June 13, 2008

Vatan 2006

The 79-year-old Edmond Vatan has been making what is largely considered to be the world's top Sancerre for an entire generation. The Sancerres from his Clos la Neore vineyard are renowned for their purity, depth, expression of terroir, and surprisingly for Sancerre, their profound ageability. Though wonderful in their youth, a Vatan Sancerre will only improve over the next decade - or two or three?

He treasures his legendary vineyard, a tiny 2.5-acre plot (that's one-fifth the size of Central Park's Great Lawn and smaller than many Westchester back yards!) that Vatan himself planted over 60 years ago and that sits in the sweet spot of the steep slopes of the legendary "Damned Mountain" otherwise known as the Monts Damnes vineyard.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 4:26 PM | TrackBack

December 12, 2007

Tom's Wine of the Year: 2002 Cazin "Cuvee Renaissance

The methods I used to determine my "Wine of the Year" have nothing to do with point scores or detailed comparisons of the thousands of wines I have tasted over the last 12 months. My metrics are much more simple and visceral - last year Forte Canto swayed me with its "Gulp-ability Factor."

This year I declare Cazin's 2002 Cour-Cheverny "Cuvee Renaissance" my Wine of the Year, citing the"Lemonhead Effect!"

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 11:07 AM | TrackBack

August 8, 2007

Sancerre Sans the Scary Price
2004 Mellot Sancerre "Les Romains"

First off, I want to thank all of the Crush Crew for your support of the Gazela "Back Up the Truck" email. Keep in mind we have a few more cases available if you missed out on your $3.99 bottle of air conditioning or just need to reload.

Today's offer is in response to a number of requests we received for a similar summer steal whose style is more on the "serious side." Enter 2004 Sancerre 'Les Romains' from Alphonse Mellot, by far the best Sauvignon Blanc I've tasted this summer.

Mellot achieved absolute greatness in 2004, and due to the vagaries of the New York wholesale wine market, I am happy to offer this incredible bottling at 20-30% off its shelf price elsewhere, at a rate that is in-line with Sancerre prices of years past!

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Posted by Stephen Bitterolf at 11:55 AM

March 26, 2007

2005 Vatan Sancerre "Clos de Neore": Legendary Sancerre from Chavignol

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Edmund Vatan is thought of in many circles as the single greatest producer in Sancerre, tenderly fashioning a minute amount of wine that is renowned for its purity, depth, expression of terroir, and surprisingly for Sancerre, profound ageability. His masterpiece in Sancerre has been on the list at restaurant Taillevent in Paris for over 40 years.

Sadly, according to our sources, nearly 60 years after he planted his vines in Sancerre's most heralded vineyard, Monts Damnés (see sidebar), the Sage of Sancerre has decided to throw in the towel. This might be the last batch of his wine that ever reaches the public...

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 9:06 AM

November 10, 2006

1990 Nicolas Joly Coulee de Serrant

Here are my (short) tasting notes:

Color: Mid->Dark apple juice yellow/brown.

Warmed up beautifully and needed the decant (the man knows what he's doing with those paper inserts that say "serve at X celsius and decant for a long time.")

Lovely sweet herbal aromatics and that classic Joly green-tea on the attack.

Excellent mid-palate of surprising freshness and acidity. While fun up-front, the real treat was the finish. LONG. Rich. Would have with a steak with it even at this age, or just enjoy on a cool November night with a lawn chair. Not for the faint of heart.

Posted by Tom Stephenson at 1:48 AM

October 3, 2006

Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin Vouvray 2005

Today's Crush offer features the stunning wines of Vouvray's Phillipe Foreau. Foreau (along with Gaston Huet) *defines* Vouvray in the same overpowering way Penfolds Grange defines Australian reds, or Dom. Romanée-Conti defines Burgundy, or Chateau d'Yquem defines Sauternes. And while the wines just mentioned sell for hundreds of dollars a bottle, the legendary and mind-twisting wines of Phillipe Foreau sell for under $50!

Why so inexpensive? Chenin Blanc (the main white grape in Vouvray) simply isn't well known. Additionally, as Eric Asimov wrote in his New York Times blog the other week (lamenting Chenin's obscurity), Vouvray is one of the few places in the world suited to transform the grape into a wine of such complexity and finesse.

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Posted by Joe Salamone at 2:35 PM

August 1, 2006

Sancerrely Yours... Great Chavignol

Sancerre is the most elegant expression of Sauvignon Blanc, and its recent surge in prices reflect its growing popularity. That's why we're thrilled to offer you not just a Sancerre, but one from Chavignol.

Yves Martin Sancerre has all the classic aspects of great Chavignol: a creamy, rich texture, wonderfully pure citrus fruit, stony minerality and uncommon depth.

Those of you who found Sancerre from the 2003 vintage to be too soft and overripe will be relieved � other vintages offer profound complexity and a "stalactite" personality; simply put, this wine�s got some serious, mouthwatering acidity that pairs beautifully with a range of foods.

While it�s incredibly tempting to drink the wine right away, we strongly encourage you to squirrel away a few bottles. In 5 to 8 years, this Sancerre will go through a remarkable transformation.

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Posted by Tom Stephenson at 1:42 PM

July 20, 2006

Under the Radar: The Best Cabernet Franc in the Loire

Clos Rougeard is one of the oldest estates in the Loire Valley, and yet they are nearly anonymous in the US. Owned by the Foucault family since 1894, the Clos employs the usual recipe for absolute excellence: outstanding terroir, old vines, excruciatingly tiny yields, and incredible attention to detail.

Nadi and Charlie, the two brothers who run and manage the estate, also adhere to old family traditions of organic farming, bottling without filtration, and minimal racking, to keep the wines in their purest and least manipulated form.

Those who have the patience to give the wines the time they deserve in the cellar will have a Musigny-like experience at ｼ the price, especially in strong years like 2001 and outstanding vintages like 2002.

But don't just take our word for it - the Clos is heartily revered by their fellow winemakers. Joe Dressner (the importer) quotes Charles Joguet, fellow winemaking star from Chinon, as saying: "There are two suns. One shines outside for everybody. The second shines in the Foucaults' cellar."

If the estate was more intent on promotion and less on their craft (see sidebar), prices would likely be akin to Bordeaux garagistes and equals in quality like Pavie, La Mondotte, and Le Pin. Instead, they prefer the path of contemporaries like Nicolas Joly and Grange des P鑽es, flying under the radar while making incredibly underappreciated wine.

---

The Wines

Saumur Champigny
(<1500 cases produced)

The most approachable of all of the Rougeard wines early in its life, the Saumur Champigny, also known as "Le Clos" is blended from various plots vines with an average age of 25 years. Fermented in 100% old oak barrels, the wine it has an excellent balance of minerality and raspberry fruit. It can be enjoyed today or can age for 10+ years.

---

Saumur Champigny "Les Poyeaux" (<900 cases produced)

In between "Le Clos" and "Le Bourg" in terms of approachability "Les Poyeux" is an equally intriguing wine.

Half of the juice from 40-60 year-old vines is fermented in 1 year old barrels from Chateau Margaux and Chateau Haut Brion, while the other 50% is aged in new oak.

The wine displays startling aromatics with tobacco, red cherries and lots of earthy minerality. The palate is full of red fruit with sweet, rich tannins and an everlasting finish.

---

Saumur Champigny "Le Bourg" (<300 cases produced)

The premier Rougeard cuvee made from 80 year-old Cabernet Franc vines painstakingly pruned to produce ridiculously low yields, even for the Loire Valley. Le Bourg is super-concentrated with intense levels of fruit and extract with flavors of spice, truffles, violets and tobacco. Cellar for 10+ years for earliest drinking in 2015. This is the wine to buy for your children (or your friends' children) who were born in 2001 or 2002!

---

Why haven't you heard of Clos Rougeard? There are a number of reasons that one of the top estates for Cabernet Franc in all of the Loire has flown under the radar in the US.

The wine is made in absolutely microscopic quantities: the estate produces four different wines (3 Cab Franc, 1 Chenin Blanc) which account for a total production of less than 3000 cases.

A persistent rumor is that Nadi and Charlie keep 1/5th of the cellar for themselves.

With 3-star French restaurants and an adoring French public snatching up most of the production, no more than 30 cases of any cuvee make it into New York State in a given year.

Neither the Chateau nor the region has a "hype machine" and the wines are not generally reviewed by major critics.

Clos Rougeard sells all of their wine every year so the family makes a decent living, and has no interest in expansion.
Where in the World?

Saumur-Champigny is a 6.25 square mile, triangularly-shaped AOC southeast of Saumur (Bourdeaux, by comparison, has nearly 475 square miles under vine).

It is bounded by the Loire River to the North, the Thouet River to the West, and the Fontevraud Forest to the East.

While known primarily for Cabernet Franc, some Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d'Aunis are grown in the predominantly clay and limestone soil of the region.

Below the soil there is also a stone layer (in French "tuffeau"), which was created in the Cretaceous period. This stone layer stores winter rains and releases water during dry summer months so the vines gets a slow but regular flow of H20.

The name Champigny comes from the Latin "Campus Ignis" (Fields of Fire) that refers to the land's ability to hold in heat during the day and release it at night.

Posted by Tom Stephenson at 6:12 PM

Under the Radar: The Best Cabernet Franc in the Loire

Today, we're pleased to offer some of the most outstanding under-the-radar wines at some of the best prices in the nation.

Clos Rougeard is one of the oldest estates in the Loire Valley, and yet they are nearly anonymous in the US. Owned by the Foucault family since 1894, the Clos employs the usual recipe for absolute excellence: outstanding terroir, old vines, excruciatingly tiny yields, and incredible attention to detail.

Nadi and Charlie, the two brothers who run and manage the estate, also adhere to old family traditions of organic farming, bottling without filtration, and minimal racking, to keep the wines in their purest and least manipulated form.

Those who have the patience to give the wines the time they deserve in the cellar will have a Musigny-like experience at ｼ the price, especially in strong years like 2001 and outstanding vintages like 2002.

But don't just take our word for it - the Clos is heartily revered by their fellow winemakers. Joe Dressner (the importer) quotes Charles Joguet, fellow winemaking star from Chinon, as saying: "There are two suns. One shines outside for everybody. The second shines in the Foucaults' cellar."

If the estate was more intent on promotion and less on their craft (see sidebar), prices would likely be akin to Bordeaux garagistes and equals in quality like Pavie, La Mondotte, and Le Pin. Instead, they prefer the path of contemporaries like Nicolas Joly and Grange des P鑽es, flying under the radar while making incredibly underappreciated wine.

The Wines

Saumur Champigny
(<1500 cases produced)

The most approachable of all of the Rougeard wines early in its life, the Saumur Champigny, also known as "Le Clos" is blended from various plots vines with an average age of 25 years. Fermented in 100% old oak barrels, the wine it has an excellent balance of minerality and raspberry fruit. It can be enjoyed today or can age for 10+ years.

Saumur Champigny "Les Poyeaux"
(<900 cases produced)

In between "Le Clos" and "Le Bourg" in terms of approachability "Les Poyeux" is an equally intriguing wine.

Half of the juice from 40-60 year-old vines is fermented in 1 year old barrels from Chateau Margaux and Chateau Haut Brion, while the other 50% is aged in new oak.

The wine displays startling aromatics with tobacco, red cherries and lots of earthy minerality. The palate is full of red fruit with sweet, rich tannins and an everlasting finish.

Saumur Champigny "Le Bourg"
(<300 cases produced)

The premier Rougeard cuvee made from 80 year-old Cabernet Franc vines painstakingly pruned to produce ridiculously low yields, even for the Loire Valley. Le Bourg is super-concentrated with intense levels of fruit and extract with flavors of spice, truffles, violets and tobacco. Cellar for 10+ years for earliest drinking in 2015. This is the wine to buy for your children (or your friends' children) who were born in 2001 or 2002!

Why haven't you heard of Clos Rougeard?

There are a number of reasons that one of the top estates for Cabernet Franc in all of the Loire has flown under the radar in the US.

The wine is made in absolutely microscopic quantities: the estate produces four different wines (3 Cab Franc, 1 Chenin Blanc) which account for a total production of less than 3000 cases.

A persistent rumor is that Nadi and Charlie keep 1/5th of the cellar for themselves.

With 3-star French restaurants and an adoring French public snatching up most of the production, no more than 30 cases of any cuvee make it into New York State in a given year.

Neither the Chateau nor the region has a "hype machine" and the wines are not generally reviewed by major critics.

Clos Rougeard sells all of their wine every year so the family makes a decent living, and has no interest in expansion.

---

Where in the World?

Saumur-Champigny is a 6.25 square mile, triangularly-shaped AOC southeast of Saumur (Bourdeaux, by comparison, has nearly 475 square miles under vine).

It is bounded by the Loire River to the North, the Thouet River to the West, and the Fontevraud Forest to the East.

While known primarily for Cabernet Franc, some Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d'Aunis are grown in the predominantly clay and limestone soil of the region.

Below the soil there is also a stone layer (in French "tuffeau"), which was created in the Cretaceous period. This stone layer stores winter rains and releases water during dry summer months so the vines gets a slow but regular flow of H20.

The name Champigny comes from the Latin "Campus Ignis" (Fields of Fire) that refers to the land's ability to hold in heat during the day and release it at night.

Posted by Tom Stephenson at 12:33 PM

Clos Rougeard Cabernet Franc

Clos Rougeard is one of the oldest estates in the Loire Valley, and yet they are nearly anonymous in the US. Owned by the Foucault family since 1894, the Clos employs the usual recipe for absolute excellence: outstanding terroir, old vines, excruciatingly tiny yields, and incredible attention to detail.

| Read More

Posted by Bob Schagrin at 12:33 PM

June 21, 2006

2003 Edmond Vatan Sancerre "Clos de Neore"

A majority of European winemakers struggled during their attempts to make whites, and most had to resort to acidification and other winemaking "tricks" that give the palate a sense of unnatural manipulation.

While it's true that it was difficult to make great whites during 2003, before you write off the vintage completely consider Edmond Vatan.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 10:43 AM

June 6, 2006

2004 Chidaine Vouvray "Clos Baudoin Les Argiles" and "Le Clos Baudoin"

What do you get when you combine a brilliant biodynamic winemaker and the only vineyard in the Loire Valley to ever be called Grand Cru?

Some of the best Chenin Blanc we've tasted all year.

But the story gets more interesting when you find out how it all came to be. Here's the deal...

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 10:15 AM

April 11, 2006

2004 Thierry Puzelat "Pineau d'Aunis" and "Clos du Tue Boeuf"

Thierry Puzelat is easily one of our favorite winemakers in the Loire Valley for his ultra-conscientious production methods and complete commitment to natural wine.

Two Estates, One Vigneron

Based in Touraine (Loire Valley), Thierry bottles wine under two different labels: "Clos du Tue Boeuf" and "Thierry Puzelat."

Wines under the "Tue Boeuf" label are wines produced from grapes grown on the estate his family owns, while the wines he makes négociant-style (see sidebar) use the Puzelat moniker. Though Thierry sources fruit from other growers for the "negoc" bottlings, he is steadfast in his vow to only use fruit that meets his high organic/biodynamic standards.

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Posted by Bob Schagrin at 10:24 AM