Friday Sips

Call this new release of one of our favorite St-Emilion Grand Cru wines a celebration of the stronger dollar. Last year and last vintage we had to sell this wine at $33 but with the strength of the currency, this wine is extremely attractive; and the quality is at its usual top-level.

Catherine Papon-Nouvel is very meticulous with all of her wines and the flagship wine amazes year-in and year-out. Situated on the lower half of the slope below the historic village of St. Emilion, Château Gaillard possesses 20 hectares of vines and is neighbors with Chateau Canon-Gaffeliere. Version 2011 is quite the seducer revealing persistent aromas. Smoky oak reveals itself first but then the amplification of plum and raspberry fruit comes on, intermingles, and brings out a layer of minerally earth. The texture is fine, smooth, and silky and shows off deceptive spine, which bodes well for aging. Not completely undrinkable today, our experiences with Château Gaillard have proven that they vastly improve with a bit of cellar time. You will not be committing a crime if you open one, but it will also cellar and drink well through 2022.

We featured this wine earlier this week on the March Playlist but we love drinking it so much we thought we would share our enthusiasm by having it open for tasting today. The white wines from Campania are some of Italy's finest and possess character not found virtually anywhere else on the sunny peninsula. One of Southern Italy's great names is Villa Matilde and they are especially known for their white wines grown just outside of Naples. The historic Falanghina grape, which was first recorded almost two hundred years ago in 1825, makes its home in the vineyards of Benevento just outside of Naples. The name Falanghina derives from the Latin word ‘phalange', meaning ‘supported by stakes'.

The first word that came to mind when I put this wine to my nose was, "fresh" and that resonated throughout the whole experience, from start to finish. Gentle, alive and complex aromas of freshly peeled mandarin, anisette, sheer earth and delicate white flower billow out from the glass. Intense and incredibly nervy in the mouth with a great contrast of melon, blood orange and white spice enhances the ravishing mouthfeel. We love unoaked white wines and while this white is Southern Italian, it possesses the minerality and complex flavors found in fine, purely styled whites from the world over. Have it with spicy, tomato-based seafood dishes or grilled seafood with lemon and capers.

Many Cellar Door friends will recognize Laurent Pillot's name from their purchases of his exquisite white wines and recently we have been equally as excited over Laurent's top-drawer red wines as well. Through marriage, Laurent has scored red wine vineyards from several grand villages within the Cotes-de-Beaune. Boucherottes is a Premier Cru vineyard in southern portion of the Beaune appellation and a stone’s throw from, Pommard. Pillot owns a little under 1¼ acres of relatively old Pinot Noir vines in this site and this French Pinot Noir is quite remarkable given its price.

Sexy, soil-action nose with ironstone riding shotgun alongside ripe currant on top of blackberry, cep and semi-exotic spice. Fanning out and seducing the palate yet having plenty of structure, spine and depth. Chewy, lingering red-tones shine on the nicely formed finish. A super value for red Burgundy that will drink well and gain complexity on through to its 12th birthday. If you love to cook, have this with beef bourguignon, you won’t be disappointed.

A few months back we offered Brezza's 2009 Classico Barolo, but this one takes you straight up the stairway to heaven! An ultra-traditional producer based in the village of Barolo all of the grapes for this wine come from the hallowed slopes of the Cannubi vineyard. Since the mid-90s, Enzo Brezza has been on fire and right now, even at their regular prices, they are undervalued given their impeccable quality.

The 2009 Cannubi Barolo seemingly crescendos from the glass with aromas that are best described as guttural sensuality. The silkiness, poise and perfume are immediately evident with the purity of earth and mushroom scents lying beneath. 2009 is a warm and slightly mis-underestimated Barolo vintage that has plenty in common with a recent favorite, 2001. Like that year, this wine has early charm yet will continue to unfold and taste really fine for another decade as well. Long, and spreading out on the palate, this Barolo is both cerebral and ethereal. Morels will be coming into season very soon, so there's no reason NOT to pair them with this amazing Barolo!