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October 2005 Collector´s Club
2000 Triacca Valtellina Superiore Prestigio
I´ve often commented on how many appellations there are in Italy,
and how many grapes. This wine comes from the most northerly appellation in Lombardy,
and the vineyards are backed up against the Swiss Alps. Needless to say, they´re
just a bit steep. This wine, a Tre Bicchieri winer in the prestigious Gambero-Rosso guide
to Italian wine, is made from dried-on-the-vine Nebbiolo grapes (also the grape of Barolo and
Barbaresco), vinified in French oak for fifteen months. A real stunner of a wine for
$22.00! Drink over the next ten years.
2004 Buty Semillon-Sauvignon Blanc
Funny how certain wineries constantly find their way into one or more of
these clubs, no? I don´t believe I´ve ever had anything from Caleb Foster and
Nina Buty-Foster that was less than spectacular, and this vintage is no different.
There´s not a lot left at $22.00. This wine will be outstanding for Thanksgiving,
this year or next.
2003 Saint Gregory Mendocino Pinot Meunier
Would you believe this is the first stand-alone Pinot Meunier I´ve
run into? The grape is more commonly used as a blending grape (along with Pinot Noir
and Chardonnay) in Champagne. I always find it fascinating to try varietals by
themselves; it gives me an insight into their character in the blends they´re part of.
There´s a bit more of this one available at $15.00, and it´s also ready to drink
at Thanksgiving.
2004 Chateau Calabre Montravel
Here´s a lovely little Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon blend from a region
quite near Bordeaux - and a wine that will make a lovely comparison with the Buty wine listed
above. There´s a lot of quality here; this is a wine that, vintage to vintage,
is always first-rate, as I´d expect from any Robert Kacher import. It´s
also a great value for $13.00. It´s ready to drink, and there´s plenty
more available. Again, a good holiday wine.
2000 Kanu Stellenbosch Merlot
The wine from South Africa keeps getting better and better, and
represents good value; this one´s all of $12.00, and there´s a small amount left.
Good South African wine has an earthy component that sets it apart from other wine regions,
making them quite identifiable in the glass. To anyone infected with Sideways-mania,
this one will set them straight!
2004 Domaine Verdier-Logel Cotes du Forez
And, to complete our club, this one ties two different themes together -
wines from regions you´ve never heard of (at least, I´d never heard of ‘em!),
and wines that go well with Thanksgiving. This one is made from the Gamay Noir grape,
and comes from an area between the Loire and Allier rivers in the center of France, on
granite soil. They also produce a cuvee from volcanic soil at a slightly higher
price. I might point out that that puts it fairly close to Beaujolais, and from the
same grape - but it´s all of $9.75, which is cheaper than almost any Beaujolais
Nouveau! "And it´s considerably more complex. There´s a fair amount
left. Enjoy!
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