Winery
of the Month California
Chardonnay
The
Noble Grape From The Golden State
Chardonnay is
regarded as the most noble of the white
winemaking grapes. It is a staple on the
wine list of any reputable restaurant
and a necessity for any wine
aficionado’s cellar. Although it is now
a household name, and has garnered
glorious acclaim in the French regions
of Burgundy and Champagne, it has only
been within the last few decades that
California Chardonnay has gained its own
legendary status.
California Chardonnay has gained
popularity with vintners due to its
ability to grow in a wide range of
climates. From warm, Mediterranean
zones, to cooler, more temperate
climates; from limestone, to clay, to
volcanic coils, it seems to thrive
wherever it is grown. Chardonnay is also
referred to as “the winemaker’s grape.”
Winemakers love the versatility of this
grape, not only in its ability to pair
with a wide range of foods, but also in
its ability to be made into a high
quality wine in an array of styles. It
can be fat, round and buttery, or lean,
crisp and minerally. It takes well to
fermenting in either oak barrels or
stainless steel and can be consumed
while young and vibrant, or after it
takes on secondary aromas and flavors
from years (or decades) of aging...
California’s Napa Valley
contributes a stellar wine to
our cover this month with an
outstanding Syrah reminiscent in
no small way to a well-done
Crozes-Hermitage from France’s
northern Rhone region! Tanner
Park leads off with a classic
Old World nose of grilled meats,
smoked sausage, garrigue and
chaparral followed by a generous
mouthful of black cherry, mixed
plum and wild berry fruits
nuanced nicely with subtle hints
of spice, white pepper, black
truffle and forest floor.
Tanner Park is perfect for
grilling/BBQ scenarios and it
evolves wonderfully in the
glass! Don’t miss out on this
superb summer red that drinks
way beyond its price point!
Original retail for this Syrah
was projected to be around $20!
We think, upon tasting, you’ll
agree with us that there’s $20
worth of flavor and complexity
here! As they say, things
happen! Take advantage of this
“gift horse” and enjoy one of
the best “Rhone Ranger” bargains
that have passed through the
store in a while! Fire up the
grill!
California EDNA VALLEY VINEYARDS 2006 “PARAGON VINEYARD”
EDNA VALLEY CHARDONNAY
$9.99 [#218650]
The Edna Valley has one of the longest growing
seasons in California, and is located in one of
the state’s few east/west oriented valleys. This
allows nighttime coastal fog to move inland,
cooling the grapes after a long day in the
sunlight, and allows the fruit to completely
mature and helps to give the wine its complex
flavor profile while maintaining acidity. Edna
Valley Vineyard’s talented winemaker Harry
Hansen might not be able to sketch or do
sculpture, but with the grapes he gets from this
worthy appellation, he can get the same response
from a glass of his wine as an artist gets from
a beautiful painting. He works his magic by
fermenting and aging the wine in both oak
barrels and stainless steel and harmonizing the
two through blending. This year’s rendition has
smoky aromas of vanillin oak and sweet spice
balanced by white peach, pineapple and citrus
aromas. The white peach and citrus notes and the
subtle minerality of the finish are enhanced and
complemented by its richness on the palate and
lengthy finish. This is a staple at our store,
and should be a staple in any Chard lover’s
house!
France BORDEAUX
2005 CHATEAU GRAND PUY DUCASSE 2005 PAUILLAC
$39.95 [#373671]
2005 brings us what is more than likely the
best Grand Puy Ducasse ever! This long
under-achieving 5th growth estate has
produced a superb wine in 2005 that recently
garnered a more-than-respectable 91 points
from Robert M. Parker. He notes, “Another
‘best ever’ performance, the Grand Puy
Ducasse is made in a charming style for a
2005 Pauillac. This deep, ruby-hued, very
concentrated, precocious, showy effort
displays copious quantities of sweet oak
intermixed with black cherries, black
currants, velvety tannins, medium body and
loads of fruit. It can be drunk now or
cellared for 15-20 years.” (WA 91)
France
(Rhone)
August: Wine of the Month 2! COTES DU RHONE 2006 “PARALLELE 45” PAUL JABOULET
$9.99 [#362555]
As previously noted in these pages, we have felt
no compulsion to chase 2006 Rhones in any
serious manner given the outstanding quality of
2005s left in the market as well as the early
prognosis for greatness we’re hearing about the
southern Rhone (as good or better than 2005!)
for 2007! Having said all that, we were struck
by the outstanding price/quality ratio of
venerable house friend Parallele 45 in 2006!
The wine leads off with real nice red fruit nose
of wild cherry/wild berry fruit nuanced nicely
with hints of red licorice, graham cracker and
white pepper. The 2006 Parallele 45 showcases
wonderfully balanced, even-keeled fruit with an
exceptionally long finish given the wine’s
generous price point. Here’s another classic
ready made for outdoor grilling and BBQ
scenarios that comes to you for a song! While it
lasts! Salut!
GUY CHARLEMAGNE BRUT RESERVE BLANC DE BLANCS
GRAND CRU
(LE MESNIL-SUR-OGER) $29.99 [#347552]
Thanks to the fame of Salon and Krug, Le
Mesnil-sur-Oger is probably the most famous
village on Champagne’s Cote des Blancs. Rivaling
these Grandes Marques in Mesnil are several
small, overachieving domaines like Turgy,
Pierre-Moncuit and Guy Charlemagne who
consistently offer outstanding values for savvy
Bubbleheads seeking serious Chardonnay-based
Champagnes. Founded in 1892, the small (10,000
cases per year) house of Guy Charlemagne remains
a father and son operation with a single-minded
forcus on quality. Champagne authority Richard
Juhlin writes in his book, 4000 Champagnes:
“Guy Charlemagne and his son Phillippe, make
some of the purest Champagnes on the market, and
the Le Mesnil character is, if possible, even
more tangible than in the wines from neighboring
Salon.” Their multi-vintage Blanc de Blancs has
been a longstanding staff favorite, yet at a
recent tasting we were still stunned by how well
it showed against some very prestigious (not to
mention expensive) competition. Originally
rated 91 Points by The
Wine Spectator a few years back, this
100% Chardonnay Champagne has really blossomed
in the bottle. Additional cork aging has given
it a subtle toasty/nutty persona that has
created an intriguing backdrop for its
delectable lemon chiffon, apple and mineral
flavors. Open textured, with a graceful
procession of flavors, this nearly mature
Champagne has developed a refined, wonderfully
nuanced demeanor that would truly put some
luxury cuvees to shame. Believing that one can
never have too much of a good thing, we placed a
large buy for this gem and were able to
negotiate a special price that has enabled us to
turn a great buy into a downright steal.
Click here
to see this month's featured Sparkling Wines
Other Sparkling wine:
American Sparkling
-
Champagne -
Other Sparkling
Click here for description of Champagne Houses
we stock.
VALE TORRE
2006 “BIN 717” $9.99 [#380498]
“Bin 717” is a blend of 50% Trincadeira and 50%
Aragonez (aka Tempranillo in Spain). Trincadeira
performs well in hot climates and lends bright
raspberry fruit, spicy, peppery, herbal flavors
and very good acidity to a blend. The Aragonez
produces good yields of flavorsome wine
reminiscent of red fruits, plums, strawberries
and blackberries with firm tannins; and it
responds well to oak aging. “Bin 717” in
particular has a dark, inky purple color with a
strong nose of wet tobacco, black raspberry and
blackberry. On the palate are flavorful amounts
of red and black berry fruit with a pinch of
dried black chili flakes. Dry, medium-bodied,
with bright acidity, soft juicy tannins and a
smooth finish. Break this out when you get ready
to grill and be rewarded.
ESTATE RIESLING 2007 “PIESPORT” REINHOLD HAART
$15.95 [#300713]
We can honestly tell you that the Reinhold Haart
table was probably the most exciting table at
our recent LA extravaganza! Virtually every wine
there was a hit! This particular QBA was perhaps
the most impressive wine of the genre! It
captures classic Mosel terroir and fruit with a
flair and depth that goes way beyond the genre!
We went big on this and upon tasting, you will
too! Click here to see
this month's World Wine reviews.
Spirits HANGAR-1 RASPBERRY
[#163998] SALE PRICE $30.99
REG. PRICE $35.99
Impregnated with Fraser River
raspberries. First it is infused, then
re-distilled and finally fresh raspberry
juice is added to further amplify the
complete, complex raspberry experience.
From the initial nosing until the very
last lingering drop of flavor, this
vodka bursts with fresh, juicy, ripe
raspberries. An absolute must for every
raspberry lover, and a joy to drink in
general; Do what you will with this!
The
Chopin Vodka Basket includes a 750ml bottle of
Chopin vodka, crackers, cheese, martini olives,
gibson onions, Eastshore mustard, a chrome
shaker, and set of picks.
Beer ROCHEFORT
8 TRAPPIST ALE 11.2 OZ $5.53 [#411161] This
Trappist abbey creates 3 delicious styles of ale, the 6, 8 and 10, all
of them dark. The numbers basically categorize the amount of alcohol in
each beer. The 6 being the lightest and the 10 of course being the
fullest. I like the 8 a lot, I think it is very well balanced. This
Trappist ale is dark and chewy and is basically liquid food. Slowly
decant this elixir into a Cognac style glass and enjoy the huge nose of
rich malted barley, dark honey, raisins, walnuts and other spices. The
palate is rich and decadent with huge flavors of cocoa bean, hazelnut
and black currant. The finish is medium sweet and almost oaky with light
berry fruit and some resiny hops barging in at the last minute. This ale
drinks ridiculously smooth despite its robust 9.2% alcohol content.
Trappist ale at its best! Click here to this
months featured Beer.
Other Beers:
Domestic Beer-
Imported Beer-
Kegs -
Non Alcoholic -
Beer Accessories -
Home Brew Supplies
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Hi-Time Wine Cellars | 250 Ogle Street | Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Store Hours: Sunday 10am -7pm | Mon-Wed 9am-8pm | Thurs-Sat 9am-9pm
CHOPIN
VODKA BASKET
$99.95 [#810402]
