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December 2007 Collector's Club
2004 Quilceda Creek, Columbia Valley Red Wine
Ah, Quilceda Creek. The wine has become a local legend and, after
several consecutive years of perfect scores, their Cab is all but impossible to find in the
market. Lucky for all of us, they also produce a red blend (this year, 81% Cab, 13% Cab
Franc, and 6% Merlot) that, being made by the same winemakers with the same excellent sources
of fruit, is a great introduction to the Quilceda Creek style. It was tasting beautifully
when we opened it at the club tasting in November, but it could certainly age for a few more
years. Do enjoy within 5-7 years, with whatever you love to eat that merits a superb
wine. Almost every drop we got went into the club (see how much we love you!) so there
is little, if any, left. It was $39.75 and worth every penny.
2006 Domaine de Couron, Marselan, Coteaux de l'Ardèche
The back label of this wine says "Cabernet/Grenache," but this
is not a blend. Marselan is actually the name of a unique grape: a cross between
Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, created in the hopes of combining the finesse of Cabernet with
the heartiness and heat tolerance of Grenache. Only a handful of producers are making
Marselan, all of them in the Languedoc region, and it has just recently begun to appear in this
country. (The name actually comes from the town of Marseillan, where the grape was first
grown). Medium-bodied, with a nice dose of earthiness, this is a great food wine, one that
wouldn't overpower lighter fare, but which could also stand up to heartier dishes. It's in
good supply at $9.75.
2005 Compagnia di Ermes, Cesanese di Olevano Romano
While we're on the subject of unusual grapes, here's another wine out of
left field, courtesy of our friends at Small Vineyards. We can probably say with absolute
certainty that we've yet to feature a wine from Lazio, much more famous as the home to Rome
than as a hotbed of viticulture. But one winemaker, Mariano Mampierei is working hard to
change that, and this wine, 100% Cesanese ("chay-za-NAY-zay") is an exciting effort in
that direction. It is a spicy wine, with flavors of currants and figs, and it really begs
for Italian fare: pasta with meat or cream sauces, chicken cacciatore, or even pizza. When
we opened it at our club tasting we decided to decant it to let it open up a bit, which it
did. You could definitely let this one age a few years; decant it if you want to try it
soon. We have a bit more, and it is a reasonable $14.
2006 Martorana, Insolia
Here's one more curveball. We know you joined this club so you could
try new wines, right? Far be it from us to disappoint! The grape is Insolia, a white
variety that grows mainly in Tuscany and Sicily, where this wine hails from. Grown on the
sun-drenched coastline of southwest Sicily, this fresh, aromatic wine has great acidity, yet an
alluring, Mediterranean lushness that would pair perfectly with seafood, fowl, or pasta
dishes. It is drinking perfectly right now. Also $14, this is another Small Vineyards
direct import and we have a fair bit left.
2006 Alamos, Torrentes
Torrentes is becoming known as the signature white grape varietal of
Argentina. And Alamos makes one of the best ones we've come across yet. It was the
surprise hit of the West Seattle Helpline tasting, garnering more orders than any other wine
that night. So we decided to share this little gem with our club members. This one
has incredible aromatics, both floral and fruity, and is still somehow light and fresh and
perfectly balanced on the palate. All that for $9.75. It's ready to drink now, and
is a natural to enjoy with seafood or chicken dishes, or lighter meat fare.
2005 Verasol, Garnacha
We featured the 2004 Verasol Garnacha in last year's club and it quickly
became our go-to, bin wine for inexpensive, easy drinking. This tasty Spanish red from the
Campo de Borja region is back, as full-bodied and jam-packed as ever, and still only $8; perfect
to grab on your way to a party, or to pair with meat dishes and the like. This one's meant
for drinking now.
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occasional updates - on special tastings, sales, or other events - but would like to, go to
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