Tag Archives: wine of the day

Wine of the Day: Charles Smith CasaSmith Porcospino Primitivo, Wahluke Slope Washington 2014 6-26-2016

Charles Smith K Vintners CasaSmith Porcospino Primitivo, Wahluke Slope, Washington 2014 750ML ($21.95) Buy Now: $18 special

primitortUnroll the red-and-white checkered tablecloths, the lasagna, pizza, cannelloni, spaghetti… all spread out on the hilly, arid Washington scrubland just east of the mighty Columbia… Casa Smith celebrates the junction of Italy and America with its Wahluke Slope-grown Italian varietal wines. The Primitivo honors the families of Southern Italy (and the USA, where it’s called Zinfandel). Bold in character and deeply colorful like its Puglia homeland, this Primitivo – from the word primativo, meaning “first to ripen” – delivers the luscious dark fruit and mouth-feel that made Washington wines famous. Charles Smith (K Vintners, et al.) makes the wine with guidance and inspiration from Italian friends. Buon appetito! – Daniel

Wine of the Day: Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese 2015 6-25-16

Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2015 750ML SOLD OUT, ETA Fall 2016
Weingut Donnhoff Oberhauser Brucke Riesling Spatlese, Nahe 2015 1.5L SOLD OUT, ETA Fall 2016

donnnsad“Portland was host to a smattering of winemakers represented in the Terry Theise portfolio this week, none the least of whom was Anne Donnhoff sharing her entrancing range of 2015s. To say I tasted the wines quite young would be a bit of an understatement (many other winemakers were pouring barrel samples!) but there’s plenty to gleam from the youthful expressions Riesling in all its Pradikat guises.

“I could, and have, waxed poetic about this ethereal wine – the vineyard home of Donnhoff’s elusive eiswein. The vineyard is a monopole composed of grey slate on clay soil. This year’s Theise release grants us a Spatlese, Auslese Goldkapsel and, rumor has it, an Eiswein (stay tuned for that!).

“At the tasting, the Brucke Spatlese was poured after the Felsenberg Spatlese, which was fitting as it showed a touch sweeter on the palate with gentler acidity. The palate was creamier than the Felsenberg with a touch of the apple-skin-like texture I found in the wine’s 2013 release.

“It was the aroma in the glass that, like an old friend, brought a smile. Words escaped me for a few blessed moments while I sniffed. I was taken back to a few months ago when my little Meyer lemon tree blossomed. The scent from that day that filled my living room what not quite something to fit into words: certainly there were notes of citrus, a touch of Meyer lemon zest, and that haunting citrus-flower quality that evokes Proust’s remembrances of madeleines and lime flower tea. And here we find it, the word that best describes the Brucke wines: evocative.” -Suzanne

Wine of the Day: Charles Smith CasaSmith ‘Cinghiale’ Sangiovese, Wahluke Slope, Washington 2014 6-24-16

Charles Smith CasaSmith ‘Cinghiale’ Sangiovese, Wahluke Slope, Washington 2014 750ML ($21.95) Buy Now: $18 special

sangTuscany’s famous grape meets Washington’s Wahluke Slope: Casa Smith Sangiovese is big enough to bridge continents, and flavorful enough to satisfy Old and New World tastes. Whole cluster fermentation breeds a wine with backbone, and 12 months in barrel (35% new oak) gives added depth and finesse to this Italian/Washingtonian stallion. Rich notes of cherry and earth carry across smooth tannins and just enough acidity, proving that Italy’s best grapes make for happy immigrants to the Evergreen State. – Daniel

Wine of the Day: Francoise Bedel ‘Cuvee Entre Ciel et Terre’ Brut Champagne NV 6-23-16

Francoise Bedel Cuvee Entre Ciel et Terre Brut, Champagne NV 750ML ($89.95) Buy Now: $71.90 special

bedel champThere’s a local spot on the other side of town known for their illustrious, borderline-obsessive selection of Champagnes. The wine list hits the table with a weighty thud… Navigating their offerings is equal parts daunting and exciting, so packed with famed producers that it resembles what Sir Winston Churchill’s Christmas list. While barside a few months ago, a friend noticed Mme. Bedel’s name among the selections and nearly leapt for joy. Without hesitation, a frosty bottle and two glasses were summonsed, our server nodding with approval.

First, some context. Francoise Bedel is about as real-deal as you can get in Champagne. Her estate has practiced biodynamic agriculture for twenty years; harvest is performed by hand and wines are held for a minimum of five years prior to release. With ‘Entre Ciel et Terre’, free run and press wine is separated before vinification in oak and enameled tanks. The majority of this cuvee comes from the 2006 harvest and spent eight years on the lees. As with all bottlings, it is hand-riddled and disgorged prior to release.

The finished wine – an extra brut composed of 60% Pinot Meunier, 30% Pinot Noir, and the remainder Chardonnay, carries one of the most pleasing textures I’ve come across with Champagne. Bubbles are tightly-woven and explode across the palate; wildflower aromatics meld with a spice-tinged, honey-soaked flavor profile. Overall, a rich and multifaceted sparkling wine with great integration and no shortage of character. We’ve just picked up a handful of cuvees from Bedel, though not all that much of ’em. If you can manage to grab a bottle, please do – farmer fizz doesn’t get much better than this. – Tyler

Wines of the Day: Andre Dezat Sancerre + Pouilly-Fume 2014 6-22-16

Andre Dezat & Fils Sancerre, Loire 2014 750ML ($279.95) Buy Now: $219 special
Case-12 Andre Dezat & Fils Sancerre, Loire 2014 750ML ($27.95) Buy Now: $21.90 special

Andre Dezat & Fils Domaine Thibault Pouilly-Fume, Loire 2014 750ML ($24.95) Buy Now: $18.80 special
Case-12 Andre Dezat & Fils Domaine Thibault Pouilly-Fume, Loire 2014 750ML ($249.95) Buy Now: $199 special

dezatThe 2014 vintage stands among the Loire Valley’s finest in ten or fifteen years. Perhaps it’s an overstatement, but a vigneron in the Valley was quoted by saying “you’d need to work hard to make a bad wine this year…” But truly – with no embellishment –  it was a fantastic year for Loire. Dezat’s selections are by no means an exception, priced quite fairly and ready to contend against the summer months!

The Dezat family name is basically sewn into the historical fabric of Sancerre, as municipal records refer to them as early as 1550. In 1948, André Dezat took over his family’s vineyard holdings and took an active role in promoting the domaine as well as Sancerre-at-large. His sons Louis and Simon joined him in the 1970’s, and in the ensuing years have expanded to now include Sancerre, Menetou Salon, and Pouilly Fume.