Our newest project...

Well it is finally time to announce William's newest endeavor!

Over the past few weeks we have been tasting a steady stream of the wines of Piedmont and have put together quite a nice collection of reds and whites from the region. Barolo, Barbaresco, and Gattinara are well represented in a number of vintages and price points but that doesn't even scratch the surface, their little brother Nebbiolo, along with Barbera from Asti and Alba, Dolcetto (does Dogliani ring a bell?), Vespolina, and then there are whites like Moscato D'asti, Gavi's and Arneis to mention a few. The list goes on...

So, Why Piedmont? First of all the wines coming from the region are world class and year after year their little micro climate produces consistant weather which has given us an almost nonstop stream of great vintages dating back for more than a decade, more than 2 decades in fact. Secondly, the wines produced in the area are custom made for our fall weather here in New England. As the weather cools and we start our yearly change over to roasted and stewed foods the pairings are perfect.
Finally, we've noticed another great trend that is being seen almost nowhere else in the world. Pricing is coming down! Just a few years ago the pricing for world class wines in almost every great wine producing area of the world was in the triple digit numbers and most have held it even through the tough economy. Now, I don't know if it was the plan or if the producers were seeing less movement of their wines but last year and this year we are seeing prices fall back in this region. It doesn't take $70+ to get a great Barolo anymore, in fact we are seeing some pretty good performers at around $35 and many of the single vineyard or reserva wines are running $45 to $65. There are also a good number of Barberas, Dolcettos and Nebbiolos from $10-$20 so these don't have to break the bank and you don't need an excuse or occasion to pop one open.

Want to know more about the region? Grab someone on the winestaff and we'll tell you all you want to know. We are all very excited about the new Masterpiece that we have all had a hand in building and we are really looking forward to sharing it with all of you! Ask questions and give a a chance to put a great bottle in your hand for the fall season.

-Cheers

2010 Protos Verdejo

With the tease of warm weather earlier this week I started my migration toward white wines and rosé wines. This is a good month or two ahead of when I'd usually venture to lighter style wines.

The wine I brought home was 2010 Protos Verdejo from the Rueda region in western Spain. Verdejo is a wine which is pleasantly aromatic, on the nose there is great floral aromas and hints of tropical fruit, particularly pineapple and citrus. I paired this wine with some goat cheese and was amazed at how well they worked together. The vibrancy and great acidity of this wine complemented the creamy texture of the cheese. I can imagine this wine working extremely well sauteed sea scallops or a rich fish like sea bass.

The finish is wonderful on this wine. There is a lingering hint of almond and lemon zest. For a fuller-bodied white this wine has great balance and complexity. I will certainly be bringing this wine home again! This wine is on the shelf for $14.99, a great value!

-Greg

Cult Wine - Pleiades XX

The mention of highly allocated cult wines usually makes you think of labels such as Harlan Estates or Screaming Eagle which fetch several hundreds of dollars for a single bottle. At a much more affordable level is the wine named Pleiades from the mysterious winemaker Sean Thackery of California.

Pleiades is a truly unique blend that starts you guessing from the moment you begin to pour it from the bottle. The inclusion of white grape varietals is immediately apparent, the wine is highly translucent with a pinkish hue. Thackery does not disclose the exact percentages of grapes used in the blend, although usual suspects in the blend are pinot noir, sangiovese, mouvedre, syrah, and viognier. The presence of viognier is evident based on the floral nature of the nose of Pleiades. On the palate this wine shows ripe cherry and cooked strawberry flavors accented with subtle hints of baking spice. Unlike a hastily assembled blend this wine shows interesting layers of flavor which are very well integrated.

Over the couple of hour which I spent drinking this wine, new flavors kept presenting themselves. I think of Pleiades as more of an appertif or a casual "drinking" wine as opposed to a food wine. It lacks some structure and acidity which would allow you to pair it with food. It's definitely worth trying. It won't last too long so grab a bottle sooner than later and enjoy!

- Greg

Excellent Alsatian Pinot Gris for just $14.99!!!!

Earlier this week I brought home the new vintage of the Hugel Pinot Gris Classic to pair with a chicken dish I was making, it worked wonderfully! Here at Harry's we were big fans of the 2006 release of this wine and the 2007 is every bit as good. Most people know pinot gris better as the light bodied white wine, pinot grigio, from the northeastern region of Italy.

Pinot Gris from the Alsace region of France has a different flavor profile than the pinot grigios most of us know. The Hugel has a very rich character and a fuller body marked by the following flavors and aromas - peach, a lemon-lime note, earthiness, and a "stony" minerality. Beneath this layer of the wine there is a hint of smokiness and savory herbs. Besides chicken, this wine would also pair well with pork, cheeses, and fish. I really liked this wine and am quite sure it will drink well for the next 5 or 6 years. So stop in and pick up this great wine to try out!

- Greg

To Grüner, or not to Grüner ????

To Grüner, or not to Grüner ???? The answer is YES, pick up a Grüner Veltliner (Grüner for short) and enjoy Austria's lesser known white wine. For years Riesling was what first came to mind when thinking about great Austrian wines. Over the last 5 or 6 years Grüner has continued to grow here in the U.S. and nearly every good restaurant and wine shop will have at least one to offer you. Here at Harry's we usually have at least a half-dozen to choose from.

Recently I was out with some friends and we all decided on splitting a bottle of Grüner to drink as an apéritif while we looked over the menu. Each one of us agreed that it was a great wine and a perfect starter for a warm summer evening. The wines are refreshing and interesting. Across the board, Grüners exhibit great balance of fruit and minerality.

The first thing people notice when buying a Grüner is that many come in a 1 liter bottle (750ml is the common wine bottle size) and instead of a cork, many are sealed with a "pop top" (more commonly seen on beer bottles). These features help people in identifying these wines. We often hear someone come in and say, "I was over friends house this weekend and they had a great white wine that had a beer cap on it". This makes our job very easy, we simply march them over to they Austria section and show them the selection.

Two Grüners I have had recently are:
2009 Weingut Groiss, 1 liter, 12% alc, $9.99
2010 Weingut Berger, 1 liter, 12.5% alc, $14.99

Both are excellent wines. The Berger has a little more of a "citrus thing" going on, albeit still tempered by a nice firm mineral backbone. Anyone who is a Sauvignon Blanc fan should give this one a try. The Groiss is definitely a less fruity choice, more like an Alsatian Pinot Gris. I really enjoyed both of them and look forward to having each one again before summers end.

I forgot to mention, besides being great refreshing wines that are meant to be consumed within a few years, Grüner's also come in very high quality and age-worthy styles. These wines can age many years like great white burgundies. Grüner's of this caliber will be found in more traditional bottle shapes with cork closures for better aging.

Come in and check out our selection and give a bottle a try!

- Greg

The Wine Taster April 2011