Text Size:
A|
A|
A
Email
Print
It's a buyer's market today for wine lovers.
With that in mind, Steve Pollack, merchandising and pricing coordinator for the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, isn't missing the opportunity to land some great values for our state stores' Chairman's Selection program.
His most recent buying trip netted 90,000 cases of 86 different wines. Last week I joined a group of Pittsburgh-area store managers to taste 30 wines, many of which are just arriving in stores here this week. Some will not be arriving until May or June.
If any of these interest you but are not yet in your store, speak with a store manager and ask him/her to reserve them for you. They won't last long. (The independent site pawinetalk.com has offered to create a special map showing where the wines in this column are in stock.)
Here are my favorites:
3 Stones Sauvignon Blanc, 2009, Marlborough, New Zealand
PLCB #18369, $8.99 (arriving in April)
This zesty sauvignon blanc has lots of lemon and lime to make it a perfect warm weather sipper.
Seresin Sauvignon Blanc 2008, Marlborough, New Zealand
PLCB #18209, $12.99 (arriving in April)
This highly aromatic wine is made from biodynamically farmed grapes and partially fermented with wild yeasts. The citrus and floral aromas are intense; the wine is complex and classy. With crisp acidity and a long, clean finish, it is a bottle that will drink well for two to three years. Wine Spectator gave it 90 points.
La Crema Chardonnay, 2007, Monterey County, Calif.
PLCB #15897, $14.99
This barrel-fermented chardonnay is for those who love the big, buttery, oaky chardonnay that is typical of California. The nose is of apples, butterscotch, toast and honeysuckle on a backbone of citrus. It is round, with a long finish.
All state wine stores stock kosher wines but the choice is limited. Head to Pinsker's Judaica Center at 2028 Murray Ave. in Squirrel Hill. Owner Shlomo Perelman has enlarged his wine department and now stocks an impressive 210 wines from every major wine-producing country.
Jeunesse 2008, a semi-dry California cabernet, is $12.99. For the holiday, a pair of bottles each packed in a rubberized carrying sleeve is selling for $25 (each sleeve normally costs $10 so this represents a $21 savings).
Michael Greathouse directs the wine program and is very knowledgeable about his stock. A quote from Psalms 104 is part of a banner that decorates the walls of the wine boutique: "And wine makes glad the heart of man."
For Easter menus?
Spencer Roloson Grenache Blanc 2007, Lake County, Calif.
PLCB #22461, $15.99
This unusual bottle is made with 100 percent grenache blanc grapes, a variety rarely bottled by itself in California. This lovely bottle combines white flowers and citrus with vanilla, pears and pie spices. It is round and silky in the mouth with a spectacular finish. Serve as an aperitif or with scallops or fresh fruits.
Rose wines offer a refreshing combination of strawberry, raspberry and citrus flavors, and the color adds a festive touch to a holiday table. I have always favored rose with baked ham. Try:
Red Bicyclette Rose, Languedoc, France
PLCB #4742, $9.99
Made from syrah and grenache grapes with a touch of cinsault.
Montes Cherub Rose, 2009, Chile
PLCB # 22637, $14.99
Made from 100 percent syrah grapes, this is more complex, with layers of orange peel and minerals added to the red berries.
Estancia Merlot 2006, Monterey County and Paso Robles, Calif.
PLCB #15463, $9.99
A mouthful of cherries, plums, black currants and chocolate with a hint of oak. Soft and round with medium body, it has a long and silky finish. It would work well with a lamb roast.
Guenoc Meritage, 2006, Lake County, Calif.
PLCB #16003, $13.99
This classic meritage is a blend of 44 percent cabernet sauvignon, 28 percent merlot, 24 percent petit verdot and 4 percent cabernet franc. Aged for 12 months in oak and several years in bottle, it's full-bodied with lots of cassis, leather and spice in the nose topped with some smoky oak aromas. It's a classy wine and a bargain at this price.
-- Elizabeth Downer
Hahn S. L. H. Pinot Noir, 2007, Santa Lucia Highlands, Monterey County, Calif.
PLCB #15919, $14.99 (arriving in April)
California in style, with deep ruby color rarely seen in European pinot noirs, this is a big mouthful of cherries, strawberries and violets layered over oak and black pepper. A good choice for those who like a little sweetness in their reds. Lots of fruit and lots of weight in the mouth and big 14.7 percent alcohol.
Pillar Box Red Reserve, 2007, Padthaway, South Australia
PLCB #15909, $11.99
A blend of shiraz, cabernet sauvignon and merlot, this wine was rated 91 points in the wine press and considered a good value at the release price of $20. Inky purple in color with aromas of black currants and earth, it is deep, complex, round and velvety with a long finish. This is the handsome and sophisticated big brother of the $6.99 Pillar Box Red (PLCB #15876) that's finally in most stores after a shipping delay.
Diseno Malbec, 2007, Mendoza, Argentina
PLCB #15904, $7.99
Argentine Malbec is on a popularity roll at the moment so not surprisingly it is rarely sold at discount. This was the only malbec the state was offered at below retail. It is deep purple with a big body and the classic malbec aromas of blackberry, spice and mocha. Well balanced, with a clean finish.
Bellum "El Providencia" Monastrell, 2006, Jumilla, Spain
PLCB #10481, $10.99 (arriving in April)
Made from 100 percent monastrell grapes (known as mourvedre in France), this single-vineyard charmer was awarded 90 points by Robert Parker. Dark purple, with a nose that is a pleasant blend of red fruits and herbs. The intensity comes from vines that have an average age of 50 years.
Nita Priorat, 2007, Priorat, Spain
PLCB #15892, $14.99
Priorat wines are known for their strength and complexity and this one is no exception. A blend of garnacha, carinena, cabernet sauvignon and syrah produces aromas of wild berries, cherries and ripe plums wrapped around an array of spices. The mouth is silky and round with a balanced and exceptionally long finish. The wine was matured entirely in stainless steel, which means there is no oxidative effect of barrel aging.
Murrieta's Well Meritage, 2005, Livermore Valley, Calif.
PLCB #18384, $10.99
A true Bordeaux blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot, this was my absolute favorite of the tasting. The grapes come from vines planted a century ago. It was aged for 15 months in French oak. With such significant bottle age, it is an elegant wine with well-integrated oak and wonderfully balanced fruit and acidity. The winery has been sold so the LCB, happily, was able to buy the entire production of 3,000 cases.
Clare Luce Abbey Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006, Napa, Calif.
PLCB #15923, $25.99
Made from 100 percent cabernet sauvignon grapes, this wine was released at $115, a hefty price but not unusual for an iconic California cab of this quality that has spent two years aging in new French oak barrels. Awarded 93 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate in December 2007, this is a great opportunity to taste a very special wine. With aromas of black currant, cocoa and espresso, it is perfectly balanced and feels like velvet in the mouth. The winery has been sold and this is the last vintage to be bottled under this Clare Luce Abbey name. Although very drinkable at present (after decanting), it should age nicely for another decade.
Two Hands "Ares" Shiraz, 2006, Barossa and McLaren Vale, South Australia
PLCB #27451, $79.99 (arriving in April)
Receiving scores of 96 and 97 points from wine publications, this wine has long been considered a benchmark for Australian shiraz. It normally sells at $200 a bottle; the best price I could find on the Internet was $104. Pennsylvania's price is simply an indication of what the recession is doing to the expensive wine market. The wine is opulent and concentrated, almost syrupy. There are traces of figs and plum, mingled with lots of toasty oak resulting from having spent two years in barrels. This is a wine to drink now or cellar for up to 10 years. Serve with wild game, lamb or beef.
Looking for more from the Post-Gazette? Join PG+, our members-only web site. You'll get exclusive sports content, opinion, financial information, discounts from retailers and restaurants, and more. Our introduction to PG+ gives you all the details.
