Staff Favorites - Doug Burress

Review Date: 5-6-2013

The 2008 Three Rings Shiraz has a bouquet that offers notes of briary black raspberry, dark Cherry, bittersweet chocolate, roasted coffee and earth. On the palate, darker fruits emerge that while rich and ripe are supported by good acidity and framed by soft silky tannins.There is a hint of cool mint in the ample finish. This is one for your mixed grill selections this summer and a fine value.

Review Date: 5-4-2013

Strawberry, mineral, cranberry quaffable goodness! Hello, refreshment! Yes, please!

Review Date: 5-4-2013

Pecorino is a delicious white wine from the east coast of Central Italy. It reminds me a lot of Viognier (peach blossom, apricot and yellow plum aromas) but with much more acidity and crispness on the palate. This wine would be perfect to sip well chilled on it's own as the days get progressivly warmer or with some light fare like salads, white fish, or lighter preparations of chicken (or, as would be fitting, some Pecorino cheese!). Lovely little bottle of wine and highly reccomend you check it out. CM

Review Date: 5-3-2013

** Established in 1525! The 64% Merlot in the blend pretty much tells the story of 2012. They started to pick the Merlot on Sept 17th and in good conditions. This wine is so delicious, rich but not heavy and seriously grapey. This wine is perfectly extracted with a lovely long finish. I love it.

Review Date: 5-3-2013

** Established in 1725!There is just no stopping the fantastic roll of quality here! The perfectly ripe blueberry and blackberry fruit is focused and is amazingly fresh! Firm but round tannins and new oak is the framework for this great tasting PC that is accessible and invigorating. Hats off to Alfred Tesseron for giving the world good reason to be excited about buying the best wines made in 2012 as he drops his price to 1/3 the price of his 2009 and 2010 now in the marketplace.

Review Date: 5-3-2013

** Established in 1725!There is just no stopping the fantastic roll of quality here! The perfectly ripe blueberry and blackberry fruit is focused and is amazingly fresh! Firm but round tannins and new oak is the framework for this great tasting PC that is accessible and invigorating. Hats off to Alfred Tesseron for giving the world good reason to be excited about buying the best wines made in 2012 as he drops his price to 1/3 the price of his 2009 and 2010 now in the marketplace.

Review Date: 5-3-2013

** Established in 1725! There is just no stopping the fantastic roll of quality here! The perfectly ripe blueberry and blackberry fruit is focused and is amazingly fresh. Firm but round tannins and new oak is the framework for this great tasting PC that is accessible and invigorating. Hats off to Alfred Tesseron for giving the world good reason to be excited about buying the best wines made in 2012 as he drops his price to 1/3 the price of his 2009 and 2010 now in the marketplace.

Review Date: 5-3-2013

** This has been one of the Right Banks finest wines for a long time, but was just elevated to one of the 14 Premier Grand Cru Class B estates last year. Vineyards were planted here before the Chateau was built in 1745. An absolute success! The wine is very ripe but not over extracted, it is soft with silky smooth red fruits and round tannins. This is a tasty wine that people will love and give great pleasure young. 2012 at its best, and a great value at a reduced price from 2011 even though the 2012 is a much better wine!

Review Date: 5-3-2013

I tasted the Vigna del Malina wines three times before I finally bought them in. Not that I didn’t love them the first time. It’s just that I can only stuff about 300 or so selections into the store, and I taste thousands of wines a year, and there’s only so much you can bring in. But on occasion number three, I had the pleasure of meeting the proprietor, Roberto Bacchetti, after which I had to make room to support his passion and commitment. This Pinot Grigio is the bomb. It spends a few days on the skins so picks up a touch of the strawberry color of the grapes when ripe (I don’t know why they call it pinot “grey”, as the grapes are pink!), and it really expresses the gravelly minerality of this part of Friuli. Rich yet lithe, it’s really just hitting it’s stride now after a couple years in the bottle. In fact, this is a white I don’t think would be very appealing to drink in the first year or so from the vintage. Lot of wine going on here for the price tag. If you have any doubts about the quality and sheer deliciousness of Italian Pinot Grigio, try a bottle of this and rock your world.

Review Date: 5-3-2013

The wines of Vigna del Malina are, for me, quintessential expressions of Friuli Grave terroir. The Grave area is a large flat expanse spreading from roughly the border with the Veneto to the Giulian Alps in the north and the mountains that form the border with Slovenia in the east. Unfortunately this is where much of the mass produced, much less exciting Friulian wine comes from, but in the hands of the right person, they can be some of the most intriguing wines of the entire region. And this is a huge statement as Friulian whites are some of the most intellectual wines in the world. It was Friulian white wine making in the early 70’s that really kick started the modern wine revolution in Italy we’re still witnessing today, and they somehow just keep getting better. Friuli lacks the breathtaking beauty of, say, the Alto Adige or the Amalfi Coast, and is not as painfully romantic as, say, the countryside around Montalcino, but it is without a doubt one of my favorite regions in all of Italy (the food can rival Piemonte). Anyway, this Chardonnay is absolutely delicious. Lots of bruised yellow delicious apple, slight under ripe pear, quince and honeycomb but reticent, vervy and hugely mineral driven on both the nose and palate. It certainly doesn’t have the opulence of a California Chard or Chassagne-Montrachet, or even a more fruit driven Pouilly Fuisse, but again, while not void of a visceral appeal, it really speaks to the intellect. Precise is another word that comes to mind. Whatever, the wine is killer, and a steal at 19 bucks. Enjoy with lighter fare like Prosciutto di San Daniele and grissini or even as an aperitif. Fantastico!

Review Date: 5-3-2013

White flowers (jasmine), yellow flowers (honeysuckle), citrus and white stone fruit. Amazing medium plus acidity and classically Torrontes dry. Refreshing and bright. Delish!

Review Date: 5-3-2013

Classically Txakolina- the slightest fizz, low alcohol at 10.5% with cranberry, strawberry, mineral and a refreshing saline note. High acidity and very dry- RACY, snappy goodness!

Review Date: 5-3-2013

Hello tasty goodness for $10.99! Garnaxta negra & Syrah give this pretty rose candied strawberry, reaspberry and spice witha hint of something floral. Medium plus acidty and easy, easy, easy. Looking to branch out from Provencal rose? Look no further!

Review Date: 5-3-2013

Strawberry, cranberry, and mineral with snappy, sassy acidity! What a crowd-pleasing, fresh, fabulously summer rose!

Review Date: 5-3-2013

Mouth-watering purity of fruit! Red cherry, spice, raspberry, cranberry with medium plus acidity and easy tannin. Fresh & friendly. YUM!