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This post was inspired by two articles in the NY Times that discuss ideal glass shapes and how different stemware can affect the way someone experiences the aroma, taste and harmony of a wine. “This Glass Is for the Cabernet, That One the Pinot Noir” (9/16/07) discusses Riedel Crystal’s theory of designing varietal specific stemware, while “A Tall Glass Makes The Best of Bubbles” (12/25/96) rates 18 different Champagne glasses priced $2.75 to $85 each. While informative, both articles incite you to do more testing on your own.

As a wine enthusiast, I often contemplate whether I have the ideal stemware for my wines and whether buying a more specialized glass (such as one designed for Riesling or Sangiovese) will improve my tasting experience.  Overall, I do subscribe to the view that the best glasses provide sufficient space in the bowl for the wine to “breathe” and have a rim that is both thin and tapered (such as those made from crystal instead of glass) so that the wine flows smoothly into the mouth. I once attended a Riedel tasting seminar that contrasted various glass shapes and thicknesses by pouring the same varietal wine into multiple glasses. I must admit that I was won over by the results. However, the biggest difference I found in tasting was between the “joker” glasses (small, non-crystal, clunky glass or tumbler) and generous sized crystal stems. The subtleties between the varietal-designed glasses were much more subtle. Unless one has extensive storage space, I wouldn’t invest in more than four basic styles. Below are some general style descriptors and a selection of my favorite wines that could pair with each category:

Tall Champagne flute – Tall flutes are better than coupes or saucer-shaped glasses at streamlining your bubbles, although a “tulip” shaped stem will provide additional focus and space for the aromas to gather.
    1997 Laurent-Perrier - Grand Siecle Cuvee Alexandra Rose $99
    1996 Pol Roger - Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill $159

Narrow white wine glass – A narrow Sauvignon Blanc styled glass will focus the aromas at the top of the glass. Since this glass has less surface area than a red wine glass, it allows less air to circulate around the glass, keeping the wine cooler. This style is also good for Riesling and other acidic whites. 
    2006 Cotat, Pascal - Sancerre Chavignol Reserve des Mont Damnes $47
    2005 Pichler, F X - Riesling Durnsteiner Kellerberg Smaragd $66

Burgundy-style goblet – The larger bowl of this glass is important for Pinot Noir, Grenache and full-bodied Chardonnay to accumulate its aromas as well as expand in flavor as it enters your mouth. The glass directs the wine to the tip of the tongue.
    2005 Drouhin, Joseph - Meursault Les Perrieres 1er Cru $71.95
    1998 Mortet, Denis - Gevrey Chambertin Combe du Dessus 1er Cru $69

Bordeaux-style wine glass – This glass is tall with a wide bowl so that it directs the wine to the back of the mouth. This style is best for medium to full-bodied red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, Syrah, Petite Sirah, and Zinfandel.
    1995 Guigal, E - Cote-Rotie Chateau d'Ampuis $75    
    2000 Cos d'Estournel $139

In addition to breathing and effects on the palate, the four styles of glasses described above follow a progression of light to more full-bodied varietals, and also reflect a relative progression of wines’ serving temperatures. The narrowest glass is meant for chilled Champagne whereas the larger Bordeaux-style glass is meant for “bigger” reds served at room temperature.

In the end I’m not yet ready to break the bank by buying every varietal inspired glass (Riesling stemware will have to wait), but I’ve been convinced that employing glasses that allow appropriate temperature control and breathing for a particular wine style will provide an enhanced drinking experience. What do you think? Select, swirl and sip towards your own opinion…

In the modern era of wine marketing, much importance has been placed on the virtues of a particular grape and the growing region where it best performs. However, it seems that soil is rarely mentioned in the same breadth, but has as much to do with the success in what the consumer and the wine trade deem as a quality wine. The concept of terroir weighs heavy on the geological premise that winemaking starts below the ground. Not to sound brash, but our darling varietals of the world are merely ‘transformers’ and that the wine industry might want to categorize wines not by varietals or regions, but by soil composition. Could you imagine if your local wine shop had signs pointing to the ‘limestone’, ‘tuffa’, ‘clay-loam’ or ‘schist’ sections of the store? I don’t think so, but it would be a great way to educate the public on the importance of terroir (a sense of place).

Many people whose palate preferences lean towards a dry French white wine, like a Sauvignon Blanc from Sancerre or a 100% Chardonnay Méthode Champenoise from Avize in Champagne, reflect their preference for a limestone-chalk based soil rather than the primary fruit components of these classic, but completely different varietals. Certain enthusiasts and serious tasters have a grasp of the major soil types and what effect they have on the wine. The first ones that come to mind are calcareous, clay-loam, sand and gravel based. There’s a ton more, but it’s schist that gets me all worked up! Yes SCHIST, coarsely metamorphic rock that was born at great depths some 300 million years ago, and brought to the surface in the mid-Tertiary by uplift of the earth’s crust. The deep-seated molten masses were intruded into an overlying crust of ancient lavas and volcanic ash. The heat and pressure of the intrusions cooked and squeezed (metamorphosed) the lavas and ash into the foliated rock called schist. These formations have been referred to ‘old rocks’ in the same family of granite and slate, but schist has experienced the most stress and can be intermixed with deeply weather granite. Schist can come in different shades based on the metamorphosis activity. Schist is often finely interwoven with quartz and feldspar. It’s quite foliated, meaning a flaky texture that can easily fracture into flakes or jagged slabs. The word ‘schist’ in Greek means ‘to split.’

Schist based soils are ideal for grape growing due to its heat retentive nature and high levels of magnesium and potassium. Vigorous vines thrive in a medium of schist by slithering through the fractured rock in search of moisture. In my opinion it’s the ‘old-vine’ cultivar and its direct correlation to the schist based soils that make for some of the finest wines in the world. With much tasting under my belt, I can often pick out a schist influence on a wine’s nose and finish. A mouth watering reaction usually occurs, very similar to tasting a wine in which the grape was grown on limestone. The difference is the pronounced mineral quality throughout the mid-palate with a bone searing dryness that can linger for three to five minutes depending on the age of the vine.

Historical growing regions with high level of schist are the found throughout some of the classic growing regions of Western Europe including …

Spain- Priorat & Montsant (Catalonia), Valdeorras & Ribiero (Galicia)
France- Beaujolais, Alsace, Cote Rotie (Northern Rhone), Collioure, Banyul & Maury (Côtes du Roussillon)
Germany- Mosel-Saar-Ruwer
Portugal (Northern)- Douro Valley & Vinho Verde

The most compelling wines are made from extremely old-vines averaging anywhere from 50 to 100 years old in which the schist has made for an ideal medium for these vines to produce grapes of immense quality, thus a finished product that is completely unique and shines above any of it’s ‘New-World’ competition. Certain white varietals and red varietals, both dry and sweet, are associated with schist. More than likely it was the Romans who were the first to work these lands and plant the cultivars that still exist today. In Spain, Grenache (Garnacha) and Carignane (Cariñena) take center stage in the ‘licorella’ soils of the Priorat and Montsant.  The best examples are blends dominated by these two truly Spanish varietals with a dollop of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Tempranillo for added weight and polish. Heading to the northwest part of the country it’s the ancient white grape of Godello that is the ideal suitor for schist in the Valdeorras and Ribiero. Some experts argue that Godello is a mutation of Riesling. The largest schist mining operation in the world is based in Valdeorras. Moving onto France, the noted cru villages of Fleurie, Moulin-a-Vent and Morgon have schist sub-structure in which old-vine Gamay Noir thrives. The mighty Syrah owes its mineral laced nose and finish to the adulating slopes of the Cotie Rotie in the Northern Rhone. Down in the Roussillon, Grenache Noir reigns supreme in the villages of Collioure, Banyuls and Maury, making full-bodied dry and hedonistic sweet versions. Schist makes its way along the Vosges Mountains in Northern Alsace in which Riesling is the beneficiary growing in what locals call ‘Steige.’ Riesling’s connection with schist influenced soils is evident in the middle section of the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, where certain ancient plantings are supported by a unique red slate, similar in composition to some of the terraced vineyards found in Galicia, Spain. Historical data suggests that both of these region’s original plantings were established by the Romans. Finally, in the Douro Valley, Port producers plant new vines by setting off explosive charges to loosen up the schist formations. Tempranillo, Touriga Nacional and several other traditional Port varietals can only exist in this extreme environment due to the schist formations.

I encourage wine lovers to plan their next theme tasting not as varietal based, but schist based and taste the underlying mineral theme and complex layered structure of these wines. For the collector, schist based viticulture offers tremendous returns. Old-vine material from the regions mentioned above can age gracefully for many years to come specifically with Grenache and Carignane based wines of the Priorat, Syrah from Cote Rotie, and Grand Cru Rieslings from Alsace and Germany’s Mosel-Saar-Ruwer. For the sweet nectar, look no further than a great Porto and France’s Vin Doux Naturel category of Banyuls and Maury made from 100% Grenache Noir. Chocolate anyone? It’s all about the schist baby! Who knew that a metamorphic occurrence could taste so amazing?!?

Below is a sampling of schist influenced wines that you may find on the Vinfolio site. Select a mixed lot for you next theme party!

•    2004 Vall Llach, Priorat, Catalonia, Spain                                        $75, Wine Advocate 93
•    2003 Lo Givot- Pont, Priorat, Catalonia, Spain                                 $50, Vinfolio 92
•    2005 Guy Breton Morgon V.V., Beaujolais, France                             $24, Tanzer (IWC) 91
•    2005 Pierre Gaillard ‘Cote Rozier’, Cote Rotie, Rhone, France           $80, Vinfolio 93
•    2004 Rostaing ‘Cote Blonde’, Cote Rotie, Rhone, France                    $99, Tanzer (IWC) 94
•    2002 Calvet-Thunevin ‘Hugo’,Cotes du Roussillon Villages, France     $36, Vinfolio 92
•    2004 Domaine Ostertag Riesling ‘Fronholz’, Alsance, France              $29, Tanzer (IWC) 91
•    2005 Selbach-Oster Riesling ‘Zeltinger Sonnenuhr’, Germany             $22
•    1997 Fonseca Vintage Port, Douro Valley, Portugal                            $65, Wine Advocate 93

Here at Vinfolio we understandably possess great enthusiasm for scarce, legend-inspiring vinous jewels with regal reputations. I like to reserve at least a little room in my heart and cellar for under-appreciated drinking pleasures, such as those from the Cru du Beaujolais. While most are familiar with the mass-produced carbonically macerated juice typically associated with the region, quality Beaujolais is somewhat less recognized. Often bearing more resemblance to the noble Pinot Noir grown further North in Burgundy than their Gamay siblings, these wines are immediately enjoyable upon release, but given up to a decade of cellaring will reward with surprising complexity and character.

Currently Vinfolio offers for sale the old vine 2005 Guy Breton bottling from Morgon (IWC 91), arguably the most age-worthy of the 10 Beaujolais Crus. With 2005, a vintage of towering quality in Burgundy with correspondingly sky-high tariffs for most appellations, Beaujolais wines have quietly maintained their value-oriented pricing. I challenge anyone to think of another $24 bottle of wine with such enormous upside.

Here is part 2 as promised of some of my favorite sale wines that have been marked down in the Wine Store—this being the under $100 list. In my last entry I mentioned my delight in seeing so many potentially great suggestions for folks—wines that shouldn’t have to be marked down but are (with such a great inventory, some wines just inevitably get overlooked—at least for a little while!) But there are also times when I need to steer clear of the Wine Sale link: Wine Sale. I’m such a sucker for “bin-ends” and sale-prices in general that I have to save me from myself! The guilt wells-up in me when I click the “checkout” button if I also happen to glance at the picture on my desk of my lovely wife and French bulldog, “Bugsy.” I remember our resolute goal of keeping our family budget on track. Heck, I’m already well-over the wine budget and it’s only September!
 
My Favorite Wines on Sale (under $100):

2003 Ambroise, Bertrand - Corton Le Rognet
Was $95; Now $84
Dark and big; chocolate covered cherries with an espresso bean “pit.”
                                                              
2002 Montevetrano – Colli di Salerno
Was $82; Now $69
Boy, this wine is unmistakable Italian juice! Bright, tart red berry with Asian spices that front a cherry mid-palate. The wine adeptly balances sweet and sour notes.

2003 Lecheneaut - Nuits St Georges Les Pruliers 1er Cru
Was $68; Now $58
Fairly smoky, with a bit of leather and blue fruit at the start. The wine gains sweetness in the glass and is less NSG-minerally than typical. This is a great value without the sale price and something to pour for your friends crossing over from CA Pinot.

2003 Monbousquet – Blanc
Was $55; Now $49
This is lemon meringue with a creamy, orange-lavender infused brûlée. Lovely now and suitable to use as a starter or with a full meal.

2002 Viader – Syrah
Was $58; Now $48
A fairly soft palate with varying rudiments of baked fig, brambly, wild berry and melted dark chocolate. I’m usually buying their excellent Proprietary Red, but this is a real fun wine and a true crowd pleaser.

2001 Snowden - Cabernet Sauvignon
Was $55; Now $41
Darn serious Cabernet shows old-world herbaceous and new-world fruit. Cassis and black olive are framed in a judicious amount of wood.

2004 Spinetta - Monferrato Rosso Pin
Was $42; Now $36
Barbera with Nebbiolo always offers some easy to approach qualities, yet finishes with wine-cellar bravado. For best reward, let it breath and serve with a grilled flank with soy-ginger glaze.

2003 Doisy-Daene 2eme Cru
Was $36; Now $29
Remember the song used in the Heinz Ketchup commercial, “Anticipation”? Well, it suits this wine here, not because it isn’t ready yet. When you turn the glass over and wait for those last unctuous, sweet drops to hit your tongue, you’ll know what I mean. Cooked apples with cinnamon/hazelnut topping and pineapple upside-down cake.                                        

2003 Tablas Creek – Syrah
Was $35; Now $29
Earthen backbone supports both the vibrant acidity and the red & black boysenberry fruit.
 
2004 Venica and Venica - Ronco delle Cime
Was $27; Now $23
Granny-Smith apples and eau-de-vie poached white peaches. This wine has a finish missing from many of the cheap imitations utilizing the Tocai Friulano grape.

The 2003 Guigal “La La’s” are some of most collectible wines released this year.  Epic vintages are rare for the Northern Rhone.  Finest vintages for the Northern Rhone include 2003, 1999, 1995, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1988, 1985, 1983, 1978, 1976, and 1969.

• Collectibility:  The “Big Three” represent the pinnacle of winemaking and are the flagships of their appellation.  Guigal is undisputedly one of the world’s most important producers and the La La’s are three of the most collectible wines in the world.
• Appellation/Location:  Cote-Rotie in the Northern Rhone
• Varietal Blend:  Syrah and Viognier (typically from 0-10%)
• Aromatic and textural profile:  Fleshy, rich, fragrant, smoky, and full-bodied with notes of cassis, black raspberry, violets, bacon fat, olives and grilled meats
• Production:  typically La Mouline(3.5 acres) and La Turque(2.5 acres) totals 400 cases each, and La Landonne (6.2 acres) totals 800 cases.
  In 2003, La Mouline totaled 230, La Turque totaled 210, and La Landonne totaled 500 cases due to excessive heat wave.

• Average age of the vines

La Mouline: 75 years
La Turque: 15 years
La Landonne: 25 years

• Terroir and Viticulture:  Cote-Rotie translates as “the roasted hillside” which sits on the western bank of the Rhone with a perfectly southeasterly exposure.  The two hillsides are named Cote Blonde and Cote Brune.  Both are extremely steep, (gradient of 30-55 degrees) vines are terraced, and each vine is trained by Guyot method.  Exposure is central to the wine profile imparting a low density of vines, and low yields.

Cote Blonde:  Contains more sand, granulite, and limestone resulting in wines that are more perfumed and fragrant, round, supple, and more approachable in youth. Virtually all of the Viognier planted in Cote-Rotie is on the Cote Blonde.

Cote Brune:  The northernmost slope composed of more clay and iron resulting in wines that are darker in color, noticeably tannic, and with more power and weight.  Cote-Rotie’s longest lived wines.

• Vineyard notes, terroir, vinification:

          La Mouline:

-Concave slopes and terraces of vines with full southerly exposition so ripens several days earlier and harvested first (can harvest in 3-4 hours).
-Fruit is from the Cote Blonde and contains 11% Viognier.
-No destemming and 42 months in new oak (Alliers and Nevers), pump-over not punch-down.
-Goal is to make it the most supple, seductive, and perfumed.  Results in one of the world’s most intensely perfumed wines with aromas of bacon fat, smoke, cassis, white flowers and black olives.

          La Turque:

-Convex slope so receives sunshine all day, not as steep as La Landonne
-Contains 7% Viognier.  
-Synthesis of La Mouline and La Landonne.  Situated in the Cote Brune but vineyard is closer to Cote Blonde than La Landonne.        
-Vinification is the same as La Landonne.        
-Rhone’s answer to Musigny and Richebourg.

La Landonne:

-Steep aspect with 63 degree gradient, (imagine picking fruit from the down slope of a roller coaster).  
-100% Syrah from northern part of the Cote Brune so the wine is massive and intense from soils high in iron content.  
-No destemming, closed tank fermentation and auto-pigeage (for fat and softness), and 42 months in new oak (Alliers and Nevers).
-Most opaque, powerful, dense, and long lived showing more smoke, anise, Asian spice, cassis and grilled meat aromas and flavors.  

2003 Guigal, E - Cote-Rotie La Mouline    $825    Prearrival
WA 100    Drink Date 2007-2037
The 2003 Cote Rotie La Mouline is by far the most delicate and elegant wine (11% Viognier is co-fermented with 89% Syrah), but the enormous aromatics of spring flowers intermixed with creme de cassis, black raspberry, mocha, caramel, and cola, and enormous full-bodied opulence and striking velvety, seamless texture make for one of the most memorable wines anyone could every drink. This wine should age effortlessly for 25-30 or more years.

2003 Guigal, E - Cote-Rotie La Turque    $825    Prearrival
WA 100    Drink Date 2009-2037
A pure aromatic smorgasbord is offered by the 2003 Cote Rotie La Turque, which has an amazing aromatic profile of espresso coffee interwoven with scorched earth, tar, truffle, incense, blackberry, bacon fat, and flowers. Powerful, thick flavors ooze across the palate with a viscous texture, amazing purity, and just enough acidity and tannin to give uplift and precision to this remarkable tour de force in winemaking. Of the 2003s, this is also approachable, but ideally 2-5 years of cellaring would be suggested, and the wine will evolve for at least 30 more years.

2003 Guigal, E - Cote-Rotie La Landonne    $825    Prearrival
WA 100    Drink Date 2007-2037
Dense purple to the rim with a nose of graphite, creosote, earth, olives, and black, black, black fruits, the primordial, full-bodied, monumental 2003 Cote Rotie La Landonne is amazing stuff. I suspect this is more akin to a dry vintage port than most Cote Roties ever tend to be, but the purity, the richness, the texture, the length are all out of this world. This wine does need some patience on the part of its purchasers, probably five years, more likely 8-10, but then one of the world's most compelling elixirs will be at its peak for another 20-30+ years.

What happens when a group of people attend a blind tasting and taste the same wine but come up with some very different opinions on what that wine could be?  A few weeks ago some of the Vinfolio wine staff and I attended an informal wine tasting where all the wines were tasted blind and we used the recommended WSET approach to tasting.

The first 3 whites set the tone and after we started going over our general thoughts about aromas, flavors and structure some of the first responses were “wait, are we talking about the same wine”?  We even had to double check the order to be sure someone didn’t switch their glasses.  We were tasting a set of 3 different Chardonnays grown in different parts of the world, but one wine (2005 Marc Colin St Aubin En Remilly 1er Cru, $33) sparked a debate because some thought it had to be New World with its toasty-oak notes and lush fruit, while others pointed to a restrained use of oak and good acidity so that it had to be from Burgundy.  Could some White Burgundies taste like New World Chardonnay or vice versa?

We did have some variation in the type of glass used which can have an effect on the way the aromas are brought out but in this case it wasn’t a major factor.  I think it had more to do with the individual experiences of each person at the tasting.  While some had tasted more wines over many years in the wine business, others had less experience but were still able to communicate the main attributes of the wine and use that ability to accurately identify the wine.

Each person builds their olfactory memory (the ability to recognize things by their smell) and their wine palate differently.  This is why it is important to taste the wine and not just drink it.  Each time you taste a new wine, it is an opportunity for you to work on building your palate.  If you are able to pull out a few descriptors on what you smell (fruit, flower, spice or oak), or how it feels on your tongue when you drink it (lush, acidic, tannic or sweet), just by thinking about it for a few minutes as you taste will help you remember what you did or did not like about that wine and you’ll remember it next time.

Building up your wine tasting skills is not just for figuring out what you like, but also how to identify flawed wines.  How do you know when a wine is corked or flawed?  Well, we had a few of those at our tasting too.  Two out of our twelve wines were flawed/corked so we were in the statistical average that 10% of the wines you try may be corked.  As much as we all had varying levels of ability to identify the aromas and structure of the wine, we were all pretty adept at spotting the “off” wines.  You don’t have to be an expert to know when a wine has gone bad, your nose will tell you so.  Think of wet cardboard, musty basements and general stinkiness that just won’t go away.  The real test is the taste and when you get some very harsh effects (acidic, bitter), you know that something is wrong.  If you are in a restaurant having a great meal, you certainly don’t want to drink (nor pay) for a flawed wine, and if you are unsure, you can always ask the sommelier for a second opinion.  

We continued through our tasting moving to a couple of different red varietals (Grenache, Carignan and Cabernet) that proved to be hard to pin down (such as the 2003 Marti Fabra Seleccio Vinyes Velles, $18) because they showed some variations in the basic qualities we had come to expect from those varietals.  We draw from our own experience but we know that other factors – climate, soil, new winemaking techniques - will make us think twice.  We loved the challenge and we were surprised by an older Cabernet from Chile (1997 Carmen Cabernet Sauvignon Gold Reserve, $60) that showed the elegance and structure of an Old World wine.  

We enjoyed the wines and had some surprises, but the goal was to really work on identifying the wines properly using a structured format, past experience, newly acquired knowledge and sometimes our “gut feeling.”  We started off tasting, but in the end, we drank.  The best advice I ever received in all my wine tasting adventures was, “taste as much wine as you possibly can.”  I try.

I have often found that I’ve preferred wines with lower scores. Of course, this can never be generalized (and under normal circumstances, quite the opposite is true). However, I have deduced that in many instances, the size of a wine - i.e. the overall scale in relation to extract, body, concentration of fruit…..the BIGGER the wine is - tends to contribute to higher ratings. I have tasted many wines that merit a 96-point score from a respectable and experienced critic that possess the same level of intensity, balance, complexity and length as a wine that merits a 93-point score from the same critic. And I have concluded that in many of these cases, the differentiating factor in the scoring variance is a wine’s size and power.  This rationale may help explain why there are far more 99-point wines from Australia than there are from Burgundy.

For those of us with a preference for wines that possess a bit more grace, elegance and sophistication as opposed to power and body, then it’s entirely possible for a slightly lower score to suggest that you may prefer it over a similar wine with a higher rating. Note that it’s always important to read the description of the wine and to couple that information with the rating, since the description will likely give tidbits on the wine’s character, but too often people equate a higher score to a better wine……not so!

I recently tried both the 1995 and 1996 Grand Puy Lacoste (Paulliac) and found that I had a definitive preference for the 1996 (RP 93) over the 1995 (RP 95). Because of their relative value in a sea of expensive Bordeaux, these two wines have been relentlessly compared to each other with varying conclusions. While both wines are quite powerful, the 1995 clearly has the upper hand in this regard, but lacks the nuance, sophistication and class of the 1996. There is a slightly higher level of acidity and less body, which to me, brings the wine to a greater level of balance and harmony. The 1996 Grand Puy Lacoste ($110) is really a delightful wine: intensely aromatic, impeccably balanced, very complex and quite sophisticated. In my humble……expert opinion, it’s got the upper hand over its older sibling and as the score suggests, less is more.

My Favorite Wines On-Sale (over $100)

There’s always so many “new” wines coming into inventory (recent vintages or previous ones) that I love when my inner-miser reminds me that we have a whole “Wine Sale” category. There’s bunches of tasty stuff that most often surprises me that it would still be in stock—and need to be reduced in price at that!

2002 Rouget (Jayer, George) – Echezeaux
Was $449; Now $399
This is not to be confused with the very nice but more commonly available wine from Domaine Rouget which is a blend of 3 parcels from his famous Uncles’ holdings (3 Jayer brothers). This wine is scarce and made with only George’s plants.

1994 Valandraud
Was $325; Now $289
These wines were just as sought-after as First Growths and this is much more scarce. Small production with very low yields and concentrated fruit.  Ahead of their time in many ways though not surprising with Thunevin as the proprietor.  This is one of their best vintages unexpectedly and a value play, in fact, along with the 1997.

2004 Chapoutier, M – Cote Rotie La Mordoree
Was $122; Now $99
Another great value play. This is pretty intense and deep. It’s a good example of why the pros don’t skip vintages that are juxtaposed to critically-acclaimed ones. We load up on them!

2003 Boillot, Henri - Batard-Montrachet
Was $184; Now $166
A somewhat subdued yet seductive nose, the wine makes a huge impact on the palate. Dense, with excellent length to the finish. 2003 white burgs are somewhat ‘dismissed’ as being too rich, flabby at least by the average Burgundy customer —but that’s not you!

1990 Certan de May
Was $159; Now $149     
Sweet-herbs are a hallmark for this Pomerol. The 1990 is a deal for a wine kept this long, that’s just entering its peak-drinking years.