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Collector's Club, April 2003
2000 Destino Napa Valley Chardonnay
This new winery in Napa has opened a lot of eyes with their initial releases, and
this followup is no disappointment. Rich and silky smooth, but with requisite
acidity to give it balance, this wine has a blend of mineral and tropical notes.
Great with roasted chicken or grilled vegetables, this wine is drinking well
now, and should be consumed within the next two years.
2001 Matetic Vineyards Sauvingnon Blanc "EQ"
From Chile, this winery is unusual in many ways. Most Chilean wineries are
located in the country's valleys, yet this winery is located on a mountainside
overlooking the Pacific Ocean at an altitude of over 1000 feet. Though not
labeled as such, the vineyard is organic. Showing ripe grapefruit and citrus
notes on the nose, and clean, vibrant fruit on the palette, this wine will drink well
over the course of the next year and is a great match for lighter fishes, and
shellfish.
2001 Guilhem Durand Syrah Vieilles Vignes
This wine is entitled to Corbieres status, however considering the sea of marginal
wines under this appellation, importer Peter Weygandt thinks that the wine is better
served by "declassifying" it to Vin de Pays status. Produced from 50+
year old vines (a rarity in Corbieres), it shows a gamey, herb-scented nose, and a
rich, dense palate. Capable of mid-term cellaring, it's also delicious now.
Try it with a fairly substantial meal, such as grilled beef or lasagna.
1999 Domaine de Fontenille Cotes-du-Luberon
Cotes de Luberon is just south of the Rhone Valley, and this wine resembles the wines
produced there. A blend of Syrah, Grenache and other Rhone field grapes, this
is a good wine to save for a warm spring day, with a loaf of bread, a hunk of good
cheese and a book.
2000 La Bastide Blanche Bandol
From the seaside appellation of Bandol near St. Tropez, this wine is made
predominantly from the grape Mourvedre. It has an earthy, deep flavor and will
benefit from a couple of years of aging, which will soften its' fairly substantial
tannin. It is the sort of wine that can stand up to a full-bodied meal.
2000 Vina Urbezo Tinto
From the area of northeast Spain known as Carinena, this wine is soft, fruity and
easy to consume young. Made from Tempranillo, Garnacha and Syrah, it is a great
choice for pizza, burgers or heavier fish dishes, and should be consumed over the
next year.
One of the most common questions I get asked is, "What ever happened to
Matt Mabus?" For those of you who are not familiar with the name, he's
the gentleman who started this fine establishment eight years ago to the day that
I'm typing this (4/1/03). Consider this month's Collector's Club the answer.
Matt selected these wines (and wrote the upper part of this sheet!) from his
new distribution company, Cordon Selections. We'll all be hearing a LOT more
from this outstanding portfolio of wines from around the world. Should you
happen to pick this up early enough to get this notice, on Thursday, April 3, Matt
will be joining us in tasting these wines. I hope you'll be able to join us!
Bear
PS - We'll be closed for Mariners opening day ...
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