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2008 Langoureau Saint Aubin Blanc (Burgundy, France)
2008 Langoureau Saint-Aubin Blanc 19.99
The hamlet of St. Aubin sits above the vineyards of Puligny-Montrachet, the homeland of chardonnay. 75 years ago St. Aubin was sold as Puligny-Montrachet. With AOC laws this no longer happens but the wines of St. Aubin can represent remarkable value as is the case with Langoreau St. Aubin; half the price of Puligny-Montrachet. The precision of the 08 vintage makes this a most impressive find.
91 Points, Bob Sprentall
Staff Selection, September 2010
2007 Col D’Orcia Rosso di Montalcino (Tuscany, Italy)
2007 Col D`Orcia Rosso di Montalcino (Tuscany) On Sale: 15.99
An Italian for Pinot Noir lovers!
The grape Sangiovese Grosso (of Brunello di Montalcino fame) from a great producer in an special vintage like 2007 will surprise you as it did me. What struck me was its silky purity of fruit with a Tuscan inflection: rare find these days. Sure, Italy makes Pinot Noir. They will not provide this level of pleasure/satisfaction.
90 Points, Bob Sprentall
Staff Selection, July 2010
2008 Roland Rapet Bourgogne ‘En Bully’ Rouge (Burgundy, France)
2008 Roland Rapet Bourgogne 'En Bully' Rouge PREORDER: $16.99 (July 1st arrival)
“My pick for best value Pinot Noir from Burgundy in 2008. Rhett and I visited Domaine Rapet in January and we were both so pleased with the 2008 reds particularly from Pernand-Vergelles, Aloxe Corton and Corton. We started importing the en Bully with the 2005 vintage and what a run. Red fruits with silky textures and little oak influences. Very pure. Vincent Rapet’s father showed up with the mail while we were visiting. Vineyard work has taken it toll… It has been twenty years since I first visited Roland Rapet. You too will go back for more.”
90 Points, Bob Sprentall
Staff Selection, June 2010
2008 Langoreau St. Aubin Blanc (Burgundy, France)
“The hamlet of St. Aubin sits above the vineyards of Puligny-Montrachet, the homeland of chardonnay. 75 years ago St. Aubin was sold as Puligny-Montrachet. With AOC laws this no longer happens but the wines of St. Aubin can represent remarkable value as is the case with Langoreau St. Aubin; half the price of Puligny-Montrachet. The precision of the 08 vintage makes this a most impressive find.”
2008 Langoreau St. Aubin (Burgundy, France) $19.99
91 Points, Bob Sprentall
Staff Selection, May 2010
2007 Ossian (Rueda, Spain)
2008 Ossian (Rueda, Spain) $29.99
“Verdejo vineyards planted in the late 1800’s are the source of one of the great white wines of Spain. I tasted the 2008 Ossian last month and it remarkably resembled a Chassagne-Montrachet. The 2007 Ossian gets the nod, this stuff is Grand Cru.
There is a point in the old vine white wine kingdom where limestone subsoils dominate varietal expression. For example, old vine Godello or Verdejo from Spain share a provenance with chardonnay from Chablis or Cote d’Or. This phenomenon also occurs with old vine Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley.
Cambrian limestone confuses the senses, scrambles wine GPS, demanding you stay put and experience this wine for all it is and what it is expressing.”
94 Points, Bob Sprentall
Staff Selection, April 2010
Day 1 & 2: Margaux & Latour’s 2009 Second Wines are Remarkable
Cellar of Latour
March 28:
Leoville Las Cases backyard renovation
Comparisons to 2000 and 2005 so far seems unfounded after tasting 100 or so 2009′s today.
Both ’00 and ’05 had extraordinary level of homogeneous success; that is, all levels of wine participated in the success of the vintage.
This was apparent while tasting the wines of Fronsac where 00, 03 and 05 superior at this point. Moulis wines topped by Chass-Spleen did not share in the success of 00 or 05. From Margaux stunners Lascombes, Brane Cantenac and Rausan-Segla are certainly at the level of 05 and the latter two probably exceeding their excellent 05′s. However with many other Margaux this was not the case.
St. Estephe disappointed although Cos Labory is excellent. The ’00, ’03 and ’05 St. Estephe are superior of the wines tasted.
Walking through Chateau Margaux
Most samples were drawn from barrels on Friday the 26th. I am looking forward to tasting other sample lots to corroborate.
2007 Chateau Rigaud (Faugeres, France)
2007 Chateau Rigaud Faugeres ($11.99 for a limited time)
In the event you are a terroirist (one who is truly interested in where wines come from: how the soil and setting are expressed) this wine has much to offer. Great Priorat wines from Spain too come from slate soils (schist) and exhibit the same style of expression found here but through a different grape. In Priorat it is the old vine grenache expressing slate, here it is syrah expressing slate: that lick of wet stone YOU can taste. Geologically slate is usually found at elevations. The higher elevations add a brightness, vivacity and expressiveness too found here. This is true of higher elevation tempranillo in Spain for instance. The wines are more racy. The hints of smoke and peat and iodine should make it a single malt lovers wine balanced by Grenache flavors and textures. Now if you are not a terroirist (give it time) you will relate very well to this review: “The epitome of 2007s ability to combine lift and vivacity with ripe richness and sheer density, it represents a mind-boggling value that will in addition probably evolve interestingly in bottle for several years.” – 91-92 Points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. What an amazing value!!!!
91 Points, Bob Sprentall
Staff Selection, March 2010
2007 Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc Les Sétilles (Burgundy)
2007 Olivier Leflaive Bourgogne Blanc Les Sétilles - $17.99 or $16.19 by the case!
“Exceptional chardonnay without the drag of oak. A blend of wine from two villages in Burgundy, France which typically sell for 2 and three times this price. With the nerve typical of the wines from the village of Puligny-Montrachet blended with the fatter fleshier wine from the village of Meursault. Stunning Chardonnay value.”
90 Points, Bob Sprentall
February 2010
2007 Columbia Crest Cabernet Sauvignon Horse Heaven Hills (Washington State)
2007 Columbia Crest Cabernet H3 Horse Heaven ($11.99)
Remarkable wine at this price, shockingly so. Cabernet Sauvignon with some Merlot and Cabernet Franc for an impressive value from the soon to be famous Horse Heaven Hills region in Washington State. Nothing I have tasted touches this value with the exception of the Rigaud Faugeres 2007 reviewed by Robert Parker at 91-92 points (also remarkable at 11.99). Park the Hummer and ride a horse!!! Amazingly Solid.
90 Points, Bob Sprentall
January 2010
Older wines from Bobby’s Bistro on Clearwater Beach
Robert Parker’s forum says December is the month to “Open an old bottle and post a note”.
From one Bob to another, here are 3 bottles I’ve opened recently at Bobby’s Bistro on Clearwater Beach:
Joseph Drouhin Latricieres-Chambertin 1990:
This bottle was not correct, the unfortunate reality of older bottles sometimes. I came back to it as notes in my Blackberry reminded me I had tasted within the last year – stunning wine. All the animal one expects in a Grand Cru Gevrey just not this time. Bobby stashed away a lot of 85’s and 90’s years ago and the prices have not really moved much… I have had some great Drouhin wines here over the last 10 years. Wine well stored.
Bouchard Beaune L’Enfant Jesus 1993:
Superb. I was a fan of many 1993’s on release and this is why. This is what a great Beaune should be and at 89 bucks on the wine list; a steal!
Haut Batailley (Pauillac) 1996:
Good earthy/mushroom overtones initially, and with time really dominated the wines profile. Not clear that this was Pauillac to me, but for the price I could not pass, but will for next visit.