Friday Night Tasting Lineup  

 

2009 Domaine du Prieure - Bourgogne - Hauts Cotes de Beaune - Pinot Noir 

Winery - Light purple color. Very floral aromatic nose of cherry, raspberry, licorice and mint. Medium-bodied and juicy, raspberry and strawberry with light forest floor and spice. 32 year old vines. From a vintage that is producing great red Burgundies, from the village of Savigny-les-Beaune, home of the monks of Citeaux that founded the Burgundian vineyard system, on the east facing & wooded windswept hills that overlook Pommard, Volnay, & Meursault in Beaune. Bright & mineral from iron rich soil, focused. Outstanding introduction in the hands of specialty growers Jean Michel Maurice (the mayor of Savigny) and his son Stephen, who has international winemaking experience. Showing some of the same elegance of the more grand wines from the slopes below it. Showing well young after being aged for a shorter period in barrel. Perfumed with summery fruit, with a soft & silky tannin structure. Juicy & light bodied, at 12.5% alcohol. Great with cold meats / charcuterie, roasted lamb, chicken, duck.

 

Our Price: 18.97

 

 

2009 Domaine des Rozets Coteaux du Tricastin Rhone - Grenache & Syrah & Cinsault (Changing its name to Grignan-les-Adhemar, 6,500 acres, only 9% gets exported). Donzere, 37 miles north of Chateauneuf du Pape. Mediterranean climate, steep hillsides, slightly increased altitude, on the northern edge of the southern Rhone region. Owned & operated continuously by the Bernard family since 1794, Dominique Bernard is the winemaker. Farmed organically, hand harvested fruit. Fermented in stainless steel, preserving lots of red and black berry fruit, black currant, plummy nose, violets, brambly, tar. Bright cherry, earthy/smoky mineral notes, brown spice, fennel frond, white pepper from the Syrah. Slightly granular tannins. Pure fruit. Roasted chicken, grilled eggplant, pommes frites with aioli. Drinking well young. Daily value Wine Spectator pick.

 

Our Price: 11.97

 

 

2009 Domaine de Couron Cotes-du-Rhone - Grenache & Syrah 

From the tiny village of Saint Marcel d'Ardeche, 45 miles northwest of Avignon. Wine Specator praise - 89 Points ! "Fleshy and mouthfilling, with a smoky edge to the roasted plum, crushed fig and dark tobacco notes. Shows good stuffing on the finish". Wine Enthusiast - Youthful dark purple color. Aromas of blackberry jam, candied cherry, spice and chocolate. Full-bodied, creamy with super-ripe black fruit flavors. Fairly fruit-driven, full-bodied and extracted with a creamy chocolate, toffee and sweet spice finish. 88 points.

 

Our Price: 12.57

 

 

2009 Olivier Dumaine - La Croix du Verre Crozes-Hermitage 

Ancient vines with naturally low yields, dense & pretty wine. 100% Syrah. Rocky, leathery nose, sweet attack, very ample tannins - dusty. Leathery secondary character coming through. Showy and fruit forward for Crozes-Hermitage, resolving pretty quickly in the glass. Nice line-up for the tasting, a stand out. Great juice, ripe, dense, & bright. "This has a tasty, briary mix of red cherry, bitter orange, tobacco and violet flavors that push through the light toasty finish."

 

Our Price: 29.57