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Wallet-Watching:
Celebrating but Sane:
Splurge-Worthy:
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By Jim Clarke
Wine is habit-forming; one
habit it forms is associating certain prices with certain regions:
Bordeaux? Pricy. Australia? Cheap. But wines in all price ranges
can be found around the world; whatever you’re spending, it’s
the value that’s important – does the wine taste like
a million bucks, or does it taste like it should have been on sale?
I’ve turned things upside
down for our holiday wine suggestions. I combed through two regions
known for budget-priced reds – Argentina and Southern Italy
–and two for high-end whites – California and Burgundy.
In all four regions I found wines at three different price points
so you can cover all your bases this holiday season. Buy the under-$20
wine to stock up for your party and the mid-range bottle ($30-$50)
for a more intimate gathering. Finally, for a special gift or to
treat yourself and your closest loved ones, splash out on our high-end
suggestions for $60 or more. (Prices may vary regionally)
California
Home of the big Chardonnay,
certainly, but there’s a lot more going on in the wilder reaches
of Californian whites. For that matter, the best producers are keeping
their big Chardonnays in shape to create great wines; the Schwarzenegger
mask belied by a more subtle, Dustin Hoffman performance. Look for:
Wallet-Watching:
Navarro Vineyards Estate-Bottled Gewürztraminer 2003 ($17)
Okay, there are plenty of California whites that cost even less,
but few have this amount of complexity and fun in the bottle. New
World Gewürz tends toward an innocuous style that makes it
a bit of a wallflower; Navarro gives it some gusto. Aging the wine
for several months on its lees – the expired yeast left after
fermentation – gives the wine more depth under the more usual
aromas of quince, grapefruit, spice, and flowers. It’s dry,
and not as oily-rich as many Alsatian bottlings, but still lets
the Gewürztraminer grape spread its wings. If money’s
tight, the Navarro Edelzwicker blend also provides good bang-for-your-buck
at $11 or so.
Celebrating
but Sane:
Au Bon Climat “Hildegard” 2001 ($35)
Another nod toward Alsace, blending two of the region’s traditional
grapes, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, with a touch of Aligoté
– a rare Burgundian grape that’s even less common in
the U.S. The Hildegard proves that not all rich, creamy whites are
Chardonnays; aromas of lemon curd, baked pears, nutmeg, and earthy
base makes this a great winter white. Au Bon Climat sources grapes
from around the Central Coast; this particular wine comes from the
Santa Maria Valley, which is generally more known for Pinot Noir.
Splurge-Worthy:
Peter Michael Ma Belle Fille 2002 ($150)
The first time I tasted Sir Peter Michael’s Chardonnays was
a jaw-dropping experience. I really could have chosen any of their
whites for this list; “Ma Belle Fille” is a new bottling
with a smokier character than some of the others – it pairs
well with an alpine fireplace. I’m not sure if this is from
oak-aging or a variation on terroir – the vineyard was slightly
damaged by a wildfire the previous year, and perhaps some of that
aroma was still in the air or soil. In any case, credit goes to
winemaker Luc Morlet for integrating it so well with both the richly
floral and appley nose and more tropical palate of this long-finished
wine.
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Southern Italy
Southern Italy has become a
happy hunting ground for those open to lesser-known varietals. Producers
there have been happy to make the move from cheap, anonymous bulk
wine to something with their own identity. But their new-found popularity
hasn’t gone to their heads yet, so by-and-large prices still
reflect what it costs to make wine, not some dream of what fame
can bear.
Wallet-Watching:
Felline Primitivo di Manduria 2002
($13)
Primitivo is not the obscure grape you might think when you find
out it’s genetically identical to California’s Zinfandel.
The climate of Puglia – the heel of the Italian boot –
seems to bring out the spice and dark fruits, which winemakers are
buttressing with aging in new oak which helps the wine escape rusticity.
Blackberry, boysenberry, and licorice notes team up with black pepper
and clove; the smooth tannins and texture make this an easy wine
to party with.
Celebrating
but Sane:
Cottanera L’Ardenza 2001 ($37)
Cottanera is a relatively new producer with 120 acres of vineyards
wrapped around the slopes of Mount Etna. The volcanic soils lend
a distinctive flavor to their wines, a clear expression of terroir
that makes the wines stand out against the background of big, fruity,
“New Worldy” Sicilian wines out there. The Ardenza is
made from 100% Mondeuse, a French varietal also found at the other
end of Italy in Friuli. A late ripener, it seems to prosper in Sicily’s
warmer climates, where it can reach a better balance of flavor,
alcohol, and acidity than it usually does up north. The nose shows
lots of gamy, wet earth and ripe, macerated berries. In the mouth
it’s firm and medium-bodied, with cranberry, raspberry, and
slate. Its high acidity also makes it versatile with food.
Splurge-worthy:
Argiolas Turriga 2000 ($64)
Sardinia usually gets lumped together with the South of Italy even
though properly-speaking it is in the West. Several impressive producers
have emerged there in recent decades, with Argiolas leading the
pack. While they’ve only been selling their wine under their
own label since 1991, the company has been around long enough to
have well-established vineyards and winemaking facilities. The Turriga
is a single vineyard wine, 85% Cannonau – known elsewhere
as Grenache –and a mix of Malvasia Nera, Carignano, and the
very obscure Bovale Sardo; the latter grapes add color, flavor and
punch to Cannonau’s rich alcohol and overt fruitiness. Oak-aging
helps it all hold together; the result is full-bodied wine with
aromas of black raspberries, cherries, black currant, and toast.
Spice, flowers, and herbs emerge on the palate supplement these
flavors on the palate, most notably rosemary and tobacco. It’s
round and smooth, with sweet tannins and a long, flavorful finish.
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Burgundy
Another- some would say the
– Chardonnay stronghold. Given a much longer history of winemaking
than California, Chardonnay’s dominance of white wine in Burgundy
is almost complete: it starts at the pinnacle, Grand Cru vineyard
Montrachet, and works its way down from there. Sub-regions like
Mâcon and the Côte Chalonnaise provide more opportunities
on the budget shelves. If you’d like a white Burgundy from
a different varietal, there are fun, crisp wines to be found from
St. Bris, where they grow Sauvignon Blanc, and Bouzeron, where the
little-known Aligoté mentioned earlier gets a chance to shine.
Wallet-Watching:
Domaine de Lalande Mâcon-Chaintré
2003 ($13)
This wine is a bit bigger this vintage, presumably owing to Europe’s
hot summer. However, it remains a refreshing wine, light and crisp.
Green apple aromas are matched by quartzy minerals; some floral
and pear notes round out the wine in the mouth. Mâcon is the
region; this wine is specific to the village of Chaintré,
which actually lies within the more famous name of Pouilly-Fuissé.
Celebrating
but Sane:
Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Vaudesir 2002
($40)
The first wine of Brocard’s I ever encountered was a St. Bris
– actually at the time it was a Sauvignon de St. Bris, since
the appellation had not yet gained its new status as a full-on AOC.
Northeast of St. Bris is the more famous appellation of Chablis,
where Brocard is based. Vaudesir is one of the seven Grand Crus
of the region, overlooking the Serein River. The wine is not as
aggressive as some Chablis, more elegant, with tangerine, Asian
spices, and floral notes surrounding that core of minerality that
is the hallmark of Chablis. It’s ready to drink, but will
also age well for several years or more if you’re making a
gift of it.
Splurge-worthy:
Domaine Jean-Marc
Boillot Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Mouchere 2002 ($75)
The vineyard Montachet lies on the border of two villages, Puligny
and Chassagne, and has lent its name to each of them. Wines from
Puligny tend toward elegance, Boillot stays true to this while enveloping
it all in smoky oak. The fruits touch on pear and peach, with additional
notes of almond, and spice. A core of acidity gives the wine a complex,
enduring finish. You won’t see wines from “Clos de la
Mouchere” elsewhere; the vineyard is a monopole. Owned exclusively
by Jean-Marc Boillot.
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Argentina
Malbec has come of age in Argentina,
and the proof lies in the fact that producers have succeeded not
only in crafting it into the budget wines the country is known for,
but also into some complex, powerful high-end wines with serious
aging potential. Much of Malbec’s success here is because
of the climate; a longer, hotter growing season allows the grape
to ripen for fully than it typically does in its ancestral home
of Southern France. This brings the fruit and spice flavors forward
to keep the tannins in line.
Wallet-Watching:
Balbi Malbec 2002, Mendoza ($9)
Balbi is a good example of the international mix that characterizes
Argentine winemaking. Founded in 1930 by Italian Juan Balbi, the
company is now owned by the Spanish/international wine and spirits
company Allied-Domecq. And winemaker Jean Louis Brun has come from
Bordeaux to add French winemaking techniques into the mix. The wine
is spicy and focused, with blackberries, cherries, and roast coffee
notes. Light tannins frame the medium-bodied, easy-drinking wine.
Celebrating
but Sane:
Bodegas Terrazas de los Andes Afincado Malbec 2001,
Vistalba, Mendoza ($45)
Bodegas Terrazas de los Andes produces a wide range of wines, covering
budget, middle, and more premium price points. The Afincado is one
of their higher-priced wines, exceeded only by the phenomenal Cheval
des Andes – a joint project with Cheval Blanc of Bordeaux.
The Afincado is made exclusively with grapes from the “Finca
Las Compuertas” vineyard; it’s packed with fruit –
plum, black cherry, and blueberry- but is also touched with chocolate,
caramel, and Malbec’s calling-card spice. The wine is full-bodied
with firm but well-balanced tannins.
Splurge-worthy:
Achaval Ferrer Finca Altamira Malbec 2001, La Consulta, Mendoza
($85)
None of that touching-every-price-point hedging-your-bets for Achaval
Ferrer; they produce only two wines, a blend and this single-varietal
Malbec. They are convinced that Finca Altamira has the potential
to be an Argentine Grand Cru, and there’s no reason not to
believe them. The fruits – black cherry, boysenberry –
are set deep into a blend of dark chocolate, espresso, and roasted
hazelnut. It’s a full-bodied wine, very velvety, with a superb
sustained finish. This goes great on a special evening when you
want a “never-ending” feeling.
Happy
Holidays!
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