2009 Tour de Luchey Bordeaux Rouge
Regular Price: $11.99
SALE Price: $8.99 net
SAVE 25% on a single bottle
Over the last couple of years, we’ve sold cases upon cases of numerous wines from the wonderful and 2009 Bordeaux vintage. In a near perfect growing season like 2009, we’ve found so many great values for less money then a gourmet cheeseburger.
As we near 2013, quantities of the 2009 Bordeaux are starting to thin out. But we just loaded up on one of these killer values from what is hailed as one of the best vintages ever in Bordeaux. Critic Robert Parker said,
“It (2009) may turn out to be the finest vintage I have tasted in 32 years of covering Bordeaux.”
Located on the banks of the Dordogne, Château Tour de Luchey houses a remarkable medieval tower. It was used for centuries by the “Luchey”, which refers to the old French king’s bailiff. His job was to check the payload of vessels leaving the port of Bordeaux, taking the property of the king. Moreover, the domain has belonged to the Masse Henri family for five generations!
The Henri family (pictured left) did a wonderful job with their wine in 2009. It’s a classic Bordeaux blend of 80% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Cabernet Franc. During the growing season they opt for green harvests, which reduce yields in favor of quality. They do machine harvest this wine (the wine would cost a lot more if they didn’t), but they sort all the grapes by hand to make sure only the best ones are used. The wine is then aged for 12 months in their castle before release.
What does it taste like? Dark in color, it has a gorgeous nose, somewhat floral blackberry and black currant with a hint of chocolate. Flavors echo in the mouth, turning decidedly dry and earthy, with a hint of old wood and a note of leather that emerges with air. Full bodied and structured, you could easily lay this down for five years or drink it now like I did. I opened a bottle a couple days ago and watched it improve the longer it was opened. Yesterday I bought a case and I’ll probably drink half over the holidays, and stick the rest in the basement. Enjoy!
This wine is also now included in our December wines of the month, Four-Pack special. It replaces the Chateau de Calce, which sold out quickly so we’ve replaced it with this great little value. 
Regular Price: $11.99
SALE Price: $8.99 net
SAVE 25% on a single bottle
Sullberg 2010 Chardonnay, California - To quote the home page of the Michael Sullberg winery – “Michael Sullberg Wines was founded with one goal in mind; to provide high quality, enjoyable wines at every day prices.” We have worked with their Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and their Chardonnay and we would say that all of their wines meet that goal. The grapes are sourced from regions that have compatible micro climates with a portion of the fruit coming from the Monterey AVA. This Chardonnay, which was partially fermented in one and two year old oak barrels, has tropical and citrus aromas, as well as apple and pear with toasty spices that make this wine unusually complex yet balanced for its price range. Medium bodied and a generous mouth feel, this wine would pair nicely with chicken or fish. A fantastic Chardonnay value!
Roussillon used to be considered an extension or suffix of the Languedoc in south western France, but in fact it has a bit of a Spanish culture and Catalonian influence. The grapes grown here are very similar to what you will find on the other side of the Pyrenees across the border. The Chateau Calce is a co-operative that farms the hillsides of this area which are composed of limestone and schist and can lay claim to being one of the sunniest regions in France with an average of 325 days of sunshine per year. The wine is medium bodied with loads of generous ripe dark fruit and earthy nuances. A touch of black licorice gives the flavors an added kick and the soft tannins resolve nicely on the palate and add to the long finish. Try this with any game meat, poultry or even a bacon cheese burger.
which is a plain that lies south west of Rioja, is traversed by the Duero river and its tributaries and then becomes the Douro, the heart of Port in Portugal. A relatively new region, it was awarded DO status in 1982 but has quickly rivaled Rioja for quality and prestige. Names like the venerable Vega Sicilia and the newcomer Pingus command stratospheric prices and are icons of the wine making world. The Monte Castrillo is modest by comparison but magnanimously over-delivers for the modest price. The wine is mostly opaque, a deep ruby, and has powerful aromas, of blackberries, blueberries and violets. Vanilla spice and smoke adds to the complexity. Fairly silky and expansive, this wine offers blueberry and cherry flavors with bitter dark chocolate notes on the somewhat tannic finish. Try this with roasts and stews of all kinds, or with some aged Manchego and membrillo to finish a meal.
Rock & Vine 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast, California - Rock & Vine is produced by Nine North Wine Company in the Stag’s Leap District in Napa. The winery was started by Jim Gill and James Harder, two longtime friends from Canada who wanted to make wine in the Napa Valley. With the help of Jim Regusci who owns Regusci Winery in Stag’s Leap district (a fantastic wine that we stock in our California Cab section) they produce this value Cabernet from fruit sourced from Solano, Napa, and Mendicino counties. They feel that each source delivers its own personality to the wine: “The Solano County grapes highlight the rich and ripe black fruit flavors, while Napa Valley grapes provide the backbone: rich textures and firm well integrated tannins. Finally the Mendocino grapes tend toward dried herbs and a wonderful spice component that rounds out this intensely rich wine.” We couldn’t have said it better ourselves. Unlike so many California Cabs at this price point, this wine is very well balanced, generous, and truly tastes like a Cabernet. Pair with steak and a béarnaise sauce, or grilled lamb chops. We could hardly keep this wine in stock at its regular price, now it’s practically a steal!
This is my favorite wine challenge and every year we feature many of the wines as soon as the list is released.
The full article is in the Food section of the 10/31 Globe.
#1 Red (submitted by us, chosen by all four panelists)
2010 DalMaso Montemitorio Veneto Rosso $14.99 (will arrive 10/31)
2011 Carletto Montepulciano d’Abruzzo $9.99 (will arrive 11/1)
A plonk is basically an inexpensive table wine that delivers great quality for the price.
volcano in Europe, is roughly twice the size of its mainland cousin Mount Vesuvius which is infamous for burying Pompeii in 79 AD. Etna, thought to be named by the Phoenicians, means, appropriately, “furnace”, with the most recent eruption occurring this year. This north eastern area of Sicily is starting to turn out some very good wines and this delicate white is an affordable example. A blend of the indigenous grapes Caricante and Catarratto account for approximately 70 and 30 percent of the blend. Catarratto is normally found in the fortified Marsala wines of the island. The wine is bright with lemon, tangerine, and pear aromas and flavors. The volcanic soil seems to be imprinted on the nose along with a hint of chamomile. Very easy drinking, try this with simple white fish in olive oil, lemon and herbs. Mussels with a side of buttered pasta and herbs wouldn’t be a bad idea either.
have a bit of limestone and flint; this is good news for Sauvignon Blanc growers and lovers. (The AOC is only about 20 miles west of Quincy but more on that later). Domaine Augis is run by Philippe Augis who is the fifth generation and he does almost everything himself including hunting wild boar that roam the property. While the AOC allows a little Chardonnay to be blended into the Sauvignon Blanc, Philippe has stopped this practice and the wine is one hundred percent SB. He also ferments in barrels, not stainless steel; this gives the wine a bit more roundness while still retaining its brightness and verve. Chicken, fish, and, of course, goat cheese are fantastic accompaniments. $13.99 reg $10.99 October sale price
Seigneurs de Peyreviel, France – Cotes de Millau is another small region north of the Languedoc and is pretty much in the middle of nowhere; although, specifically it lies in the southern part of the Massif-Central which is a large mountain range full of extinct volcanoes and is considered the wildest and emptiest place in France. This co-op wine is a crazy blend of 50%Syrah, 30%Gamay, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Fer Servadou and has a very unusual yet compelling character. The aroma is complex with blackberry, raspberry, and currant for fruit; while notes of earth, leather, and barnyard add layers of interest. The wine is rustic and has tannins that give it an edge without losing its overall friendliness. This would pair magnificently with cassoulet or pate and French baguettes. $12.99 reg $9.99 October sale price
Portugal is very well known for its fortified wines Port and Madeira of which the English have been, and are still, fond. George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, an American champion of Madeira, used it to toast the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Fairly recently Portugal’s table wines of red and white have made significant inroads in the US with Vinho Verde and non-fortified wines from the Dao and Douro regions. Bairrada in the Beiras region is most certainly on a road less traveled, at least by anywhere outside Portugal. Casa de Saima is owned and run by Graça Maria da Silva Miranda and she believes in a traditional approach to wine-making. The grapes are gently harvested, trodden by foot in stone lagares, and then aged in large, neutral oak barrels for about a year. This wine is made from 100% Baga grapes, a distinctly Portuguese variety. The wine is fruit driven with red berries and cherries leading the charge. Fine tannins support the fruit and the overall impression is spicy, round, generous and mouth-filling. This wine begs for grilled meats of all sorts, and you shouldn’t disappoint it!
While in Florence we stroll through the Piazza della Signoria and gaze at the Fountain of Neptune with its satyrs on the edges and sea horses emerging from the waters. Just outside the Palazzo Vecchio we can see a replica of Michelangelo’s David – purists that we are, we head up to 
Accademia di Belle Arti (“Academy of Fine Arts”) to see the real deal. On the way, a quick stop at one of the most visited locations in Europe, the Piazza del Duomo, to wander through museums, cathedrals and bell towers of epic proportions. After some night life adventuring and a seven course meal we rest up at the hotel of our choice and head out in the morning for San Gimignano and the first of our several winery stops.
Siena is such a small city that you can walk across it in about a half hour. So an early evening stroll is just the thing. We check out Il Campo, the Piazza where the Palio, a bareback horse race, is held in July and August, before checking in to the Grand Hotel Continental to be pampered. For dinner we head to Osteria il Campaccio for wild boar and polenta paired with Toscolo Chianti. The Toscolo is so easy to drink with its bright red fruits and friendly demeanor we are tempted to order a second bottle, but are reminded by one of our more responsible traveling companions we need an early start tomorrow, as we are headed to Montepulciano and Montalcino!
DOCG standing in 1980.
Off to Montalcino, the home of Brunello, with the dust kicking up behind our rented Fiat, we realize we have more than passed the halfway point on our journey. This doesn’t put a damper on our fire, as we head into Montalcino. Montalcino is yet another picturesque hill town possibly settled by the Etruscans. We check out the fortress which overlooks the town and then head to the hamlet of Castello di Argiano, restored and owned by Guiseppe Maria Sesti and his wife Elisa. They turn out to be gracious hosts and pour their Brunellos and other wines for us, which are stunning. The winner here, considering our budget, is their Toscana IGT called Monteleccio which is an Italian version of the Latin name “Montalcino,” meaning “hill of the holm oaks.” After a lovely lunch and more wine we decide to stay in town for the evening and sneak our Monteleccio into Il Leccio for dinner.
Maremma is a coastal strip that is loosely defined as the area south of Livorno (Leghorn) extending southward through the province of Grosseto, and much of the area was better suited to mosquitos than wine production. North of Scansano is Bolgheri the famous home of Sassicaia and Ornellaia. The DOC for Bolgheri was established in 1994 and Sassicaia was granted its own sub-zone DOC of Bolgheri. These wines have hit stratospheric price levels so we make plans to visit a newer producer with less expensive wines, Campo Mare which is owned by Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari. Here we get to try the wines, and once again for us, and for the money, their basic Bolgheri made up of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Cabernet Franc is the clear choice. Deep and rich, with black currants, cherries, and spice, this full-bodied wine is a capital way to end this virtual trip in and around the lovely rolling hills and seacoast of Tuscany. Did we say end? Well you couldn’t blame us if on the way back to Florence we “leaned” towards Pisa for some last minute tourist thrills would you? We thought not.
Casa Alle Vacche, or House of the Cows, has been in the Ciappi family for three generations and they take pride and extreme care in the vineyards and in the winery. This shows up in the bottle. Their wines are very well made, true to their varietal character and to their places of origins. They are also very easy on the pocketbook, and equally easy to drink. Light bodied, crisp, the wine has subtle fruit aromas and flavors of apples, lemons and pears. True to Vernaccia character it finishes with a hint of bitter almond. Bright and refreshing, this wine should prove to be quite versatile with appetizers or main dishes. It is remarkably tasty with a simple pasta primavera or shrimp scampi, but can be sipped under the shade of olive trees by itself.
Erik Banti is one of the pioneers of Scansano wine; setting up shop in Maremma and making his first finished wine in 1981. Maremma is the large coastal area that runs from Livorno to the Province of Grosseto, and much of this area was once swampy and mosquito infested. One famous Tuscan winemaker, in the 1970′s, tried and then gave up due to loss of life amongst the laborers carving out vineyards. Banti is located in the hills of Scansano where mosquitos are not a problem. Banti wines are no strangers to either shop, Sudbury or West Concord, and his Carato was quite a hit a few months back. The Morellino is a blend of 85% Sangiovese, 10% Merlot, and 5% Ciliegiolo. This simple yet focused wine with its aromas of sour cherries and herbs, and it bright acidity, make this a great everyday food wine. Pizza, chicken, burgers and prosciutto, basil, tomato paninis are surefire winners.
Neil Empson, wine importer extraordinaire, produces this wine with his friend and oenologist Franco Bernabei. This is Neil’s proprietary brand. He has said his heart lies in Tuscany so when he chose a name for his wines he picked Toscolo which means “Tuscan Boy.” The grapes come from various zones around Chianti, and Neil gets to cherry-pick the grapes he wants to use for this wine. This allows him to maintain consistent quality vintage to vintage. 100% Sangiovese, this wine spends six months in oak to soften the texture and lend the wine some spicy notes without diminishing the lovely cherry, pomegranate, and raspberry fruit that the wine displays. This wine works well with many first and second courses, red and white meats, and cheeses. Roasted thick-cut pork chops would work very well.
Castello La Leccia is an ancient hamlet that lies in the Chianti Classico region in the village of Castellina in Chianti, a bit north of Siena. Here they make the Rosso that we are featuring, as well as a Chianti Classico, a Riserva, and olive oil. Paolo Salvi is the winemaker here and since 2000 they have been making improvements to the vineyards as well as the cellars. The blend here is 70% Sangiovese, 25% Merlot, and 5% Petit Verdot. This ruby colored wine is aromatic with dark cherries, violets, and marzipan. The wine still has some primary grape-y notes along with some mineral dust. Easy drinking, the tannins are light and made of velvet; the body is of medium weight and the finish shows some the bitter almond that is typical. Great “everything pizza” wine!
Panizzi is relatively a newcomer in Tuscany. Just a little over twenty years old, they have been producing highly rated wines that are complex and full of vitality. The vineyards are about a kilometer and a half away from San Gimignano with all its towers. 100% Vernaccia, the grapes are gently pressed and then fermented in stainless steel. This brilliantly clear wine is aromatic with fruit aromas of pineapple, green apple, and pear. The texture is rich and shows some oily viscosity for a mouth-filling sensation and a long finish. Pasta with shrimp and scallops, or even lobster would be an excellent choice. Vegetables and cheese are also delicious accompaniments.
Paolo de Marchi, whose family is originally from Piedmont and who purchased this estate in the sixties, continues to produce some of the best Chianti Classicos around. Paolo took over the reins in 1976 and his wines continue to get better. Paolo, while making very nice Chiantis and his flagship wine, Cepparello, also makes a Cabernet, a Syrah, and a Chardonnay. The Chardonnay, with each new vintage, impresses me more and more. Barrel fermented, the 2010 Chardonnay is deep in color for the variety and has an impressive nose filled with baked apples, vanilla, lemon, nutmeg, cardamom, apple blossoms, honey, and lemon. A full bodied wine, you might almost mistake this for Russian River Chardonnay, but the fruit is a bit more old-world in style. This wine would go astoundingly well with a seafood or mushroom vegetable risotto, but I had it with chicken Parm the other night, and that also worked quite satisfactorily.
The estate dates back to the year 1000 and was a fortified settlement belonging to the episcopacy of Siena. The name Scopeto most likely comes from the wild heather (Erica scoparia) that grows in the surrounding forests. The first vintage of Chianti Classico from this estate was in 1998, so while the estate is venerable, the wines are just starting to find their way. The wine is a blend of 90% Sangiovese, 5% Merlot, and 5% Colorino and is vinified in a traditional manner. Aging is done in 30 hectoliter Slavonian oak casks and this gives the wine unique baking spice and herbal aroma. The wine is aromatic with herbs, sour cherries, raspberries, black cherries, and an iron/meatiness typical of Sangiovese character. Structured, the wine will age for a few years quite nicely and the tannins are persistent and soft. Sour cherries on the palate make this a particularly good pasta wine, but will also pair nicely with wild boar.
Giuseppi Maria Sesti is a modern renaissance man. He has written five books on the history of astronomy, organized the festival of Baroque opera at Batignano in Tuscany, and restored the property where he now makes wine. He and his wife Elisa, using cycles of the moon, grow grapes and olives and produce Brunellos and Toscano Rossos of profound complexities. This “Monteleccio” which essentially is another name for Montalcino, is comprised of Brunello (Sangiovese) grapes that are selected for their quality by Giuseppi. The wine is very aromatic, perhaps the most potent of our Tuscan line-up, with sour cherry, earthy notes of fallen leaves and forest, iron, flowers and spice. The palate is full and loaded with sweet ripe fruit and balancing acidity and tannins. If you are looking for an interesting and challenging wine, then this is for you. Pair with rich stews of pork and root vegetables, venison steaks, and truffled risotto. We love this wine! Imported by Kermit Lynch.
Bolgheri, for those enamored of Super Tuscans, is the home of Super Expensive wines like Sassicaia and Ornellaia that were modeled after Bordeaux wines of France. Created by members of the Antinori family using Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, etc., these wines first appeared in1970 (Sassicaia) and 1981 (Ornellaia). By comparison Campo al Mare, owned by the Folonari family, produced their first Bolgheri Rosso in 2003. A shorter history perhaps, but still an impressive addition to these legendary Super Tuscans. The wine is your typical Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot. Very aromatic, the wine is loaded with black currants, cherries, red currants, cocoa, mocha, baking spices, roasted herbs, and mint. Texturally, it has structural tannins that are almost silky yet taut. This is very full-bodied and concentrated. A young wine that drinks well enough now, but will certainly age well for 5-7 years or more. Why spend $150 or more on one of the better known Bolgheri wines, when you can get the Campo al Mare at a fifth of that price? Try this with hearty Tuscan stews or marinated flank steaks. You’ll be glad you did.
for under $15 per bottle.
uncovered four wines that over-deliver even at their regular retail prices. We have two reds from Swartland, South Africa that are so good we think even the most hard-nosed value hunter will be stunned; an Argentine Bonarda that demands to be taken seriously; and a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that balances very ripe fruit with racy acidity so well we have to give it a standing ovation. So what happens when we put these on sale as August wines of the month? Serious, extreme, mega-value pandemonium is what happens! These south-of-the-equator wines should make this last month of summer vacation even more fun, relaxing and satisfying.
Seresin Winery is owned by cinematographer Michael Seresin, a New Zealand native who, inspired by Truffaut and Fellini, pursued a career as a cameraman. He went on to become director of photography on films like Midnight Express and a Harry Potter film, and eventually, in 1996 produced his first vintage wine. MOMO is the “offspring” of his main winery. The grapes are 100% Sauvignon Blanc, from bio-dynamic vineyards in the Wairu Valley. With intense aromas of grass, grapefruit, passionfruit and pear, this medium-bodied wine, has a lively palate with citrus and grass overtones. It finishes zesty, balanced and dry. Try pairing with summer salads, fish tacos and grilled, herbed chicken.
a mere 117 years after the first Cape grapes were crushed in 1659 by Jan van Riebeeck, the first European Cape settler of South Africa. The property was sold in 1993 and the new owners fixed up the homestead and started a new planting program with the intention of producing world class wines. They’ve definitely succeeded! This wine has a violet hue with moderate density. Aromas of blueberry, blackberry, and plum fruits are kicked up a notch by cocoa, leather and pepper. The ripe fruit flavors are transposed to the palate while the texture is smooth yet energized. With food or as a relaxing starter this is a great summer red that is versatile and should carry you through the fall and into winter. Pair with grilled red meats and or sausages.
Astute readers will notice that this wine and another of the four share a producer name. While we generally shy away from promoting more than one wine from the same producer as a wine of the month, we were faced with two very good wines and having to make a hard decision. Well we decided that these two wines were so well made and delicious, that to leave one off the list would be akin to a crying shame. 100% Syrah the fruit comes from low yielding bush vines that deliver small berries and intense flavors. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel with selected Rhone yeast strains. Two thirds of wine is matured in French oak and then blended with the remainder. What this gives you is a medium violet colored wine with assertive aromas of blackberries, black currant, plum, pepper, leather, earth and cocoa. Soft tannins and a long finish complete this wine admirably. This would go very well with pepper encrusted NY Strip steak and a side of sweet potato fries.
Since then, the property passed through many hands, until 1996 when it was bought by the Nieto Senetiner families. The Bonarda grape, the second most planted red grape in Argentina, comes with some controversy. Most people think it came over from Italy with Italian immigrants, but the Bonarda in Italy is known to be three different grapes that share the same name. There is even some speculation that the Bonarda in Argentina is actually Charbono which originated in the Savoie region of France. Regardless of the accuracy of the grape name, this opaque ,dark purple wine is loaded with dark cherry, blackberry and baked plum aromas; add a touch of cocoa, licorice, and spice for complexity’s sake and you have one serious bottle of wine. Very juicy with a dark core, this Bonarda really delivers with smooth tannins on the palate and a long concentrated finish. This is also a keeper; we would have no qualms about putting some of this away for 3-5 years. It will get even better! Pair this with veal Parmigiana or some dry-rubbed pork ribs.
vintages as recent as 2005, to old timers from 1976 – and a couple from 1973, aged pillars of longevity and complexity, harbingers of what some of the babies will morph into, with some patience.
Tondonia Vineyard. It is a blend of 75% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacha, and 10% Graciano and Mazuelo. This is a wine still showing much of its baby fat. Concentrated and medium-bodied, it is loaded with very ripe primary fruit – dark cherries, plums, raspberries, and a hint of citrus were all present. As for non-fruit complexities, there were touches of leather, rose petals, vanilla and spices. All in all, very seductive and balanced even for only being 11 years old! Round and smooth, this wine is lovely to drink now, but will gain complexity for a decade or more.
“There are few wineries in Spain whose names conjure the heritage and prestige evoked by R. Lopez de Heredia. One of the grand old estates of Rioja, and still in the founding family’s hands, everything here is made in the same natural and artisan way employed 133 years ago, with the purpose of making the best wine possible – the mythical fine wine from Rioja. These are rare and wonderful examples of Rioja’s classical wine tradition—and bargains for their age, quality and rarity. López de Heredia is a bulwark against modern winemaking. New oak is virtually non-existent in these vast cellars but there are plenty of the traditional, large American casks here that were the standard in the nineteenth century.”
2009 Pinot Noirs from around the globe. While the majority of the wines came from America (12 of 17) there was a representative from most of the better regions known for producing excellent examples of Pinot Noir. A late addition to the lineup was a Pinot Nero (aka Pinot Noir) from the Lombard region in Northern Italy. One of the guests had brought it as a warm up wine – pre-tasting- but the host reckoned it would make interesting fodder amongst this group of Pinots.
