Summer Whites

I tend to shy away from white wines. I'm not entirely sure why, it's just always been a matter of preference for me; there aren't many that I like. The weather, however, has been lending itself to a nice chilled white.
A few we've sampled as of late...

2005 Ferrari Carano Fume Blanc ($-$$) is a Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma County, California. It has a tropical, earthy aroma reminiscent of kiwi or pineapple. It has a rich, fruit flavor, with a lingering aftertaste. It's aged in both stainless steel and French oak barrels, giving it complexity and depth.
It goes well with a variety of foods, but its lively fruit flavors will pair best with spicy ethnic dishes.
It's on the wine list at Portofino, where it does best with a light pasta dish.

Lindeman's 2006 South Africa Chardonnay ($) struck me as Not Chard-ey. It wasn't oaky at all, yet offered loads of citrus and tropical fruit aroma -- most notably, banana -- and had a matching flavor. The mouthfeel was also unlike most chards, it had all the "buttery" Chardonnay qualities, but none of the "oilyness" typical to chard.

Caymus Conundrum ($$-$$$) has aromas of peach and flavors of melon, pear, and apricots with a hint of vanilla bean. There is a balanced, citrus-ey, finish.
This wine is proof positive that a screw cap and a bottle of wine can go together. In the case of Conundrum, the screw cap seals in those flavors for a few days in the fridge, not that it matters, 'cause you're going to finish this one in one sitting. This was the only white I'd drink for a long time.

Provenance Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon

Moodus Package in East Haddam is one of those little known gems that constantly surprise us. At first glance, they are your typical working-class shop, with a line of construction workers clutching Miller by the case and a bottle of Yellowtail for the wife. Take a closer look and find vintage Bordeauxs, California cult-wines, and hard to find South Americans. Their staff is just as surprising, especially in an industry where the customer usually knows more than the shopkeeper.
That's where we heard about Provenance Vineyards Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 ($$$), which turned out to be in the cellar already.
The wine comes from a vineyard that is steeped in history. It was originally owned by George Yount, one of the areas first white settlers. It is believed that the first Cabernet grapes in the Rutherford area of the Napa Valley were planted here. The vineyard has also been owned by Thomas Rutherford, the Dioceses of San Francisco, and Georges de Latour, founder of Beaulieu Vineyard (BV).
It's an interesting, full-bodied Cabernet with hints of mocha, chocolate, and French Vanilla (probably from the barrels). This wine is aggressive and subtle at the same time -- worth grabbing if you see it.

Campion

Campion is a winemaker who is something of an enigma. Campion does one grape, and does it well. It is always interesting when, after years in the business, someone dedicates themselves to one type of wine. Campion does Pinot Noir.

The visionary behind Campion is Larry Brooks. Larry worked for Acacia, Chalone, and Echelon (all producers of decent value Pinots), but more importantly, he started out racing bicycles. (inside joke, sorry!)

Campion has several different Pinots available (check their website for a list), but for this horizontal tasting, we tried 2001 Firepeak Vineyard, 2002 Santa Lucia Highlands, and 2004 Central Coast.



Campion Pinot Noir 2004 Central Coast Appellation ($$) has a nose of black cherries and "the woods after a rainstorm". The mouthfeel is smooth and luscious., with a taste of red currants. The wine has a beautiful finish, and may change your life.
I'm going to suggest you stop right here. While the other wines were amazing, this one is by far the cheapest, and unless you have the extra scratch, or a super-refined palate, this is about as good as any of the others. Good luck in your search, as only 56 barrels were produced.
The Appellation, Central Coast is good for Pinot Noir, as the grapes are cooled by winds from the San Luis Obispo Bay. This area is often referred to on labels as Edna Valley, and as such, if you're drinking by the glass, an Edna Valley Pinot is usually a good bet.


As I have said before, there was very little bad Pinot Noir throughout the Pacific Northwest in 2002. If your vineyard felt the breezes of the Pacific Ocean, you probably did alright. Part of the reason for such a good year was that the end of the growing cycle saw very mild weather, keeping the harvest from being forced.
Campion Pinot Noir 2002 Santa Lucia Highlands ($$$) is a perfect example of the benefits of this vintage. This wine is exclusively from their Sarmento vineyard, and turned out to be Brooks' favorite of the year. Only 21 barrels were produced.
The nose reminds me of Cherry Coke meets black pepper and sage. The mouthfeel is big and silky with a taste of blackberries-meets-earth.
The Appellation, Santa Lucia Highlands is cooled by the Monterey Bay, but sheltered by the Salinas hills.




Campion Pinot Noir 2001 Firepeak Vineyard ($$$) is another Edna Valley vineyard with only 9 barrels produced. This one may be tough to find, but can still be special ordered (at least here in Connecticut). The grapes grow in a light volcanic soil and are cooled by a fog that rolls in off the Pacific Ocean. This wine has been referred to as Campion's Reserve -- it's limited production adds to this feeling.
The wine has a nose of pomegranate, cherries, black tea, and wet soil. The body is BIG and voluptuous with a taste of red currant and raspberry with a smooth, fine acidity. This wine could make you ignore every Oregon or Washington State Pinot for the rest of your life.

All of these wines were great, and the nice thing about a good, well-rounded Pinot is that it can be paired with anything, or just enjoyed on its own.

gonzo winetasting

Friday night, we met friends out at Cafe Goodfellas. [insert stereotype joke] I was actually quite impressed with the place, especially their Wine List ($$+). The list is rather large for a restaurant of their size, focusing on California and Italy. Even the lower end wines ($$), are better than average. The typical restaurant mark-up is lower than most (the wines will still be $15 or more over retail).

We started with David Bruce 2004 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($$) and salad.
While the wine might be a little young, it was still impressive for the price. It smelled of cherries and strawberries, and tasted of ripe plums and other fruits with a smooth oaky finish.
Use a decanter, if available. Buy a second bottle, you'll want another.

A bottle of 2003 Clos Du Bois Alexander Valley Reserve Merlot ($-$$) kept away the Sideways comments.
This was actually one of the best Merlots I've had in a while, and the price works quite well. The wine smelled of plum, blackberry, and chocolate. The taste matched the nose, and this wine was "lighter" than other Merlots in this price range.
Tell your friends it has, "Fleshy, supple tannins".

With dinner we had a 2002 Bastianich Vespa Rosso ($$). The wine is a blend of Merlot, Refosco, and Cabernet Franc. It's a bottle that's good now, while showing signs it will benefit from aging. The nose was fruit and earth, with a very "lush" palate.
Tell your friends it's "an impressive blend of indigenous and international grape varieties".
The wine is grown in Italy, but it's producer, Joe Bastianich, is behind a few New York Restaurants and is the founder of Italian Wine Merhcants, a shop that you must check out the next time you're near Union Square.

After dinner, we headed over to Firehouse 12 to see what Carlos was hiding under the bar. He suggested a 2004 Castello Di Monastero Sangiovese ($-$$). I'm going to admit that at this point, I'm not quite sure what it tasted like. My notes say exactly the following, "TUSCANY DRY HOTFRUIT TOMATOSAUCE ""SOR"' Firehou se."
Carlos' suggestions are usually on point, though.

Duboeuf Chateau Des Capitan Julienas.

Beaujolais is usually quite fruity, and actually can benefit from being slightly chilled. Chateau des Capitan is a Cru Beaujolais, as designated by the name of the village (Julienas), as opposed to Beaujolais or Beaujolais-Villages. Only 10 villages are recognized as Cru Beaujolais.
Not your typical Beaujolais, Duboeuf Chateau Des Capitan Julienas 2005 ($-$$), has been referred to as a "happy medium".
Duboeuf's Julienas is a little more "serious" than the lively, fruity Beaujolais that Duboeuf is recognized for. (For a more complex Beaujolais at a similar price point, try Louis Jadot). Soft, fruity texture, with "hidden" tannins, this wine features berry and plum flavors. I couldn't find much nose on this wine, and honestly didn't quite like it. I'm not much of a Beajolais fan, however.

Other Beaujolais reviewers have recommended this wine, so consider my opinions biased.
It's on the wine list at Istanbul Cafe on Crown St.

Marques de Riscal

don't worry the gold wire is easy to cut through
A tale of Christmas-Past -- Our "Brooklyn Connection", Karolina, once bought us a bottle of Marques de Riscal Reserva Rioja 2000 ($-$$). It was the holidays, and as most, she was tapped out cashwise when it dawned on her that she would be visiting with the ECW crew. She went to Uva Wines in Brooklyn (no relation) and told the salesperson she needed a wine that would impress wine snobs, but didn't cost much. Her first mistake was to assume we were full-fledged snobs, her second was to introduce us to this wine. Since that Christmas, we have probably had this wine at least 50 times, and there is always a bottle in the rack.
This wine, a Tempranillo blend, is grown in the Rioja region of Spain. Tempranillo and Graciano y Mazuelo (grenache) grapes produce wines that age very well in wood. The result is a structure with mellow tannins (still not for you dry-haters). Blackberries, figs, black pepper can be found after the initial tannin-shock.
The bottle itself is wrapped in a thin gold wire, really just a novelty, that makes it at least look cool on the rack. The winemaker boasts a collection of medals from the late 1800's, although the vines for the current vintages of Marques de Riscal are only about 20 or so years old.
Definitely worth trying, especially at the price point.