Ferrer Bobet in Wine Advocate

April 28th, 2010

The latest Wine Advocate has some killer scores for the 2006 Ferrer Bobet wines. This is only the second vintage for this incredible winery, and confirms that Sergi Ferrer-Salat and Raül Bobet are conjuring magic from the old vines in Priorat.

Ferrer Bobet Priorat 2006
“The fruit for the 2006 Ferrer Bobet was sourced from 100-year-old Garnacha and Carinena which account for 88% of the blend, the balance being Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. Aromas of slate/mineral, scorched earth, lavender and roasted black fruits lead to a dense, rich, full-bodied wine with well-concealed ripe tannins. It will continue to open with another 2-3 years of cellaring and will offer prime drinking from 2013 to 2021.” 92 Wine Advocate

Ferrer-Bobet Selecció Especial 2006
“The 2006 Ferrer Bobet Selecció Especial is 85% Carinena, 10% Garnacha, and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 15 months in new French oak. It reveals a brooding bouquet of mineral, crushed stone, lavender, incense, and black fruit compote. Powerful on the palate, it will mellow a bit with another 2-3 years of cellaring and drink well through 2021.” 94 Wine Advocate


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Telmo Rodriguez in Wine Advocate

April 28th, 2010

The latest Wine Advocate is out with some exceptional scores for Telmo Rodriguez. These ratings demonstrate the tremendous quality that exists across all of Telmo’s wines, a feat that is all the more remarkable when you consider that these wines are being made in all four corners of Spain, from Malaga to Rioja, with each region presenting a unique terroir and a unique set of challenges. The scores can be found below the jump. Congratulations to the entire Telmo Rodriguez team!

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Robert Parker on 2009 Bordeaux

April 28th, 2010

“2009 may turn out to be the finest vintage I have tasted in 32 years of covering Bordeaux.” That’s quite a statement coming from Robert Parker, but it solidifies the general consensus that is brewing among the wine press and trade. The 2009 Bordeaux vintage was one of the greatest on record, and gave many properties their best wines ever (these wines are denoted with an asterisk, “*”). Among the standouts were, of course, Châteaux Pétrus, Margaux, and Cos d’Estournel, but also Château La Fleur-Pétrus, a VINTUS exclusive, “a mind-boggling effort.” Full reviews are below the jump.

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The New Montelena.com

April 26th, 2010

Our friends in Calistoga have a beautiful new website up at Montelena.com, with gorgeous graphics and photos, an excellent history of the estate, and some cool  interactive videos (and a behind-the-scenes look at them here). This is one of the best, most detailed winery websites we’ve seen, a great introduction to a legendary estate. Check out one of the site’s many videos, this one on the 1976 Judgement of Paris, below.

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Sandrone Dolcetto in Washington Examiner

April 23rd, 2010

The cherry blossoms are in ful regalia in Washington, DC, now, and The Washington Examiner‘s Scott Greenberg is rolling into spring by lightening up his red wine selections. Among his choices is Sandrone‘s delicious Dolcetto d’Alba, offering just enough sweetness and grip for the season.

“Dolcetto wines are an oft-forgotten variety from the Piedmont region of Italy that produces wines that are soft and fruity and ready to drink when released. They’re perfect for picnic lunch or lazy afternoon. The 2007 Luciano Sandrone Dolcetto d’Alba is a great choice to pair with lighter pasta dishes or grilled chicken and pork. The nose has these great aromas of wild flowers and dark plums. Mouthwatering flavors of dark raspberry and red plums are accented by bright acidity up front and notes of plush red cherries on the finish.”

Full article is here.

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Montelena in The Metro-West Daily

April 22nd, 2010

Mark Vincent of The Metro-West Daily in Massachusetts has a fantastic column up on the glories of Chateau Montelena. Vincent tastes through the current releases, including the “quite tasty” Potter Valley Riesling and four vintages of the Estate Cabernet (“Conventional wisdom holds that California’s weather is nearly ideal for wine every year…If you think that means each vintage tastes the same, attending this kind of vertical tasting will prove otherwise.”). The star of the show, though, is the 2006 Estate Zinfandel.

“The surprise of the tasting was Montelena 2006 Calistoga Estate Zinfandel. Who’d ever think a Zin could possess the light color of pinot noir as well as delicate, light fruit flavors instead of the usual fruit bomb? Made the way zins were 30 years ago, this wine is a real winner you should try.”

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Château La Serre in Neal Martin’s Wine Journal

April 22nd, 2010

The Wine Advocate‘s Neal Martin is wrapping up his feverishly thorough coverage of the 2009 Bordeaux En Primeurs in St. Emilion, including some high praise for Château La Serre.

Château La Serre 2009, St. Emilion
“I always have a soft spot for La Serre and the 2009 is no different with ebullient red-berried fruit: raspberry, wild strawberry and a touch of redcurrant with fine definition. The palate is very pure, very feminine with pure red fruits, filigree tannins and a silky, beautifully delineated finish. Superb.” 90-92 Neal Martin, Wine Advocate

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Tim Atkin, MW, on Bordeaux 2009

April 21st, 2010

Tim Atkin, MW, has posted his take on the 2009 vintage, with Château Margaux, Pétrus, and La Fleur-Pétrus coming in for particular praise. And, in “the year of the second wine,” Pavillon Rouge and Pavillon Blanc are standouts. Tim’s full report is here.

Pomerol

Château Pétrus 2009, Pomerol
“Rain in the middle of September was the key to the success of the 2009 Pétrus, according to Jean-Claude Berrouet, enabling the Château to avoid water stress in the vineyard. The resulting wine is delicious, showing great finesse, though not quite as good as 2005. The oak is quite prominent at the moment, but this will age well, thanks to its acidity and underlying structure.” 97 Tim Atkin, MW

Château La Fleur-Pétrus 2009, Pomerol
“One of a number of very good to outstanding wines chez JP Moueix in 2009, this is a very impressive La Fleur. Deeply coloured, aromatic and slightly spicy, with great texture, integrated tannins, fresh acidity and considerable length. A wine that gets better and better in the glass and doesn’t rely on over-extraction or alcohol for effect.” 96 Tim Atkin, MW

Margaux

Château Margaux 2009. Margaux
“Paul Pontallier calls this one of the “densest wines, but also the sweetest” he has ever made. Very aromatic and alluring, this has cherry and redcurrant fruit, a touch of bramble, well-integrated oak, assertive tannins and lively, refreshing, palate- cleansing acidity.” 98 Tim Atkin, MW

Pavillion Rouge 2009, Margaux
“Paul Pontallier is considering the possibility of a third wine in 2009, such (in his view) is the quality of his second wine, Pavillon Rouge. This has a delightful elegance to it: silky and fresh, with red and black fruits intermingled on the palate and grainy tannins. The 60% new barrels are a little too prominent at the moment, but should fade into the background with time.” 93 Tim Atkin, MW

Pavillon Blanc 2009, Margaux
“This pure, barrel-fermented Sauvignon Blanc is one of the great dry whites of the vintage. It may be a varietal wine on paper, but it transcends its grape to produce something that is all its own: creamy, aniseedy and lightly toasty, with lovely “leesy” fatness and a grapefruity tang.” 93 Tim Atkin, MW

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Party Time for Calistoga AVA

April 20th, 2010

After winning their long-fought battle for AVA recognition, the team at Chateau Montelena celebrated in grand style yesterday, hosting a party on the patio for winemakers throughout the newly established appellation. It may have taken seven years and the powerful intervention of U.S. Representative Mike Thompson to push through Bo Barrett’s initial application, but it’s a great feeling to see such a historic area finally get the recognition it deserves. Congratulations to the Barretts and to everyone at Chateau Montelena.

Full coverage can be found here and here.

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Paillard Rosé in the Wall Street Journal

April 19th, 2010

Jay McIerney’s inaugural column for the Wall Street Journal is, fittingly, a celebration of the ultimate celebratory wine, Champagne. Running the length and breadth of Rosé Champagnes, the column concludes with a selection of some of McIerney’s favorites, including Bruno Paillard.

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