[Cornell Wine] Cornell Wine This Week

[Michael Beard]

CORNELL WINE COMPANY
Please note if you are receiving our emails in error, please either  
send me an email at mick at cornellwine.com and I’ll remove you from my  
list, or you can delete your email address by going to  
www.cornellwine.com, clicking on “Site Index” and then “Electronic  
Newsletter”.  You will then see a link to our Mailman administration  
page.  If you go to that page, go to the bottom and type your email  
address in the indicated box and click “Remove”. Thank you.

UPCOMING TASTINGS
January 26 – OR Pinot Noir “Newcomers”
February 02 – Zinfandel
February 09 – Wines for your Valentine
February 16 World Syrah
FRIDAY, January 19, 4:30 - 7:00pm

WINES of the SOUTH OF FRANCE

CHEESE PLATE
We have sought out some interesting French cheese to go with the wines:
Abbaye de Belloc                          Sheep’s Milk              
Pyrenees
This cheese is still made by the Benedictine Monks at the Abbey of  
Notre-Dame de Belloc.
Petit Agour                                  Sheep’s Milk              
Basque
Another sheep’s milk cheese, this time from France’s Basque region.
Cantal                                          Cow’s  
Milk               Auvergne
This intriguing cheese comes from the southern part of the Loire Valley.
SAMPLER PLATE COST $4.00
What is better when there is snow outside than to think of the warmth  
of the South of France?  I just received an email from my brother who  
is in the Languedoc – he says they eat lunch on the deck wearing  
summer clothing  Sometimes siblings can annoy you.  It was difficult  
to decide on the tasting order, so I went with increasing price.

1. We start in the COSTIÈRES de NÎMES which is located on the west  
bank at the southern end of the River Rhône.  While obviously in the  
Rhône Valley, the appellation is technically the most eastern in the  
Languedoc.  CHÂTEAU de NAGES has been a consistent producer for  
several years and the 2003 RESERVE is stunning value.  The wine is a  
blend of 70% GRENACHE and 30% SYRAH, and does not see any oak.   
Typical of the south of France, the wine offers lots of black fruit,  
but this is coupled with herbs and licorice.  It could not come from  
anywhere else. - $10.00
(Note: we also have a few bottles of the 2001 Reserve at $13.50)

2. We move west to the CÔTES du ROUSSILLON and DOMAINE JOLIETTE 2003,  
CUVÉE ANDRÉ MERCIER.  Mercier biodynamically farms his vineyards, and  
this wine is a blend of GRENACHE, SYRAH and MOUVÈDRE.  Redolent in  
ripe black fruit, the wine is made interesting by the spice and herbs  
on the finish - $11.50
3. We used the CLOS de l’ANHEL 2003 CORBIÈRES LES DIMANCHES as a Club  
selection in December.  It was very popular so I decided to introduce  
it to our main tasting group. Sophie Guiraudon and Philippe Mathias  
have a “day job” managing Château Pech-Latt but tend to their own  
small vineyard at the weekends.  This is why they call their own wine  
“Les Dimanches” (the Sundays).  This is fascinating Corbières made  
from organically grown grapes 75% of which is old-vine CARIGNAN, the  
rest being younger SYRAH.  Surprisingly reticent for a wine from the  
hot 2003 vintage, this is a deep, brooding wine with exceptionally  
pure fruit.  At the moment it will show at its best with hearty food,  
but the inherent balance of the wine indicates its aging potential.   
This is a stupendous value Corbières that will benefit from a little  
cellar aging.- $18.75

4. Now to PIC SAINT LOUP which is part of the CÔTEAUX du LANGUEDOC  
appellation.  One of my favorite producers is CLOS MARIE, and their  
“entry level” wine is the L’OLIVETTE 2004.  Christophe Peyrus took  
over from his father in 1991 and started making wine whereas formerly  
his father sold all the fruit.  The vineyard has been biodynamically  
farmed since 2000, and this wine is a blend of 40% GRENACHE, 40%  
SYRAH, and 20% MOUVÈDRE.  While the wine is somewhat young, it offers  
a lovely nose of black fruit, earth, spice, and some oak (the wine  
was aged in oak, 1/3 of the barrels being new).  The palate has  
touches of blueberry, and the tannins are softened by the pure fruit  
- $24.00

TRY THESE FOUR WINES FOR $10.00
This week we have two extra pours:

For a PREMIUM POUR we offer DOMAINE de TRÉVALLON 2000 VIN de PAYS des  
BOUCHES du RHÔNE.  The winery is located in the appellation LES BAUX  
de PROVENCE, but because the bureaucrats say no more than 20%  
CABERNET SAUVIGNON, this producer is relegated to VdP (the wine is a  
blend of CAB and SYRAH).  The winery looks on this vintage as one of  
their greatest, but it needs time.  Their opinion is “Do not drink  
before 2007”.  To me the wine is a classic showing finesse and power,  
but it still is somewhat reticent - $48.50

TRY THIS WINE FOR $5.00/Taste or $10.00/4 ounces

For an extra pour we offer DOMAINE JOLIETTE 2005 MUSCAT de  
RIVESALTES.  This is a Vin Doux Naturel offering great aromatics,  
some sweetness and good acidity - $13.50

TRY THIS WINE FOR $1.50/Taste or $3.00/4 ounces

NB: All prices are subject to change without notice.  The above  
information is based on verbal information from distributors, and  
actual wine prices will depend on the price invoiced at delivery to  
Cornell Wine Company.

SATURDAY, December 30th

Noon – 5 PM

Free tasting

We will have a new experience for you, TWO WINES FROM INDIA!  GROVER  
VINEYARDS are located in the NANDI HILLS near BANGALORE (the  
vineyards are planted at about 3000ft.)  The winery is one of Michel  
Rolland’s clients.  We are offering special pricing on Saturday:

2005 SAUVIGNON BLANC - $12.75 ($132/case)
2003 LA RÉSERVE (an oak-aged CABERNET SAUVIGNON/SYRAH blend) - $15.50  
($160/case)

  Looking forward to seeing you all,

Cheers,

Mick
Cornell Wine Company
14740 NW Cornell Road, #90
Portland, OR 97229-5400
(503) 531-3981
mick at cornellwine.com
www.cornellwine.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://mailman.pacifier.com/pipermail/cornell-list/attachments/20070118/b0508782/attachment-0001.html