Archive for July, 2008

Le Clos du Caillou Rose 2007 - Cotes du Rhone

Again I’m so impressed with the quality of this property and all that they do. Le Clos du Caillou continues to make very high quality wines at all levels. We were lucky enough to grab a bottle of the 07 Caillou CDR rose. Let’s just first start the conversation with the color of the wine instead of the press scores, terroir or oozing about the aroma. Looking at wine, if done often, reveals another dimension in the pleasure of consuming the world’s most fascinating beverage. You can tell if the wine will have higher than usual alcohol or sugars. You can get clues as to whether the vintage was warmer or cooler, how much extraction and time during ferment passed as well as certain vinification techniques like filtred, non filtred, etc.

Caillou’s 07 rose is an amazing light shade of red. Imagine crushing bright red rose petals into a tall glass of water and then adding a dash of orange zest. Voila, you have this vintage of spanking fresh, vibrant and joyful rose. The wine lightly grabs the sides of the glass and what legs that do form form slowly and quietly. The light shade of pink and hints of orange tell me it was a beautiful saignee with some ripe grapes, balanced and refreshing. Brilliantly clean and refractive of sunlight. It looks like the ultimate summer rose, but my wife and I say, why restrict ourselves to summer only. Roses are brilliant all year round and go with myriad of foods.  If you are lucky enough to come across this wine get some and treat yourself.

Tasting note from the importer: A vibrant pink in the glass, this rosé shows raspberries, blood peaches and pink roses on the nose. Flavors are complex and densely layered, yet drink effortlessly—poached cherries blend with orange water on the palate. A blend of 40% Counoise, 35% Mourvèdre and 25% Grenache; full-bodied like a red wine, and will age well for several years.

Federal Wine and Spirits - Boston

The Federal Wine and Spirits bottle shop in Boston has to be one of the most interesting retailers that I’ve come across in years. Federal Wine and Spirits is located in historic downtown Boston, next to the Old State Building. The Old State Building is the oldest public building in Boston built in 1713. This fantastic red brick edifice was the seat of the first elected legislature in the New World! The likes of John Hancock, Thomas Craft, John Adams and others were at the epicenter of this political hub. And the Declaration of Independence was read from the balcony on July 18th, 1776…and is read from the same balcony each Fourth of July.

This is where you’ll find Federal Wine and Spirits, headed by a garrulous and enchanting man Leonard (Len) Rothenberg. As you enter the shop you might wonder what is really going on here. The space is small and tightly conformed to the corner shape of the building. A thoughtful collection of wines, spirits, ports and madeiras wrap around the walls in front of an old cash counter. But the real gem lies below. Walk down the slim and winding staircase and you’ll see what I mean. A bevy of boxes, old world and new world wines alike. This is where the weekly tastings are held and gems are revealed. The old adage, trust your retailer, could never be more a propos. The wine world has become slightly cynical and full of hype so today is truly the day when you should be able to rely on your expert bottle shop owner to decipher the morass of wine scores and press to bring you the best selection available in the market place today.

Check out their website and offerings. The writing is refreshingly clear, honest and dedicated to high quality regardless of price point.

http://www.federalwine.com/