Rather than ice, try frozen grapes to chill your white wine
Let’s start with a caveat emptor. Casa Lapostolle Clos Alpata Colchagua Valley 2010 continues a run of very fine vintages from this producer. The wine scribes waxed eloquent, ranging from 89 from Huon Hooke to James Suckling’s 97 points. WS touted them as No. 42 on the 2014 best 100 list. This Bordeaux-style blend came on at $80 and is now selling at $70, as long as you don’t live in Delaware. So what’s your problem, McD? Actually, all vintages since 1997 are buyable and with the exception of the 2008, which garnered 89 points, are rated equally well. Best of all, most can be had priced under $80. My pick would be the 2004. My guru Tanzer, stingy with points but very accurate, rated it 92. You can order some mid-$70s, and it is in the heart of the drinking window. The 2010 need a few more years.
Just after Thanksgiving I received a deal on Veramonte Ritual Pinot Noir 2013 priced at $12.79 and get this, Ritual was rated 94 points. You may remember I wrote of the 2012 in an article which named this a collaboration between Paul Hobbs and Agustin Huneeus (Franciscan, Veramonte and Quintessa), that is located in the Casablanca Valley in Chile. When not on sale it can be had priced under $15. Dark fruit nose of black cherry, plum with hazelnut. It opens on the palate to strawberries; some spice and tobacco flavors are framed with soft tannins and hints of French oak. Folks, this drinks like a $40 PN. Do yourselves a favor and order as much as you will drink over the next five years. Ready in fall 2015.
Sivan Salem recommended I sample a Frank Family Vineyards Carneros PN 2012. Frank Family is a large winery with 330 acres under vine that I know of. They make a wide array of products from Blanc de Blanc to Zinfandel. I am a fan of their Rouge Sparkling. The 2010 is dark red with raspberry and blackberry flavors, and Signature Brut was aged 11 years before release. Their sparklers are usually aged six or seven years before release, which builds up the price, but it is worthwhile for those in the $40-60 range. Frank Family names its sparklers Champagne. Contrary to most winos’ beliefs, this practice is legal for certain wineries because USA never signed the Treaty in Paris in 1919. It was a nonissue due to Prohibition. The Carneros PN gets 90 McD points, won gold at San Fran IWC. Purple with red tint, opens to cherries and oak. On the palate more cherries, blueberries, with earth and cola nuance and more oak notes. Tannins, fruit and acidity balanced to allow aging to incorporate oak, $35. I also bought a 2009 for $40. Much better, as it was ready to drink. Winemaker is Todd Graff and he has really improved this label over the past 12 or so years.
I remember sampling Frank Family Petit Sirah Reserve S & J Vineyard 2010. I enjoy Petit Sirah. The 2010 was delightful. As I have written in the past, Petite Sirah is known as Durif in the rest of the wine world and has little to do with Syrah nor is it petite by any stretch. Dark, brooding color with a pronounced bouquet of blueberry, roast coffee, barrel spice (20 months in oak), dark chocolate that repeats on the palate; add in tar and blackberries, mix with velvet tannins and more concentrated fruit through a very long, reverberating finish. At $65 and 93 points, it will definitely improve in your cellar.
Its name is Right Hand Man and the winemaker is McPrice Myers of Barrel 27. You know I had to sample one. Nearly black garnet Syrah, it reeks of black cherry, plum and blackberry. In the background lavender, black pepper, violets and road tar notes weigh in. It explodes onto the huge, full palate with dark fruits, tea, licorice, and crème brulee with proper tannic support. The finish is long, clean with good acidity, and the fruit reverberates with graphite and earth tones. It’s $16 and definitely a Right Hand Man for barons of beef, and the McPrice is right, 91 McD points.
For those who put ice in their white wine, try this instead. Use frozen white grapes as a garnish. They taste great and don't water your wine.
