wine journalSeptember/October 2014

A B C F I N E W I N E & S P I R I T S W I N E M A G A Z I N E

Get your passport ready! In this issue we're tasting in California,Chile, France, Italy... and then some.

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The ABC Fine Wine & Spirits Wine Journal is a bimonthly publication of ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. Copyright 2014 ABC Liquors, Inc. All rights reserved.

Not all products are available in all stores. If the product you’re looking for isn’t available, ask us to order it for you!

Hannah Grantz Editor hannahg@abcfws.com

Meghan Guarino Contributing Editor meghang@abcfws.com

Lorena Streeter Contributing Editor lorenas@abcfws.com

OUR WINE EXPERTS:

Ken Amendola North Florida Wine Supervisor

Kathleen Anderson Northwest Florida Wine Supervisor

Jim Greeley Southwest Florida Wine Supervisor

Shayne Hebert Central Florida Wine Supervisor

Atanas Nechkov Central Florida Wine Supervisor

Paul Quaglini Southeast Florida Wine Supervisor

Bill Stobbs West Florida Wine Supervisor

If you would like to ensure you’re receiving the Wine Journal each time it’s published, send an email to Lorena Streeter (lorenas@abcfws.com) and we’ll add you to the “always mail” list.

Follow us on Twitter @abcwinecountry. We’re also blogging daily at blog.abcfws.com.

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EVER BEEN TO CHILE?Jim’s taking us on an adventure to Casas del Bosque Winery

TRAVEL ALONG ON A TRIP TO WINE COUNTRY

Shayne made a few stops in California during the spring

ITALY, GERMANY, FRANCE, SPAIN…

Bill must have a lot of stamps in his passport

HOW MUCH DO YOU KNOW ABOUT WINE?

New Smyrna Beach Wine Consultant Edward Vega has some fun facts for you!

FALL IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER

Ken shares his picks for the top wines you need to try this season

WE’VE ALL TRIED TO SHOP ON A BEER BUDGET, RIGHT?

Kathleen has options for high quality, low cost wines

WHAT’S IT TAKE FOR A WINE TO MAKE IT TO ABC’S SHELVES?

Paul has all the details on how the wine team makes their tough choices

A FLEMISH WINEMAKING FAMILY IN POMEROL, FRANCE

Atanas dives into a selection of wines from François Thienpont’s Terra Burdigala portfolio

WINE TO WATCHChâteau Paveil de Luze 2010 earned a 92 point rating from Wine Advocate

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Where we’ve been and what we’re tasting… get comfy and join us for an adventure around the wine countries

Casas del Bosque: LEADING THE WAY

IN CASABLANCA VALLEY

I t’s been three decades since Chile’s emergence on the international wine scene as a modern wine-producing nation. The early buzz centered on well-made wines offering great varietal character at remarkably affordable prices. Back then, Chile’s quality juice was sourced from vineyards within the original appellations surrounding Santiago—places with now familiar names such as Aconcagua, Curico, Maipo and Rapel.

Sandwiched between the majestic Andes and smaller Coastal Mountain Range, the Aconcagua and Central Valleys feature Mediterranean-like weather conditions, ideal for Chile’s thick-skinned Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, as well as the country’s signature grape, Carmenere.

As Chile’s wine evolution progressed into the 1990s, forward-thinking producers began presenting wines with more sophistication and commanding higher prices. Reinvestment and foreign interest fueled the inevitable expansion westward, leading to the establishment of new wineries along the coast.

Casablanca Valley—a largely untapped region south of the port of Valparaiso—was Chile’s first cool-climate coastal region. The valley’s proximity to the Pacific facilitates beneficial fog cover in the vineyards, encouraging even ripening in thin-skinned Pinot Noir and maintaining freshness in whites like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

One of the quality leaders in the Casablanca Valley is undoubtedly Casas del Bosque, a family boutique winery established in 1993 by wealthy Chilean businessman Juan Cuneo Solari. The winery is dedicated to the production of high quality wines and has a reputation for producing excellent Sauvignon Blanc.

During a visit back in 2008, I was privileged to spend an afternoon with former winemaker Felipe Garcia, tasting wines and touring the state-of-the-art facility (which has a terrific restaurant, I might add). Casas del Bosque maintains 245 hectares of vineyards, rich in alluvial deposits and granitic soils.

Currently, winemaking is overseen by New Zealand enologist Grant Phelps.

As mentioned, this winery has a knack for Sauvignon Blanc. Their Casas del Bosque Sauvignon Blanc Reserva ref lects its terroir: generous and minerally with a crisp, citrusy backbone. It’s a natural match for fresh Chilean ceviche made with the local corvina fish. Partially barrel fermented in new French oak, the Casas del Bosque Chardonnay Gran Reserva is also well proportioned, with spicy pear, lemon curd, toasty notes and a juicy finish. It’s a great summer sipper.

Grant and his winemaking team also excel at Cabernet Sauvignon with fruit sourced from the Maipo Valley. Casas del Bosque Cabernet Sauvignon Gran Reserva is a deeply colored, almost opaque red with ample blackcurrant and raspberry fruit. This is a wine for steak and I can imagine enjoying it with asado, South America’s version of a family outdoor cookout, replete with a bounty of grilled steak, sizzling chorizo, sweetbreads and beef short ribs.

Fans of Chile’s exotic Carmenere grape will appreciate the linzer torte, wood smoke and red spice profile of Casas del Bosque Carmenere Reserva, a complex wine that would pair with a savory lamb tagine. Or better yet, serve it with pastel de choclo, Chile’s delicious beef and corn shepherd’s pie.

J I M G R E E L E Y • @ A B C W I N E J I M G • J A M E S G @ A B C F W S . C O M

Andes Mountains

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WINE LIST

RED

AGLIANICO Terra Del Varo Aglianico (pg 12)

BARBARESCO Valfieri Bric Mentina Barbaresco (pg 11)

CABERNET SAUVIGNON Casas del Bosque Cabernet Sauvignon Gran Reserva (pg 3) Home Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon (pg 9) Twenty Bench Cabernet Sauvignon (pg 11)

CARMENERE Casas del Bosque Carmenere Reserva (pg 3)

GAGLIOPPO Colli Del Mancuso Ciro Rosso (pg 12)

NEGROAMARO Racemi Pietraluna (pg 12)

RED BLEND 2009 Château Manoir du Gravoux (pg 14) 2010 La Violette du Manoir du Gravo (pg 14) 2011 Château l’If (pg 15) 2011 F. Thienpont Bordeaux Red (pg 14)Château Paveil de Luze 2010 (pg 16) G The 7th Letter (pg 5) La Gerla Brunello Riserva gli Angeli (pg 11) La Gerla Rosso (pg 11) Sierra Norte Tempermento Bobal (pg 12)Valpolicella Ripasso Superoire (pg 9)

SUSUMAIELLO Racemi Sum (pg 12)

WHITE

CHARDONNAY Casas del Bosque Chardonnay Gran Reserva (pg 3) G Licious Chardonnay (pg 5) Jackie Chardonnay (pg 9)

FALANGHINA Lila Falanghina (pg 12)

RIESLING Valkenberg Liebfrauenstift Dry Riesling (pg 6)

SAUVIGNON BLANC Casas del Bosque Sauvignon Blanc Reserva (pg 3) Jules Taylor Sauvignon Blanc (pg 10)

WHITE BLEND 2012 F. Thienpont Bordeaux White (pg 15) 2012 Les Charmes-Godard White (pg 15) Gueneau Sancerre les Clos Chartier 2013 (pg 10) Perrier Apremont Cuvee Prestige (pg 12)Tenuta Cavalier Pepe Greco di Tufo (pg 9)

SPARKLINGPerrier-Jouët (pg 7)

n late May, three of us spent a week in sunny California experiencing all of the bounty Napa Valley has to offer….wine, cuisine and of course, panorama. We were there primarily to root out wines for our popular Block series of wines, as well as for some of our other Direct to You brands, and anything new that is of interest if it gets dumped into our glass! Yes, it is work…the delicious winery lunches and dinners and the breathtaking views just come with the territory! Tough job—I know!

We arrived on a Monday afternoon, trading f lights in Las Vegas for Sacramento, then a drive to Napa. That afternoon, we all met at Cosentino Winery in Yountville for business. Yountville is home to some of the best dining addresses in Napa Valley, including Mustard’s, Bouchon, Brix, Bistrot Jeanty and perhaps the hardest reservation in the USA to get, the French Laundry. We did not do any tasting, but did open a few nice bottles at dinner that evening. Press Restaurant, next to Dean & Deluca, was remarkable (our starter consisted of seven different local bacons) and the wines were fine, too! Massican 2012 Sauvignon Blanc followed by Ramey 2010 Carneros ‘Hyde Vineyard’ Chardonnay for the whites. For the reds, we selected El Molino Pinot Noir Rutherford, Shafer Napa Cabernet and Ladera Howell Mountain Cabernet.

Bright and early next morning, after coffee from the Oakville Grocery, we were back at Cosentino for a tasting of wines to consider for the Block series, but we found none. From there we visited Michael Pozzan. His wines were just what we were looking for, and lunch was more than you should eat for dinner! We are all looking forward to the arrival of his wines—we bought nearly everything he poured! Going forward, Michael should turn out to be a great supplier for us. We visited Trinchero next.

This event was highlighted by a blind tasting with Joel Gott, then a long and wonderful dinner outside the winery.

At sun up, after Oakville Grocery coffee and a huge cinnamon bun, we were up and at our first appointment of the day. It did not provide any promise, but our next visit did! We met with Garrett Ahnfeldt, creator of ‘G’ wines (ABC currently stocks two items, his ‘G licious’ Chardonnay [$45] and his red, named ‘G, the 7th Letter’ [$40].) We sampled his Cabernet Reserve Napa 2010 and bought all he had, which was very little, and his wonderful Merlot—blended with 5% Cabernet Franc. We also tasted a few wines with one of Garrett’s partners, Chris Zazo, and committed to his 2012 Hailstone Cabernet Napa.

Thursday morning, we drove the 90 minutes up Mt. St. Helena and into Lake County to visit with Clay Shannon. We tasted all the new vintages, added a few more Lake County surprises to our portfolio, toured his impressive vineyard holdings, and ate lamb burgers for lunch. Clay employs over a thousand lambs to work his vineyards… no complaining, no health insurance, no

wages…and when their time is up, you can eat them!

We like to joke around at ABC by saying we have to taste a lot of well, you know— not very good wines—in order to find a few gems. It is true. I believe the quality of wine produced today is better than it has ever been, across the board, in part because of technological advancements and a better understanding of vini/viticulture. Still, we taste many wines that are not up to our standards—along with a few that should probably never have been made in the first place.

California grape growers are coming off two consecutive record harvests in 2012 and 2013, which is great news—but at this point it is old news, and the current headlines tell of concern for the 2014 vintage, and possibly 2015. Although it is too early to tell how 2014 will fare, drought conditions could still play a role in determining not only quantity, but quality. Same goes for 2015.

S H A Y N E H E B E R T • @ A B C W I N E S H A Y N E • S H A Y N E H @ A B C F W S . C O M

CALIFORNIA Dreamin’

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From L-R: ABC’s Shayne Hebert, Clay Shannon of Shannon Ridge Winery and ABC’s Jess Bailes

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B I L L S T O B B S • @ A B C W I N E B I L L S • W S T O B B S @ A B C F W S . C O M

Scenes from a

WINE TRAVELER’S SCRAPBOOK

Tuscan countryside surrounding San Gimignano, Italy

Looking toward Salzburg, Austria from the Eagle’s Nest

W ine and place. What a difference it can make! Of course you can enjoy wine almost anywhere. You can enjoy it in the company

of good friends, or you can enjoy it alone. You can enjoy it with a grand meal, or with a simple repast, or even all by itself. There are

a thousand ways to enjoy a glass of wine and they are all good. But somehow the wine you taste while traveling, especially if it is a wine from

the area you’re visiting, seems to come alive in a very special kind of way. It is as if your senses become more open to new experience while

traveling, your taste buds are keener, and your enjoyment is so much greater. Here are a few travel pics from just a few of the places that have

brought out the best in wine for me.

The town of San Gimignano in Tuscany. Yes, it’s almost always crowded with tourists and the shops are certainly there to cater to them, but there is something about the place that entices me even more than the other towns and cities of Tuscany. I could sit for hours at an outside table, nursing a glass or two of Torre Terza Vernaccia di San Gimignano while watching the world go by. Grown in the sandstone hills around the town, the wine is dry, with crisp acidity and flavors of ripe peaches and subtle almond notes. Perhaps because San Gimignano is more of a town than a city, perhaps because the Tuscan countryside all around is so beautiful and inviting, the place pleases me greatly, and the wine brings a warm smile to my face.

It might seem strange to associate the former summer retreat of Adolf Hitler (which he hardly ever visited—he was afraid of heights) with enjoyment. But the view from the Eagle’s Nest, high atop Mount Kehlstein near Berchtesgaden in Germany, close to the Austrian border, is simply stunning. What a place to enjoy a crisp glass of Valkenberg Liebfrauenstift Dry Riesling, forget for a moment the horrors of history and look to the mountains for inspiration and solace.

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Gardens of the Belle Époque manision, Champagne

Chalky albariza soil and vineyard in Jerez

But you don’t have to travel the world to make wine and place special. The real secret, I suppose, is to do what you can to make any and every

place the perfect setting for enjoying wine. This enjoyment often goes beyond the wine itself. You have to create the setting. Even in the tiniest

of apartments you can make wine special. Turn off the TV. Put on some music that you love. Have an appetizer with it. Use your finest stemware,

even on the most ordinary of days. Take the wine outside. Share it with a friend. If you make place special, the wine will become special too.

And then there’s Champagne. It is difficult to imagine that the most celebratory of wines comes from a place with such a war-torn and unhappy history. But there is quiet and respite as well. To sit in the private gardens (sorry, they’re not open to the general public) of the beautiful Belle Époque mansion of Perrier-Jouët in Epernay, sipping on those brilliant eponymous bubbles makes you feel as if you have suddenly stepped into the color and beauty of an impressionist painting.

Nothing says Spain, to me, like flamenco and fino sherry. I had listened to flamenco before on disc, but it wasn’t until I saw it live, saw the movement and the swirl of colors and the passionate intensity, that I was hooked. Fueled by a copita or two of delicious fino sherry, I saw a roomful of restless tourists suddenly stop talking as they became entranced by the fire and ebullience of the dance.

Perrier-Jouёt Grand Brut—A gentle mousse nudges the honey, vanilla, citrus and ginger notes across

the palate in this round, creamy Champagne. It's rich, yet subtly flavored, with a nutty finish.

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E D WA R D V E G A • @ A B C W I N E E D V E G A • E V E G A @ A B C F W S . C O M

My Top Ten INTERESTING WINE FACTS

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t is time to impress your family and friends with your wine knowledge! Here are my top 10 wine facts—ranging from basic to advanced level. My advice: It’s better to share them while having a glass of wine.

1. A “cork-tease” is someone who constantly talks about the great wine he or she will open but never does.

2. Red wines are red because fermentation extracts color from the grape skins. White wines are not fermented with the skins present.

3. Red wine, typically more than white, has antioxidant properties and contains resveratrol, which seems to be important in the cardio-protective affects of wine.

4. Wine testers swirl their glass to encourage the wine to release all of its powerful aromas. Most don’t fill the glass more than

a third full, allowing aromas to collect and ensuring there is not a spill during the swirl.

5. Even though many people do, the worst place to store wine is usually in the kitchen because it is typically too warm for safe storage. Refrigerators are not satisfactory for storing wine either. Even at their warmest setting, they’re too cold.

6. Serving temperatures should be lower for white (45-50 degrees Fahrenheit) than for red wines (50-60 degrees Fahrenheit).

7. It is traditional to first serve lighter wines and then move to heavier wines throughout a meal. Additionally, white wine should be served before red, younger wine before old and dry wine before sweet.

8. Darker shades of wine (the deepest, blackest reds and the most golden whites) usually come from warm climates and are rich and

ripe. Lighter colors, especially in white wines, come from cooler climates and are lighter and less lush.

9. With age, red wines tend to lose color and will eventually end up a sort of brick red. On the other hand, white wines gain color, becoming golden and eventually brown-yellow.

10. The vintage year is not necessarily the year wine is bottled, because some wines may not be bottled the same year the grapes are picked. Typically, a vintage wine is a product of a single year’s harvest. A non-vintage wine is a blend of wines from two or more years.

To learn more wine facts follow me on Twitter: @ABCwineEdVega.

Source: Joseph, Robert and Margaret Rand. 2000. Kiss: Guide to Wine. New York, NY: Dorling

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K E N A M E N D O L A • @ A B C W I N E K E NA • K E NA @ A B C F W S . C O M

FALL AHEAD

I s the rest of the country is beginning to put their f lip f lops away for another year and breaking out their wool clothes, here in the south we may only have to wear socks once in a while to ward off the 75 degree chill of autumn. As the excitement of college and pro football begins to take everyone’s attention from baseball and trips to the beach, the wine scene begins to change back to the more full-bodied Chardonnays and Cabernet Sauvignons from the warm weather Sauvignon Blancs, chilled rosés and light-bodied reds. I know, I know, some of us drink dry rosé and New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc all year round, but as a rule the sales of these styles seem to spike during the warm summer months. So with the weather changing I will be filling my glass with bolder wines and cooking bolder foods to match.

One of my go-to wines when I have a big kettle of red sauce bubbling away on the stove is a Valpolicella Ripasso Superiore from Nicolis, Seccal ($24). This well-structured red wine made from the traditional grapes of Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara are “re-passed,” or re-fermented, to make this wonderful wine. This technique takes the grapes that have been semi-dried after being used to make the famous Veronese wine, Amarone. Ripassos, sometimes called “baby Amarone,” are delicious food wines that will delight all those who enjoy wines from places out of the norm. The Nicolis Family is one of the very best producers of this extraordinary wine. The white wine I really like to drink when pasta is on the table is a wine from the Campania region of Italy, Greco di Tufo. One of my favorites is the Greco di Tufo from Tenuta Cavalier Pepe ($18). This wine matches well with a red sauce, because of the nice level of acidity that stands up to the tomato-based sauce. Full of ripe f lavors of apricot and citrus, along with the wine’s long, lush finish, make it a great choice anytime, but I enjoy it most with my pasta dinner.

When I reach for a California Chardonnay, the first place I usually look is the Russian River Valley in Sonoma. This is one of the great Chardonnay producing regions in the world, and I am a big fan of both their Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. When I get a chance to recommend a Chardonnay to fans of the varietal or someone trying California Chard for the first time, the Jackie Chardonnay ($20) is the wine I choose. When you want to experience the Russian River Valley in a glass, Jackie Chardonnay is a good place to start. The Jackie Chard epitomizes the word balance when it comes to wine with beautiful aromas of cinnamon spice and ripe pears. On the palate it shows mouthwatering f lavors of citrus, ripe melons and Anjou pears and a hint of toasted oak, finishing strong with the balance and finesse of a much more expensive wine. On the red side you can certainly pay more, but will not find a better example of northern California Cabernet Sauvignon than the single vineyard Home Ranch Cabernet Sauvignon ($25) from Lake County’s Shannon Ridge Vineyards. This is a Cabernet bursting with f lavors of rich, ripe black cherries, blackberry, cassis and enough oak to complement the long, lingering finish of this complex, delicious Cabernet. Pair these two wines with a hearty beef stew, roast chicken or a holiday celebration meal of standing rib roast and braised vegetables.

Yes, it will be sad to see the summer turn to fall, but it will be a nice respite from the heat and humidity. Besides, we will finally be able to start enjoying the wines and foods of fall as we head from cool to cold as winter approaches.

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O ne of the things I love about my job is that I get to try all sorts of wines from across the world. The more I try and the more I’m introduced to, I find that the wines I prefer are much closer to a Champagne “taste.” The unfortunate part of all this is that I can only afford the free taste sometimes. So I have to f ind wines to fit the criteria: Do I like it and can I afford it on my beer budget?

Sometimes I do get away with great taste AND great price, so we will start there. I begin in New Zealand and the great Jules Taylor wines. Here I get lucky since her 2013 Sauvignon Blanc is on our shelf for $15. I’ve had her wine for several years, and I do believe this is the best yet! The best balance of grapefruit, gooseberry and grassy notes. Now if I travel to France for Sauvignon Blanc, the price changes a bit. Some of these wines from Sancerre can raise the price and the level of taste to be generally $50-$100. My beer budget doesn’t allow for that. Pascal Jolivet Sancerre Exception 2010 ($90) will probably not end up in my house. In its place I can find something on our shelf that can still get me close to a 90pt rating without the $90 price tag. I can just go and find Gueneau Sancerre les Clos Chartier 2013 for only $19. We can find some great comparisons for great prices!

We should leave Loire and maybe go by Champagne. Wish I cou ld go buy Champagne. The whole idea of “Champagne taste” comes from the fact that they are so terribly expensive! Who wouldn’t want a bottle of La Grand Dame with its delicate buttered toast finish in their fridge for “whenever?” But alas, instead I travel a bit further across and pick up a bottle of Cremant from Alsace or Burgundy where the grapes and taste are similar; they just don’t call them Champagne. Not to snub my nose—these pretty bottles can get up there too, but I can find a bottle under $20 that won’t come knocking in the morning.

K A T H L E E N A N D E R S O N • @ A B C W I N E K A T • K A T H L E E N R @ A B C F W S . C O M

Champagne Taste ON A BEER BUDGET

We can leave the bubbles behind and head over to Italy. After visiting this past year, I found that I would like to retire in Piedmont or Tuscany. It doesn’t matter to me where I end up; what does matter is the wine that I fell in love with. My affair has gone on well before the journey, but my pocketbook doesn’t allow for Barolo every night. Nor should it! The Nebbiolo grape has phenomenal aging potential (just like me), with its rich tannin and weighty fruit (not like me) and for that reason, and a few others, it can get a bit pricey. Instead of Barolo, I can just as easily pick up a bottle of Bric Mentina Barbaresco from Valfieri for only $25. This is almost unheard of at that price, which is why I try to keep a bottle on hand.

Let’s drive down from Piedmont to Tuscany, these beautiful hills, mountains, olive trees, and the tall Cypress trees all around us—and let’s drink La Gerla! La Gerla Brunello Riserva gli Angeli, to be exact. It seems like every year we hear about their newest 90 point rating and there is good reason for that—luscious fruit, bold tannin…it’s a bit like love in a bottle, but the love will charge you $70. Instead we can stay with the name La Gerla but head over to their Rosso for only $22. I love this trade off, as it is the same wine—just not aged as long. Still get the great taste on the beer budget.

Who can forget the good ole US of A? Here we have this great little place in California that is known for its Cabernet Sauvignon—the Napa Valley! The wines from Napa are some of the best made in the world. Just look at Hundred Acre Wood, don’t you wish you could afford $290 a bottle for that little nugget? I think I’ve only gotten a free taste once on that one. This is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon and has that Napa cassis f lavor that comes through with the supple tannin finish that lingers just long enough. But, in its place for only a fraction of the price comes Twenty Bench Cabernet Sauvignon—bringing up the f lavors for only $24!

So as you can see, my beer budget only works on about a bottle a week or every two weeks, but I love to keep a bit of style even if I can’t spend hundreds. The Champagne taste is all I have to look forward to, but the beer budget keeps me in line so I don’t go overboard.

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feel very fortunate to be part of the wine buying team at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits. A small group of us get together every few weeks to taste and make decisions on potential new additions to our portfolio. As a company, we strive to keep our wine department on the cutting edge for both selection and price. Selecting new wines is far from science, but there are some general rules and guidelines we follow:

1. Is this something our guests are asking for?

2. Is the wine’s price/quality ratio intact? The intrinsic quality of the wine is most important. We look for wines that over- deliver for the price.

3. Do we need this wine on our shelves? Unfortunately, we have a limited amount of space for new wines—so decisions must be made wisely.

The f irst two questions are pretty straightforward. If our guests are asking for something then we should provide it to them. Likewise, if we taste a wine that is clearly of superior quality, chances are you might soon see that juice in one of our Block label wines. It’s the third question, “Do we need this wine?” that’s a little more tricky to navigate.

Wine drinkers tend to be adventurous souls at heart. Sure, there are some that drink the

same Brand X Chardonnay for years and won’t venture outside the box, but that’s the exception. Most wine drinkers I know actually love to be taken on a journey that includes off-the-beaten path wines produced from indigenous grape varietals.

Personally, I’m a big time geek when it comes to the many varied grapes in Italy. As an acknowledged wine lover, discovering an esoteric wine is something I find personally enriching. But more importantly I always want to share my discovery with others. By “esoteric” I don’t mean expensive; in fact, many not widely known wines are comparatively less expensive because they f ly under the radar. The following is a short list of some wines that may broaden your wine drinking horizons.

My first two suggestions come from the Tenuta Cavalier Pepe Winery in the Campania

region of Italy. Winemaker Milena Pepe is quickly becoming one of the superstars in the region. The winery produces a number of wines including the DOCGs of Greco di Tufo and Taurasi, but for this article I’ll focus on two incredible values, Lila Falanghina ($13) and Terra Del Varo Aglianico ($14). Lila is a white wine produced from 100% Falanghina. It shows melon and peach aromas with good tart acidity. Lots of complexity for a wine in this price range. The Terra Del Varo is a red

wine produced mainly from Aglianico. Bright cranberry and red fruit aromas with hints of white pepper carry into a spicy, medium bodied, food friendly red.

The Puglia region is a treasure trove for anyone looking to discover unique, interesting wines. Gregory Perrucci, the great historian and general manager of Accademi dei Racemi brings us our next two selections. Racemi Pietraluna ($13) is produced from 100% Negroamaro grapes. Native to Puglia, Negroamaro is a dark skinned grape that has been cultivated in this southern Italian region for at least 1,500 years. The wine is deeply colored with dark berry fruit f lavors, ground spices and soft approachable tannins. Racemi Sum ($20) might be one of the most obscure wines in our stores. It is produced from an ancient grape variety thought to have been extinct, Susumaiello. Sum has dark chocolate f lavors, coffee notes and spicy, peppery aromas.

I generally try to stay away from suggesting wines that have not yet made it into our stores, but I couldn’t resist telling you about this one. From the Ippolito 1845 Winery in the Calabria region, we will soon have Colli Del Mancuso Ciro Rosso. The grape variety for this one is Gaglioppo. I know it’s a mouthful, but so is the wine. Juicy red berry fruit complemented by bright acidity and soft tannins make this one irresistible.

Italy does not have a monopoly on seldom seen grape varieties. Spain’s Tempermento Bobal ($13) and Apremont Cuvee Prestige, Jacquere ($13) from the Savoie region of France are just two more wines that have become favorites of mine.

Some of you might be thinking, why seek out these bizarre grape varieties when I know I like Chardonnay or Merlot or whatever? I personally don’t believe in seeking out an esoteric wine just for the sake of being out of the mainstream. Remember, I mentioned our store space for new wines is limited. However, there are so many winemaking regions in the world today making high quality, distinctive, fresh, lively wines with a sense of place. Why not broaden your horizons with one of these terrific values tonight?

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Paul Quaglini with Racemi’s Gregory Perrucci

B R O A D E Nyour horizons

P A U L Q U A G L I N I • @ A B C W I N E P A U L Q • P A U L Q @ A B C F W S . C O M

Mount Vesuvius near Tenuta Pepe

n Bordeaux, the Thienponts are a well- established Flemish family from Belgium, who for several centuries have been based in Etikhove in the Flemish Ardennes. It was here that Camille Thienpont started a wine merchant business in 1842. By the beginning of the 20th century, the wine business was run by Georges Thienpont who travelled regularly to Bordeaux to purchase wines. In 1921 he bought Château Troplong Mondot in Saint Emilion and three years later managed to acquire the magnificent Vieux Château Certan in Pomerol.

With the collapse of Wall Street and the Great Depression in the 1930s, Georges Thienpont reluctantly had to sell Troplong Mondot. His legacy can still be seen, however, in the Flemish furniture found in the château. He continued to make wine at Vieux Château Certan, producing some incredible wines in the 1940s and 1950s in spite of the difficulties of the Second World War and the great frost of 1956. In 1957, Georges formed a family company for the château in order to preserve the inheritance for his children.

After his death in 1962, one of his sons, Léon, who had an agricultural degree, took over the running of the château. Georges’s other sons went their separate ways but were all actively involved in the management of Vieux Château Certan. Georges Jr. installed himself at the magnificent medieval Château Puygueraud in the Côtes de Francs, while Léon and his family moved into Vieux Château Certan.

It is the grandchildren of Georges who carry on the family legacy today:

Nicolas Thienpont has taken over winemaking at Château Puygueraud and is also the consulting oenologist for Château Pavie Macquin, Larcis Ducasse and Les Charmes Godard, among others.

Alexandre Thienpont manages the family’s oldest property, Vieux Château Certan.

Jacques Thienpont owns the micro-cuvée estate of Château Le Pin; Le Pin was purchased in 1979 by Marcel and Gérard Thienpont and is located nearby Vieux Château Certan. The

wines from Le Pin are virtually unobtainable, having been pre-sold to collectors and top restaurants in very small allocations. The wines of Le Pin command some of the highest prices (along with Pétrus) of Pomerol.

François Thienpont has created his own négociant firm.

The following wines from François Thienpont are the latest addition to ABC’s extensive Bordeaux selection; they are part of François Thienpont Terra Burdigala portfolio. François has created Terra Burdigala to help support a group of carefully chosen Bordeaux winegrowers practicing sustainable viticulture. These wines, all priced under $20 retail, represent a tremendous value.

Terra Burdigala wines:

2009 Château Manoir du Gravoux, Castillon—Côtes de Bordeaux $18

The 2009 Château Manoir du Gravoux, a blend of 88% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc, exhibits bright purple color and aromas and flavors of plum, currant and a touch of spice; medium-bodied with a ripe, balanced finish.

2010 La Violette du Manoir du Gravoux, Castillon —Côtes de Bordeaux $20

The 2010 Violette, Castillon -Côtes de Bordeaux, a personal favorite, is a blend of 92% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc from 50 year old vines, barrel aged for 12 months. This dark-colored, full-bodied wine exhibits aromas and flavors of black currant, blackberries, violet flowers and licorice, ripe and perfectly integrated tannins and a long-lasting, smooth finish. Enjoy with grilled red meats and aged cheeses. Decant for an hour before serving. Drink or hold 5-10 years.

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A T A N A S N E C H K O V • @ A B C W I N E A T A N A S • A T A N A S N @ A B C F W S . C O M

THE STORY OF THE Thienpont FAMILY

I

Château Le Pin

2011 F. Thienpont Bordeaux Red $13

This wine comes from a clay limestone plateau in the Entre-Deux-Mers; it is a blend of 95% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon fermented in stainless steel and aged for seven months. This is a perfect everyday red.

2012 F. Thienpont Bordeaux White $13

A blend of 75% Sauvignon Blanc and 25% Semillon fermented in stainless steel at cold temperature after total destemming and aged for three months in cement tanks. The wine exhibits fresh citrus notes, gooseberry and crisp acidity. Enjoy with seafood dishes and soft-ripened cheeses.

2012 Les Charmes-Godard White, Francs—Côtes de Bordeaux $19

“Features a stony spine, with notes of kaffir lime, tarragon and white peach. Juicy and refreshing. 88-91 points.” –Wine Spectator

Also available now at ABC is the 2011 Château l’If, Saint Emilion. Château l ’If is the latest addition to the Thienponts’ properties; l ’If (translates as yew tree, pictured on the label) was purchased in 2010 by Jacques Thienpont and is a match for sister estate Le Pin (pine tree). L’If is managed by Cyrille Thienpont, son of Nicolas Thienpont. The 2011 is the first vintage made by Cyrille and François Thienpont. This wine is already a star in the making, with deep purple color, a rich middle of black fruits, touches of oak and a balanced, not overdone finish. There is elegance and subtlety blended with power. The 2011 Château l’If is offered at only $43.

Vieux Château Certan

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8989 South Orange Ave.Orlando, Florida 32824

W I N E T O W A T C H :

Château Paveil de Luze 2010

F L A V O R :

Rich with notes of blackberry, plum and

black raspberryC O L O R :

DENSE PURPLE with hints

of rubyF I N I S H :

Fruit-forward with sweet, silky tannins

R E G I O N :

Margaux, Bordeaux F R O M W I N E A D V O C A T E :

“A superb cru bourgeois that behaves like a classified growth…92 points.”

A R O M A :

RIPE DARK FRUITS, ESPRESSO, truffle and earthB O D Y :

Medium- to full-bodied

WITH LOW ACIDITY B L E N D :

70% Cabernet Sauvignon,

30% Merlot