This month’s wine picks are my favorites from the year in review. The Ladera wines that have so impressed me with their fruit integration and balance of flavors are high atop my list of Christmas wines. The Ridge, Santa Cruz Mountains Chardonnay for that old school butter and wood that is still lingering on my palate. The Dierberg Pinot is a consistent favorite amongst my customers for that special dinner or romantic evening. The Fench Corbieres that I selected is a monster of a red from Robert Katcher that is perfect for the foodie in all of us.
Ladera, 2006 Napa Valley, Cabernet Sauvignon - $29.99 – What an impressive bottle of wine at such a great price. This Howell Mountain property is at an elevation of 1600 to 1800 feet giving the hillside fruit used in this incredible Cabernet longer sun exposure to intensify flavors. The nose on this wine is floral and smoky with rich blackberry aromas. Elegant and soft, with flavors of dark cherries, blueberry, cocoa, and spiced plum. The palate is layered with well structured tannins which lead to a long and complex finish of dark currant. A perfect wine to impress your friends or family gathered around the dinner table.
Ridge, 2007 Santa Cruz Mtns. Estate Chardonnay $40.49 – Normally known for their Zinfandels and a couple of Cabs, Ridge’s amazing Chardonnay from the Santa Cruz Mountains combines richness with an elegant yet delicate mouth feel, showing deep layers of ripe fig and green pear, honeydew melon and smoky oak. Balanced, focused, pure and lingering are all the attributes any wine needs and this one has it in spades. A little on the high end as far as price but well worth the leap to share with that special someone around the fire waiting for Santa to show.
Dierberg , 2007 Santa Maria Valley, Pinot Noir - $41.46 – Year in and year out Nick de Luca produces one of the finest Pinot Noirs in the Central Valley that is a huge hit with a lot of my customers and restaurants. Intense aromas of blackberry, Herbs de Provence and wet flagstone are in the forefront of thought when describing this wine. Flavors of coffee and pure blackberry are lifted by vibrant acidity and culminate in a firm blanket of tannins.
Domaine Sainte – Eugenie 2007 Recolte La Reserve, Corbieres $16.20 – A great Reserve red from the Languedoc Region of France in the appellation of Corbieres. This wine is a classic Rhone Ranger with Syrah and Carignane blended to perfection. The nose has pronounced dark fruits with hints of cotton candy. Complex and rich texture, this Frenchie bursts from the glass leaving a touch of leather and sweet oak on the finish.
Come see me at County Line, Citiscapes People’s Choice for Best Wine Selection for Northwest Arkansas. You are sure to find that perfect hard to find wine to give to your customers, bosses or associates. I am here Tuesday thru Saturday for any of your wine or entertaining questions.
Enjoy!
Mark Hatwig
mark@slausa.com
479.750.7575
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