Hot Sheets

A “step-up”, out of the ordinary Cotes-du-Rhone and from the Northern Rhone Valley's great Cornas masters. Made from 100% Syrah, this fascinating, refined and aromatic specimen is made with declassified Cornas fruit along with some from plots in and south of St-Peray.

Very indicative of French Syrah from this area, aromatic violet, cracked pepper, red plum, subtle tapenade and pronounced woodsmoke are all very present on the nose. In the mouth, this deceptively structured wine can best be described as "purple". Stylishly-textured, vibrant, plenty of depth and extension. Enjoy over the next 4-5 years with game, perhaps a Vietnamese beef dish, roasted chicken/mushrooms or a pan-seared steak slathered in peppercorns.

Poetic, fury, sensuality, fierceness, intellectual, ambrosial. These are just a few words which describe Kelley Fox’s wines. Having made her bones at Eyrie, Hamacher & Torii Mor along with being the current winemaker for Scott Paul wines, to converse with Kelley and then tasting her wines, you can almost see one in the same. Mirabai is a blend of the two vineyards that Kelley utilizes, Maresh (5 barrels) and Momtazi (1 barrel), and only 129 cases were produced. From the soul of Oregon’s earth, this Pinot Noir reflects the realness of the superb land that it is grown on yet also reflects the mind behind the making.

Genuine Pinot here with seductive aspects, it is cerebral and not a deeply-colored, caricature version that pairs well with a pack of Kools. Instead, this wine has all the hallmarks of a siren on the rocks with rose-petal, crunchy and not jammy strawberry, subtle pepper and underlying jasmine/mineral aromas which dominate the nose. Ethereal flavors that are caressing, silky and vivid fan out and flow on through to the impressively long, airy finish which also provides pleasurable snap-back. Very accessible now, but for best results, give it another year and drink it through the end of the decade.

From Germany’s Pfalz region, this ungodly DRY Riesling is a mind-boggling specimen that is on a super deal until it’s gone due to our local distributor parting ways with Gutzler. The classification of Grosses Gewachs (First Growth) is used in German regions, excluding Mosel and Rheingau, to designate top dry wines from great sites. The Pfalz region is an extension of Alsace’s Vosges Mountains and is one of Germany’s warmest and sunniest, hence more dry wines are produced here.

Combine a great vintage with a great producer and Riesling fireworks are sure to go off! Profanity cannot describe the greatness of this wine! The 2008 Liebfrauenstift Kirchstuck seems to have a rebellious, smash-the-government, I’ll-reveal-all-to-you-when-I-am-damn-good-and-ready attitude and basically is the calm before the storm! One of the Pfalz region’s prolific vineyard sites it has an opulent, rich texture with amazing components that are hiding within themselves. Major-league structure and super-compact, but with a viscous, all-out blitz of a finish. In all honesty, this Riesling should be tucked away for a bit more time in the cellar, however, this fully dry number isn’t inaccessible with fish in a substantial sauce but you’ll greatly be rewarded if you give this revolutionary sweetheart until 2015 and drink it through 2028+.

One of Argentina’s most important figures, Susanna Balbo delivers consistent, full-flavored wines that exemplify both strength and finesse. Finesse, ahhh there's that word that most Americans don't understand. The connotation that finesse means light, couldn't be further from the truth. Often in this business, you hear Americans use the word "smooth" to describe a wine. Basically, they're saying the same thing the rest of the world says when they talk of finesse.

Enough semantics, the 2010 Susana Balbo is simply very good Malbec! Classy and aromatic with a full nose of Indian spice and black raspberry, it speaks of Argentina. Handsome in the mouth with loads of depth, character, vibrancy from start to long finish. What you get for $20 bills for Malbec from Argentina will set you back $40 bills if it were Malbec from California or Washington! Drink this delight over the next 5-6 years with steak.

Whether you have thrill issues or grill issues, this bold red is proof that you don't just have to look in Tuscany or Piedmont to find mouthfilling red gems. From Sardinia, Sella & Mosca is one of those estates that really puts out a lot of wine for the money. We have been continually impressed with their wares and the latest version of their Caignano is one hottie of a red. Absolutely one of the coolest wines from Italy is the Sella & Mosca’s Carignano (Carignan for youze Francophiles). Grown in the rugged Sulcis district the ancient vine grapes used for this wine are tested and affected by extreme conditions – blazing hot weather in the summer and then strong winds from the sea tossed in for good measure. Normally these elements would be cataclysmic to many other grape varietals but for Carignan it seems to work.

Chewy, bold and voluptuous with all of the tell-tale wild blackberry, sage, olive, pepper, grenadine and the all-encompassing briny, seabreeze scents that are associated with the area. In the mouth, it is vinous from very old vines, spicy and with plenty of staying power. Too bad we're not in Kansas City because this would work with much of their amazing barbecue, the best being pulled pork. OK, so we can TRY to re-create it…

For several years we have been touting the virtues of this Portuguese outfit but this is the first time that we have been able to offer three of their wines at once. Equal prowess on all levels, these wines deliver so much goodness for not a whole lot of money. White wine specialists indeed, Quinta da Aveleda’s Vinho Verde is a Northern Portuguese white wine from the Minho region whose name literally means "Green Wine", referring to its youthful freshness rather than its color. Vinhos Verdes are light and fresh, and are intended to be drunk within a year. There is some spritz within the wines, but not enough to merit semi-sparkling status but they do have a definite petillance. With lower alcohol, this is a "more" wine meaning its light, airy, thirst-quenching qualities make you want to drink more and more!

Lime-blossom, sea-shore and mineral-tinged, it is explosive and slap-happy! Classic Vinho Verde wine isn't meant to be sipped, it is meant to be slammed. Toss it back with a plate of clams, on a picnic or with a bunch of friends.

Called Alvarinho in Portugal, you can bet if this wine were made across the River in the Rias Baixas region of Spain, with the grape being called Albarino, this wine would sell north of $20! So much character in a white wine for so little money, Aveleda's Alvarinho is a mineral bomb!

Finely tuned, very direct and jacked with precise, aromatic lemongrass, nectarine and prominent flint and sea smoke. Rich, complex, unoaked, saline-filled and very linear, this stuff is crucial for just about any seafood preparation.

Aveleda also dabbles quite a bit in red wines and starting the proceedings in their lineup is this over-the-moon 8 dollar dry red from the Douro region which is better known as the home of Port. Utilizing Tinta Roriz, Tinta Barroca, Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional (same grapes for the famed sweet Port wines), hearty aromas of pronounced chocolate-covered strawberry co-exist handsomely with Moroccan spice, finely placed oak and sneaky minerality. Bountiful and very stylish flavors captivate the palate with an almost-Italian plum-like quality before advancing through to tan arousing finish that brings it all home. Enjoy with lamb, grilled sausage or a hearty stew.

These days Bandol isn’t just Domaine Tempier. Many stalwarts are finally being recognized for outstanding quality and the devout traditionalist Chateau Pradeaux is one that we have been working with and enjoying for many years. Very much a wine that ages extremely well, the 2007 is not just a can of whoop-ass, it is a whole case of whoop-ass!!! A drop-dead stunner of a Bandol vintage, this wine almost behaves like a French Barolo!

Serious tar scents wit undertones of red flower and coffee from earth rather than from the use of new oak. Wiry texture and extremely tightly wound with resounding structure, this wine is powerfully-built and even in a warm vintage will age stupendously. 95% Mourvedre & 5% Grenache with deep, fine fruit notes underneath and more will come out with time. Expect this to be very ripe, layered and profound with complex notes of provencal herbs, mushroom and floral tones as it ages. Firm and packed in the back, but really stays around exquisitely in the mouth. If you like a wine to smack you around, go ahead and uncork one; drink this mountainous mourvedre 2015-2025+. Who sez you can't get an ageworthy wine for a nice price??!!

Something with slam-dunk potential from one of the legendary Chateaux of Sauternes!! Super-exciting and great for any of you who love Sauternes or are looking for something that with a child born in 2009 that wants to cellar something for any monumental occasion in the future.

“The team at Chateau Rieussec have conjured a stellar wine in 2009. There is a little reduction at first that fortunately blows away, revealing thickly layered scents of honey, Danish pastry and quince that appear to gain vigor with every passing sip. The palate is stunning: very viscous in the mouth with tangy grapefruit, honey and white peach. It is still primal, but the acidity is perfectly judged and there is a life-affirming sense of precision and tension towards the finish. Exceptional. Drink now-2045. - 97 POINTS - THE WINE ADVOCATE”