Platinum Wine Club - June 2012
Learn the finer points to many of the wines we offer each month. Our club wines are expertly researched and selected for quality, value and uniqueness and every one has an interesting history. Here are some of the wines we are offering this month:
Chatter Creek Winery - Woodinville, Washington
2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley
Gordon Rawson started making wine as a hobbyist over twenty years ago while he was working for a fine wine distributor in the Seattle area. In 1987, he parlayed his enthusiasm for winemaking into a job at Columbia Winery where he had the opportunity to work with Master of Wine, David Lake. David’s style of management was to have his staff involved in all aspects of the winemaking process that allowed Gordon to both observe and participate in the artistic side of winemaking. Early in 2000, he departed Columbia Winery to focus solely on Chatter Creek. Chatter Creek specializes in handcrafted varietal wines that emphasize the diverse terroir of Washington State. Production is styled after class European wines, focused on the Rhone and Bordeaux varietals. Chatter Creek wines are small lot products from vineyards where Gordon works hand-in-hand with the growers to obtain the best possible fruit. The fruit is gently handled, and fermented in small one-ton fermenters. Chatter Creek wines are aged in seasoned barrels so as to not overwhelm the subtle nuances of the terroir. Gentle technique in the cellar produces elegant wines that are balanced, with classic old world style, and containing new world fruit and finesse. Chatter Creek's 2007 Cabernet is made from 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Merlot and 2% Syrah. Vineyards sourced from include: Alder Ridge, Portteus, and Lonesome Spring. The 2007 vintage was a classic warm year for Washington. The effect was centered fruit and berry flavors, with smooth tannins, resulting in very balanced and inviting wines with a robustness found in warm Washington vintages. This wine shows dark purple with some ruby on the rim. The bright nose is intertwined with a complex mix of blueberry and black cherry, with hints of coffee, and blackberry elements. A medley of flavors, including blueberry, cassis and cedar, lingers in a tremendously round mid-palette. Creamy and rich, with a good mouth feel, it is a medium to full-bodied wine, well-balanced and even, with smooth tannins. A lingering finish leaves you both satisfied and ready for more. Drink now through 2014. Only 300 cases were produced.
Cantine Lonardo - Italy
2008 Contrade di Taurasi Aglianco Irpinia DOC
The Lonardos have been living in Taurasi since the end of the XVIII century. They were small landowners. The family members dedicated themselves to the wine production with love and great skill, and the wine production led them to establish the Contrade Taurasi Farm. The family-owned farm counts on quality more than quantity. It manages the growing of the vine, the wine production, the bottling and the sale as well. The brand “Contrade di Taurasi” was born in 1998; its business philosophy is based on clear premise: deliver authentic Italian wines true to the terroir. The Lonardo Family's 2008 offering is made from 100% Aglianico. Aglianco is the most important grape grown in the DOC. The grapes used are from vines from around 20 years old. After fermentation the wine was bottled without any stabilizing procedures or filtration to deliver authentic Italian wines. The wine pours a beautiful deep ruby red in the glass. It has a strong and elegant bouquet with flavors of cherry, plum and spices (most notably black pepper). The finish is harmonic and dry with both a fresh and soft tannin aftertaste. This wine is drinking well now and should be consumed by 2016. It goes well with most Italian dishes, above all half ripe cheese and cold meat.
Bandut Di Giorgio Colutta - Italy
2010 Pinot Grigio Colli Orientali Del Friuli DOC
From the hills of eastern Friuli (Colli Orientali) in the northeastern corner of Italy, wedged between Slovenia and Austria, come these graceful wines from one of the most prestigious wine-producing regions in Italy. Friuli is especially known for producing interesting, regional varietals, and using the latest technology in the winery. Colutta, a family-run winery for three generations, represents the highest standards of the region by adopting the most updated cultivating techniques on their hillside vineyards, including severe pruning and manual harvesting. The owner/winemaker Giorgio Colutta and his wife continue the family tradition by infusing regional distinctiveness in their wines while striving to produce the very best wines from Friuli. This 2010 is made from 100% Pinot Grigio. This wine confirms the reputation of the Friuli region as the preeminent region for Pinot Grigio in Italy. Its concentrated character comes from the hillside fruit, producing a wine of intensity and complexity, combining elements of fruit, spice and mineral that is typical of the soils of the Colli Orientali. This highly-crafted wine has effusive aromas of apple blossoms and quince with underpinnings of bitter almonds. A superb example of the Friulian Pinot Grigio. Drink now through 2014. Serve chilled as an apéritif or with soups, light pasta dishes, poached sea bass in tomato, basil and garlic sauce and grilled vegetables.
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