Review Date: 5-14-2013

Produced from an old vine, mid-slope South facing vineyard, this powerful wine provides tons of opulent yeasty, nutty characteristics on the nose that transcend its impressively complex, rich, lush, and deep flavors with incredible structure and a finish that defines Champagnes that are three to four times this price. The Bean has informed me that, without a question, we need to have a case of this Gem in our cellar, now! 12.0% ABV

Review Date: 5-14-2013

Produced from Chardonnay [obviously, since it is “Blanc de Blancs”], this amazing Gem throws tons of yeasty, nutty, creamy fruit at you both in the nose and on the palate, with brilliant complexity, and a lush, broad, and rich finish. The Bean has ordered me to bring at least one case of this home for our consumption in the next one to three-plus years. I will probably bring home more than that. 12.0% ABV

Review Date: 5-14-2013

Lush aromas of jasmine to white peach underscored by a wet river stone to slate-like minerality define the very serious bouquet of this lovely wine that was created by our German Wine Buyer, Eric Story [his third such creation in three years], which is a not quite a Tröcken nor a Halb-Tröcken, but somewhere in between those styles. Incredible structure and depth of character on the palate, this Gem is off-dry, yet refreshing and bright due to its excellent acid levels and presentation of superb Riesling fruit. According to Rusty, this very serious Gem is one of the best buys in the store and he has informed me that we need at least several cases of this wonderful wine. 11.5% ABV

Review Date: 4-16-2013

The wineries that Leon Sobon owns (Sobon Estate and Shenandoah Vineyards) have produced some of the best Zinfandels, Syrahs, and other fine red and white varietals over the past twenty years at comparatively, wonderfully low prices This estate Syrah is a perfect example of my assertion. Deep ruby in color, the opulent aromas of classic white pepper to plumy fruit notes explode from your glass, and leads to richly flavored, well integrated and focused Syrah in the mouth, with silky tannins and lush characteristics. The finish refuses to surrender and, as Rusty so well stated it, this Gem is an amazing value. This will be one of our house reds for the month, according to Rusty. 14.1% ABV

Review Date: 4-9-2013

This production is medium ruby in color, with aromas of currants and cherry-like tones, and creamy, cedary notes. In the mouth, this Gem is soft, integrated, fleshy, and long. Nice wine for near-term consumption. Rusty has made this one of our house reds for the month.13.0% ABV

Review Date: 4-9-2013

This is an interesting vintage. Many wine critics and noted wine magazines initially gave this harvest bad reviews due to weather problems (rain and cold before and during the harvest). But, as I have pointed out to my colleagues and customers, when I started in this business in the very early 1970s, many, if not most, Chateaux would wait for veraison to take place, go to their calendars and mark off forty-five days when the harvest would begin, regardless. And, they would then pick everything, good or bad. But, in the early 1980s, their century-plus practices began to change. Instead, most began to selectively pick grapes as they ripen, take them to a sort room (tossing any questionable clusters), and only crush those grapes of high quality. So, you have a wet vintage as 1997 that would have been a disaster back in the 60s (like 1965 and 1968), actually resulting in lovely, near-term productions. I love this wine and have watched it evolve gracefully for the past ten years. Medium-deep ruby in color, the nose offers cassis to blackberry notes with cedary undertones. In the mouth, it is silky, almost creamy, broad, balanced, complex, and just a pleasure to drink. Rusty has informed me that this Gem will be one of our house reds for however long it is around. 13.0% ABV

Review Date: 4-9-2013

This is an interesting vintage. Many wine critics and noted wine magazines initially gave this harvest bad reviews due to weather problems (rain and cold before and during the harvest). But, as I have pointed out to my colleagues and customers, when I started in this business in the very early 1970s, many, if not most, Chateaux would wait for veraison to take place, go to their calendars and mark off forty-five days when the harvest would begin, regardless. And, they would then pick everything, good or bad. But, in the early 1980s, their century-plus practices began to change. Instead, most began to selectively pick grapes as they ripen, take them to a sort room (tossing any questionable clusters), and only crush those grapes of high quality. So, you have a wet vintage as 1997 that would have been a disaster back in the 60s (like 1965 and 1968), actually resulting in lovely, near-term productions. I love this wine and have watched it evolve gracefully for the past ten years. Medium-deep ruby in color, the nose offers cassis to blackberry notes with cedary undertones. In the mouth, it is silky, almost creamy, broad, balanced, complex, and just a pleasure to drink. Rusty has informed me that this Gem will be one of our house reds for however long it is around. 13.0% ABV

Review Date: 3-29-2013

One of the first wines that caught my attention when I first started selling and collecting wine in this business in the very early `70’s (1972 AD, and don’t believe my colleagues that it was 1972 BC) was Petite Sirah. It was a huge wine, when produced correctly, with tons of black pepper spiciness and a plumy varietal characteristic. Like Zinfandel (which formerly came from Croatia and the Puglia area of Italy), Petite Sirah is not really the name of this grape/wine (which originated from the Southwestern Regional area of France), but the records of this grape’s origin was lost over a century ago. The name Petite Sirah was assigned (because the experts of that time thought it was related to Syrah), but the actual grape is named Durif, a scarcely planted grape that is used for blending in France. The Kalinda 2010 Petite Sirah from the Dry Creek Valley is a classic, old style, traditional Petite. Deeply colored, it loaded with black pepper spiciness, with a plumy and blueberry set of fruit characteristics that carry over to a flashy, broad, well-structured palate impression. Integrated, balanced, and deeply flavored, this lovely wine will drink well now and will continue to evolve for another five to ten years. Rusty has informed me that this Gem will be one of our house reds for the next three to six years. (14.5% ABV)

Review Date: 2-21-2013

I think of all the vintages from Lanessan, this is the most delicate, less aggressive one. Medium ruby in color, you get that classic cassis and blackberry presentation from this chateau, but with a much less assertive and powerful dimension. The tannins are integrated, and soft, with fine depth and soft, moderately complex flavors. Rusty has informed me that this Gem will be one of our house reds for the month.13.0% ABV

Review Date: 2-21-2013

In a so-so vintage, Lanessan has created a wonderfully balanced wine that is soft and round in the mouth with blackberry to currant-like fruit, with portabella and earthy notes, and a clean, warm finish. This Gem will be one of our house reds for the month, according to Rusty. 13.0%

Review Date: 2-21-2013

The 2003 vintage was an incredibly warm vintage that resulted in certain grapes becoming a bit too ripe and, as a result, producing rather fat style wines. This Lanessan is not that, and if one discription has to be used, it is power. Deeply colored, this Gem shows a ripe, rich, focused cassis to current fruit note with mocha undertones on the nose, that leads to a broad, viscous, complex, almost creamy mouthfeel. It is long and luscious, and will be our house red, according to Rusty for the next three to six years. 13.0% ABV

Review Date: 2-21-2013

Between this vintage and the 1997, I can’t make up my mind as to which one I absolutely like the best. The problem, here, is that I love this Bordeaux vintage. It is a classic great vintage to me. But the 1997 is so superb to drink now, it is hard for me to decide. Read my description of the 1997 and apply it to this Gem. Rusty has indicated that this production will be one of our house reds for however long it is around. 13.0% ABV

Review Date: 2-21-2013

This production is medium ruby in color, with aromas of currants and cherry-like tones, and creamy, cedary notes. In the mouth, this Gem is soft, integrated, fleshy, and long. Nice wine for near-term consumption. Rusty has made this one of our house reds for the month.13.0% ABV

Review Date: 2-21-2013

Deeply colored, this is an amazingly rich, lush wine from this estate. Ripe, plumy, broad, powerful flavors are still youthful and vibrant, its silky, integrated tannins allows drinkability at this stage. It is long and delicious, and will evolve for another five to ten years. I have been informed by Rusty that we need to set some cases of the Gem aside in our cellar to be one of our house reds in the not to distant future.13.0% ABV

Review Date: 1-23-2013

We have been directly importing this lovely Graves Blanc Gem for over twenty years, and the 2011 is up there with the best that we have seen during that period of time. Distinctive aromas of dandelion, lime zest, and a chalk/slate mineral note lead a fairly rich, viscous, almost oily mouthfeel (three months on lees) and a lush, mouthwatering finish. The Bean has designated this Gem as our house white for the month. 12.0% ABV