Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee, 1989

When I first started drinking wine in the late 1970s, Vieux Telegraph and Beaucastel were only Chateauneufs imported into my marketing area in Michigan.  They were and are great wines; I bought and loved both. A decade later, J.C. Mathes, a professor of technical writing at the University of Michigan, traveled to the Rhone, formed J et R Wines and started importing a large portfolio of excellent Southern Rhones into the state and surrounding area. Domaine du Pegau was one of his selections, and I immediately fell in love with it, a liaison that continues to this day, even though the wine, now selling for about $100 a bottle, is no longer within my wine buying budget. 1989 was my introduction to Pegau, and it is still my favorite.

Dark crimson, still bright; lightening at the borders. It takes awhile for the bouquet to open but it is well worth the wait. Very aromatic: cherries, earth, rosemary and thyme. And the flavors are even more enticing. Full bodied and rich. Sweet fruit backed by savory tones of tobacco, sea salt and black olives. Powerful, powerful finish. The perfect match for rack of lamb.

Salexis Napa Valley Beckstoffer Carneros Lake Vineyard Chardonnay, 2019

This Salexis wine has all of the qualities associated with top-rated California Chardonnay in a very attractive package.

Deep gold, looks more mature than it is. Lively smells and flavors--tropical fruit, oak, toasted brioche, butter, vanilla, a touch of honey. Rich and full bodied but equally fresh and vibrant. Would be very enjoyable on its own or at the dinner table. 

Nothing cheap about this wine. It sells for about $30 but I bought it for a bit less through Wine Spies.
 

Chateau Poujeaux Moulis-en-Medoc, 1982

I may have consumed my half case of 2005 Greysac too early, but I probably waited a bit long to finish my half case of 1982 Poujaeaux, purchased more than 40 years ago. Compared to the bottles I had in 2015 and 2016, this bottle is showing some decline. Nevertheless, it is still very enjoyable so I am not at all disappointed.

Medium ruby, still almost as dark as the 2005 Greysac but shading to garnet a bit earlier. Red currants and cherries here plus cassis, leather and cedar. Still has that Poujeaux charm on the mid-palate; ripe and generous. Memories of past greatness show up on the lovely finish.
 

Chateau Greysac Medoc, 2005

 

I am often, with good reason, accused of holding on to wines too long in the cellar. To be honest, though, over the years I  remember more regrets from drinking  a wine too early than too late. Such is the case with this 2005 Greysac. I bought half a case for $12 a bottle in 2012, and this, the last bottle, is clearly the best of the lot with more in the tank.

Deep color with some bricking at the edges. Classic Bordeaux bouquet has developed. Black currants, cassis. Medium bodied with silky texture. Seems rather straightforward and unassuming but gains considerable depth and complexity through the course of the meal. 

I have bought many vintages of Greysac and, because of the price and reputation, have never taken the estate all that seriously in terms of aging. For the excellent 2005 vintage, at least, I was wrong.

DeLille Cellars Roofline Oregon Chardonnay, 2020

DeLille Cellars is located in Washington and specializes in Bordeaux-style wines. Chardonnay, obviously, is not grown in Bordeaux, and the grapes for Roofline come from Oregon.

Medium deep gold. Lively smells of flowers, lime and melon. Has an acidic edge and mineral flavors I associate with Oregon Chardonnay. At this stage of development, I don't detect the lemon curd texture I love in Chardonnays from Willakenzie, Willamette Valley Vineyards and Sokol Blosser wines. For a general Oregon appellation  (not even Willamette Valley), however, Roofline offers an impressive array of complex, savory smells and flavors.
 

G.D. Vajra Clare JC Langhe Nebbiolo, 2022

G.D. Vajra has excellent vineyards and makes some of the best, and highly priced, Barolos. The estate also produces excellent wines for mid-week consumption such as the G.D. Vajra Rosso, which I buy as often as possible. This Clare JC, which the estate created to emulate the Barolos of two and three hundred years ago, falls into the same category--light and fresh, highlighting the beauty of the Nebbiolo grape. It sells for about $20 a bottle.

Medium light garnet. Fresh berries more than cherries, violets more than roses. but unmistakeably Piedmont Nebbiolo. Aromas and flavors that expand over the course of the meal. Crisp on the mid-palate, ripe on the finish. Not a Barolo but not a quaffer. Clearly a wine that demands to be taken seriously. For $20, I am a buyer.
 

Rosa dell'Olmo Langhe Nebbiolo, 2022

Priced at $7.99 at Trader Joe's, this has to be one of least expensive Nebbiolos available anywhere. But while ir may lack the majesty of Barolo and Barbaresco, it is unmistakeably Nebbiolo and an excellent value.

Light ruby/garnet n color with orangish tones typical of Nebbiolo that has not been aged in barriques--a plus for me. Has all the classic smells and flavors--cherries, roses, violets, raspberries and a touch of black licorice--understated but clearly present. Also that characteristic dryness on the mid-palate, even though the wine is surprisingly high (4.g/L) in residual sugar. (Acidity is 5.5 g/L.) Light in body and power for a Nebbiolo but that doesn't detract from its presence at the dinner table. It goes very well with an Autumn vegetable-oriented meal. 

Will it age? I really don't know but I have never met a Nebbiolo wine that didn't gain complexity and depth with several years in the bottle.

Tinazzi Valpolicello Ripasso Superiore Collezione di Famiglia, 2018

If you haven't tried a Ripasso, it's time you do so. It's a close relative of Amarone that gives much of the richnerss of Amarone at a lower price. Amarone is made from a combination of fresh and dried grapes. Ripasso blends fresh Valpolicello wine with the leftover grape skins and seeds from the making of Amarone and ferments it a second time, a process that adds complexity, body, tannins and richness. This Ripasso from Tinazzi, purchased for $14.99 from MegaBev (formerly Russo's) in Grand Rapids a couple of years ago, is probably the richest, most complex Ripasso I have had and among the best wines I have tasted over the past five years.

Bold, dark color as expected. Incredibly complex bouquet: raspberries, dark cherries, vanilla, chocolate...and more. Rich texture with layer after layer of deep, complex flavors. By nature, Ripasso is slightly sweet, but you wouldn't know it because of the bold, delightfully bitter tannins on the finish. Opens with a flourish, ends with an bang.
 

Cartograph Wines Mendocino Ridge Perli Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2013

Mendocino Ridge is always one of my search terms when I browse for wine. I have had some extraordinary bottles from this AVA, a cool climate area hanging above the Anderson Valley and the north Pacific Coast. It is a non-contiguous area, but only elevations above 1200 feet qualify. This is my first encounter with Cartograph Wines, and it is a pleasing one.

Darker than most Pinots in color. Also darker in smells and flavors. At 1800 feet, the Perli Vineyard is above the fog line and, as a result, gets more exposure to sunlight. Black and blue berries, flowers, anise seed and earth. Ripe and friendly with a nice acidic edge. Drinks beautifully now but has good tannic structure for aging.
 

Willakenzie Estate Willamette Valley Chardonnay, 2018

 Even though the appellation for this wine is simply Willamette Valley, 70% of the fruit comes from the estate (Yamhill-Carlton) with the other 30% from nearby Dundee Hills--both excellent AVAs for both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Color turning from yellow to light gold, bright and clear. Chardonnay apple and citrus in an elegant package. Lemon curd, savory spices, white peaches, honey and a touch of butter. Combines intensity and richness. Long, satisfying, complex finish.

Costa di Bussia Barbera d'Alba, 2016

 

Vineyards for this wine are on the Bussia Hill near Monforte d'Alba, a beautiful area in the Piedmont hills. Donna and I spent several days at the estate's B&B in 2019.

Medium ruby, has lightened a bit over the last few years. Cherries, dark berries, earth, a touch of clove. Medium bodied, rich texture, characteristic Barbera acidity. This wine has spent some time in new oak but tannins have softened and ripe fruit is showing through. Delicious, medium long finish.

Paul Jaboulet Domaine Thalabert Crozes-Hermitage, 1996

Even though it is now 29 years old, I had no hesitation opening a bottle of the 1996 Domaine Thalabert Crozes Hermitage. Thalaberts from the 1980s and early 1990s in my cellar have demonstrated the ageworthiness of this estate and this vineyard.

Cork is long and shows only a tiny line of red at the lower end. Medium dark ruby, clear and bright. Has the Thalabert profile and personality. Black currants, cassis, leather. Ripe, almost lush but with characteristic intensity and acidity. Long, complex Thalabert finish. Probably not as good nor as ageworthy as Thalaberts from the 1980s or early 1990s but still very good.
 

ici/la bas Elke Vineyard Anderson Valley Pinot Noir, 2009

Crafted by Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat from fruit sourced from Mary Elke's Donnelly Creek Vineyard, ici/la bas is a long-time favorite of mine. I loved the wines from 1996, 1997 and 2006. This 2009 may be a tad less intense but nevertheless a special wine.

Medium light ruby shading to garnet. Wild red raspberries and cranberries, leather and spice. Ripe fruit with pleasing acidity. Medium long finish. Not as intense as the 2006 but no complaints.