Wines Today – 6/29/2011
Wines I’m tasting today
2010 Cave de Pomérols, Picpoul de Pinet, HB
100% Picpoul, aka Folle Blanche. A great value, this wine impresses novices and hardened geeks equally.Known as “the Muscadet of the South” in France, this is to the Mediterranean coast of France what Albariño is to northwest Spain…the default wine for fresh shellfish & seafood.
Borgo Belvedere Pinot Grigio 2009
Borgo Belvedere crafts some of the finest Pinot Grigio from the stony foothills of Friuli in northeast Italy. Here these blushed-pink grapes drink Alpine-sized gulps of liquid minerals from the region’s tough soils, producing white wines with great verve and energy on the palate. NBI selects from Borgo Belvedere’s cellar the finest lots of Pinot Grigio—refreshing, low-alcohol and pure white wine that is always vinified in tank to preserve every bit of steely, limpid fruit.
2009 Corbières Rouge, Col des Vents, Castelmaure,
50% Carignan, 35% Grenache, 15% Syrah. S.C.V. Castelmaure was founded in the 1920’s and today consists of 65 members, of which 15 bring 85% of the production. The winery is located in the unofficial Corbières cru site of Durban (there are 11 unofficial Cru’s in Corbières), which will become soon an official Cru together with Boutenac and Alaric. The Serre mountain in the south protects the little plateau of Castelmaure from the off weather patterns of the Mediterranean sea. Patrick de Marien, the president of the cave, and Bernard Pueyo, the director, work in conjunction with Tardieu/Laurent in trying to produce wines of higher quality each year.
2009 Montebuena, Rioja
“The 2009 Montebuena is 100% Tempranillo. Dark ruby-colored, it offers an appealing perfume of spice box, leather, tobacco, and blackberry. On the palate it is packed with ripe fruit, has outstanding concentration, and impeccable balance. It is a great bargain that offers a sneak preview of the great 2009 vintage in Rioja and northern Spain in general. It should drink well for 6-8 years.” – Robert Parker, 90 pts
Montebuena is produced by Bodegas Burgo Viejo that were founded in 1987 by six families of farmers. Burgo Viejo´s main asset has always been the exquisite winemaking process of grapes collected from its own vineyards throughout the years, back to the times when they were just a wine cellar selling in bulk (they started as a cooperative in the 1950’s). Young Gorka Etxebarria is the leading winemaker and has been working with Burgo Viejo since December 2003.
