Red Bourbon and Breton: Brief Scenes from a Thanksgiving Table

No notes to speak of today. Just some pictures from yesterday's holiday feast, this short intro and a few quick captions. It was Thanksgiving, after all. And yes, there was food. Trust me... there was food.

Had to borrow an old shot (different vintage) as I didn't take one of the 2000 Ratzenberger Sekt that served as our aperitif. I didn't even realize it until now but we started with the same wine at Thanksgiving last year; this year's showed even better.

That's a "full bottle" (1.5L) just in case it's not clear, complete with etched glass in lieu of Gasnier's regular label.  Showing great.  Makes me wish I had more space for magnum storage... and that I had another.

The '96 was full of dark earth and animal character.  The '85 was all elegance, completely resolved.

One tough customer.

One lovely vino de la meditación.

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Lopez de Heredia Comes to Philly (Both Literally and Liquidly)

For those, like me, who have been foraging on "foreign" markets in search of the traditional Rioja wines of the venerable R. Lopez de Heredia estate, there's some good news. The wines will very soon be available right here in the state controlled market of Pennsylvania, courtesy of the folks at Vine Street Imports — a major score for them, I must say. The good news comes with qualifications, of course. I seriously doubt you'll see any Lopez de Heredia showing up on the shelves at your local state store; as of now (and most likely in perpetuity), the wines are all being treated as special liquor order (SLO) items. While that's not very friendly to consumers who would like to purchase a bottle or two for enjoyment at home, it at least means that the wines will be available to restaurateurs around town. I, for one, will be more than happy to see them show up on lists and, more importantly, to be able to drink them at non-BYOB spots.

To help usher in the new era in style, Maria José Lopez de Heredia came to town. I made it to last week's evening session at Tria Fermentation School, where Maria expounded upon the history of her family estate and poured one or two of their recent releases. Here's what we tasted:

• Rioja Crianza "Viña Gravonia" Blanco, R. Lopez de Heredia 2000
• Rioja Reserva "Viña Tondonia" Blanco, R. Lopez de Heredia 1991
• Rioja Gran Reserva "Viña Tondonia" Blanco, R. Lopez de Heredia 1987
• Rioja Gran Reserva "Viña Tondonia" Rosado, R. Lopez de Heredia 2000
• Rioja Crianza "Viña Cubillo" Tinto, R. Lopez de Heredia 2004
• Rioja Reserva "Viña Tondonia" Tinto, R. Lopez de Heredia 2000
• Rioja Gran Reserva "Viña Tondonia" Tinto, R. Lopez de Heredia 1991
• Rioja Gran Reserva "Viña Bosconia" Tinto, R. Lopez de Heredia 1991

Not too shabby, eh? For those reading who might not be completely familiar with the wines of R. Lopez de Heredia, neither your eyes nor my words are deceiving you. Those are all current — not all new but definitely all current — releases, from the 2004 red Crianza right on back to the 1987 white Gran Reserva and including the ten year-old Gran Reserva rosado, which is indeed a new release. While the white and red Gran Reservas aren't inexpensive, all of the wines represent pretty tremendous value given their combination of quality, age, provenance and flat-out deliciousness.

Rather than loading up on tasting notes or recreating the wheel by recounting the history of the estate, I'm just going to share some of the points that captured my attention (and/or made me smile) during Maria José's presentation. "Quotes" are her words, at least as close as my note-taking allowed; [brackets] are my interpretations/adjustments as deemed necessary, content in (parentheses) is just me adding my own peanut gallery comments.

• "Wines should talk by themselves" [speak for themselves].
• "I'm famous in the Rioja for talking too much." (Indeed, she barely came up for air during her 90-minute presentation. And yes, that was a good thing.)
• "We consider ourselves vinemakers, not winemakers."
• All replanting and cloning at the estate is done via selection massale.
• Maria José's great-grandfather was born in Chile and left for Spain in 1870 to attend Jesuit school.
• The casks used for fermentation at the estate are as much as 140 years old. Rarely if ever replaced, they are maintained and repaired as necessary by the estate's team of three coopers, who also build all of the aging barrels used at the winery.
• All of the wines are fermented on their native yeasts.
• 730,000 kilos of grapes were harvested at Lopez de Heredia in 2010. Maria considers it a great vintage. "It will be 20 years before we release this year's Gran Reservas."
• Wines are racked two or three times per year, and never filtered. Egg white fining (heads-up, vegans!) is used only when necessary.
• The burgundy-style bottle used for Viña Bosconia is meant to signify a wine of more body, less finesse, but based on the idea of body, Maria was careful to point out, of 100 years ago, when Burgundy was often richer than Bordeaux.
• "Do you say toponomia?" (I'm not poking fun, far from it; I loved the question and wish more people would.)
  
• The name Gravonia comes from Graves, in Bordeaux. In the early history of the estate, many of the wines were named or labeled using toponyms and terminology borrowed from Bordeaux.
• All of the white wines begin fermentation with the skins and pips in the vat for a period ranging from 24 hours to 2-3 days, sometimes even 5-6, depending on the vintage.
• The Viña Tondonia Rosado is made with spicy foods in mind. (Think chorizo.)
• Likewise, the Viña Cubillo Tinto was born specifically to accompany tapas.
• Only 31 vintages of Gran Reserva have been released in the 130-year history of the estate.
  
• A library of old vintages is maintained at the winery but bottles are never re-corked. "Wine is not meant to last forever."
  

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Fond

A couple of old friends (both ex-coworkers of mine) and I finally managed to get together a few nights ago. Given our disparate labor schedules, not to mention other requirements in life, such meetings have become far too few and distant between. When the stars finally do align, though, you can pretty much count on both wine and food being involved. One can also depend on all of us bringing along a bottle or four that we want to share with each other, often something that we suspect the others may not have had in a while, maybe even something that holds a little in the way of sentimental value. On most such occasions, contributions are pretty evenhanded; on this night, though, I took all but total control of the wine corner, as I was in the mood not just to drink some cool stuff but, more importantly, to turn my buds on to some wines I was pretty sure they'd never had the chance to experience.

An aperitif started things rolling right, a glass for each of us of the second oldest wine yet "newest" vintage of the night, the 2000 Rioja Gran Reserva Rosado "Viña Tondonia" from R. Lopez de Heredia. I'd actually tasted the '98 rosado with one of my cohorts a few months earlier but, as fate would have it, it wasn't a stellar bottle. This one I really wanted to be right and it was, really lovely stuff, oxidative at first whiff but still very young, full of potpourri, wood spice and coconut oil aromas and an overall impression of warm, sun-baked sands.

The scene of the crime, by the way, was Fond, a BYOB spot in the burgeoning, cultural polyglot of a neighborhood that is South Philly's East Passyunk Avenue corridor. I'd eaten at Fond once before with satisfying enough results but on this night chef Lee Styer and crew were cooking at another level.

To a man, we started with Fond's veal sweetbreads, fried to a fine balance between external crispiness and internal creaminess, seasoned just one stop short of the end of the line, and very nicely appointed with the sweetness of wilted onions and rich simplicity of a sunny-up egg. Radikon's 2002 Venezia-Giulia Ribolla Gialla, poured from its signature thin-necked 500 ml bottle, proved not only surprisingly primary, predictably golden and snappily tannic, but also a more than admirable match with our salty, savory plates of ris de veau. Proof aplenty that orange wine really isn't just for uni.

My dining companions both opted for the squab, the chef's special for the day. A killer choice, I must add — one of my buddies, an alum of Le Bec Fin, where squab was a signature dish for many a year, proclaimed it the best he'd ever had. I, however, couldn't pass up on the hangar steak, which was cooked pretty much to perfection and finished with a damn tasty sauce Bordelaise.

Here, I "let" the guys slide in a sentimental choice, a bottle of 1999 Valtellina Superiore Sassella from La Castellina della Fondazione Fojanini. This is a wine we all once sold and that, I believe, its owner had hoped to share with a recently departed friend. It was richer than I remember but otherwise as expected, just barely softening and inching toward some signs of bottle development, a great-value example of how age-worthy, not to mention compelling, the wines of Nebbiolo-based wines of Valtellina can be.

I think we were all in agreement, though, that the youngster in the bunch turned out to be the wine of the night. Bernard Baudry's 2007 Chinon "La Croix Boissée" was drinking beautifully. Disgracefully young as it was, the Baudrys' wine, like the food that night, was firing on all cylinders, showing richness aligned with grace and displaying all the classic traits of Chinon grown in Cravant les Coteaux — floral, herbal and grassy, full of cassis and blueberry fruit, all seasoned with a liberal sprinkling of mineral extract. Ten more years should do this one much, much good. No matter, though. It provided a long overdue introduction to Baudry for a certain member of the Chevaliers de Chezelet, paired wonderfully with my steak, and made for a great way to wrap up and savor an evening among friends.


Fond
1617 East Passyunk Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19148
(215) 551-5000

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Five for Friday, Including Passing References to QPR and the Tyranny of the Tasting Note

For today, just a few notes and pics from a recent Friday get together. It had been too long, so I hope you’ll pardon my indulgences.

Rioja Gran Reserva “Viña Tondonia” Rosado, R. Lopez de Heredia 1998
$25. 12.5% alcohol. Cork. Importer: USA Wine Imports, New York, NY.
Drinking like your most comfortable pair of shoes feels, that pair you just can’t bring yourself to part with – soft, supportive, something you’d be happy to wear (or drink as the case may be) all day and just about every day. Showing medium, fully matured acidity, penetrating yet not at all forceful. Say what you will about the subjectivity of tasting notes (see the comments), this wine inspires them. A nose full of maple, orange confit and potpourri leads into a candied pecan driven flavor profile that persists and envelops the palate for minutes. Vanilla, pear, clove, peach, rose petals, winter melon… they’re all there. And the extraordinary QPR for a wine of this provenance and quality continues to astound me. Lovely stuff.

Côtes du Jura, Jean Bourdy 2005
$26. 12.5% alcohol. Cork. Importer: A Thomas Calder Selection, Potomac Selections, Landover, MD.
Jean Bourdy’s Côtes du Jura Blanc is varietal Chardonnay, which is aged in old oak tonneaux for 3-4 years prior to bottling, yielding a slightly oxidative style. Bourdy recommends decanting the wine 3-4 hours prior to consumption but we weren’t nearly so patient. In spite of our quick pour and even following a very tough act, the wine was quite subtly delicious, showing an intensely mineral nose laced with apple and pastry nuances. Drinking it, I couldn’t help but ponder whether there are Chardonnay based wines produced anywhere else that show such nervy, crackling, tight wire acidity. Certainly not in Chablis. Maybe, just maybe, in the tautest examples of Côtes des Blancs Champagne. But even then, I’m not so sure. The wine continued to improve as it warmed toward cellar temperature (which is the recommended serving temp, by the way), letting the wine’s inherent core of sweet concentration unfurl.


Sancerre “Clos la Néore,” Edmond Vatan 2007
$55. 13% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Wine Cellars Ltd., Briarcliff Manor, NY.
On this night, Vatan’s Sancerre – only a few ounces remained in a bottle opened the previous day – served as a quick segue before shifting into red gear. Very floral, bursting with aromas of lavender, Queen Anne’s lace and gooseberry pie. Maybe Sharon knows something I don’t (see her comments here), but this is really freaking delicious wine. Worth the splurge and, though I’ve never had what might be considered a fully mature example, reputedly quite worthy of cellaring.

Vallée d’Aoste Torrette “Vigne les Toules,” Les Crêtes 2006
$28. 12.5% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Domaine Select, New York, NY.
Les Crêtes’ Torrette is a blend of 70% Petit Rouge – an heirloom vine, if you’ll forgive the term, native to the Valle d’Aosta – and 30% “other varieties.” Fermented in steel for a little over a week, the wine is then finished in older casks for about eight months before bottling. The wine reminds me very much of Freisa from the Langhe, barky in its aromas and texture and full of cinnamon, cocoa and huckleberry nuances, finished off with a slightly bitter edge. Very loamy, think of moldering forest floor. Raspy tannins and the slightest suggestion of a frizzante prickle make for a solid, rustic pleasure at the table. The QPR trend falls apart here, though; in the teens this would be a great value but in the high $20s I’m afraid it’s destined to be more of an occasional curiosity than a regular quaff.

Morey-Saint-Denis “Vieilles Vignes,” Jacky Truchot 2005
$45-ish. 12.5% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA.
My friend Bill seems to have an unending knack for uncovering caches of Jacky Truchot’s Burgundies. This was a glorious bottle, more concentrated than the usual Truchot but that’s no doubt a natural outcome of the ’05 vintage. Loaded with savory, sweetly earthy umami characteristics yet equally bursting with black cherry fruit. Built to last, entirely in the vineyard rather than through any technique; immaculately balanced and, no matter how ripe and forward, entirely old school. Now if only I can convince him to part with a couple of bottles….

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Four for the Fifth

On the Fourth of July, I was far too busy wishing I was in Monaco to give much thought to what’s probably the biggest backyard BBQ holiday in America. A relaxed Sunday brought the opportunity to at least give tradition a nod, with some easy cheeseburgers and asparagus on the grill along with a potfull of early season corn on the cob. What we chose to drink seemed appropriate enough to the food if not the holiday.


Rheinhessen Grüner Silvaner trocken, Wittmann 2006
$28. 12% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Frederick Wildman, New York, NY.
Glowing medium yellow in the glass, with aromas of corn, fresh pressed linen and crisp green pears. At once rich and nervy on the palate, ever so slightly pétillant and showing a few graciously handled grams of RS. My first tasting impressions were hazy but one thing was certain right away: the wine has amazing length. Spätlese-like extract levels stain the palate, the wine’s flavors clinging with great tenacity. There’s also a great mineral depth lurking behind the up front pear and garden-fresh flavors. Much richer and more intense than Keller’s estate Silvaner trocken, and correspondingly more expensive.


Saumur-Champigny “Terres Chaudes,” Domaine des Roches Neuves (Thierry Germain) 2006
$25. 13% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Vos Selections, New York, NY.
This displayed the side of Loire Cabernet Franc that still sometimes leaves me scratching my head, showing aromas that nudge right up against those often associated with TCA though absolutely not corked. It’s little wonder that so many people have a hard time coming to grips with Cab Franc. In the end, just to be clear, I did like the wine. It showed lots of pepper – both black peppercorns and bell peppers – balanced by juicy plum and blackberry fruit. With a little time in the glass, it showed more aromatic depth: sweat, blood, pencil lead and some animal character. Firmly tannic, slightly low on the acid front and a little bit awkward, this needs some more time in the cellar to find its harmony though I expect it will always be more intriguing than elegant. It also needs meat on the table, so was a happy match with our burgers.

After an incredibly rainy June, the weather 'round here's been delightful of late. A fine night for dining al fresco, complete with patio flames as tended by Fireman Bill.


Rioja Crianza “Viña Cubillo,” R. Lopez de Heredia 2002
$22. 12.5% alcohol. Cork. Importer: USA Wine Imports, New York, NY.
65% Tempranillo, 25% Garnacho, 5% Graciano and 5% Mazuelo. Medium red, with faint garnet, brick hues. Its nose of forest floor and dried cherry tobacco hints at the beginnings of maturity yet the wines was juicy and sprightly as could be on the palate. This is Heredia’s “everyday wine” – and a really tremendous value. Beef jerky and dried cherries develop on the nose, as does a leathery streak on the mid-rear palate. But above all, the wine has energy and spirit. It’s as if you can taste the striations of the vines – sinewy, cut and fully detailed yet with no sense of clinical precision. I’ve heard of some bottle variation with this vintage – the last bottle I opened was corked, but that’s another story. This one was singing.


Moulin à Vent “La Réserve d’Amélie,” Domaine Gérard Charvet 2002
$16 on release. 13% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Wine Traditions, Falls Church, VA.
This we opened just to check in on its progress. My notes read something like this: “Pepper eau de vie, pepper juice, black pepper tea, brined green peppercorns….” You get the idea. Either I was wrong about this one when it was released or it’s going through an extremely strange stage. I’m heavily inclined to think the former is the case. When young, this was delicious and showed what I though was great potential. Now, though, it’s not exactly shot but it’s far from becoming. My last bottle is going into the experimental bin for a final examination a few years down the road. You’ll find slightly less disappointing notes on the 2004 vintage here, though my dining companions on this Fifth of July related that their last bottle of ’04, opened recently, was in a less enjoyable state than was this bottle of ’02. A never ending mystery….

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Cooking up the Ramp Romp

After our ramp foraging excursion a few days back, a little bit – actually, a lot – of cooking was in order. What didn’t go into scrambled eggs or into the pickling jar was whipped up at the main event, courtesy of Chef Bill.

Smoked Salmon and Ramp Bruschetta

Really delicious; I could have made a meal of these and been perfectly happy. Nothing more than lightly grilled baguette slices, brushed with a dab of olive oil and topped with Talula’s smoked salmon and sautéed ramps. Washed down well with bubbles and Rheinwein.


Crémant d’Alsace Brut, Domaine Barmès-Buecher 2007
$18. 12.5% alcohol. Cork. Petit Pois, Moorestown, NJ.
The exuberant ripeness of François Barmès’ fruit shows through in the forward nature of his ’07 Crémant d’Alsace. It’s drinking well now that it’s had a chance to settle into itself and shows the potential to develop interest with a couple of years in the bottle. Simultaneously crunchy and creamy, with pear, apple and guanabana on the palate and youthful, primary yeast aromatics.

Rheinhessen Riesling Kabinett “Limestone,” Weingut Keller 2006
$32. 7.5% alcohol. Cork. Petit Pois, Moorestown, NJ.
The weight and concentration of a Spätlese combine with the slightly lower than usual acidity of the 2006 vintage to make for quite an opulent Kabinett. Keller’s trademark crystalline minerality is still lurking in the background though, helping to keep the mouthfeel lively. Its fruit attack borders on the tropical, with key lime and guava playing nicely with flavors of ripe white peaches. This is fruit from Westhofener Kirchspiel, labeled much as with “von der Fels” to brand Klaus-Peter Keller’s focus on limestone driven terroir.

Spaghetti “Ramp-o-nara”

Yep, that’s my name for it. Laugh all you want…. This was a neat play on Italian and down home Southern cooking techniques. The ramps were sautéed in bacon drippings, the pan deglazed with white wine and chicken stock to form a “sauce,” then everything, bacon and all, tossed with the pasta. Really great depth of flavor. Premier Cru red Burgundy was hardly a traditional pairing but the smokiness in the flavor profile of both of the following wines made it work.


Auxey-Duresses Premier Cru Les Duresses, Domaine Diconne (Christophe Diconne) 2005
$32. 13% alcohol. Cork. Petit Pois, Moorestown, NJ.
Vigorous, even masculine expression of a wine defined in most vintages more by its delicacy than its structure. Brambly black cherry fruit with spicy, smoky nuances. Well balanced, its acidity and tannins are beginning to find their center, just starting to gel and harmonize. Quite tasty now if very young, this is showing every bit the promise that led me to stash away a few bottles on release. A fine value in ’05 red Burg.

Volnay Premier Cru Santenots, Robert Ampeau et Fils 1993
$70. 13% alcohol. Cork. Petit Pois, Moorestown, NJ.
The best of many bottles of this vintage I’ve tasted over the last couple of years. Medium-red with amber and rose petal notes around the rim, this is in that great spot where primary fruit is still evident but tertiary bottle bouquet is in full bloom. You could feel the wine’s age coming on but still sense its vitality; it was surprisingly firm, almost muscular in texture. A solid core of wild red forest fruits was surrounded by scents and flavors of clove, tar, smoke, leather and anise seed. This is a current release, by the way.


Pan-roasted Halibut Cheeks with Butter-braised Ramps

I’d never had halibut cheeks before; their texture reminded me of skate but meatier. A really nice foil to the butter enriched ramps – and to a youngster from Rioja.

Rioja Crianza Blanco “Viña Gravonia,” R. Lopez de Heredia 1998
$28. 12% alcohol. Cork. Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY.
The wine world would be such a safer place to play if more producers cellared their wines and released them when ready to drink rather than on a fixed marketing schedule. Both Ampeau and Lopez de Heredia do just that. Of course it’s an expensive business practice, which makes it all the more surreal that a wine of this age and quality that’s been cared for so well – not to mentioned aged in cask for four years before bottling – can still be purchased in the mid-$20s. Much like the Ampeau, this is showing lovely development but also plenty of potential for further growth. Golden, sunbathed fruit, waxy texture and blanched almonds. It really brought out the savory, oceanic essence of the fish, its pure essence – about all one can ask for in a food and wine match. (It's also the full answer to Wednesday's "Name That Wine" post.)

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R. Lopez de Heredia Viña Tondonia Rosado

I’ll be right up front in disclosing that I don’t know all that much about the history or technical specifications of the wines of R. Lopez de Heredia. For more detailed background information than I can provide, a good starting point might be this post at Sniff and Quaff, a blog that’s new to me. Of course, the Lopez de Heredia website might provide some insight, too.

Image courtesy of LopezDeHeredia.com.
One thing I can say is that R. Lopez de Heredia’s Rioja have a reputation for extremely long life. Even their Rosado bucks the general rule that most rosés are best consumed in their first year in the bottle. And then some. I can also tell you that the wines, regardless of color, spend an extraordinary length of time resting in old wood casks, an oxidative process that eventually becomes – at least, if all things go right – antioxidative. Think of it, if it helps, in the terms of calluses on one’s palms, developed through hard work, or on one’s feet, the side effect of shoeless summers. In one sense, those calluses are scar tissue, a transformation caused by exposure and abrasion; however, they also offer a certain level of protection from further harm.

Rioja Gran Reserva "Viña Tondonia" Rosado, R. Lopez de Heredia 1997
There’s nothing bruised or callused about this wine, though. A blend of 20% Tempranillo, 60% Garnacha and 20% Viura, it’s come through its ten-plus year sleep with shining colors, all delicacy and distinction. Its hue, more pale apricot and new copper than pink, hints somewhat at its age. So do its aromas, at least some of them. Dried rose petals and persimmons were the first things to greet my nose, followed by a whiff of orange pekoe tea. Freshness still abounds as well, with peach skins, apricot pits and a touch of bitter orange marmalade – minus any and all suggestions of sweetness – vibrating with nervy acidity on the palate. Top that all off with a slightly saline, iodine mineral character and plenty of finesse. At this point, it’s likely that each and every bottle may result in a slightly different experience. This one was singing.

On a day when I answered one of Dr. Vino’s impossible wine pairing challenges with the suggestion of rosé (albeit of a different style than this), I’d like to pose the reverse challenge. What would you pair, or have you paired, with this wine?

I served it last night with a simple salad of fresh greens, heirloom tomatoes and decent oil-packed tuna, dressed with nothing other than a little good quality olive oil and a dash of salt and pepper. It’s a meal for which I’d almost automatically look to rosé. But it dominated Heredia’s Rosado. Nothing unpleasant resulted, mind you. The food just wiped away the delicacy and nuance of the vino.

As big a champion as I am of enjoying wine at the table rather than as a cocktail, every once in a while a wine comes along that may just be best with nothing at all. But please, prove me wrong. Let me know your thoughts.

$23. 12.5% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY.

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Wines on the Fourth

Life on the Trail can run from feast to famine. Lately it’s been all feast, the side effect being that there’s so much to write about that I’m having a hard time keeping up with it. I suppose that’s a good problem to have. So, without further ado, here are some notes from the Fourth. No hamburgers and hot dogs, no horseshoes, no fireworks, just good friends, good food and a few bottles of vino.

Bourgogne Chitry Blanc, Alice & Olivier DeMoor 2006
Light to medium in color, this Chitry Blanc – that’s Chardonnay from the northern reaches of Burgundy in case you weren’t sure – smells much leaner and flintier, more Chablisienne, than it feels in the mouth. Fruit forward and refreshing. If it were a bit less pricy it would make for a very good every day white Burg. Quince and crisp d’Anjou pear fruit are carried on a medium-acid, medium-bodied frame. The DeMoor’s work roughly 15 acres in the Yonne Départment, producing AOC Chitry, Chablis, Aligoté and Sauvignon St. Bris. Farming is organic, fruit is hand harvested and the wines are bottled without fining or filtration. Check out Bert Celce’s blog, Wine Terroirs, for an excellent profile of the estate. $27. 13% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Vintage ’59 Imports, Washington, DC.

Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits Blanc “Cuvée Prestige Le Prieuré,” Domaine Mongeard-Mugneret 2005
Decent wine, from an estate known much more for its reds than its whites. Smells like nougat and apple pie à la mode, though it also shows some disjointed alcohol and slightly acetyl character on the nose. Wood is well integrated, adding a bit of tannic astringency that complements the wine’s structure without dominating its flavor. There’s some complexity and interest here but not enough to offset the flaws or to justify the near $30 price. $28.50. 12.5% alcohol. Cork. Importer: J.A.O. Wine Imports, McLean, VA.

Rioja Crianza Blanco “Viña Gravonia,” R. Lopez de Heredia 1998
Now we’re talking. This was stupendously good, certainly the white of the night. Concentrated, firm, youthful and beneficially touched by its time in old wood. Spot on with simply grilled scallops, where the Rioja bumped up and focused the natural sweetness of the shellfish. This could easily pass for white Burgundy crossed with good Touraine Chenin. But it’s clearly all its own. Almonds, stones, golden apples and a touch of caramelization, all accented by a Scotch-like brininess. Fantastic wine with great QPR and a long life ahead of it. For another nifty producer profile, check out Deetrane’s guest post at Brooklynguy’s place. $28. 12% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY.



Rioja Gran Reserva Tinto “Viña Tondonia,” R. Lopez de Heredia 1987
At twenty years of age, there’s bound to be a bad bottle once in a while, no matter how storied the producer. This was just barely alive, with only some dull, leathery notes and vaguely sweet red fruit emerging with air. It could have been heat damaged somewhere along the way, as there was a bit of run-up on the cork. Bummer. $94. 12% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Polaner Selections, Mt. Kisco, NY.



Langhe Nebbiolo “Il Favot,” Poderi Aldo Conterno 1998
You lose some and you win some. With more recent releases going for upwards of $60, the $20-ish price tag – I picked up the last bottle on the shelf at a PLCB specialty store a while back – seemed more than worth the old bottle/questionable retailer gamble. The gamble paid off this time. “Il Favot” is the only wine that Aldo Conterno ages in new barriques; while it has a reputation for early accessibility, this bottle was singing in its tenth year. The toasty oak is still there but has been incorporated. Licorice, dried raspberries, roofing tar, saddle leather and floral herbs all come out to play. Nervy acidity and gentle yet fully articulated tannins. The aromas and flavors just keep coming and developing with time in the glass. Rose petals, toasted almonds and sandalwood galore, along with sweet spice, natural perfume and animal intensity. Like lifting up a beautiful young woman’s hair and kissing the nape of her neck. I liked it. Could you tell? $23. 14% alcohol. Cork. Importer: Vias Imports, New York, NY.

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