Friday Sips

It isn't all too often that we lead the weekly offer sheet with a wine that's this inexpensive but combined with this amazing price and damn delicious quality, we just had to!!

Another insane red wine value from Spain, just how do they do it for so little cost?!? The hot days, cold nights, no rain, and intense sun exposure allow the grapes to ripen perfectly in the central Spanish wine region of La Mancha. The grapes in this hot climate bask in the sun all day long, making smooth, hearty offerings that are easy-drinking Wednesday wines with nice character. 100% Tempranillo, Carril De Cotos is a juicy, full fruited drink with flavors of smoked meat, jasmine, creamy strawberry jam and anise. Enjoy with pizza, burgers, grilled chicken, in other words, this will class up party foods.

Since we started working with John Grochau's wines 6 years ago we have always remarked at how much virtue and value are in these bottles. As we have watched 2010 unfold into one of Oregon's prolific vintages, John has rode the wave and once again put forth another excellent Pinot Noir. The question here is, would you like an Oregon Pinot for 22 bucks that has the capacity to age through the end of the decade?

A resounding combination of dark and vibrant scents that are laid back and steadily build as the wine is aired in the glass; impressive depth and range of fruit plus earth beam in the mouth flowing into a long finish of red cherry and peppery tones that echo well after the wine is swallowed. Seriously delicious now but given the attention to detail and structure Grochau Cellars Pinots possess, there is still more stuff to emerge over the next 5-6+ years.

Abbazia di Novacella is an actual monastery that produces wine from their own vines and is a wonderful source in Northern Italy's Alto Adige region. Reds and whites are produced and grown and viticultural experience extends back 800+ years. The 2011 Sauvignon comes from vines situated at about 1200 feet above sea-level and packed with mineral-rich soils.

Gooseberry, subtle tropical fruit, prominent mineral and fine sage scents careen from the glass and flow through to a texture that is amply concentrated while maintaining vigorous freshness and mineral liveliness. Toss back this fabulicious white wine with pan-seared seafood like scallops or halibut dressed with a light sauce.

Over the last decade we've seen the small Columbia Gorge town of Lyle, WA become home to three dynamic producers. We have promoted the Cor and Syncline wines in the past and this is our first go at Domaine Pouillon. Alexis Pouillon has had the wine bug since 1994 and after doing an apprenticeship at Chateau de Beaucastel in Chateauneuf-du-Pape this brought him to the Columbia Gorge to follow his passion.

The 2010 Black Dot is a sumptuous blend (which changes every vintage) of 36% Zinfandel, 32% Syrah, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Mourvedre, 6% Dolcetto and 6% Grenache from Washington's Columbia Gorge appellation. Deep currants, savory herbs, chocolate licorice and underlying smoky-spicy aspects come and come as the wine unfolds in the glass. Flavorful, generous yet maintaining excellent elevation and balance; mouthwatering and smooth from the alluring entry all the way to the nicely formed finish.

Like Goodfellas, you know it's going to be a good mob movie when in the first scene someone gets whacked. While many faccia bruta Super-Tuscan wines deserve to be whacked for the misuse of French varietals, Girolamo Dorigo's revered Montsclapade is definitely not one of them! Blended with 40% Cabernet Sauvignon 50% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc from Friuli and about 1/2 the price of the top Super-Tuscans from Bolgheri, this is one of Italy's true hidden gems

With this being stated, Montsclapade is one of the revolutionary reds of Italy. In Friuli, Bordeaux varietals have long been present been present, introduced during the Habsburg reign. In the early 70s, Girolamo Dorigo created this wine and quietly put it on the map of cool wines with Bordeaux varietals. The 2006 behaves like a top-drawer Graves. Make no mistake, it is still VERY Italian!

An intense ruby red that is best described as elegantly persuasive. Fine spice, cassis and blackberry shine against a backdrop of licorice and cocoa powder. The palate is exquisitely balanced, concentrated, yet still youthful and rambunctious. Ripe berries and briary tones kick in on the entry and give way to alluring chocolate and tobacco tones that spread out on the finish and follow through with pepper and vanilla. There is good appeal and charm to this wine and it will continue to drink well and develop through 2020+.