Thoreau Wine Society

Dear Friends,

Fall will be here soon, and it's time to think about autumnal reds again.  At a recent trade tasting I encountered a simply wonderful red Burgundy worthy of your serious consideration. The wine in question is a little known 1er Cru Nuits St. Georges from a reasonably well-known estate. The estate is Domaine de L'Arlot and the vineyard Les Petits Plets. In fact, this vineyard is an enclave within the Domaine's top holding in Nuits St. Georges, the Clos des Forets. This is one of Burgundy's single vineyards with but one owner. Such vineyards are called Monopoles in Burgundy. Romanee Conti and La Tache are the two most famous such Monopoles.

From 1987 to 2006, the Domaine L'Arlot was run by the affable and kindly Jean-Pierre de Smet, who had worked at Domaine Dujac for many years before taking the helm at L'Arlot. Like his mentor, Jacques Seysses, de Smet very much believed in including the stems in the fermentation process. Opinions range widely in Burgundy concerning the virtues and vices of including stems. Those who believe in this practice feel strongly that it adds a dimension to red Burgundy which it would otherwise lack: There are tannins and fragrances which extrude into the juice from the stems and which can add an undeniable element of wildness and erotics lacking in wines without stems. Red Burgundies made with stems invariably have a light color which is disturbing only to novices. After all, no one buys Burgundy for its dark color! The L'Arlot wines, when successful, have an intoxicating perfume which more than compensates for their light color. The bouquet of the 2007 Petits Plets leaps from the glass and surrounds the nose with wild berry, earthy, sweet tobacco scents which are simply irresistible.

When a red Burgundy has one of those wild, narcotizing bouquets, there is only one thing to do: submit. I will add that the flavors and texture of the wine are in harmony with the bouquet. Chewy and earthy in the manner of many Nuits St. Georges, the wine fills the mouth with perfume, spices and essence of dark berries. Good acidity gives the wine freshness and lift. This is one of the best 2007's I have tasted. As all Thoreauvians know, good red Burgundy does not come cheap. At $55 the Petits Plets is hardly inexpensive. But in the panoply of red Burgundy it is far from expensive.  Mary and I could name 20-30 west coast Pinot Noirs which sell for far more and offer far less. My advice: treat yourself to a few bottles and then be prepared for an evening of vinous joy. One whiff and you will be glad you own another bottle!

Bob Millman

2007 Domaine de L'Arlot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Petits Plets
$54.85

So I exclaimed when I tasted a wonderful earthy, chewy, leathery red wine which Mary had poured into a glass for my evaluation. Even if she hadn’t told me where it came from, I would certainly have concluded that it was from the north of Spain. The first obligation of a wine is to express its origins in unmistakable fashion—as this excellent red wine certainly did.

As it turned out, the wine is from the Toro region, located 100 kilometers to the west of its more famous relative, Ribera de Duero.  The wine I tasted is the top red wine from an extraordinary cooperative in Toro called Bajoz, which was started almost 50 years ago when the wines from this now highly regarded region were all but unknown. Intense sunlight over the entire growing season leads to high natural sugars and fabulous concentration of flavors. The yields in Toro are the lowest in Spain. The growers and oenologists working at Bajoz have long mastered the demanding conditions in Toro. This was clearly reflected in the wine I tasted: a 1999 Reserva. Its smooth, fluid, mouth-coating texture perfectly balances all the chewy, smoky, dark fruit flavors which permeate the wine. Age has tamed the natural wildness often found in Toro wines, giving the wine a mellow power which is most satisfying. The long, subtle, and elegantly dry finish is Spanish red wine to the core.

I would recommend serving the wine with lamb, duck, quail, and well-aged cheeses. This is the kind of wine you make friends with after a half dozen sips. Gentle power with more than a touch of noble reserve come to mind the more I sip this fine representative of what is distinctive to Spain’s best red wines.
 
Bob Millman
 
1999 Bajoz Tinto De Toro Riserva $29.85

Dear Friends,

I've been marveling at these summer parties where people are drinking better wine.  Is it possible that we are no longer drowning in a sea of pinot grigio?  When friends I'd least expect offer me a glass from a decanter, I'm bowled over.  Brave new world.  Let's keep at it!

I scribbled down a note to myself over the weekend that going back to wild nature is restorative--and in this vein, I'll say that it is an incredible experience to drink good German Riesling, which at times can be a sensational splendor, much like looking over a ridge at a spectacular view.

Many Pinot Noir lovers curiously default to Riesling, which, given the noble grape's potential for pleasure, its certain breadth of suspense and variance, makes perfect sense.  Today I offer you a small parcel of a rather seminal example of this wondrous grape:  the '99 Kabinett from Karthauserhof, a true testament to the mysterious glory of nature.  

The Karhauserhof Winery is found nestled in the village of Eitelsbach, along the lovely Ruwer River as it gives way to the Mosel.  Enjoying a history that traces back to the Romans, Karthauserhof is named after an order of Carthusian monks who ran the estate in the fourteenth century.  For the past six generations, the estate has been operated by the Tyrell family, most lately by Christoph Tyrell, who bears accolades such as Best German Winemaker (1997) and who is followed by aficionados worldwide.  Bob tells me Karthauserhof's Auslese Cask 50 from the '02 vintage is easily the best German wine he's tasted in the last 10 years (out of thousands of Rieslings he has been fortunate to taste).

Mineral-enriched soils which are heavy in iron impart deep vibrant strokes.  Christoph's viticultural techniques include using the most natural fertilizers (use your wild imagination).  The radiating warmth from the slate helps the Riesling vines that need to ripen longer to unfold their characteristics.  The slaty soil acts like a storage heating that slowly releases the heat from the day at night.  

The '99 vintage was magnificent across the German region of the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer.  Over in the Saar, I've heard that Egon Muller considers the '99 Scharzhofberger his best vintage ever.  This is an opportunity to taste a completely developed Riesling.  I found in this wine that the acidity is still energetic; the clean Riesling cut remains, although softened; the color has cooled into a honeyed gold; and the aromas are entirely fascinating and complex classic petrol, acacia flower.  A touch of residual sugar gives a richness to balance the acidity, making this wine absolutely delicious.

Karthauserhof Eitelbacher Kabinett 1999
$34.85 per bottle

Slainte,

Mary Taylor
ThoreauWineSociety.com

Dear Friends of the Vine,

This is the 2nd of our post-sabbatical recommendations:  A superb and affordable white Burgundy:

From time to time we taste a potpourri of wines presented "double-blind," i.e. no information at all about the wines before tasting. The style, origin and quality can vary widely if not wildly. Normally, tasting a jumble of differing wines can cause confusion and tentativeness in judgment, but this democracy really keeps you on your vinous toes, so to speak. And by returning to the wines several times over you are able to uncover the gems; you end up zoning in on the wines of quality, balance and individuality:  the wines you want to taste again and again.

So we are delighted to recommend a wine that turned out to be a splendid St. Veran from the Macon-- the southernmost region for growing Chardonnay in Burgundy. We have written about several outstanding wines from the various villages within the Maconnaise before.  If there are better values in the world of white wine it would be hard to imagine what they might be.  Admittedly, the Loire Valley gives the Macon a run for its money in term of
price/quality rapport. But when it comes to gorgeous, mouth-watering, food-friendly Chardonnays the Macon is king.

The first aspect of the wine which drew us was the rich golden, green-tinged hue. Yes friends, color in a wine can be an indicator of quality.  Not always but often enough.  Then there was the arresting bouquet of citrus, apple, lightly toasted nuts and essence of wild mushroom.  Sunny Chardonnay to be sure, but free of new world exotic fruitiness and spice.  In the mouth the wine is a delicious combination of concentrated, yet restrained fruit flavors intermingled with minerals, juicy acidity and white pepper. The chewy, mouth-coating texture of the wine is especially inviting. Altogether a winning wine.  Frankly, even though served blind, it was not difficult to identify its general sense of place. St. Verans, usually more serious than the wines made in the various villages of the Macon, can be a little sullen and even bitter at times. But not this one!  Indeed we have rarely tasted a St. Veran that was so inviting and generous.

This lovely and serious wine is made by the husband wife team Agnes and Bernard Leger-Plumet. The estate was established in 1850 by Agnes Plumet's great great great grandfather but only just started being exported to the
USA 2 years ago. The vines from the 8 acres of St Veran owned by the estate range from 50 to 100 years of age. This may account for the depth of color and flavor of the wine. The soils are a blend of marl, limestone and clay.  This translates into the fine grained acidity and firm mineral underpinning of this juicy white Burgundy, making it an ideal partner for sauced fish and shell fish preparations and creamy cheeses. This is an exciting white
Burgundy by any standards. The moderate price makes it all the more appealing.

2008 Saint Veran Domaine du Chalet Pouilly
$21.85

Dear Friends,

I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer. I thought I would send you a little note about a wine that I recently fell in love with and think you will enjoy.   

Providence put a glass of 2006 Morgon Cote du Py in my hand on a rainy evening where I found myself house-sitting alone, diligently catching up on computer work in the echoes of an empty beach house.   I marveled at my only companion's purity and lovely juxtaposition between freshness and viscosity, causing me to pause, put down my work, and sit with this sensation for the duration of the glass. This vivacious wonder could technically be called, gosh dare I say it, Beaujolais, but don't let that name put your trail of associations down a dark road of words like 'dubeouf' and 'nouveau.'  Rather, let a fresh light come through on the good things coming from the spectacular Beaujolais region -- with its Tuscan-esque landscape, sunshine-kissed rolling hills, ideal terrain for cyclists and stubby old vines.  I guess it's fair to refer to this also as Burgundy -- as it technically is within the confines and resembles more of what we think of as Burgundy -- an intermingling of earthiness and perfume, high-toned fruit, lush broad minerally strokes, but with a more dark kirsch-y fruit than a burgundian red strawberry.

The Cotes du Py (pronounced like "pee,' but meaning black-bird) with its higher altitudes is said to be the greatest terrain in the region.  Our man Jean Marc Burgaud, who is an extremely talented and passionate descendant of generations of winegrowers, makes an exceptional expression of the blue stone schisty soil found in this beloved vineyard. Morgon is a tiny village much like Brouilly or Fleurie in which the growers take their work very seriously. Without using the fashionable rhetoric that swarms around Morgon (long story) I'll just simply say that this wine is made naturally, and expresses the purity by which it has been handled. This is a wine to age and has been ideally cellared since it was born.

I have a small lot of this wine; please let me know by replying if you would like some.

2006 Jean Marc Burgaud Morgon Cotes du Py Reserve $19.99 per bottle

Slainte,

Mary

Dear Friends,
 
Mary and I are back and hope to make the TWS experience the best it has been. As always we will spend time going to tastings and working to offer you, our esteemed audience, exceptional wines. One area where we continue to find remarkable wines at compelling prices is the Loire Valley.
 
I tasted a certain Sauvignon Blanc recently and I could not quite identify the place, the region of origin; I found myself perplexed. It had some qualities one finds in Loire SBs but it had a certain density, weight and floral fragrance that suggested a somewhat warmer environment than I associate with most Loire Sauvignons.  Mind you, this identity quest would have made little sense unless the wine was excellent, which indeed it was and is.

I learned that indeed this was a Sauvignon Blanc but from the small region called Valencay which is the most recent viticultural area in the Loire to gets its own appellation status in March of 2004. Valencay is a gorgeous little town which has the distinction of having been the birth place and home of Tallyrand, the only man in France tougher than Napoleon. It is best known for its excellent pyramid-shaped cheese which goes by the name of the town. Or was the town named for the cheese? The micro climate here favors red wines, which account for 70% of total production. But on the basis of the engaging and distinctive Sauvignon Blanc I experienced it is quite capable of producing first rate whites as well.

This intense, fragrant SB with its almost Riesling like vibrancy is the work of husband and wife team Albane and Bertrand Minchin who were attracted by the complex soils surrounding Valencay which mix limestone clay and silex. Their small estate is farmed organically and the wines bottled with minimum sulfites. I really loved the way the wine worked on the palate. It is another fine expression of Sauvignon Blanc, a grape which has a wide range of textural and flavor possibilities. I see all kinds of successful food pairings with this multi-flavored wine. Everything from grilled fish, to Asian foods to ham and pork. Last but not least, it is priced for your drinking pleasure.

Bob Millman

Clos Delorme Valencay Blanc  2009

$17.65 per bottle

Dear Friends,

I'm sending out this email as the first in what we surmise as our new season of offerings. We took a hiatus to regroup and have made some major adjustments towards maximum efficiency. Firstly, as the weather is variable, we are holding back shipping packages until you tell us to release. Thus we will hold wines in the cellar for you--you may feel free to mix and match wines, try one or two of whatever interests you--and then ship your entire parcel when you deem fit.  

Our lovely colleague Barbara will handle all of the nitty-gritty so that us utopian wine idealists can flitter about Blithedale Romance fashion in pursuit of magical wines to bring to your attention, while still getting the wines to you expediently.

Appropriately, I've chosen to start the season with Condrieu. Back when I started the Thoreau Wine offerings, I had just come from a challenging harvest in the steep hills south of Lyon where the Rhodanians grow Syrah for Cote Rotie and Viognier for Condrieu, which as one of those mysterious French delights, begs for the attention of those of us who enjoy rare beauty. 2007 gave us a moderate growing season--some rain, which added a touch of botrytis (a noble rot found in places like Sauternes; when found in moderation, adds another level of fabulous je ne sais quoi to the wine). Condrieu initially befuddled me:  its unusual floral perfume, the high tones of its acidity, but with a honeyed texture.  No place in the world grows Viognier with an aura as beautiful as this.

The father of northern Rhone wines is Pierre Gaillard.  In French, Gaillard indicates a strong man--and this strong gentle soul knows these slopes like no other. Allowing the wine to ferment in barrel, tendering deep broad strokes, and yet refreshingly dry enough to pair beautifully with chicken from the grill, fresh chives from the garden mixed with crumpled feta, homemade green garlic hummous.  I literally just popped a bottle so that I could best explain this and was hit by a rush of sensation and delight  Mm!  Now this is France. Throw this wine into a deep glass and marvel at its elegance.
 
As Condrieu is rare and expensive (usually upwards of $70), if one bottle is all you can manage, that is just fine, we will hold it for you, hand deliver, whatever is easiest.

Pierre Gaillard Condrieu 2007 $49.99
 

Dear Friends:
 
Many of you know that Mary and I are real fans of top quality Beaujolais, especially those from the best vineyard sites (called Crus in French) such as Morgon, Moulin-a-Vent and Fleurie. It is regrettable that the status of Beaujolais was defined for many wine drinkers years ago with the gimmick called Beaujolais Nouveau. Beaujolais Nouveau is soda made from the Gamay grape with some alcohol. It is barely wine. And most importantly, B.N. has no intrinsic connection to the real and lovely wines made in this sublimely beautiful region which marks the transition from Burgundy to the Rhone. Ask experienced drinkers who truly love wine, not snobs and label collectors, about the better Cru Beaujolais and they will spend 20 minutes telling you about some of the gems they especially like.

One of the joys of going to tastings is encountering excellent wines from producers whose wines you have never tasted before. It is always nice to taste old friends. But discoveries are best. They keep you fresh, alert and in the game. The wine in question is an old vines Beaujolais from the cru called Brouilly. It is true that Brouilly does not have the exalted reputation of say, Morgon. But in the final analysis we all taste wines, not names. And this Brouilly was simply one of the best Cru Beaujolais I have had in a while. The producer is Robert Perroud and one of the reasons his Brouilly is so good is that it comes from the upper south facing slopes. Technically this is Brouilly de Cote (French for slope). Perroud uses organic methods and includes only the grapes from the vines averaging more than 40 years of age on his sites. The juice is fermented warm for 9-10 days with one punch down of the thick cap at the very end of maceration. The fermented juice is aged in older oak barrels for 6 months and bottled unfiltered.

Okay, enough of the technicals. The color is a lovely gleaming ruby with purple interior. The bouquet is delightful synthesis of strawberries, minerals and citrus. The wine coats the palate with waves of red fruits in that seductive, charming, gracious way that separates Beaujolais from other red wines. At the same time one can feel the presence of the vineyard in every sip. This touch of nobility is one of the wine's finest features.
Good cru Beaujolais are wonderful on their own - they respond well to a little chilling. They are also so very food friendly. Not perhaps with strongly spiced or flavored food but with just about anything else.  Last but not least this little beauty is less than $20 a bottle. That seals the deal.
 
To your health and pleasure, Bob Millman

2007 Brouilly Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Robert Perroud $19.45/bottle

Dear Thoreauvians,
 
I recently accepted an invitation to a dinner featuring ultra-healthy foods and wines. Things that are really good for you usually do not have much flavor or sensory interest. Happily this event proved to be a delightful exception: Most of the food was actually very good and 2 of the wines served were excellent. The wine I am drawing to your attention is the  entry  level Gruner Veltliner made by the first European winery to employ 100% Bio-Dynamic methods--Nikolaihof in the marvelous Wachau region of Austria. Historical evidence shows that the Romans were active in the Wachau back to the 5th Century AD. The Nikolaihof estate has its well defined roots 2000 years ago! This is perhaps why the management of the soils in their various vineyards is carried out with almost religious fervor. Proprietress Christine Saahs--a frequent visitor to the USA-- and her husband Nikolas make wines of exceptional depth and longevity. Their profound understanding of bio-dynamism has resulted in vineyards of such remarkable health and stability that weather factors have less influence at Nikolaihof than perhaps any other vineyard in the old world.

Because their single vineyard Gruners and Rieslings have so much character and minerality and require so much time to develop their nuances, the Saahs made the wise decision some years ago to produce an affordable, accessible wine which tastes delicious when young. To achieve this worthy goal, the Saahs decided to use the Burgundian practice of lees stirring, called 'hefeabzug' in German, a practice which increases the amount of oxygen in the must and imparts roundness to the texture of the finished wine.

David Schildknecht, the knowledgeable and astute reviewer of Austrian, Alsatian and German wines for The Wine Advocate is a huge fan of Nikolaihof wines in general and the Hefeabzug in particular. The bouquet is instantly inviting with its interplay of white pepper, sugar snap peas and pear. On the palate the wines does what you want really good Gruner Veltliner to do: 
It coats the palate with an almost irresistible juiciness tempered by citrus and floral notes. The very long finish is usually found in wines selling for far more. Among its other virtues this seductive and friendly wine goes so very well with vegetables--a hallmark of a well made Gruner.
This healthy wine is a treat for the senses.
 
2008 Nikolaihof Gruner Veltliner Hefeabzug      $24.45/bottle

Bob Millman
ThoreauWineSociety.com
 

Dear Friends,

A spring ago, much like this one, but in France, courtesy of a London wine merchant, I was positively seduced by a winery in Meursault I hadn't known before. Janots Bos is the name, and while that sounds odd indeed, it simply represents two partners who bring their passion, skills, and hard work together to make fabulous Meursault, Chassagne, and other such delicacies from the Cote de Beaune. I can't think of a time of year more perfect for these graceful, full bodied but zippy, age-worthy delights. White Burgundy has been holding court as my desert-island wines for years and that remains unchanged.

Thierry Janots runs back and forth from his job as viticulturist at Comte Lafon, to JanotsBos, a rented cellar in the village of Meursault. They say great wine is made in the vineyard, and Thierry certainly is one of the top specialists in this part of the world. Richard Bos, a kind, focused and sensitive vinifier, believes in pure and honest wine making. Very little manipulation is done in the cellar -- no filtration, little clarification, timely batonnage. These wines are true terroir.

Janots' Bourgogne Blanc is far more impressive than most. Kept in two, three, and four-year barrels for about 11 months; the yields are low; 40 hl/hectare ensures a wine of high-density. These chardonnay grapes come from 2 lieu-dits: Les Pellans in Meursault, and Les Femelottes in Puligny Montrachet. Power meets power. But the acidity and minerality are high-toned and enveloping. Color is light gold, and the neutral Allier barrels sparingly add just a hush of perfume, but it's the gravelly iron-inlaid soils that provide for citrusy, earthy, white-flowery complexity and a broadness that could further develop in the cellar, but is delicious today. I'm finding 08 to be a superb vintage here. This is the prettiest little wine I've seen in a long time.  

JanotsBos Bourgogne Blanc 2008        $29.45 per bottle.