Since I enjoyed the Les Laurentides so much, I thought I might as well try and find a bottle of La Sagasse. I knew I had a couple of bottles, but it took a little bit of digging to find one. One of these days I will get my wine life organized. As I have [...]
Archive for July, 2009
Domaine Gramenon La Sagesse Côtes du Rhône 2007
Posted in France, Recommended, tagged Côtes du Rhône, Domaine Gramenon, Kermit Lynch, La Sagasse on July 27, 2009 | 10 Comments »
Domaine Gramenon Les Laurentides Côtes du Rhône 2007
Posted in France, Recommended, tagged Domaine Gramenon, Kermit Lynch, Les Laurentides Côtes du Rhône 2007, Maxim-François Laurent, Michelle Aubery-Laurent on July 25, 2009 | 9 Comments »
Domaine Gramenon is one of the most respected producers in the Rhône. In Robert Parker’s book on the wines of the Rhône valley, he classified Gramenon in the same category as Beaucastel and Fonsalette. In 1998, owner Phillipe Laurent nearly doubled the area of his vineyards by purchasing some 50 acres in Vinsobres. Unfortunately, he [...]
Paul Jaboulet Chevalier Sterimberg Hermitage Blanc 2004
Posted in France, Recommended, tagged Chevalier Sterimberg, Hermitage Blanc, Jaboulet on July 19, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Jaboulet was founded in the early 19th Century. The exact date is unknown, but when records began in 1834, there was a Jaboulet making wine in Tain l’Hermitage. The jewel in the portfolio has usually been the Hermitage La Chapelle, matched only by the white Hermitage Chevalier de Sterimberg. Jaboulet own approximately 25 hectares of [...]
Michel Chapoutier Domaine Bila-Haut 2007
Posted in France, Recommended, Value Pick, tagged Bila-Haut, Domaine Bila-Haut, Michel Chapoutier, Occultum Lapidem, Roussillon on July 13, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Chapoutier has a long history of wine production in the Rhone Valley. Chapoutier was established in 1808 by Polydor Chapoutier. The firm was passed from father to son and in the mid-twentieth century Max Chapoutier was at the helm. In 1977, Max retired, and responsibility for managing the family business was passed to his sons, [...]
Gurrutxaga Bizkaiko Txakolina Rosado 2008
Posted in Recommended, Spain, tagged Bizkaiko Txakolina, Gurrutxaga, Ignazio Ameztoy, Txakoli on July 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Txakoli (pronounced chac-o-lee) is traditionally made as a white wine (though there are a few rosés as well) with a hint of effervescence. The Basque serve these wines along side their local version of tapas (Pintxos). I figured I better start prepping for the trip to San Sebastian in September, so I picked up a [...]
Arnot-Roberts Clary Ranch Syrah 2006
Posted in California, Recommended, tagged Arnot-Roberts, Clary Ranch Syrah on July 11, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Arnot-Roberts Wines is a joint project of Duncan Arnot Meyers and Nathan Lee Roberts. Their goal is to make natural wines that express the uniqueness and beauty of their variety and location. All of Arnot-Roberts wines are aged in French oak barrels built by Nathan and Duncan. Fermentations occur on native yeast and the wines [...]
Domaine Ricard Cuvee Les Trois Chênes 2008
Posted in France, Recommended, tagged Domaine Ricard, Les Trois Chênes, Vincent Ricard on July 4, 2009 | 2 Comments »
Vincent Ricard farms 42 acres of vineyards in the Touraine, located outside the village of Thésée la Romaine, near the banks of the river Cher, in the heart of central Loire Valley. He incorporated Domaine Ricard in 1999, after returning to his family’s property in 1998 following a two-year internship with Philippe Alliet in Chinon [...]
Arianna Occhipinti Il Frappato Sicilia IGT 2006
Posted in Italy, Recommended, tagged Arianna Occhipinti, Frappato, Louis/Dressner Selections, Sicilan wine on July 3, 2009 | 6 Comments »
Arianna Occhipinti is from the Vittoria region of Southern Sicily. She has been making wine for ten years under the tutelage of her uncle, Giusto Occhipinti, who owns the well-known winery COS. She produces first rate wines from biodynamically grown local varieties such as Nero d’Avola and Frappato. In her mid-20s, Arianna already seems to [...]
