Tag Archives: wine of the day

Wine of the Day: Lopez de Heredia ‘Bosconia’ Reserva 2004 8-17-16

Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia ‘Vina Bosconia’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2004 750ML ($39.95) Buy Now: $33 special

Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia 'Vina Bosconia' Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2004

Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia ‘Vina Bosconia’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2004

Uncork a bottle of Viña Bosconia and time stands still. Have a sniff, a sip, and you travel back in time. In this case, to 2004, but as with any Lopez de Heredia wine, to the 19th century origins of modern Rioja winemaking. This winery is as classic as they come in La Rioja, and the Bosconia Reserva represents one of their finest wines. Inspired by French winemaking since its inception in 1877, Bosconia is the Burgundy of Rioja: elegant, subtle, and seductively perfumed. A glance at the label suggests Bosconia’s deep-rooted past. Situated two miles from the winery, the Bosconia vineyard consists of 37 acres, mostly Tempranillo, with an average vine age of 40 years. The 2004 vintage was kind to La Rioja, resulting in concentrated, balanced wines of exceptional aromatic quality. For only $33 a bottle, the 2004 Viña Bosconia offers an incredible vacation in place and time. – Daniel

Wine Advocate 93 points “The 2004 Vina Bosconia Reserva is a blend of 80% Tempranillo, 15% Garnacho and the remaining 5% Mazuelo and Graciano aged for five years in used barrels, racked twice per year and fined with egg whites before being bottled unfiltered. Dark ruby-colored, with notes of beef blood, iron, antique shop, incense, blood orange and a touch of volatile acidity, the palate is very fresh, with good concentration, clear flavors and enough grip and fruit to age gracefully. A perfumed and feminine great Rioja. The Bosconia vineyard wines are the only ones from Lopez de Heredia bottled in Burgundy bottles. Drink now-2024.” WA

Wine of the Day: Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo ‘Agamium’ Colline Novaresi 2009 8-12-16

Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo ‘Agamium’ Colline Novaresi, Piedmont 2009 750ML ($21.95) Buy Now: $18

Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo 'Agamium' Colline Novaresi, Piedmont 2009

Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo ‘Agamium’ Colline Novaresi, Piedmont 2009

Set in the rolling Alpine foothills 25 miles west-northwest of Milan, on morainic soil suited especially well to Nebbiolo, it’s no surprise people have been growing wine in Ghemme since Neolithic times. The Celts made wine here, as did the Romans, who called Ghemme “Agamium.” The region’s cooler climate (compared to the more southerly Barolo) ripens the Nebbiolo grape to produce softer wines than the famous (and far more expensive) Nebbiolos to the south. Cantalupo is a top name in the Ghemme, and their 2009 Agamium proves nothing if not seductive. Smoothed and refined by bottle time, the wine’s medium body lets the fruit shine through—cherries, strawberries, blueberries—alongside dry, mellow tannins. Antonio Galloni nailed it by suggesting a “Chambolle-like” finish. Fans of Burgundian-style Piedmont wines will enjoy the 2009 Agamium, and Cantalupo’s higher-level wines, too. At $18 a bottle, this wine should be hoarded. – Daniel

91 POINTS ANTONIO GALLONI “The 2009 Colline Novaresei Agamium is floral, bright and deeply expressive, with plenty of lift and red stone fruit character. Feminine and gracious throughout, the 2009 offers considerable grace and plenty of near to medium-term appeal. A final burst of Chambolle-like fruit rounds out the finish.”

Check out these other fine wines by Cantalupo:

Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Ghemme DOCG 2008 750ML ($39.95) Buy Now: $33; Antonio Galloni 90 Points

Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Collis Breclemae, Ghemme DOCG 2007 750ML ($59.95) Buy Now: $49; Antonio Galloni 92+ Points

Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Collis Carellae, Ghemme DOCG 2009 750ML ($49.95) Buy Now: $39; Antonio Galloni 94 Points

Antichi Vigneti di Cantalupo Il Mimo Nebbiolo Rosato Colline Novaresi 2015 750ML ($19.95) Buy Now: $16.60

Wine of the Day: Bodegas Roda, Rioja 8-10-16

Bodegas Roda Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2010 750ML ($49.95) Buy Now: $39 special

Bodegas Roda ‘Roda I’ Reserva, Rioja DOCa 2008 750ML ($69.95) Buy Now: $49 special

Bodegas Roda Sela, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ML ($34.95) Buy Now: $26 special

Case-12 Bodegas Roda Sela, Rioja DOCa 2012 750ML ($399.95) Buy Now: $269 special

rodaiselaTempranillo remains a grape unmastered by anyone outside of Spain. The Ribera del Duero has become famous for its version of Iberia’s noblest grape, but the world’s finest Tempranillo still comes from La Rioja. Perfect growing conditions aside, La Rioja possesses a centuries-old tradition of Tempranillo winemaking, which usually blends in some Graciano, Mazuelo, and/or Grenache. Today, styles vary in La Rioja, and amongst the more modern wineries Bodegas Roda stands out. Absolute quality drives Roda’s vinous pursuits. Old vines abound in Roda’s estate vineyards, and the ultra-modern winery keeps the site’s 19th-century cellars at different temperatures depending on the stage of vinification. Each of the 17 vineyards ferments and ages separately in French oak until the wines are blended to create Roda’s signature wines. The Roda cuvée offers red fruit in a silky, fruit-forward fashion, while the Roda I tends toward dark fruit and a full, complex palate of chocolate and spice — both are Reservas. The Sela lends itself to earlier, easier drinking, with definite Roda character. All three of these wines are ready to drink, but could also cellar for years more. We’re delighted to have Roda on our list: it’s one of Spain’s best. – Daniel

Wine of the Day: Andre Dezat & Fils Domaine Thibault Pouilly-Fume 2014 8-9-16

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

Andre Dezat & Fils Domaine Thibault Pouilly-Fume 2014

Andre Dezat & Fils Domaine Thibault Pouilly-Fume 2014

Stunningly aromatic, precise, and refreshing: this is Sauvignon Blanc at its finest. Andre Dezat took over the family estate (founded in 1550) back in 1948, and today his sons and grandsons help grow and make beautiful Loire wines. Pouilly-Fumé offers a flinty note thanks to the soil, and the 2014 Domaine Thibault by Andre Dezat also delivers a bouquet of citrus, peach, and pear. At the end of this balanced white comes the characteristic grassiness of the Sauvignon Blanc grape, begging for fresh seafood or an assortment of fine cheeses. We just opened a bottle in the store, and loved it. If you enjoy Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire or elsewhere, you should get acquainted with this wine. – Daniel

Wine of the Day: Domaine Gachot-Monot Cote de Nuits-Villages 2012 8-4-16

Domaine Gachot-Monot Cote de Nuits-Villages 2012 750ML ($37.95) Buy Now: $21.90

Case-12 Domaine Gachot-Monot Cote de Nuits-Villages 2012 750ML ($349.95) Buy Now: $219 (That’s only $18.25/bottle!)

Domaine Gachot-Monot Cote de Nuits-Villages 2012

Domaine Gachot-Monot Cote de Nuits-Villages 2012

The notion of affordable Burgundy is beginning to sound as believable as a used car salesman’s pitch. But that bouquet of freshly crushed berries, of spice and violet and forest floor… That silky smooth mouth feel, refreshing acidity, and lingering finesse… The lover of Pinot Noir cannot abstain from such pleasures, especially when the wine comes from the Côte d’Or. Thankfully, producers like Gachot-Monot exist. Based in the town of Corgoloin, just south of Nuits-Saint-Georges, Damien Gachot represents the fifth generation of winemakers at his family’s estate. His 2012 Côte de Nuits-Villages stands out. Not just affordable, it is all that good red Burgundy should be: fragrant, balanced, elegant, and addictively delicious. Importer Kermit Lynch says this wine tastes more like a Nuits-Saint-Georges—which would cost twice the price and should offer twice the quality—and we agree. For only $21.90, this is one of the finest Burgundies around. Try a bottle today, and you’ll want a case tomorrow. Trust us! – Daniel

Wine Advocate: “The 2012 Cote de Nuits Village comes from 40- to 45-year-old vines. It has a deep, almost broody bouquet with brambly black fruit, hints of wet tobacco and damp soil. The palate is well-balanced with pleasant, quite rounded tannins. The acidity is well judged here, lending this Cote de Nuits Village a natural, refined finish. This is a delicious Burgundy wine, a perfect introduction to the delights of region. Drink now-2017.”