Monday, January 26, 2009

Chateau St. Jean Belle Terre Vineyard Chardonnay, 2003

No, not another tasting note (I just did one on December 31) but a heads up. I was in Harding's Market on Crosstown Parkway in Kalamazoo this afternoon and saw a new case of this wine being lifted onto the closeout shelf for $13.39. I've already bought as much as I can afford, but the wine is undoubtedly still there waiting to be snapped up. It's a wine that ordinarily sells for $30 bottle and, in my opinion, worth every penny. At $13.39...wow!

Also available in huge quantities is the 2004 Fazi Battaglia Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico (see my note on December 7, 2008). It's the wine in a funny vase-shaped bottle for $3.39, and even though it's a 2004, it's still fresh and lively--a good fish wine. Try it first if you're not familiar with Verdicchio, but I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Nearly all of the closeout wines have some age on them; that's why they are being moved. But both of the above wines are all the better for their time in the bottle.

3 comments:

  1. Excellent chioce of wines fred, the chateau st. jean is excellent..very well balanced and a great investment for the price. I purchased two bottles of the verdicchio however, and they had turned to vinegar. (both purchased at crosstown hardings). The bolla sangiovese may be a better bet.

    Mike T. kalamazoo

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  2. Sorry about the Verdicchio. Storage can be a problem with wines sold at surplus in a grocery store. I do think it was storage rather than age, however. The one bottle I tried in December was fresh and in good shape so I bought two more. Maybe it was a mistake.

    They will give you a refund or exchange if you take the empty bottles back. I've done that with other wines from the surplus shelf.

    The St. Jean has now been marked down to $10.39. I've bought quite a few bottles; hope I don't run into bad bottles of this one.

    I've thought about the Bolla; thanks for the tip.

    Another good value is now available at Sawall's: the Boroli Langhe Anna for $6.99. It's a blend of Nebbiolo, Merlot and Cabernet--very dry, low key and subtle for a Piedmont wine. We had a bottle in December with friends, and it was well received. I paid $12.99 for that bottle and felt it was a good value.

    Also at Sawall's is an Evans & Tate Margaret River Cabernet from Australia, marked down from $21.99 to $10.99. I haven't tried it yet, but Margaret River Cabernets are ordinarily very good...and expensive.

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  3. My notes on the Langhe Anna were posted on November 29, 2008. It's 29% Nebbiolo and 17% Barbera but, for me, it was the Cabernet and Merlot that stood out.

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