Beauregard Ducasse Graves Blanc, 2024

When a friend who had traveled to Australia mentioned how much she liked Semillon as a white wine choice, I realized how rarely I see Semillons in my marketing area. This wine, selling for less than $10 at Trader Joe's, is 50% Semillon and 50% Sauvignon Blanc, and it may come close to offering what she likes.

Medium gold with some green glints. Peaches, beeswax, canteloupe and fig. Has the mellow attack and rich texture of Semillon, none of the aggressive acidity of Sauvignon Blanc. If you like Semillon, you will enjoy this wine.  Graves is a premium appellation for white Bordeaux and wines from this area rarely sell for less than $15.

 

Vietti Nebbiolo Perbacco, 2011

I was disappointed with this 2011 Perbacco when I tasted the first pour. It was good but not the complex Nebbiolo that I expected from the highly respected Perbacco. I soon discovered that the hour and a half of aeration I had given it was not quite enough. By the end of the meal, it was singing.

Mediuum deep ruby. Proabbly has had some time in barriques but not enough to spoil the wonderful scents and flavors of Nebbiolo. Dried fruits and flowers, some toasted oak. Dark cherry but also some red raspberry, mint, spice and dark licorice tones. All of this is hidden behind tannin in the early going but opens up with airing, as to be expected from good Nebbiolo. This is a fine baby Barolo, usually selling for $25 to $30.
 

Courtois La Source Cotes du Rhone, 2021

Although "La Source" is a simple Cotes du Rhone, sold at CDR prices ($12 to $14), the Jaume family's vineyards are in Vinsobres, which is a designated CDR cru village. It is 85% Grenache, 15% Syrah.

Bright ruby. Black raspberries, boysenberries, dark tones of peppercorn and black licorice.  Fresh fruit and approachable tannins coupled with the complex savory qualities of a top Southern Rhone. Fills out substantially on the second night and even the third. Good now, will get even better.

Domaine de la Roquete Chateauneuf du Pape, 2006

I am amused to think that this bottle is now in its 20th year; yet I think of it as one of my "young" Chateauneufs. I expect to open the 1988 Vieux Telegraphe for my birthday next week and know that the only surprises I will get will be positive ones.

The Brunier brothers of Vieux Telegraphe bought this estate in the early 2000s because they liked the old vineyards on the Plateau of Pielong. The soil is sandier than that of Vieux Telegraphe and, as a result, produces wines that are more accessible early. As stated on the label, the Bruniers' "priority is to express the character of the local terroir."

Good Chateauneuf color, bright and relatively dark. Has some sediment crust on one side; it has not been fined or filtered. 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre. Dark cherry, raspberry with a touch of menthol and garrigue. Strong fruit presence with a youthful edge but also the savory traits that I love in Chateauneuf du Pape. Great concentration and depth. 

 

E. Guigal Cote Rotie Cote Brune et Blonde, 1990

This is mature Northern Rbone Syrah at its best. Even from a 375 ml bottle at 36 years of age, it is drinking beautifully.

The color has lightened, of course, with brickish tones. And the smells and flavors are tertiary. Red and black fruits, savory, salty, meaty. Proper acidity: cured meats and grilled tomatoes. Light in body with a cool, silky texture. Nuanced flavors that keep growing through the meal. During my birthday month, I am drinking cellar treasures, and this is by far the best I have had so far.
 

Buena Vista Sonoma Valley Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, 1978

The 1970s was a good decade for wine--at home or across the ocean. For my birthday month, I have been drinking up some of the oldest wines in my cellar, and so far I have not been disappointed. The 1975 Fourcas Hosten Haut Medoc was shockingly good at 51 years; this Buena Vista Cabernet is even better at age 48. The appellation is Sonoma Valley rather than Napa but the vines were actually in the Sonoma portion of Carneros, now reserved mainly for Napa Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The cool climate has created  a Cabernet that is elegant, silky and clearly ageworthy.

The color has lightened with garnet/amber tones. The cork was sound and dry with wine stain less than a quarter of the way up from the bottom of the cork. I bought the wine soon after release at the old Sam's Wine store near the subway on North Streetr in Chicago. $11.95 says the sticker, a markdown from $13.95. Smells and flavors are glorious after all that time in the bottle. Ripe strawberry, red currants,  sweet spices. Could easily be mistaken for a mature Pinot Noir. No tannin but enough acid to brighten the flavors. I'm sure the wine was even better 10 years ago, but tonight I have no complaints.

Fourcas Hosten Haut Medoc Listrac, 1975

Yes, 51 years is a long time for a wine to be in a bottle, but this is one of the rare few that have made it that long in good shape. But 53 years is a long time for a couple to be married, and that marriage is doing even better. The 1975 Fourcas Hosten, served wih lamb shanks, proved to be a good anniversary wine.

On a small tasting pour, the color is medium light with amber creeping in from the edges. But on a full pour, it is almost opaque! Lifted bouquet with a touch of mint and herbs. Sweet Cabernet and Merlot flavors on a savory, slightly salty background. Not soft but no obstructive tannins. Red fruit acidity keeps it fresh and lively. 

1975 was a very backward vintage in Bordeaux and critics worried that the fruit would not outlast the tannins. As the Village Corner salesman told me,  this wine, selling for only $9.95, was an exception. "Just give it time," he said. And I did.