Hot Sheets

Famed English wine publication touted this Rioja as their wine of the year for 2013 and after tasting it last week, I was in full concurrence. Having been crafting fine wines for over 150 years, Faustino is one of the true bastions of old-school, traditionally-styled Rioja and one that ages impeccably. Yes, 2001 is the current release of their Gran Reserva and what a wine it is!!

From Decanter Magazine: "Restrained, mineral style with elegant tannins. Youthful and fresh, feminine and complex. Deliciously decadent, with extraordinary vitality in the palate and a long unique, finish. A jewel at this price. Drink 2014 - 2030".

Italians use many different hand gestures when they are speaking and when it comes to Orvieto, variances occur. For the lighter and easy to understand versions, gestures are used at a minimum. The bad ones receive middle fingers and/or the under the chin, upside-down hand wave, you can figure out what they mean ;-). For Palazzone's wines it's open arms, hands in the air, etc. etc….any gesture of excitement will do.

Palazzone is the best producer of Orvieto, period. The whole damn family of Orvieto grapes is included in this wine. Here, the blend is 20% Grechetto, 10% Malvasia Toscana, 50% Procanico, 10% Verdello and 10% Drupeggio, all very well-known (sarcastic moment here, folks) varietals! Hand –harvested, low-yielding, hillside fruit contribute to the intensity and character that this oh so prevalent. Vivacious and sweeping fragrances of white peach, anise and orange carry over into the elevated pure palate that shows sneaky minerality in its impressively long finish. A perfectly priced white wine for grilled seafood. Slurp, slurp, slurp!

When the Brunier family, owners of the famed domaine Vieux Telegraphe in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, bought Domaine du Pallieres in Gigondas 15 years ago, it created a huge buzz across the wine world. Here was one of the finest winemaking families in the world, buying a great property with incredible potential that had already made excellent wine, but the ambitions of the Bruniers have allowed it to become one of the finest two or three in the appellation.

Resounding aromas of lavender make you think that you are sitting on the veranda at a house in Provence waiting for the lamb to be done grilling so that you can uncork a bottle. Scents of thyme, red raspberry and undertones of smoked meat give this plenty of definition of origin. Full-bodied, but not a bruiser due to the unique terroir which gives lovely refinement. Compact and rich flavors surround plenty of Asian spice and expand into a haunting and expanding finish. With the proper, hearty dish, this wine can be accessed now, and will easily drink well through 2021+.

Lately when it comes to Chilean wines the quality is within the small producers who are utilizing vineyards that aren't on the valley floor and are more focused on quality versus large conglomerates who would rather build some sort of PR-drivel brand.

J. Bouchon is a recent eye-opener who produces lovely wines at extremely fair prices. Cantosur comes from the Maule Valley and is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Carmenere and 20% Merlot. Brazen blackberry, marionberry and touches of vanilla bean carry into a texture that is creamy, full-flavored and round with sufficient high tones in back that give lovely balance. Big wine for Big Steak.

Easton Zinfandel is kind of like the Oakland As of the wine world. Just like the A's, it might not be one of the most recognized names in the Zinfandel world, but it performs each year with great consistency. Being from the "small market" area of California Zin, Amador County this Zinfandel features very ripe delicious fruit, but Bill Easton's philosophy is to avoid extremeties at all cost to produce a civilized, full Zin that is adept to carry over to the table.

Upon tasting some of the first of the 2012s we can see why this Zin vintage is getting early buzz. This is a generous and unapologetic California vintage that provides admirable fruit packed wines. The '12 Easton Zin has nice aromas of red berry fruit and a hint of sundried tomato and spice. In the mouth the fruit barrage continues with some darker berry tones, black pepper, and good underlying structure and spice all which allow for pairing with ribs, barbecued chicken or pork.

Even a long-time Oregon stalwart can make changes! The new Willamette Valley cuvee at Eyrie is now made which replaces and meshes two of their fine wines into one outstanding wine. Black Cap and Eyrie Estate are now combined and this wine is ridiculously good and in true Eyrie form is definitely one for aging.

Even though there is plenty of cushion from the warm 2012 vintage, this is still shows Eyrie's telltale tightly-wound gnarly aspects that always take time to unfold. Plenty of red cherry, strawberry and fine herbs show and the texture is very linear and youthful with superb depth and concentration, yet maintaining an almost airy quality all in a tight, vertical form right now. The finish is transparent, minerally, red and persistent. Having so much material here and classic tones buried beneath the surface this wants another 2-3 more years to truly unfold. If you want instant gratification, this isn't the wine, but if you are patient, love true-to-form, not-sweet Pinot Noir order some and wait until 2017 and then drink it through 2025, because it will transform into a magical Oregon Pinot with Volnay-inspirations kind of experience.

A model of what French Chardonnay from Burgundy is all about, we have been waiting for this arrival since Bryan first tasted it in France earlier this year!

Pierre Vessigaud is convinced that there cannot be a great wine without a good terroir and beautiful grapes. A Pouilly-Fuisse guru, the Macon-Fuisse that he produces is of an exceptional quality induced by the privileged situation of its vineyard located in the hamlet of Pouilly, itself in the village of Fuisse. The Macon-Fuisse region is actually within Pouilly-Fuisse, specifically in 2 plots. This particular offering comes from parcel situated at the top of the hill of Pouilly-Fuisse. A consistent over-achiever and a true hidden gem, Vessigaud ages this wine primarily in stainless steel along with a combination of 3-5 year barrels, both large and small. This doesn't impart any oakiness on the wine, just brings about more depth and body. Piercing, steely, beautiful mineral dominates this offering along with a robe of lemon and apple tones. In the mouth it is athletic with plenty of depth which all carries over to an expansive mineral driven finish that extends nicely. Drink this offering over the next 3-4 years with fresh trout, halibut or chicken.

A delicious red blend from South Africa's Stellenbosch, Paarl and Elgin regions, we originally featured this earlier this year but unbeknownst to us, the distributor had sold out. Well, it's better late than never!

72% Syrah, 7% Mourvedre, 7% Grenache, 7% Cinsault and 7% Tannat with ample character that upholds the moniker of pepper pot. Violet, plum, smoke, freshly ground white pepper herbs and licorice dominate the nose while in the mouth, full, spicy, smooth-flowing flavors take hold. Very drinkable now and over the next 2-3 years.

We don't often think about great Port when it's 80+ degrees but as we do know the rain and cold will inevitably rearing their heads and what better way to warm your soul than with something that has been wood-aged for almost 20 years. Colheitas are vintage dated tawnies aged in cask until bottled and carry the date of the harvest and Smith-Woodhouse's version is aged 13 years in cask which brings the components together into something very special.

On the nose, nuts and caramel dominate, but in the mouth enough stone fruits emerge to bring to mind peaches and cherries drizzled with luscious liquid nuts and caramel. In the mouth there is elegance and a delicate texture, offering rich deep flavor without heaviness. The finish of mocha, chocolate covered almonds and crème brulée sugar are peppered with a roasted, coffee-like note that adds to the complexity of this rare gem. If you want to experience the magic of beautifully aged Port, here is an opportunity to snag one of the best for a fraction of the price of most Vintage Ports. A fantastic way to end a meal with drier salty cheeses such as Aged Gouda and nougat, almond tortes or caramel desserts. The best thing about this bold after-dinner treat is that since it's wood-aged, it won't improve in the bottle and then one doesn't have to enjoy it in just one sitting.