Gary's Wine Club August 2009 Cellar Selection: 2005 Aalto Ribera del Duero

2005 Aalto Ribera del Duero
Grape variety: Tinto Fino
Region: Ribera del Duero, Spain
Food pairing: Grilled leg of lamb or chorizo
Chosen By: Rick Bedkowski, Wine Associate, Madison

Bodegas Aalto first made this wine in the 2000 vintage, and the wines continue to get better each year. But the 2005 is probably the best they've produced yet. It's no surprise since Mariano Garcia, Director of Vega Sicilia for 30 years, is part of the winemaking team. This wine is produced from 100% Tinto Fino grapes that have an average vine age of 60 years (some as old as 90 years.) After 23 months in oak barrels, the final result is a rather voluptuous wine loaded with crushed blackberry, blueberry, and cinnamon spice. Rick Bedkowski, wine associate in our Madison store, artist, and lover of Spanish wines and good tequila, chose this wine for its great balance. "Based on the deep-purple, almost ink-like color of the wine, I thought the mouthfeel would be massive, but it wasn't...which was nice. It was surprisingly well balanced with dark fruit, mild earthiness and soft tannins. And it would go great with some lamb."

More info: http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/spain/09838.html

Gary's Wine Club August 2009 Cellar Selection: 2007 Hamilton Russell Vineyards Pinot Noir

2007 Hamilton Russel Vineyards Pinot Noir
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Walker Bay, South Africa
Food pairing: Dijon mustard and rosemary-encrusted rack of lamb
Chosen By: Cathy Wilkes, Internet Wine Sales Manager, Wayne

"When I think Pinot Noir," says Cathy Wilkes, manager of our virtual web store, "the first place that comes to mind is Burgundy, then perhaps California, then Oregon, and the South Island of New Zealand...but never South Africa. But after I tasted Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir for the first time, I realized just what I'd been missing!" The Walker Bay area of South Africa, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet and the cold current from Antarctica flows, provides a cool climate for growing Pinot Noir. And through two generations of stewardship, the Hamilton Russell family has put much effort into determining the perfect varietals and clones to plant in the estate's unique clay, stone and shale soils. Their 2007 Pinot Noir bottling earned 93 points from Wine Spectator, a spot in the Top 60 New World Pinot Noirs by Decanter, and an enthusiastic nod of approval from our own Cathy.

More info: http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/south_africa/65821.html

Gary's Wine Club July 2009 Cellar Selection: 2007 Robert Foley Vineyards Charbono

2007 Robert Foley Vineyards Charbono
Grape variety: Charbono
Region: Napa Valley
Food pairing: Good Pizza and Pink Floyd

I think it's a safe bet to say, no, scratch that, I can guarantee you nobody's having more fun making wine in the Napa Valley than Robert Foley. And in large part, it's because he's gotten good enough at what he does to do only what he wants. After a few decades of building his career as winemaker at several very prominent wineries (most notably 15 years at Pride), Bob now makes wine for Switchback Ridge, the highly lauded Hourglass, and under his own Robert Foley label.

And while his Cabernets and Clarets have gotten some pretty impressive scores (absolutely delicious, by the way,) the rarely used Charbono grape holds a special place in his heart and his cellar. Take one sip of this heady, exuberant wine full of raspberry, chocolate, and forest notes and you'll question why virtually no one else makes the stuff. I guess few people know the grape like Foley does. And few people take the time to play rock music for the wine as it mellows in the caves. That just may have something to do with it. Give the wine its due and drink it while listening to your favorite rock album. Bob would appreciate it.

More info: http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/california/60046.html

Gary's Wine Club July 2009 Cellar Selection: 2006 Banknote Wine Company "The Vault" Napa Valley Red Blend

2006 Banknote Wine Company "The Vault" Napa Valley Red Blend
Grape Variety: Zinfandel, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon
Region: Napa Valley, California
Food pairing: Grilled Squab or Quail Stuffed with Thyme Sprigs

There aren't many symbols so iconic to American culture quite like our currency. A graphic designer by trade and a self-professed wine-lover at heart, proprietor Pete Nixon decided to merge his two passions by designing a unique and striking wine label; all he needed was an equally unique and striking wine to go inside. So he enlisted consulting winemaker Bill Knuttel and came up with just under 600 cases of this rare blend.

With Zinfandel, Syrah, and Cab in the mix, it carries deep aromas and flavors of black cherry, cigar box and caramel with a lengthy, impressive finish. (Fans of Orin Swift's "The Prisoner" may see similarities in style.) Each bottle features one of twelve designs taken from early American banknotes from various states, adding to the uniqueness and collectability of this very interesting bottling.

More info: http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/california/09387.html

Gary's Wine Club June 2009 Selection: 2006 John Duval Plexus

2006 John Duval Plexus
Grape variety: Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre
Region: Barossa Valley, Australia
Food pairing: Grilled kebabs of smoked bacon-wrapped scallops and figs

Australia, admittedly, makes some fantastic smack-you-across-the-face style Shiraz. Thankfully, however, that's not the only game in town. John Duval manages to reign it all in a little with their Plexus blend of Shiraz, Grenache, and Mourvedre from various regions within the Barossa Valley, creating a wine that's refreshingly multi-dimensional. All three grapes get to shine here: the bold Shiraz that makes the base of the wine, the old bush vine Grenache and the even older (some vines topping out at a century) Mourvedre. Critic Josh Raynolds said of the previous vintage, "I love the interplay of sweet, juicy fruit, supple tannins and understated oak. Finishes with the clarity, complexity and persistence of wines that cost three times the price. One of the greatest values in Australian wine today." The wine lived up to the rep again this year, when Raynolds described it as "Sappy and fresh, with vivid raspberry, cherry and smoky mineral flavors finishing clean, brisk and juicy."

http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/australia/75298.html

Gary's Wine Club June 2009 Selection: 2006 Oliverhill Clarendon Shiraz

2006 Oliverhill Clarendon Shiraz
Grape Variety: Shiraz
Region: McLaren Vale, Australia
Food pairing: Grilled duck breasts with blueberry-sage sauce


To all of us a half a world away from the Australian continent, this country often seems like a "big production" place, where rivers of critter wines must flow for miles on end. Walking past the case-stacks of our big-name Aussie brands, we often forget that Australia has its little guys too. And these little guys are making some truly unique, hand-selected and hand-crafted wines. In McLaren Vale, there is a stretch of dirt along Seaview Road along which some of the best fruit in the continent is grown. This fruit makes it into the likes of Penfolds Grange and Rosemount's Balmoral, among others, and right smack in the middle of all of this is a tiny winery called Oliverhill.

Here, the grapes are cropped back to only two tons per acre before they're harvested, fermented, and aged in 20% new oak for 16 months. The resulting wine strikes a balance between smoky, earthy flavors and black and blue berry fruits with a nice structure that should allow it to age well for at least five or six years to come.

http://www.garyswine.com/fine_wine/australia/67844.html

2005 Duckhorn Migration Pinot Noir

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2005 Duckhorn Migration Pinot Noir
Grape Variety: Pinot Noir
Region: Anderson Valley, California
Food pairing: Braised duck over lentils

If you're going to create an entire winery based around one species of wildlife, then it's only fair to say you've got to be wildlife supporters in the long haul. The folks at Duckhorn (who create varietal wines under the Duckhorn, Paraduxx, Goldeneye, and Migration labels), have just such a commitment through their sustainable winemaking practices and Napa Green Certification (a program that ensures that the soil, wildlife, and water are conserved on and around their vineyard properties.)

Migration Pinot Noir is the sister label of Goldeneye, and is produced entirely of Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. Choosing from a veritable palate of 22 clonal varieties in 23 separate vineyard blocks, winemaker Zach Rasmuson crafted a wine in the 2005 vintage that carries a nose of earth and cherry, a palate full of delicious cherry fruit, and a silky finish with notes of forest floor. Drinks beautifully now, and should continue to do so through 2010/2011.