Archive for October 2010

Home Archive for October 2010

Here’s a post for Spanish wine geeks (I include myself in this category). This is just an overview of a few of the principal wine regions.

The top wine producing areas in Spain are classified under the Denominacion de Origen (DO) system which supports 67 official areas across the country. These include the classical appellations of Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and Priorat, the white wine regions of Northern Spain: Rias Baixas and Rueda, and the emerging DOs of Campo de Borja, Calatayud, Jumilla, and Toro. Spain’s famous sparkling wine, Cava DO and the fortified wines of Sherry (Jerez-Xeres-Sherry DO) in Andalucía are also noteworthy.

The two regions of Rioja and Priorat are classified as the higher status Denominacion de Origen Calificada (DOCa).

Rioja DOCa: The classic red wine region of Spain, Rioja lies just south of the Cordillera Cantabria in the Ebro River valley. Tempranillo is the dominant red grape variety with Garnacha (Grenache), Graciano, and Mazuelo grapes also permitted. A small amount of dry rose and white wine is produced in this appellation with Viura being the traditional white grape variety.

Ribera del Duero DO: Famous red wine region situated on the valley slopes of the Duero River. A genetic variation of the Tempranillo grape variety, Tinto Fino, is used to produce intense, dark- fruited wines. Small amounts of Garnacha and Cabernet Sauvignon are also planted and sometimes used for blending.

Priorat DOCa: Powerful red wines produced east of Penedes noted for its rocky soils. Wines are primarily produced from Garnacha and Carinena (Carignan) grape varieties. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah and Tempranillo can also be part of the blend.

Rias Baixas DO: Located in NW Spain in the province of Galicia, this region produces crisp, tangy white wines from the Albarino variety to pair with the fresh local seafood.

Rueda DO: White wine region located west of Ribera del Duero DO produces mouthwatering wines from Viura and Verdejo grape varieties. Some Sauvignon Blanc is also planted.

Toro DO: Adjacent to the Rueda DO, this region specializes in purple-hued, full-bodied red wines produced from Tinto de Toro (Tempranillo).

Jumilla DO: Warm southeastern DO produces complex and structured red wines featuring the Monastrell (Mourvedre) grape variety.

Campo de Borja DO & Calatayud DO: Located in Aragon, these relatively new DO regions (1980 and 1990 respectively) feature mostly red wines from Garnacha and Tempranillo and often represent very good price-to-quality values. Some white wine is also produced including dessert-style Moscatel.

Cava DO: The sparkling wine of Spain, Cava is primarily produced in the Penedes region from approved varieties Macabeo (Viura), Parellada, Xarel-lo and Chardonnay. Cava Rosada can contain the red grapes Garnacha, Monastrell and Pinot Noir.

Jerez-Xeres-Sherry DO: Located in SW Spain, Sherry is the legendary fortified wine produced from two white grape varieties: Palomino and Pedro Ximenez. Seven different styles of sherry are made ranging from delicately dry to richly sweet: Manzanilla, Fino, Amontillado, Palo Cortado, Oloroso, Cream and PX (Pedro Ximenez). The neighboring Montilla-Moriles DO near Cordoba produces fortified wines of similar style and character from 100% Pedro Ximenez grapes.

Jim Greeley, Wine Supervisor, SW Florida

On Monday we had the pleasure of visiting a new Champagne supplier in France, Charles Mignon. The export manager, Gaetane Gobance, explained that most of Charles Mignon's Champagnes come from Grand Cru vineyards or Premier Cru villages. This of course led us to ask numerous questions about Grand Cru and Premier Cru Champagne and here is what she said.

From 1900 onwards, some punters with a penchant for statistics started to roam through the region while tasting grapes, drilling for soil samples and measuring hours of sunshine which resulted in a classification of vineyards. If all factors are satisfactory the vineyard will get a score of a 100%. These are called Grand Cru Vineyards.

The basic quality of the vineyards is expressed in percentages and to make things easy for us a number of percentages are rearranged in so-called cru’s:

Grand cru (100%)

Premier cru (90 - 99%)

Other cru (80 - 89%)

In theory, vineyards that have been classified as Grand Cru vineyards supply better grapes than Premier Cru vineyards. There are only 17 villages of 312 boasting Grand Cru vineyards (13 % of vineyards): Ambonnay, Avize, Ay, Beaumont-sur-Vesle, Bouzy, Chouilly, Cramant, Louvois, Mailly-Champagne, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, Oiry, Puisieulx, Sillery, Tours-sur-Marne, Verzenay et Verzy.

Moreover there are only 40 villages of 312 with Premier Cru vineyards (17% of vineyards): Avenay, Bergères-les-Vertus, Bezannes, Billy le Grand, Bisseuil, Chamery, Champillon, Chigny les Roses, Chouilly (PN), Coligny (CH), Cormontreuil, Coulommes la Montagne, Cuis, Cumières, Dizy, Ecueil, Etrechy (CH), Grauves, Hautvillers, Jouy les Reims, Les Mesneux, Ludes, Mareuil sur Aÿ, Montbré, Mutigny, Pargny les Reims, Pierry, Rilly la Montagne, Sacy, Sermiers, Taissy, Tauxières, Tours-sur-Marne (CH), Trépail, Trois Puits, Vaudemanges, Vertus, Villedommange, Villeneuve Renneville, Villers Allerand, Villers aux Noeuds, Villers Marmery, Voipreux et Vrigny.

The villages without classifications: This is the most used denomination and concerns 255 villages of 312, the equivalent of 70% of vineyards. A lot of winegrowers have only a part of their vines in a village classified Grand Cru or Premier Cru.

The friends I like to drink wine with are a pretty savvy group: they know the good ones when they taste them, and they appreciate the quality, especially when it is one of my bottles. Fortunately, wine friends love to reciprocate! But even most of these friends don’t consider buying Bordeaux as futures, and they are missing the boat!

Bordeaux futures simplified: In the spring every year, the Bordelaise offer to the trade a chance to sample the new vintage, while the wine is still in barrel. The trade, including Robert Parker and others, assign preliminary scores to each wine, and publish the results.

The estates release a small amount of the wine for sale to negociants, who in turn offer it to their clients, like ABC. We then offer it to consumers with the knowledge that they will pay now, yet not receive the wine for 2+ years. Not for everyone, especially since you have to ante up now…and what will you drink today?

There are a number of reasons to consider buying futures, as long as Bordeaux is something you enjoy. Most importantly, the wines are usually more expensive once they hit store shelves a few years later, so you are almost always saving some cas … but in today’s marketplace, supply plays a part, too. Many of the top wines, as well as most of the small estates, only make so much wine for the world demand. To ensure you get the wine you want, futures may be the only guaranteed way, since many of the wines never make it to store shelves.

Some would argue that buying on futures is only viable in ‘GREAT’ vintages, but I suspect they are buying them only in great vintages because the prices for the top wines escalate dramatically in these vintages. Certainly more people buy futures in the great years, which makes the most sought after wines even more scarce, driving up the price even more. Or perhaps they intend to resell them? It is, after all, an investment.

I typically buy a few cases every year, but certainly not the great wines. I don’t have enough patience or money. I look for wines that represent great value and are in my budget. I get them at the lowest price possible, and once they arrive, I have 12 bottles to experience over the next 2-5 years. The great value wines never last in the stores, but what a feeling I get when I open an old one with my pals, knowing the bottle is no longer replaceable, knowing what I paid for it, and knowing how much we are enjoying it!

Interested in Bordeaux futures? We are currently offering the last of the 2008 vintage, due to arrive in the Fall/Winter 2011……..and the 2009 vintage, arriving Winter 2012. View our selection at www.abcfws.com.

--Shayne Hebert, Wine Supervisor, Central Florida

As I travel around our stores and talk with wine drinkers at every level of experience, there are a few questions that invariably come up, one of the major ones being – Does cost really equal quality with wine?

It’s very easy to be wow-ed by the higher-priced wines. Licking our lips, we stare at the bottles of Ch. Lafite-Rothschild (at around $800 a bottle) or Penfold’s Grange (at about $400) resting securely behind glass in a temperature-controlled room or unit in our local ABC Wine Country wine store. We squirm with anticipation at the Roederer Cristal Champagne or the Gaja Barbaresco or the Diamond Creek Napa Valley Cabernet, and try to imagine how good these wines can be; how wonderful it would be to have the ready cash to be able to buy them on a regular basis, or even just once, just to say we’d done it! Could they really be so much better than the $12 wines we drink most evenings?

Well, of course the answers to these questions will be largely subjective. If you happen to have a few million dollars to hand and you truly love Petrus, then yes, the cost will probably equal the quality to you. On the other hand, if your pocket and taste preference runs to a California Hearty Burgundy, probably it will not.

The fact is that while all of the wines I mentioned in the second paragraph (plus the Petrus, of course) are truly superb, a wine’s cost is not so much an indicator of quality as it is an indicator of rarity. Think about it – a renowned vineyard or winery can only grow so many grapes and make so much wine in any given vintage. It’s not like a distillery or brewery where if you’re running low you simply buy more ingredients and make more (with all due respect to the differences in hops, barley, and their origins). If you want to purchase and taste the results of a given harvest from a particular vineyard, and enough other people want to do the same, then you’ll have to pay their price.

But it’s important to remember, too, that wine is a living thing, and just as most people wouldn’t choose just one kind of music to fit all of their moods, or expect all of their friends to think and act exactly the same, so different wines fit different occasions. (I have a friend who wants every wine to be a Mahler symphony – big, bold, intense, and grand. But surely wine, like music, should be chosen to fit the mood or requirements of the moment. I don’t always want to sit for two hours pondering the universe of a Mahler symphony. Sometimes I prefer the light airiness of a Bach Sarabande, or the mellow sadness of a Frank Sinatra ballad, or the aggressive rambunctious-ness of Audioslave. So it is with wine, too.)

So by all means buy that bottle of Clos de Vougeot if you can afford it – its very rarity will turn the moment into an occasion. But remember that there are many mid-priced and even downright inexpensive wines of excellent quality that are perfect for everyday drinking – wonderful fresh and crisp young whites that sizzle on the tongue and are perfect for the patio or as aperitifs; delightful dry rosés that pair perfectly with warm sunshine and lunchtime meals; and pleasant easy-drinking reds just made for outdoor grilling or easygoing consumption with friends.

It’s all in the eye of the beholder!

Bill Stobbs, Wine Supervisor, West Coast

Part of what I do in my job is to hold wine tasting events in our stores. We do small, two bottle tastings on the weekends in most of our stores, but the tastings I’m involved with are larger events. These wine tastings are held three times a year in our larger stores and give our guests the chance to try sixty to ninety different wines. We have local restaurants sample food, along with some of the gourmet foods we carry. We held an event last night, we have a smaller forty bottle tasting this evening, I did a small thirty person charity event on Tuesday night and we are the lead wine vendor at a large 2500 guest charity event on Sunday. Saturday night I will be a guest at another large charity wine event in downtown Jacksonville…busy week! Not all weeks are as filled with events as this week, but there’s almost always something going on.

I certainly recommend you look through your local newspaper or the “what to do” section (check online calendars, such as www.localwineevents.com) and find a wine tasting, large or small. These are terrific ways to broaden your wine horizon, test your palate, increase your understanding of the different wines out there and just enjoy an evening with people that share your love of wine.

I always try to have our guests sample wines that they don’t normally drink. I’ll ask them what they usually drink and then find a wine on the table that is everything but that. These tastings give you a chance to try a wine and if you don’t like it, try a different one, no harm, no foul. Look for wines that you may have heard or read about but never had the chance to taste. Many people sample wines by the price tag, the more they cost, the more they taste. Surprisingly, they discover that price and enjoyment are not always equal.

I would also recommend that you make a point to ask questions about the wines. Where are they from? What is the blend? What foods would be the best match with the wine? You can have a great time and also walk away with a little more knowledge about a beverage that offers so much more than just something to drink. So check your local wine websites and newspapers for a wine event and…taste!

Ken Amendola

Wine Supervisor, North Florida

Just got back from Lake County, California, where Clay and Margarita Shannon played hosts to five of us during a brief visit to their wineries in Lower Clear Lake. Harvest was well underway and crush had also commenced. The area was in the midst of an atypical Indian summer - warmer and longer than most. It appears that 2010 will go down as one of the later harvests on record.

Lake County is located just north of Napa Valley along the Mayacamas Mountains and is home to five designated American Viticultural Areas (AVA): Clear Lake AVA, Red Hills AVA, High Valley AVA, Benmore Valley AVA and Guenoc Valley AVA. These appellations are ideal for wine grapes and for years much of the local juice had been added to Sonoma and Napa Valley wine and used for North Coast AVA blends. Lake County’s reputation for high quality and good value compares favorably with the more famous, expensive and sometimes pretentious Napa Valley to the south. With wine drinkers seeking quality and value for their dollar these days, the region is finally garnering a degree of recognition from the wine press and general interest from the consumer.

This trend is just the tip of the iceberg or, more aptly, the base of the volcano. The area is rife with volcanic sub-soil, and Franciscan shale; leftovers from extinct Round Mountain and dormant Mount Konocti. Higher elevation and the large expanse of Clear Lake also contribute to the diverse micro-climate which includes warm days and cool nights. This effect expresses itself in the fresh, ripe and balanced wines that typify the best of the region.

Clay Shannon owns vineyards in Clear Lake, Red Hills and High Valley. He also dabbles in the production of first-rate lamb.

The principal grape varieties grown locally are Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Petite Sirah for reds and Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, for whites. There are parcels of Barbera, Tempranillo, Syrah, Roussanne, Viognier and even some experimentation with Malbec.

ABCFWS staff on hand included Tampa metro-area Wine Consultants Elise Cordell, Shannon Moody, and Peter Berke plus Gainesville WC Pete Shipley. Together, we spent the weekend touring the vineyards and tasting the wines that comprise the Vigilance Vineyards, Shannon Ridge and Cross Springs brands. Other highlights included hand-picking Sauvignon Blanc, sampling grape must from the crush, and talking shop with winemakers Gregory Graham, Mark Burch and Mike Wood. We even participated in a sheep round-up (more on these activities in future posts).

BTW, two terrific wines sampled during our stay have recently arrived at our stores: Shannon Ridge Ranch Collection Chardonnay and Vigilance Vineyards Cimarron (a red blend of Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Tempranillo). Both these wines are delicious and excellent examples of what this exciting wine region has to offer. Cheers!

Jim Greeley

Wine Supervisor SW Florida

A few months ago saw the passing of one of South Africa’s pre-eminent wine producers and social philanthropists, Graham Beck, at the age of eighty. Mr. Beck was a self-made entrepreneur who prided himself in bringing jobs to thousands of people and thereby improving their lives. His varied investments and interests included renovations, the mining industry, international thoroughbred breeding (he owned the Gainesway Farm in Lexington, Kentucky) and – beginning with the purchase of the Madeba farm in Robertson in 1983 – the wine industry. He later became a partner and then owner of the Douglas Green Bellingham winery, which he sold in 2006, and bought and developed important properties in the famous South African wine areas of Franschhoek, Stellenbosch, and Constantia.

Having a bold and insightful approach to life, his dream was to produce wine to the “highest possible standards.” He was a recognized leader in environmentally friendly farming in South Africa. As he states on some of his labels – “Farming in harmony with nature means healthier crops, more responsible wines and a better life for future generations.” The Graham Beck Winery will continue to operate as it always has, in respect of the final wishes of its visionary leader. It will continue to be “A South African Family Winery.”

With this in mind, let’s look at some of his excellent wines –

Steen (a.k.a. Chenin Blanc) has traditionally been South Africa’s claim to white wine fame, but few can stand up to the quality of Graham Beck’s Game Reserve Chenin Blanc 2009 ($15.99), which shows ripe pineapple, melon, peach, and honey flavors on the nose, is full and juicy on the palate, and has a crisp and refreshing finish. I don’t know anybody who’s tried this who hasn’t loved it for its bold fruit flavors and crisp acidity, including myself.

But don’t forget that South Africa makes some excellent Sauvignon Blanc too, and a delightful one is Graham Beck Sauvignon Blanc 2009 ($13.99). Originating from their Franschhoek winery, this wine has typically grassy, green fig and gooseberry notes on the nose, followed by tangy tropical fruit on the palate. Enjoy this one as an aperitif, or at lunch with fresh figs, parma ham, and calamari salad.

Traditionally, Pinotage has been the red grape that was South Africa’s own, but watch out for their Shiraz, which is even better. The Graham Beck Varietal Selection Shiraz 2004 ($13.99) is a real beauty. Using both open fermenters and submerged-cap tanks for flavor enhancement, the wine is matured for 12 months in French and American barriques, and has rich, spicy flavors and complex layers of ripe fruit tannins. Pair this wine with grilled meats, venison, rich casseroles, Carpaccio, and smoked fish dishes.

A class wine that drinks very easily is the Graham Beck Shiraz/Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($11.99). This is a blend of 61% Shiraz and 39% Cab which has a rich and spicy Shiraz nose with layers of berry flavors, and supple Cabernet Sauvignon fruit and tannins. Perfect with lamb, veal, duck, or roast chicken.

The big boy among the reds is the Graham Beck Game Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 ($17.99), which has a great complexity of black berry fruit and cassis on the nose, spicy mineral and cigar box flavors, a rich, juicy, intense palate, and a long lingering finish.

With the end of year holidays coming up, don’t forget the sparkly. Amongst my favorites right now are the Graham Beck Brut N/V and the Graham Beck Brut Rose N/V (both $17.99). The Brut is made from 53% Chardonnay and 47% Pinot Noir, which of course are the major Champagne grapes. Made using the traditional method, the wine underwent secondary fermentation in the bottle and was left on the yeast before degorgement. The Brut Rose is 58% Chardonnay and 42% Pinot Noir and has an alluring silver-pink hue, a nose redolent of raspberry and cherries, and a hint of minerality. Flirtatious and fun, yet elegant and structured, both sparkling wines are perfect for all seasons and settings.

--Bill Stobbs, Wine Supervisor, West Coast/South

Note: all prices and vintages reflect what we have on our shelves today--they are, of course, subject to change.

The vineyards of the Loire Valley stretch from the middle of France to the Atlantic coast following the westward flow of the river. The multitude of wine styles is determined by the variety of climates and soil types.

The vineyards south of the city of Angers are predominantly planted to Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc.

Some highly individual dry reds and whites are produced under the Anjou Appellation as well as the very popular mellow Rose d’Anjou. The sweet style of Chenin Blanc has its own Appellation of Coteaux du Layon.

Some of the finest dessert wines in the world also come from this area and bear the Appellation of Bonnezeaux and Quarts de Chaume.

Bleu schiste of Bonnezeaux at Ch de Fesles

Some of the best sites are located right outside the small village of Thouarce, where the Chateau de Fesles is also located, perched on top of a hill above the river and surrounded by old vines.

Chateau de Fesles makes a spectacular Bonnezeaux from very old vine Chenin Blanc. On a recent visit to the winery we were able to sample wines from the current vintage back to 1921.

Bonnezeaux, old vines

What differentiates Bonnezeaux from other famous dessert wines is its approachability at young age which doesn’t hurt its longevity. Even the very latest vintage showed complexity, varietal and terroir character. With time these wines reach levels of complexity rarely achieved elsewhere. The memory of the purity and elegance of the ’21 Chateau de Fesles (its color was identical to the 2000 vintage) is still haunting me.

Ch de Fesles

The 2000 (500 ml bottles) and 2002 (375 ml bottles) vintages of Fesles Bonnezeaux are currently available at ABC and are quite possibly the best bargain on quality dessert wine on the market.

Enjoy before meal or after with light fruit or cream based desserts; all-time favorite is crème brulee topped with fresh raspberries and a glass (or two) of 2000 Chateaux de Fesles Bonnezeaux!

Other great wines from the area not to be missed are the Dry Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc from Chateau de la Roulerie both priced under $12, as well as the mellow Rose and Coteaux du Layon (baby Bonnezeaux) from the same winery. The passionate winemaker at La Roulerie is Philippe Germain.

Philippe Germain (left photo) and Thierry Germain

Wine is a family affair for the Germains for more than three generations, going back to their origins in Bordeaux. Philippe’s brother Thierry has embraced the bio-dynamic approach to farming vines at his Domaine des Roches Neuves. His 2004 Terres Chaudes (100% Cabernet Franc) is available for less than $25. Bernard Germain is Philippe and Thierry’s father, and is the man behind the wines of Chateaux de Fesles. Other Germain properties include Pechaud, Peyredoule and Maine Gazin in Bordeaux.

Talking to one of my longtime wine friends the other day, we were commiserating on how difficult it would be these days to start a wine collection focused on Bordeaux. When he began collecting in the early 80s he could find First Growth Bordeaux from the 1982 vintage for less than $60.00 a bottle, Super Seconds for under $40.00 and well, you get the idea. Granted in 1985 the dollar went quite a bit farther than it does today but the 2009 vintage of those same First Growths are going to retail for around $900.00 a pop. When the 2000 First Growths were released at around $400.00 we thought they would never sell at those prices but they were sold out in no time. Now, even in this economy, those wines are selling at auction for nearing $2000.00 a bottle. If you were buying these wines as investments it would be difficult to find a better return anywhere. We used to carry many older vintages of the five 1^st Growths of Bordeaux. I had around 40 different labels in my ABC alone. This all changed after the prices were released for the much heralded “Robert Parker’s reviews” of the 2005 vintage. At $700.00 plus you could buy a 2005 First Growth or bottles from the great, proven vintages such as 1982, 1986 for the same price or much less. These wines were approaching their peak or could be cellared for another decade or more. If I had the kind of money it took to buy these wines, I would do the same thing. In just a matter of months it seemed as if every older vintage of the 1^st Growths we carried was sold out.

This conversation began because my friend had just celebrated his 65^th birthday the other day with a 1982 Mouton Rothschild he bought at a Napa Valley wine store in ’85. He bought a couple of the many cases they had stacked of Mouton along with cases ’82 Pichon Lalande, Lafite Rothschild and others. He is now down to bottles of all of these, along with many other of the great vintages of the 80s, and 90s but no longer buys these wines because the prices have gone through the roof. Even now, the prices of the “Super Seconds” such as Ch. Léoville Las Cases, La Mission Haut Brion (La Mission Haut Brion is not a second growth. That is in the Médoc. La Mission is a classified growth of Pessac-Léognan) are selling for the same prices as the 1^st Growths were just 6-7 years ago. Don’t get me wrong, there is still a lot of great Bordeaux to be had at much more affordable prices, but the days of splurging on a bottle of First Bordeaux, at least for now, are over for people like me. Hopefully, we will see the day when you didn’t have to be a CEO, professional athlete, or Russian billionaire to buy these great wines.

-- Ken Amendola, Wine Supervisor, North Florida

A highlight on my recent trip to Rioja was a visit to state-of-the-art Bodegas Baigorri in Rioja Alavesa. It was certainly a memorable experience. The highpoint of the afternoon featured a sumptuous four course lunch paired with a selection of their wines. I recall noting that the majority of them were very good.

One of the wines, a 2004 Rioja Crianza, has just arrived in our stores this week. Eager to see if it lived up to my recollections, I took a bottle home to try the other night to compare with my tasting notes.

First a little background. As a matter of habit, I keep a pocket-sized black notebook with me at all times to record tasting notes. To be honest, what I jot down as an entry in this “journal” would never be confused with the flowery prose that constitutes the typical professional wine review a la the Wine Spectator or Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.

More to the point, what I often set down with pen to paper is a staccato of short, terse, one or two word descriptions that have more in common with Morse code than a wine critique. Sort of like boiling the whole wine tasting exercise into wine-speak terminology but at the subatomic level. I often get a good-natured razzing from my colleagues in our wine department for it. I’m the guy they call on when they need a wine “summed up” in six words or less.

Case in point, here’s the entry from my notebook:

Baigorri Crianza 2004: Ruby, Blackberry, Bing Cherry, Spice-box, Herb, Round, Medium, Integrated, Long, 100% Temp, ****

Here’s a translation. Ruby colored wine, with a blackberry bouquet and black cherry, cardamom spice and herb notes on the palate, a wine with a silky round texture, a medium body with well integrated tannins and a long finish. Grape Varieties: 100% Tempranillo. Recommended.

And how’s the wine the second time around? In a word, delicious!

In defense of my nomenclature, it’s short, accurate, saves paper and ink, and fits real well into a pocket-sized black notebook stuffed with receipts, business cards and other scraps of paper. One of these days I’ll break down and get one those fancy organizer things.

BTW, I’m not the only “wine reviewer” that thought highly of this wine. Jay Miller of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate gave it a 90 point rating (WA Issue #175 Feb 2008).

(Review furnished upon request) :-)

Jim Greeley

Wine Supervisor SW Florida