Rogers & Company Newsletter
Summer is finally here!
May 2010
|
Greetings!
The warm days of summer are finally upon us! Last year it seemed as though mother nature forgot to send summer, so this year I plan on soaking up every drop of sun that I can. That means picnics, barbecues, pool parties and cottage weekends.
Wines for such occasions should be accessible, fruity, bright and aromatic, so here is a selection that I think fit the bill, with food recommendations to match. Prices are per bottle, pre-GST and we sell only by the unmixed case.
Please visit Rogers & Company for more information on all our wines and producers, our full pricelists and upcoming Vintages releases.
I now have availability of Caymus Special Selection 2007 which received 96 points from Wine Spectator; Vilmart "Grand Cellier" Non-Vintage Champagne which is probably the best deal in luxury Champagne you're likely to find, $69.95 in cases of six. It received 93 points from both Wine Spectator and Stephen Tanzer. I also have a few cases of the Vietti Barolo "Castiglione" 2005 in sixes $68.95. It received 92 points from Wine Spectator, Parker and Tanzer.
If you have friends, family or colleagues who also love great wine, please forward this newsletter along to them.
Enjoy the weekend! (I know I will).
Sincerely,
Chris.
|
|
Nino Franco Faivé Rosé 2008 [750ml/6case] $21.95
 Primo Franco, the owner and winemaker of our popular Nino Franco Prosecco di Valdobbiadene had considered making a sparkling rosé for quite some time. But what grapes would provide enough colour and provide the clear, aromatic red berry flavours that one looks for in a good rosé sparkler?
His friend and award winning producer Brandino Brandolini offered his Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. A cold soak on the skins pre-fermentation gives this playful wine structure and beautiful rose, cherry and strawberry notes which are then enhanced by the persistent, fine mousse that Nino Franco Prosecco is so well known for.
Pronounced Five-eh!, it comes from a Venetian dialect meaning "the sparks from a fire that are carried away by the wind".
|
Nino Franco Prosecco di Valdobbiadene Brut NV
[750ml/12case] $19.95
[375ml/12case] $12.95
 I find as many reasons to drink bubblies as I can. Why relegate them to special occasions, when they're perfectly suited to so many dishes like grilled fish, oysters and spicy Asian cuisines. When I'm looking for a Champagne lookalike at everyday prices, I always turn to Nino Franco. Unlike many Prosecco producers, Primo employs extended lees contact to provide the wine a creamier, biscuity undertone - a beautiful compliment to the minerally, pear and green apple flavours of the Prosecco grape.
"Nino Franco's non-vintage sparkling Prosecco di Valdobbiadene is
unquestionably the world's finest value in a high quality Champagne
look-alike. It is a light to medium-weight dry, refreshing, clean
sparkling wine. Terrific value." Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
|
|
St. Francis Sonoma County Chardonnay 2007 [750ml/12case] $21.95
 A majority of the fruit for this wine is grown by St. Francis in the cool, foggy Russian River Valley, the balance of the blend comes from Carneros and Sonoma County. The resulting lots are fermented individually, then matured in American and French oak, with regular battonage (stirring the wine to enhance creaminess and flavours from the yeast cells) and then blended. The resulting wine is quite complex, toasty yet fresh, brightly fruity and spicy at the same time.
This is a perfect wine for sipping while sitting on a deck enjoying a long evening. It would also make a beautiful partner for barbecued salmon or pan-fried perch.
|
|
Grgich Hills Napa Valley Chardonnay 2007 [750ml/6case] $59.95
 The name Grgich first gained notoriety when a young Mike Grgich made a Chardonnay for Chateau Montelena that won the 1976 "Judgment of Paris", catapulting U.S. wines and Mike himself into the spotlight. In 1977 Mike won another competition, "The Great Chicago Showdown." There, 221 Chardonnays were brought
together for a historic first, the largest blind tasting ever held of
wines made from a single varietal. Mike's Grgich Hills 1977
Chardonnay emerged triumphant with a first place ribbon. Mike later
became affectionately known by wine writers as the "King of Chardonnay."
Now 86 years old, Mike continues to guide Grgich Hills Estate and to
plan for its future. While some Napa Valley wineries look to expand,
Mike and his daughter, Violet Grgich, and his nephew Ivo Jeramaz prefer
to stay small and to focus on improving the quality of their vineyards
and wines, always according to Mike's unique artistic and intuitive
touch. Since 2003 all the Grgich Hills wines are "estate grown" from Demeter biodynamically certified vineyards. As Mike explains, "There is no sure-proof scientific formula for
making great wines. You make wine with your heart. You
have to pour your heart and your love into the wine."
"Pale yellow. Musky stone fruits, nutmeg and honey on the nose, plus a whiff of toasty, vanillin oak. Dense, tactile and juicy, conveying very good intensity without weight. Supple and ripe in the middle. The rising finish features fresh acidity (the wine did not go through malolactic fermentation) and sneaky length."
90 points, International Wine Cellar, May/June 2009
|
|
Altesino Rosso di Toscana 2008 [750ml/12case] $19.95
 Altesino first created this wine in 1989 as an "everyday" red, since then most Brunello producers have followed suit, releasing their own Rossos. The blend is 80% Sangiovese di Montalcino with the balance Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
This wine is pure and silky, with nice aromatics of cherries and leather. It is an easily enjoyable wine that rewards early drinking. I'd pair it with paella, bouillabaisse, sausages or grilled herbed chicken.
The winery says that this has "persuasive drinkability". I like that.
|
Domaine Brusset Cotes du Rhone "Laurent B" 2008
[750ml/12case] $17.95
 Some critics say the 2008 wasn't a good vintage in the Rhône Valley. I say, here's a great chance to drink some top juice at a great price.
Domaine Brusset is arguably the top producer in Gigondas, and in a vintage where weather didn't co-operate to make long-lived cellar dwellers, this entry-level wine benefits from "de-classified" fruit that's usually in the top wines, Le Grand Montmirail and Les Hauts de Montmirail, wines which usually score 90-95 points from Mr. Parker.
This Cotes du Rhône is silky and juicy. The Grenache displays broad wild strawberry flavours with moderate tannins and balancing acidity. I recommend this wine to Pinot Noir fans who are looking for something different.
|
|
Belle Glos "Meiomi" Pinot Noir 2008 [750ml/12case] $28.95
 Growing wine in the dense fogs, high winds, drifting mists and brilliant sun of coastal California isn't easy work - but the Wagner family of Caymus Vineyards fame has generations of experience.
Meiomi (pronounced May-oh-mee) is crafted from grapes grown in Sonoma County, Monterey County and Santa Barbara County, three of the most highly acclaimed appellations for Pinot Noir. After 9 months in 60% new oak, the wine is bottled under screw cap and is ready to drink.
The wine displays a deep garnet colour. Luxurious and dynamic aromas of ripe strawberry, bright cherry abound, dappled with faint notes of spicy oak and vanilla. The complexity of the palate smoothly layers rich red currant notes and baking spice flavours with light smoke, earth and leather. A balanced, velvety texture and supple tannins carry the wine through to a lingering, succulent finish.
|
Lafond Santa Rita Hills Pinot Noir 2007 [750ml/12case] $29.95
(2007 - limited availability)
 Lafond winery could be considered the "Reserve" brand of Santa Barbara Winery, owned by Canadian Pierre Lafond. The wines show the touch of the same winemaker, Bruce McGuire, but are selected from the best or oldest parcels of the Lafond Vineyard, are produced in smaller quantities and have a longer cellar life than the regular Santa Barbara Wines.
The Santa Rita Hills are a sub-appellation of the Santa Ynez Valley near Santa Barbara. Because the valley runs east-west, cold air from the pacific is drawn in and out of the valley daily, cooling the grapes which would otherwise bake in the hot central Californian sun. The
Pinots from this area are unlike their gentle counterparts up north. On the palate they are rich and silky, very ripe fruit flavours with deep colour and balancing acidity.
Pour this red with grilled sockeye salmon or anything with wild mushrooms.
Silver Santa Barbara County Fair Wine Competition
Silver Medal - 2009 Orange County Wine Society
Only 2780 cases were produced.
|
Frog's Leap Napa Valley Zinfandel 2007 [750ml/12case] $38.95
 The wines that brought winemakers like Robert Mondavi and Warren Winiarski to Napa Valley were Cabernets and Zins made in a classic "claret" style. That is to say - medium bodied and perfectly balanced wines with balanced acidity which lead to profound ageability. Sometime in the 80s or 90s, Napa wines grew to a powerhouse style, with mouth filling tannins, low acids, sometimes high alcohols and "oodles of fruit" (to quote one famous critic).
John Williams owner/winemaker Frog's Leap, prides himself on making wines in the classic style, using environmentally responsible organic farming techniques. They display pure, rich flavours, never weigh the palate down with excess alcohol and they are perfectly suited to the dinner table tonight or the cellar for years of development.
"This floral zin has a cool, wild blueberry tone edged by red spice. The zesty fruit brightens the tannins' darker earth and mushroom savour. There's tension to the structure, and harmonious balance in the length of flavour. Delicious now to decant for roast quail stuffed with wild mushrooms, this is also suited to age. Best Buy."
91 points, Wine & Spirits, October 2009
|
| Caymus Napa Valley Zinfandel 2006 [750ml/12case] $38.95
 Considering that Caymus and Frog's Leap are literally a stone's throw from each other, their Zinfandel style couldn't be more different. This Zin has all the hallmarks of the Caymus style - spicy, full-bodied, dark and sweetly fruited (think mulberries, blackberries, blueberries) and has a long, luxurious finish.
I'd serve this with anything off the grill like baby back ribs, juicy burgers, thick porkchops or the N.Y. strip steaks. Barbecue sauces or grilling spices are no problem for this rich Zin.
I'd like to provide you with critics' tasting notes, but this wine is not distributed in the U.S. and therefore not reviewed. It is sold exclusively at the winery and in Canada via Caymus' representative agencies such as ourselves.
|
Kenwood Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon 2007
[750ml/12case] $22.95
 In my opinion, there are few Sonoma Cabernets in the market, at this price, with this kind of quality. The wine is not meant to blow you away upon first sip. Its a balanced, textural, classy wine - definitive Sonoma Cab without breaking the bank. The vineyard sources are in the Sonoma, Dry Creek and Alexander Valleys and are all managed by Kenwood.
Last winter I had the pleasure to enjoy the 1986, perfectly matured - a testament to the quality of this wine. How many other "everyday" Cabernets could mature properly for over two decades?
In its youth fruit aromas of red currant, raspberry and plum are backed by more aromatic notes of vanilla, pipe tobacco, and bay leaf. Broad tannins provide excellent mouthfeel and a long finish.
|
|
Cain "Concept" 2006 [750ml/6case] $59.95
 The 2006 Cain Concept is Cabernet Sauvignon from the most famous benchland vineyards of the Napa Valley. Cabernet grown at To Kalon and Georges III have
defined the greatness of the Napa Valley for years. In
the Cain way, this wine is a blend using Cabernet Franc from Truchard Vineyard in Carneros and Merlot from Oakville to add nuance,
structure, aromatics and length.
Growers consider great vintages to be from years when "nothing really interesting happened". No spring frosts, no heat spells, no storms, no rain at harvest. 2006 will surely be
noted as a classic year for Napa Valley Cabernet. The vineyards had
moderate yields that ripened under a warm sun. As these things go, it
was easy work in both the vineyard and in the cellar. The alluvial soils of the benchland vineyards
did their stuff, keeping the vines in check and nursing them along to
full ripeness.
This vintage is a blend of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon with 20% Merlot grown in Oakville and 2% Cabernet Franc grown in Carneros.
|
|
|
|
Chris McLean
416 961 2294 x 29
|
|
|
|
|
