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September Staff Picks
The “Unnum” is sourced from three very old vineyards: Mendigüerra (planted in 1931), Caralacueva (1931) and La Loma (1946), all on slopes in Briones, Rioja Alta, in low-yielding calcareous soils at an altitude of
550 metres. After rigorous selection the wine undergoes malolactic fermentation and aging in barrels made of American oak staves
and French oak bottoms. Miguel's deft winemaking, now with the help of his son Miguel Jr., combined with the excellence of his vineyards sets “Unnum” in the upper echelons of Rioja today.
Since his first vintage in 1994, Miguel Merino has been making outstanding wines from old vine fruit in Briones. His style is midway between the more delicate traditional style and the denser, more highly extracted modern style—always infused with the distinctive old vine character of his Briones terroir. The “Unnum” presses more toward the extracted, modern style, but retains the trademark elegance and balance of the Reserva. While production of the Reserva is relatively small, production of the “Unnum” is miniscule and we are very pleased to have secured most of the US allocation of the groundbreaking 2001 “Unnum.”
The 2001 Miguel Merino “Unnum” is a gorgeous wine. It has a deep, opaque ruby red color and boasts a potent combination of depth and elegance. Still in its youth the nose offers a medley of red berry scents starting with velvety raspberry coulee notes, along with cassis and strawberry. Scents of smoke, milk chocolate and vanilla merge with unmistakably old vine nuances of bramble, damp black earth and chalk-toned minerality. On the palate the attack is supple and intense with black cherry flavors and then explodes on the mid-palate into layers of deep red berry flavors interwoven with the array of notes first evoked on the nose. Balanced acidity provides fantastic lift and focus and carries the wine into a stunningly long, smooth finish that echos with raspberry extract, creamy vanilla and filagreed minerality. This youthful, powerful and refined red will benefit from decanting and easily improve for another ten years in the cellar. Simply outstanding for all you high-end Rioja lovers out there.
This dynamic Grüner Veltliner is made by Markus Hubert, who took over the winemaking duties at his family’s winery in the Traisental region of Austria at the age of 23. The Huber family itself has been making wine on their land for the past five generations. Their vineyards are situated along the Traisen River, just 10km south of the Wachau and Kremstal. The vines are planted on loess soils, as well as decomposing primary rock and gravel with high iron content. The Traisental region is one of the smallest wine regions in Austria.
As for the wine itself, the nose gives up mouthwatering scents of papaya that are backed by scents of cereal grain and creamy mineral, plus delicate hints of field flowers. On the palate the wine is quite racy, showing lemon zest, green apple and a beam of pure crushed rocks. The wine has very good density and concentration, and makes for a fantastic match with grilled vegetables, roasted chicken with olive oil, sea salt and cracked pepper, and pan sautéed pork chops with braised fennel.
The Feudi di San Gregorio winery is officially based in the Sannio DOC in the Campania region, in the village of Sorbo Serpico, about 3 hours southeast of Rome. The vineyards that provide most of the fruit for this wine are from small hillside parcels sites at elevations from 1,000 to 1,300 feet near the Monte Taburno hills in Sannio. These are well-exposed hillsides that receive lots of sun. Most of these vineyards are owned and farmed by local growers under strict supervision by the Feudi winemakers, who maintain long-term contracts with the growers for their best fruit. With an eye to the future, Feudi is progressively purchasing these vineyard sites. Mario Ercolino is the chief winemaker, who works with one of Italy’s foremost consulting enologists, Ricardo Cottarella. Mr. Cottarella has an impressive record that makes him one of the most qualified winemakers in central Italy crafting quality, value and low-production wines.
The 2005 Rubrato is produced from 100% Aglianico and is packed with rich and ripe aromas of black cherry, raspberry, and red flowers. There is also an underlying note of mineral that holds the nose together. On the palate the wine is dry and dense with more ripe red fruit flavors that blend with earth and spices. This wine has good acidity that cleanses the palate and leaves you with cherry and red currant flavors. With medium tannins that provide some grip this wine is get for a rich meal. A grilled steak with cooked greens or a rich pasta dish with mushrooms, are just a few of the pairing that would work wonders with this wine.
If you enjoyed this wine when it was first released you’ll be happy to know that a limited, yet affordable, few cases found their way onto our shelf and if you haven’t yet experienced this particular bottling or are new to German Rieslings in general, I envy your first glass. So why is this so important? When the ’02 vintage was released it wasn’t as nearly universality heralded as was the ’01 (one of the finest vintages in Germany in the last 100 years) and the release suffered as a result of it’s proximity to the ’01’s. Well, the winery is undergoing significant changes right now, and while the new wine making team finds its footing—and they have been turning out some impressive bottlings that Stephen Tanzer, Robert Parker and the Wine Spectator often give mid-nineties to—it is nice to know, reassuring to say the least, a cause for celebrating for yours’ truly, that this ’02 has begun to dazzle. Full-bodied and very racy, is how to sum up this bottling, rich in extracted fruit and with a dynamic acidic structure. It’s important to note here that all the wines made on this estate are from grapes from the winery's own vineyards. The vineyard sites undergo restrictive vine pruning in winter and a green harvest in summer. The soils are provided with meticulous care and most have a permanent green cover, also all the gapes are harvested by hand.
Blooming orange, baked pear and candied lychee scents dominate the nose. Ginger zest and lemon peel backed by a scintillating touch of quartz-driven minerality that slowly sinks into a supple and creamy kiss of fresh pineapple flavors constitute the jaw-dropping, kaleidoscopic palate. The acidity that rounds out the finish is beautifully integrated to the fruit. The duality that exists on the palate between the wine’s fruit and its mineral driven acidity is something that must be tasted to be believed.
“This represents the botrytized portion of the crop from Catoir's clos in Burgergarten. Orange blossom, talcum and pear nectar in the nose. Lovely creaminess allied to delicacy and brightness on the palate. This rises to an almost extreme sense of sweetness, but then backs off in the finish, which reveals refined, persistent honey, vanilla, lime, brown spices and musk.” IWC Potential 2 stars.
The vineyards (6 hetares in Côtes-du-Rhône and 14 hectares in Rasteau) are planted in Grenache, Carignan, Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvèdre on the clay and limestone soils characteristic of this southern Rhone appellation. The '06 Grand Nicolet "Vieilles Vignes" is made from 80% old vine Grenache and 20% Syrah, the vines having an average age of 45 years. The wine is fermented in concrete tanks and then 60% of it is aged in concrete and 40% in older barriques.
The '06 Grand Nicolet "Vieilles Vignes'" deep black plum color in the glass hints at the depth of spicy black fruit and iron-based minerality on the nose. On the palate more black fruit and minerals are joined by notes of anise and garrigue. The sheer size and density of the wine make it easy to see why Rasteau has become such a favorite of Châteauneuf-du-Pape drinkers looking for better value in the Southern Rhone. Yet for all its size the '06 Grand Nicolet never sacrifices refinement or elegance on the nose or palate.
By all means, pair this spicy red with the full bodied , rustic food of the region: roast lamb with garlic and herbs, hearty red wine based stews, roast duck and cassoulet.
Bright white stone fruit aromatics, honeyed pear, grapefruit skins, deft notes of ginger and briny sea coast minerality dazzle the elegant nose. The palate is made up of many different creamy white fruit flavors and tart citrus elements that are beautifully integrated and sewn together with a deft touch of acidity. This reserve Grüner Veltliner is perfect with Wiener Schnitzel, obviously, and it also works extraordinarily well with creamy fish stew, rustic pâté, stewed rabbit, and herb-encrusted roast chicken.
Justin:
’01 Miguel Merino “Unnum” Rioja Reserva $52.99
From the outstanding 2001 vintage comes “Unnum,” a gorgeously supple and deeply concentrated luxury cuvée from Bodegas Miguel Merino—and at a bargain price for a wine at this level. Simply put, Miguel Merino is one of the top tier producers of Rioja and a personal favorite. His Reserva (we carry the beautiful 2000) has been a consistent star in blind tastings against numerous high-end Riojas, and his new “Unnum” cuvée takes the winery to a new level.
Dan:
’06 Huber
“Hugo” Traisental Grüner Veltliner $9.99
Recently I was particularly taken with three wines from Austrian producer Huber. The biggest value of the bunch was a Grüner Veltliner called “Hugo.” Grüner Veltliner is practically legendary for its food friendliness. Throw just about anything at it—from tricky fare like artichokes or asparagus to classic seafood, charcuterie or poultry dishes—and Grüner will come back at you smiling.
Matt:
’05 Feudi di San Gregorio “Rubrato” Campania Sannio Aglianico $12.99
Feudi di San Gregorio is a winemaking venture that began in 1986. The winery takes its name from the Sixth Century A.D. Pope Gregory the Great. A sizable 250-hectare estate, Feudi di San Gregorio comprises a winery, a restaurant and a New World philosophy that embraces sustainable agriculture, a project to produce organic, locally-farmed livestock, the Slow Foods movement, and a partnership with the area’s best grape growers. The progressive owners of Feudi, the Ercolino and Capaldo families of Irpinia, have maintained 100-year old Sirica vines (an indigenous varietal) in the Taurasi district. However they specialize in the Aglianico grape which is the only grape used in the production of Taurasi, the highest regarded of all southern Italian wines.
Donald:
’02 Müller Catoir Haardter Bürgergarten Riesling Spätlese $34.99
This storied estate is located in the village of Haardt--at the foot of the Haardt hills which offer up breathtaking views of the expansive Rhine Valley. The ’02 Haardter Bürgergarten happens to be the first of two re-releases of Hans-Günter’s final vintage, “activism in the vines, minimalism in the cellar,” was his mantra for the 36-years he was the cellar master at Muller Catoir, his philosophy helped make the estate what it is today; arguably one of the greatest wine estates on the planet! 
Brian:
’06 Domaine Grand Nicolet “Vieilles Vignes” Rasteau $19.99
Domaine Grand Nicolet was the first winery to establish a private cellar in Rasteau, an up-and-coming sub-region of the Côtes-du-Rhône Villages appellation. Although vines were originally planted on the property in 1875, it wasn't until 1930 when Maurice Leyraud decided to plant Grenache and Carignan rather than cereal grains and olive trees that Grand Nicolet's vineyards were developed in earnest. Today, Leyraud's granddaughter's husband, Jean Pierre Bertrand, is in charge.
Jose:
’’07 Leth Steinagrund Grüner Veltliner $13.99
The Leth family possesses vineyards with a very unique terroir; rolling hills consisting mainly of ancient beds of fossilized seashells. This is an ideal home for Grüner Veltliner, as the gentle loess terraces on the estate provide Grüner Veltliners’ spicy white pepper fruit flavors with striking notes of briny seacoast minerality. The Wagram growing region—where the Leth family vineyards are located—is a vast rocky outcrop stretching all the way across the north bank of the Danube from the quaint and picturesque village of Krems to the sprawling eastern suburbs of Vienna. The Romans were the first to recognize this region as an ideal environment for crafting wine and vines have thrived in this terroir ever since. The Leth family has been crafting a wide array of wines on their estate for over a century, and they also maintain a living museum of vines, many of which are now extinct and they have not used any herbicides in their vineyards for 25 years. The Leth family strives to keep the soils healthy and preserve vegetation diversity with as little intervention as possible. They prune severely to limit their yields and create a high concentration of pure fruit flavors from the vine to the bottle, year after year.
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