Rogers & Company Newsletter
World Class Wineries
August 2010
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Greetings!
I hope you have enjoyed our beautiful summer, I certainly have - weekends at the beach, dinners on friends' patios, trips to the cottage. But alas, late summer is here and its time to start thinking about the months ahead, when our taste for wine changes from lighter fruit driven wines to more complex styles and different varietals, some of which offer fantastic ageability.
With that in mind, I started thinking about the wineries we represent that are world renowned but are not on the tips of everyone's tongues (pardon the pun). Wineries from less currently fashionable regions like Vouvray, Santa Cruz or Crozes Hermitage, but made by top winemakers and top wineries.
So here is an interesting selection, let me know if there's any here that pique your interest or feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Please visit our website www.rogcowines.com for current price lists and tasting notes. We sell only by the unmixed case. Prices here are listed per-bottle, including all taxes, excluding bottle deposit.
All my best,
Chris.
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Domaine Huet Vouvray "Le Haut Lieu" Sec 2008
[750ml/12case] $33.95
 The history of Domaine Huet is not a long one, which is perhaps
surprising when one considers that no account of
Vouvray, and of all
the wines of the Loire, would be complete without discussion of Domaine Huet and the portfolio
of vineyards that they have developed over the years. Originally from Paris, Victor Huet moved to the country to alleviate the respiratory problems developed during WWI. The Huets purchased a small house and an accompanying
three hectares of vines which would become Le Haut Lieu vineyard. And so, in 1928,
Domaine Huet was born.
The Domaine's three vineyards, Le Haut Lieu, Le Mont and Clos du Bourg are farmed biodynamically and depending on what mother nature dishes out, are made in a range of styles from sec to moelleux, and from still to sparkling. In great years, such as the legendary 1947, these wines age for decades.
This vineyard covers 9 hectares, with very deep clayey limestone soil,
predominantly brown clay, along with calcareous and silica based soils.
This rather heavy soil generally produces supple wines with firm acidity which can be cellared for many years. I would suggest that the review below underestimates the maturity window.
"This offers lilting ginger, creamed peach, green fig and brioche flavours offset by a live-wire spine of acidity. Flirts with off-dry in feel, but finishes with rapier cut. Shows impressive purity and definition for the vintage. Drink now through 2015. 1,050 cases made."
92 points, Wine Spectator, April 30, 2010
Domaine Huet was featured in Robert Parker's 2005 book
"The World's Greatest Wine Estates"
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Grgich Hills Napa Valley Chardonnay 2007 [750ml/6case] $62.95
 In 1972, Mike Grgich joined Chateau Montelena as winemaker and limited partner.
Four years later the success of his Chardonnay winning the "Paris
Tasting" led to fulfilling his life long dream of owning his own winery. He joined forces with Austin Hills of the Hills Bros. Coffee
family and created Grgich Hills Cellar, located in Rutherford, Napa Valley.
The following year, Mike scored another huge
victory in "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. And Mike's Grgich Hills 1977
Chardonnay emerged triumphant with a first place ribbon. Mike later
became affectionately known in wine circles as the "King of Chardonnay."
Today, Mike acts as an ambassador for the winery and the Napa Valley and his nephew Ivo Jeramaz oversees all wine production. Ivo has adopted biodynamic regimes for all the estate vineyards, officially certified in 2006. Grgich Hills uses only estate fruit for their wines, none is sourced from growers. The vineyards have never been more healthy and the wines have never been better.
"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
Mike Grgich is an inductee of the Culinary Institute of America's
Vintners Hall of Fame.
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Hunter's Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2009 [750ml/12case] $21.95
 "If there is one company that can be seen to have started the
whole international story called 'Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc' it is
Hunter's...(they) got the magic started."
Bob Campbell MW, 2003
"Given the quantity
and quality of its production it is a winery of world standing, and
certainly among the top dozen in Australasia. Hunter's Sauvignon Blanc
is unchallenged as one of New Zealand's benchmark Sauvignon Blancs.
James Halliday's Wine Companion. 2001 Edition.
Hunter's was begun by Jane Hunter and her late husband Ernie in 1983. Their 1991 Sauvignon Blanc achieved unprecedented honour by winning a gold
medal and the Marquis de Goulaine Trophy as the best Sauvignon Blanc in
the world at the 1992 International Wine & Spirit Competition, and in
1995, Hunter's Wines claimed the inaugural Black Diamond Award at the
1995 InterVin International Wine Competition in North America. Since then, the popularity and quality of their wines has only continued to rise.
"Soft and juicy, with mouthwatering balance to the pear and grapefruit flavours, hinting at pineapple as the finish goes on. Drink now."
90 points, Wine Spectator, May 31, 2010
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Vilmart "Grand Cellier" NV Brut Champagne [750ml/6case] $74.95
 Vilmart is quite simply a winery that should be on every collector's radar and in every collector's cellar. Laurent Champs is a leading light in Champagne, producing wines of incredible quality that have developed a ravenous following.
Decanter's Tom Stevenson has called the wines "mini-Krug", and the "greatest grower Champagne I know". Wine & Spirits' Peter Liem has stated "Vilmart is not only one of the greatest grower-estates in Champagne, but one of the finest producers of any type in the region" and Terry Thiese says the wines are "a must-have for anyone interested in the possibilities of this most suavely powerful and graceful of all wines."
To emphasize the quality of Champagnes made by the people who grow them, I suggest a comparison. Taste this wine beside any Non-Vintage Brut produced any of the Grand Marques - the big houses like Veuve-Clicquot, Laurent-Perrier, Perrier-Jouet, etc., and experience the complexity and depth of flavour that is possible when Champagne is made by hand in small quantity.
"70% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir, 10 months in foudres. I don't remember a better bottling of this; remarkably swank and filigree and articulate; a tiny bit drier (and thus more lobster stock-ish); you know this is one of Champagne's great basic wines; it has the salt-sweet of a miso-glaze and the umami savour of saffron, yet there's also a basil Provencal note; really it's a clove and nutmeg and rusk and lobstery mosh-pit of fizz."
Terry Thiese catalogue 2010
"The nose remains very restrained with aromas of green apple, freshly baked brioche and citrus dissolves into intense, pure and driving flavours that possess a wonderfully broad panolpy of flavours that are gorgeously persistent. This is one of those rare Champagnes that can really have excellent flavour authority yet deliver it by dancing across the palate. 2012+"
92 points, www.burghound.com, October 2009
"This is simply the greatest NV champagne in the market, with incredible
length, sophistication and mineral strength that is not usually found
in a non-vintage champagne."
www.winegeeks.com
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Vietti Barolo "Castiglione" 2006 [750ml/6case]
ETA mid-October estimated $72.95
 Four generations of the Vietti family have made great wines in
the tiny medieval town of Castiglione Falletto in the centre of the
Barolo area. All fruit is estate grown and new parcels of prized land
are being acquired. Production of each of their wines is extremely
limited to between 150 and 950 cases. These are truly hand-crafted
wines. Vietti has an international following. Reserve your cases now.
"I can't think
of too many estates in Piedmont that have raised the bar higher than
Vietti has over the last decade or so. Virtually every wine that emerges
from these cellars is outstanding, and many are profound. Winemaker
Luca Currado, his brother-in-law Mario Cordero and their staff have
taken the early groundbreaking work of Alfredo and Lucia Currado and
built upon those successes, reaching an unprecedented level of
consistency and quality across their entire range."
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, February 2010
"The 2006 Barolo Castiglione is frighteningly outstanding, considering it is Vietti's entry-level Barolo! There is incredible density and power in the glass as waves of fruit caress the palate with tons of richness. Sweet menthol, flowers and spices add complexity to the long, stupendous finish. The Barolo Castiglione is usually approachable pretty much upon release, but in 2006 the wine has so much fatness it will probably benefit from a few years in bottle. Barolo is never inexpensive, but the Castiglione is as good a wine as readers will find for the money. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2026.....Frankly, I wish there were more wineries setting their sights on this level of quality."
92+ points, Robert Parker, February 2010
"A dark and brooding wine, with enormous fruit and tons of tannin; will be great in time. 2013-2030"
5 of 5 stars, Decanter, September 2010
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Querciabella "Camartina" 2007 [750ml/6case] $117.95
 When steel magnate Guiseppe Castiglione founded Querciabella in 1974 it was to re-energize an old, defunct winery for personal enjoyment. Not settling for less than the best, he quickly focused his attention to producing Italy's answer to Batard-Montrachet, a feat accomplished with the development of Batar. But this is red-wine country and with the growth of the IGT market, 1981 saw the first vintage of the red Super-Tuscan Camartina, which has been farmed using biodynamic techniques since the 1998. Giacomo Tachis, "the father of Super-Tuscans" such as Sassicaia, Solaia and Ornellaia, has been involved with the development and production of this wine since its inception.
It is a blend of roughly 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Sangiovese, vintage dependant, and is only made in great years. This is a large-scale wine, with the finesse and the structure to age. I recommend cellaring it for 2-3 years to allow for some mellowing and tannin softening. It will drink well for decades.
"Camartina continues to be a defining example of the Super-Tuscan
genre, a position that it's earned, in no small part, due to
Giacomo Tachis' involvement. While Sangiovese was the predominant
varietal for the greater part of Camartina's early career, the
percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon has increased gradually over the
years, with recent vintages favoring Cabernet. The highly sensitive
relationship to vintage conducted by Querciabella has resulted in
a wine with an impeccable record of consistency and an uncanny ability
for projecting hedonism and refinement-a state wherein both
virtues seem to be fully realized yet simultaneously responding to
one another's modifying influences."
Italian Wine Merchants
Although Wine Advocate's reviews for the 2007 aren't yet published, the 2004 and 2006 Camartinas received 95 points each, with the 2006 receiving the following praise:
"The estate's 2006 Camartina (70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Sangiovese) is
awesome in the way it marries considerable ripeness with a firm, classic
sense of structure. Black cherries, minerals, menthol, tar and subtle
French oak are some of the nuances that emerge from the 2006 Camartina.
This is a decidedly big, powerful Camartina that will require some
patience, but all of the ingredients are there for this to be one of the
finest versions of this wine ever made." (Aug 2009)
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Alain Graillot Crozes Hermitage Rouge 2008 [750ml/12case] $32.95
 Alain Graillot founded his domaine in Crozes Hermitage in 1985, and
rapidly became one of the most sought after producers in the Northern Rhone
for his exuberant, robust, and complete Syrah-based wines. Alain owns
50 acres of 30-year-old Crozes-Hermitage, he also has two tiny parcels in St. Joseph,
from which he makes a slightly fresher, more early-drinking wine than
this remarkable Crozes-Hermitage that constitutes the majority of his
production.
Alain harvests by hand and works organically, employing
whole-cluster fermentation and aging the wines primarily in 1-to-3 year
old barrels purchased from some of the top estates in Burgundy. Graillot's wines are structured,
but still very appealing and approachable in their youth, and their
longevity is truly remarkable... These are must-haves for any serious
Northern Rhone fan.
We currently have the Graillot St. Joseph Rouge 2008 available in cases of six, $39.95 each; and the Graillot Crozes Hermitage Blanc 2009 available, also in sixes for $35.95 per bottle, which is mostly Marsanne with some Roussanne. This blend has a Semillon-like nose; figgy and fern-like, but there's a Sauvignon-like bite, with
a slight muskiness. The acidity is up in front, but with a bit of time
it blossoms and gets clear in its Marsanne presence: flavours of
tarragon, sweet butter and olive pit. Worth saving to age for a few years.
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Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot "Santa Cruz Mountains" 2006
[750ml/6case] $51.95
 In May 2009 I had the pleasure to attend a dinner at Jacob's & Co. Steakhouse which featured Ridge winery. Of all the wonderful wines poured that night, this one was a standout for me. This wine is culled from the Monte Bello Vineyard, first planted in 1882 and source of the famous wine of the same name. This is a second wine of sorts, but that's not to say it receives the left overs, but rather lots that don't necessarily "enhance" the Monte Bello blend. Some of the top fruit of the vineyard is used for this wine.
This
wine is a reference point for honest, solidly built, elegant Santa Cruz
red wine. Bright redcurrant fruit and elegant aromatics are followed
by a rich, minerally finish. I think this is comparable to a top fourth
or fifth growth Bordeaux in complexity and elegance at probably two-thirds the price.
"A blend of 56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 42% Merlot, and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2006 Santa Cruz Mountains Estate exhibits a similar deep ruby/purple colour (to the 2005) as well as less complex aromatics, an attractive, round, rich, full-bodied mouthfeel, sweet tannin, and a long finish. This successful 2006 should drink well for 15 years."
91 points, Robert Parker, February 2010
"Complex red fruit, spice, mineral notes. Plush, sleek, fine. Soft, fresh acids, Lovely style. Classy and elegant. From 2011"
4 of 5 stars, Decanter, February 2010Ridge Winery was featured in Robert Parker's 2005 book
"The World's Greatest Wine Estates"
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Qupé Syrah 2008 Central Coast [750ml/12case] $29.95
 Qupé Wine Cellars is located in Santa Maria, California. For thirty years, Bob Lindquist has led the Rhone movement in California. Inspired, as a young man, by the Syrahs of Joseph Phelps, Grippa, Clape and Chave, he has aimed to make racy, heady, lively wines with modest alcohols. A style now championed by many wineries in California.
The source of more than half the fruit is the famed Bien Nacido Vineyard, and the balance comes from his own organic Ibarra-Young vineyard and from contracted fruit grown to his specifications.
This 2008 Syrah is nicely floral on the nose with a whiff of salty minerality enhanced by hints of game, the palate is silky smooth, with abundant dark fruit on the palate, supported by subtle oak. This is certainly a style for fans of Barossa Shiraz or Northern Rhones.
In 2009 Qupé was named a "Winery of the Year"
by Wine & Spirits magazine for the ninth time.
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Flowers "Sonoma Coast" Pinot Noir 2008 [750ml/6case]
ETA mid-September estimated $69.95
 To quote Matt Kramer's Wine Spectator article "Seven Wines to Try
Before, well, You Know" (Nov 30, 2009) ".. to taste the indisputably
original savour of Pinot Noirs from producers such as Flowers, Hirsch
and Peay is to marvel at America's Pinot Noir treasures." The far Sonoma Coast is home to a handful of the top Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Rhône varietal producers in the U.S. The region as a whole is focused on super-premium, small production wines that have all the critics raving.
Although the 2008 has yet to be reviewed, the 2007 received the following:
"The Flowers team blends this from their estate fruit grown on the
far coast around Fort Ross with selected lots from vineyards in the
Russian River Valley, consistently producing one of the most graceful
Pinot Noirs in the New World. In 2007, the wine has a brisk, foresty
scent, bright red fruit in the middle and delicacy to the tannic weave.
Hints of black tea, pink grapefruit, cranberry and salt all contribute
to the complexity. The flavours are saturated while the wine remains
transparent. Completely satisfying, this is a wine to buy by the case."
94 points, Wine & Spirits, April 2010
In 2009 Flowers Vineyards & Winery was named a "Winery of the Year"
by Wine & Spirits magazine for the ninth time.
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Chris McLean
phone: 416 961 2294
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