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Squire
Cellar
Picks |
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| 1. |
Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio 2006 (Italy) $28
Livio Felluga Pinot Grigio is certainly one of the best wines in
its category. The grapes come from the 370 acres of rolling
hillside vineyards in the Collio and Colli Orientali del Friuli.
The region's temperate climate, protected by the Alps to the
north and moderated by the Adriatic Sea to the south is a
winemaker's dream. The sparse soil of marl and calcareous
deposits is ideal for the white varieties, and also for their
complex red wines. This 100% Pinot Grigio from Collio has a
wonderful presence. The color is golden yellow and the nose is
very intense and very persistent. This wine is elegant and round
while offering a complex minerality and outstanding acidity. The
bouquet is rich with notes of hawthorn flowers, citrus, flint
and stone fruit. On the palate the wine is smooth, fresh,
intense and full-bodied. The 2006 vintage is simply phenomenal.
Enjoy this Pinot Grigio with semi-hard cheeses, Risotto with
truffles or other wild mushrooms, white meats or roasted
vegetables. Outstanding. -Marco
D'Ambrosio |
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| 2. |
Rosenblum Zinfandel “Richard Suaret” 2005 (California) $28
This is single-vineyard Zinfandel from the Paso Robles region in
California. Rich and complex, this is very smooth stuff. It
boasts black and blue fruits, great herb notes of rosemary and a
chocolaty finish. A complex and bold wine that can pair with
pepper steak! –Andrew Campbell |
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| 3. |
Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle MV (France) $150
OK, I know what many of you are thinking, “isn’t Champagne only
for weddings, Christmas and hip-hop parties?” Actually, it is
arguably the most versatile of all food wines, and deserves a
place at the dinner, lunch and breakfast table of all serious
wine geeks. Last month I had the privilege of being hosted at
Laurent-Perrier for a tour of their facility, including the 6 ˝
mile of caves under the chateau. We then proceeded to a lunch of
steak, fois gras, white fish, veggies, sausage etc. and nothing
but Champagne was served. Bingo, a new favorite lunch wine was
discovered! The Grand Siecle is not a ‘non vintage’, but a
‘multiple vintage” wine meaning that it is a blend of only those
vintages that are of a quality that they could be declared as a
single vintage bottling. Stunning mousse with hints of lemon
rind and talc in the nose, with a mouth filling and explosive
flavor of green apples, dried roses and white peaches. Exquisite
stuff, even with bar nuts (we tried that too). -Doug
Charles |
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| 4. |
King Estate Pinot Noir 2006 (Oregon) $30
An amazing Pinot Noir in a bright garnet color with a ruby tint.
Delicious cherry, raspberry jam, blueberry and oak spice aromas
followed by dark cherry and raspberry flavors. This medium body
beauty has a really smooth, soft finish. -Nick
Tomassi |
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| 5. |
Kendall-Jackson Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (California) $26
Varietals: 93% Cabernet Sauvignon and 7% Merlot. It has a dark
cherry red color, blackberry, blueberry and cassis aromas and
flavors with hints of smoke, mocha and vanilla oak. A
full-bodied, delicious cab with a long, earthy finish. -Nick
Tomassi |
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| 6. |
Bertani Amarone Classico 1999 (Italy) $115
Bertani is one of Italy's most prestigious wineries and their
Amarone Classico is certainly one of the most traditional
Amarone in the market. The winery has been founded in 1857 and
celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2007. This 1999 Amarone
Classico is produced with the best estate grown grapes sourced
from the vineyards in Fumane, Marano and Novare valley. The soil
is marly-calcareous. The blend is 70% Corvina Veronese, 25%
Rondinella and 5% Molinara grapes. After harvest, the grapes are
dried for 120 days on cane mats and become affected by Botrytis
Cinerea (Noble Rot). Maceration lasts up to 60 days. The wine is
then aged in large Slavonian oak barrels for 6 years and 1 year
in bottle prior to release. This wine has a very deep ruby red
color with garnet reflections. The extraction is very high and
the nose is amazingly intense and persistent. The bouquet
includes powerful aromas of cherry, licorice, spices and herbs.
The palate is an explosion of flavors: red and black fruit,
nuts, spices, vanilla and a little earth. In this Amarone high
acidity marries big structure in a wonderfully harmonic and
balanced way. The finish is outstanding and incredibly long.
This wine is very elegant and powerful on all levels and it will
age for many decades. -Marco
D'Ambrosio |
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| 7. |
Clos du Bois Reserve Merlot 2004 (California) $22
Varietal(s): 91% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Malbec; dark
ruby red color; violets, ripe plum, mocha and blackberry aromas;
black cherry, mocha and toasty oak flavors; medium body; smooth,
velvety finish. -Nick Tomassi |
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| 8. |
Jorge Ordonez Malaga Victoria #2 2005 (Spain) $50 375ml
And now for something completely different! Malaga is one of
those old school wines that if it is remembered at all, it is by
octogenarian men in dark paneled clubs in the bowels of a big
European city. Turn the late, great Alois Kracher of Austria
loose, with the Spanish contacts of Jorge Ordonez, and look out
world. Made from ultra late harvest Muscat, it bursts with ripe
apricot, honeydew melon, yellow plum tart and of all things,
baklava. If you are a dessert wine freak, and even if you are
not, this is a masterpiece of winemaking that can sit right next
to those well know ‘normal’ stickies and blow the doors off of
most of them. Killer stuff. -Doug
Charles |
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| 9. |
L’Ecole No. 41 PERIGEE 2005 (Washington) $49
Perigee is a Bordeaux style blend made from fruit sourced from
specific blocks located in the Seven Hills Vineyard. A blend of
56% Cabernet Sauvignon, 36% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc,
L’Ecole No. 41 produces another outstanding wine! Aromas of
cherry, black currant and cigar box are prominent on this wine’s
nose. The palate is balanced with elegant tannins. Sumptuous
flavors of black cherry, herbs and mineral deliver an amazing
finish. Drink now or cellar and enjoy later. –
Tom DiNardo |
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| 10. |
Willakenzie Pinot Blanc 2005 (Oregon) $22
100% estate grown with only 6 acres planted, has produced one
outstanding white wine to consume now! Fermented in stainless
steel tanks and using no oak produces bright fruit aromas and
flavors with zesty citrus tones and crisp acidity. This Pinot
Blanc puts many Oregon Pinot Blanc to shame with its more classy
finish and flavor!
–Eric Awes |
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