Newsletter
June,
2003
- Wines of the Month
- Super Sale
- Our Newest Wine Afficionado
- New Arrivals
- Mark Your Calendar
- Wine Alert
- Archives
Wines of the Month
2002 Tin Roof Sauvignon Blanc, North Coast, Regularly $9.99/Sale $8.99:You cannot imagine how gratifying it is to taste a California Sauvignon Blanc that tastes like Sauvignon Blanc, not Chardonnay. There is not an atom of wood here to interfere with the Sauvignon Blanc flavors of citrus, hay and melon. Finally someone has taken the step to compete with the superb Sauvignon Blancs of New Zealand. Bravo to Murphy-Goode winery, who produced this. By the way, true Sauvignon Blancs, like this, are the perfect hot weather wines because they are refreshing, not stupefying. Also, they are grand with goat cheeses of any type.
2002 Finca de Luzon Merlot, $9.99: Now here’s a Merlot that you can really sink your choppers into, no purple jellyfish of a wine. It comes from the Jumilla zone of Spain which is inland from Valencia. There is this fetching wiff of mint on the nose. There are dark fruits on the palate. And there is 14 percent alcohol to provide a religious experience. Normally, as you know, we aren’t big Merlot aficionados, but this one grows on you. We believe there may be a drop of Mourvedre in the wine to provide spine. And it is a pretty darn good value at $9.99/bottle.
Super Sale
2001 Neyers Chardonnay, Napa Valley, Regularly $27.99/Sale $24.99: Bruce Neyers is the sales manager for Kermit Lynch, the superb French wine importer. On the side, Bruce makes some pretty nice wines. This wine is true to its California provenance with toast and butter, but not to an extreme. A most estimable effort. Maybe Kermit’s predilections for grace and style have influenced monsieur Neyers.
1998 Cafaro Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, Regularly $37.99/Sale $27.99: Want to taste a California icon at a decent price? Here it is. Since it is 1998, it doesn’t have the saturation of the 1997 or 1999 vintages, but it is drinking beautifully right now. And, again, there is that $27.99 price tag.
2000 Franciscan Magnificat, Regularly $45.99/Sale $39.99: Obviously these guys are music nuts…naming this after Bach’s famous work. And this wine is a rhapsody on your palate. It is a Cabernet/Merlot blend that is subtle, complex and bold. It’s so good, it makes the hair on your neck stand-up.
2000 Steele Pinot Noir, Carneros, Regularly $21.99/Sale $17.99: You know it’s so darn difficult to find a good Pinot under $25. We mean a Pinot that has the charm and complexity that the grape gives us so reluctantly. This has that.
2000 Alderbrook Zinfandel, Dry Creek, $16.49: Dry Creek does seem to be the mother lode of Zinfandel.” They seem to give you more balance than say the Amador County monsters and more luscious fruit than those snobbish Napa Valley zins. This is archetypal Dry Creek Zinfandel.
2000 Rutz Chardonnay, Russian River, Regularly $17.99/Sale $13.99: Not only is this Chardonnay most affordable, it’s one of the better ones in all of Coaltrain. It’s more Burgundian than Californian in essence. That is to say that there is some toasty oak and crisp Chardonnay flavors. No sugar, no flab.
2001 Clovely Estate, Semillon/Chardonnay, Regularly $8.99/Sale $7.99: The wine is 65 percent Semillon, which dominates the nose and flavors. It’s light and crisp with an acid kick on the finish.
We Welcome Our Newest Wine Afficionado
John Meredith, our latest addition to the Coaltrain staff, has an extensive background in the retail and wholesale wine trades, and is well-known to Colorado food and wine enthusiasts as one of the West’s leading writers and lecturers on wine, food and travel. Since 1983, John has contributed to a number of regional and national publications, including The Denver Post, Colorado Business, The LoDo News, Colorado Medicine, The Wine News, Entree, and The Wine & Food Companion. John has lectured at food and wine festivals in Aspen, Telluride and Winter Park, as well as California and Hawaii; he has served as a judge in international wine competitions in California, Nevada, Washington and Italy; and he is on-air wine auctioneer for WILD WILD AUCTION, the annual week-long fundraiser for Denver’s PBS affiliate, Channel Six. John is a graduate of the University of Colorado-Boulder in Speech and Theatre Arts and a lifetime alumnus-member of the University of California’s Artists and Scholars Society.
New Arrivals
2001 Carneros Ridge Pinot Noir, Carneros, $9.99: We never thought we would see this…a nice tasting Pinot Noir under $10. There are pleasing cherry, raspberry and cola nut essences. Overall, a dandy little drinker.
2002 Sticks Pinot Noir, Yarra Valley, Australia, $13.99: You don’t run into many Aussie Pinot Noirs. So this is both unusual and good. It’s a little darker and more complex than the above Carneros Ridge Pinot.
2002 Rosso Piceno, Boccadigabbia, $11.99: We understand this to be made primarily of the Montepulciano grape which is close cousin of Sangiovese. And, thus, it tastes much like a Chianti. It has a brilliant ruby color and velvety texture. Bake-up a pizza or boil some pasta.
NV Evolution, Sokol Blosser, Oregon, $14.99: This is the latest blend, called the “7th Edition.” It’s a blend of nine grapes. The predominant ones being Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Gris. We think it’s the best version yet with a nose of flowers and Asian spices. It’s off-dry on the palate with refreshing bump of acid on the finish.
2000 Bonny Doon, Il Circo, Uva di Troia, $14.99: Randall Grahm is at it again, now in Italy. Uva de Troia is an ancient Italian grape. This is a rather unique with the scents of violets and currents. On the tongue it is robust, but round. It’s a staff favorite.
2000 Sterling Merlot, $22.99: A medium bodied, style bottling here. It’s smooth, but with substance. In particular, there are some fetching cherry notes.
2001 Pio Cesare, Cortese di Gavi, $18.99: Yes, they do make white wines in Italy’s Piemonte, the land of Barolo and Barbaresco. Here the Cortese grape gives you exotic, almost, tropical, flavors. There are definitely some banana essences in the nose.
2000 Pio Cesare Barbera d’Alba, Regularly $19.99/Sale $17.99: We often call Barbera d’Alba, “poor mans Barolo or Barbaresco.” That is probably not very accurate, but Barbera can provide the mystical experience of its costly siblings. This offers some dark fruits, toast and spice. You might try it with grilled meats or antipasti.
1999 Amici Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, $36.99: The “friends” (amici) have collaborated successfully here. They have created a velvety, intense Cabernet that will make you feel so utterly sociable. Drink it now or wait a couple years. This is bigtime Cabernet at a non-bigtime price. Only a couple hundred cases of this were made. By the way, the maker, Jeff Hanson, used to make the wine at Spring Mountain and Flora Springs.
1999 Bighorn Cellars Chardonnay, 375 ml, Regularly $9.99/Sale $7.99 or better yet, $11.99 for two: Picnic or backpacking fare. It’s a medium weight Chardonnay that gives you both refreshment and satisfaction. What else is there?
2000 Domaine de Roc, Minervois, $9.99: Way down in southern France they seem to make one great value after another despite the limpness of the dollar. This is a pretty full bodied red with grace too. It “rocs” around the clock.
2000 Remelluri Rioja, $24.99: What can we say about Remelluri that we haven’t already said over the last ten years. These Basques know what they are doing. This red wine is as sophisticated as Basque cooking. We drank two bottles at Abac in Barcelona with seared tuna. It’s more stylish than most Riojas because it is aged in French oak, not American oak as is common. The wine is as handsome as the Rodriguez family who makes it.
2000 Rully 1er Cru, Domaine Roland Sounit, $20.99: Actually we’ve had this wine before, but this is a new delivery. It offers a labyrinth of Chardonnay flavors. Interestingly it is a tad livelier than our last delivery. Makes us wonder if they bottle according to demand. A wise thing to do.
2000 Gigondas, Domaine de Cassan, $21.99: Those of you who have been feasting upon this producer’s fantastic Beaumes-de-Venise, Cotes-du-Rhone Villages, should step-up for a bottle or two of this. There is far more clarity and complexity here. In reality, it’s finer than many Chateauneuf-du-Papes.
2000 Barbera d’Alba, Alassandro Brero, $17.99: Wow, just smelling the vanilla, spice and dark fruits here is hypnotic. Very small amounts of this are available.
1999 Tomasso Bussola Valpolicella, TB, $30.99: Quite possibly the greatest Valpolicella we’ve tasted. Better than many Amarones, that are three times the price. It’s all dried fruits, coffee and chocolate. The maker is quite a character. When we visited him in Italy, he advised us to drop everything and fly to Romania for its beautiful women. We didn’t take his advice. Judging by the sensuality of this wine, maybe we should have.
War of the Roses (2003 Version)
Finally, America is going rose crazy. We can barely keep them on the shelf. And it’s no great surprise because they stimulate and refresh you. No wonder the people of Provence drink them morning, day and night. After all, they have perfected the enjoyment of life. More and more great roses come to America from around the world. It’s a virtual war to see who can make the best. Following is a sampling of a few of the dozen or so specimens we have in the store.2002 Mourgues de Gres Rose, Costieres de Nimes, $13.99: After the deluge, last August, who would have thought a wine of such richness and flavor could come from here? This is all strawberry and kirsch.
2002 Domaine de Beaurenard Rose, Cotes-du-Rhone, $12.99: Not as exuberant. It’s a bit earthy with cranberry notes. Yes, this “beaurenard” is a pretty fox.
2002 Anjou-Villages Rose, J.Y.A Lebreton, $14.99: Simply the best rose we’ve tasted this year. It has so much flavor and character that it is as satisfying as drinking a red wine. It comes from the Loire River and the grape is Cabernet Franc. Totally a wine lover’s wine.
2001 Lamelson, Pinot Noir Rose, $13.99: An unusual and satisfying rose from Oregon. There is earth, cherry and a little toast. You can tell it’s Pinot. It’s not as mammoth as some of Sanford’s old efforts. Thank God.
2002 Muga Rose, $9.99: This is not the blockbuster that the previous vintage was (you can’t drink this one with “chuletas”). It offers tasty cranberry and strawberry flavors.
2002 Amador Foothills Rosato, $9.99: An exotic rose made from Sangiovese grown in the foothills of California’s Sierra. Again there is a cranberry aspect with other things we can’t accurately describe. Sometimes we are “descriptioned-out.”
Mark Your Calendar
Wine 100—A two session “Introduction to Wine” course taught by John Meredith. John will cover all the basics in the world of wine, from tasting and buying, to storing, serving, and matching wines with food. Tuesdays, Spetember 9 and 16, 6 to 8 pm.
Cabernet Tasting—Calling all cabernet afficionados. If you’ve been dying to taste the cream of the California cabernet crop, but didn’t want to spring for bottles...here’s your chance. Thursday, October 9, 6 to 8 pm at the Craftwood Inn.
Wine Trip to Napa—We haven’t been to Napa in awhile, and these trips always sell out, so...contact us immediately to reserve your space for a wine country journey you’ll never forget. November 3 - 6.
We’ll provide you with more details about all of these events in our next newsletter.Wine Alert
Is Bruno Giacosa Italy’s Finest Winemaker? “Si, Senza Dubbio.”
Neive, Piemonte, Italy—What do you do when you make several of the most revered red wines in the world and the best white wine of your zone (Arneis)? You start making one of the top sparkling wines of Italy too. Why? Only Bruno Giacosa could answer that and he doesn’t like to talk a lot. Many have conjectured that he did it because he wanted to show the world he could.
Bruno Giacosa is one of the most profound and mysterious characters in the world’s stage of winemakers. He is a man whose facial expressions, a shrug or nod tell everything. He doesn’t need an interpreter for his preferred Piemontese dialect. Now “seventy something” in age, he spends little time in his winery in Neive. Rather he lives mainly on the seashore of San Remo. But he does appear during the grape harvest/fermentation and during bottling periods. It wasn’t always this way, but he can work such because he has one of the most faithful and brilliant enologists of the world on his pay roll. He is Dante Scaglione.I say faithful because Dante stays true to the Giacosa ideal. That is to produce the finest Barolos and Barbarescos that are possible. Traditional methods are preferred here, but modern technology is not scorned. Certainly not to a degree that it is scorned by Barolo makers such as Beppe Rinaldi or Bartolo Mascarello. With Giacosa the end result is more important than the route taken to get there. But, he has found that traditional methods give the best results. Dante and Giacosa are actually pragmatists.
I once asked Dante if Signor Giacosa is really the wizard that some believe. He answered, “Giacosa is an absolute genius. His touch and feel for wine is impossible for a normal person to comprehend.”
Actually, the same could be said of Dante Scaglione. In the decade or so he has worked for the Giacosa family, he has made spectacular wines. He is revered by competitors such as the female Barolo star, Chiara Boschis, who called him “an invaluable asset”. Outside Piemonte, winemakers such as Marilisa Allegrini of Veneto renown, called Dante a young genius.
But Dante is not only bright, but lucky…he has the master to guide him and some wonderful material to work with. I’m referring to the vintages from 1996 to 2000 (though some consider 1995 a great year here, these guys don’t). I call those vintages “Piemonte’s wonder years.”
Let’s see what Bruno Giacosa and Dante Scaglione have done over some of those years.
Recent Bruno Giacosa Barolos and Barbarescos
Barbarescos
1996 Barbaresco, Gallina: A soft wine with some elbows. Overall enigmatic. The color (in 2000) was garnet, bordering on ruby. The nose is reluctant, but complex when sensed. The flavors are subdued, but with some tannin. Drinkable then, but not profound. Good, but not Giacosa’s finest effort.
1996 Barbaresco Riserva, Bricco Asili: Nine months in the bottle when tasted. There is so much depth and flavor that it is impossible to adequately describe. It is the finest Barbaresco we have tasted from its great vintage.
1997 Barbaresco, Santa Stefano: From what Giacosa described as a “peculiar vintage.” It is viscous with glycerin and caramel notes in the nose. There is a wiff of lilac too. It is sweet and round on the tongue. In 2000, it was pretty much ready to drink. When tasted again on March 17, 2002, it was a big, fat hunk of Nebbiolo. Though Giacosa wasn’t fond of the wine, most would die for it.
1998 Barbaresco, Santa Stefano Riserva: A monument to the art of winemaking. Wound very tight when tasted in March 2003. But the entire array of Nebbiolo flavors are waiting to spring. Try in 2008 or so. Might be one of the best red wines ever produced. We have some bottles on reserve. They will fetch $199 each. In the world of wine, that is a bargain for this quality.
1999 Barbaresco, Asili: Bottled in June 2001. Violets dominate the nose. Round on the tongue with soft tannins when tasted in March 2002. You could drink it happily in year or two from now. Not Giacosa’s most profound work.
1999 Barbaresco, Rabaja: Incredibly, for a Giocasa wine, there is a hint of oak on the nose. But, Dante Scaglione said it was not in “barrica,” but new “botti” (the big barrels). It is dark, more concentrated than the above Asili. It needs some years to meld and mellow.
1999 Barbaresco, Santo Stefano: A stylish, violet and dried rose scented wine. Seductive, not a monster.
2000 Barbaresco, Asili: Aroma therapy in a glass. There are almond and dried fruit aromas. It’s pretty dense. It was just bottled before we tasted it in March 2003.
BAROLOS
1996 Barolo Riserva, Falletto: A monster wine. There are black fruits and licorice in the mix. It has tannin in the proper proportions to its immense size. I tasted it twice (2000 and 2002). In 2002, it had closed a bit. Needs many years. Probably is the best 1996 Barolo I have tasted.
1998 Barolo, Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga: Nearly opaque color. The classic tobacco and dried fruits are in the nose. There is substantial tannin. Needs maybe ten years to reveal its charms. It is so big that Giacosa kept it in the “botti” for 33 months, six months longer than normal. It is one of the standouts of the exceptional 1998 vintage.
1999 Barolo, Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga: Another big boy from this superb south facing vineyard in the commune of Serralunga. It was extremely tight and possessive of its pleasures when tasted in 2003. But the pleasures that snuck out of the glass were extraordinary. It will compete with the finest of 1999.
COALTRAIN
Wine & Spirits
330 W. Uintah
Colorado Springs, CO 80905
719-475-9700