Wines From Other Parts
August, 2008
europe (besides france) and southern hemisphere
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July 31, 2008 
"PETALOS" Bierzo, $25
by Descendientes de J. Palacios 2006
Petalos is a member of the BRW Hall of Fame for popularity and yumminess. This, our third vintage of the wine, is as good as its predecessors. And that's very good. From Northwest Spain. The grape is Mencia, seen almost exclusively in this tiny wine region. Get violets, peppercorns, dark berries, coriander, blueberries. Medium to full bodied, wonderfully aromatic, big-boned, great with stronger fish dishes, roast pork and exotic meat stews. Do as I and have some fun cooking to match the Petalos.
July 31, 2008
SCARPETTA Pinot Grigio IGT delle Venezie 2007, $20
This new label from Frasca Restaurant Owners Bobby Stuckey and Lachlan Mackinnon (Boulder, CO...they are French Laundry alumni) is the real deal in Italian Pinot Grigio. Crisp, intense, full of lemon zest and with a pinch of stones & fragrant herbs, the Scarpetta tastes great by itself, but belongs on the picnic table with a cornucopia of summer vegetables and zesty dips.
July 24, 2008
LÍCIA Albariño, Rias Baixas 2007, $18. Holly and I drank this at ZUZU, our favorite Napa tapas restaurant, just the other night. I loved it and ordered it for the store the next day. Crisp citrus fruits and apricots. High acid: tangy but not tart. It's so very refreshing. This is exactly what Albariño is supposed to be. If you need an introduction to the grape, look no further.
March 31, 2008
Here are notes from Steven Tanzer's International Wine Cellar on the fabulous Riesling and Gruner Veltliners from F.X. Pichler in the Wachau, Austria.
F.X. PICHLER Riesling Loibner "Berg" Smaragd 2006 ($69 net). Pale green-yellow. The nose displays terroir-specific notes of greengage plum, flinty minerality and crushed black pepper over a subtle background of celery and lentils. Highly concentrated flavors of damson plum and juicy yellow peach are framed by perfectly integrated acidity. This harmonious wine finishes with a saline impression of extract and strong minerality. Should develop in bottle for a long time: drink from 2010 through 2025. 95 points.
F.X. PICHLER Gruner Veltliner, Loibner "Frauenweingarten" Federspiel 2006 ($32). Pale green-yellow. The nose displays apricot over a pleasant background of celery and lentils, along with a hint of tobacco. Medium in body, with a crisp texture and firm structure. Intense greengage plum and lemony nuances linger impressively on the finish. Drink 2008 to 2014.
F.X. PICHLER Riesling "Von den Terrassen" Federspiel 2006 ($34). Pale green-yellow. Intense white peach, apricot, lime and lichee on the nose. Light to medium in body, with racy acidity giving the wine lovely lift. Lime and minerals linger on the finish of this refreshingly juicy wine. Drink from 2008 to 2014.
February 27, 2008
RIGLOS "Gran Corte" Malbec/Cabernet Sauvignon
Mendoza, Argentina 2005 ($50) This is the most excited I've been about an Argentina wine (that's NOT $100 a bottle). The great Paul Hobbs consults on this Malbec/Cab Sauv blend from the high vineyards of Argentina. Power and complexity combine to make this super-concentrated, layered, spicy, well-endowed, expensive-tasting modern red wine. Drink a bottle of this "Gran Corte" and you understand why Argentina serves huge slabs of amazing grilled steak. It's a perfect match...if you like steak, that is. DEFINITELY DECANT TO GET THE FULL FLAVOR.
January 17, 2008 (By Ryan Graham)
MEULENHOF Riesling "Erdener Treppchen" Kabinett* Mosel-Saar-Ruwer 2006 ($20) was thoroughly enjoyed at our home last night. The "Treppchen" Vineyard is among the best and most famous in the Mosel, overlooking the banks of the river. Muelenhof is know for making particularly big, rich, and ripe wines, and this 2006 is no exception. The star (*) after kabinett is placed there by the producer to denote something different about the wine. In this case the star denotes the fact that is actually well up into Auslese ripeness. Lovers of big, super rich Rieslings, step to the front of the line. Big backbone of mineral balances the ripe fruit, with citrus, white peach, and subtle spices. This may very well be one of the best values in the wine world on the market today.
January 9, 2007
ELENA FUCCI AGLIANIC0 DEL VULTURE "TITOLO" 2004 ($50/Bottle), from the Basilicata in Southern Italy, is one to hide away in your cellar for 5 to 10 years...at least. The Basilicata is near the bottom of Italy, on the Mediterranean side. The Aglianico grape is one of power, ripeness and acidity. All the pieces are put together for a wine that will develop slowly and profoundly. With this perspective, Titolo is darn good value. More about the vineyard: it's 2000 feet high, and is made of volcanic ash and rock. Harvest here is late for Europe, typically starting in early October. The Aglianico grapes achieve new world ripeness and still keep their acidity. We tried "Titolo" last week, soon after it made it ashore, and we really liked it. Intense berries, crushed rocks, black pepper, bay, cocoa came through. That written, it was tight, and just isn't budging right now, no matter how much you cajole. We recommend it highly, and recommend even more highly that you stash it in your cellar and forget about it until at least 2015.