Tag Archives: red wine

Wine of the Day: Philippe Pacalet Moulin a Vent 9-8-16

Philippe Pacalet Moulin A Vent, Beaujolais, France 2014 750ML ($59.95) Buy Now $49 special

Philippe Pacalet Moulin A Vent, Beaujolais, France 2014

Never patient when it comes to Beaujolais, I drank Pacalet’s intrepid Moulin-a-Vent the very night it arrived at our shop. A simple salmon dish served as accompaniment, and I poured some out into a decanter in order to contrast normal and accelerated evolution of the wine as it aerated. Cherry aromas soared out of the glass, with an immediate flavor profile of goji berries, plum, Bing cherries, and a touch of leather. The fruit bears this intriguing crunchiness, with the acid mingling but never overarching beyond the wine’s overall feel. There is a playful energy this Beaujolais, which went lovely with the salmon and danced between being a little showy and a bit mellow over the course of four hours. I had fun drinking it, trying not to take it or myself too serious in the process. This cuvee, Pacalet’s first effort within Moulin-a-Vent, will evolve quite nicely; I’m eager to revisit in a few months’ time. As goes with many of my recommendations, though, don’t feel bad if you drink sooner rather than later. – Tyler

Wine of the Day: Chateau Devise d’Ardilley Haut-Medoc 2010 – 6-29-16

Chateau Devise d’Ardilley, Haut-Medoc 2010 750ML ($29.95) Buy Now: $24 special

Chateau Devise d’Ardilley, Haut-Medoc 2010

Bordeaux’s Haut-Médoc doesn’t play the futures game like down in Pauillac or Margaux, but the 2010 Devise d’Ardilley does give you options: drink now, or cellar for a few more years. The 2010 Left Bank vintage impressed the critics with its ripe, healthy fruit, evolved tannins, and crisp acidity. Today, the 2010 Devise d’Ardilley sits between youth and maturity. While still on the fruit, the wine’s edges have softened. Plenty of tannic grip remains, but the developing bouquet of blueberries, currants, and earthy spice evolves nicely en carafe. Why not drink now while the markets are on edge? – Daniel

Wine Enthusiast–Editors’ Choice 91 points: “From a small estate, this big, ripe and fruity wine has swathes of black fruits to go with the dark, brooding tannins. Very broad and fruity, the wine is always likely to be structured. Drink from 2017.”

Wine of the Day: Mas Cal Demoura L’Infidele 2010 6-28-16

Mas Cal Demoura L’Infidele 2010

Mas Cal Demoura “L’infidele” 2010 750ML ($31.95) Buy Now: $27 special
I have no shame in loving the rough-and-tumble wines of southern France. When the yields are kept in check and the wine’s development isn’t stunted by efforts of standardization, the resulting wines can be at once charming and startling. These sorts of blends have a broader appeal than I think we allow – I’d bet a day’s wages, for one, that you could get a Napa Cab guy and a Loire geek to agree on some gems of the Languedoc.

One such gem comes from Mas Cal Demoura, situated not far from Montpelier along the slopes of the Cévennes mountain range. These wines are soulful, playful – reverent, even, as they’re not shy to display the seemingly-paradoxical traits of their terroir: bold, fresh, mineral-laden, layered, dynamic…“L’Infidele” integrates all five varietals of the domaine each vintage: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Carignan.

Each varietal is fermented separately and then blended to the vintner’s liking. One grape may account for 3% one year and 18% another; this makes the process of tasting year after year particularly interesting. The resultant wine, for 2010, is soil-driven and linear with open-ended red fruit and all-over-the-place aromatics in a good sort of way. I love it. -Tyler

Wine of the Day: Thibault Liger-Belair Bourgogne Pinot Noir 2011 6-16-16

Thibault Liger-Belair Bourgogne Pinot Noir, Burgundy 2011 750ML ($27.95) Buy Now: $20.90 special

Sometimes a hit of Burgundy is in order, a reconnection with those illustrious, puzzling, sumptuous whites and reds. But sometimes, too, price becomes an issue. Which is when the thirsty savant of Burgundy seeks out regional Bourgogne from a fine producer such as Thibault Liger-Belair. His négociant side business, Thibault Liger-Belair Successeurs, purchases wines and raises them in barrel, with very satisfying results.

The 2011 Bourgogne Rouge opens with a ripe Côte de Nuits bouquet of dark fruit, earth, and violet. Deeply colored, it carries some weight on the palate, backed by nice acidity. But this wine, as with the 2011 vintage, is more about perfume than power. And often that’s what the Burgundy-deprived senses crave: the elegant, seductive essence of Pinot Noir from its native Côte d’Or, at a more-than-reasonable price. Consider me dosed. – Daniel

Wine of the Day: Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG’, Piedmont 2011 5-31-16

Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG’, Piedmont 2011 750ML ($37.95) Buy Now: $29 special

Produttori del Barbaresco ‘Barbaresco DOCG’, Piedmont 2011 1.5L ($69.95) Buy Now: $59 special

Two of us from the shop opened this 2011 Barbaresco from Produttori del Barbaresco on Thanksgiving eve, pouring little tastes as we mapped out what would become a lovely dinner with all sorts of dishes, new friends, and a wide array of wines. This one was truly one of the standouts, so much so that we had to hide the bottle so as to not drink it all before the dinner even came to fruition.

As cooking began and thirsts resurfaced, this humble bottle from the legendary Produttori estate came back to reward our efforts. Overnight, the bright strawberry fruit held strong while secondary notes of cedar, blackberry, baking spice, and mocha emerged. The spice and earth, tannin and texture intermingled in a way that was so surprising and yet familiar; a reminder as to why we spent so many hours studying and seeking out wines to begin with. There are, occasionally, wines which take us back like that – hitting the ‘reset’ button, before you’d had anything that tasted quite similar. How rare and how lovely, the catharsis of wine… – Tyler