The Wines of This Week's Tasting:
Mature Wines of Character Discounted for Everyday
February 28, 2024
White
2020 Girardin Santenay Terrasses de Bievau Blanc
The complexity and balance of that soil and artful winemaking make white burgundy, especially those of the Cote d'Or, much sought after. Prices have gone up a lot. Santenay is south of Chassagne Montrachet, whose village-level wines are now offered at $80 a bottle or more. Santenay is slightly less favored in aspect but close to it in complexity. We got some of Justin Girardin's excellent estate Santenay, at a rock-bottom price. Just opened, it is reticent, but the Glass blooms in fruit with time.
; Aroma: heady sweet, rather intense, starts angular, later lovely oak limned complexity; Mouth: clean mineral pretty fruit, nice mineral framework, judicious oak, the fruit at first a bit shy, later opens nicely; Very Good to Excellent? Was $40, Now $29.99, Case 25.99, four cases only
Red
Reduced price
2022 Allegrini Valpolicella
medium-bodied goes with everything and makes everyone happy. Over. This particular wine shows that The centuries-old Allegrini family understands the value of a wine that effortlessly helps the meal be perfect without making a lot of noise.
Deep, bright ruby. Very pleasant floral and fruit aromatics. Cherry, spice, and herbs combine in a smooth taste with a nutty character in the finish. Very Good Plus price reduction $18.99, case !5.99<
2018 Metrat Fleurie La Roilette
Cru Beaujolais can show burgundy's sophistication with gamay's approachability and a much lower price. Fleurie is one of the most popular communes in of the Beaujolais Crus. Metrat is one of the best producers there. Roilette is that part of Fleurie next to Moulin a Vent and can be more like that commune's bigger style of wines
The 2018 Metrat Fleurie la Roilette has mellowed nicely and is nice and smooth now, medium-bodied with rounded, sedate gamay fruit. It's a pleasure to drink.
2018 Metrat Fleurie la Roilette was 21.99, now 18.99, case 15.99
Classic mature Willamertte Pinot Noir
2016 Nicolas Jay Pinot Noir
Nicolas Jay, The Oregon partnership led by Nicolas Meo, oof meo camuzet, has long been among our favorite Pinots. Made in a more sumptuous style, the 2016 is drinking well now and will continue for another couple of years. The distributor had to make room for the arrival of 2021, which will also be very good but need time to mature. This should not be missed.
Aroma: light, clean, rich and full, fruity, very dense, juicy, oaky, nicely herbaceous; Mouth: smooth textured fine acids, fine-grained tannins, and bright acid under a cloak of very deep, rich, dense; finely delineated, both thick and tensile, Excellent Was $79; Now $65, Case, $55
For those who like their wines big and spicy:
2011 Portale Aglianico del Vulture a Capanna
The Aglianico grape is to southern Italy what Syrah is to the northern Rhone in France, making big, strong-flavored wines that can be hard and tannic when young but become savory and spicy with age. The wine was too stern and unapproachable for its importer to recommend, so they let it go recently., not realizing how the scrawny, bitter duckling had turned into a savory swan. When we tasted it, we grabbed all there was, but only about three cases. Lovers of tang and spice can get a twelve-year-old wine with the heady tertiary qualities of age and maturity for less than $20—perfect company to pastas with Arrabbiata or Puttanesca sauce. Maybe even curries?
Color: very dark, very dense Brown edge; Aroma: soft and spicy, herbal, white pepper over savory fruit, mature; Mouth: sweet, intense green herb with rather soft texture but spicy, savory flavor, finely stringent, a touch of coffee on the finish; Very Good Plus $19.99; Case, $16.99
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- Len Rothenberg
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