AUSTRALIA, CHILE, FRANCE, New ZEALAND, & other Whites

December 2008

CHARDONNAY 

2005 Corton Charlemagne Pierre Morey - $799.99 cs/6 - "Highly complex nose suggests nutmeg, nut butter, flowers, white truffle, smoky lees and a metallic aspect. Dense and powerful, with very firm acidity leavening the wine’s texture. Quite stony and penetrating. This still has 2.5 grams of residual sugar; on the other hand, if it finishes too dry, it could well turn out to be extremely citric, even hard. I look forward to retasting this wine in its finished form.” 

2005 Cervaro della Sala Umbrian Chardonnay Antinori - $250.00 cs/6 - Gambero Rosso 3 Glass Award in 8 out of the last 10 years. "perhaps atypical, as it is more focused on elegance, softness and oak balance than the great complexity and power of previous releases. The aromas are broad and refined, and it has fresh fruit flavors with balsamic notes and a buttery finish.

2006 Chardonnay Domaine Bernier - $150.00 cs/12 - Parker "This wine, made outside of the Muscadet  by one of that A.O.C.'s high quality producers, the Couillauds, does a fine job of impersonating CHABLIS. There is enough Chardonnay character to please fans of that varietal, but the real hallmark is its crisp, elegant, steely, mineral, and citrusy personality. It is impossible to find a wine of this type in California, Australia, or South America. A refreshing, lively wine, it will drink beautifully with light fish dishes, or served as an aperitif." 

2005 George Faiveley Bourgogne Blanc - $250.00 cs/12 - "A subtle touch of wood frames the ripe, pretty and expressive aromas of orchard fruit and straw that leads to round and rich flavors that are overly complex but possess good pop and freshness. Solid quality for what this is and worth a look." Burghound 

2005 Hermitage Ex Voto Blanc Guigal - $275.00*bottle - Parker 96-98pts. "(a blend from 50- to 90-year-old vines mostly from the Hermitage vineyard called Les Murets, with about 10% of the blend from the top of Hermitage, a vineyard called l’Hermite), is phenomenally intense and a sort of white Hermitage on steroids. Honeysuckle, quince, peach liqueur, and white truffles are all part of this mineral-based, powerful, massive style of dry white wine that should drink well for 4-5 years and then go into its dormant stage and not re-emerge for 10-20 years. From a longevity perspective, it is certainly a 50-year white wine."

2005 Matrot Meursault "Silvan cap" - $3499 bot. - Burghound 88pts. "The barest hint of pain grillé frames very fresh and expressive ripe orchard fruit and hazelnut aromas that possess a suave mouth feel as the flavors are blessed with good mid-palate fat and a racy, dry and almost strict finish. Good quality here but this will need a year or two to flesh out and relax."

2004 Meursault Genevrieres Hospices de Beaune Cuvee Baudot - $79.50* bottle - "white flowers with a slight toasty oak aroma. Very well balanced in the mouth with mellow, supple, fresh green apple flavors. A great lengthy finish with white pear and peach which are only framed in the wood. Now through 2015." 

2005 Ponsot Morey St.-Denis "Clos des Monts-Luisants" 1er Cru White - $89.99*bottle - Burghound 87-90pts."The nose is quite ripe with natural spice and mildly exotic fruit aromas that lead to delicious, ripe, rich and racy flavors that possess excellent detail and a fine underlying minerality, all wrapped in an impressively long finish. It's rare to find this kind of quality for a pure Aligoté outside of Bouzeron. Wonderful even if you're not a fan of the grape.Drink through 2009+

SAUVIGNON-SEMILLON 

2005 Blanc de Suduiraut Dry White - $299.99 cs/6 - "a dry white which has been made at the estate for personal consumption for many years, but only recently made for commercial purposes. It is the product of three early tries through the vineyard picking off healthy, non-botrytised grapes, and it accounts for about 10% of all production. The first vintage commercially released was the 2004"

2001 Castelnau de Suduiraut Sauternes - $400.00 cs/12 - "This second wine of famed Ch. Suduiraut (which got 98 points from the Wine Spectator and Robert Parker for the 2001) is also made by successive pickings in the ideally situated vineyards. The blend is 90% Semillon and 10% sauvignon blanc with vinification in barrels as well as stainless steel and aging in oak for 12 months. Intense and complex, with orange rind, flowers and ripe apricot, this offers a vary close (and much more affordable) approximation to the first wine. Try it with foie gras or along side a fruit tart."

2002 De Fargues Sauternes (d’Yquem owned) - $899.99 cs/12(75.00) - Parker 92-94pts."I suspect most readers will find it hard to get excited about the 2002 vintage for the sweet wines of Barsac and Sauternes after what appears to be a prodigious 2001. However, 2002 is a very fine year for this region, possibly superior to any of the vintages between 2000 and 1991. The wines possess plenty of botrytis, but neither the impressive definition nor supreme elegance of the 2001s. This is a sweet, full-bodied, fat, concentrated, intense effort that was showing well in Sept. 2003." 

2002 De Cosse Sauternes 375mls. - $19.99*bot. - Selected from barrels that have the same base of the Grand Vin Chateau Rieussec. It has similar characteristics, but with shorter ageing in barrels. It may be enjoyed at a younger age than its counterpart. It possesses the typical characteristics of a fine Sauternes. This vintage is characterized by a weak overall yield, whose quality diminished for later harvests. Indeed, the fine early harvest, with developed botrytis on ripe grapes, was unfortunately followed by rain. The selection was made essentially from the early sorts. This vintage is lively on the palate, and its juice will only be fully appreciated after some time. Semillon 95%, Muscadelle 2% & Sauvignon 3%. 

2006 Granville Lacoste Graves - $199.99 cs/12 – Terrific white Bordeaux soft and elegant. 

2003 Rieussec Sauternes - $49.99 375mls. - Parker 94-97pts."It is against my better judgment to taste the sweet wines of Barsac and Sauternes at such an early age, as I find they typically require at least 12 months to reveal the definition/delineation so essential in these creamy, creme brulee, and honeysuckle-flavored offerings. Nevertheless, because this vintage is so highly regarded, I tasted through most of the top estates. The 2003s appear to be somewhat in the style of the 1990s, with high levels of residual sugar (higher than 2001 for the most part) as well as botrytis, low acidity, and fat, full-bodied personalities. This region’s harvest began extremely early (early September), and was completely finished within three weeks. It does not appear that the nobleness and racy richness of the 2001 vintage will be found in the 2003s, but readers who like the big, flamboyant, over the top style of the 1990s will enjoy the 2003s even more than I did." 

2004 “S” de Suduiraut - $320.00 cs/12 - "a dry white which has been made at the estate for personal consumption for many years, but only recently made for commercial purposes. It is the product of three early tries through the vineyard picking off healthy, non-botrytised grapes, and it accounts for about 10% of all production. The first vintage commercially released was the 2004" 

2005 Suduiraut Sauternes - $99.99*bottle - Stephen Tanzer  92-94pts."Full, bright yellow-gold. Discreet but ripe and rich nose offers apricot, marzipan and honey. Wonderfully plump, sweet and full, with uncommon depth and concentration to its flavors of soft ripe apricot, pineapple and spices. Offers an exhilarating combination of silky texture and sheer intensity. The nectar-like, rot-ennobled finishing flavors stain the palate and go on and on. This should evolve in bottle for three or four decades."

2005 Suduiraut Sauternes - $59.99*bottle (375ml.)

More WHITE, ROSE, & SPARKLING 

2005 Aligote Bourgogne Blanc P.Morey - $99.99 cs/12

2004 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes - $175.00*bottle - Parker 95pts."outrageously good 2004 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape blanc Vieilles Vignes is monumental, with wonderful notes of litchi, marmalade, honeysuckle, huge body, but great acidity and definition. This is an amazing wine that is just sumptuous to drink now, and probably should be consumed over the near-term, but I wouldn’t be surprised to find this exquisite in 15 or 20 years."

1997 Delesvoux Selection de Grains Nobles Coteaux du Layon 500 mls. - $59.99 bottle - "sweet white form the Loire (Anjou) where the noble rot is almost common-place. In great years such as 1997 the Chenin Blanc grapes shrivel, losing much of their water content and become raisin-like concentrating both sugar and flavors. The producer, Philippe Delesvaux, has been called the "wizard of Layon". He does not come from a long line of vintners, moreover he is new (1983 his first vintage) to the trade. However his is a true steward of the land having been schooled in farm management. With this wine he has very successful created a benchmark for the best wine of the region. Perfectly served as an aperitif, or with its most natural companion food, foie gras." 

2005 Domaine de Triennes Ste Fleur Viognier - $195.00 cs/12(16.25) - "In the 80's Jacques Seysses, Aubert de Villaine (DRC), and their friend Michel Macaux looked for a vineyard site in the southwest of France.  They found what they believed to be the perfect south-facing slope which stood about 1,000 ft in elevation. This wine has an explosive nose of apricot, honeysuckle and honey. Its great power and intensity combine with a beautiful balance between richness, acidity, and minerality." 

2005 Kreydenweiss Pinot Blanc - $199.99 cs/12 - "Burgundy type with the fullness of a varietal harvested at the limits of over-ripeness."
n/v Krug Cuvee Champagne - $150.00 bottle.  

N.V. Mumm Cordon Rouge Brut Gift  - $39.99 bot. - SALE $29.99 NET in gift containers.  

2006 Weinbach Gewurtztraminer Cuvee Laurence - $69.99*bottle

2006 Weinbach Pinot Blanc Reserve - $35.00*bottle

2006 Weinbach Riesling Schlossburg St. Catharine  - $95.00*bottle

AUSTRIA, GERMANY, HUNGARY, ITALY: 

2006 Chimera Bianco Villa Medoro - $29.99* bottle - Gambero Rosso "Up & Coming" Winery + One Glass Award  - Young passionate dedicated dynamo, Ms. Federica Maorriccone is the wine maker under the able guidance of Riccardo Cotarella. 

2004 Dr. Loosen "L" Riesling - $14.99 bot.

2005 Vermentino Guado Tasso ANTINORI – Retail $25.00 – SALE $199.99 cs/12($16.67) - "Melon, lemon and green apple flavors with succulent minerality highlight this tasty number, and in keeping with the vineyard’s proximity to the ocean, it’s a perfect match for seafood." 

1998 Vin Santo by Felsina 500ml. - $39.99* bottle – “The Holy Wine!”

Spain, etc.: 

*Deduct 5% on assorted 12 bottle purchases. 

OUR SATISFACTION GUARANTEE: When you purchase any FULL CASE from our inventory, you may return unused bottles for refund, NO QUESTIONS ASKED, valid for 60 days from purchase!