September 2013 Wine Club Selections
September 2013
With summer behind us and football season in full swing, this is one of my favorite times of the year! If you have not attended one of our monthly wine tastings then you need to sign up for the next tasting on Monday September 16th at Corrado’s Italian Ristorante. It is themed as “Distributors Choice” and for $25 per person you will taste up to 20 different wines along with Corrado’s delicious Italian cuisine. You must bring a check or cash to The Oconee Cellar to reserve your spot. We are about half way full as of now, so don’t hesitate before its too late! These tastings are the talk of the lake, so sign up today!
Mas Carlot 2011 Clairette De Bellegarde $ 13.99 Retail
This month I chose two French wines. I keep sampling these great values from France and I am so excited to share them with my wine club members. The white wine, Mas Carlot 2011, is a little know varietal called Clairette from Bellegarde, which is older than the appellation of Costières de Nîmes. It was created in 1952 and is planted exclusively with Clairette. Clairette is one of the main grapes for Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This cuvée is produced from vines planted in 1946 and harvested at 25 hl/h or about 1 ½ tons per acre. This wine is vinified in stainless steel which allows the wine to remain fresh and aged sur lie in tank after fermentation. The wine is rich on the palate and displays bright orchard fruit with hints of white pepper on the finish. Unfortunately, there are only about 500 cases of the 2011 Clairette de Bellgarde, a fresh, elegant, pure-as-a-mountain-stream style of wine that is racy, with plenty of fresh citrus and crushed rock notes. Not meant for long aging but for drinking in its first 12-20 months of life, it is a tasty, elegant, Chablis-like style of wine.
Chateau Dubory 2009 Bordeaux Superieur $14.99 Retail
The 2009 Vintage for Bordeaux, France was rated 97-99 by Robert Parker and 96-97 by Wine Spectator! So you can see why I continue to buy almost any Bordeaux I can find that is priced under $20! The Chateau Dubory 2009 fits this mold to perfection. A blend of Merlot, Cabernet, and Cabernet Franc, this smooth elegant wine is rich yet refined with silky tannins. What a tremendous value! Enjoy this wine for the next 4-5 years!
Connoisseur’s Club
Norton Privada 2010, Mendoza, Argentina $ 25.99 91 Rating by Wine Spectator! $ 25.99
I tasted this at one of our wine tastings at Corrado’s and loved it! The name “Privada” refers to the private stash of wine the family would make and only serve to its closest friends. Lucky for us, they now make enough to sell to the general public.
Norton dates back to 1895 when Edmund James Palmer Norton first set eyes on Mendoza countryside during the construction of a train line that joined Mendoza and Chile. Very impressed by the terroir, he founded Bodega Norton, south of the Mendoza River, with a plantation of vines imported from France. Today, Jorge Riccitelli – Bodega Norton´s Chief Winemaker- was awarded “WineMaker of the year 2012” by the prestigious magazine Wine Enthusiast, first getting this award for an Argentine Winemaker. Wine Spectator includes Norton 2010 Reserve Malbec in the ‘Top 100 best wines in the world.
A dense, smoky red, showing a creamy edge to the spicy kirsch, plum sauce and grilled fig notes that mingle with hints of baking spice and medium tannins. Fine length. Malbec, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Drink now. 6,500 cases imported.
Trefethen Chardonnay 2011, Oak Knoll District, Napa Valley 90 Rating Wine Enthusiast! $ 27.99 Retail
In 1979, Trefethen 1976 Chardonnay was named “Best Chardonnay in the World” at the Gault Millau World Wine Olympics in France, beginning their 30-year tradition of excellence with this most popular of white wines. Key to their success is our vineyard’s location in the Oak Knoll District of Napa Valley, where well-drained, loamy soils and a marine-influenced climate yield Chardonnay grapes with rich, balanced flavors.
A fine Chardonnay, front-loaded with tropical fruit, Asian pear, and green apple flavors, with rich honey and vanilla from charred oak barrels. With a crunch of acidity, it’s Trefethen’s best Chardonnay in years.
