July 5, 2011

News from Heights Chateau

Back in harness again after several enjoyable days on Fire Island and a splendid 4th shared with friends and neighbors. Hope you all had a good one!
 
NEW WHITES:
(new vintage) d'Arton 2010 Cotes de Gascogne @ $9.99
a blend of Colombard, Sauvignon Blanc and Ugni Blanc, from southwestern France, delicate, floral, fruity and fresh
Cedre 2010 Cedrus Le Blanc @ $10.99
a Colombard and Ugni Blanc blend from Armagnac country, crisp, zippy and refreshing, with high acidity
(new vintage) Santa Maria 2010 Aragosta @ $11.99
a Vermentino from Sardinia, fresh and lively, well balanced, with a toasted almond backdrop
(new vintage) Zandotti 2010 Frascati @ $13.99
fresh and light, with balanced peach, pear and tropical fruit flavors complemented by notes of rosemary, sage and almond
Puzelat-Bonhomme 2010 Touraine @ $13.99
Sauvignon Blanc from Thierry Puzelat and Pierrot Bonhomme, makers of natural wine in the Loire, with notes of citrus and green apple and a subtle nuttiness
Picollo 2010 Gavi di Gavi @ $13.99
an appealing Gavi, fresh and fruity with a balanced finish
Chateau d'Angles 2009n La Clape @ $14.99
from the La Clape region of Languedoc, virtually on the shores of the Mediterranean, an unoaked blend of Bourbelemc and Grenache Blanc with a bit of Roussanne and Marsanne blended in for additional complexity, fresh and fruity with an amazingly long finish
(new vintage) Barbanot 2010 Cotes du Ventoux @ $16.99
a pretty blend of 60% Grenache Blanc and 40% Roussane, with a nose of apricots, white flower and a touch of anise and plump fruit is supported by nice acidity into a smooth finish
(new vintage) Cederburg 2010 Bukettraube @ $17.99
a grape native to South Africa producing a wine that is redolent of peaches and honeysuckle, slightly sweet but not cloying, juicy with fruit flavors
Gumphof 2010 Weissburgunder @ $19.99
from Italy's Alto Adige, a Pinot Bianco from one of the top young producers in the Sudtyrol, a wine of great power, elegance, and minerality
Perrot-Minot 2009 Chardonnay @ $19.99
from a Burgundy producer known for his intense, full and lush wines, a Chardonnay that is concentrated, complex, yet elegant and terroir-focused
Camillo 2009 Trebbiano @ $20.99
a "frizzante" white from a biodynamic Lambrusco producer in Emilia-Romagna, unfiltered and bottle-fermented, with an array of fruit flavors and vibrant acidity
 
NEW REDS:
(new vintage) Cortijo III 2010 Rioja @ $10.99
one of the best values from Rioja, a simple "easy drinking" wine for "everyday" consumption with intense fruit-driven character, supple tannins and a well-balanced structure
The Stump Jump 2008 Shiraz @ $11.99
a value Shiraz from Australia's McLaren Vale, fresh and fruity, with ripe red fruits mixrf with plums, black currants, flowers, and a twist of pepper
Chabbert 2008 Minervois @ $17.99
a blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan, smooth, full-bodied and structured with ripe black fruit and Provencal flavors
Barbanot 2009 Cotes du Rhone @ $17.99
a classic, medium-bodied blend featuring spicy red berries and herbs balanced by bright acidity and dry but fruity tannins
Peillot 2009 Bugey @ $17.99
a Pinot from a fifth-generation producer in Bugey, not far from Lyons, with elegant berry fruit and a chalky finish
Beronia 2001 Rioja Gran Reserva @ $24.99
smoky cherry and red berry dusted with cocoa, touches of earth, spice and vanilla, firm tannins and impressive length
Molnar Family 2008 Pinot Noir @ $29.99
a single-vineyard Pinot from Napa's Carneros district from a producer specializing in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, soft and gentle on the palate, with the delicate flavor of raspberries and cherries edged with earthiness and toasty oak
 
NEW ROSES:
Enanzo 2010 Rosado @ $8.99
classic Garnacha-based Spanish rose, a raspberry-pink wine with aromas of ripe fruit, smooth and tasty on the palate
El Coto 2010 Rioja @ $9.99
a blend of Tempranillo and Grenache, highly refreshing, with tart acidity, bright candied strawberry and raspberry with a slightly earthy finish
Chateau Penin 2010 Clairet @ $12.99
a supple wine, very fruity on the nose and palate, with more body and more of a savory quality than most roses
BOE 2010 Cabernet Franc Rose @ $13.99
a new offering from Brooklyn Oenology, spicy and moderately fruity with good acidity
Domaine de Mauvan 2010 Cotes de Provence @ $13.99
a Grenache-driven blend, light and elegant, the Mediterranean in a glass
Clos des Augustins 2010 Pic St. Loup @ $14.99
from one of the greatest domaines in Pic St. Loup (and now biodynamic) , a fresh and aromatic blend of Grenache and Cinsault
Chateau d'Angles 2010 La Clape @ $14.99
from the La Clape region of Languedoc, virtually on the shores of the Mediterranean, mostly Mourvedre with a little Syrah and Grenache blended in, fully aromatic, intense, structured and refreshing
(new vintage) Mas de Gourgonnier 2010 Les Baux de Provence @ $15.99
a blend of about 60% Grenache spiced with Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault and Cabernet Sauvignon. with an inviting cherry-pink color and a nose of strawberry and raspberry, refreshingly clean and dry
Domaine de Moulin 2009 Bulle @ $22.99
a very pale sparkling rose from the Loire, a blend of Gamay, Pinot Noir and Pineau d'Aunis