And the Winner is...


28 people entered our drawing for a pair of tickets to the 2012 Boston Wine Expo - 25 via comments on this blog post and 3 more via email. I assigned the comments numbers 1 through 25 with the number 1 going to the first comment. Entries 25 through 28 were assigned to the email entries.

The random number drawn was "6":

...so the winner is Glen! I'll reach out via email and connect him with the folks from the Expo to get him his tickets. Congratulations! Enjoy.

Thanks for the participation everyone. For more information and to purchase tickets to the Expo visit their website.


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Wine is a thread running through our lives

Last evening I participated in a Twitter tasting of Bordeaux wines. One of the producers in the tasting had acted in a short film and a link to it was tweeted out. I bookmarked the link and returned to it today for a look mostly out of curiosity and was pleasantly surprised with what I [...]

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Tasting Report and Free Shipping: Current Releases at The Wine Cellar of Stoneham

Reminder: Our Scoop the Spectator and Win a Kindle Fire Contest Ends this Friday
The other day, I mentioned The Wine Cellar of Stoneham to a colleague visiting from New Jersey as a good store to check out for wine deals. I've tried quite a few of the wines they carry so I thought it would be a good time to share my thoughts and point out what I thought were some of the better value plays currently available.

Right now, they're offering free shipping to Massachusetts on orders over $100 with Promotional Code "wwp". Have a look at the list below and take a look at their other selections on their website. And remember - there's no tax on wine in Massaschusetts. Free shipping, no tax, online shopping, and great prices. I like it.

2006 Cade Cabernet $39.99 ($68 release)
94/100 WWP: Oustanding

A beautiful Napa Cab that takes my definition of what I'm looking for in this category and pushes forward with a little extra. Drinking beautifully at this stage if you like your wine as it's just exiting its youthful stage - but hasn't yet settled into mid-life. I've had this wine at tastings before and have been impressed - but this was my first chance to sit down and get to know it.
Visually it's opaque dark red/purple. As I swirl it in the glass some mild sediment is revealed on the edge of the glass.
The aromatics were evident immediately upon opening, but reveals more with time. So much going on. Blackberry, black currant - deep dark fruit. Eucalyptus too, but in a mild supporting role. Savory notes. This wine is classic Napa/Howell Mountain fruit.
Very satisfying on the palate with ample acidity, chalky cocoa powder tannins, and a million-mile finish.
Don't see how I can rate this any lower. It's so well done. Wow - a beautiful wine.

2009 Patz & Hall Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir $29.99 ($42 release)
93/100 WWP: Oustanding

Medium-full bodied magenta. Aromatically beautiful with rich strawberry, red raspberry, and fresh clean earth which translates brilliantly to the palate. Silky texture balanced nearly perfectly with acidity and just a touch of tannic grip.
A benchmark California Pinot Noir from and iconic pruducer. Highly recommended.

2007 Robert Foley Petite Sirah $39.99 (95+ RP/$60 release)
93/100 WWP: Outstanding

A tremendous wine at a fantastic price here. I prefer the Petite Sirah and Merlot for near term consumption over the  much more expensive Claret. They also have magnums of the 2007 Merlot for $79.99 - also outstanding. Super-high alcohol (16.2%! - but well concealed) powerful fruit-forward California wines.

2009 Miner Rosella's Vineyard Pinot Noir $39.99 (90WS/$60 release)
90/100 WWP: Outstanding

Light, elegant and layers of complexity. But somehow I was hoping for a little more at this price point. A plummy note feels out of place in a CA Pinot. Would love it at $25 but since it's more I doubt I'll be buying more. The wine is outstanding in my view but in this price range you can have some of the best CA Pinot Noir.

2006 Nicholas Potel Volnay Vieilles Vignes $24.99 (88WS/$46 release)
90/100 WWP: Oustanding

What a pretty wine. Light ruby in color and mostly transparent. Austere by new world standards but with food it shines. Sufficient round fruit on the nose that turns more tart on the palate. Wonderful mineral flavors with considerable acidity and a touch of tannic bite. Would like to check in on this wine in a couple years but even now - very elegant.


2010 Belle Glos Meiomi Pinot Noir $16.99
90/100 WWP: Outstanding

Very dark for a Pinot Noir. Darker than prior vintages of this wine I believe.
Almost brooding. Still tastes very primary but I have a feeling this will evolve quite well.
90+ for now. We'll see where this one goes. I'll be buying more. It's a great value, especially when you see it in the $16 range.

2008 Saint-Cosme Cote-Rotie $29.99 (90WS/$95 release)
89/100 WWP: Very Good

60% opaque but light on its feet. The aromas on this are so distinctive - white pepper, earth, red fruit, and minerality. Quite elegant. The mouthfeel is light and it could give a little bit more of a punch without betraying its origin. That said, I do believe this provides a viable window into the pricey category Cote Rotie is.
An off vintage for Syrah-driven Northern Rhone so you can catch this one on a deal

2009 The Dreaming Tree Cabernet $11.99 (Dave Matthews collaboration wine)
87/100 WWP: Very Good

Medium to full bodied dark ruby red. Opens with substantial fresh plum and black currant aromas with supporting toasty oak notes. Enjoyable mouthfeel with a touch of acidity and blackberry flavors. A touch of sweet spice. A nice enjoyable wine.

2009 Conundrum Red $16.99 (First release of a red Conundrum - produced by Wagner Family/Caymus)
86/100 WWP: Very Good

Aromas aren't pronounced but are vaguely pleasant generic "red wine" markers. Significant black currant. Some Rhone-like/Syrah aromas in the background. On the palate it feels brambly. A reasonably enjoyable slightly sweet/early aspect. But it taste a lot like grape juice. I don't think there's any Pinot Noir nor Cabernet in this wine. If I had to guess the composition I'd say Syrah, Grenache, Petite Sirah, and possible Zinfandel.
Interesting. Not sure I'm ready to back up the truck on this one just yet.

If you poke around in person or on their website I think you'll see good values at every price point. Drop me an email or ping them on Twitter (@WineCellarsMA) for more buying suggestions.

Unfortunately, like all Massachusetts retailers they can't ship out of state. We'll need MA House Bill 1030 to repair that. Until then this deal is Massachusetts only.

Click here to visit their site and use the code "wwp" for free shipping to MA on $100 orders

Disclosure: The Wine Cellar is a WWP advertiser.

Question of the Day: What are some of the best deals you see at The Wine Cellar of Stoneham right now?


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Deal Alert: 93 WS $15 Spanish Red


It might be lost in the excitement surrounding the highly acclaimed 2009 California Pinot Noir vintage, but if you look on page 87 of the October 15, 2011 issue of Wine Spectator you'll see a round up of Top Wines from Spain.

In the midst of a number of wines rated 93 points, wedged in between a $200 Numanthia-Termes and a $250 Bodegas Roda is the 2004 Bodegas Resalte de Penafiel Ribera del Duero de Restia Crianza Selected Harvest at $15.

What do I know about this wine? Nothing. But I know where to buy it.

While I was trying to track the wine down I received an email from The Spirit Shoppe (a WWP advertsier) offering it at a fair price. I asked owner Devin Vollmer what was up with this wine? Why was a 2004 just being rated? He answered on their Facebook page that most Crianza is cellared for 2 years (so 09s are being released for the most part) but this wine was just arriving in the states.

CellarTracker
Wine-Searcher

As of now The Spirit Shoppe is the only place in the country I see offering this wine. It's $18.69 per bottle with free shipping in MA if you buy a mixed case of wine. Check out their assortment of 09 CdPs, CdRs, and domestic Pinot Noir to round out a case:

Buy this wine online at The Spirit Shoppe 

Question of the Day: Have you tried this wine or other vintages?


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2009 California Pinot Noir Inside the Numbers: 8 Producers to Seek Out

Just how good is the 2009 California Pinot Noir Vintage? More than 55% of the wines rated by Wine Spectator have clocked in at 90 points or better. To put that into context, just 42% of the California Pinot Noirs rated by Spectator rated 90 or better - and they called 2007 the best vintage of California Pinot Noir ever.

Below is a chart showing 2009 ratings vs. 2007. Notice how in 2009 the mode (most frequently occurring rating) is 92 points whereas in 2007 it was 88 points:


Point being: There are a ton of terrific wines to track down from this vintage. But how many of the highly rated wines are attainable? How many of the values are actionable?

First, I want to understand which of the wines are the best values according to Spectator. I could easily sort on wines rated 90 or better costing less than $30 but I want to discover value at all price points. To do this I sift through the data and apply the WWP QPR Calculator (what's that?) to the wines rated so far for 2009.

The WWP QPR attempts to quantify the way deal hounds react to ratings within a category considering price. A WWP QPR rating of "1.0" is fair value and from there bigger numbers are better, numbers less than 1.0 are worse.

I then sorted the wines according to the WWP QPR to discover the top values according to the way I react to ratings and price. According to these metrics here are the best values in 2009 California Pinot Noir according to Wine Spectator ratings:



Price Rating WWP QPR
 Dehlinger Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Goldridge Vineyard $45 95 2.12
 Failla Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Keefer Ranch $45 95 2.12
 Loring Pinot Noir Russian River Valley $29 93 2.07
 Loring Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands $29 93 2.07
 A.P. Vin Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands Rosella's Vineyard $48 95 1.98
 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast $52 95 1.83
 Siduri Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands Pisoni Vineyard $54 95 1.76
 Freeman Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast $44 94 1.72
 Loring Pinot Noir Paso Robles Russell Family Vineyard $45 94 1.68
 Loring Pinot Noir Santa Lucia Highlands Rosella's Vineyard $45 94 1.68
 Loring Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast Durell Vineyard $45 94 1.68
 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir California 4-Barrel $72 96 1.67
 Rochioli Pinot Noir Russian River Valley Little Hill $72 96 1.67

First off, notice that the highest WWP QPR is 2.12 which equates to "Very Good" value. It's nowhere near the 6.05 "Oustanding" the 97 point/$25 2009 Carlisle Sonoma County Sarah achieved. Keep that in mind as you're considering various offers. Although 2009 California Pinot Noir is a great vintage it's still difficult to get behind this category as being a value play.

Unless you compare it to Napa Cab. Whereas quality Napa Cab seems to start around $60 and goes up from there, most of these wines can be had in the $40 to $60 range. I love the flavor profile of California Pinot Noir so for me this is the most exciting region in wine right now.

Let's dive into some of these producers and specific wines for a moment. Is there an opportunity to buy these wines now? If not, is there an opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a mailing list that's going to be hard to get on in the future?

Let's start at the top - with Dehlinger. Their 2009 Goldridge Vineyard Pinot Noir is one of three wines on the cover of the October 15th issue. I hadn't heard of them until a friend in the neighborhood brought over a bottle of their Syrah to share. I was impressed with it and he graciously shared a couple bottles from his 2008 allocation. I thought their 2008 Estate Pinot Noir was outstanding, rating it 93 points. Spectator dropped a 95 point rating on it. They might not have been on everyone's radar screen until these 2009s though. Their website says they're 75% mailing list and you'll occasionally see them available at retail.

I wrote about the 2009 Failla (pronounced FAY-la) Keefer Ranch Pinot Noir last month. I'd go 93 points on it (to Spectator's 95) and encourage you to check them out if they're not on your radar screen yet. Again, mostly mailing list but some availability at retail if you look around.

I don't think any single producer is happier about Spectator's report than Brian Loring. His appellation wines priced at $29 provide real QPR-benders, and their $45 single vineyard bottlings snared slightly higher numbers which make their 2009s values across the board. Their mailing list has long been one of the most consumer-friendly around with compelling sample packs for new customers and until just recently free shipping. Their 2010 mailer arrived recently and if this batch of ratings for the 2009 confirms the quality they believed was present in those wines expect the 2010s to be spectacular. Get on their mailing list now before its too late.

In addition to A.P. Vin's 95 point bottling from Rosella's Vineyard (what high end CA Pinot producer doesn't produce wine from Rosella's?) they've got at least 8 single vineyard Pinots from the usual suspects (Keefer, Gary's, Ridgetop, Clos Pepe etc) rated between 91 and 95. Some decent availability at retail so keep an eye out for them and give 'em a try.

Kosta Browne continues to be one of the consistent producers of 95+ rated California Pinot Noir. They're very difficult to find at retail and if you do the prices are typically inflated. Considering their appellation wines are "only" $48 theirs is a mailing list to get on for sure. I just got an allocation this year after about a three year wait. It was worth it. Their 2009 Russian River Valley Pinot Noir and Sonoma Coast bottlings are both unbelievable wines. They seem to have found a way to reign in the alcohol levels some criticized them for while maintaining this velvety mouthfeel I find utterly amazing. Theirs are benchmark California Pinot Noirs.

Perhaps a more familiar brand given their production levels and the amount of time they've been around, Siduri once again did very well with this vintage. Although they don't own their own vineyards they do produce wines from all over California and even Oregon. I thought their 2009 Santa Lucia Highlands (an appellation to keep an eye on) was perhaps the most widely available, reasonably priced window into what this vintage is about. More on that here.

Freeman is a producer I'm sure I've tried but don't know much about. Not to be confused with Joseph Phelps' Freestone Pinot Noir label (add them to the list of frequently confused wine brands) they had 4 2009 Pinot Noirs which all received 90 points or better ranging from $44 to $54.

There's a fantastic article in the magazine about the history of Pinot Noir in California and Rochioli's vineyards are credited with being where it all began. Although their appellation bottlings can be found at retail their single vineyard wines are sold almost entirely by mailing list. Along with Dehlinger and Kosta Browne, their 2009 Rochioli Little Hill Pinot Noir graces the cover of the magazine. To taste their wines feels like it would be a taste into the history of the grape in the region. For that and other reasons (many speak highly of their wines) it's one to seek out.

Conclusion

Spectator's viewpoint is just one of many out there (some say Laube favors the high alcohol fruit bombs) but it's the one I have the most trust and experience with. Antonio Galloni has taken over tasting the wines of California from Robert Parker - which is actually a good thing in my view since the grape never seemed to be Parker's favorite. Some look to Allan Meadows (http://www.burghound.com) but his coverage of California Pinot Noir will always be a sideshow.

If you love domestic Pinot Noir like I do you'd enjoy The Pinot Report which focuses exclusively on the category. Definitely a resource to check out.

Or if you're looking for help finding wines all the critics agree on - and are values - check out The Wine Blue Book.

Soon I'll be writing about some of the best wines 2009 California Pinot Noir under $30. And writing up a tasting report of the wines I've tasted from the vintage. I'd love it if you subscribed to the Wellesley Wine Press so we can keep in touch.

Question of the Day: What do you think of the 2009 California Pinot Noir vintage? Which producers would you recommend checking out?


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Feast for taste buds and eyes simultaneously at Ascots

A gem on the small country way of Bermuda, Ascots, surrounded by lush greenery under the tranquil atmosphere of nature, offers delicious cuisines in its perfect dining area to its diners. The dining area starts from the spacious bar lounge where exclusive drinks welcome the diners before they are escorted towards the main dining area, [...]

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