Thoreau Wine Society

Drink Liquid History

nobody@vox.com(miss mary taylor) — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:25:54 -0800

Dear Friends,

Allow me to introduce yet another wine cognoscenti and fellow Thoreauvian, Mike Drapkin, who has spent a good part of his career academically tasting dozens of wines, former blogger of 'The Schist,' he contributes today a write-up of a wine that I love dearly and wholly endorse. So hit-it, Mike:

Driving south in France from the noble hills of the Cote dOr, you will come upon the bucolic landscape of the Maconnais. After departing the brisk climate of northern Burgundy, there is a feeling that the tiled roofs and salt aromas of the Mediterranean are near. The land of southern Burgundy is green, rolling, innocent and pure, which in a poetic sense, is also a fitting description for the everyday vin blanc coming from these hills. Chardonnay finds a resting place here and a comfort in the limestone soils of the best vineyards. Large co-operatives and negociants produce a vast amount of the wine exiting the Maconnais, a majority of which ends up as thirstquenching bistro wine destined to be vigorously slugged by bohemians in Paris, Lyon, or New York. But the terroir of this region has more to say and greater potential than the common in the right hands, Chardonnay from the villages of Vire and Clesse can transmit the secrets of the earth; and such gentle hands can place them in your glass to imbibe. This is where Jean Thevenet enters the story.

Jean Thevenet has been a vigneron or winemaker around the Maconnais for multiple decades; and the Thevenet family has a long, rich history in these parts dating back several hundred years. Consider the Thevenet family as winemaking royalty. The Domaine Emillan Gillet is named after Jeans great grandfather and the Chardonnay vines of the domaine rest in two revered
villages: Vire and Clesse. Located in the southeastern edge of the Maconnais, these two villages are blessed with a slice of the same pristine limestone soil which runs north into the Cote dOr.

Chardonnay here, and under the direction of Jean, can easily compete with its northern cousins(and at half the cost). Jean is a humble farmer and passionate believer in terroir-driven Chardonnay. An aristocratic landholder he is not, but rather an homme de terre, or man of the earth, with dirt under his fingernails and pruning shears in his pocket. Its in the Maconnais, where you will find Jean and his son Gautier laboriously tending to the earth and their beloved vines. Their work in the vineyard is meticulous, organic, and focused. They push their Chardonnay grapes to maximum ripeness, minimum yield and harmony. Everything is done by hand and the long growing season ensures complexity, and longevity in the finished wine.

In the cellar, Jean takes his cues not from modern winemaking technology, but from the template his kin created generations ago. The ripe Chardonnay grapes, combined with wild yeasts and a protracted fermentation imparts the finished wine with an exquisite golden hue. The color and aroma reminds me of autumn in the northeast. This wine will inspire you to pause, notice,
and appreciate the artistic grace of mother earth and a family who respects her message. There is more to this wine than alcohol and fruit flavors. In each whiff and sip you receive the stories of Jeans ancestors and the time-honored traditions of past generations. 2004 was a wonderful year for Chardonnay in Burgundy and a rare treat to have in 2009. If I may, this wine has class and breed. The acidity, maturity, and transparency in this offering will surely compel. Several weeks ago, I paired it with butternut squash soup garnished with grilled scallops, and it made me feel like royalty.

Emilian Gillet Vire Clesse 04 $20.25

A Votre Sante,
Michael

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Jurassic Chardonnay from Chablis

nobody@vox.com(miss mary taylor) — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:26:08 -0800

Dear Friends of Wine Values,

The quest for value wines, those which taste a lot better than their price would suggest, is one of the most frustrating yet rewarding aspects of a tasters professional life. It also offers great personal satisfaction. Mary and I love to find gems which are affordable but taste almost expensive. This happens about 1 out of 47 times, or thereabouts. Our latest discovery is a marvelous Chardonnay produced by the important Brocard family in Chablis.

Jean-Marc Brocard labels the wine Bourgogne Kimmeridgien, naming it for the superb soil which uniquely defines the aroma, taste and texture of the wines from Chablis. This terroir "consists of alternate layers of dense chalk and softer permeable clay, encrusted with marine fossils." There is no other region within Burgundy where this combination exists. It imparts a scent of lime, green apple and white pepper with evocative senses of mussel and oyster shells which makes one's mouth water and yearn for shellfish.

Yes the grape is Chardonnay which as chameleon-like, takes on the character of the places in which it is grown. Nowhere in the world of wine is Terroir more evident and expressive than in the vineyards of Chablis! These Kimmeridgien soils were formed during the Jurassic era making them as old as the creatures we most love to terrify us: Dinosaurs. I have already described the bouquet. On the palate, as I like to say, the wine is pure, vibrant, tangy, fresh, mineral suffused and remarkably dense and persistent.

The price tag for all this is a mere $15, the price of a mediocre glass of wine at a fashionable hotel bar. You can buy a few bottles but here a half case or full case seems in order. This is a genuinely dry wine which can be opened on a Friday evening and enjoyed through Saturday Night Live. Food matchings? Easy: Raw Oysters, steamed Mussels, sauted shrimp, and almost any white fleshy fish. You can feast at home with oysters, stripped bass, fingerling potatoes and Asparagus and a bottle of the Brocard Bourgogne for less than the cost of an ordinary restaurant with a so-so bottle of wine.

Enough said.

Happy Holidays,

Bob Millman

2008 Jean-Marc Brocard Bourgogne Kimmeridgien $15.85 per bottle.

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A Time for Sancerrity

nobody@vox.com(miss mary taylor) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 11:07:59 -0800

Dear Friends of The Grape:

A couple of weeks ago Mary asked me to taste a 2008 Sancerre and give my honest opinion. It is not my habit to say that I like something when I do not. I have no capacity to hide my true feelings and convictions—sometimes to the chagrin of my friends. There was absolutely no need to do so in this case. I am pleased to report that the wine was wonderful in my opinion and fully worthy of a Thoreau Wine Society offering.

Far too many contemporary Sancerres smell and taste as if they were trying to emulate new world Sauvignon Blancs: Ripe, peachy, full bodied and even a touch sweet with aggressive aromas. When I want those qualities I seek out a New Zealand or Napa S.B. This is not what a Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc from such a superb region as Sancerre should be presenting.

Blessedly the wine in question, The 2008 Paul Thomas Sancerre from Chavignol delivered pure, authentic Sancerre-icity. Chavignol is a rather special little village within the commune of Sancerre. It has a reputation as big as the village is small—all of 200 inhabitants all of whom either grow grapes or make one of France’s finest goat cheeses—Crottin de Chavignol. The chalky soil is ideal both for the growing of Sauvignon Blanc and the making of cheese. A glass of Sancerre from Chavignol with a wedge of Crottin served on a bed of Arugula with a touch of olive oil (but no vinegar thank you very much) and toasted slices of baguette makes for a near perfect gustatory experience. You can add some gently smoked salmon and no harm will come to the wine or the cheese which is nutty, delightfully pungent and can hold its own with a variety of additional tastes and textures.

Back to the wine: It made me smile and feel happy. The aroma mingles ripe citrus fruits, a suggestion of melon and an attractive whiff of nut spices and green herbs. Nothing exaggerated, every scent in harmony with the other. On the palate the wine is vibrant, fresh, mouth watering and palate cleansing with just a teasing sense of ripeness. Assertive in a subtle, refined manner—virtually the definition of what a true Sancerre is supposed to be. An ideal ying/yang of zesty tartness and apple-pear ripeness. I can even describe this Sancerre as playful.

And how much will this 25 ounce bottle of vinous pleasure set you back? All of $22.68. Need I say that this is a good deal and a good deal more? Beyond goat cheese, the Paul Thomas Sancerre will work perfectly with just about any fish or shell fish dish thrown its way. And if you fancy dry white wines with Sushi (as distinguished from Beer and Saki), then you have found a cross cultural match worthy of the freshest fish.

Bob Millman

Paul Thomas 2008 Sancerre Chavignol “Les Comtesses” 22.68/bottle

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Magnificent Malbec not from Argentina

nobody@vox.com(miss mary taylor) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:08:37 -0800

Dear Friends of the Vine,

I am going to tell you about a superb Malbec based wine that does not come from Argentina. Then where could it come from, Venus? The 3rd Moon of Jupiter? A part of our planet which does not even have a name? Well no. It actually comes from a fairly important wine producing country: France. But as you know, the vast majority of French wines are labeled by location not grape type. The region in question is called Cahors, a rather obscure viticultural town located 110 miles east of Bordeaux and 50 miles north of Toulousei.e., in the proverbial middle-of-nowhere. One of the reasons for its obscurity is that the majority of Cahors are firm, tannic, uncompromising wines best served with strong game dishes on wintry days.

You might be interested to know that Cahors was infamous in the middles ages for having bankers that charged interest on their loans. The church in these times said that using money as an end in itself was a sin. Because of this Cahors became synonymous with this sin, and was mentioned in Dante's Inferno (XI.50) alongside Sodom as wicked. I always thought it was Sodom and Gomorrah but apparently it was really Sodom and Cahors!

So why I am I bothering to recommend a Cahors? Because I tasted one which caused me to jump out of my seat and to revise my assumptions about what a Cahors can be. The wine in question is the 2006 Chateau du Cedre. And you will not need to pay usurious interest on your credit cards to afford this compelling wine.

The estate has been run since 1988 by 2 Belgian brothers, Pascal and Jean-Marc Verhaeghe both of whom worked with the brilliant maverick Jean-Marie Guffens in Burgundy and the Macon. Just as Guffens demonstrated many years ago how magnificent the Chardonnays planted in the right terroirs of the Macon can be, the Varhaeghe brothers have shown just what heights Malbec, tempered with just a little Merlot, can achieve in Cahors.

Their motto is "learn to unlearn." Almost all the truly great vignerons would ascribe to this profound ideal. Pascal and Jean-Marc learned to unlearn the traditional tendency to make tough, hard, inflexible wines from the region. The 2006 possesses all the virtues and sensual appeal one would seek from a warm growing region with complex, multifarious soils: The bouquet immediately arrests ones attention: Intense florality overlaying a confit of very dark fruits, cinnamon and sweet tobacco. On the palate the wine gives the impression of a puree of dark fruits, an impression of cloves and chocolate and a seductive generosity of texture. The tannins support the flavors and texture rather than overwhelming them.

How much will this gem set you back: less than $25/bottle. Do not even think about purchasing fewer than 6. This is a wine you will want to savor multiple times.

Bob Millman

2006 Chateau du Cedre Cahors 24.75

Limited quantities- First come first served.

Does not include local tax or delivery / shipping. Pick up option is available (please inquire).

We ship to 48 states.

Please reply with desired quantities and Mary will confirm your order. The wine will be available within the next ten days.

ThoreauWineSociety.com

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Madeloc Collioure (I will explain)

nobody@vox.com(miss mary taylor) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 10:45:37 -0800

Dear Friends,

If you walk into the ground floor modern European art wing at the Met, you hopefully won’t miss one of the Andre Derain turn of the century paintings which capture scenes from the Mediterranean French fishing village of Colliourjust to the north of the Spanish border, down a windy road from more famous village of Banyuls, an area of Europe so invigorating in its unique beauty that Maillol, Matisse and consequently, Derain had spiritual and artistic ties here. This past August, I popped down to this area, part of the larger wine region known as the Rousillon for a visit to some wine
growers and to assist with a tasting on-board an American cruise ship filled with Californians who had signed up for a run through of Southern French wines hosted by winemakers and experts.

Maillol

Upon arrival in Collioure, whose banks I had only aforeseen via canvas, I saw the steep trellised vineyards coming down to the sea – where they keep barges during harvest time into which they roll the grapes from the top of the peaks, to be boated to the cuverie for vinification. The village scene did not disappoint; little bridges and stone walkways, a Spanish looking
castle, touristic creperies and glaciers, empty frames where you could look at the exact vantages that so moved Derain, the glaring deep reflective blue of the sea, a big white – wha? – Cruise Ship, a sign that the
imperialist Americans had rolled into town and parked their Cadillac of a ship for all the precise, polite French to carry on the cliché.

Alas we chartered out to the ship and prepared to entertain the guests with our wines, facts, explanations. I glanced back at view facing port, framed by ancient mountainous vineyards, and beyond, the Cathar castles of the middle-ages poking up from these Pyrenean foothills. The Americans chose an interesting place to visit, yet aboard ship the currency was the American
dollar and the wine at the pool bar was, gasp, Beringer. (Perhaps our subsequent tasting helped slowly sway our friends into better and more relevant wine).

The story of the Domaine du Madeloc: the great Pierre Gaillard, the man who discovered the Cote Rotie vineyard of La Turque, and who later created his own wines in the Northern Rhone, then Faugeres, and now here in Collioure and Banyuls. (The difference between the two is very simple- the boundaries of the appellations are the same, but Banyuls is a red fortified wine, while Collioure can be white or red and is a still dry wine, and neither are particularly common in the USA). Pierre and his wife, Pascal, purchased the old Pages estate, considered to have the best vineyard holdings in the area, parcels equaling roughly 30 hectares, much of which they had to restructure and improve. The red that I’m offering today is made of old vine Grenache, Mourvedre, Syrah and Carignan. High altitude, in a warm growing atmosphere – the purity of this wine is pristine. A soft red-berry quality couples with a earthy vinous structure, this wine has a true gout de terroir – a trueness that offers you a taste of where it’s from; the minerality of the jagged-tooth schist-inlaid (schist means energy for the vines), Cathartic mountains, the slight candied quality – the lushness,
thanks to the Tramontagne, the local wind that rivals the Mistral, keeping rot off of the grapes, letting them mature on high peaks basking in the luminousity of southern France, offering a fine balance of acidity, tannin and depth. An almost imperceptible touch of large old oak barrels – tasted blind against almost all of the other wines of the region, the Madeloc came out singing – and merits my highest recommendation. I suspect that 99.9% of us have never heard of Collioure –yet I dare you to venture into this wine – it will please you immensely now and if lost in the cellar.

Domaine de la Madeloc, Collioure Rouge, ‘Serral’ 2006 $24 per bottle. (You may order as little as one bottle, but 6 will better serve you).

The wine has landed in the US and should be available within 10 days. Quantities are limited; first come, first served. Please reply with desired amounts and if you need simple account set-up info, (if you have as of yet to do so). We continue on our educated mission to find authenticity and to promote conscientious consumption. We ship to 48 states.

Slainte,

Mary

Mary Taylor
ThoreauWineSociety.com
thoreauwinesociety.vox.com

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A RIOJA FOR RIOJA LOVERS: MARQUES DE TOMARES CRIANZA

nobody@vox.com(miss mary taylor) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 06:28:23 -0800

Friends and Acquaintances:

I suspect that many subscribers to The Thoreau Wine Society have tasted more than a few Riojas, Spain’s noblest and most elegant red wine. The problem with Rioja is that there are really 3 styles being produced all of which are on the market: The traditional—which is no longer the majority, the International (low yields, ultra concentrated, fermented in French barrels, sweet, oaky and dark) and the mixed regime wines. They all have their place but frankly it is the traditional wines which express the soils, climate and the personality of Rioja most accurately. The charm, finesse and gentle seductiveness which have characterized Riojas since they started to be produced in the late 1800s gets lost when the Tempranillo grape—the quintessential grape of Rioja—is subject to internationalist meddling. One of the best and most affordable of the traditional Riojas is that from the Marques de Tomares whose excellent wines are brought to America by Jim Turney, founder and chief bottle washer of Parador Imports. Jim and I worked together at Morrell &Co. for a number of years. He always wanted to bring traditional Spanish wines to the States and waited until he found a wine that pleased his delightfully old-fashioned palate during his regular visits to Spain from 1998 onwards

Marques de Tomares was established as a coop in 1910 and started releasing wines made entirely from its own vineyard holdings in the 1990s. Like other traditional Rioja producers, The Tomares family releases 3 wines: Their bread and butter Rioja is labeled as a Crianza—i.e. aged 1 year in new ands neutral American and French oak and then aged an additional 14 months in bottle before being put on the market. Their 2^nd wine is a Reserva in great vintages like 1996 and 2001. From time to time tiny quantities of a Gran Reserva are made which sees 8 years in barrel. The vines from which all the wines are produced come from 2 distinct terroirs in Rioja Alta (the best part of Rioja) and range in age from 33-55 years. There is nothing virtuosic or egocentric about the operation: just excellent grapes handled gently and fermented and aged with minimum fuss and manipulation. Dried cherries, tobacco leaf, and cinnamon notes lead to a medium bodied palate which gently fills the mouth with earthy and red fruits nuances. The underlying dry texture is pure Rioja and lets you know just what you are tasting. Earthy yet elegant, expressive yet restrained, gentle yet persistent: A near perfect Crianza. The wine is ideal for Chicken, Pork, Cornish Hen, soft cheeses and roasted meats.

Bob Millman

2005 Marques de Tomares Crianza

19.85 per bottle, no minimum for purchase.

Limited quantities- First come first served.

Does not include local tax or delivery / shipping. Pick up option is available (please inquire).

We ship to 48 states.

Please reply with desired quantities and Mary will confirm your order.

ThoreauWineSociety.com

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Another Gem from Sylvain Pataille

nobody@vox.com(miss mary taylor) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:36:39 -0800

Dear Wine Lovers,

Several months ago my eloquent and humorous (thus proving that these 2 attributes are not mutually exclusive) partner in the Thoreau Wine Society, Mary Taylor, wrote about Sylvain Pataille and one of his superb Marsannays.

During this past summers International Pinot Noir Celebration, Sylvain showed his top winea blend from old vines in several of his premier cru quality vineyards which he calls 'L'Ancestral' and it stole the show, as they say. Mr. Pataille is as passionate and knowledgeable about wine as he is likeable. He has risen to the top in the Cote de Nuits both as a wine maker and consultant for very good reasons: he has exceptional technical skills and a fabulous palate qualities which do not always exist in the same person. The moment you start tasting his wines and listening to him, you know you are in the presence of the real thing.

Recently I tasted several of Patailles wines at a tasting organized by his distributor, Michael Feuerstein of Pas Mal Importers/Distributors. One delightful wine that caught my fancy was Patailles least expensive wine:

The 2006 Passetoutgrain. This appellation refers to red wines made in Burgundy by the co-fermenting of 2/3 Gamay (The red wine grape of Beaujolais) and 1/3rd Pinot Noir. Passetoutgrains are the only red wines in Burgundy proper that can legally include the Gamay grape which, until the late 1300s was as ubiquitous in the vineyards of Burgundy, perhaps more so than Pinot Noir.

Gamay was banned from Burgundy by Philippe The Bold in 1395 but made its way back to Burgundy in the late 1880s. You just cannot keep a good grape down. By nature, Passetoutgrains are meant to be easy drinking entry level Burgundies. But of course when a grower/producer as scrupulous and enlightened at Sylvain Pataille makes a Passetoutgrain it will and does have an extra dimension of flavor and class easily surpassing the vast majority of such wines.

To the easy charm correctly found in Passetoutgrains there is a voluptuous and vibrant core of rich, mineral-drenched fruit which speaks very clearly the language of northern Burgundy. Patailles Passetoutgrain is indeed a synthesis of the best of the 2 grapes from which it is made: Delightful and arresting at the same time. Not many wine makers can pull this off. But Sylvain Pataille so often transcends his peers that perhaps this is not a surprise after all. This is a delicious, sensual, food-friendly and affordable red Burgundy. Can one ask for more?

2006 Sylvain Pataille Passetoutgrain

$21.50/bottle, 2 Bottle Minimum

Limited quantities- First come first served.

Does not include local tax or delivery / shipping. Pick up option is available (please inquire).

We ship to 48 states.

Please reply with desired quantities and Mary will confirm your order.

Bob Millman

ThoreauWineSociety.com

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Mephisto: Devilishly Good Wine from Austria

nobody@vox.com(miss mary taylor) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:53:20 -0700

Dear Friends,

A small importing company recently put on a tasting of over 75 wines made in and around Vienna. For the most part, they represent terrific quality/value rapport. Of all the wines presented those of Rainer Christ from Weingut Christ struck me as among the most delightful, interesting and well priced Austrian wines I have tasted in the last few years.

Vienna is the only capital city in Europe which has important vineyards within its city limits: around 1500 acres in fact. Soils vary enormously from one site to the next and even within the same vineyard, resulting in a wide range of styles and quality. The Christ family has been growing grapes in Vienna for more than 400 years and has recently achieved 1st class status under the leadership of Rainer Christ, the handsome head of the family who speaks flawless English and bears a striking resemblance to Michael Wetherly from NCIS (for those who care). Total plantings are a mere 23 acres. Most wine lovers have known for some time that Austria produces superb dry white wines from Gruner Veltliner, Riesling and in some regions Sauvignon Blanc. Austrian red wines are much less known and tend to be relegated to 2nd class citizenship.

Aficionados know that shockingly good red wines can be made from Blaufrankish and Zweigelt, Austria’s indigenous red grapes. Top restaurants with adventuresome cuisine have been adding fine Austrian reds to their lists and discovering that clients find them to be both interesting in themselves and wonderful with food. Still, a taster has to work much harder to find Austrian reds of truly international status than to find first rate whites.

Among Rainer Christ’s excellent wines, the sole red, with the intriguingly named of Mephisto stood out. I always taste and re-taste before I seek information. If I really like a wine I want to know all about it. If I don’t I simply do not care--unless it cures diseases and extends life.

What struck me about Mephisto was its altogether successful combination of immediacy and depth. I walked away from the table and returned 30 minutes later to check on my original impressions.

Confirmed! The wine has the bright, expressive intense fruit of a Sonoma Zinfandel with the firmness, spine and texture of a good Bordeaux. It turns out that it is 50% Zweigelt (Austria’s Zinfandel) and the rest a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The vines are solidly middle-aged: 45 years on average. So what do you experience when drinking Mephisto? A theoretical blend of a Rosenbloom Zin and a classified St. Julien. It worked for me and will work for you. It is just about the most satisfying $25 bottle of red wine I have tasted in some time.

For those of you who care, the 2006 Mephisto was the winner of the Vienna Wine Competition in 2008. The first vintage was 1992. How do you get $50 worth of red wine for $25? Buy bottles of the 2006 Mephisto.

2006 Weingut Christ “Mephisto”

25.95 per bottle, no minimum for purchase.

Limited quantities- First come first served.

Does not include local tax or delivery / shipping. Pick up option is available (please inquire).

We ship to 48 states.

Please reply with desired quantities and Mary will confirm your order.

Bob Millman

ThoreauWineSociety.com

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World Class Grower Champagne (And Lower Cost Shipping

nobody@vox.com(miss mary taylor) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:24:45 -0700

Dear Friends,

Here we enter the seasonal juncture which presents itself as an unpredictable, mutable, ever-changing force – leaves under foot, crisp air – a heightened sense of the elements, minerality, aromas so elegantly fermenting, weekends of wood-fires and contemplation. We folk of the Thoreau Wine Society have been busy making correlations between hiking and wine – particularly in conjunction with what we would drink with various vantage points. Recently my dear friend and honrary TWS member Anne and I took a spontaneous journey to Asheville, NC – to explore the southern hills
of the Great Smokey’s and Blue Ridge mountains. Along the Appalachian Trail, as we traversed the ridged border of Tennesee and the Carolinas, stopping by a spectacular blue-green panorama pregnant with fir trees and jagged ridges, I muttered sotto voce “Champagne’ – ‘Come again?’ – If you were to ask what I would drink with this view, I would say Champagne – a nervous, lush, racy, precise champagne, equal parts restraint and sex – a balance of sensations – both invigorating and soothing, prettily perfumed and mysterious, yet earthy, alive and rugged.

The story of Stephane Coquillette is very common in Champagne. The family’s grapes were once sold in some percentage to the bigger houses, many of whom haven’t always been obsessively engaged with what they put in their wines, rather relying on a sugary dosage to retain consistency. The big houses offer familiarity, a well-marketed label that makes people feel safe, and labels are certainly important. But if we think of wine like we do hiking, we wouldn’t want to repeat the same trail in the same season on the same day every time, and we certainly wouldn’t want a virtual trail – so perhaps, when you experience this champagne and others that are made individually and in small production (the same idea of estate bottled – a popular term in California), and not part of the hundreds of millions of bottles made for Moet, Veuve, Heidseick, Besserat, Ayala, Piper, Mumm, Pommery, Roeder, Ruinart, Taittinger, Pol Roger, and Perrier-Jouet, you just might run into what strikes you as rare beauty – perhaps a door opened
in your range of sensations that you might have never known was there.

Young Stephane is a fourth generation Champenoise – a tough bunch – for it was in Champagne that Genghis Kahn was finally defeated, the region later to be dug for trenches in the First World War. He took over this winery and
is now bottling Champagne under the family name. We are now in Chouilly, a Grand Cru village in the Cotes des Blancs, just south-east of the major shipping town of Epernay. Their ten different parcels equaling roughly six
hectares of vines, (in such a small but world-class environ) shares that famously deep chalky limestone ‘roche-mere’ which makes Champagne the greatest sparkling wine region in the world, giving to fabulous minerality and vigour. Coquillette works his vineyards by hand and inlays the rows with bark to prevent weeds and erosion (hence, no synthetic chemicals). Most importantly this multi-vintage cuvee is released after several years of ageing, and is unequivocally sumptuous and every bit about which I
fantasized overlookng our great national park.

Stephane Coquillette ‘Cuvee Diane’ Blanc de Blancs Brut NV

$58.50 per bottle – the best price I am finding on the web and a big
discount from us to you.

We will grant 10% off on 12 bottles. Grab a case for the season!

Tax and shipping not included. Please see our clear and wonderful new
shipping/delivery policy:
http://www.thoreauwinesociety.com/deliveryshipping.html

Please reply with desired amounts – and please tell friends!

Slainte,
Mary Taylor
ThoreauWineSociety.com

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A Great Fall Merlot from Bob

nobody@vox.com(miss mary taylor) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:02:54 -0700

Hit it Bob:

A CALIFORNIA MERLOT (!) YOU CAN DRINK WITH PRIDE AND PLEASURE

It wasn’t that long ago that Merlot was the most popular red wine in America. Besides, anyone who knows anything about wine knows that Merlot is the key grape in Pomerol where it is the basis for a half dozen of the sexiest, most expressive and expensive red wines made on this planet. But then came Pinot Noir which supplanted Merlot this decade to such an extent than many wine lovers will not even admit to ever having purchased a bottle of Merlot. Fashion is fashion. But quality transcends current sensibilities which change every 10 years. In the meanwhile many fine Merlots and Merlot based blends are being produced both on the west coast and of course all throughout Bordeaux. The trouble with many new world Merlots is that they are too soft and easy, lacking the structural spine of Cabernets and the elegant acidity of Pinot Noirs.

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It is always a pleasure to taste a Merlot which is a real wine, not just fermented grape juice. Mary and I recently encountered an example of an excellent Napa Merlot at a trade tasting. This Merlot is from an artisinal, under-the-radar winery called Baxter. Established in 2002 by the father and son team of Philip Baxter Sr. and Jr., their goal is to make wines exclusively from single vineyard sites with vines of sufficient age, to allow fermentation on their own yeasts and to age them in neutral small barrels until ready for bottling. No fining or filtering is ever done. Currently the Baxters produce 2 excellent Pinots from northern sites, 2 Cabernets, a Zinfandel and 1 Merlot from a vineyard called Rodgers in Oakville. The style of the wines is decidedly European with an emphasis on texture, length and classical balance. The Baxters eschew the sweet, lush, juicy style popular with the wine press. This is the 2nd time I have tasted these singular wines and my admiration for them has not diminished.

The 2004 Merlot, just released was aged in 2 and 3 year old barriques for 36 months. Why so long? Because they liked the way the wine was evolving and felt no need to bottle it before their palates told them that it was ready. How old fashioned. I was deeply impressed by the firmness and smoky power of the wine. No fat, plumy sweetness here. This Merlot seems to be more about the vineyard than it is about the grape. The grape as transmission of site and conditions—the very goal of classical winemaking. This is a serious, interesting, engaging Merlot which will convert doubters in but a few sips. Congratulations to the Baxter’s for demonstrating what Merlot can be at its best! Neither inexpensive nor expensive, the 2004 Baxter Rodgers Vineyard Merlot is $32.95. Ask yourself what kind of wine you would get at a restaurant for under $35. Nothing even close to the Baxter Merlot, that is for certain. In my opinion the 2002 Baxter is the equal or better than the vast majority of Merlots retailing for $50-60. Enjoy this Merlot marvel with a roast Rack of Lamb. Or a roast chicken from Bouley (12.95)’s bakery.

29.95 Limited - First come first served.

Does not include local tax or delivery / shipping.

We ship to 48 states.

Please reply with desired quantities and Mary will confirm your order.

Bob Millman

ThoreauWineSociety.com

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