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November 2007 Collector´s Club
2005 Lost River Wahluke Slope Nebbiolo
If you attended the Lost River tasting back in July, you will definitely
remember this wine. Winemaker John Morgan calls it his "first baby Barolo," the first
product of Nebbiolo vines planted in 2002 in the Wahluke Slope. This soft and ripe wine,
aged in older French oak barrels, is light and delicate, more reminiscent of Pinot Noir than
the hearty wines of the Piedmont. John recommends drinking it soon with veal, turkey, or
pork dishes, particularly if truffles or wild mushrooms are present. Since he made only
75 cases, even the winery is completely sold out. The little bit left is $22 and only
available at West Seattle Cellars.
2005 Claudio Alario Dolcetto di Diano d´Alba Montagrillo
We had the privilege of meeting Claudio Alario at his first tasting in
America last February. While his gnarled hands spoke of a lifetime of hard work in the
vineyard, his wines sang of the soil of his native Piedmont. This complex Dolcetto has
a rich and expansive aroma and tastes of smoke, earth, tar, violets, mint and black cherries.
Although drinking beautifully now, this is the one Dolcetto we´d like to try again in
another 4 years. Try it with your favorite meat-based pasta dish. It was $16 and
we might be able to get a little more, although only 25 cases came to the Northwest.
2006 Syncline Subduction White
This was a no-brainer. When Poppie Mantone brought in their new "
holiday" white for us to taste, we were hooked immediately. Rich and ripe Chardonnay
fruit from the Columbia Gorge is harmoniously married to elegant floral Viognier from the
Horse Heaven Hills and Wahluke Slope with the precision and delicacy James brings to all his
wines. "Dungeness crab, anyone? Like the ever-popular Subduction Red, the white is
$18 and should be in good supply through the holidays.
2006 Moulin de Gassac Vin de Pays de l´Herault Guilhem
This wine is a blend of organically farmed Sauvignon Blanc, Clairette,
and Grenache Blanc from the Mediterranean shore of Languedoc. It was vinified at the
famous estate Mas de Daumas Gassac, created by Aimé and Veronique Guibert in 1970 in
the department of Herault, an area not previously known for world class wine. The
Guiberts produced this crisp aromatic white from grapes provided by the neighboring
cooperative in Sete and named it after St. Guilhelm, the local patron saint. Low in
alcohol, with lively acidity and good minerality, it´s a great pairing for seafood or
oysters. It is $14 and in decent supply.
2001 Vina Salceda Rioja Reserva
This hearty Rioja is made by Julián Chivite, whose Grenache
rosé was in the Collector´s Club back in May. It´s a complex wine,
with a big, potent nose, that nicely integrates very traditional Rioja grapes (small amounts
of Graciano and Mazuelo are added to the Tempranillo) with the coffee, toast and spice notes
provided by American oak barrels. "Great on its own or with spicy meat dishes, it´s
$19.75 and readily available.
2006 Domaine de la Petite Cassagne èCostières de
Nīmes Rosé
Although all of the wines this month could have a place at your
Thanksgiving table, our secret tip is: rosé! So we have saved for the club
enough of this delicious, minerally rosé, which we tasted at the Robert Kacher
Selections tasting back in June. Its silky mouth feel, nice red berry fruit, good acidity
and a touch of white pepper make it a good match for your Thanksgiving turkey and
cranberries. Like all the Kacher rosés, it´s $9.75 and we do have a bit left.
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