Hot Sheets

Nothing quite sez Spring like Sancerre but what really shouts Spring even louder is this special cuvee from the neighboring region of Quincy. Unbelievable power and concentration balanced with the understated elegance that is Loire Valley combined with 70 year old vines results in a fabulous wine for not a lot of money. Serious terroir-laden, mineral aromas bursting, with citrus, blossom, flint, stones and a kiss of herbs this is penetrating and classic French Sauvignon Blanc conjures up memories of your visit in Paris of the sidewalk café around Montparnasse where you may have sipped a bottle or two.

Clean and vibrant with lots of nerve, but also owning a long, fleshy, ripe texture with old vine depth present on nose and in mouth. Develops more perfume as it unfolds in the glass and vinous, very detailed flavors prevail with lightning on the superb, finesseful finish. Spring salmon is upon and this is an incredible match. Only 10 cases available and we're the only source in town for this special, miniscule-production cuvee from one of the Loire valley and France's most important producers.

The race is on for everyone to grab their share of 2012 Oregon Pinots, especially those from legendary addresses such as Evesham Wood. Evesham's Eola-Amity cuvee is an appellation-specific wine that bridges the gap between the Willamette Valley offering and the single vineyard wines that come later in the year.

Delivering graceful aromas and flavors that conjure up harmonious notes of strawberry and cocoa-dust, texturally this offering is concentrated and persistent with plenty of dark tones up front which fan out into a vivid, suave and rich finish. Top-notch, obsessive farming and winemaking at its pinnacle, this wine shows admirable approachability now and will drink nicely through the end of the decade. Given the price hikes we've been seeing for this vintage of small quantity, this wine is a steal for its price level.

A Barbera that damn near knocked me out of my chair last week, yet I shouldn't have been too surprised given the talent behind the wine. 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.

As I mentioned, this Barbera damn near ran me over! Typical of a Barbera done in Barolo's Monforte district this superb, robust Barbera is chock full of flavor and aromas of lusty strawberry and plum that combine with fine transparency. Excellent ripeness and generosity carry over into the mouth where the wine shows mouth-filling fruit but given that it is aged without the utilization of oak barrels, it maintains ample zip and left. This is a celestial pairing with truffles, mushrooms and all that earthy sort, so keep it simple and have it with risotto and/or slow-roasted meat slathered with your favorite funghi (even psylocybins).

Indeed the sun has inspired us to feature our first dry pink wine of the year and it is definitely one that goes down very easy without having to break the bank. Located in the Gard region of the Rhone Valley, this delectable Rose is made with Grenache, Cinsault and the very un-French Tempranillo.

Very fragrant with a feminine touch. Vibrant, mouthwatering, almost glowing aspects with loads of fraise du bois, herbs and mineral. Lip-stinging, palate-lifting and lively from start to finish. Have this thirst-quencher on the porch or with light, seafood-based dishes.

What happens when you take one of Cote-Rôtie biggest stars and bring him to the Languedoc? You get a stunning 90% syrah-based, Coteaux du Languedoc that is styled like a Côte Rôtie, yet with the distinctive warmth and open-armed personality of this southerly region. If you are familiar with the name René Rostaing, you will know that this humble, soft-spoken dude makes some of the greatest Syrahs in the Côte-Rôtie region of France.

In the late 1990s, René and his wife purchased a modest estate in the Côteaux du Languedoc near Nimes. Located in a relatively cool micro-climate, the region's limestone gravel seemed perfect for the Rostaings' beloved syrah. A superb example of the Rostaing's credo: elegant, yet concentrated; expressive, but subtle; hedonistic, but cerebral.

Rostaing's Côte-Rôtie wines are never easy to locate, nor are they inexpensive, so this sexy beast is perfect for anyone who wants a nothing-but-the-truth Rostaing experience. The 2010 Puech-Noble captivates its audience with black raspberry aromas which lead to a broad, spice, animalistic, ripe red/black raspberry-packed personality. This prodigal, chewy-textured offering is dense yet maintains Rostaing's trademark pride and poise. It is complex, sultry, crammed with fruit, and possesses a splendid, pure, and long finish that screams of pepper and herbes de provence. One of the things that gives me much agita is the notion that wines from Languedoc all have to retail for 10 bucks. This simply isn't true, especially when one realizes the potential of the terroir, a wine such as this and from a guy of Rostaing's stature proves that greatness is just under our noses. Enough spiel, drink this debonair killer over the next 8-10 years!

A ten-buck wine from California and it is actually real wine and not some focus-group, marketing-driven piece of merde made by an egghead in a lab. Here we have a real Cab made by real people from real vineyards, real grapes and real barrels unlike the oak-chip stuff that leaves you with espresso-breath after drinking it.

Grayson's 2012 California Cab is forward and chock full of bright cherry and raspberry fruit intermingle nicely with cedarbox and undercurrents of vanilla-bean. In the mouth it is engaging, lush and nicely balanced from start to finish. Uncompromised California in its style and one for any Cab lover to use for his or her every night tipple.

It's been way too long since the Brunello di Montalcino wines from the Sassetti family's Pertimali estate have graced our weekly musings. Located on the Montosoli hill just north of the village, these wines seemingly have it all: incredibly deep fruit, bold structure, but lovely balance, finesse and breed exuding a silky suave quality with impressive substance.

Aromatic and full of class with impressive penetration and mass all kept in a polished and graceful shell. Alluring blackberry and violet mingle with gorgeous minerals, hot rocks, roasted coffee and savory spice. Plenty of spine gives this wine super-longevity. While there is charm to this wine now, it IS a crime to open one - these wines aren't the easiest to obtain. Let this age to bring out all of its dimension and complexity. Drink 2018 through 2031.

Recently we have been featuring the red wines from this fine Rhone estate, but this week we decided to show you all the sweet dessert wine that made them famous, their Exuberant, generous, and pure sinful pleasure Muscat Beaumes-de-Venise.

Enticing rose-petal, satsuma, spice and rosemary oil dominate the nose while tones of white anise bark out from a distance. Wickedly rich, sweet and full with inviting citrusy tones that come from the elevation from the vineyard sites in the Dentelles de Montmirail and aid in maintaining freshness. Super-viscous finish with plenty of brightness make this wine perfect to pair with crème brulée, fresh berry tarts or even white chocolate.