, with bracing acidity
Groth 2007 Chardonnay @ $24.99
 Bright green apples and tropical fruit with a long, clean finish
Franus 2008 Sauvignon Blanc @ $24.99
 From Carneros, made primarily with the Musque clone, lively, minerally, with citrus and melon
 
NEW REDS:
(new vintage) Les Heritiques 2008 Rouge @ $9.99
 A blend of Carignane and Syrah, ripe and round with some earth, good acidity in the finish
Steeple Jack 2008 Shiraz @ $9.99
 Generous ripe berry flavors, silky spicy finish
(new vintage) L'Ameillaud 2007 VdP du Vaucluse @ $9.99
 Grenache, Syrah and Carignane from 30-year-old vines in the Vaucluse
)new vintage) Paringa 2008 Shiraz @ $10.99
 A rich, deep Shiraz, spicy, black currants, great value
(new vintage) Cantele 2006 Salice Salentino @ $10.99
 A blend of Negroamara and Malvasia Nera, caramelized red fruits and spices balanced with  tannins and acidity
Mas Carlot 2006 Cabernet/Syrah @ $11.99
 Grapes personally selected by importer Bobby Kacher, bottled unfiltered to preserve the wine's  complexity and flavor
(new vintage) Sobon Estate 2008 Hillside Zinfandel @ $11.99
 Classic Zin with aromas and flavors of blackberries, cocoa, and dark cherries
(new vintage) Miolo 2008 Pinot Noir @ $12.99
 A juicy Pinot from Brazil, with lovely fruit texture and structure
La Giareta 2007 Rosso @ $12.99
 100% Cabernet Franc from the Veneto, cherry fruit with a leather and chocolate finish
Hedges 2007 CMS red @ $12.99
 Cabernet, Merlot and Syrah, with aromas of dark cherry and cassis, good acidity, nicely balanced
La Soraia 2008 Dolcetto d'Ovada @ $13.99
 Soft cherry, medium body, earthy, soft acidity in the finish
Love and Meritage 2006 Napa Red @ $14.99
 A blend of Cabernet, Malbec, and Merlot with nice fruit and a cedar and spice finish
Rosenere 2008 Rosso @ $14.99
 Sangiovese and Cab blend from Emilia Romagna, rich, soft and earthy
Barone di Valforte 2007 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo @ $14.99
 Well defined character, done in stainless steel for fruit expression and integrity
(new vintage) Foxglove 2007 Zinfandel @ $15.99
 From Paso Robles by way of Varner Wines, with a bit of Petite Sirah blended in, Zin fruit  aromatics with flavors of dried cranberries and cherries
Graham Beck 2006 "The William" @ $15.99
 A blend of Cab and Pinotage with a bit of Petite Verdot in this vintage, meaty and spicy, juicy  with hints of plum and mulberry, full-bodied, complex and elegant
Guimaro 2008 Ribeira Sacra @ $16.99
 Made from the Mencia grape, meaty and savory, light and silky on the palate
Wine Guerilla 2007 Zinfandel @ $16.99
 Zinfandel from Dry Creek with a little Malbec, Cab Franc, Petite Sirah and Alicante blended in,  brambly fruit, round, with a long finish
Montinore 2008 Pinot Noir @ $19.99
 Old-style from Oregon, strawberry-cherry fruit laced with wood, Burgundian feel, biodynamic  producer
Campogiovanni 2007 Rosso di Montalcino @ $18.88
 Harmonious, elegant, perfumed, nice soft structure
Ballast Stone 2006 Shiraz @ $19.99
 From McLaren Vale, full-bodied with plums, licorice, lingering pepper and fine tannins
Momo 2008 Pinot Noir @ $20.99
 Under the second label of Seresin, a Pinot with a concentrated palate and aromas of cherries,  leather and spice
Substance 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $20.99
 From a new Washington state producer, a Cab that has aromas and flavors of black fruit, olives,  mushrooms, and cedar
Substance 2008 Cabernet Franc @ $22.99
 A softer wine than their Cabernet Sauvignon, with more herbal, even vegetal notes
Substance 2008 Malbec @ $22.99
 From Walla Walla grapes, pakced with flavor, needs red meat
Palazzo 2007 Cabernet Franc @ $25.99
 From a small artisanal Napa winery, a complex Cab Franc with sweet fruit and tannins
Chamonard 2007 Fleurie @ $25.99
 Aromas of cherries, raspberries and spice, soft tannins
Lavacchio 2004 Chianti Rufino Reserva @ $42.99
 Intense ruby color, bright fruit flavors, clean and persistent
Cascina Adelaide 2004 Barolo @ $44.99
 Incredibly pure Barolo with a great clarity and precision of fruit
Masciarelli 2003 Iskra Colli Aspratini @ $46.99
 Old vines Montepulciano, deep full flavor, lots of plum and cherry, earthy finish
Campogiovanni 2004 Brunello di Montalcino @ $49.99
 Balanced but powerful, an old-school Brunello
Palazzo 2006 Napa Valley Red @ $50.99
 Mostly Merlot with some Cab Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon blended in, bright, lush and elegant  with a long finish of dark red fruit
Chateau Certan de May 2006 Pomerol @ $59.99
 Great fruit character, enticing aromas and flavors, substantial tannins, great breadth and depth
Lewelling "Wight" 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $63.99
 A single-vineyard Cab reminiscent of a top-class Pauillac, deep, full, silky and complex