In 1972, with a $5,000 loan and maybe a bit of gumption, Kermit Lynch opened his business in Berkeley with thirty-five cases of wine stacked on the floor. Attracted by the Old World wine cultures of Europe, Kermit became a retailer, distributor, and national importer for authentic wines that express their terroir.  His portfolio is full of gems from France and Italy.  This Saturday we’ll be pulling the corks on just a few of them. Join us.

2011 Domaine de Poujol, l’Herault Blanc Pico  $17
70% Vermentino, 20% Carignan Blanc, 10% Roussanne
From the Lanquedoc, Poujol’s Pico comes from 20 to 50 year old vines is fresh with flowery lime aromas, and a complex finish.

Tintero Garngia Rosato $10
90% Barbera, 5% Moscato, 5% Favorita
From Piedmont, Tintero makes a variety of frizante wines that are lively and refreshing.  The Rosato is slightly off dry with lots of strawberry fruit and a lot of fizz.

2011 Kermit Lynch Cotes du Rhone Cypress Cuvée $15 
Louis Barruol is the fourteenth generation in his family to be making wine in this sixteenth-century domaine in Gigondas. Louis vinifies each parcel from his own vineyards separately. Then Kermit shows up and either has a cuvée bottled unfiltered, or he blends to find the assemblage that satisfies his esthetic criteria.  Not a bad job if you can get it.  The Cypress has aromas of fresh berry and forest floor that lead to a mouth-rich black fruit and spice notes.

2011 Silvio Giamello, Langhe, Villa Gentiana $22
This Nebbiolo comes from the same vineyard as Giamello’s Barbaresco but is declassified based purely on tasting of the barrels.  The Gentiana is aged about 10 months, part in tonneaux of 5 hectoliters and part in Slavonian oak botti of 20-30 hectoliters.  It has classic Nebbiolo notes of cherry, tar and tobacco mixed with ripe red fruit and dry smoky tannins.

2010 Château Belles-Graves Lalande de Polmerol  $32
88% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc
Château Belles-Graves is a 17 hectare estate with a long history.  This Bordeaux undergoes a long maceration and ages in French oak barrels, 25% of which is new, for twelve to fifteen months.  It is bottled unfiltered, and shows classic aromas of dark fruit, cocoa, and leather with mineral notes and dry tannins on the finish.

Sunday we are looking ahead to good weather and sampling an Italian Frissante (slightly fizzy) and a slightly sweet Lambrusco. Happy Mother’s Day.

2010 Cordani Magnia Gutturnio Frizzante    ($10)
60% Barbara, 40% Croatina
Aromas of black cherry and spicy notes of white pepper, with a tannic, full-bodied mouthfeel and of course some fizz. Was $15 now $10

Rosenere Lambrusco    ($9)
Great fresh picked raspberry, strawberry and maraschino cherry flavors with a nice fizz and a slightly sweet finish. Was $12 now $9. 8% alcohol by volume

Located in Carlton Oregon, Andrew Rich specializes in Rhone-driven wines with a Northwest spin, sourced from some great vineyards in Washington.  Of course, being in the Willamette Valley he makes Pinot Noir too.  Andrew studied wine making in Burgundy followed by 5 years at Bonny Doon, working with Randall Grahm, before starting his own winery in 1994.  Stop in on Saturday and try some of his fine wines.

2011 Roussanne  18
From Ciel du Cheval and Alder Ridge Vineyards this Roussanne spends 11 months aging on it leas before bottling.  It shows classic aromas of stone fruits and minerals, with a palate that sacrifices a bit of 2010’s stoniness for pure lush fruit with a simply gorgeous texture.

2011 Prelude Pinot Noir $23
From the latest vintage on record is lower in alcohol but it doesn’t lack body, with an uncanny marriage of suppleness and lift. The damp earth, strawberry, and pepper of the nose carry over to the palate, and even at this early stage the tannins seem fairly soft.

2011 Tabla Rasa Red  $17
79% Syrah with Mourvèdre and Grenache
Literally “blank slate,” the phrase refers to each vintage, when the winemaker must start over with the current harvest, effectively wiping the slate clean. “Vin de Tabula Rasa” is a play on the French phrase vin de table, while “rasa” could almost be some obscure Mediterranean dialect for red.  The wine is a soft and delicious Côtes-du-Rhône wannabe that’s perfect with pasta, pizza, stews, and just about anything hot off the grill.

2011 Coup d’Etat  $30
57% Grenache, 26% Mourvèdre, 17% Syrah
Vintage 2011 was almost freakishly cool, and it shows in the Coup’s energy and tension -reminiscent of Châteauneuf.  Sage, savory, and anise emerge first, followed by both black and red fruit. There’s a suave, supple middle here and fine tannins.

2011 Prometheus Syrah $30
A blend of Klipsun, Ciel du Cheval, and Red Willow vineyards the Prometheus shows great precision on a medium-bodied frame.  With flavors of blueberry and licorice and a suave, singing mouth feel (that is, it has richness and good acidity), it can easily slumber in your cellar for half a decade or more and can be enjoyed now with rich and meaty dishes.

Andrew at work.

It is May Fair and Mother’s Day this weekend.
You’ll need wine. And speaking of Mother’s Day, bring her by the shop on Sunday when we’ll have two “mother friendly” wines open to sample.

A look ahead at the 2012 Vintage

Châteauneuf du Pape

& other Rhône Village Wines

Sunday, May 4th

2pm

The wines are still coming from France, but this Sunday we’re offering a sneak peak at some of our favorite Rhône producers. We’ll be pouring Barrel samples that have been sent ahead of the wines arrival on these shores. Stop by and taste the future.

2012 Clos des Brusquieres Châteauneuf du Pape $45
80% Grenache, 10% Syarh, 5% Mourvedre, 5% Cinsault

2012 DomaineMoulin-Tacussel Châteauneuf du Pape $50
70% Grenache noir, 10% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, Counoise,Muscardin, Vaccarèse

2012 Domian Boisson Clos de la Brussière, Massif d’Uchaux $28
60% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Carignan

2012 Bertrand Stehelin Sablet $23
70% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah

2012 Domiane Pierre Usseglio Lirac $25
70% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Cinsault

2012 Domaine de la Côte de L’Ange, Côtes du Rhône $20
70% Grenache, 2-% Syrah, 10% Marselan

Wondering if that discounted bottle could possibly be any good, or finding that the $50 dollar bottle you read about in the Wine Spectator really tastes like $10 plonk.  The horse that looks the best at the beginning isn’t always in the winner’s circle at the end of the race.  Saturday we’ll be saddling up a bunch of contenders and watching them run.  (We’ll also be watching the Kentucky Derby.)  Come try the wines and find a winner for yourself.

Buying wine is sometimes like a horse race. Wondering if that discounted bottle could possibly be any good, or finding that the $50 dollar bottle you read about in the Wine Spectator really tastes like $10 plonk.  The horse that looks the best at the beginning isn’t always in the winner’s circle at the end of the race.  Saturday we’ll be saddling up a bunch of contenders and watching them run.  (We’ll also be watching the Kentucky Derby.)  Come try the wines and find a winner for yourself.

2012 Colterenzio Pinot Grigio  $13
Colterenzio is high in the Alto Adige where northern and southern Europe meet, Germans and Italians, snow-covered mountains and fruitful valleys.   Their Pinto Grigio has aromas of citrus, peach and honeydew melon, a medium full palate, and tangy acidity on the finish.  

2012 Domaine Notre Dame des Pallières, Gigondas Rose  $12
34% Grenache, 33 % Mouvèdre, 33% Cinsault
This privately owned estate has vineyards in Gigondas as well as Sablet, Lirac and Rasteau. The Rosé has a palate full of cherry and strawberry fruit with fresh acidity and excellent length. Was $20 now $12

2011 Roberto Fossati, Langhe Nebbiolo $14
Fossati makes this Nebbiolo at a price too good to be true.  The wine sees 12 months in French oak, and six months bottle aging before release.  It has rustic tannins and complex and aromatic notes of red cherries and violets with a chewy finish.

2010 L’Euziere Pic St Loup Almandin  $12
70% Syrah, 25% Grenache, 5% Mourvèdre.
L’Euzière is 23 hectares in the heart of the Pic Saint Loup appellation in the Languedoc.  The wine ages 12 to 14 months in barrel and has aromas of cooked black cherries, crushed blackberry and blackcurrant with a dry finish.  Was $16 now 12 

2012 Chateau Canon, Canon-Fronsac  $20
100% Merlot
Chateau Canon has been producing wine since the late 1580’s in the reviving appellation of Canon-Fronsac.  This small 1.5-ha wine estate only produces about 6 to 7 barrels of a concentrated and elegant wine with sweet tannin and impeccable balance. 

2009 Roberto Fassati, Barbaressco $25
Nebbiolo
Fassati’s Barbaresco sells for the price of most producers Langhes.  It got 93 points in Wine Spectator which wrote: “Cherry, strawberry, licorice and soy aromas and flavors are matched to a silky texture and firm structure in this enticing red, der seams open, yet the tannins say Otherwise. Ends with a long aftertaste of spice and mineral. Be patient. Best from 2015 through 2028 “Too good to be true?  Come see for yourself.

Sunday we are having a very special sneak preview of the 2012 vintage in Chateauneuf du Pape!  The wines are just being bottled and shipped but our importer has some barrel samples that they are willing to share with us.  This is a special chance to get a look ahead at these great wines.  That’s 2pm on Sunday.

Sunday we are looking ahead to good weather and sampling White Port Lemon Tonic.  Wednesday is forecast to be 74 degrees.  You know you’ll want one.  

White port lemon tonic

• A glass full of ice cubes
• 1 part white port
• 1 part tonic water
• Generous squeeze of fresh lemon wedge

Alves des Sousa Caldas White Port                ($10)
White port is one of those things most people don’t know what to do with. But try it on the rocks with citrus peel, or play around and make up a new cocktail.

Was $20 now $10

And some other interesting recipes…

White port and mint

5–8 fresh mint leaves beneath a glass of ice cubes, filled with a mix of port and tonic at your discretion. I took it further, mixing a very light simple mint syrup:

Syrup:

• Muddle (crush) a half-dozen fresh mint leaves in a cup of near-boiling water.
• Add a bit of sugar, if desired, and let dissolve.
• Let cool.

Cocktail:

• Fill a glass with ice over a half-dozen muddled fresh mint leaves.
• Add one part white port.
• Add a tablespoon of the chilled mint syrup.
• Add another part tonic.
• Top with a spring of mint.

Cardicas Recipe

• White Rum
• Cointreau
• White Port
• Stir. No garnish.

Hi Ho Cocktail Recipe

• Gin
• Orange Bitters
• White Port

Shake all ingredients well with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon peel, and serve.

Mint Gin Cocktail Recipe

• Dry Vermouth
• Mint Gin
• White Port

Stir all ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.

Rock and Rye Cocktail Recipe

• Dry Vermouth
• Rye Whiskey
• White Port

Stir all ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.

This Saturday we’re pouring French wines from small producers, mostly organic, all hand harvested, from low yield vineyards, using mostly indigenous yeast with minimal intervention in the winemaking.  All things that make a difference when the wine hits the glass.  Come taste for yourself.

Domaine Rosier, Blanquette de Limoux “Cuvée Jean Philippe” Brut $15
90% Mauzac, 10% Chardonnay
Domaine Rosier is located in the upper Limoux Valley in the foothills of the Pyrénées.  Clay and chalk dominate the vineyard’s terraces, which are situated on steep slopes. The Blanquette has a subtle bead-of-light bubbles that carry delicate floral aromas and scents of acacia and green apple. The flavor is pleasant and fruity showing peach notes and a rich texture.

2012 Pouchaud Larquey Entre deux Mers $14
60% Sauvignon Blanc, 40% Semillion
This domaine has been farmed organically since 1961, making it one of the first organic domaines in Bordeaux.   Traditional, meticulous pruning restricts yields far below the allowed tonnage for the region. The vines are hand harvested and indigenous yeasts start the fermentation.  This Entre-Deux-Mers is a pure expression of finely-etched minerality supported by rich, deep fruit flavors, touch of smoke and refreshing herbaceousness.

2010 Pierre Chauvin Anjou Rouge “Les Tournailles’ $14
75% Cabernet Franc, 25% Grolleau
From organic, 30 year old vines, the Tournailles distinctive notes of pickling spices and cigar box cedar on the nose. On the palate pencil led and green pepper are enticingly present with an underlayer of minerality drawn from the stony clay laden soils of Anjou.

2010 Domaine Aubai Mema, Liverna $12
70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Grenache Noir, 10% Merlot
The Domaine Aubaï Mema is located in Aubais, a midieval village just south of Nimes, in the Languedoc. In the past, the villagers were proud to say that they were from Aubais itself (Aubaï Mema in Provençal), not just the surrounding county.  The Liverna has aromas of cocoa and ripe red fruit. In the mouth it is round and full and melted, fine-textured, anchored by bracing tannins. 

2010 Domine les Clos de Caveau, Vacqueyras, Carmin Brillant $32
70% Syrah, 30%Grenache
The red clay, limestone, and the famous galets roulés, or rounded stones, impart a terrific intensity and depth to the wines of Clos de Caveau.  Given the aridity of the soil, the vines here are naturally prone to lower yields, giving the wine its concentration and power.  The Carmin is macerated for nearly three months.  Its impressively perfumed nose offers a suave bouquet of red berries, garrigue, anise and fruit cake. Opulent, sweet, expansive and mouth-filling, the lush red berry fruit builds in intensity before coating the entire palate. These flavors are enlivened by baking spices, herbs and gentle tannins.  “This Vacqueyras Carmin Brillant, is among the most concentrated wines I tasted from this vintage. A singular effort that must be admired, with extracts and density levels off the charts.” –-Robert Parker

The weather has changed again and again and again over the last week. If you aren’t celebrating 420 in a different way, or ieven if you are drop in for that Sunday Sipper. This Sunday we are tasting a French Rosé and a Washington Red.

2012 Domaine Amido Tavel Les Amandines    ($12)
65% Grenache, 20% Cinsault, 10% Syrah, 5% Clairette
Richly colored rosé with cherry, strawberry and a touch of almond flower flavors. Lots of freshness on the palate, and with enough body to match wonderfully with cold pork roast, chicken salad and most picnic fare. Was $17 now $12

2012 Abbey Page Cabernet Sauvignon    ($11)
A fresh and fruit forward Cabernet from Columbia Valley at a great price.

Saturday we’re pouring new wines from Spain.  Some are new releases, some are new to town, some are new to the shop.  All express the diversity of Spanish wine making.  Come try these delicious wines from Penedès, Bierzo, Toro, and Navarra.  

Naveran Cava Brut Reserva $15 
50% Xarello, 30% Macabeo, 20% Parellada
The Naveran is an estate-bottled vintage Cava from Organically grown vines. Xarello contributes body, Macabeo gives aromatic intensity and Parellada lends acidity to the wine. This grower Cava that spends 18 months on its lees after fermentation in the bottle to achieve greater depth, complexity and the fine, delicate and long lasting bubbles.  It has strong aromas of yeast and smoke, and a supple, tasty palate, with well-integrated bubbles, good acidity and freshness.

2013 Armas de Guerra Mencia Rosé  $12
From a new farmer’s cooperative in Bierzo, Armas de Guerra has come out of the gate with some great and reasonably priced wines.  Their Rosé has dry floral aromas with crisp, tropical flavors like mango, papaya and lime.

2012 Armas de Guerra, Mencia Tinto $12
The red wine from Armas de Guerra is all Mencia.  It has lots of dry dark fruit and a pleasant finish.

2010 Cal Banca Toro $15
Tinto di Toro (Tempranillo)
Cal Blanca, “white chalk” in English, refers to the chalky, calcareous limestone soils found on the estate.  The vines are head pruned in the traditional manner, dry farmed (no irrigation), and tended using organic viticulture. The wine displays violet and graphite aromas along with cassis, candied plum, licorice and smoky minerals and spicy dark fruit flavors. It finishes sweet and long, with gentle tannins adding grip.

2009 Barón de Magaña  $23
Navarra
35% Merlot, 35% Cabernet, 20% Tempranillo, 10% Syrah

Barón de Magaña comes from a vineyard in Navarra started 45 years ago from cuttings from Château Petrus (yup, that’s Bordeaux).  Southern Navarra has limestone soil that imparts characters of minerality and acidity to the vines in keeping with their heritage.   The Barón possesses a Bordeaux like personality.  The wine was aged 14 months in 70% new oak. It boasts abundant notes of sweet mulberries, white chocolate and black currant fruit, incense, vanillin, mocha and a hint of espresso. It is a complex, modern-styled, Spanish red offering loads of fruit, medium to full body, and terrific balance as well as purity.