March 16, 2011

News from Heights Chateau

 
From last week to this looks like from famine to feast! Hope you find something here to please your palate.
 
NEW WHITES:
(back) Lisabella 2009 Pinot Grigio @ $7.99
deliciously balanced, with good levels of fruit (not too fruity) and a nice crisp and refreshing finish
Cantarranas 2009 Rueda @ $8.99
a Verdejo/Viura blend, crisp and fresh on the palate, balanced and rounded with a long and soft aftertaste
(new vintage) Mezzacorona 2009 Pinot Grigio @ $8.99
a fuller, rounder, more satisfying Pinot Grigio with ripe aromas of peach, pear and honey and a smooth, creamy feel in the mouth
Arton 2009 Cotes de Gascogne @ $9.99
explosive on the nose with bright floral aromatics, fresh. with a palate that explodes with grapefruit and succulent white pepper flavors
(back) Jean Rosen 2009 Pinot Blanc @ $10.99
from a practicing organic estate in Alsace that traces its history back to the 17th century, a crisp, fruit-forward, and terroir-expressive white that is an unbeatable value
Santa Helena 2010 Sauvignon Blanc @ $10.99
from a Chilean winery that dates from the 1940s, an herbal Sauvignon Blanc with crisp apple and citrus notes
Beviam 2009 Tocai @ $10.99
produced by Bodegas  Cava del 23 in Mendoza, an intensely aromatic white with tropical citrus notes and a long finish
(new vintage) Healdsburg Ranches 2009 Chardonnay @ $11.99
unoaked, from the Russian River Valley, clean and focused, a great wine at an exceptional price
Bonhoste 2010 Bordeaux Blanc @ $11.99
a Semillon/Sauvignon/Muscadelle blend with a fresh, youthful pear drop and lemon nose that leads into a punchy, full-flavored palate
Lagar da Xestosa 2009 Godello @ $13.99
light and silky with excellent harmony and acidity and an elegant finish
Mara 2009 White Grass Sauvignon Blanc @ $13.99
a four-vineyard, four-appellation blend, crisp and clean with bright fruit and penetrating minerality
Kendall-Jackson 2009 Chardonnay "Avant" @ $14.99
not the standard K-J Chardonnay but a new, more modern expression of the grape, with refreshing acidity and sleek mineral notes that are balanced by a rounded mid-palate with a long, pure fruit finish
Teperberg 2009 White @ $15.99
a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Chardonnay, light gold in color, with pineapple, citrus and tropical fruits on the nose and palate, Kosher
Bonny Doon 2009 Albarino @ $16.99
certified biodynamic, made by the one and only Randall Grahm, an Albarino from Monterey that is redolent of citrus rind and herbs with a crisp, briny finish
Paco & Lola 2009 Albarino @ $18.99
crisp and aromatic with floral and tropical fruit aromas, bone dry with nice minerality and a silky, refreshing finish
Frecciarossa 2008 Riesling "Gli Orti" @ $18.99
from an estate in Lombardy's Oltrepo Pavese region, a dry, elegant Riesling with spicy white pepper flavors
Freemark Abbey 2009 Chardonnay @ $19.99
a Chardonnay with concentrated ripe stone fruit aromas and flavors and an underlying subtle toasty oak complexity
Peter Schandl 2008 Pinot Blanc @ $20.99
delicate and spicy, with fully ripe fruit and chilly minerality, full bodied on the palate, balanced to a long finish
Kynsi 2008 Chardonnay @ $21.99
a full, rich Chardonnay from Edna Valley with a textured , round mouth feel, finishing clean with layers of pineapple guava, citrus and honey
Vigneti Massa 2009 Timorasso "Derthona" @ $25.99
a Piedmont white made from an obscure, indigenous varietal, Timorasso, fresh and clean, rich and complex, well balanced and lush with great acidity and a long, spicy-peppery finish
(back) Latour 2008 Meursault @ $32.99
focused and fruity with nice complexity and minerality, a subtle wine with real interest
Talbott 2008 Chardonnay "Sleepy Hollow" @ $42.99
the winery's flagship Chardonnay from the famed Sleepy Hollow vineyard, full bodied, smooth, balanced, with delicious notes of tangerine, grapefruit, white peach, and toasted almond
 
NEW REDS:
(back) Lisabella 2008 Nero d'Avola @ $7.99
ripe, berrylike fruit aromas complemented by hints of leather and smoke, warm and plummy with a touch of raisins and a hint of almonds in the flavor and with sufficient acidity to give it structure
Calina 2009 Carmenere @ $8.99
an earthy, spicy red packed with powerful aromas and flavors of ripe black cherries, fresh berries, spice, fresh herbs, smoked bacon and a hint of vanilla
Santa Helena 2009 Merlot @ $10.99
from a Chilean winery that dates from the 1940s, a Merlot with well defined varietal aromas with plenty of plum and black currant fruit creating a medium weighted, easy drinking wine
Santa Helena 2009 Carmenere @ $10.99
from a Chilean winery that dates from the 1940s, a Carmenere with a plush palate, with lots of dark, sinewy, spice-edged black fruits, fine tannins and a lovely dry finish
(back) First Drop 2009 The Red One @ $10.99
a fruit-driven Barossa blend, mostly of Cabernet and Shiraz with splashes of Barbera, Trincadeira, Tempranillo and Nebbiolo, featuring spicy dark fruit aromas, bright acidity, structured tannins, and a big berry finish
Peachy Canyon 2008 Incredible Red Zin @ $11.99
a Paso Robles Zin with bright fruit, mild acidity, and an elegant finish
Bogle 2008 Merlot @ $11.99
a full-bodied Merlot with deep cherry fruit, soft hints of summer anise, and touches of pipe tobacco and spicy oak that lend weight to the finish, trailed by firm, assertive tannins
Tour d'Auron 2005 Bordeaux @ $11.99
pure Merlot from a small-production estate producing sought after wines with excellent aging potential, a wine with good intensity and a complex bouquet of truffles, violets and rich fruits, well balanced, elegant, complex and long
Barberani 2009 Polago @ $11.99
a blend of Sangiovese and Montepulciano from Umbria, smoky, meaty, and brimming with plum fruit
Matignon 2008 Anjou Rouge @ $11.99
a stainless-steel Cabernet Franc, soft, elegant, with great acidity and lovely texture and balance
Bonny Doon 2009 Contra @ $13.99
a new field blend from Randall Grahm — Carignane, Grenache, Mourvedre, Petite Syrah, Zinfandel, and Syrah — rustic yet refined, lots of ripe Bing cherries grounded in an earthy backbone
Lagar da Xestosa 2009 Mencia @ $13.99
a clean and bright red with fresh, intense aromas of red fruits and a fresh, elegant finish
Medoro 2007 Montepulciano d'Abruzzo @ $15.99
a stunning red with intense varietal fruit and an assertive palate, a big wine at a small price
Rentas de Fincas 2005 Rioja @ $16.99
an 80% Tempranillo, 10% Garnacha, 10% Graciano blend, with a nose of raisins and plums, smooth, polished tannins, and a long finish
Abbona 2008 Dolcetto "San Luigi" @ $16.99
a single-vineyard wine, ripe and rich, with plum, red fruit and pepper flavors that have a full, mouth-filling character before a persistent, tangy finish
Chionetti 2006 Dolcetto "San Luigi" @ $16.99
from a producer who makes only Dolcetto, a beautifully balanced red with soft supple tannins, elegant, and the exception to the rule that Dolcettos can't age
Teperberg 2009 Meritage @ $16.99
a Bordeaux-style blend from Israel's Judean Hills, full-bodied with some hints of cassis and dark berries, smooth and easy-drinking, Kosher
Xavier Flouret 2007 uQamata Red @ $17.99
a Bordeaux-style blend from Amani Vineyards in Stellenbosch, South Africa, made by South Africa's first black female winemaker, a smooth, ripe red with good balance between fruit flavors, alcohol, and refreshing acidity
Doolhof 2009 Pinotage "Dark Lady of the Labyrinth" @ $17.99
a real quaffer, with hedonistic flavors of tart, fresh-crushed cherries and mocha with smooth, almost velvety tannins
Rickshaw 2009 Pinot Noir @ $17.99
a blend made from a couple of sources scattered throughout Sonoma County, with hallmark Pinot spice on the nose and juicy red and blue fruits on the palate
Santa Helena 2009 Vernus Pinot Noir @ $17.99
from a Chilean winery that dates from the 1940s, a Pinot with a complex aromatic profile and a nice silky texture
Santa Helena 2009 Vernus Cabernet Sauvignon @ $17.99
a Cabernet with great intensity, highlighting fresh, ripe fruit and well-structured tannins, with good concentration and balance
Jim Barry 2008 Shiraz @ $17.99
a single-vineyard Shiraz from Australia's Clare Valley, with abundant bramble, chocolate and menthol flavors structured on ripe tannins
Domaine de Montrieux 2008 Verre des Poetes @ $18.99
made from very old vines Pineau d'Aunis by one of the great iconoclasts of the Loire, Emile Heredia, a completely natural wine of great purity and flavor
Sardus Pater 2007 Issolus Carignano @ $19.99
from Sardus Pater, a coop on the historic island of St. Antioco on the west side of the island of Sardenga, a wine made exclusively from the indigenous Carignano and Bovace Sardo grapes with a smooth, almost full body that finishes with long, warm earthy notes, balanced by deeper fruit flavors
Matignon 2004 Anjou Villages @ $19.99
100% Cabernet Franc from older vines, fuller and more complex than this producer's basic wine, with lovely texture and structure and a long finish
Cuvelier Los Andes 2007 Red @ $19.99
from the Cuvelier family (proprietors of Chateau Leoville Poyferre in Bordeaux), a blend of 60% Malbec, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Merlot, full-bodied, smooth-textured, and plush on the palate, with layers of savory fruit, some underlying tannin, and excellent balance
Routestock Cellars 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon @ $19.99
captures the essence of the Napa Valley with beautiful aromas of blackberry and plum enveloped in medium, approachable tannins
Pech Abuse 2005 Buzet @ $20.99
a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, of medium weight, food friendly, with striking aromas of leather and prune
Dalton 2009 Zinfandel @ $22.99
blended with 13% Petite Sirah, medium- to full-bodied (leaning to the full),  deeply aromatic, with fine deep tannins parting to reveal generous black fruits, sweet tobacco and notes of spicy oak, Kosher
Le Gode 2008 Rosso di Montepulciano @ $22.99
an intensely colored red with great body and strcture, made in a slightly more modern style than their Brunello
Lyonnat 2006 Lussac-St. Emilion @ $22.99
100% Merlot, full-bodied, with plummy flavors, a chewy texture and a medium finish.
Paolo Scavino 2007 Nebbiolo @ $24.99
the poor man's Barolo, bright with soft cherry flavors, anise, and good tannic structure
Cave de Tain 2007 Crozes-Hermitages "Les Hauts de Fief" @ $24.99
from a 370-member coop at the foot of the Hermitage hillside, 100% Sryah, deep and dense, with a palate that is powerful, smooth and elegant
Penin 2008 Les Cailloux Bordeaux @ $24.99
100% Merlot, well structured, a wine of elegance, harmony and finesse
Gibourg 2009 Chorey-Les-Beaune @ $31.99
a light, supple red Burgundy, moderately tannic but rich and characterful
Icario 2004 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Vitarocchia @ $31.99
Icario's flagship wine, produced in limited quantities and only in the best years, in this vintage with alluring scents of ripe cherries, Tuscan herbs, and anise, sublime dark cherry and plum tastes embellished with hints of smoke and vanilla spice
Righetti 2007 Amarone @ $34.99
a full-bodied red with a very complex nose that emphasizes dried fruit and almonds with a hint of anise, extremely rich flavors, a long, smooth finish and a lingering aftertaste
Belle Pente 2008 Pinot Noir "Murto" @ $40.99
a classic Dundee Hills Pinot Noir, complex, spicy, and earthy with red fruit flavors over polished tannins, only 528 cases made in this vintage
Belle Pente 2008 Pinot Noir "Belle Pente" @ $40.99
an expressive young Pinot with heady aromas of dark red and blue fruits accented by herbs and wood smoke, a long and focused palate, with good underlying structure and perfect acid/tannin balance, only 725 cases made in this vintage
Nada 2006 Barbaresco @ $42.99
from a small family winery in Piedmont, a Barbaresco that is neither fully modern nor completely traditional but elegant and ageworthy
 
NEW ROSES:
Anne Pichon 2009 Gris Montagne @ $10.99
a Syrah/Grenache/old-vines Carignane blend from the Ventoux, dry and crisp
Jelu 2010 Malbec @ $10.99
100% organic Malbec from Argentina's Zonda Valley, with lifted aromas of red cherries and a light, perfectly balanced palate
Ermita San Felices 2009 Rioja @ $10.99
100% Tempranillo from Rioja Alta, nervy and spicy
La Croix du Prieur 2010 Cotes de Provence @ $15.99
from Chateau Coussin, a Grenache/Syrah/Cinsault/Carignane blend, crisp and tangy with berry and citrus flavors
Raimbault 2010 Sancerre Apud Sariacum @ $22.99
from Philippe Raimbault, a ninth-generation Loire producer with a relatively small production, fragrant, elegant, floral and packed with subtle flavors of ripe summer fruits
Raimbault 2010 Sancerre @ $23.99
from Domaine Roger & Didier Raimbault, a light, delicate, and very subtle rose made from 100% Pinot Noir