 |
 |
 |
 |
Wine Finder |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Last Inventory Update: 10/31/08 · Case discounts are automatically calculated |
||||||||||
|
||||||||||
|
PJs Email Newsletter
|
 |
|
|
PJs Quick Picks |
|
|
|
Browse by Country · U.S. · France · Australia/NZ · Italy · Spain · Chile · Portugal · Germany |
|
|
|
Customer Service · About Us · Shipping & Ordering · Privacy & Security · Events · Contact Us |
|
|
|
Wine Links · Wine Lovers Forum · West Coast Wine Forum · Mark Squires · Stephen Tanzer · Robert Parker · Wine Spectator |
|
|
|
PJ Wine: one of "The 50 Best Wine Stores in America" —GQ Magazine |
|
|
|
 photograph courtesy Philip Greenspun |
|
|
|
| Content Rating |
|
October Staff Picks
First off, this relatively new winery (founded in 1982) is located in Monte Alto, which is situated amidst of some of the most illustrious wineries and vineyards in the appellation--just northeast of Valbuena de Duero, home of Vega Sicilia, and west of Pesquera de Duero, home of Pesquera.
Secondly, Cesar Muñoz, one of Spain's top young wine makers, is the winemaker. Over the last few years he has been steadily improving the wines, bringing out the best of the estate's 30 to 40 year old vineyards at 800 meters above sea level, planted in gravelly clay soil. Their most recent releases are very impressive.
The stylish 2005 Montebaco Crianza displays both beautifully expressive fruit and supple elegance. Inky dark purple in color, the nose is replete with blackberry and black raspberry scents, complemented by deep mineral notes and hints of garrigue, cured meat and earthy forest floor. The silky and impeccably balanced palate offers pure flavors of ripe, black cherry, blackberry and raspberry. Seamlessly integrated acidity and understated oak tones make for a supple and deftly plush mouthfeel. Ripe, chewy tannins emerge on the back palate along with subtle, old vine earth tones and notes of gunpowder, milk chocolate and pepper that linger on a very long finish. This is a first rate Ribera that is showing well now, and at a price that won't break the bank. A great choice to serve with rich lamb or beef fare.
The L'Anglore domaine is the baby of former honey maker Eric Pfifferling, who created it in '88, utilizing ancient vines located near the village of Tavel. Pfifferling farms his 7 hectars of gallet-strewn organic vineyards, hand-harvests his own grapes and eschews the use of artificial yeast, enzymes, and added sulfites.
The L'Anglore Cuvée de la Pierre Chaude is a Rhône blend of Grenache and Clairette. On the nose it is immediately apparent that this is no ordinary Rhône. Sour orange skin and fresh crushed red cherry juice mingle with ginger and ground clove tones plus hints of damp, dark earth and brewers yeast. On the palate the wine shows great concentration and balance. Notes of cherry, blackberry and fresh squeezed orange stand toe to toe with iron, beef blood, and yeast, all of which are accented by hints of barnyard and spice.
Brandy:
A group of investors and wine aficionados created the Cyan winery in 1999. They hired Cesar Muñoz, considered one of the most talented young winemakers in Spain, to head the winemaking team. Cyan owns more than 80 hectares of vineyards and they purchase grapes from an additional 10 hectares that they carefully manage. Vineyards sit at the relatively high altitude of 600 to 750 meters and are a mix of clay, sandy and calcium rich soils.
I, like many of you, am always on the lookout for a good value. I don't mean inexpensive per se-I mean a wine I'm going to be looking forward to opening, one I want to share with friends, and a low price tag is not the only thing I consider when looking for a value wine. Wine is at its heart about balance - of flavors and acidity and sugars and alcohol and tannins - and a value wine gives you the perfect ratio of cost to quality, offering you a great "weeknight wine".
The 2003 Cyan (100% Tinta de Toro) comes from estate-owned vineyards ranging from 20-50 years of age. The wine was aged for 12 months in used French and American oak. It pours an opaque dark ruby. When the wine opens in the glass your patience is rewarded with cherry and vanilla on the nose. On the palate you get concentrated dark fruit flavors such as plum with touches of cinnamon, clove and pepper. Although it's drinking beautifully right now, it's got the acidity and structure to age for a few more years,. Pair it with a range of flavorful dishes like a well seasoned roast chicken with root vegetables, hearty lentil and ham or other stews,. smoked sausages, lean red meats like bison or Toro classics like roast lamb or grilled lamb chops.
The 2006 Guidobono Barbera d’Alba displays a rich garnet color in the glass that leads to a terrific nose of violets and blackberry jam. On the palate this medium bodied Piedmontese has plush fruit flavors that fuse beautifully with hints of smoke, anise seed and juniper berry. Lively acidity with moderate tannins keeps this wine bright and balanced propelling it to a very satisfying finish. Earthy and delicious, the 2006 Guidobono Barbera d’Alba screams for a slice of great brick-oven pizza or pasta with Bolognese sauce. A terrific value not to be missed in any market!
Eric is a former honey maker and he created the L’Anglore domaine in 1988. His ancient vines are located near the village of Tavel. Eric farms his seven hectars of gallet-strewn organic vineyards, hand-harvests his own grapes and avoids all shortcuts such as artificial yeasts, enzymes and adding sulfites in the winery after the harvest. His strict attention to detail in the vineyard and winery enables him to craft stunning reds and whites. The ’07 Cuvee des Traveres is a perfect testament to his abilities and an exciting demonstration of how organic farming methods are revolutionizing winemaking in the Rhône Valley.
L'Anglore Cuvée des Traveres is an old vines blend of 60% Syrah, 30% Mourvèdre, and 10 % Grenache. The nose carries lovely notes of herbs de Provence, black olive tapenade, a dusting of lavender, smoked meats, saddle leather and a soft inflection of sandy soil. In true organic style, the wine is somewhat cloudy in the glass, due to the lack of added sulfites. The palate is round and gently expressive with flavors of ripe black berry fruit, smoky terroir and lavender that roll along the palate simultaneously. It will pair well with a wide array of hearty dishes like lamb stew, grilled steak or strong aged cheeses.
The ’06 Faillenc Sainte Marie Corbières Rouge is a product of this extremely dry, forbidding climate. The yields of Syrah, Grenache and Cinsault that form the wine are naturally low. The grapes undergo a long, slow maceration and are then fermented together before being aged in stainless steel tanks.
There is no other way to say it: PJ Wine offers no better value in the 15 and under price range than the Faillenc Sainte Marie Corbières Rouge.In fact, I would be surprised, given its extraordinary sense of complexity and balance, that a nose would turn upward at even twice its shelf price.
The nose is suffused with briny, meaty notes that carry along tones of blackberry, orange, crayon, pepper and spice. The mouthfeel is quite silky and elegant, while bright, juicy black raspberries and a touch of smoke and meat lead to a long, complex mineral finish, bolstered by supple and chewy tannins. Try this with pan seared shoulder lamb chops, roast duck or a rustic sausage and potato stew.
Vacqueyras is between Gigondas to the east and Beaumes-de-Venise to the south and the best wines crafted in this AOC tend to be more rustic, concentrated and decidedly more distinctive than their more esteemed neighbors. The ’05 from Domaine de Chantegut is a quintessential Vacqueyras at its very best. As many of you know, this vintage is a blockbuster in the Rhône and the southern Rhône in particular shined during that seemingly endless summer
Grenache is the dominant variety in Vacqueyras and it truly thrives in these stony, arid vineyards. The aromatic components Grenache offers up in the glass are a dramatic note of dried orange peel, crushed plum, powerful notes of licorice, tobacco and truffle. The Syrah in this cuvée provides an interesting backdrop of bacon fat, black pepper a dusting of smoked meat scents and saddle leather. The palate is a complex and compelling expression of deep orange-infused chocolate blossoms, blackberry syrup, blueberry pie flavors sans the whip cream on top but with plenty of caramelized crust, crushed stones and a hint of black licorice. The tannis on this gem are beautifully integrated to the wine’s fruit and moderate acidity. This Vacqueyras is perfect with grilled meat dishes like lamb, pork chops, steak and goat. This is a great winter red that is affordable and drinking very well right now.
Justin:
’05 Bodegas Montebaco Ribera del Duero $22.99
This is a silky, rich and pure Ribera del Duero from Bodegas Montebaco, a winery clearly on the rise. There are a number of reasons for this ascent and it always helps to have a high quaility vintage like the elegant and expressive year of 2005 on your side. 
Dan:
L'Anglore “2007 Cuvée de la Pierre Chaude” Vin de Table $20.99
Rhône producer L'Anglore makes wines of great purity and earthy expression. These are great food wines, with ample juicy acidity and restrained alcohol and wood. They're old world in style, but more than that, they express a natural connection with the earth and winemaker. If you're already familiar with the wines of L'Anglore you know that they're distinct creations, attesting to the notion that wine is dynamic, living thing. If you aren't familiar I strongly urge you to become so.
’03 Cyan “12 meses” Toro Crianza $16.99
Tucked away in western Castilla y León and only 40km from the Portuguese border, the DO of Toro is a historic, overwhelmingly rural region. The DO was created in 1987 with just four wineries, but today number more than 40. As one of the few regions spared by the phylloxera epidemic many of the vines in Toro are over 100 years old. Tinto de Toro ( the Tempranillo adapted to the extreme climate of Toro) is an early-ripening grape known for being thick-skinned and potent, which translates into character-filled wines noted for their color, strength and ripe flavors.
Patrice:
’06 Guidobono Barbera d’Alba $12.99
If you are worried about the stock market and high oil prices taking a toll on your dinner and wine choices don’t despair… think Barbera. Barbera is the workhorse grape of the Piedmont region in Italy, and it has a lot to bring to your dinner table, often at an exceptional price. The most widely grown red grape in the Piedmont region of Italy, classic Barberas are lusty, rustic wines that are chocked full of fruit and earthy flavors. Lively acidity makes these wines food friendly, a perfect choice for old world, red sauce favorites.
Donald:
’07 L'Anglore “Cuvée des Traveres” Côtes du Rhône $21.99
Eric Pfifferling is one of a handful of truly revolutionary biodynamic winemakers in the Rhône Valley who are convinced that good wine can only come from healthy grapes grown from pesticide free vines and without the hindrance of industrially synthesized compounds saturating the soil and muting the vineyards uniquely individual characteristics (the terroir) and the numerous challenges that arise with each vintage. Essentially, biodynamic viticulture is the harmony that exists between the soil- the most integral element in wine making- and the cosmos. Everything that exists in nature serves a greater purpose so nothing should be introduced to the vineyard that does not occur their naturally.
Brian:
’06 Domaine Faillenc Sainte Marie Corbières Rouge $13.99
Domaine Faillenc Sainte Marie sits on the site of an ancient Roman winery in the Corbières appellation of Languedoc. Even in its modern incarnation, Faillenc Sainte Marie dates back to the reign of Louis XIV. Today it is the property of Dominique and Marie-Therese Gibert, who on a meager eight hectares of rugged rocky limestone- terraced vineyards manage to produce various cuvées of white, red and rosé wine.
Jose:
’05 Chantegut Vacqueyras Grenache Blend $19.99
Domaine de Chantegut came into existence in 1959. That year the Chantegut family began planting Grenache and Syrah vines on 25 stony hectares in what was to become in 1990—the AOC Vacqueyras. Interestingly enough, the vines that were planted 50 some odd years ago are the very same ones that compose this succulent cuvée.
212 567-5500 · sales@pjwine.com
© 2008 PJ Wine