No Wine Over $20-Reviews and the LA Wine Scene

The Missus told tBoW she has had it with the pedestrian wines we have been putting in front of her lately. She gets the concept there are decent wines to be had for under $20. She appreciates the thrill of the hunt for these wines, AND ALL THAT. However, after all the tasting fun is completed during hors d'ouvres she wants tBoW to know when the main course arrives she expects a glass of good wine to accompany.

Fortunately, tBoW did not have to bear this assault alone. The perceptive and fearless Dotoré was present to get to the bottom of things. It turns out she has grown increasingly less fond of the choices placed in front of her the past year. The Missus misses a fruit forward, rich California wine, preferably a pinot noir. Dotoré concludes "there is no question these southwestern France wines are an acquired taste and radically different from California products. However, there is also no question if you are looking for value wines today do not waste your time with California".

tBoW says he'll handle the wine, the Missus will get her fruity reds, but we really should let an authority weigh in on domestic differences and mending fences.

Onto the wines with help from friends and other innocent bystanders.

2006 Mâcon-Villages Vendanges Manuelles Auvige $15: Robert Chadderdon selection. How quickly we forget! Reviewed in Jan 08. Loved it then. Love it now. White Burgundy that is special not only because it meets the U20 criterion but because it is so dang tasty. Lean with some butter, mostly Chardonnay fruit, apple fruit. Meant to be drunk young. Been drinking this most of the summer. May I say it blows away domestic efforts with Chardonnay? Youbetcha. Has not failed yet. 13%

2005 Domaine Gauby Les Calcinaires $22: The perfect wine for returning to the world after hanging on for dear life with a dreaded summer cold. Rousillon village wine with just the right spice and cherries to remind me that I had been living on cough syrup the previous 3 nights. We all know how the palate goes on the fritz in the face of running snot and throat-like-rasping-tool...non-stop. OK. Enough whining and back to the wine-ing!! "Although initially the wines were tannic and extracted, Gauby has moved towards a more balanced elegant style in recent years, and the wines are much better for it." Credit the Wine Doctor who is always worth reading. Get the rest of his enlightening Gauby review here. Predominantly Grenache which is a grape I favor especially when made like this. I should have known; another brilliant Peter Weygandt Selection. A very civilized 13% alcohol level (unattainable if you are making wine in SoCal).

L'Oustal Blanc K6 $16: Winemaker Claude Fonquerle from MInervois. 100% 100 year old Carignane vines. In poker that could be the Minervois nut nut. Fruity for French wine however perhaps not so much for an inspired Southwestern France vintner looking for some New World love. Another Peter Weygandt Selection. I am thrilled that I can publish a photo from Minerovis which is an ancient Cathar stronghold where 200 locals were burnt at the stake in the 13th century following a long and religiously righteous siege. And what goes on with Minervois wines? Let Peter Weygandt's website tell that story. And this wine in particular? Can you say 2/3 in concrete vats. That is why they call it Old World. Cannot argue with the delicious results at phenomenal value. 13.5%

A few brief words about the Cathars. Some refer to the decades-long assault on Southwestern residents of the culturally distinct and independent land known as the Oc as the 4th Crusade; the only crusade fought on European soil. Led northern French nobility, in particular Simon de Montfort, under the auspices of the Papacy soldiers dedicated 120 days (a quatraine) to seeking out and destroying enemies of the Papal state, banished from Rome at that time.

The times roughly coincided with the fatal attack on the Knights Templar and, like in that dark-of-night blitzkrieg, the aim was to grab whatever wealth and title could be had with a ruthless and merciless military maneuver under the blessing of a besieged religious institution (that would be the Catholic Church). [ed. twilight on the plaza in Carcasonne]

The Cathars were doomed precisely because they were a very popular religious sect whose leaders eschewed the fine clothing and crusty rings favored by local Catholic priests. [ed. In today's mondo vino is it unfair to characterize terroir driven winemakers as the Cathars, the all-homogenizing Pope as Michel Rolland, and Parker as swordsman Simon de Montfort?] Cathar priests wore simple unadorned robes and sandals and walked throughout the region preaching simple life, sexual abstinence (I never said they were perfect, although the holiest Cathars were known as Perfects), healthy nutritious diets, and living a life devoted to joining the heavenly Father after death. They also believed the earth was actually hell and the Pope and all his minions were devils.

They were harmless as a military threat however they were the very definition of sedition and it was their intention to undermine the Holy Roman Church. The Church referred to them as Albigensians because the city of Albi was an open - and defiant - Cathar religious center. Of course, one of the most quoted lines was uttered by th Inquisitor Abbott Arnaud when ordering the wholesale slaughter of 20,000 Beziers inhabitants: "kill them all, God will know his own". [ed. Beziers cathedral above]

Here is a video pitch for a book I have not read that covers (romanticizes?) the era. Romanticizing the Cathars is easily done since the events that occurred frequently appear in culture (films, books) without really linking one and all. For example, Dan Brown's books in some if not large part derive directly from Templar and Cathar history and beliefs.

2006 Romano Dogliotti La Caudrina Moscato d'Asti $17: Another super wine to serve first on a summer evening wherever you are. Fizzy, even frothy in the glass. Not too sweet. Good acid, balanced, excellent. At the end of the night looking back we liked it as much as any other wine poured. 5.5%

2007 Domaine de Rieux Cotes de Gascogne $10: Vin de Pays from Gascony by P. Grassa. Lovely, steely, green melon flavors. Minerals. Refreshing. Screw top says drink me every day. 10%

1997 Josef Friedrich Oppenheimer Krötenbrunnen Auslese: Cellar purging yields this forgotten item. The ghosts of fruits that once were here, now faded. I did find a 2001 review that raved. Still, quality Riesling is present with some petrol, elder flower and linden flavors. If you are curious here is an excellent description of all the terms on the label. Here is a photo of the village where Josef Friedrich calls home. Kinda steep. 9%

2005 Michel Sarrazin Mercurey: Imported by North Berkeley Wine. Dried out, light tannins, bitter. Not a tasty wine. May be the wine that pushed the Missus over the top. Even Kobe misses pay ups [ed. news to me.]. 13%

2003 Terres de Truffes Cave TerraVentoux $12: The Cotes du Ventoux is a Rhone appellation known for black truffles. This wine is made by Bruno Clement who is a leading harvester in the region and owns the most prominent regional restaurant for cooking with truffles. Sounds good to tBoW! 60% Grenache, 40% Syrah can be a heavenly blend. This is a very nice wine with some stuffing and plenty of forward fruit. Grenache blended with Syrah can show a creamy texture and flavors in the right hands. The Missus was able to enjoy it once she evacuated her festering opinions. Thanks to Vin de Pays Wines in Long Beach CA for posting the excellent write-up on Bruno Clement. 13.5%

Postscript to the lovely Missus...the 2003 TerraVentoux is why we hunt. Wonderful wine, made locally in the cooperative winery, tasting like something the vintner imagined. And $12. Can't beat that with a hockey stick.

Can the summer go on too long? Izit possible? maybe....yes.....NO!!

I love to watch the weather guys and ladies put the week's forecast up and all I see is 92, 94, 95, 93, 91. And you know what to you have to do. Enjoy it. Like the SRH gangsters above. That is Wes and Uma Hagen and David Corey on the right. David is a ton of fun (so is Wes). Like a mischievous puppy. He was dry-humping like crazy on this summer evening in 2005 only it wasn't the pillow. It was another well known SRH winemaker and she took at least 15 minutes to tell him to cut that out.

2007 Core California Rosé $12: So there I am buying a case at K&L of Moscato d'Asti for the Missus' staff party...and as I am checking out I check out the Rose display. I spot the Core red version and since I have great photos of David Corey I think I should get a bottle. Actually, I remember David Corey's wines are always challenging and usually rewarding. The closer on the sale is the teaser card that says he uses 10 different varietals or ten different sources for this wine. Maybe ten sources because I am fairly certain the blend consists of Dave's favorite grapes - Syrah, Mourvedre, Grenache and Tempranillo. This wine is firm, muscular, sinewy, like a marathon runner or a distance cycler. A lot like Dave. As would be expected not your garden variety delicate pink summer wine. Love it. 14.3%

2007 Tintero Sori' Gramella Moscato d'Asti $10: The K&L purchased Moscati. The idea was to serve this at the MIssus' staff party. At 5% everyone stays in the safety zone and still gets to chill a little. More spine than the Bartenura and almost up to La Morandina (the summer Moscati standard). Excellent wine. Mixed it with some Lodi Vermentino and that was also pretty tasty. 5%

2006 Chateau d'Aqueria Tavel Rosé $12: Costco purchase. "Tavel is acknowledged to be the world's most complex and flavorful rosé wine" says the back label. "Tell it to Bandol" sez tBoWl!! Dry, dried cranberry fruit, very nice...like a Bandol. Dry, even woody. What was it Dotoré said about Bandol? Highest expectations with decent delivery. Think the original iPhone release.

IGTY [ed. I Gotta Tell Ya...bring it on!!!] I think I prefer the fruitier offerings from...California's Central Coast!! Yes, I am talking about Point Concepcion, Anglim and the Languedoc. Given that the new Costco wine buyer has been on such a hot streak this summer I have to say she fouled one off here. 13.5%

[ed. tBoW continues to overheat like Pacino in his seminal film...below]

2003 Clautiere Cabernet Sauvignon $22 wine club: Speaking of the Central Coast, i.e., Paso Robles, this is a pretty decent effort from the uber-fashionable vineyard on the unfashionable East Side. If you like Cabernet Sauvignon unblended. Pencil lead nose yields to a mineral flavor with high tone fruit, smoooooth and plummy. Is it Pauillac? St Estephe? In the Parker/Rolland era? How many folks would be fooled. Can we please stop growing Cabernet Sauvignon in Paso and focus on Rhone blends? Leave the vcabs to Napa. Pinots in Sonoma and points north...far as Oregon. Rhone styles in hot regions like...Paso!! This is a good time to try. 14.5%

And Dog Day Afternoon? His best work, overacting and all. [ed. until Scarface of course] You see the trailer you've seen the movie. Such a New Yawkuh. Pleece. Un-joy.

The Basque country is in northwestern Spain on the border with France and includes the Navarre region. The French resort Biarritiz is right over the county line [ed. tBoW's first link to wikitravel]. Notable Basque towns include Bilbao and San Sebastian although Hondarribia (near San Sebastian) is certainly one of the most charming. This is the road less traveled when it comes to Spanish tourism. Good for you!! Area highlights include Bilbao's Gehry-designed museum, knocked off repeatedly, even by himself, (see LA's Disney Hall) and the surfing town of [ed. to prove the point side by side pics can be examined at bottom] and Mundaka...

(arguably Europe's most renowned surf spot tucked into a river entry cove on the road to Bilbao.

Basques are proud people and do not consider themselves to be Spanish...or French. More like Greek with their cyrillic script, abundant use of the letter "x", affection for desolate churches and balalaika-like string instruments. Many battles with the French and Spanish have been fought to preserve the national identify.

Count on lots of seafood and regional wines which are brisk and lean whites. tBoW did review a Basque Rose a few weeks ago. Something about being so lean you could easily whistle while sipping.

These wines are not California or French chardonnays nor are they in the same basket as German and Austrian Rieslings. Maybe the Gruner Veltliners. More along the lines of white Rhone style wines, however, they are unto themselves and not having any appeal to or interest from the "Parklander Beast" these wines remain true unto themselves displaying unflinching regional pride. Oh bully!!

2005 Segrel Pablo Padin Albariño $15: Purchased at K&L. Sour say the Missus. I would agree but sour as in a green apple mashed up with a lighter lime. Clean and still a bit lush. All of 12%.

2006 Quinta de Couselo "Turonia" Albariño $17: The other K&L purchase. Crisp, bitter in a brash and not caustic fashion. Clean, not as rich as the Padin but also more bracing. Liked this wine and would buy it again. 12.5%

Had dinner with friends who are Tablas Creek wine club members so there was plenty to choose from. Here is what we came up with.

2005 Cote de Tablas ~$16: The entry level blend in 2005 was 43% Grenache, 24% Mourvedre, 18% Syrah and 15% Counoise. Now I do not know about you but that blend sounds just about perfect on paper. Nose is gently red and toasty. Flavors are creamy, Syrah seems to stand out. Consistently a great value and delicious wine. Have had it in past three vintages and it was excellent each year. 14.8%

2004 Cote de Tablas $14: 64% Grenache, 16% Syrah, 13% Counoise, 7% Mourvedre. Doncha wonder how they decide the distriibution of grapes? Wouldn't you assume it is a function of the winemaker's palate? I will tell you right now that is a fair assuption that is most likely DEAD WRONG. The wine, nevertheless, is wonderful. Still have a few more waiting to taste the business side of the Laguille opener. Grenache dominant and has the powdery sublime fruit that is soft and seductive like a lithe and sinewy even a touch zaftig ballerina...like Brigitte Bardot!! [ed. that's right...a classicallly trained ballerina hope you'd like to know]. Never seen a zaftig ballerina you say?

2003 Esprit de Beaucastel$36 on release: 50% Mourvedre, 27% Syrah, 16% Grenache, 7% Counoise. Rich, deeper than the Cote de Tablas. Softly smoky. Very nicely developed at 5 years. I am very pleased as this is the first Esprit de Beaucastel to be opened from the wine club shipments. With the higher alcohol I do not taste the heat. These are both very good, well made wines. The vines are in ten years and the fruit is showing wonderful if still youthful maturity. It is just terrific that they have all their homeland fruit to choose from transplanted in the Paso vineyard. 14.8%

Having been a TC Vinsider member (the wine club) for a few years AND understanding that TC wants their reds to take some age, my TC tasting experience has been limited to the white wines. All more or less very good and some outstanding (Bergeron, Rousanne, Grenache Blanc, and one 2003 Esprit de Beaucastel in a split which is their serious white Rhone blend that should also take a few years). The only red I have really tasted is the Cote de Tablas however it was was good enough to join the wine club. Now having tasted the 2003 Esprit red my positive instinct is confirmed.

2004 Coudoulet de Beaucastel Red Cotes du Rhone $18: So this is the "baby Beaucastel" from the Tablas Creek granddaddy; i.e., it is the entry level bottle from the mothership, Chateau de Beaucastel. I did not know Beaucastel even made this wine. My remembrances are with the Chateauneuf du Pape. Even though they are both similarly allocated estate grapes in similar blends the "baby" Coudoulet is getting juice from younger vines. I was never very fond of the flagship Chateauneuf du Pape but I like this "baby" just fine. Has liquer-like intensity and focus. Also plenty of coffee so I am thinking Tia Maria. It is kind of simple but lovely. As a parallel to the Cotes du Tablas this is more lean with higher tone fruit. Given the two to choose I take both side by side. If choosing between the Esprit and the Chateuaneuf du Pape I take the Esprit every time. A Costco buy. Winna Winna Chicken Dinna. 14%.

2003 Crozes Hermitage Cuvee Sassenas $19: Picked this wine up at the new Wine Cask in our neighborhood. The high end operation that created the Santa Barbara Futures program has finally come south. So what if it's housed in a former art glass retail shop. The glass pieces are spectacular. Not my style but someone who likes wine will surely buy a big glass piece. In the meantime, this wine bodes well for customers of the new store. Domaine Maxime Chomel has the steep hillside Syrah vineyards that make up this bottle. The wine has cherries and cranberries. Tannins evident but soft. Have to call this good value at 5 years old. 13.5%

TIME OUT. tBoW wonders why he does not taste the same stuff he reads in other reviews. For example, here is a nice brief review on the same wine.

"The 2003 Crozes-Hermitage could easily be a luxury cuvee. Dense purple to the rim, with hints of incense, licorice, creosote, tapenade, blackberries, and cassis, it is tannic, medium to full-bodied, ripe, rich, and heady. We stole this wine from the distributor!! Drink it over the following 12-15."

Agree the wine is a steal. I missed the licorice altogether. In fact I would say it was not there. Licorice is easy to smell and taste. Tapenade? Creosote? I had to look these up. Olives (Provencal dish) and coal tar (from beech wood). I love olives. I was in the Languedoc and am confident I ate tapenade. No olives in the wine I tasted. I also know coal tar from when I had some "hair issues" and used the stuff as treatment (Successfully thank you). I know that aroma. More to come as tBoW blows the whistle on the aroma wheel of bullshit.

Care to examine two innovative designs by Frank Gehry? [ed. NO? Take a look at this Rolex? Real gold.] Enter here...and consider...what does it mean when the world's most famous architect knocks off his own work...

first examine the Disney Hall in LA...completed 2004...

now consider the museum in Bilbao...completed in 1998...

In certain professions basing one's own work on the ideas of others is not only the highest form of flattery it is the preferred protocol. For example, in medical research or many academic disciplines, new research is always predicated on old models and studies. Is it any different in architecture? What does it mean when an architect replicates his own innovative style in new settings? And isn't it worth wondering if Gehry was inspired by Gaudi, the great Spanish architect, in creating his Iberian building?

Send in your own thoughts. Especially architects that love wine.

1997 Williams Selyem Allen Vineyard Pinot Noir: As Dotoré purges his cellar tBoW benefits. We opened his 1997 Richioli Riverblock at the last Super Bowl. Loved it. Fact is the wines from WS are best enjoyed in their youth. In my experience the Allen is among the slowest WS wines to come around. At 11 years this bottle is not spry but it still has some hops. Maybe not as spectacular as the Rochioli Riverblock but nothing to sniff at. Perfectly balanced. Showing some red brick color in the bowl. The first impression is how delicate. Like a dragonfly showing wonder and light. We can smell and taste the figs. "As good as California pinot gets" declares Dotoré [ed. obviously he is coming around to you position that WS trumps Rochioli in sheer pleasure which was originally noted by IGTY]. Yes, it is more fruit forward than Burgundies. Aren't all Calif Pinot Noirs? But only Williams Selyem has the candy. 13.8%

2005 Williams Selyem VIsta Verde San Benito County Pinot Noir: Contributed by IGTY. Unusual source prompts discussion about from how many vineyards WS sources their fruit. Where is San Benito County? Hollister, which you fellow Angelenos know is where they grow garlic and asparagus. This is inland farm country on the hottest stretch of the 101 freeway. Nevertheless, against all odds the wine is pretty nice. Has a deeper color than the Allen, but then it is 8 years younger. Rich, more dense flavor, and still delicate consistent with the WS style. 13.9%

2006 Siduri Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir $24: The odd bottle from a highly reputable Pinot Noir specialist vintner. "37% Sonatera Vineyard, 31.5% Terra de Promissio, and 31.5% Hirsch Vineyard" which sounds like pretty good pedigree. Very different form the Williams Selyem wines. Earthy. Like a Gevrey is to a Volnay. Almost (but not quite) rustic. Liked it. Did well in this group. Very nice. 14.1%

2006 Paul Lato Larner Vineyard Syrah $60: Opened it first which was probably a mistake. Should have let it air out. Needed the time. Very intense and focused. Too big too soon. "Hot" with high alcohol. This needs to be aerated. It is a pricey wine but then when you fall in love... you do crazy things! Paul Lato wines are the only ones I am willing to buy from the region. I hasten to point out that Paul makes his Pinot Noir from Santa Maria which is like being on the Eastside of the 101 in Paso. He is now being sought as a winemaker by the premium growers in Santa Rita Hills. I do not blame him for charing premium. He makes so little and his winemaking style is absolutely right when it comes to working with SRH fruit. "The fruit is so muscular it does not need more muscle. I try to give it some grace and intelligence". Hell yeh. 80 cases. 15%

2005 Abbaye de Tholomies $14: Purchased at K&L Hollywood. Grenache based from the Languedoc. The village of Minerve and its historical tragedies at the hands of the Papal armies are documented in another post [ed. with photos of the "island" village]. This wine shows the hot and arid country surrounding Minerve. Highlands, up-river. Hardy country where head cut Grenache and Mourvedre grows well. The "story" is that the winery and vineyards were purchased in 1980s by a surgeon obsessed with quality. Dark red color. Sweet high toned fruit with plenty of backbone acid. The mIssus would call it thin. Call it sinewy, muscular like a dancer (not a gymnast or a diver). [ed. tBoW concedes a lone Olympic reference] Good hot dry fruit. We have happily witnessed the resurgence of Languedoc wines in the past decade. Now will this make me forget Tablas Creek or Gauby? No. But for $14 I can forget a lot of overpriced cabs and red burgs. 13.5%

1995 Weinlaubenhof Alois Kracher Grande Cuvée TBA #12~$80: Not a U20 but a wine probably worth the splurge if you like sweeties. Fantastically delightful and delicious dessert Riesling blend from Kracher. At 13 years there is plenty of time to enjoy this wine. We had it with a cheese plate that matched very well. ..and coffee. Topped off another great meal at Palate. Sommelier Steve Goldun says this vintage is the last of Kracher's more acidic Kracher sticky styles. Apricots, apples, just enough acid to keep it firm. Most amazing...only 12%

When the world seems upside down it makes perfect sense to turn to wines we know and love. We feature a few of these "comfy wines" in this post.

Hot off the press. LA Times covers everything you have been reading for weeks about falling prices on trophy wines, the inevitable rise of New World wines under $10, and the reluctant cancellations of wine club memberships, on tBoW. Click here to read what we already know.

2005 Tablas Creek Grenache Blanc $26: Sweet, with bright acid grapefruit flavors. Released in 2006 this wine is drinking wonderfully, cellared for more than a year. Still has a hint of wood. tBoW taster Tootsie says she's had this before. It's Oroblanco grapfruit. Say what? "In Israel, known as 'Sweetie'. Mid winter Oroblanco produces sweet seedless fruit even in areas of low summer heat. Huge, intensely fragrant flowers and attractive glossy foliage." Read about all kinds of citrus fruits at the Four Winds Grocers website here. I bookmarked it. An omigod 15.3%

2004 Tablas Creek Panoplie $68: [ed. Alert reader points out tBoW missed this price point. This is the release price for TC Wine Club members Serious thanx for the tip.] The TC flagship wine blends 69% Mourvedre with 21% Grenache and 10% Syrah. Like the name it is a "magnificent array" of TC's top red vines. A classic Rhone blend only made in exceptional vintages. Differs from the Esprit de Tablas Creek in two ways: proportions of Grenache and Syrah are reversed and the Esprit includes Counoise. This is big and jammy right now. tBoW team taster the Crackberry Kid distracts himself from his 24/7 mainline to everything anyone needs to know long enough to say "Nouveau Beaujolais". Then he busies himself looking up how many home runs Dick Allen hit in his career. [ed. 351] The wine should age plenty more years. Goes well with thick grilled pork chops and grilled pineapple, onions and red peppers. But it is still not too big or overwhelming. Somehow it seems restrained. Could be the food! 280 cases. 14.6%

Both wines are delicious and encourage the tBoW tasting team that things will get better!!

2004 MacKenzie Mueller Carneros Cabernet Franc $27: Another fine effort. Dark red robe. Cinnamon and spice. Dark chocolate finish. Perfect with steaks. A tad hot at 15.2%

2005 Williams Selyem Flax Vineyard Pinot Noir $54: Beets and smoke on the nose. Rochioli broods while WIlliam Selyem giggles. Cherries and cola (but not cherry cola) flavors. Young enough to show some tannins. 14.4%

Late word from the Crackberry Kid...a panoply is...oh, we already know.

As the Presidential campaign comes to a crushing close we are asked to focus our remaining attention muscles on voting. tBoW urges every reader to follow the same principles in voting that we advocate in selecting wines. People who "buy the label" will vote for the candidate with most seductive TV ads. They will be as disappointed in their candidate as they will in their wines, forced to utter platitudes and faith-based claims that they made a great choice. Folks who read a little will buy a wine for which they have a pretty good idea what will come out of the bottle. They will vote with what's left in their wallets for a balance between quality and value to the consumer. Trust and value and an informed position. Not the "razzle dazzle" Chris Matthews has tattooed on the McCain campaign. [ed. cantcha see Sarah P in this? yoobethca!]

Here are some "blochbustah" wines tBoW has been tasting on the campaign trail.

2007 Rusack Santa Barbara County Rosé $12 (at the winery): Raspberry and peach color. Soft watermelon gummi bear flavors. Made from Syrah and Grenache but you would never know the wine is so delicate and soft. Nice effort. 13.1%

2005 Koehler Syrah Estate $32 (at the winery): Big thick "man's wine". Syrupy and spicy. Hot on the first taste (high alcohol). Blends in with the powerful, brooding fruit. Think Ludwig Von. This has the best and the worst of Santa Rita Hills wines. Blow you away fruit with bowl you over alcohol. 15.1%

2004 Domain de la Chapelle Les Gallieres Chinon $15: Perhaps it was a mistake opening this after the Koehler. The wine could not stand up next to the dark and forebearing Syrah. This is Cabernet Franc however it is harvested not very ripe, somewhat lightweight. Not very much fruit flavors. 13%

2004 Chateau Gaillard Saumur $15: Dirty, flat, uninspired. Because this bottle was purchased from the same wine shop and said wine shop recently lost the clerk who had a sense of what tBoW liked and personally had tasted many of the wines in his shop...it reinforces an important principle of wine shopping. If the Prime Directive is find a shop that carries a nice array of interesting wines, the the Prime Prime Directive is find a sales person in that shop whose palate matches yours. If both conditions can be met then the likelihood of buying two dog wines like these at the same time from the same shop is greatly reduced. 12.5%

2002 Ojai Vogelzang Syrah $33: Unusual nose of garlic salt. Briny and earthy. The Vogelzang planting is in the southeastern corner of the Santa Ynez Valley where it is hot hot hot. The flavors are berry berry full of berry. Smoky, skunky, funky. The wine is well made but not too appealing at this point. Have had this more than a year ago and liked it better. 14.5%

1996 Chapoutier Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac $112 (online today): The ringer, big ticket. A birthday gift to ubiquitous tBoW tasting team leader Dotoré (thank you). A "luxury" cuvee. Classic white pepper all over the nose. Idiosyncratic to some. Elegant to all. Liquer richness and intensity. Seems to be perfectly aged right now. Does not fade quickly. Holds up throughout the meal. Excellent French Syrah. 13.8%

To cancel or not to cancel my wine club subscriptions? The economic crisis (i.e, we gonna have a lot less disposable $$) means making adjustments all down the line. Including wine...and especially wine clubs

tBoW subscribes to a handful or two of wine clubs including 20 year memberships in the Rochioli and Williams Selyem wine clubs. I sell off these wines because they are simply too damn pricey and having tasted 15 consecutive vintages from 1982 through 1997 I have a very good idea about what each winery aims for and how well they hit their marks (very well).

Fortunately, there are enough folks happy to buy the substantial annual allocations each winery offers me. Which someone else buys. However, if my "beards" have to give up buying the entire lot from either winery I will have arrived at the end of an era because I will drop my spot on those lists faster than a Wall Street downtick. Now there is an economic indicator of gloom and doom...when and if I have to drop these subscriptions because my surrogates are tightening their belts, too.

Then there are the comfy clubs. These wineries have more reasonable price points and/or make especially consistent wines that are worth the $$; in fact they are under-valued. One is quite pricey but I am convinced the wines are so special they are worth owning for consumption and not investment. In fact the idea of wine investment is silly. Until recently investing in pricey bottles was a lone mirage in the Sahara of wine trophies. Of course, one could say that about practically any investment now, from housing to gold to mortgage backed "securities". But wine? The $$ appreciation is rarely there. These are trophies owned by folks who need to impress someone else. The investment angle is just another selling point.

What will happen to our favorite wine clubs? You can be certain cancellations have already begun rolling in. tBoW canceled two and kept two favorites open. Mrs. tBoW loves McKenzie Mueller and tBoW is quite fond of Tablas Creek. So for the time being we make some room in the tightening home budget to support these two fine wineries.

Here is one prediction...expect to see plenty of sales in your quality retail shops. This could signal the rebirth of Trader Joes fine wine selections.

2005 McKenzie Mueller Pinot Noir $32 (wine club): Spine. This is what I think of when I taste this and other McKenzie Mueller Pinot Noir wines. The wine is made from estate grapes in Bob's stylistic preference. And that is with spine. Firm structure, strong tannic backbone, delicious high toned pinot fruit. Something like plum flavors dominate. Smoky and even exotic. He does not filter. 14.2%

2001 Soligamar Reserva $18: Practically perfect in every way that meets tBoW standards. Forward fruit neither overripe or out of whack. Low alcohol (13%), structured nicely, balancing tannins with medium weight body. And under $20. Alta Rioja blend of 75% Tempranillo, 20% Garnacha and 5% Mazuelo grapes from old, low-yielding, high altitude vines. Another Kirkland Nation pick. Bravo. In fact bravissimo! I read a review that mentioned eucalyptus, cedar, dark fruit, traces of spice, juniper berry & leather. Huh? We can go with the dark fruit, spice and very soft leather. Sobaté baby. 13%

....and an oldie but a goodie.....

1991 Grgich Hills Estate Chardonnay: What a treat this was. In the 1970s California chardonnay was once the flagship grape, even moreso than Cabernet Sauvignon. Today most of Napa chardonnay are torn out and replanted to Cab. However, a few producers still grown what once known as the grape best-suited for the California climate. Grgich Hills was always considered a master producer and this particular vintage was considered to be one of the most memorable. The color was golden, just shy of orange. Would that be amber? Sure. The nose was spicy, oily like a great Reisling from the Saar. The flavors brought green apples and almonds to mind. Somewhat weighty feel. The best news is we had a few drinkers so there was plenty to go around. It was very very good. This is not the tropical banana fruit chardonnay that dominated the 80s and 90s and resulted in converting so many Napa vineyards to Cabernet. This is a style that we would like to see more of. Only 17 years old. If we were selling (or writing fro the Wine Spectator) we would call it legendary. Let's just say it is a classic with some time left on it. 13%

Movies are not at all like wine even though analogies are easy enough. Movies are widely accessible inspiring a wide range of opinions by many; unlike wine which is often intimidating to the general public with opinions widely offered by a few experts. Films are transitory. Very few have staying power. While one seldom returns for the same exact bottle of wine a seasoned wine consumer learns to look for wines by the same producer or importer. Following films made by a particular director who gets the benefit of the doubt is the same as wine selected by importer Robert Chadderdon just because they are Chadderdon selections.

Actors are rarely as important to the lover of film craft as is the director or writer or even the camera operator. So it is with the label of a particular house or chateau; it guarantees little more than a bloated advertising budget. The region or vineyard is far more important. There are exceptions. Wine houses like Sterling consistently produce a pleasing bottle or three decade over decade, much like Al Pacino consistently fugures in movies of interest if only because he is in them. Nevertheless, one would not run to catch the opening of Pacino's newest romp through the sets the same as one would not hurry to find the newest vintage of Sterling Chardonnay. Yet, it is usually worth a taste if somebody pours some Sterling in your glass or if the next channel is playing Scarface or Serpico or even Dick Tracy. And certain brands like Pacino and Sterling or Duckhorn become iconic transcending the wine or film itself. Say hello to my little wine.

What if wines were critiqued like movies? You could not reveal the ending and you would have to make diversionary chat about the efforts of the stars, writers and director in order not to reveal too much about the story. Is two thumbs up any different or less informative than a Spectator rating of 90 points?

tBoW had a chance to see four of the "buzz" films in the running for an Oscar or three this year. Here is how we break them down; endings and all. Of course, we match to recently tasted wines hoping to illustrate some of the shared qualities.

Slumdog Millionaire: The goofy dancing at the end put me off and I was already bored. The contrived story is compounded by the obligatory shots of Taj Mahal as if to remind the viewer this is India. I kept thinking of El Norte; each chapter a predictable heart breaker. The Abu Graib torture scenes and the kids living on trash dunes should pull plenty of Oscar voters. The message is that India has many young educated people who just want to line dance. tBoW does feel a bit hypocritical having posted videos from Bring it On and Madonna voguing. Sit on your Thumbs and stay home.

2005 Perrin & Fils Chateauneuf du Pape Les Sinards $18: Cannot go wrong with this wine found in the Kirkland Nation bin. Usually young vines, sometimes it can be declassified Beaucastel. Obviously made for the US market which is to say Parkerized. Like the Slumdog movie this wine has everything that feels good with just enough hints of suspense and danger. Good burnt tones and plenty of fruit. Rich and ripe Rhone Grenache and Syrah. Like Slumdog, it is charmingly vapid. A great summer BBQ wine. 14%

Milk: Movie of the year is what we thought as the credits rolled. "Courageous" performances from straight guys Penn and Franco. Well made cinema. Excellent story well-paced. Sean Penn at his best. Effective and clever use of videos from the era (1970s) blended with new vids made to look like the originals. The most interesting appear at the beginning; actual film form "queer busts" from the 1960s before there was even a dream of a gay revolution. Great performances all round. A MUST SEE. Two thumbs up where the sun don't shine.

2005 Colomé Malbec Estate Vino Tinto Gran Altura $25: Argentine wines are getting more press as high end retailers turn to South American wines for value and quality. tBoW is surprised this wine receives little exposure. Colomé has the Hess pedigree, a great story (highest vineyards in the world), the right price point and a great wine. Just like Milk has Sean Penn, guy on guy kissy face, and a modern day political martyr. This wine (covered in an April tBoW post) is rich without being over-ripe, balanced and lush. A winner. 14.9%

Benjamin Button: tBoW would never see a film like this until it showed up on cable. Big studio, glossy label, big stars, big story. Titanic meets Dorian Gray. Like seeking out and buying a 100 point wine the result can only be disappointing. Was I wrong. In this kind of film the story (F. Scott Fitzgerald) and the script (Eric Roth) have to be really strong because an actor like Brad Pitt never carries a film of this wide scope. He works best with a buddy like in Fight Club or Snatch or even Troy; all roels with personality twists. Pitt is very good. Nawlins is his co-star. The story crosses continents, has Nazis, some light sex and a strong set of supporting characters and actors. Titanic meets Forest Gump. Could sneak in as Best Pic on the flag-waving vote aided by the Slumdog backlash and the Obama-Milk votes. Two thumbs in your popcorn bag.

2007 Two Hands Angels Share Shiraz McLaren Vale $30: Big new world wine at the lower end of the "collectible" new world wine price scale. Competes with Dead Arm and such. Wine Speculator gave it 92 and placed it on their top 100 list (#83). At 6300 cases it does not come close to Argentine production volumes. The wine is very ripe, too ripe for tBoW but perfect for the "big studios" (Parker, Wine Spectator). Strawberries galore. See the movie instead. 15/5%

The Wrestler: Mickey Rourke's comeback told through a simple story of triumph in failure using whatever eroding strengths one has left at the end. This film testifies to the range and diversity of interesting movies in 2008; perhaps best film year since 1969 when Ratso Rizzo and Joe Buck lost squared off with Rooster Cogburn and Mattie Ross. Mickey Rourke's performance is riveting. Can't help but see this as his bookend to "Pope of Greenwich Village". Rourke plays compulsive loser as well as anyone. Unlike Button and Milk this is not big studio. Instead we get a hand-held camera panorama of New Jersey suburbia and turnpike strip club interiors. More like Blair Witch meets Boogie Nights. Could Tarantino have made this? Doesn't he wish he had? Rourke plays Randy Ram, a pro wrestler on the last thread at the tip of the end of the line. Then he gets a heart attack. His "love interest" is a stripper played by Marisa Tomei. I gotcher courageous performance right cheer. At 44 years of age she grinds it out on stage nipple rings flashing. Then she plays her straight scenes without makeup showing facial lines and the honest weariness of a career way down the slippery slope. This is guts. 4 thumbs in both eyes.

2006 Domaine Alfred Goss Creek Central Coast Pinot Noir $14: Buying another bottle of wine full of bad signals(Central Coast Pinot is a bad idea) from a region that is trying to get in alignment with its terroir (Paso should focus on Rhone varietals) and from a vendor that has a W-L record close to the Detroit Lions, is reckless. Like casting Mickey Rourke in a small screen film. The local Wine Cask outlet has an irresistable sales staff who either have bad palates or no say in what they are told to sell. However, this wine is a step in the right direction for this store. The wine is absolutely rough over the falls [ed. the first sip]. tBoW wonders if these vines grow alongside bramble bushes. The acid is too mean to be simply volatile. It is throat constricting, phlegm cutting. The fruit is there and eventually wins out after 40 minutes of air. Like Randy Ram there is a drop of hope even though things keep going wrong. Is this Domaine Alfred Pinot Noir worth the wait? Not really even at this reduced price. But picking this wine to go on sale is a step in the right direction for the store. 14.5%

Oscar update: I told ya so. Slumdog sweeps. The Academy that chose True Grit over Midnight Cowboy lavished awards on the conventionally "edgy" movie of the season (omigod they show warterboarding!!!). The wine comparison is more obvious than ever. Slumdog is the Chilean wine of films for 2009. While I am not one of those who would say the entire year was less memorable than others have asserted, tBoW did contend that Slumdog was the least interesting of the choices and that Button was the next best thing (Titanic meets Forest Gump; I'm ready for my pitch meeting). The best movie was The Wrestler [ed. think Camille Giroud Savigny?]. I would post a link to the earlier post but it is all so ordinary, isn't it?

If you would like to read an hauteur's intelligent discussion of this year's Oscar films visit the lovely Marianne's blog Unstuck at 40 and read her Feb 20 entry. Can you tell she's a film writer? She can be so RAW it hurts!!!

In the meantime as the Obama economic plan plays to hoots and howls [ed. even the Nation is Barack-unfriendly still I don't think anyone is missing our last Prez] we also await the retooling of retail pricing schemes. There are two strong candidates for the end-of-year U20 best of class list.

And one more thing...check out the Jan-Feb 2009 Wine Speculator cover. Shanken & Co. have finally caught on that VALUE is the story. They even identify 1,000 wines scoring 88 points or more that are U20s!! How pissed are you if your wine was rated 87?!?!

You should not be concerned because you have been onto this VALUE thing for a year or longer. Because you follow thebestofiwnes.com!! Where wine is not some fancy freaking collectible. We drink the shit. And we expect to only drink...uh...the best of wines...at any price but we really like the U20s. Read on my freng and you will find below two winners, one pretender and a very good wine that just costs too much for what you get. Especially compared to the 2005 Mas Belles Eaux Les Coteaux at half the price.

2007 Sinister Hand Columbia Valley $24: Forward, soft, warm fruit. Blend of 62% Grenache, 21% Syrah, 17% Mourvedre. The Columbia Valley wine region is mostly in Washington with a small section in Oregon. Highly variable weather makes growing vinifera extra tricky. The grapes are from vineyards in the Yakima Valley, Walla Walla Valley, and Horse Heaven Hills which are in SE Washington near or on the Columbia River. Here is a useful link to a map of Washington's wine regions. This is a friendly wine that is ready to drink. Not quite a U20 but wait a couple months. And what's with the severed hand? It's historical. "The Sinister Hand label is a family crest - a depiction of a severed left hand that tells the story of a rowing competition among O'Neills and O'Reillys (Owen Roe was an O'Neill). Whoever touched land first after rowing across the lake was rewarded with the land he touched. Lagging behind, one of the kinsfolk grabs his sword and cleaves his hand and pitches it ashore to touch land first. He won the land and eventually ruled over it as king." Okay. 14.1%

2006 BV Coastal Estates Cabernet Sauvignon California $7: Too bad for this wine. Did not like it when first opened and failed to impress several days later. First impression was of a dry mark eraser board. Imagine licking one. Not sure what that flavor/aroma is but it's probably hard to get out of a carpet. When you consider that BV probably made as many cases as an Argentine winery (half million?) and that there are so many very nice Malbec wines from Mendoza available at the same or close enough price point... 13.5%

2007 Domaine Tariquet Ugni-Blanc Colombard $11: Finally a WINNAH from the local WIne Cask!! Tart and sharp when first opened. Not unpleasant, just kind of short in the finish. After nearly a week with the screw cap on tight the melon and peach qualities emerged. 70% Ugni Blanc and 30% Colombard from Gascony. A bit longer in the finish though not much. Judging from the Internet prices tBoW overpaid! Still a huge U20 deal! Imported by Robert Kacher. 10.5%

2005 Coteaux du Languedoc, Mas Belles Eaux Les Coteaux $18: There are a few wine shops around town that should check out the wine selection & sales team at K&L. These guys rarely miss. This classic Languedoc (Corbieres) blend of Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre is another winner. Absolutely delicious right now. I read one online review when it was released comparing it to paint thinner. OK. I respect that. Maybe it was a bit raw on release. Perhaps feral. That's old news today becuz it is just perfect right now which means drink it up all summer long. The only thing that would make it slightly better is if it was slightly cheaper. Best online price is $15 but when you add shipping... Roasted meats, smoky fruit. Purple red. Interesting facts from another website talk a bissel pedigree: This wine from the owners of Quinta do Noval and Chateau Pichon-Baron has taken the wine world by storm and with good reason--even the venerable Robert Parker gives it 91/100. We have never tasted a wine this good from the Languedoc, it is in a word delicious and very good value for a very fine wine. 14%

Next up...March Madness and the inevitable comparison of wines to college teams (like the Bruins and most California Chardonnays).

Some might say the wines reviewed below are wonderfully diverse covering the world of wine tasting. Let's get real. These wines are from unusual places, even off the beaten path. tBoW hopes that is one of the reasons you visit this blahg.

2006 Bruna Le Russeghine Pigato $25: As strange as wine gets. This Ligurian white wine from Pigato is Vermentino AND it is aRobert Chadderdon Selection. Can't get pedigree much better than that. Nevertheless, the wine is downright challenging and tBoW does not use that much-abused term in the [fill-in-the-industry] sense. I had to return for several tastes just to be certain I was not fond of it. Like Terrel Owens. He needs a couple of seasons to convince the faithful he is unlikeable. Not even the sickest Cowboy fan wishes TO had stayed. Such is it with this wine. Bright and acidic almost spritzy. Furniture stripper flavors covers the saltiness and the impression of feline discharge. This fellow wrote about the 2005 version of the wine on his own wine blog. He liked it alot more than the tBoW team. He did a very nice job of describing the Ligurian coast which IS quite lovely and majestic. We usually like Ligurian wines but this is an exception and an unusual miss for Chadderdon. 13%

2003 Clautiere Estate Grand Rouge $26 (club price): Clautiere had the good fortune of buying up a 57 acre ranch with vineyard from an old-time Paso-Templeton Italian farmer. While the place is known for wigs and art they also make nice wines at fair prices. This is their flagship effort, a field blend of 49% Syrah, 22% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Grenache, 10% Counoise, 3% Mourvedre, and 2% Viognier. That is a lot of Cab even with a non-traditional blend. All estate grown. Sophisticated, soft. The blend works very nicely especially nudging aside the vegetal qualities often found in Paso Cabs. The Syrah is rich and dark berried. Gives the wine its best flavors. Aging well. Still Paso, still tasty. 14.8%

2004 Vinisterra Syrah Mourvedre $40: Bought this wine in theBaja's Guadalupe Valley before the narco battles killed that trip. Cannot wait for that to end as we really like visiting there and staying at La Villa del Valle. This is the first Languedoc/Rhone style blend we saw. It is pricey but tBoW needs to know so we popped for the very low production bottle. Ripe fruit, bright fruit. Without the tell-tale saltiness. We like it. Goes very nicely with the food. I guess the point is that certain wines from the region are showing better and better. Now if the government - any government!! - can guarantee tourism safety...13.8%

2007 Estancia Pinot Noir Monterey County Pinnacles Ranches $12: This is classic supermarket wine. Probably a couple hundred thousand cases made. The wine is so incidental and without any style that it is impossible to find a decent sized label image online! The label image is everywhere just never more than 6 kb. That says something about the wine. We can discuss label politics at another time. The wine is immediately recognizable as Pinot Noir...which is good and not so good. This is bland wine without any character. The winemaker might described it as any community school superintendent might characterize her student body, above average. PAirs with anything including ice cream. 13.5%

If you like Pinot Noir and you are going to be in Portland Oregon May 1st and 2nd you will want to check out the Portland Indie Wine Festival. The event features 40 Oregon winemakers selected by panel (Pinot Noir of course) who produce less than 2500 cases annually. Everybody dreams of finding that unknown under-the-radar winery. At least the dreams of tBoW and Dotore' are haunted by the elusive discoveries. We found Paul Lato didn't we (stuck in the corner in the back room next to the storage closet of the now defunct Wine Cask Futures Tasting)? If you cannot make it not to worry tBoW will be covering the 5th annual event. Stay frosty.

Lets' get something straight. The idea that the quality of a wine increases in lock step with its price is specious. It should be obvious to readers of this blog that there are plenty of good to very good to downright ridiculously good wines that cost less than $20. We cover a few (of course) on this post. However, the suggestion that the cost of a bottle of wine is a necessary and sufficient condition denoting quality is.....what is the word.....S-T-O-O-P-I-D.

Better criteria include region, i.e., where the grapes are grown; grower, who is the farmer and what are his preferences in wine growing practices; winemaker, what is his portfolio; and finally price, are we being asked to pay for advertising, vanity and a private jet. And if you can't dig the detail then you can take the shortcut and simply buy the importer.

[ed moment: Slate magazine's wine editor Michael Steinberger posted a recent article on this very same idea of "wine shopping shorthand" first proposed in tBoW in Oct 07 and Jan 08.]

Robert Mondavi was the greatest wine salesman ever. He created the "wine lifestyle" market which prompted a steady rise in prices without regard to quality or the other criteria listed above. Enter the new frugality. And new criteria for gearing down without losing quality and pleasure, courtesy of tBoW.

2006 Vinsobres Domaine Jaume "Altitude 420" $13: Purchased at K&L wines in Hollywood. Classic Rhone blend that tBoW loves; 60% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 30 year old vines. Gunflint nose (some would say pencil lead), blueberry flavors. Lots of spine (or grip if you are manual). The point is it has backbone, strength, goes past front palate. Typical pepper. Terrific wine. Outstanding value. 13.5%

2007 Doña Paula Estate Malbec $18: tBoW took the wine guy's word at the local Whole Foods and bought this bottle. The kid was on a roll after touting tBoW on the successful Nanni family of wines. Of course, those U10 wines make this look like high end juice. If I was buying wedding wine I would go with the Nanni Tannat for the red and the Nanni Torrontes for the white. But, if I was going to a summer BBQ (plenty of those coming up) with folks I did not know I would bring the Doña Paula. If it was in arm's reach. Here is what you get. Caramelo (not quite Carmelo Anthony), cherry flavors, classic Mendoza Malbec. A winner among the lumpen proletariat. 14%

2002 J Wilkes Pinot Noir Block Q Santa Barbara County $34 (we got a holiday deal): The expanded tBoW tasting team visited Santa Rita Hills in 2004 over Turkey Day. Jeff Wilkes offered to meet us at a Los Olivos tasting room where he poured and chatted for an hour. He told us his story how he went from marketer (18 years!!) for the 800 acre Bien Nacido vineyard to becoming a winemaker. It happens. Makes you wonder if he figured this ain't so tough and I know where are the best plots in the vineyard anyway so why not just buy the juice and put out my own label. We tasted his Pinot Gris and several of his Pinot Noir "block" wines. Intensity on the nose with citric scents. Not quite Pinot. Flavors are equally intense. Focused. Brambleberry and blackberry up front and parsley on the finish. The wine is exotic, delightful, intriguing and delicious. After 7 years it is showing beautifully. Bag it we are taking it home. Nice job J. Wilkes. Note the production was tiny at 215 cases. Worth searching out. Pricier now. 14%

1998 Bert Simon Weingut Herrenberg Serrig Würtzberg Riesling Kabinett $18: Picked this up at Palate after sommelier Steve Goldun poured it with our crab salad. Impressive. How many wines can work with any salad? tBoW has a weakness for the Mosel region. Even though this particular wine is from the Saar tributary, it is still a Mosel. German Rieslings from the Mosel are arguably the greatest wines in the world. The statement seems more than a bissel silly since how can anything be the best in the world? I realize the argument is fun to have...the best car, the best beach, the best Cabernet wine. If you said Mosel produces the best Rieslings in the world tBoW would enthusiastically explore the point. This wine is a perfect reason why. A ten year old Kabinett from a lower profile producer (pronounced See-moan as in Nina) that shows spectacularly. While German Rieslings are recognized as wines that can age beautifully - improving with every decade especially in the case of Auslese from the best vintages - Kabinett wines are for earliest consumption. They go 5 not 10 years. But this one has and it is special. The nose is dried flowers. There is a ferric quality that recalls rust. The color is somewhat rusty and perhaps the flavors are so suggestive they conjure unexpected memories. The slight petrol nose one associates with Saar wines (see Zilliken) is there although muted. The wine is perfectly balanced. At its peak right now. Somewhere between Washington and carb apples. Outstanding. 8.25%

Here are a couple of sites to brush on German Riesling wines. This quick and dirty overview is on the Wine Doctor's blog. Rudi Weist, the importer of this bottle, has many features on his website including this recondite slideshow. And finally, a blog that discusses Bert Simon and this wine (among others). If you read one make it this one.

WEEKEND UPDATE ON UPCOMING TOPANGA CANYON ART STUDIOS TOUR: tBoW travels through Topanga Canyon often. Once a year the Topanga cooperative art gallery hosts a tour of local artists who live in the canyon. This is hands-down the best one day summer activity for people who want to know more about the venerable, charming and mysterious canyon. If you want to see how and where Topanga artists live then you must buy a ticket at the gallery and spend Saturday and/or Sunday June 13 & 14 driving around Topanga. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Bravissimo to Paul and Kyle Smith and the WHWCo crew for putting on one of the best breadth tastings we have attended in many years. The tasting featured the wine selections from Louis/Dressner. Mr. Dressner was there and he confidently assured us the new catalogue has expanded considerably since tBoW included him in our Best of Wine Importers group last year, mostly on the strength of the 2005 Clos de la Roillette which was our favorite Beaujolais in 2007 and a Dressner selection. tBoW faked the rest by cruising the very helpful Dressner website. This guy loves what he is doing which is very good for us. The only issue with Dressner selections is they can be hard to find. Enter Farm Wine Imports, the new distribution company for Louis/Dressner tasked with making sure the days of hunting down Dressner Selections wines are a faint memory. You do want to keep a lookout for these very well priced and made wines. Dressner is as opinionated as anyone in his field [ed. tBoW is being sarcastic having conversed with Neal Rosenthal among others] unusual and thank god for that. His opinions are lively and uncompromising about what represents a wine he would like to share with his customers.

Dressner has assembled a traveling road show of winemakers who were all in attendance at tBoW's local wine hang, WHWCo. Think about it. Wines from twelve estates were poured by winemakers whose first language is French or Italian. They are stopping in San Francisco and New York so stay alert for when they come to your premium wine shop. Tour info is posted at the Louis/Dressner website.

All the wines were very good to excellent. Not a dog in this show. We did find wines we had to have. Without taking anything away from any of the wineries presented, here are the tasting notes for those we found to be the most compelling. Many are described on the Louis/Dressner website.

2007 Luneau-Papin Pierre de la Grange Muscadet $14-$18: Muscadet grown in the Loire is known as "melon du bourgogne". Almost clear of color, like light itself. Very nicely balanced, delicate, pleasing wine. Perfect oyster wine that is "light on its feet". The Wine Doctor provides a complete profile of this house. 12%

NV Terres Dorées FRV100 $15-$19: Worst label you ever saw. Buy a case. Dotoré predicts this wine will be the hit of the summer! Pink and sparkling Gamay. What a great idea. With the low alcohol it will compete wonderfully with Moscato d'Asti. Strawberry supreme. And cree-mee. 7.5%

2006 Domaine Louis-Claude Desvignes Morgon Cote-de-Py $21-$26: Big and beefy Gamay from Beaujolais. The 2006 vintage is known for its superb fruit and added stuffing. This one has the muscle too. The brother and sister winemaking team, Louis and Claude, poured. 6,000 cases total including the next wine. A very civilized 13%

2006 Domaine Louis-Claude Desvignes Morgon Javernieres $22-$27: A bit more feminine and elegant. Lighter weight. Delicate. Excellent. tBoW's preferred style. 13%

2007 Franck Peillot Altesse de Montagnieu Rousette du Bugey $20-$25: Another new grape (Altesse) for tBoW. Ain't it great to go to a wine tasting and try new wines? Tapioca in the nose. Full flavors, middle weight wine. Lush. No tannins. A winner. Here is another terrific blog that goes into more detail about the grape and this bottle. 12.5%

2006 Domaine Marechal Bourgogne Cuvee Gravel $24-$29: Entry level Pinot Noir from Burgundy. The whole reminded me of Dave Dascomb and East Valley Vineyard in Santa Ynez. Local guy making straightforward wines at very good prices. I prefer this Cuvee to other Bourgognes I have tasted recently. Smoky nose, sweet flavors. Beautiful. A bit of gamey flavors in the middle palate. Mssr. Marechal spoke little English and tBoW even less French so WHWCo staff David Russell intervened. Marechal makes 2000 cases of this bottle. He tends 30 hectares, some owned some leased, mostly near Pommard. So there is your pedigree and your selection. Isn't it cool Dressner finds under-publicized vignerons from Burgundy? We think so. 13%

2005 Azienda Agricola Montesecondo Rosso del Rospo $22-$28: Bella Signorini Francesca Padovani poured. Her twin sister Margerita stayed back with their vineyards in Tuscany. The sisters think nothing of clearing land, planting vinifera and making wine. Together. Then they make the traditional wine their way risking DOCG status because they followed their own rules more than the DOCG. [ed. they used the obligatory Sangiovese but only two of the other dozen Ital varietals that comprise Chianti]. But then, who could tell them no? She poured a Sangiovese along with this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, both form the estate. This was remarkable wine, tannic and rich. A wine that begs for steak. It will keep a long time. Ripe and powerful without being overwhelming. 14%

2006 Occhipinti Frapatto $33-$42: My notes say "if there is one bottle of wine I have to have..." This is it but you got to love the funk. The nose is sweaty, funky, off-putting to some but not to the Epoises/Tallegio crowd. Then you taste. Delicate, balanced, sweet. Take a look at the winemaker Arriana Occhipinti [ed. oaky peen-tee] which means "painted eyes". Strong features with soulful eyes. 4,000 cases made in Sicily. I was surprised at the number of bloggers reporting similar moonstruck impression. This is a wine to toss in front of the King (visiting this summer, odd years on his calendar). "Oh Mouse, have you tasted many Frapatto wines? From Sicily you know." [ed. he'll know alright] She also makes a Nero d'Avola which Dotoré acquired. Cool. 12.5%

Everybody knows fine wines are supposed to change over time. The wine's aging process is, for many oenophiles, an essential component of what constitutes "fine wine". However, as long as we are getting anthropomorphic about it, how about some zoology; what about a wine that, over time, changes like a chameleon? Schizophrenic does not fit the wine tBoW has known and documented over enough years - reviewed below by Dotoré - to understand that when Dotoré says the wine is "strenj" he writes with authority. Keeping with the theme tBoW covers a couple other wines recently tasted that are unusual. We like unusual but we also know a Dr. Evil concoction when we taste one.

2003 Babcock Cargassachi Pinot Noir $30 (at the 2004 Wine Cask Futures tasting): Opened this wine the other night (still have 1/2 bottle left for tonight and one other in the cooler). Lots of lessons in that bottle. Wine is really idiosyncratic, almost strange. Very big and multi-dimensional. ŰberPinot. Candy tones reminiscent of WS, but complex like Rochioli. Alcohol not particularly high, especially for SRH, but, for some reason, I still taste it up front. Truth is, not my favorite and, stylistically, a bit of a disappointment. Of course, Mrs. Dotoré loved it. I just don't think it captivates me the way that Burg, or recent Oregonians for that matter, would. To date, my favorite local Pinot (read not Russian River) is made by Paul Lato. Go figure.

2008 Scaggs VIneyard Mt Veeder Napa Valley Grenache Rosé $15 in 500 ml bottle): Pale pale salmon color. The alcohol is prominent even though the wine is chilled as recommended on the label. Gives the wine a smoky but not hot quality. It is somewhat sharp. Upon warming up a bit the wine is much more agreeable. It is not at all sweet. You might call it a "serious" rosé. I am unable to think of another "serious" rosé, in fact, I would regard such a contradiction in concept. Dotoré might tag it "flod". Yes, this is Boz Scaggs label. He does not pretend to be the winemaker which is admirable. 14.1%

2004 Bennessere Zinfandel $20: Just to show that wines which do not taste as expected are not always "off" here is a zinfandel that tastes like something other than zin. And it is 5 years old. The Bennessere label may not be widely recognized. Perfectly delightful wine. I look at the label expecting to see Sangiovese or Barbera. The winery specializes in Cal-Ital and his is definitely on the Ital side of that equation. These are 82 year old vines from St. Helena. Soft tannins, maturing fruit. No raisins or prunes. Proof that Napa really is a winemaking region with ROOTS. 14.6%

tBoW wishes to share a contemporary note on recent social events from Dotoré: The loss of a cultural icon is always felt throughout society. When an artist's work spans generations it is never surprising to observe widespread anguish especially when a lifetime of tragedy and dubious choices is overshadowed by the monumental work of a career. We add our thoughts and prayers to the collective consciousness and bid a heavy-heart adieu to musical pioneer and hitmaker, and LA legend, Sky Saxon.

What happens is you start going through Youtube and before you know it there are two more vids that just gotta get posted.

Rosé, Moscato d'Asti, fresh fruity bracingly acidic and low alcohol white wines. These are summer wines we have learned to adore. And every summer brings a new batch. What is it about summer wines that seem so fresh and new soon as the weather gets hot? As Dotoré might say these are the best days of the year.

2008 Le Saint Andre Vin de Pays du Var Rosé $11: Rosé de Provence that is 25% each Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Grenache and CInsault. Light salmon color. Tastes like a lightweight non-fizzy soda yet serious in a summer rosé context. Like it fine but it ain't the killer summer wine we know will eventually turn up. 12.5%

2007 Vida Organica Torrontes $8: Argentina's great white wine [ed. must you say this every time?] this from Mendoza produced by the Zuccardis, wine royalty in the heart of Argentina's wine country. Floral nose so common to Torrontes. Good acid and medium weight. Tropical flavors just like the label says. Torrontes is consistently lush with natural acidity that brightens it up. Viscosity makes it almost beefy. These are organic grapes, purchased at Whole Foods. It is a real deal at this price. Screw cap and 12.6%

2006 Domaine Gauby Les Calcinaires Cote du Rousillon Villages $24: The red version of the white wine from the same house. Imported by Weygandt. Dark almost black red color. Red berry fruit flavors. A village wine which means it is not very complex or it is exactly what you would expect to find in a local restaurant in southwest France. Put this next to your Qupe Syrah at $12. Is this Gauby twice as good? Is it worth another $12? I think it is twice as interesting as the Qupe but problem is there are some really nice Pinot Noir wines or otherwise in the same price range. So I would rather have the Gauby than the Qupe but then I wold rather buy the Dewey Kelly than both. 13.5%

2007 Belle Pente Wlliamette Valley Pinot Noir $19: Purchased at local wine shop WHWCo. Wanted to visit this the winery when up there last month but they were closed on Sunday. tBoW has reviewed Belle Pente wines a 2005 specific vineyard before. That was in the $30+ range. This is the entry level and we wanted to see if the quality trickled down into lumpen land. Color is light red brown as we expect in a 2007 Oregon PN. Looks like it is aging but it is not. More like tomato soup with burnt red peppers. There is no hint of oxidation. It is just a lighter vintage. The nose is all about the forest floor. Mushrooms, wet decaying leaves, earth. I know it sounds just awful but it is actually decadent. The wine is yummy and I would buy it again. An excellent example of what one can expect from the 2007 vintage in Willamette Valley. At $18 it is a U20 winner. Sorry Gauby. 12.5%

Independence Day produces the usual parties, BBQs and libations. July 4th is not necessarily a wine event like, for example, Thanksgiving. Burgers, dogs and potato salad call for robust reds so tBoW expects to see plenty of Cabernets while hoping to encounter some Rhone style wines as well. And if someone should pop the cork on some frothy fruity high acid white wines, well, that makes blowing off fireworks even better. Here is what we tasted over the holiday.

2007 Moulin de Gassac Guilhem $10: Brought here by Beaune Imports which is an importer to put on the radar. This wine fooled me. It is a traditional regional blend from Mas de Gassac, a Languedoc house notable for its cab wines. This tastes like Cabernet Franc but is a classic southwest France blend of Grenache (the Cab Franc masque), Syrah, Carignagne and CInsault. Somewhat sweet for an old world wine, mild flavors and light weight, almost minty or citric as in orange. Which suggests an Argentine Malbec from Maipu. But make no mistake this is not New World style. 2007 is a lighter vintage. The region is ~3000 feet in l'Herault which is rugged country. Nice U20 value wine. 12.5%

NV Michel Dervin Champagne $26: Acquired from K&L. A blend of 80% Meunier and 20% Pinot Noir. Citric, lemon like, good acid. Very nice. Bright and fresh the way we like it. 13%

2004 Massa Pertichetta Croatina $25: This bottle comes with pedigree and some buzz as an insider's wine. Local vendor WHWCo sold out of 13 cases in a couple days to "Euros". It is high alcohol with the ripe and rich flavors that must accompany high ethanol wines. Zin-like in flavor from the obscure and once nearly extinct Croatina grape (thus the buzz). Tastes Tuscan but it is actually from a lesser known region north of Piemonte. Not our style but a nice wine nonetheless. 14.5%

2007 P2 Pinot Noir Brousseau Vineyard $22: Low production wine made by newcomer under supervision from Brian Loring in Santa Rita Hills. He makes a red, green and blue label signifying different vineyards. This is Chalone AVA which is Monterey. Smoky nose, whiff of bricquets. Hits the upper register and when it opens up it tastes like Pinot Noir. This is lean by Santa Rita Hills PN (while the juice is not SRH the style definitely is) but fat by 2007 Oregon standards. Not the tBoW style but at a slightly more than U20 price it will please many. 14%

1999 Williams Selyem Rochioli River Block ~$100 online: Bologna on the nose, sweet and silky in the mouth. Long finish. Delicate.

2005 Williams Selyem Weir VIneyard $56 (on release): Sweet sweet and sweet, deep tomato red color. Vineyard in Mendocino. It appears these guys have to go further and further to find juice to meet the demand. Am I mistaken here? I think I am losing my flavor for WS wines. Maybe it is the summer season. 14%

2007 Cameron Hughes Los Carneros Pinot Noir Lot 10 $14: Interesting story; these guys are effectively negociants in the tradition of Jadot and xxxxx, buying small lot juice, bottling it under their line(s) and releasing them to market. Light but smoky nose and flavors. Nice enough wine. Easy to take the price. 8000 cases. 14.5%

Due to circumstances beyond our control we spent some time recently in Hawaii. tBoW's Island wine bruddah Kealia Poke (KP) filed this special report.

Hey aloha and here are some tips for where you can find wine in da islands. First, you never know where you are going to run into a Leroy 1986 Mazis Chambertin [ed. online price ~$200]. I sit down for a homey Chinese meal at Little Village in Honolulu's Chinatown near Hotel Street and dis guy next to me pulls that very bottle outta his canvas wine tote along with crystal stemware. No kiddin. Lucky me I know da label and he is so impressed he pours me not one but two tastes. Maybe becuz I pointed out 86 was off vintage but even in off vintage Leroy Mazis is going to be ono. Still fruity although past da crest but not slamming me into da reef. You never know bra'. Wow. And da food is incredible at Little VIllage plus dey get own parking lot.

If you traveling to Kauai you may think you got to ship your own bottles over for $175 a case. And maybe I would have agreed dis decision 2 years ago. But no more. The most beautiful island has at least two wine shops where the vinpire can pretty much satisfy wine craving beyond Clos du Bois. In Lihue you get Wine Garden which carries a decent domestic and international selection at fair prices. Ask for Colette. They also carry Kauai-grown cigars rolled in Honduras. If you further north like Princeville or Hanalei you should check out Kilauea Town Market & Deli. Rosie and Stan have assembled a very impressive assortment of California and old world labels. KP was stoked to see the Vermentino and Rose' from l'Uvaggio di Giacomo at $14. Hey, good price anywhere. And great wine too.

So save your bucks to play da Prince golf course or take da trip down Na Pali coast. One more ting - if you like Hawaiian coffee but tink only choice Kona den you should try Wailua coffee from Daga Hawaii. Al roasts and Dan packs. But you gotta pay Noreen. Dis stuff ono grinds and dey ship to you. Aloha buggas!

It is a very good weekend when jazz at the Hollywood Bowl is followed by visiting art studios in Topanga Canyon. The show at the bowl was better than anticipated. Women artists dominated on stage and in the studios. At the jazz festival Esperanza Spalding, the 24 y.o. singing bassist, was the most anticipated "find". But, who knew about Anat Cohen the Israeli wunderkind on saxophone and clarinet who was musically matched by her trumpet blowing diva hermana, Tanya Darby. The two "stars in the making" fronted Cosby's annual patchwork group of local pros elevating what is usually a fairly ordinary performance to unexpected heights. Esperanza Spalding proved to be the up and coming star every bit the young and fresh artist as the pre-buzz had it. The day of music usually has a couple dead spots threaded within the typically strong early lineup. Not this year. Where we feared an ordinary performance, instead we found Jack Sheldon and his old dude big band ripping the classics followed by Pete Escovedo with the rhythm section worthy of NASCAR. However, just when we were certain the bar would be lowered Wallace Roney channeled Mile Davis as he and his band recreated Kind of Blue to a rapt audience. [ed. click on link for Ed Bradley's video tribute] It was the final unexpected highlight and simply could not be followed. And it was not. A superb day.

Naturally, we brought wine. tBoW has refined the wine strategy for a day experiencing great jazz [ed. with an assist from Dotoré hello]. We have learned not to bring highly nuanced wines because there is just too much competition from the performers, the dueling entourages (Jamie Fox and his we-do-crew vs. Hef and the Ikki twins), not to mention the usual neighborly distractions, for a great Pinot Noir or Barolo. The right wines are summer styles mixing Rosés and light fizzy concoctions with a bright white and a medium weight Rhone style red. Here is what we came up with.

2008 Chateau de Rouét Rosé Cuvée Reservée Tradition $7 (in the split): Easily the best Rosé of this summer. But it is early. Plenty of acid with peach and pear flavors. Dark-ish salmon color. Mineral quality. Subtle and balanced. Absolutely outstanding and a major U20 winner. The Anat Cohen wine.

NV Bernard Rondeau Buguey Rosé Sparkling Wine $15: Contrasts perfectly with the FRV100. As fruity and seductive as is the FRV100 this pink labeled beauty is like Jane Russell to Marilyn Monroe. More acid, some spine without losing any of the curvaceousness. tBoW says it is a mistake not to bottle these wines in magnums only. The Esperanza Spalding wine. 8.5%

2006 Domaine St Andre de Figuiere Reserve Delphine $27: Bright acidic 100% Vermentino purchased at Palate Food+Wine. Excellent dry white wine imported by Paul Young. More minerals with bracing acids. Loved it. The Tanya Darby wine.

2007 Domaine Les Grands Bois Cuvée Les Trois Soeurs $12: Another Palate purchase. Imported by Peter Weygandt. Steve G has picked out a fabuloso U20 all-star lineup for summer. This Rhone blend features the favorite tBoW lineup, i.e., Syrah-Grenache-Mourvedre. Rich color, great ripe fruit, full bodied while staying medium weight. Another seductive drink that matches all food items and satisfies throughout. Bottled unfiltered. The Kind of Blue wine. 14.5%

And the Topanga tour? Always a treat seeing what the local very talented artists like Susan Haskell and Farideh Azed are doing with glass. The canyon offers vistas and sights we would never guess were up the hill and down the road.

Good night Granca.

As though there were no red wines for hot days and warm nights summertime is allegedly for fresh white wines and sparkling fruity wines like Moscato d'Asti. NOT. There are beefy and manly pinks and there are also Pinot Noir and Beaujolais that work in the 80s at 8:00. Sometimes you even find a 21 year old memory on your table in front of you. Here are several of da kine.

2007 M. Chapoutier Belleruche Cotes du Rhone $14: tBoW does not see pink wine from this mainline Rhone producer so we had to give it a try. Mostly Grenache and Syrah. Alcohol in the nose and mouth (level is a bit high for pink) but plenty of fruit. Reminds me of the 2006 St Andre. 13.5%

2006 Trenel Beaujolais $11: tBoW reviewed this almost a year and half ago so old habits must run deep. It is still a winner. An import from the mysterious Robert Chadderdon. Delicious Gamay fruit in excellent balance. Not showing much age 16 months down the line. Quite tasty. Serve with a slight chill. Works with all kinds of summer meals from burgers to pasta salad. Also excellent value. 12.5%

Giacomo Bologna Brachetto d'Acqui "Braida" $25: Looks like a Piemonte label because it is another one of those fizzy summer red sparklers from Barolo land. We got to know the style at the recent 100x summer tasting. This one is a bit more sophisticated than the Icardi which is not to say it is nay better, especially for another $8. Nevertheless, it is delightful. Strawberry pop with a bit more kick from the flavors, not the alcohol which is perfectly light beer level. Buy it instead of the $17 Icardi? Not likely but no regrets. 5.5%

Chateau Saint Pierre Cotes de Provence Tradition $14: tBoW recalls buying Freddie Cannon's Palisades Park when he thought it was Johnny Horton's Battle of New Orleans. Same serendipitous confusion here. Thought this was another St something from Provence. Wonderfully lean Rosé with plenty of melon flavor and just enough spine to make it serious. Good value for a very light salmon color fine wine. Like Palisades Park; not a mistake at all. 13%

1988 Leoville Las Cases $33 (on release): Dotoré pulled this Super Second Bordeaux from the recesses of his cellar. There are 5 first growth in Bordeaux, none from St Julie. Leoville Las Cases is the premier wine from that district. 21 years old and fresh as a daisy. Has the distinct Bordeaux pencil lead nose and dried cranberry flavors. Red brick color heavy on the red. Perfectly stored and in outstanding condition. The tBoW team realizes Cabernet Sauvignon is the lone varietal that can span continents in style and recognition. Not that Napa can produce a Cabernet Sauvignon exactly like this one BUT at least the chracteristics are distinctly similar. Wonderful wine. A midsummer treat on a Sunday evening outdoors. "11% to 13%" (per the label- how quaint)

As summer dissolves into the hottest week of the season, the wine menu starts to get just a little sketchy. As if the sky was whispering "dude - you've lost your focus" any and everything seems to show up on the table. At the back end of a strong streak that began with clear focus (Moscati, Rosé and Beaujolais) and inspired adventure (the Riesling tasting) we are closing up shop on a wailing summer with a potpourri of ennitingoze; a grab bag of inspired picks, accidental finds, and other strenj items.

One very inspired pick is Venice's new wine store - El Vino Wines - on Abbot Kinney. The glaring omission of this quintessential artsy neighborhood has been the absence of an equally inspired wine retailer. Until now.

Bart and Caroline Miali are two wine geeks who opened their concept of a timely (e.g., tons of U20 wines), and well considered wine store (just about every wine tBoW likes including Rieslings imported by Bill Mayer). tBoW loves wine geeks. How can you tell a wine geek? One surefire way is if he tries to sell you a red wine from Austria, like a Zweigelt. Wine geeks are legendary in the collective tBoW memory.

Dotoré and tBoW were blindsided long ago by Terry the paunchy postman and Burgundy geek/fiend at a holiday tasting. He poured tastes from two bottles of Cros Parantoux; one made by the uncle Henri Jayer and the other by his nephew Emmanuel Rouget. Like we could tell. As he carefully explained the differences in winemaking styles for these heavy hitters of French Pinot Noir production from these extremely rare bottles we came under his spell. When we asked what was the cost to purchase he looked at us like somebody farted. With sweat beading on his upper lip he answered "oh it's not a question of price....but availability."

Like a vampire bit us. In case we never thanked Terry let me now say God Bless You Terry and can we have some more. [ed. in defense of the early stage burg fiend nimrods D & t, suffice it to say this experience would be like getting introduced to baseball by watching the 1927 Yankees.]

If you find yourself riding along Abbot Kinney and want to check out a really nice store then stop at El Vino and let Bart sell you a splendid Austrian red...reviewed below.

2008 Milagro Farm Chardonnay $15: A small winery in Temecula's Romona Valley run by Jim Hart, son of the Hart Family Winery pioneer Joe. Aged in Hungarian oak with 30% going through malolactic fermentation. The wine is fruity and crisp. Fresh flavors showing ripe fruit and minerals. Being snobby, we seldom expect much from the region - Hart wines being the exception to that bias - so this is a nice surprise and an excellent U20 value. 14.1%

2007 Chemin des Papes Cotes du Rhone $13: Creamy nose, deep red color. Mild and easy to slurp U20. Soft tannins. Nothing fancy but at this U20 price... 13.3%

2005 Poggio Belevedere Arneho-Caprai Umbria $18: Acidic, slightly high strung 80% Sangiovese and 20% Ciliegiolo. Fruity with cola and spice. No oak. Nice wine and if you are Tuscan fan a great U20 value. xx%

1997 Sori Paitin Barbaresco $70: From the tBoW cellar from a heralded vintage. Dirty nose but not corked. Dark fruit flavors. MIddle weight. All in all kind of mediocre. Did not open any further. Now that we have tasted several Sori Paitin wines I gotta tell ya..ennhhh. 13%

2007 Spaetrot Gebeshuber $17: Straight off the El VIno shelf with the highest recommendation. Not just anyone can talk me into buying another Austrian red. But here we are tasting a Gebeshuber from the Thermen region. This is like a softer peppery Syrah. It is delicious and fits nicely with the hot summer evening chowing down on duck and chicken. Do check out the website as it is quite informative. They bottle a Pinot Noir and I think they blend it! COOL. Now I have to return to El Vino to get some more. Next time maybe Bart may has the Reserve? I am already thinking turkey dinner. 13%

Becky Wasserman is choosing and Russell Hone is pouring Red Burgundies. Not only do you get to try great wine, you also get to hear great stories and enjoy a couple of well spent hours. This entry continues coverage of the Woodland Hills Wine Company tasting of Becky Wasserman Selections. tBoW covered the whites, pinks and sparklers in the previous entry.

While Becky staffed the white and pink flight her husband Russel Hone [ed. greeting us above] handled the Red Table. The wines were all very good. What was really special was how the wines became better as we moved up the ladder...really better.

2007 Saladin Cotes-du-Rhone Loi $15.30: Red purple color. Thick but not quite 30W motor oil. Stinky nose. 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Carignan and 5% Bourboulenc. The 2007 vintage in Rhone was notably HUGE. Should we be drinking the 06 Rhones if we are put off by the big forward fruit? Not with this wine. It is big but not TOO big. 60% Grenache, 20% each Syrah and Mourvedre. Yummy rich flavors. Would be nice to compare with something similar from Tablas Creek. A top quality U20 wine. 13%

2007 Domaine Les Grands Bois Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Les Trois Souers $12: This is NOT a Wasserman wine but I thought I might mention it here as a typical example of the rich and fruity and very California-like 07 Rhone vintage. The color is inky black purple. Weight is very thick. Dotoré decribes the 07 Rhone vintage as "this year's vintage of the century". A big shouldered wine at a very good U20 price. Plenty ripe if not overripe. 14.5%

2007 Bize Savigny-les-Beaune Aux Vergelesses 1er Cru $37.80: Spicy peppery nose especially for French Pinot Noir. Fruity wine but still "light on its feet like it should be." [ed. credit that to WHWC staff David Russell] 13.5%

2006 Bachelet Cote-de-Nuits Villages $30.60: Funky gamey nose. Love it. Will take several years. Structured but ultimately simple. Slightly tannic. Raises issues about where you might best spend your sheckles since it is a village wine. More on this coming up. 13%

2006 Lignier-Michelot Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvee Bertin $39.60: Now we in da good shit. We are told by the very knowledgable Mr. Russell that Lignier is a young winemaker based out of Morey St Denis with vintages beginning with the millenium. One acquires Burgundy vineyards in only three ways: inheritance, marriage or oodles of cash. David points out this is an AC wine [ed. quality wine produced in a superior region but not that superior] that combines fruit from two vineyards formerly bottled separately. This wine is striking on presentation. Lots of funk, skunkweed, and spice. Some call it forest floor but I believe that applies when the aromas are more integrated and maybe not so rough. Gevry often makes this impression on tBoW. This is brawny stuff. On second pour it shows sweetness and ripeness. Excellent effort. 13%

2006 Burguet Gevery-Chambertin Place des Lois $54: Bowled us over. We like it mucho when there is a wine that is simply stunning, truly special. It reinforces our belief that wine can be magnificent, delivering stimuli beyond a good buzz. This is that wine tonight. Sublime. Caramel nose. SImply beautiful. Pure Pinot Noir flavors. Delicate, balanced, showy without being a show off. This is where great Barolo meets great Burgundy. Right here with this wine. This also solves the sheckles dilemma. Why spend $30 for a village wine when you can spend $40 for a grand effort like the Lignier. But if you are crossing the threshold for a very nice and exotic wine like Lignier then you may as well go to $55 and buy something that will seduce your senses and knock your socks off...gently and soothingly. Turn in my U20 card. We bought it. [ed. turns out this was a very good price since Internet searches showed prices 20% higher] 13%

We close with a photo of an anonymous taster chilling in front of Paul Smith's Wall-o'-Wine.

This is the way it is supposed to be. Hanging out at the local wine haunt - Woodland Hills Wine Company - tasting 13 wines imported by tBoW's top Burgundy importer - Becky Wasserman - on a late Friday afternoon.

The Divine Ms. W showed of 7 white wines (including a couple Rose's and three sparklers) and 6 reds. We present the white flight in this post. Saving the red post for next week. If you are chagrined or disappointed please find solace in knowing Paul Smith, aka Mr. WHWC, did admonish the tBoW tasting Team for not heading straight to the good stuff.

The event was well attended without ever being too crowded. A $40 entry fee was more than fair especially given that earlier in the week the same wines were presented with food for $225! Note the prices quoted were reduced 10% for the event.

Parigot Cremant de Bourgogne Brut Rosé $20: Pinkish color, weedy nose which was not unpleasant. Good spritz, surprisingly alcoholic for a light alcohol wine. The problem here is the summer is closing and tBoW team still has pank product to move through if you get my drift. 100% Pinot Noir. 12.5%

Berthelot Brut Champagne Reserve $33.30: Yeasty nose. Nutty almond and green apple flavors. Interesting blend of 40% Pinot Meuniere, 35% Pinot Noir and 25% Chardonnay. 13%

Camille Saves Brut Champagne Carte Blanche 1er Cru $49.50: Pears on the nose. Also a bit soapy which could have been the glass but I do not think so. Pretty nose, creamy texture and flavor. 13%

2008 Saladin Côtes-du-Rhone Rosé $15.30: Dumb name for a very nice U20 great pink summer wine. This domain had a red offering, too, that was also well priced and outstanding. This is mostly Grenache. Has a spicy nose. Firm spine. The way we like rosé wines. If it weren't so late in the season...although this would hold up nicely to the Thanksgiving bird. 13%

2006 Bachelet Bourgogne Aligoté $22.50: Aligote is always interesting. Some call it the poor man's Chardonnay since it is grown in Burgundy. tBoW wonders if that is the US impression or if it is of French origin? Yeast and tannins on the nose. Twigs. Acidic and lean. Nice for the varietal. You have to like the style to like the wine. Never caught on with tBoW. 12%

2006 Bret Brothers Pouilly-Fuisse Le Clos Reyssie $30.60: Creamy yeasty nose. This is Chardonnay like you just do not get in the New World. tBoW taster IGTY points out a recent Wall Street Journal article on the follies of California Chardonnays; in two words oak and butter. Like taking a cube to a tree and trying to drink it. Not this delicious wine. Clean flavors, not too tannic. Tastes like Chardonnay. We bought it. 12.5%

2007 Bize Savigny-les-Beaune Blanc $27: Acidic, lean. Fruity lime flavors. Another Chardonnay winner. Contrasts very nicely with the Pussy Fussy. We bought this one too!. Here is a nice website on the winemaker Patrick Bize. 12.5%

This finished the "light" flight. The tBoW tasting team headed away from the bar and over to the table manned by Becky's husband and partner in crime who was pouring 5 Pinot Noir wines and one Rhone blend. Read all about it next entry.

Here are a few parting comments on the social aspects of a tasting like this one.

Dotoré made a new friend, Bruce. He is a jazz trombone player who has sat in with Ella. After spending much of the tasting chatting with Bruce I helped him pick out some Argentine Malbecs. We lost track of Bruce at the sales counter so if you are reading this entry Bruce please check in. Dotoré wants to share more jazz stories.

Dotoré also immediately made a good impression with Becky by praising the Chateau Fitou imported by her last year. She was pleased a consumer [ed. at least a seasoned consumer] remembered and praised the winemaker who searched out old 60 y.o. Carignane along with Syrah and the array of other old vines in the Languedoc Rousillon. "Everyone think he's crazy for seeking out these small old vineyards no bigger than this store."

She is a darling and we completely enjoyed speaking with her. Like both her sons, Peter and Paul, she has an encyclopedic knowledge of French wines. We missed thanking her for the great tasting so tBoW thanks her right here and now in the blog. Thanks Becky!! Keep 'em coming!!

Being an SC football fan is a lot like loving Barolo and Burgundy. You hope every year will bring a championship banner but it just cannot be. Just like with Burgundy, we never really understand why every bottle labeled Chambertin is not championship quality. And, like USC football, there is always a year that just does not measure up to the highest expectations of the only team in this cow town that has a chance of realizing high expectations. Like 1995 in the Cotes de Beaune and Piemonte...nnhhh. Those Toe-jams just about broke Mrs. tBoW's Cardinal & Gold spirit!

Thank goodness there is always The Bird. Thanksgiving approaches and we have to start thinking about wines to serve. Let's be honest. I'm talkin' Dotoré honest. The tension is between serving the lumpen good wine while simultaneously matching a wine to the demands of an over-the-top meal. It's like wine calculus! This day of celebration demands some great wines. We have the time to enjoy but we cannot throw pearls before turkeys. Or can we? [ed. how 'bout Ducks or Huskies]. It is the season of giving. Pour a decent Pinot Noir - Willamette or Cotes de Nuits - then follow it with an older Barolo.

With the meal wine hardly matters. Many guests' palates are already impaired by plonkification [ed. consuming too many wines purchased at the supermarket]. They will be unable to discern between a Franciscan Cabernet and the 2008 Touraine. Make sure there are plenty bottles of Cabernet and Zinfandel on the table. Hoard the Beaujolais, Cahors and Rhone wines. Hut hut.

And do not forget dessert...wines. We begin with a couple of special dessert wines recently tasted.

1978 Ridge Zinfandel Late Harvest High Residual Sugar: Paso Robles fruit. 10.5 residual sugar referred to as Essence. I suppose the equivalent of a German TBA. Soon as I sipped it a vision of cups of sugar being poured into a pitcher of citric ade popped into my head. The sugar was tactile. Balance was perfect and complemented the cooling late summer early fall evening. 16%

1988 Lamborn Family Vineyards Autumnal Harvest Howell Mountain Zinfandel: One of the old time Napa cult wines...from the 70s. The winery specializes in Zinfandel and Cabernet. The history of winemakers includes Randy Dunn and Heidi Barrett (currently). They make 900 cases. This particular wine showed firm acidic, caramel flavors. It smoothed out with some time. Ripe prune flavors at the finish. The tasters generally preferred the Ridge. 17%

Here are several recently tasted dinner wines.

2008 Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough $14: Refreshing, restrained grassiness so true to the varietal and not overwhelmingly grassy the way many New Zealand SBs can taste. Good fruit. Tasty. Unlike the older dessert wines above this U20 prize can still be found around town. Try K&L. 14%

2006 St Cosme Gigondas $35: Another wine that can actually be located in your local wine store! This Rhone blend features Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault. You get all the thick dark fruit and smoky flavors you can ask for. It is NOT like an 07 monster wine from the Rhone. Compared to those blockbusters this is almost tame. It is nicely balanced and still powerful. Not at all rustic so expect a smooth delivery. Also at K&L. 14.1%

Me I want a hoola hoop! The holidays are coming and going in a blur this year (thankfully). 2009 has been tortuous for most of us given the ubiquitous economic "recovery". Tanks Gott the recession is over according to Bernanke and Supreme Blowhard Larry Kudlow!! This does not mean we cannot enjoy being with friends and family while we resist the urge to purchase items that demonstrate our supreme affection for members of both groups [ed. how tender]. However, rest assured the occasion for gathering is always going to be enhanced if the host pours some decent wines. We certainly found this to be the case in the Christmas week and will probably find the same truth to hold for the New Year. The usual gatherings at Casa tBoW featured most of the blog blowhards and they were clamoring for wine wine and more wine. Please excuse the fuzz tones on photos. Here is what got pulled. We hope your holiday party was equally filled with family, good friends, the Singing Chipmunks, and, if not good value, at least good wines.

2005 Nuits St George Aux Saint Julien Earl Daniel Bocquenet $50: If you want to buy a mixed case of wines from one source then you cannot do much better than North Berkeley Imports and Wines Shop in Berkeley CA. Like Kermit Lynch down the street they work with particular French producers so the consumer gets to try wines that can be referred to as under the radar. Here is one. Dark and brooding color for Pinot Noir. Separates Nuits St George from the Beaune. Delicious fruit. A little tight at first. Plums and cocoa. Pencil lead up front from the tannins. Tried again two hours later and the next day when the wine had finally opened fully. Think rustic style with elegant fruit. Nothing tastes like this! Dotoré says a "hand crafted wine." Absolutely. 13%

2004 Saxum Broken Stones $50: Dotoré rightfully cannot understand why I buy this wine. Like the coccyx is a vestige from our simian origins so buying ridiculously overpriced wines at absurdly high alcohol levels the remainder of a former "wine collector". I guess I can't help myself. 75% juicy, dense Syrah, 22% thick Grenache, and a smidgen of Mourvedre. We turned to the aerator which made a huge difference in readiness. Without aeration this brooding monster was like a young Shaq in the lane. Imposing, unrelenting and rejecting! Once mellowed by instant aging the wine showed its complexity. The nose is spicy, mineral, with green olives as well. In the mouth there are black olives, cocoa and rum toffee flavors. No heat form high alcohol. This is Paso wine at its best. The new world definition of complex. Despite the big fruit and high alcohol the wine shows restraint and control, excellent balance of flavors that offset the alcohol, a sure hand at work. 15.6%

2007 Pierre Chermette Beaujolais $15: From Peter Wegandt of Weygandt-Metzler Imports. Peter has a great lineup and this is a star within his Milky Way. This is precisely the kind of wine tBoW favors. As we have said so many times in the past what is not to like? Weighty fresh fruit flavors, balanced perfectly, satisfying from the first sip to the last. U20 perfection. Read about the producer at the W-M website. 12%

2005 Tablas Creek Tannat $42: Traditional grape form Languedoc region. TC has an acre planted. Very dark color. A bit hot on the first taste which is the alcohol showing. Acid balanced by sweet fruit. Some mintiness. Smoky, gamey, leathery. Can go quite a few years. Very nice wine made for big holiday meals. 14.8%

2006 Domaine Saint Andre de Figuiere Vielles Vignes $16: Getting figgy wid it. 75% Vermentino and 25% Semillon. From the producer that made last summer's best Rosé. The kind of non-traditional blend they can make in Languedoc. A wonderful wine. Fig flavors and nose. Soft acids. Exquisitely drinkable. 13%

2007 Vom Rotem Schotter OTT Riesling $36: Austrian Riesling picked up at El Vino Wines in Venice. Artisan wine. Plenty of bright lively acid really sets this one off. Balanced, fresh, lotsa lime and flinty flavors. The young folks who usually drink tequila love it; they did not ask for salt. 12.5%

2001 Salomon Undhof Kremser Koegl Riesling Reserve $30: The contrasting Riesling. Also Austrian, softer acids, older vintage. A single vineyard wine with strong reputation from a region with 600 years winemaking tradition! Oily texture with stuffing. Muted nose. Prefer the younger style! This could use more fruit. It is most likely we should have opened this on its own instead of the party setting. 13%

The photo above and below are the same 30 foot "tree" constructed of shopping carts. I am told this is an annual installation. You can check it out in Venice on Main Street behind Peetes Coffee. Afterward, you can taste wines at El Vino on Abbot Kinney!

Thanksgiving is an extravaganza to be indulged at every age. The day is all about indulgence in your favorite activities. AMC has all the Godfather movies. There are college hoops, college football and the pros. A buncha abundanza. Many folks will make some effort to re-enact or recognize the "first" Thanksgiving. There will be plenty of political talk at the table. Some adult may look at everyone and suggest everyone say what are they thankful for today. Should that happen here is how tBoW will reply [ed. it did, he did].

I am thankful for being alive during an era of wine production that is wonderfully wide ranging in terms of regions and styles. I am thankful the Parker era is finally past. I am thankful that I am living at a time when local wine bars are sprouting like truffles in the fall. I am thankful Dotoré takes my calls and that I have plenty of great friends (IGTY, Mouse, M&J, Large) and family (Mrs. tBow, tBow kindt, the TOs) [ed. Turkey Queen stage left, her creation above] who have good palates and appreciate wine because it is so interesting.

What about the Bird? A partner-in-wine is essential if the guest list will be lengthy [ed. Large partner below]. The T-day meal has become a vinous gauntlet. The only thing missing is Sly Stallone to shoot/punch/explode the corks off the bottles. Yo Pinot! Cut me Mick. G'head. Do it.

Maybe you dined at your sister-in-law's like we did. Did she produce a fat brown bird or two bathed in truffle suffused butter? Stuffed with oysters and cherries? The only part of the Thanksgiving meal I will concede has gotten out of hand is the license for anyone to make an awful side dish...and serve it. This year it was a candied yam casserole topped with mini marshmallows. Like Billy Wilder's closing line from "Some Like It Hot", when Jack Lemmon pulls off his wig so Joe E. Brown can see he has just proposed to a man in drag Joe E. replies...nobody's perfect.

Here is what got opened.

NV Charles De Fere Blanc de Blanc $10: That is correct sir. A U20 champagne. Yeast streams out when the cork is pulled. Acidic, citric but not lemon or lime. Have to go to the flavor wheel. Has a bite. At this price, quality, alcohol level and cachet it is a wedding planners dream. From Du Vin, an outstanding wine shop in West Hollywood. 12%

2006 Domaine Alary La Grange $14: French Rousanne and another U20 winner. Good tannins with soft fruit makes it an easy Old World pick. Imported by Weygandt-Metzler makes it another easy pick for price and quality. 14.5%

2005 Sea Smoke Southing $50: The big ticket big rep wine of the day. Went so quickly tBoW could to get a second pour! Muscular strong nose. Alcohol is in your face. Extracted fruit. For my palate it is hard to distinguish Santa Rita Hills Syrahs from the Pinots. So excuse me for saying these wines are completely over-rated. There are quite a few other Santa Rita Hills fruit bombs out there less than half the price. Dotoré has a 2001 and a 2002 that will be sampled shortly. Large and tBoW Jr loved it. So call me a curmudgeon. Maybe if I could have gotten that second pour...? 14.7%

2005 Andrew Murray Syrah Roasted Slope Vineyard $30: Speaking of SRH Syrahs here is one of those often touted. Sweet juice. Nicely balanced. So unlike Old World Syrah, i.e., no roasted meats or coffee flavors. Like the other SRH/Central Coast wines best with food. 15%

2004 Linne Calodo Sticks and Stones $145 in Atlanta restaurant: If you like a big alcohol jammy fruit bomb this is your wine. Matt Trevanian likes non-traditional blends however this is his Rhone style from Paso Robles; 57% Grenache 23% Syrah 20% Mourvedre. In the moth it is still somewhat restrained for a really ripe wine. 15.8%

2006 Palama Mavro Salento $29: Picked this up at 55 Degree Wine shop in Atwater Village in LA. Charcoal nose less pleasant to The Large who likened it closer to paint thinner. However, it was agreed this Southern Italian wine from Puglia was the best with the Bird. Middle weight blend showing rich dense dark berry flavors that contrasted well with the Central Coast wines also strutting their stuff. 80% Negoramaro 20% Malvasia. Special thanks to blog with same interests for the label image! 13.5%

1985 Conti Boca $40: Score a double win for Italian wines. The Mavro took down the Bird Trophy while this rare and unusual wine took the Wine 'O Day hardware. This wine was contributed by Chef Tash (picut4d above) who learned of it at a Barolo tasting. It is in the northernmost corner of the Piedmont. At 24 years the wine is on the downside although that should not be taken to mean it is "over the hill" or any such diminution. This is sipping wine. It is like a great Barolo made in the style of the Piemontese old masters, think Giacomo Conterno and Rinaldi. Funky muted nose right away that opens for the next hour. Deep red brick color. The wine blends Nebbiolo with a local varietal Vespolina and sometimes Bonnarda. Like classic Barolo it is slow to open but as it does we get the delicate if masculine flavors of the high hillsides. All tannins have melded. Soft, pure, delicate dark fruit. A treat. This is the kind of wine that I will guarantee locals in the know [ed. Nino of Da Felicin] are sure to collect. Please read about the region's vinous history, this particular house, and this particular vintage! 12.5%

Black Friday observation...the watch collection from Burberry advertised in the Nordstrom catalog seems without inspiration. This is the best they can do? A Timexwith a "signature" plaid strap?

The NFL playoffs is a good mark for looking back on the holiday season. Like the San Fernando Valley from the Top of Topanga after a big wind, the holiday wine landscape is suddenly brilliantly clear. Landmarks stand out so much better once the air clears. So much wine flows during the Christmas-New Year there just is not enough room to cover it all in one post. Here is the first of two.

2005 Fitou Bel Armant Chateau Champ des Souers $15: Toffee nose. Have covered this twice before on this blog. And we still like it! Very appealing flavors, soft, vanilla, fruity juice. Balanced. A Becky Wasserman import, a U20 wine, and one of her personal faves. Here is hoping we see more recent vintages. 13.5%

2004 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel $39: This cork got pulled during the tBoW Xmas Affair. To the winemaker's credit the well-wined crowd immediately slowed their conversations and took notice. Nice! Hardy wine. Agrarian?? Sophisticated and showing very nicely at such a youthful age. Kudos to Jason Haas. This series is destined to be the house mark. 14.5%

2003 Chateau Redortier Gigondas $19: After the more innocent party-goers had guzzled another glass of delicious juice our guest posed the $100 question "how do you know what to buy?" This is a compliment and the clearest recognition we are pouring nice wines that represent great value. The answer is "buy the importer like this one who is Robert Chadderdon". This is Syrah dark and with a dirty nose. We reject the bret option because there is also pepper and the fruit in the mouth is pure. As the wine opens the dirty nose blows off and the deep dark Syrah flavors get richer and deeper. Excellent wine. 14%

[ed. lacking label images we turn to pro football images and analogies]

2008 Cortese Frizzante Dell Alto Monferrato Terredicino $13: Don't you just love it when a guest brings an unexpectedly wonderful wine? This is Miles Austin of Italian white wines, completely surprising and far exceeding expectations. Not really spectacular but so dependable he could become your go-to-wine. Let's not get carried away. Biletnikoff he ain't but he does a pretty good impression. The wine is stone dry, bone dry and fizzy. Flinty like a musket barrel. It is very refreshing and the price is so good the guest very thoughtfully brought an extra bottle! 12%

2004 August Kesseler Rudesheimer Berg Roseneck Riesling Spatlese $40: The best wide receivers can turn a game around in one play. This wine, like Randy Moss, is highly touted, has an oily feel and telltale petrol nose. There was much talk about Randy stinking up the Patriots with his pouty aroma around mid-season. He turned up at season's end only to disappear in the Big Game. This Riesling has apricot flavors but not too sweet nor high acid. The same bottle was brought to a different party where it also showed well. But has the showy and much admired wine, like Moss, started its inevitable downward slide? 10.5%

2007 Domaine de L'Ancienne Mercerie Faugères $17: Imported by Peter Weygandt which is always a good signal. Dark, brooding chocolate flavors. Mostly Syrah, medium weight, exactly what we like from the Languedoc region at this price point. 15%

Next week conference championships and a chance for Dotoré to get some playoff pool redemption and start the March to find his Mojo.