Portalis Wine Club: January – May 2009

Portalis Wine Club – May 2009
Beckmen Vineyards (Santa Ynez Valley, CA)
Steve Beckmen (pictured left) joined us at Portalis this spring for a tasting, and we were delighted to meet the guy whose wine won the March 2009 Tasting Circle showdown between Washington and California Cabs (beating out much more famous and expensive wines, mind you).  So, here’s the scoop on Steve and Beckmen Cellers.  By the way, don’t think you’re limited to reds with this winery.  It’s summer and Jens (Who’s Jens?) thinks the Beckmen Sauvignon Blanc is the best Californian SB he’s tasted in the last couple years.

Founded in 1994 by Tom and Steve Beckmen, Beckmen Vineyards is a family-owned, estate winery located in the Santa Ynez Valley (Santa Barbara County).  After traveling to the Rhône Valley several times, Steve discovered his love for Rhône varietals. He started making wine without any experience, but after several vintages, Beckmen Vineyards has emerged as one of North America’s premier producers of Rhône varietals.

In Steve’s opinion vineyard management is the most important part of winemaking. It drives the whole winemaking process. All of their wines are biodynamic and in 2008 they became certified biodynamic. Their production remains small.

Beckmen Vineyards was named Food & Wine’s “Most Promising Winery” in the magazine’s 2000 American Wine Awards. Since then, Beckmen Vineyards has lived up to that. In 2007 it was selected as one of the “Top 100 Wineries” in the world by Wine & Spirits magazine. Not bad for a winemaker without any experience.  

Jens & Gina (Who’s Gina?) are part of a local professional tasting panel called the Tasting Circle.  They meet monthly to blind taste & rank wines in the Seattle marketplace.  At a customer’s request in March 2009, the Tasting Circle tasted a lineup of Washington vs. California Cabernet.  The Beckman 2005 Estate Cab won the tasting, beating out other more expensive and well-known competitors such as Caymus.  This vintage is no longer available, but the 2006 is outstanding as well.

Beckmen Vineyards 2008 Estate Sauvignon Blanc $18.50/case $14.80
The estate Sauvignon Blanc comes exclusively from biodynamic certified grapes grown on the Purisma Mountain Vineyard, mainly on limestone. Tasting Notes:  very aromatic. Offers rich, exotic, tropical fruit, with pineapple and melon. Lots of grapefruit and lime on the mid-palate. Full-bodied, ripe and balanced. Powerful, yet elegant and persistent. Great acidity. Wonderful, long finish. One of the best Sauvignon Blancs I have tasted in the last 2 years. Up to 2 years. Excellent sipper. Good with light seafood and salads.

Beckmen Vineyards 2007 Le Bec $23/case $18.40
A blend of 44% Grenache, 28% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre and 8% Counoise. The 2007 vintage turned out to be one of the best vintages to date. A well-balanced growing season with long hang time offered exceptional flavors with low alcohol levels, creating wines with great length and depth. Tasting Notes: Meaty, peppery scents on the nose followed by flavors of black currant, black licorice and black cherries. Ripe, firm and vibrant. This wine has power with finesse. Fine tannins and smoky notes on the finish. Barrel aged for 15 month in 15% new French barrels and 85% neutral barrels. Up to 3 years. Good with roasted chicken, white meat.

Beckmen Vineyards 2006 Estate Cabernet Sauvignon $27/case $21.60
Following the 2005 vintage (which won Seattle’s Tasting Circle Tasting in March matched up against more well-known and expensive competitors) this wine again shows stunning balance and depth. One of the best Cabernet deals in California. Tasting Notes: Very aromatic. Smoked plums and blackberry fruit on the nose followed by flavors of dark fruit and raspberries. Well-balanced, complex and elegant. Great acidity which carries the fruit to a lingering, long impressive finish with espresso and coffee notes.  Up to 3 years. Fire up the grill and start the rib eyes.

Don’t forget, we offer a 20% case & 10% half-case discount.  Mixed cases included.

Enjoy & cheers!
Jens
 
Jens Strecker
Owner & Wine Manager
Portalis Wine Shop + Wine Bar
5205 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
 206-783-2007  206-783-2007
www.portaliswines.com 
jens@portaliswines.com

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Portalis Wine Club – April 2009
Cave de Tain (Northern Rhône)  
This month we are featuring wines from Cave de Tain, a winery located in the Northern Rhône Valley. The Rhône Valley (southeastern France) is one of the oldest wine growing regions in the world and is divided into the Northern and Southern Rhône Valleys, which produce distinctly different wines. The Northern Rhône is influenced by the continental climate with strong winters but warm summers as well as the mistral wind, which brings cooler air from the Massiv Central. Northern Rhône is therefore cooler than Southern Rhône, which makes its wines more concentrated, such as those from Burgundy (just to the north). Red wines from the Northern Rhône appellation are mainly made from the Syrah grape, sometimes blended with Viognier. Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne are the only white wine grapes used in this appellation. The most famous sub-regions of the Northern Rhône are Côte Rotie, Condrieu, Cornas, Hermitage, Crozes.

Cave De Tain L’Hermitage was founded in 1933 by 100 wine growers from the district of Tain L’Hermitage. Today the co-op has 370 wine growers and a total vineyard area of 1140 hectares, of which 1000 hectares are AOC wines (appellation specific).  The 3-bottle wine club includes a red & a white from Crozes Hermitage and a red from Saint Joseph:

Cave de Tain 2007 Crozes Hermitage Blanc $23
This white is made out of 100% Marsanne. Pale yellow color with aromas and flavors of fresh, ripe citrus fruit, white peaches, apricots, and white flowers. Good acidity, complex and well-balanced. Beautiful fresh finish. Best paired with salads, white grilled meats. Drink now.

Cave de Tain 2005 Crozes Hermitage Rouge $23
100% Syrah grown on alluvial granite. Intense and delicate aromas of dark fruit and blackberries. Rich, powerful, but well-balanced. Smooth tannins with good length and depth. Flavors of blackberries, blackcurrants, cherries and oriental spices. Wonderful jammy finish.  Best matched with cold cuts or grilled red meat. Up to 3 years.

Cave de Tain 2005 Saint Joseph Esprit de Granit $35
This red is a 100% Syrah from several vineyards located in the Saint Joseph appellation. Beautiful aromas of candied dark fruit followed by flavors of dark fruit, blackberries, blueberries, dark chocolate with some spicy and toasty notes. Rich and powerful on the mid-palate, with smooth tannins on the finish. A great wine for ageing. Up to 5 years. Best with grilled red meat, game birds and cheeses.
 
Enjoy & cheers!
Jens
 
Jens Strecker
Owner & Wine Manager
Portalis Wine Shop + Wine Bar
5205 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
 206-783-2007  206-783-2007
www.portaliswines.com 
jens@portaliswines.com

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Portalis Wine Club – March 2009
Alves de Sousa (Portugal) 
Portugal has the oldest appellation system in the world, the Douro Valley, which is protected by UNESCO as World Heritage. The appellation was created around 1655, 200 years before that of France. This region produces some of the world’s finest, most unique and highest value wines.  It is also noteworthy that Portugal has a large variety of native vines (about 500) producing a very wide variety of different wines, including mainly blends.

This month’s wine club features the Alves de Sousa Estate (run by Domingos and his son Tiago) which produces some of the most exciting wines coming from the Douro. Alves de Sousa was the Portuguese producer of the year 1999 and 2006 as named by the Portuguese Wine Magazine.

Alves de Sousa 2004 Vale Da Raposa Red $17/case $13.60
A blend of Touriga Nacional and Tinto Cão from the Quinta do Vale da Raposa estate in the Douro. The vines are over 20 years old. Tasting notes: Aromas and flavors of orange blossom and fresh red fruit are making this red fresh and attractive. Very young, plenty of cherries but smooth, velvety texture, with very well integrated tannins. A perfect combination of two of the main Douro grapes, with the power of the Touriga Nacional balanced with the elegance and complexity of Tinto Cão.  Drink now to 2 years. Best matched with white meat, roasted chicken, turkey.

Alves de Sousa 2003 Quinta do Vale da Raposa Grande Escolha $37/case $29.60
A blend of Touriga Nacional, Touriga Franca and Tinto Cão from the same estate as above. The vines are over 60 years old. Tasting notes: Aromas of red and dark fruit, with spicy and herbal notes. Flavors of intense red and dark fruit, mainly cherries and blackberries. Full-bodied, complex, well-balanced, with great acidity. Fine tannins, and herbal notes on the long finish. An extraordinary wine. Drink now up to 4 years. Best matched with dark roasts, lamb, grilled steak.

Alves de Sousa 2004 Quinta do Vale da Raposa Tinto Cão $29/case $23.20
100% Tinto Cão from the Quinta do Vale da Raposa estate. The vines are over 20 years old. Tasting notes: Aromas of red fruit and cherries followed by flavors of raspberries, dark cherries and blackberries. Smooth, medium-bodied, velvety texture. Soft tannins with a fruity finish. It’s a very elegant and complex wine. Drink now up to 3 years. Best matched with hearty salads.
 
Enjoy & cheers!
Jens
 
Jens Strecker
Owner & Wine Manager
Portalis Wine Shop + Wine Bar
5205 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
 206-783-2007  206-783-2007

www.portaliswines.com 
jens@portaliswines.com

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Portalis Wine Club – February 2009
Nicola Biscardo, Italian exporter & winemaker 
This month’s wine club is featuring an upcoming winemaker and Italian exporter, Nicola Biscardo, who recently visited us for a wine tasting at Portalis. Nicola manages Conexport, a family-owned business that oversees a consortium of boutique wineries representing most all of the prominent wine regions in Italy. He was born in Verona into a family of winemakers. Raised in the land of Amarone, he took his first wine class at the age of nineteen while studying Political Science in college. It did not take him long to realize that he needed to continue in the family business of selling wine, so he switched to wine studies and attended the Masters program at the Italian Association of the Guild of Sommeliers. He is a professional Wine Taster, a Sommelier, and a member of The Society of Wine Educators. He lived in New York during the late 1990’s to market and organize the distribution of Conexport, but now lives in Verona and is the owner and winemaker at Marchesi Biscardo as well as the owner and winemaker at the Feudi di San Nicola project, where vines from Southern Italy are vinified in his facility in Northern Italy.
 
The three bottle wine club includes a Vedicchio dei Castelli di Jesi from Marche, a Primitivo from Puglia and a Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva.
 
Bonci 2007 Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi $16
Domenico Bonci founded the winery in 1900 which is located in Cupramontana and has been family owned since then. The current owner is Joseph Bonci who mainly grows Verdicchio. Tasting notes: Fine aromas of citrus, apples and almonds, followed by flavors of citrus fruits, pear, yellow plums and a hint of vanilla. Soft, medium-bodied with great acidity. Long refreshing finish with hints of almonds. Best paired with roasted white meat, fish and white pasta dishes. Drink now.
 
Feudi di San Nicola 2005 Primitivo $19.50
This red is made by Nicola Biscardo in his winery in Northern Italy (outside of Verona). The grapes are harvested in Puglia, Southern Italy, and then trucked to the Veneto area. Tasting notes: This red is made with 100% Primitivo grapes and shows aromas of sweet dark fruit, olives and plums, followed by flavors of ripe, dark fruit, plums and prunes with notes of black pepper. Smooth and velvety, fine tannins and a long, spicy, smooth finish. In Nicola Biscardo’s words, this is a “southern wine with a northern touch.” Try this wine with pizza. Drink now.
 
Ortaglia 2003 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano Riserva $36
The winery has been family-owned for centuries and is located in the town of Montepulciano in Tuscany. They winery is also known fore their olive oil production as well as a popular place to stay. Tasting notes: Made from 85% Prugnolo Gentile, the noble variety of Sangiovese that makes Vino Nobile so special, and 15% Mammolo grapes. This red is a full-bodied, intense wine showing flavors of plums, violets and dark fruit, with some spicy and herbal components. It’s a classic expression of both “terroir” and variety with a firm backbone of smooth tannins that will allow it to evolve beautifully for the next 5 to 8 years. Very good depth and length.  Best paired with grilled lamb, dark roasts.
 
Enjoy & cheers!
Jens
 
Jens Strecker
Owner & Wine Manager
Portalis Wine Shop + Wine Bar
5205 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
 206-783-2007  206-783-2007
www.portaliswines.com 
jens@portaliswines.com

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Portalis Wine Club – January 2009
Montsant & Priorat (Spain) 
Montsant and Priorat are some of the most interesting wine regions in Spain. The two regions are clustered together about 100 miles southwest of Barcelona, slightly inland from the Mediterranean coast. Priorat, also called Priorato, is probably the most ragged, atypical wine region anywhere in the world, with its very steep hills, stony villages, and special soil (thin, volcanic slate, with small pieces of schist), which gives the wines their special mineral character. Wines from the Priorat region are very famous, but the appellation is relatively small, with 60 wineries sharing 1500 hectares. 1991 was the first “commercial” vintage, where some wines were exported to countries outside of Spain.
 
Directly south of the Priorat appellation, not far from the town of Tarragona in Catalunya, lies Montsant, formerly the Alt-Priorat, and a subsection of the Tarragona appellation. Montsant became its own appellation in 2001. There are 40 wineries located in the Montsant appellation, some over 180 years old. They operate in the shadow of the famous Priorat appellation but produce stunning wines for a fraction of the price of the Priorat wines.
 
For the 3-bottle wine club we chose two wines from Montsant and one from Priorat:
 
Celler de Capcanes 2001 Costers del Gravet Montsant $26.50
The winery is located in the village of Capcanes, was founded in 1933 and served for several years as the village cooperative. Tasting notes: A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Garnacha, 20% Carinena. Big, full-bodied red, with ripe, almost roasted flavors of plum, prunes, cola and coffee. Elegant on the mid-palate. Great concentration and acidity. Long, clean, almost floral finish with fine tannins. Drink now through 2010
 
La Cova Dels Vins 2006 Ombra Montsant $19.50
This is the personal project of Capcanes winemaker Cisco Perello. The vineyards are located in the districts of Falset (Priorat) and Capcanes (Montsant) at 300 to 700 meters altitude. This red is produced from 3 different varietals (Garnacha, Carinena, Syrah) on 3 different soils. 96 year-old (!) Garnacha on chalk soils, 75 year old Carinena on slate soils, and 25 year old Syrah on clay soil. Aged for 14 months in French oak barrels. Tasting notes: Round and lush, with great fruit from the nose to the palate. Aromas and flavors of sweet plums, red fruit, with smoky components and a touch of pepper and herbs. Beautifully balanced and elegant. Doesn’t need much cellaring. Drink now till 2011
 
Celler De L’Encastell 2006 Priorat Marge REG $35/SALE $30.99
Family-owned, this winery was selling wine to other estates for a long time. The winery is located in the village of Porrera and started bottling its own wine in 1999. This red is a blend of 60% Garnacha, 14% Syrah, 13% Merlot, and 13% Cabernet Sauvignon aged for 8 months in French and American oak barrels. Produced from vines planted on pure slate. Tasting notes: A beauty that represents Priorat. A floral, herbal nose with notes of lavender and violets. Flavors of dark cherries, blueberries, plums and prunes. Medium- to full-bodied with a smooth, elegant texture and balance, with spicy, peppery notes. This red blend has terrific length and depth, and a long, smooth finish with fine tannins. You won’t find a better value from Priorat. Best from 2010 for a decade.
 
All these wines are a good match with grilled steaks, dark roasts and lamb.
 
Enjoy & cheers!
Jens
 
Jens Strecker
Owner & Wine Manager
Portalis Wine Shop + Wine Bar
5205 Ballard Ave NW
Seattle, WA 98107
 206-783-2007  206-783-2007
www.portaliswines.com 
jens@portaliswines.com