Private Tasting with Calmont Beverage at Jessica's Restaurant

Below are my notes from a private tasting at the restaurant with Chip Chapell and Chris Halberg of Calmont Beverage.  The pair continues to impress with their collective passion as well as their encyclopedic insight into their producers.  In short, they continue to uphold their reputation as wine professionals of the highest caliber.

NV Mercat Cava, Penedes, Spain (87)

This freshly scented Cava flows with the essence of honeydew melon, minerals, and mint.  This is an excellent value in high-quality sparkling wine, with 18 months of tirage, twice the 9 month required time investment for the producer.  The limpid, low-pressure character it possesses suggests happy partnerships with a variety of cuisines, from many seafoods to simply roasted white meats like chicken or pork.

2010 Boniface Apremont, Vin de Savoie, France (88)

This 100% Jacquere is singularly pure, fresh, and perfumed, with vibrant flavors of flower extracts and pears.  Wet river stones are a delightful valediction as the wine finishes as exuberantly smile-inducing as it began.  This is incredibly refreshing and remarkably fun to drink.


2011 Vietti Arneis, Roero, Piedmont, Italy (91)

Luca Currado's 2011 Arneis presents an aromatic whirlwind.  White peaches and almonds, tangy floral underpinnings and a slight mineral invocations.  The palate is light and delicious, mouthwatering, elegant, remaining lithe and seamless through the finish, where green apples and gentle spices lurk.  Good length.  A standout.

2010 Domaine Paul Mas Picpoul de Pinet, "Estate," Sud du France (88)

This charming varietal Picpoul offers distinctive, engaging flavors of candied lemon rind and smoke flanked by savory mineral depth.  Mid-weight, balanced, and graceful, this was a lovely accompaniment to a variety of cheese and olives.

2011 Bedrock Sauvignon, "Kick Ranch," Sonoma, California (92)

This was my first taste of a Moran Peterson Sauvignon; I was overcome with that rare fascination and excitement that accompanies genuine discovery.  In short, Sauvignon too seldom tastes this good, this completely satisfying.  Initially tight and linear, a short time in the glass reveals wonderfully integration, balance, and quite breathtaking beauty.  Sweet herbs and lilacs.  Luscious, leaning toward creamy on the palate, showing the (balanced) depth and richness of barrel-fermentation in a finessed, feminine style.  Cool and green: wintergreen and cool river stones in Autumn.  "Flirtatious" without crossing into superficiality.  This wants you to like it; I can't imagine it failing.

2010 Suore Cistercensi, "Coenobium," Lazio, Italy (92)

The wine of the day for its arresting and pleasing distinctiveness.  A wine I never wanted to stop smelling; I remember trying to crawl into the glass.  Anise, sweet malt, sea breeze, and flowers.  Even the palate is utterly perfumed, and there is a gentle tension created by the strawberry-orange flavors and the wine's polychrome savory depth.  Though provoking and delicious, and that's enough for me!

2010 Terradora di Paolo Greco di Tufo, Campania, Italy (86)

Wafts murmurs of vanilla extract poured over layers of peach and pear.  Simple and fresh on the attack, with enough acidity to lend the fruit focus.  A simple Greco that would be a nice pairing with textured first courses or, even better, fresh fruit salad.

2010 Domaine Des Huards Cheverny, Loire Valley, France (86)

The incisive cut and persistence of the 2010 Cheverny are an appropriate vessel for the array of tarragon, chervil, and green olives that emerge here, though I find this effort more distinctive than delicious.  85% Sauvignon and 15% Chardonnay.

2010 Domaine Lafage Cotes du Rousillon Blanc, "Cuvee Centenaire," Rousillon, France (90)

A composed, serene perfume of oyster shell and lemon curd give way to a voluminous, mouthfilling wine that combines richness with surprising cut and vivacity.  Substantial without excess weight, and delicious to boot.  Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Roussanne, and Macabeu.

2011 Chateau Valcombe Rose, Cotes du Ventoux, France (85)

Hmm, interesting.  Pepperoni and rose petals.  The palate turns sanguine and peachy in a lively, refreshing style.  I would have preferred greater clarity, especially on the foggy finish.  

2009 Domaine de Chateaumar, "Cuvee Vincent," Cotes du Rhone, France (85)

Roasted figs and raisin flavors, a slightly scorched nose.  An certain persistent herbaceousness seems not to belong, like an unwelcome spectator.  I can see others liking this.

2009 Fabre Montmayou Cabernet Sauvignon, Patagonia, Argentina (87)

The extroverted and tasty 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon is an outstanding value.  Ripe red cherries, spices, and oak detonate in the mouth, showing more earthy and spice character with time in the glass.  Round, fresh, and showing terrific purity, this is a great weeknight table wine.

Wine and Food - Episode 6

Costello's Market Braised pork shoulder with peppers and papardelle ($10)

2003 Casanova della Spinetta Sassontino - (87) ~$50

I hosted a wine dinner this past week with the legendary Giorgio Rivetti of La Spinetta fame.  Giorgio's empire is stationed in Piedmont, with state of the art facilities in both Grinzane Cavour and Castagnole Lanza.  Over the last decade, the winery has expanded its reach to Tuscan Sangiovese, and now includes vineyard sites in some of Tuscany's most celebrated microclimates.  This bottle is one of a few gifts Giorgio so graciously sent my way after our dinner together.  

The 2003 Sassontino is Sangiovese in its most swarthy guise; notes of blackberries, tobacco, licorice and plenty of new oak.   Weighty, broad-shouldered, low-acid (does this really need to be said considering the vintage?).  The tannins aren't ornery yet aren't refined.  Seductively dark and mysterious on the nose, and, to be sure, tasty, yet lacking in real flavor depth or finishing cut.  A touch hot on the back end as well.  Typical for the vintage: thick and rustic, with a fleeting finish.  

The untamed, almost savagely intense flavors of the braised pork and the pliant texture of the pasta really help mitigate and pacify the wine's slightly gritty tannin, and lend a dimension of polish and grace that it lacks flying solo.  The food, likewise, finds a formidable wine pairing capable of matching its sheer size and scope, allowing each to coexist without either groping for the spotlight.  This amounts to a totally classic, completely hedonistic, fighting-fire-with-fire sort of pairing, and one that works beautifully.

Wine and Food - Episode 5

Slow oven-roasted leg of lamb with white truffle oil, thyme, rosemary, shallot, garlic, vine-ripened tomatoes (Prep time: 5 minutes, total time 2 hours 15 minutes) Cost: ~$25

2009 Domaine la Garrigue Vacqueyras - (90) ~$20

This is without question the best meal I have ever prepared wherein the prep time was literally less than five minutes.  The culinary philosophy here runs counter to that of the Bolognese from the last posting: the idea here is to roast each of the elements together, yet allow them to retain their own intrinsic flavor profile and tactile qualities.  This allows for a more diverse palate of colors for each diner to utilize once the meal is served.  There is no consistent flavor profile like the bolognese; rather, each bite is different, and each diner can emphasize and enjoy the flavor combinations they choose.

The lamb is rubbed with a beef bouillon cube that has been diluted in white truffle oil (about two ounces), then is placed fat-side down in a roasting pan.  The shallots (2) and the garlic bulbs (2) are simply halved and set in the four corners of the pan.  The vine-ripened tomatoes and a generous quantity of rosemary and thyme are simply set on top of the lamb.  Preheat the oven to 325 degrees, then roast for about an hour and a half. 

Set all ingredients on a serving platter and add water to the roasting pan to deglaze.  Transfer the water with the contents from the bottom of the pan into a sauce pan.  Add some chicken stock and fresh rosemary, and reduce to taste.  

I love pairing lamb leg with an ample, full-flavored wine from the Rhone.  The 2009 Vacqueyras from Domaine la Garrigue has really come together over the last year: now more forthcoming and giving, its fruit increasingly flanked by supporting details of licorice and sweet herbs.  From the perspective of purity, sheer fruit quality, deliciousness, and complexity, this producer is outclassed by very few.  Even better, prices remain exceedingly fair considering the quality and production is enough that you shouldn't have to look too hard to find it.

The garlic and the shallots tease at the bucolic underpinnings of the wine, while the tender lamb and succulent tomatoes help emphasize the ripe, glowing radiance of the fruit.  Really, a gorgeous tapestry of flavors mingle on the palate in a totally cohesive and convincing way.  A perfect partnering for a romantic occasion, with the total cost for the wine and food likely to remain around or under $50. 

Wine and Food - Episode 4

Since I spend so much free time mincing, chopping, and tracking the progress of reducing sauces, I've decided to occasionally share my experiences in the kitchen as well as highlight some of my more successful wine and food pairings outside the restaurant.  The following meal is incredibly simple to prepare, and the act of creating a classic Bolognese makes me feel as if I'm an acting participant in some timeless ritual in which I always feel somehow disarmingly humbled to be included.  The kind of experience that reminds one how small one is, how our own reality is only a small part and parcel embedded within our massive moving world; a wonderful chance to reflect on our own experiences within the context of the present as well as historically.  For the recipe remember I said "simple" as in easy, not quick.  Here, the flavors must mature and coalesce through long, uninterrupted simmering where low heat and complex, elemental ingredients magically transform into an extraordinary assemblage of deliciousness.    

Pasta alla Bolognese (Prep time: 10 minutes, total time: 2 hours) Cost: $25

2009 Ridge Lytton Springs Proprietary Red Wine - (90), $35

A classic ragu alla bolognese can be reduced with either white or red wine, the former often combining with heavy cream in a dizzyingly delicious display of richness and broad, intense flavors.  I prefer eliminating cream and reducing in red wine, as the earthiness of the carrot, onion, celery, and the salty savor of the meats remain more delineated and the sauce, in my opinion, more complex.  My family likes the red-wine version better, too. 

The recipe is simple.  Very finely chop one carrot, one celery stalk, and an onion.  Prepare a half pound of ground beef and a couple of ounces each of prosciutto and pancetta: emphasize or deemphasize these ingredients depending on how rich and savory you want the bolognese to turn out.  Over medium-heat, lightly saute everything listed above for about 15 minutes; things will take on color and begin to soften.  Then, add two cups of red wine and a table spoon of tomato paste diluted in a half cup of water.  Turn the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about an hour and forty five minutes.  Serve over al dente pasta.

Wine Pairing suggestion: Classic Piedmontese varietals, particularly robust versions of Barbera and lighter, fruit-forward, less serious versions of Nebbiolo are an obvious choice that rarely disappoint.  Having enjoyed their regional synergy many, many times before, however, I opted to pair the pasta with a Zinfandel blend from on of California's preeminent Zinfandel specialists, Ridge's Paul Draper.  The bright, incisive, spicy fruit (Zinfandel, Petite Sirah, Carignane) and the healthy, balanced personality of the vintage were a beautiful backdrop for the textured richness and bold flavors of the dish.  Choosing a wine to mirror the weight and intensity of the dish proved a beautiful, intelligent partnership.  When served with the pasta, the wine segued into spicy, black raspberry, and coffee tones that had been less obvious before dinner.  A beautiful match well worth discovering and sharing. 

NV Rene Geoffroy Brut, "Expression," Cumieres 1er Cru, Vallee de la Marne, Champagne, France

88               Drink now-2013               $50, QPR index - 1.8               

(This review applies to the July 2011 disgorgement).  High-toned scents of oyster shell, fresh lemon juice, and chalky minerals emerge from Jean-Baptiste Geoffroy's NV, here a blend of 70% 2008 fruit (primarily Pinot Noir and Meunier) with the rest 2007.  The bright florality, transparency, and elegance of 2008 are certainly on display here; it's an easy wine to approach, easy to understand.  While there isn't memorable depth or a particularly dynamic counterpoint between fruit, acidity, and minerality, there is a certain disarming charm that stems from the wine's undeniably extroverted deliciousness.  On the palate, this is more fun than engaging, and, at times, that's just what one needs.

2007 Heinrich Blaufrankisch, Burgenland, Austria

91+               Drink now-2015               $23, QPR index - 4.0

The swarthy 2007 Blaufrankisch presents an aromatic array of game, leather, pain grille, and spicy blackberries; unmistakably varietal overtones: campfire/burning embers.  Beautifully balanced and lithe on the palate, with spice, licorice, and game flavors.  Ends with a well-mannered, composed finish that sails on for a long time.  First rate winemaking (from clearly low yields), and clean, pure, healthy fruit make this an absolute knock out, and, what's more, a tremendous value.  This is a brilliant achievement from Gernot Heinrich.

2009 Cristom Pinot Noir, Mt. Jefferson Cuvee, Willamette Valley, Oregon

89               Drink now-2016               $25, QPR index - 3.6

The 2009 Mt. Jefferson Cuvee owes its provenance to estate-grown fruit culled from the single vineyard wines (the "4 ladies") as well as some purchased fruit.  A warm, generous nose of rosemary and thyme, raspberries and pine precedes a gentle, silky entry onto the palate, revealing spicy and floral character as well as flavors of sweetly perfumed red fruits.  While mid-palate depth is lacking, the finish uncovers nuances of brown sugar and sweet herbs, though a bit of alcoholic heat shows itself as well.  This foresty, pleasant, savory effort is best consumed within its first four years of life.

Steve Doerner, the only winemaker in Cristom's nearly twenty year history, remains a positively reference-point producer for readers seeking complex, aromatic wines of incomparable aging potential.  Four vineyards planted exclusively to Pinot Noir are sprawled out around the estate itself; these are the Majorie, Jessie, Eileen, and Louise vineyards, from which vineyard-designated Pinots are produced each year (these are collectively and lovingly referred to as the "4 ladies").  The wines reveal an exceptional attention to detail in the vineyards as well as a patient, reflective, informed approach to winemaking.  Ideally, the Mt. Jefferson Cuvee should be consumed in the first 4-5 years of life, though in nearly all vintages, the vineyard-designated Pinots can effortlessly age for 15 years or more.  In addition to varietal Pinot, Doerner crafts noteworthy wines from estate-grown Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, and Syrah, although the latter two are produced in minuscule quantities.  For those who prefer elegant, focused, balanced, perfumed wines that partner beautifully with a variety of cuisines, the wines of Cristom should not be missed.

2009 Domaine de Vieux Lazaret Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc, Southern Rhone Valley, France

92               Drink now-2018               $35, QPR index - 2.6

The oak and pear-scented 2009 Blanc is a glorious achievement.  Time in the glass brings a more complex perfume of vanilla, white chocolate, and nut oils.  Distinctive and alluring.  Voluptuous, balanced, and very long on the palate, the wine delivers layers of fresh, complex fruit which gives way to a finish laden with a mouthwatering wet-stone savor.  Plan on enjoying this classy, beautifully proportioned, sensually and intellectually satisfying beauty over the next four years.  Bravo!

2010 St. Urbans-hof Riesling Kabinett, Ockfener Bockstein, Saar Valley, Mosel, Germany

88               Drink 2013-2017               $20, QPR index - 4.4

The 2010 Riesling Kabinett surrenders a lovely fragrance that evokes lime, apples, and vanilla.  Aromatically, less "sunny" than the 2009 version.  What it lacks from the perspective of roundness and opulence, though, it makes up for via its precise, driven style.  The mineral qualities so often found here remain buried, for the time being, beneath a good deal of extract and primary fruit, especially for this Pradikat level.  But this is, after all, 2010!  On the palate, this is surprisingly fleet of foot and densely packed with citrus, apple, and peach notes.  The healthy acidity and a promisingly persistent finish augur well for the future.  I would wait another 18 months or so, then consider following this for at least three years.

NV Arnoud Margaine Champagne, Villers-Marmery 1er Cru, Montagne de Reims, Champagne, France

90               Drink now-2015               $50, QPR index - 1.8

This review applies to the 2011 disgorgement.  Based on the exceptionally flowery and refined 2008 vintage, this "entry-level" bottling is just stunning.  Green apples, graham cracker, flowers, and a lovely fragrance of sea-breeze emerge from this precociously sophisticated Champagne.  Literally, like smelling the surf off the ocean on a crisp, cool evening.  On entry, the wine reveals a gentle, foamy effervescence as well as flavors of peach, spice, and a pronounced, sexy florality.  Again, the latter component so distinctive and disarmingly beautiful and precise; like a flower petal was transported with the juice and took time to pause on the back palate.  Richly leesy and sensually caressing in the mouth; wonderfully comforting and reassuring: drinking this is like being embraced by, and embracing, a lover.

The lowish pressure of this bottling makes it inherently food-friendly, and is a perfect antidote for those who think bubbly is solely a wine for occasions.  I assure you, opening a bottle of Margaine is an occasion!

2010 Raptor Ridge Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, Oregon

89               Drink now-2013               $15, QPR index - 5.9

The 2010 Pinot Gris is redolent of pear tart and cinnamon, while nuances of smoke and apple skin make an appearance with time in the glass.  The palate is medium-bodied, medium-low in acidity, and shows clear and delicious flavors of apples and exotic spices as well as a touch of pastry dough on the back end.  This version is less textured than the superb 2009, yet is generous and easy to see into: somehow familiar and comforting: "liquid soul food."  Perfect for a cool summer evening.

2009 Heidi Schrock Furmint, Rust, Burgenland, Austria

84               Drink now-2012               $20, QPR index - 4.2

The 2009 Furmint is at least a couple of notches below the high standards of this typically outstanding and fascinating producer stationed in eastern Austria.  A smudged and rather strange perfume of musk, veal stock, and yellow apples emerges from this atypical wine that is strikingly singular yet, in the end, not particularly sensually satisfying.  The palate is low in acidity and richly textured, though the flavors lack definition, grace, and beauty.  I would pair this with intensely flavored, robust foods, like a veal scallopini, where the savor and textured personality of the wine can be spotlighted and the unpleasant flavors overpowered.  

2006 Arcadian Syrah, Santa Ynez Valley, California

88               Drink now-2016               $20, QPR index - 4.4

The Syrah Santa Ynez is rendered from fruit that doesn't make it into the more prestigious (and expensive) single-vineyard bottlings.  What results is a fresher, more forward style of wine intended for early consumption.  The 2006 displays a spicy nose of horseradish, black pepper, and blueberries, followed by a  palate profile which remains characteristically austere for this producer, although the spice begins to build on the midpalate and flows in positively rhythmic waves toward the earth-filled finish (which literally tastes like dirt and horseradish).  This lean, compressed Syrah will impress fans of Joe Davis' style, and will likely win over those who favor "classically styled," wines from the northern Rhone.

Arcadian's Joe Davis tends to produce linear, low-alcohol, elegant wines very much intended for the table.  Many of Joe's wines, particularly the Syrahs and certain cuvees of Pinot Noir, really appreciate an informed food pairing, which potentially helps mitigate some of the austerity of the fruit and bring out the balanced elegance of the house style.  It merits mention that these wines greatly benefit from being opened far in advance of consumption, as they are not only terse and ungiving out of bottle, but can initially taste positively awkward and angular as well.  A polarizing producer to be sure!

2009 Walter Glatzer Blaufrankisch, Carnuntum, Austria

89               Drink now-2014               $16, QPR index - 5.6

A perennial best buy is the varietal Blaufrankisch from the Carnuntum's Walter Glatzer, an organic producer whose wines seem to reflect an ever greater confidence in and awareness of the potential of his vineyards.  In 2009, the pepper and earth-scented Blaufrankisch offers flavors of beef stock, leather, and darker fruits.  There is remarkable distinctiveness, purity, and balance that make it simply impossible to resist a second sip!  With air, the wine adds dimensions of cedar, licorice, and a more complex melange of spices.  This is a producer who deserves every discerning consumer's ardent attention, as Glatzer's wines offer much sensual and intellectual satisfaction at exceedingly reasonable prices.  Readers should be also sure to check out the estate's slender, attractively flowery whites as well as the terrific Zweigelt "Reidencuvee" bottling.

2007 La Spinetta Barbaresco Bordini, Piedmont, Italy

92               Drink 2015-2030               $50, QPR index - 1.8

Giorgio Rivetti's 2007 Barbaresco Bordini conveys aromatic notions of licorice, tobacco, sweet dark cherries, and hints of darker fruit.  In the mouth, this massive Nebbiolo reveals excellent freshness in a dense, voluminous style.  While this super-ripe, richly textured 2007 is still holding its cards and comes off a bit primary today, the wine's overall balance, silky tannins, and abundance of fresh acids augur well for the future.  As with all of the top 2007 Barbareschi, patience will be handsomely rewarded.

2007 Willi Brundlmayer Riesling, Zobinger Heiligenstein "Lyra," Kamptal, Austria

96+               Drink now-2032               $40, QPR index - 2.4

In 2007 the "Lyra" bottling is almost impossibly seductive.  A lovely mineral-rich perfume emerges from the glass and is followed by a round, almost oily palate that remains beautifully balanced through the saliva-inducing, mind-bogglingly delicious finish.  In the end, this is one of the greatest wines I have ever had the privilege to taste; consciousness-altering, desert island stuff here, with monumentally scaled flavors that remain reigned in and focused.  Luckily for those who own bottles, those flavors are of the highest quality imaginable!  A halycon, meditative, Zen-like effort.  At least two decades of gripping drinking are promised here.  Bravo!