WINE TASTING: New Arrivals featuring Corsican Wines

Fri July 9, 4-7pm & Sat. July 10, 3-6pm Belmont

featuring Corsican wines from Kermit Lynch

Oeno-Adventure in Red & White from Corsica

DOM. MAESTRACCI “E Prove” Corse Calvi

2008 DOM. MAESTRACCI e PROVE Blanc $17.99
“The Maestracci 2008 E Prove Blanc de Blanc – from Vermentino – is one of the most unusual whites you will taste this year, and you should. …This luscious, juicy wine sticks to the palate with a mineral, herbal tang that you simply have to experience.” –WA

100% Vermentino. Piney, sappy nose complicated with pungent herbal aromas and briny oyster shell. Juicy, sappy fruit, tangy citrus and mineral notes. A rewarding, delightful find– definitely a crave-inducing white!

2007 DOM. MAESTRACCI e PROVE Rouge $19.99

Blend of Niellucio (Sangiovese) Grenache, Sciacarello, and Syrah. Long maceration; aged three years in cask. Blackberry fruit and floral aromas. Earthy, tinged with roasted herbs — southern Rhone meets Tuscany.

“Nice deep garnet, and what an aroma! Hard to beat for the buck– a big, beautiful, complex red that reeks of the south and the Île de Beauté, as Corsica is called in France. There is anise, thyme, rosemary, the wildflowers of the maquis, animal notes, a discreet touch of oak. The palate is full, deep, and tannic– a great food wine. The nose of it is really special.”
–KLWM Newsletter

WINE TASTING: The Singular Wines of CLOS CENTEILLES

Minervois (Languedoc, Southern France)
Maximizing Minervois while reviving “lost” wines of the Languedoc

FRI. JUNE 11, 4-7 pm & SAT. JUNE 12, 3-6pm VINTAGES Belmont store

Patricia Boyer-Domergue

The wines of CLOS CENTEILLES epitomize the authentic, original wine mastery we have championed for years. The first time I visited Patricia Boyer-Domergue in Minervois, it was a revelation! How could southern French reds, known for their sturdy, rustic, yet satisfying charm, be so refined, elegant, complex, and most surprisingly, age-worthy? How could wines from Minervois lead me to draw comparisons to Barbaresco or Burgundy? Starting from my first trip to the La Liviniere zone within Minervois, it has been apparent that something special is going on at CLOS CENTEILLES. We had a simple lunch outside the cellar and tasted through multiple vintages going back to the early 90’s. Patricia has been cellaring a sizable collection of the estate’s wines over many vintages to demonstrate their potential for great complexity and age-worthiness.  For several years we have been honored to obtain exclusive “direct from the cellar” releases of Campagne de Centeilles and Clos Centeilles to offer our customers. Our latest shipment is highlighted by a new white wine made from “lost” grape varieties, and a tremendously complex and fine 1991 Clos Centeilles from syrah, grenache noir, and mourvedre, expressing notes of mint, cured-meat, soy, and mushrooms, evoking the savory profile of an aged nebbiolo. Again we have to say that our primary goal is always to promote wines of great character that embody a singular, outstanding quality, that truly express the land and traditions in an authentic manner. The wines of Clos Centeilles have that in spades.

2009 “C” de CENTEILLES Cotes du Brian Blanc $19.99 Debut release of this white wine from a new planting of old local grape varieties carefully selected to thrive in this terroir and combine for an exceptional wine! A blend of 25% Araignan Blanc, 30% Riveirenc Gris, 30% Riveirenc Blanc and 15% Grenache Gris. Orchard fruit flavors, rich and ripe, with an intriguing green almond skin finish. Calls to mind a cross between Manzanilla sherry and Arneis. Total production 300 cases.

2006  “C” de Centeilles $16.99 Blend of Picpoul Noir (90%) and Riveirenc Noir (10%) aged 12-18 mos in steel. “C de Centeilles is the accomplishment of the work of a lifetime, and of the will of its winemakers to restore the originality of Languedoc wine through ancient and almost lost grape varieties.” “C” de Centeilles offers aromas of raspberry, cherry, licorice and herbs. The supple tannins support its juicy fruit enhanced by a crisp acidity. Serve slightly chilled.

2006 Campagne de Centeilles Rouge $13.99 The classic Cinsault rouge that begins its bottled life as a lithe and lively red, and fleshes out over time. Clos Centeilles was the first estate dedicated to making an age-worthy wine from Cinsault, a notoriously difficult grape to cultivate, requiring a very specific set of conditions and constant vigilance. A delicious, fascinating wine at an unbeatable price!

1995 CLOS CENTEILLES Campagne de Centeilles $25
90% Cinsault. Can Minervois age? Winemaker Patricia Boyer-Domergue has long insisted that it can, and very well, thank you. This 1995 Minervois was imported for us directly from the estate’s cellar.  This Campagne de Centeilles bottling is made primarily from Cinsault and the balance is Syrah.  The color of the wine at this point is similar to the color of a traditional Barolo -lighter garnet fading into brick. In the nose, the wine offers fine and complex aromas of baked cherries and plums, soy, bittersweet cocoa, beef consomme, mint, and green tea, seamless and fine in its aromatic complexity. On the palate, the wine is sublime; its silky texture washes over the palate with ethereal flavors of roasted cherry, grilled pit fruit, and amazingly powdery, bitter cocoa tannins.

1991 CLOS CENTEILLES “Clos Centeilles” $40 Special “Library Release” shipped directly from the cellar to VINTAGES. The estate’s top wine is a traditional blend of Mourvedre, Grenache noir, and Syrah planted in limestone. This wine is designed to mature gradually, evolving in compelling complexity over time. Drinks like an old Barolo, beautiful, elegant and lilting, yet firm and austere in structure with notes of mint, cured meat, soy and mushrooms. Vividly demonstrates the quality and aging potential of Minervois.

WINE TASTING: New Arrivals from France

whites & reds from Kermit Lynch & Neal Rosenthal

Fri. April 23 4-7 & Sat. April 24, 3-7, Belmont store

Sparkling

NV CHIDAINE Montlouis Sur Loire Methode Traditionnelle Brut (Loir Valley) $19.99 100% Chenin Blanc, bio dynamically produced in traditional (Champagne) method, no dosage.  Doesn’t get much tastier than that!  Refreshing and crisp on the palate with good acidity.

white

2009 CHATEAU DUCASSE Bordeaux Blanc (Bordeaux) $15.99 KLWM Unfiltered Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, and a touch of Muscadelle from Barsac (a satellite of Sauternes).  The perfect summer white—light, crisp, low in alcohol.  Go on, have another glass.

2009 DOM. LA MANARINE Cotes du Rhone Blanc (Rhone Valley) $14.99 RWM
Gilles Gasq is a talented young winemaker who has honed his skills working as an assistant to Paul Jeune, the proprietor of Domaine de Monpertuis and Chateau Valcombe. This Cotes du Rhone blanc is a Clairette and Bourblenc blend; very fresh, perfect for summer outings!

red

2007 LA PETITE MAIRIE Bourgueil Cuvee des Galluches (Loire Valley) $17.99 RWM Corinne and James Petit “have an uncompromising vision of the expression of the Cabernet Franc grape married to the unique terroir of Bourgeuil.”  Although 2007 was a tricky year for some in the Loire, high-quality producers like the Petits crafted wines that are sure to please.

2008 CLOS LA COUTALE Cahors (Southwest France) $15.99 KLWM 70% Malbec (known as Côt, locally), 15% Merlot and 15% Tannat.  12 months in oak round out this warm, spicy blend.  Winemaker Philippe Bernède walks the line between modern technique and traditional methods.  Grill season, anyone?

WINE TASTING: Sat. Mar. 13, Concord
DOM. JEAN-MARC BURGAUD BEAUJOLAIS
SAT. MAR. 13, 2-5pm, CONCORD

Blown away by BEAUJOLAIS!
VINTAGES’ Eric Broege visited Jean-Marc Burgaud in Beaujolais last week. The wines Eric tasted with Jean-Marc were amazing, truly defied any gamay expectation. They are the epitome of authentic, artisanal wines for the same price as typical mass-produced wines.  They are agile, fine and elegant, yet cutting, precise, with power & intensity. Jean-Marc Burgaud is a benchmark for superb wine at daily drinking prices.

Wines from DOM. JEAN-MARC BURGAUD
2009 BURGAUD Beaujolais Rose $11.99
Pale color, inviting berry nose, ripe, and juicy; green apple skin opens to crisp apple and pear flavors; well-balanced, great as an aperitif or with fish or seafood.

2008 BURGAUD Chateau de Thulon Beaujolais Villages $12.99
Made from the harvest of an enclosed, old-vine parcel that is treasured for its sweet fruit and perfumed aromatics. “Smells of cherry and holly berry, with high-toned, distilled-force concentration. In the mouth, this is juicy and satisfying; with faintly bitter cherry stone and holly berry notes nicely integrated into a generously juicy finish. Like so many of the better wines of this vintage, it combines a palpable sense of extract with delicacy and lift.” –WA

2008 BURGAUD Regnie “Vallieres” $14.99
“Saturates the palate with ripe, bright cherry fruit and persistent floral perfume; finishes with buoyancy and mouth-watering juiciness. Drink it young, but also hold a bottle or two for 2-3 years as there is an underlying density belied by the wine’s levity.” –WA

2008 BURGAUD Morgon “Cote du Py” $17.99
“Burgaud’s 2008 Morgon Cote de Py is scented with cherry, red currant, and narcissus. It combines cut and brightness of fruit with clean meatiness and stony minerality.”–WA

KERMIT LYNCH: Wine Artistry for Everyday

KLWM wines offer everything you could ask for in a wine for daily enjoyment: strong sense of place, focused flavors and aromas, elegant balance, complexity and a satisfying finish. 

 If you missed this tasting, don’t miss these wines. They’re fantastic!
white
2007 KUENTZ BAS Alsace Blanc $12.99 (Alsace)
WOW!  Traditional Alsatian blend: 65% sylvaner, 20% pinot blanc, 15% Chasselas (Alsace) Inviting nose, focused and pure fruit; finishes very clean and dry. A marvel of charm & precision!

2007 DOM. CHAMPELOU Vouvray Sec $17.99 (Loire Valley) STUNNING!
100% chenin blanc. “A fetching nose of quince, orange, lime, narcissus, freesia, sweet corn, and green tea ushers in a luscious yet remarkably delicate palate, with a perfectly judged hint of sweetness supporting pear, quince, and citrus. Savory salinity, a hint of caramel, chalk, and citrus zest as well as a suggestion of vanilla cream inform an ear-to-ear finish of lift and refinement.” –WA

rose
2008 DOM. FONTSAINTE “Gris de Gris” $13.99 (Languedoc) PURE NECTAR!
Blend of 60% Grenache Gris & Grenache Noir; 5% 10% Mourvèdre; 15% Carignan; 10% Cinsault. “Honeysuckle, green tea, cranberry and strawberry on the nose. Juicy, finely etched red berry and citrus flavors are gently sweet and given spine by nervy minerality. Richer on the finish…” –IWC
red
2006 DOM. FONTSAINTE Corbieres $12.99 (Languedoc) DEEPLY FRUITED NECTAR!
60% carignane, 30% grenache noir, 10% syrah. Luscious blueberry fruit, well-balanced, soft sweet tannins, juicy and delicious!

2007 CLOS la COUTALE Cahors $15.99 (Southwest France) MEATY ELEGANCE, even better the 2nd day!
70% malbec, 30% merlot. “Philippe Bernede’s 2007 Cahors continues Clos la Coutale’s long-running streak of excellence. Smelling of ripe mulberries, cassis, cardamom, carob, and black walnut husks, it offers a juicy and expansive palate. Peppery pungency & sirloin juices dominate a long finish. “–WA

2006 CHATEAU de LASCAUX Rouge $16.99 (Languedoc) DELIGHTFULLY SPICY!
60% syrah, 40% Grenache- “The Chat. Lascaux rouge smells of fresh red raspberry, smoked meat and soy, comes onto the palate brightly with ample fruit concentration covering its tannins, and finishes with lovely fresh berry tang, herbal pungency and salty-meaty savor.”-WA

2006 DOM. JOGUET Chinon “Cuvee Terroir” $19.99 (Loire Valley) EVOLVES BEAUTIFULLY in your glass! 100% cabernet franc, 20 yr old vines. “The tannins are melting, the bouquet fully expresses itself: drink now, no need to restrain yourself, it’s a wonderfully aromatic wine.”–Joguet

NEW ARRIVAL:
2008 CHAT. MASSIAC Minervois “Sentinelle de Massiac” $12.99
Dom. Massiac is owned by Bernard & France Boudovresques in the heart of Minervois. Powerful blend of 75% Syrah and 25% Carignan. Earthy, spicy and intense with aromas of clay and bacon. The vines are grown in rocky clay-limestone soil, a geologic composition common to the estate. Deep color & rich fruit with dominant flavors of black currant.

WINE DOG DEAL!
2006 CHATEAU COUPE-ROSES Minervois $12.99

Blend of old vine Carignan and Grenache along with a healthy dollop of Syrah, this southern France red is bursting with black fruits, raspberry, spices and pepper. Wonderfully expressive and smooth, this grill-ready red is perfect for the weekend and all through summer!

We recently had an impulse to open up a bottle of 1995 Campagne de Centeilles made  by Patricia Boyer-Domergue of Minervois, a wine that was imported for us directly from her cellar by Ideal Wine.  As with many mature wines, it is good to check in with them from time to time to see how they are doing and if they have a long life ahead of them or need to be drunk up quickly. What we found was quite simply astonishing– a wine full of life and vitality, but with amazingly complex tertiary flavors and aromas that only come from significant bottle-age.

This bottling is made primarily from Cinsault and the balance is Syrah.  The color of the wine at this point is similar to the color of a traditional Barolo from Conterno or Mascarello –lighter garnet fading into brick. In the nose, the wine offers fine and complex aromas of baked cherries and plums, soy, bittersweet cocoa, beef bouillion, mint, and green tea, extremely seamless and fine in its aromatic complexity. On the palate, the wine is sublime; its silky texture washes over the palate with ethereal flavors of roasted cherry, grilled pit fruit, and amazingly powdery, bitter cocoa tannins. Wow!

1995 Campagne de Centeilles quite simply restores one’s faith in the beautiful and inspiring qualities that wine can bring to our lives, and, if you can fully appreciate everything that this wine has to offer, you will have arrived.

NEW & EXCLUSIVE: YVES LECCIA wines from CORSICA
2007 YVES LECCIA Vin de Pays Rouge $28 (Corsica)
This blend of 80% Grenache 20% Nielluciu (Sangiovese) is imported by Kermit Lynch and exclusive in MA to VINTAGES.

2007 Cuvee YL “offers a pungent, generous nose of red raspberry and strawberry preserves mingled with rose petals, black tea, and fennel, leading to a rich mouthful of red fruits and flowers with fascinating fossil and marine nuances…”  -WA

The sappy, ripe fruit on a long, velvety finish. Lush, smooth, full, with intrigue and interest to burn! Amazing! Don’t miss this one!

Born into a wine growing family, Yves Leccia never questioned the choice of his future profession. After finishing his oenology degree, he took over the family wine business in the ’80s; he left in 2004 to create his own company. In 2005, Yves and his wife Sandrine created Domain le Croce with 15 h. of vines situated in the areas of Croce and Partinelone in PATRIMONIO. Natural and sustainable viticulture methods are used; grapes are hand-harvested. Vines average 20 years old.

Just Arrived! 2007 VIGNERONS du CARACTERE Cotes du Rhone 3 Liter Box $30!
What is 3 Liters? It’s four bottles of wine! In a vacuum-packed, eco-friendly  box. Drink a little; drink a lot. Maintains freshness for one month after opening. Such a deal!

“Tasty, with a mix of black cherry, graphite and spice notes followed by a solid, medium-weight finish. Blend of Grenache, Syrah and Cinsault. Drink now.” –W.S.