Hot Sheets


THE CELLAR DOOR'S "KALEIDOSCOPE OF FLAVOR" HOTSHEET
Barolo Special, Oregon White & Red selections, Bubbly & excellent under 15 buck values & more


2012 MAESTRACCI CORSE CALVI ROUGE 'CLOS REGINU'
[reg. $16.99] SPECIAL PRICE: $12.99 BTL./$155.88 CASE

Importer Kermit Lynch doesn't play around when it comes to being the king of Corsican wine importers, he has several top-level estates and some of our favorites are the innovative wines from Maestracci. Michel Raoust runs this Domaine located on the western coast of Corsica and this lionhearted red possesses delicious price/quality rapport.

30% Nielluccio, 30% Grenache, 15% Sciacarello, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre & 5% Carignan comprise the blend. Tangy licorice, red currants, some leather, plenty of spice and seashore scents. Rhythmic, forward, savory flavors seem to take their cue with tinges of mainland Italy combined with the islands and a kiss of southern Rhone influences. Drinks extremely well now and is a very nice way to enhance grilled chicken or sausage.

2009 FANTINO BAROLO CASCINA DARDI BUSSIA
[reg. $62.99] SPECIAL PRICE: $35.99 BTL./$431.88 CASE

As part owner of the famed Barolo producer Bartolo Mascarello, Alessandro Fantino made the wines and tended the vineyards for 20 years before selling his portion off to Maria-Theresa Mascarello in 1998 to focus on his family's estate. Along with his brother Gian Natale, the brothers make wines from the Bussia area of Monforte D'Alba that are extremely indicative of their home in Piedmont.

Generous and powerful in personality, the 2009 vintage resulted in the brothers only producing one Barolo for the vintage and it is a damn fine one indeed! Located in Monforte d’Alba, the large cru of Bussia has long been considered one of the finest of the entire Barolo DOCG, and is known for putting forth wines of impressive structure and longevity. Fantino uses no small barriques on his wines, making them in a decidedly traditional style with aging in large oak casks for 4 years. The mighty 2009 is from 60-year old vines and at this killer special price is one of the great steals of Barolo.

Decadent and full of arousing Barolo quality, this wine reveals ripe, full-throttle aromas of dark fruit, underbrush, maple and licorice all which permeate throughout. In the mouth, there is penetrating full depth but it is youthfully rambunctious, tight and needing some cellar time to obtain class. If you hold until 2018 and drink through 2030, rewards will certainly come! If you like scores, Antonio Galloni from Vinous scored this 93+ points. There are just over 4 cases available and it will sell out. If you love Barolo bargains, e-mail quickly.

2010 MERIEAU TOURAINE BRUT 'BULLES'
$19.99 BTL./$239.88 CASE

We have been using young Jean-Francois Merieau’s red and white Loire Valley wines for about 5 years now but this is the first foray into his scrumptious, dry sparkling wine produced in the Champagne method. Made with 90% Chenin Blanc, 10% Chardonnay this fizz spends 24 months on its lees giving it more complexity than many Loire bubblies in this price range.

Red apple, Granny Smith apple, Braeburn apple, whatever apple you choose wafts from the glass along with undertones of biscuit and underlying mineral. In the mouth, it is inviting, regal, full of elevation and zest all with a finesseful, creamy mousse. The finish is very refined, classy and long. A fantastic sparkling wine that won't break the bank. Have it for toasting, guzzling, celebrating or with goat cheese or a flaky white fish in sauce.

2014 TEUTONIC WINE CO. WILLAMETTE VALLEY WHITE 'ELEVEN'
$13.99 BTL./$167.88 CASE

Barnaby and Olga Tuttle, the minds behind Teutonic Wine Company, have been making some of Oregon’s most intriguing wines. When it comes to their Germanic-styled white wines, there aren’t too many doing it better. Eleven is a nod to Spinal Tap and turning up the pleasure factor to that particular number, this early Muscat from the eastern side of the Willamette Valley is semi-dry and checks in at a mere 10.5% alcohol.

Exotically fragrant with aromas of white peach, citrus, blossom and jasmine it is clean and lively with a kiss of sweetness. On the palate, this bursts with fine texture allowing it to be a first class aperitif. Even better is that it marries very well with Asian spice and yes, folks, asparagus! Perhaps the most impressive thing about this Oregon white is its deceptive long, snap-back finish that sticks around pleasantly well after the wine is swallowed. Tired of the staid Pinot Gris, then go on and have a real Oregon wine adventure with something that will rock your world!

2013 WALTER SCOTT PINOT NOIR 'CUVEE RUTH'
$31.99 BTL./$383.88 CASE

Cuvee Ruth is a wine from Oregon stalwart producer Walter Scott that is designed to be a Reserve-level bridge between the entry La Combe Verte Pinot and the single vineyard reserve wines. A selected blend from some of the winery’s top sites including Freedom Hill, Clos de Oiseaux, Bieze and Eola Springs Vineyards, this formidable and very classy offering has nice appeal now but with cellar time will undoubtedly turn into something very sophisticated and detailed.

Enticing and beautifully aromatic scents of crushed black raspberry, violet and cinnamon shine brightly from the glass and carry over into a stylish and refined texture with an abundance of penetrating fruit & perfumed flowers along with sneaky structure. The finish is suave and understated with a hint of allspice and cocoa from a very thoughtful use oak. This gorgeous Pinot matches very well with veal chops and will drink and develop wonderfully over the next 10-12 years.

2011 CHATEAU TOUR BEL-AIR MONTAGNE ST-EMILION
$17.99 BTL./$215.88 CASE

Montagne St-Emilion is a satellite appellation of St-Emilion located just to the north and bordering on Pomerol. Owned by the Laporte family since 1760 and located in the SW corner of the satellite, this has been a hell of a discovery. Stacked and packed this wine shows off class and grace, yet has a trucker's mouth with a bit of attitude and sass to it.

Teeming with earth, limestone, red cherry, some violet and kisses of olive and tobacco on the nose, it follows through to a texture that is mouth coating and having substance and vivacity that one expects in a dry red wine from Bordeaux. Excellent length and a wine that will outclass a number of higher-priced neighbors to the south this wine can be consumed over the next 4-5 years with seared beef or just about any duck dish.

2013 CUSUMANO NERO D'AVOLA
$11.99 BTL./$143.88 CASE

The Sicilians have long made wine, but for years, quality was sporadic at best. No longer simple spaghetti wines that are volatile and pruny, the new Sicily offers modern-tinged wines that are chock full of fruit, zest and character. They still pair well with spaghetti, but they also prove to go with a diverse amount of flavors as well. The Nero D’Avola grape is one of Sicily’s strengths, and an indigenous one that is not found much outside of the island.

Unoaked and showing plenty of ripe plum and blueberry flavors accentuated by spicy, tangy earth tones. Flavorful and concentrated on the palate with plenty of persistent high notes at the end. Try it with eggplant parmesan.

2013 RAMEY NAPA VALLEY CLARET
$36.99 BTL./$443.88 CASE

55% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 4% Malbec, 3% Syrah, 2% Cabernet Franc & 2% Petit Verdot.

What we love most about David Ramey's sterling wines is that this is a guy whose wines are built more to express balance, structure and richness more than just following the normal Napa trend of overripe flavor and alcohol. No shortage of intensity and depth here, this predominantly Cabernet-based blend really beams with Napa Valley character.

Cassis, black cherry jam, tinges of dusty earth, mint and anise gracefully float from the glass. Supple, luxurious and mouth-coating; dry and owning submerged muscular backbone. Long and lingering, this wine has serious material to age nicely through to its 10th birthday, however there is a lavish core of fruit that make it alluring early-on, especially if one were to decant an hour before consuming.

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