Free run press (the dirt on wine — unfiltered!)

Introduction · A rain of stars · New Italian arrivals from Small Vineyards · Still more vini italiani · Iberia · Worth every penny — and more · And beer, of course ·

Late November — early December, 2008

Late November. The fallen leaves provide a carpet of gently rustling color, or a slick mass of decaying goo, depending on where you walk. There's a metaphor in there somewhere ... watch your step and wipe your feet, please.

The donkeys beat the elephants and amidst the economic gloom, there's a note of cautious optimism. But no matter where you find yourself aligned along the political divide, we're a long ways from being out of the woods, in just about as many arenas as you care to count.

Still, there's plenty of good news: hard work and ingenuity are proven antidotes to being up against "it;" history is a great navigator when it comes to avoiding a repetition of unfortunate, painful detours; and adversity is a motivator par excellence when it comes to seeking new horizons.

And, at the end of a hard day, in hard times or good, there's nothing better than a little "restauration" with quality food, good friends and a character-filled bottle of wine. The kind that comes from small places, where inspired, humble, hard-working people do their best to translate the soul of the vineyard into the liquid that fills your glass. And when you have wine like that in your glass, it's always half full.

Domaine de Vissoux Beaujolais Primeur "Pierre Chermette" ($15)
THIS is REAL Beaujolais!!! Not merely one of the best "primeurs" available, it offers the purity, grace and exuberant fruit character that are the hallmarks of the appellation. An abiding respect for the vineyard joined with a traditional approach to winemaking using only indigenous yeasts are evident as a profusion of bright, agile cherry and raspberry fruit surf an undercurrent of cool granite terroir. If you've never experienced genuine Beaujolais, you owe yourself the pleasure!

Jean Paul Brun Beaujolais Primeur "Terres Dorées" ($15)
Here's another taste of REAL Beaujolais (you won't find the imitation stuff here!). Clean, fresh and graciously vibrant, this is a taste of the soul of the appellation. Made using traditional methods, indigenous yeasts and an artist's passion for quality, this wine offers a lovely core of granitic terroir, wrapped in juicy, ripe fruit — and layers of charm. Perfect with festive fare and friends.

A rain of stars ... Bubbles! Fizz! Effervescence!

Drappier Carte d'Or Brut NV ($42.50)
An elegant counterpoint to rich holiday fare, this well-structured Champagne offers a creamy palate of toasted brioche lightly brushed with orange marmalade, and a long finish that sparkles with ginger and spice. It simply shimmers in celebration of the season.

New Italian arrivals from Small Vineyards

Bibbiani "Treggiaia" Rosso Toscano ($11.50) ($10 from 12/03 thru 12/09)
Wine has been produced at Bibbiani for nearly a millennium. That experience shows in this sturdy, tasty splendid blend of sangiovese and cabernet sauvignon. A river of ripe cherry, blackberry and cassis fruit throw a party in your glass, with medium tannins and firm acidity jumping in to round out the picture. Perfect with simple fare, from antipasti to pizza. Take two — you'll be glad you did.

Bibbiani Chianti Poggio Vignoso ($12.50) ($11 from 12/03 thru 12/09)
Consistently delectable vintage after vintage, with plenty of fruit and complexity, this is our favorite Chianti for everyday drinking. It's packed with character and can be enjoyed with a vast variety of dishes. Showing amazing structure and balance for its modest price, it offers a profusion of firm, ripe, dried black cherry fruit with a whisper of spice and floral tones.

La Quercia Montepulciano d'Abruzzo ($12.50) ($11 from 12/03 thru 12/09)
The best of old and new worlds, this tremendously tasty wine offers generous, lively, exuberantly ripe black cherry and plum fruit married with the mineral- and spice-laden terroir of Abruzzo. A refined elegance provides fine accompaniment to the boatload of pleasure packed into this Bacchanalian opus.

Tenuta Ponte Irpinia Taurasini ($13.50)
Take the full-throttled, Dionysiac headiness of southern Italy and give it the structure and precision derived from high-altitude, cool-climate vineyards and you get something like this: a juicy, voluptuous explosion of black cherry fruit with the agility of a gymnast. Stir in a lode of mineral and spice and presto! Start cooking! (Not available at Kirkland, Seward Park or View Ridge)

Perazzeta "Sara" Toscano Rosso ($14.50) ($13 from 12/03 thru 12/09)
Another of our favorite Italian reds, this wine has its roots in Montecucco, part of the Maremma region, and just south of Montalcino. Like its more illustrious neighbor, Montecucco receives intense sun, resulting in bold, powerful sangiovese that shows a counterpoint of amazing complexity and aromatics. This wine offers classic, focused cherry-drenched sangiovese fruit, with lovely notes of spice and earth that speak the inimitable local dialect.

Trevisiol Prosecco VSAQ ($15) ($13 from 11/13 thru 12/02)
It's back — a delicious reminder that effervescence is always appropriate! Think of it as great white wine, with the added dimension lent by fine fizz. In this instance, you get aromas and flavors of nectarine and pear fruit at the peak of crisp, tangy ripeness, accented with a hint of citrus and a pleasing note of nectarine skin (really!). A key ingredient in a truly dolce vita.

Compagnia di Ermes Cesanese ($16)
Yet another astonishing wine made from a grape that is anything but a household name, this one is grown in a region (Lazio) that is famous for just about everything (Rome, for example) but wine. Visualize the purest pomegranate juice ever, laced with notes of currant and spice. Brightly, boldly flavored, with a pinot noir-like precocity, it's a joy to drink. (Not available at Kirkland, Seward Park or View Ridge)

Martorana Insolia ($18)
We loved this liquid postcard from Sicily the first time we tried it and it hasn't failed to please our palates since. Think tangy, ripe lemon fruit with a hint of sea salt and seashells woven into a lush, but crisply balanced texture of ripe, luscious fruit. (Not available at Kirkland, Seward Park or View Ridge)

De Tarczal Moscato Giallo Trentino ($18)
The first fetching aromas of this lovely wine promise a fine, sweet moscato. On the palate, these aromas of sweet fruit reverberate in elegant, completely dry flavors of apricot, peach and a cornucopia of exotic fruits. An amazing wine, offering plenty of richness and weight, presented with agility and finesse. (Not available at Kirkland, Seward Park or View Ridge)

Mauro Barbero "Paride" Spumante ($20)
It's wines such as this one that leave us grasping for fresh adjectives. An alluring (and thoroughly eclectic) blend of chardonnay and arneis from Piedmont, the lively crispness of cool-climate chardonnay is finely balanced by the unctuous character of arneis. Aroma of ripe pear and almond blossom is the principal theme, accompanied by notes of brioche and citrus. Enchanting. (Fremont, Edmonds only)

Tenuta Ponte Fiano di Avellino ($20)
Why do we adore Italian whites? Consider this a testimonial. An alluringly complex, expressive wine, it is at once lush and brightly focused, offering notes of white peach, wild herbs, tropical fruit and the faintest hint of fennel. A fine accompaniment to moderately piquant cow's milk cheeses, all manner of risotto and just about any crustacean. (Not available at Kirkland, Seward Park or View Ridge)

Bocelli Franette Bianco ($21)
A delicious example of the heights to which such "ordinary" varietals as trebbiano can rise when farmed with passion, this is the sort of wine that begs a place at the table with great food and good company. My notes begin with "I love this ..." and mention "the verve of just-picked fruit, accented with aromas of a sun-warmed garden and a kiss of salt air." (Not available at Kirkland, Seward Park or View Ridge)

Martorana Antico Rosso Nero d'Avola ($21)
Giuseppe Martorana states his goal in making this wine: "... when you are finished eating with your family, you notice that there are three or four empty bottles on the table." Bravo, then. One sip reveals blueberry and pomegranate fruit with notes of toasted almond and spice that sing with a heady richness balanced by firm acidity — and begs another sip, and well, you know how it goes ... (Not available at Kirkland, Seward Park or View Ridge)

De Tarczal "Hussar" Marzemimo ($22)
There are only seven producers in the whole, wide world who make wine from Marzemino, one of the rarest varietals on the planet. Reminiscent of pinot noir in its enchanting marriage of power and delicacy, this wine shows a crystalline brilliance and considerable power delivered with an elegant focus. This is a gem. (Not available at Kirkland, Seward Park or View Ridge)

Tre Donne "3" ($23)
Think of this rather unconventional blend of barbera, cabernet and nebbiolo as a "Super Piemontese." Conventional or not, it works — and deliciously so. "Three" refers to the trio of varietals as well as to the three sisters whose combined inspiration is greater than the sum of its parts. Bold and profound, the wine shows amazing freshness with great structure to its robust fruit. (Not available at Kirkland, Seward Park or View Ridge)

Terre del Grico "Don Felice" ($32)
"Old world" wine for people who think that they only like "new world" wines! From one of the most uncompromisingly quality conscious estates in Puglia, this blend of negroamaro and primitivo offers a lush, robust body with vivid berry fruit, exotic spice notes and a kiss of new oak. One of the most amazing wines from the south I've yet tasted, it shows a remarkable marriage of power and grace. (Fremont, Greenlake, Edmonds, Issaquah only)

Meroi Nestri Merlot ($37.50)
Don't be fooled by cheap imitations! Merlot's reputation suffers from the stigma engendered by too many passionless pretenders, but when raised with love and inspiration, it rises to incredible heights. Case in point, this impressively complex, profound, precisely balanced opus, sings beautifully from basso to soprano and leaves you thirsting for an encore. (Fremont, Edmonds only)

Eugenio Bocchino Barolo "Lu" ($70)
A rising star of formidable brightness, Eugenio Bocchino defines the term "garagiste." This gorgeous rendition of nebbiolo shows the soft, feminine face of the grape. Its voluptuous fruit and velvety tannins enrobe a structure of Athenian power that supports a kaleidoscope of cherry, tar, roses, tobacco leaf, sugar pine sap and exotic spice. Astounding! (Fremont, Edmonds, Issaquah only)

Still more vini italiani

Giocato Pinot Grigio (PCC Exclusive) ($11.50) ($10 from 11/12 thru 12/02)
That this is actually Slovenian wine is merely a matter of a line drawn on a map. Realized by the considerable skills of Edi Simcic, this is as lovely a bottle of 'grigio as you're likely to find. Bright, lively aromas and flavors of ripe mandarin and pear are accented with notes of lemon blossom and an appealing, alluring note of citrus rind. Tangy acidity provides great balance to a wine that has the purity and freshness of a fine spring day.

Terraecaldae Chianti (PCC Exclusive) ($12.50) ($11 from 11/12 thru 12/02)
In a word, Chianti! From its alluring, ripe cherry and spice-infused aromas to a luscious mouthful of bing and black cherries woven with wild herbs and minerals, this wine offers pure Tuscan soul. Sangiovese means "blood of Jove." Here's a delicious opportunity to taste why!

Destefanis Dolcetto d'Alba "Bricco Galluccio" ($16) ($13 from 11/12 thru 12/02)
The steeply sloped "Bricco Galluccio" vineyard delivers dazzlingly fresh fruit, especially in 2006. A concentration of ripe cherries and raspberries abounds, practically exploding on the tongue. This is amazingly fresh, complex Dolcetto, with notes of violet offering a pretty, delicate perfume, while touches of spices and pepper follow on the finish. A serious interpretation of Piedmont's "little sweet one," this is a superb value and a joy to drink. (North Berkeley Imports)

Iberia!

We thought that these wines were great when we first tasted them last spring. Amazingly, now they're tasting even better.

Roquevale Terras de Xisto Tinto ($11)
This lively, luscious red from Portugal's Alentejo region is compelling evidence that the renaissance in Iberian wine extends to the entire peninsula. Made primarily of aragonez (identical to tempranillo), it delivers bright, pure aromas and flavors of boysenberries, plums and cherries, built on a sturdy, well-balanced framework of generous fruit, firm acidity and ample tannins. This wine makes "everyday" a reason to celebrate!

San Isidro Cepas del Zorro Dos Años Bullas ($11)
The Bullas DO, located in the Murcia region of Southeast Spain, has been producing wine for millennia, and has experienced a revolution in quality in recent years. Made of monastrell, this fetching red greets the nose with aromas of black cherries, red fruits and exotic spice, then delivers a reprise of those fruits, with added notes of currants and minerals in an easy-to-drink, well-balanced glass of wine.

Monte de Capela Adega de Pias ($12)
The Alentejo region produces some of Portugal's most richly expressive wines, owing to its hot summers. This verve-y vinho, a 50-50 blend of aragonez (tempranillo) and trincadeira leaps from the glass, offering generous bright cherry and currant fruit accented with spicy notes suggestive of bay leaf and cumin. The well-balanced fruit dances on the palate with a Beaujolais — like freshness, providing loads of easygoing pleasure.

Viña Ijalba Genolí Blanco Rioja ($14) ($12 from 12/03 thru 12/09)
This is white wine as it should be: perfectly ripened grapes singing the song of the dirt from whence they sprang. Lovely citrus-tinged melon flavors provide the foundation, while notes of grape skin and wild fennel add accents. Luscious, almost unctuous, in the mouth while showing bright acidity and elegant focus, this wine is delicious as a solo player, but shines in an ensemble setting, playing well with a wide range of foods.

Viña Ijalba Livor Rioja ($14) ($12 from 12/03 thru 12/09)
Tempranillo takes varietal credit here but as with any good wine, terroir should get equal billing. Fruit-wise, it's tempranillo in spades: bright, pure cherry and dried cherry fruit with pepper and spice; the threads of Rioja woven into that texture of luscious fruit make it truly sing.

Lopez Cristobal Tinto Roble Ribera del Duero ($18.50)
"Big, chewy, impressive ..." Made primarily of tinta del pais (tempranillo's Duero incarnation), this wine shows the dark cherry face of that grape, while the 5 percent of cabernet in the blend lends a brooding seam of deep purple fruit. Notes of spice and cigar box round out a complex, profoundly textured, thoroughly pleasurable bottle of vino.

Viña Ijalba Crianza Rioja ($22.50) ($20 from 12/03 thru 12/09)
This is as Rioja as it gets. Cherries, dried cherries and pepper tell the tale of tempranillo, with classic notes of dusty minerals providing an unmistakable accent. There's plenty of sturdy substance to make a robust statement here, but it's not heavy-handed. Ample fruit, tannins and firm acidity all share the stage in a tasty ensemble.

Worth every penny — and more

Bodegas Niño Jesus Blanco Calatayud ($9)
This wine offers astonishing charm for a very modest tariff. Think lush, juicy, citrus fruits with notes of spice, born on a warm summer breeze. Aromas of citrus and almond blossom, ripe pear and a kiss of honeysuckle lead the way, followed by a juicy mouthful of ripe, silky textured fruits, nicely balanced by firm acidity and a satisfying finish. A pleasure to drink, either by itself or with fresh clams, crab, salads or light pasta or rice dishes. Perfect for cooking — and drinking while cooking.

Rayun Syrah Rapel Valley (biodynamically grown) ($9.50) ($9 from 11/12 thru 12/02)
This tank-fermented Syrah offers penetrating flavors with an invigorating freshness as if the grapes were picked yesterday. Touches of tar and leather blend with black fruits on the sultry, almost savage nose; smoky blackberries and juicy black cherries linger on the languorous finish. The heart of a "new world" wine with the soul of the "old world" — and a great deal to boot. (NBI)

Cavatappi Sangiovese ($12.50)
Big, juicy cherry and berry fruit! Think of this as an Italian immigrant living in Washington. Juicy and ripe, it speaks the Columbia Valley lingo flawlessly, with its luscious cherry and berry fruit backed up by that inimitable note of gravelly minerals and brush. But then there's that accent, that have-another-glass sort of liveliness keeping you at the table for another helping and another bottle.

Domaine de la Rochette Touraine Pinot Noir ($12.50)
We know that this sounds too good to be true, but suspend your disbelief until you've enjoyed a bottle — you'll see. Bright, juicy Bing cherry and strawberry fruit trade solos, with lively acidity providing a sturdy rhythm section. Overall, the allure is one of "verve and elegance," which qualifies as a jackpot, for 12-and-a-half bucks. While not otherworldly, it's just plain good pinot — priced for proletarians.

Clos Château Gaillard Touraine-Mesland Rosé ($15)
As lovely as lovely can be, this charming wine is an exuberant expression of the gamay grape at its vibrant best — and yet another reason to drink pink wine year-round. A nose of strawberries, spring fruit blossoms and minerals segues to a racy mouthful of bright, ripe ruby grapefruit with a splash of watermelon. An undercurrent of gravelly mineral and bright acidity set the scene for amazing food matches while inviting another, and another sip.

Schloss Schonborn Erbacher Marcobrunn Riesling Kabinett ($21)
I think of wines like this as being rather like ballet dancers. It offers the sweetness of ripe, honeyed fruit with the delicate grace of an unfolding flower — supported by a racy undercurrent of mineral and acidity. A seeming paradox, a lovely exposition of counterpoint, harmony and balance, and a relative bargain, given the outstanding quality.

Saintsbury "Garnet" Pinot Noir ($22) ($18 from 11/12 thru 12/02)
Here's proof that bigger isn't always better — and that thoroughly delicious pinot noir doesn't have to be exorbitantly priced. Garnet is produced from pinot noir grown in the Carneros district, with the aim of producing a refreshing, early-drinking style. Mission accomplished, with lively cherry and raspberry fruit accented with a judicious kiss of French oak. Perfect for holiday fare, fresh, grilled salmon, duck, mushroom risotto or full-bodied cheeses.

Domaine Pierre Noire "Deux" ($22) ($19 from 11/12 thru 12/02)
Pardon me if I'm somewhat immoderate in my praise for both this wine and its producers. There are a handful of wineries in the state that truly "get" it — and Domaine Pierre Noire (soon to be Domaine Pouillon due to a trademark conflict with a California winery) is on that short list. This lovely elixir exhibits old world sensibilities of grace, equilibrium and elegance with its sleek exposition of ripe pear and nectarine fruit, highlighted with notes of fruit blossoms and a trace of dusty minerals. Bright acidity adds verve and balance to the ample fruit.

And beer, of course ...

Sierra Nevada "Celebration" ($8.50) ($7.50 from 12/10 thru 12/30)
OK, I have to confess that I'm not at all objective when it comes to this brewery. But then, I taste the beer and, well, not only does it never fail to please, but it always impresses. If ever there were a reason to celebrate the dark days of November and December, it's the arrival of this generously malted, hugely hopped, but brilliantly balanced bottle of barely-derived, full-throttle goodness. Amen.

Saison Dupont "Avec les Bons Voeux" ($11.50) ($10 from 12/10 thru 12/30)
Stupendous. One truly needs to drink this beer to grasp the amazing depth, complexity and elegant balance it possesses. It offers an array of seeming paradoxes — delicate richness, understated assertiveness, overwhelming nuance. I'm not kidding. By no means a quaffer, this is a beer that must be poured and savored contemplatively to be fully appreciated. Very limited availability.