Wines
THE RIOJAS OF LOPEZ DE HEREDIA
Little about López de Heredia has changed since its
founding over 130 years ago and, unlike most other
estates in its region, it remains owned and operated
by the descendants of its founders. The López family
adheres to winemaking traditions dating back to the
1880s, making wine only from their own vineyards, hand
harvesting, using natural yeasts, aging in old wood,
and not filtering at bottling. If you haven’t tasted
traditional Rioja–no chemicals, no pesticides, no
chaptalization, no machines, no overt new-oak
influences–López de Heredia should be at the top of
your list.
2002 Viña Cubillo Crianza
A Spring frost reduced yields by 50%, though careful
selection in the vineyard resulted in healthy fruit at
harvest time. Today, the wine is evolving nicely
and shows a ripeness and elegance that complements
tapas, cheeses, and charcuterie.
1999 Viña Bosconia
Tondonia and Bosconia refer to single-vineyard sites.
Aged in old wood barrels, this wine shows a deep ruby
color, persistent nose, and full bodied flavors
dominated by the Tempranillo grape. Its taste is
round, smooth, and fresh. Genuine, impressive Old
World-style wine.
1999 Viña Tondonia Riserva
Aged five-and-a-half years in barrel. The blend does
not vary much from year to year: Tondonia reds are a
blend of mostly Tempranillo, with Grenache, Graciano,
and Manzuela (the first two provide the wine with
backbone and aging capability, while the latter two
contribute color and the balancing acidity for which
these wines are justly renowned). Color: Vibrant red
leading slightly towards amber. Nose: Light fresh
texture with notes of vanilla and dried berry aromas.
Taste: Rich, very dry, smooth, developed. Firm
tannins and balance.
1989 Viña Tondonia Riserva Bianco
That’s right, a 19 year-old white wine. A complex
blend of local varietals Viura (90%) and Malvasia.
Aged six years in barrel. An ideal accompaniment to
grilled seafood.
1997 Viña Tondonia Riserva Rosado
Rosado = Pink. Eleven year-old rosé? Indeed. Peach
skin color; still fresh and smooth with body and a
complexity that can only come from the extended barrel
aging accorded this blend of Grenache, Tempranillo,
and Viura. This versatile wine will complement many
dishes, especially in summertime due to its freshness.
It goes very well with spicy and hot food. Perfect
with top-quality grilled sausages, it also combines
with Indian, Mexican and Chinese style foods.
2004 DUPASQUIER ROUSSETTE DE SAVOIE ‘MARESTEL
Roussette de Savoie is an appellation in eastern
France known for its white wines made from the
varietal Altesse (a.k.a. Roussette). This example is
remarkable for its freshness, density, full-flavored
palate and nearly Burgundian richness, all without any
hint of flabbiness. To our palates it is an example
of great balance. No lightweight, this is a terrific
wine from a little known corner of Europe
2005 RICHARD LEROY ANJOU BLANC ‘LES NOELS DE MONTBENAULT
‘
Richard Leroy is a former Paris banker who established
his Loire Valley estate in 1996. The Chenin Blanc
used in this wine was harvested in several separate
passes through the vineyard, only the best grapes
being selected each time. The vines are 45 years old
and grow in soil of volcanic origin. Widely viewed as
one of the most stunning Chenins of the Loire, from
one of the most highly regarded vintages of the past
two decades. Svelte, mineral, with notes of quince
and white-fleshed fruit. Will age magnificently.
This is something special.
DOMAINE HUET “LE HAUT LIEU SEC” 2006
Created in 1928, the estate is now run by Noel PINGUET who converted the vineyards to biodynamic viticulture at the beginning of the 1990s. The domaine has 35 hectares of vines separated in three plots, le Haut-Lieu, le Mont, and le Clos du Bourg. Le Haut-Lieu vineyard is essentially limestone and clay. Fifteen percent of the vines are one to ten years old, 35% are between ten and thirty, and the remaining half range between 30 and 50 years old.
This wine, though fresh and enjoyable now, would benefit from aging, developing easily over ten years. Huet is definitely a house favorite Vouvray producer along with the wines of Philippe FOREAU (aka Domaine du Clos Naudin). Also look for the wines from Hungarian producer KIRALYUDVAR: these are also crafted by Noel Pinguet (the domaines share common ownership).
DOMAINE HUET MOELLEUX 1ERE TRIE “CLOS DU BOURG” 2005
A stunning sweet wine.
“The Clos du Bourg 1ere Trie is clearly on its way to being one of the defining wines of a great vintage, as it offers up a depth, purity and flavor authority on the palate that is simply stunning. The bouquet is still closed and primary, but amazingly deep, as it delivers a melange of wet stone, apple, pineapple, great minerality, bee pollen and youthful notes of chalk dust. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, pure and extremely soil-driven, with a rock solid core, perfect focus and balance, and very snappy acids giving the wine an almost electric impression on the very long, profound finish. Humbling juice in the making.” –John Gilman, View from the Cellar
PHILIPPE FOREAU (DOMAINE DU CLOS NAUDIN) MOELLEUX 1994
Since 1983, Philippe FOREAU has run the family estate purchased by his grandfather in 1923, using organic viticulture, no herbicides or pesticides, and never chaptalizing (adding sugar to) his wines. The sweeter demi-secs and moelleux wines are made only when the vintage allows it–in other words, the sweetness is natural, not added.
Vines are 35 years old on average, and the grapes are hand harvested, then fermented in 300 liter oak barrels with no malolactic fermentations. This is a fantastic wine to accompany strong cheeses (Roquefort, Munster), a caramelized plum tart, or (are you adventurous?) even oysters!
ALICE AND OLIVIER DE MOOR
The de Moors both graduated from the enology program at the university in Beaune. When asked, however, how they apply that education to the wines they make in Chablis their reply is along the lines of: “we don’t–at school we learned all the things we don’t want to do in our own winery.” The de Moors do not manipulate their wines, which is a bit out of the ordinary in an area where chaptalization and acidulation (not to mention overcropping, liberal application of chemicals, and machine harvesting) are not uncommon. Their grapes are hand harvested at yields that are about 20% below the legally permitted maximum.
The wines are fermented and aged in old barrels which lend a degree of roundness without any overt oak flavor. At bottling, little sulphur is added, and the wines are not filtered. The de Moors craft rich, deep wines. They are perhaps less “steely” than some other wines in the area, but their added density has great appeal. The 2005 “Bel Air et Clardy” is made from vines in two separate “lieux-dits” and displays white flower and citrus notes. The 2005 “Rosette” is from a “lieu-dit” located adjacent to a premier cru vineyard. It is the top cuvee from the de Moors. Very minerally, the wine is eminently enjoyable now, but should benefit from additional bottle aging. Given their balance, the de Moor Chablis make excellent dining companions.
COENOBIUM vino di tavola, LAZIO, ITALY 2006
The Bea family has been in Montefalco since the 1500s and has passed down the traditions of wine-making in the most natural possible manner. Giampero Bea (son of winemaker extraordinaire Paolo) has created a white in conjunction with a trappiste monastery: a hand harvested blend of verdicchio, trebbiano, grechetto and malvasia.
Excluding the use of chemicals, a non-interventionist like his father, Giampero uses only indigenous yeast and no temperature control during fermentation. The wine shows best at 50 to 52 degrees and reveals floral aspects as it opens. We find that it sometimes shows best on the second day and feel that the wine’s resiliency to oxidation is directly linked to the fact that the fruit is grown in such an ancient, undisrupted site.
CATHERINE & PIERRE BRETON
What more can we add to what has been written about the Bretons? Standard bearers in the world of French natural wines, their bottlings of Chinon and Bourgueil–neighboring Loire Valley appellations devoted to red wines made from Cabernet Franc–are on most of the best wine lists in Paris. The wines are consistently well-crafted, characteristic, and ageworthy. (Check out the Bretons’ website: http://www.domainebreton.net.)
The 2005 vintage was remarkable, bringing ripe (not overripe) fruit with plenty of balance and substance. The Bourgueil ‘Clos Senechal’ is made from vines 15-30 years old, growing in clay/limestone/chalky soil on a slope with ideal southern exposure. Hand harvested, vinified in open wooden vats, and bottled without fining or filtration, this wine is already seductive, but if carefully stored could last a decade at least. Full of dark berry fruit and a touch of tobacco, it offers outstanding value.
LIVOR TINTO RIOJA VINA IJALBA 2006
One of the best values on offer in our shop at the moment. It’s delicious, it’s 100% Tempranillo, it has a funny-looking 1980s-style label, and it’s a great bargain. For a Sunday afternoon, a barbecue (Spring has sprung!), or a weekday evening, this wine offers up maximum bang for the buck.
ST.MAGDALENA SUDTIROL ALTO ADIGE PINOT NERO RISERVA 2004
A Northern Italian take on Pinot Noir. Grown at high elevation in the foothills of the Alps, the grapes for this wine come from a terroir that produces a lighter, fresher style of that noble varietal with a distinctive flavor profile. This is a flexible, food friendly wine.
CHATEAU LE PUY Cotes de Francs 2004
Robert and Jean-Pierre AMOREAU are working this 25 hectare domaine in the Cotes de Francs, northeast of St. Emilion. The estate has been in the family for 15 generations, with a chateau built in 1832. There are three different vineyard sites on calcareous and clay soil. Vines average 50 years of age and the blend is mostly Merlot (85%), Cabernet, and Carmenere (1%).
This is a soft, aromatic, “claret” style bordeaux that is more reminiscent of a nice, delicate Burgundy than of a “Parkerized,” heavy, tannic Bordeaux. All wines are vinified and bottled without sulphur and the vineyards are tended without use of any synthetics, herbicides, or pesticides. The domaine is certified “biologique” and organic by ECOCERT.
JACQUES PUFFENEY ARBOIS
The wines of the Jura (in eastern France near the Swiss border) are not well known in the U.S. While Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are grown in the region, many wines are made from unfamiliar varietals (such as Savagnin, Poulsard, and Trousseau), and some white wines are crafted in a deliberately oxidized style (think sherry-like flavors).
For someone who doesn’t know what to expect, a particular bottle may offer up a hefty dose of surprise.We feel that these wines should not be missed and are happy to guide the curious towards a new tasting experience. Jacques Puffeney makes his wines in Arbois, one of the appellations of the region. Puffeney is regarded by his fellow Jura winemakers as a leader in the area. As is the case for all of our wines, Puffeney’s Arbois are made from organically grown grapes and vinified according to traditional methods.
One wine that’s easy to like is Puffeney’s 2002 Arbois “Melon Queue Rouge” (loosely translated as “grape with a red tail”). This variety of Chardonnay is distinguished by a small pink region at one end of each berry. The wine is fermented in stainless steel then moved to wood for 18-24 months of aging before being bottled. Bearing the stamp of its unique Arbois terroir, if you enjoy fresh, non-oaky Chardonnay you will have no difficulty appreciating the taste of this wine. Puffeney does not fine or filter his wines; perhaps that shows in the juicy snap and volume of this flexible wine.
Puffeney’s 2004 “Poulsard” is one of our favorite reds: light, lean, and amazingly mineral with beautiful notes of red fruits and a perfect acidity. This, along with some Beaujolais wines we carry, is a great summer red. It’s what I might drink on a sunny Sunday in Dolores Park–if I had Sundays off!
FLASH! We love these wines–so much so that we have expanded our selection. The three wines described below were featured at the recent Neal Rosenthal in-store book signing event and won many new converts
2003 Arbois “Savagnin.” The Savagnin varietal is widely planted in Arbois and perhaps nowhere else. It is used to produce a white wine that is intentionally exposed to air, resulting in a tangy, walnutty spectrum of aromas and flavors. Puffeney’s version displays these characteristics to a “T,” and is a great introduction to this style. It may sound unusual, but many people are impressed by how much they like this wine the first time they try it.
The 2004 “Sacha” is a blend of Savagnin and Chardonnay, also made in the oxidized style. The Chardonnay adds, perhaps, a dollop of freshness to the nutty profile of the Savagnin. Note also that a 1999 Sacha was opened for the Rosenthal event, and nine years on the wine was singing. These age wonderfully!
A red wine, the 2004 “Vieilles Vignes” is a blend of one-third each Poulsard, Trousseau, and Pinot Noir. The Pinot Noir contributes some full, berry-like sweetness to the earthy, soil-inflected tones of the other two classic Arbois varietals in this juicy, minerally trio.
One of those “weird wines” that we love so much at Terroir! Long maceration on the grape skins, no temperature control, no sulphur…this wine is made in the vineyard, not in a lab. “Oslavje” is a blend of Chardonnay, Sauvignon blanc, and Pinot Gris. Orange in color, it is a tannic white wine with loads of spices, white flowers, and apples on the nose. A perfect match for aged cheeses or any hearty, rich Friulian dish such as creamy chicken with potatoes (we said hearty!).
JEAN FOILLARD MORGON “COTE DU PY” 2006
Foillard’s best vineyard is located in Villie-Morgon (Beaujolais). Jean started in the early 80s as an employee at someone else’s winery, then rented a vineyard, and finally bought his own land. We like all of our wines but Foillard’s “Cote du Py” delights with its capacity to match any situation: meat-fish-vegetable-lunch-brunch-dinner-breakfast. It is a light, refreshing wine with red fruit accents and low tannins, but still shows great structure and aging capability. This wine could turn (almost) any Zinfandel drinker into a Beaujolais fanatic.