FEATURED WINES & WINERIES

Standard Selection - (1) Red, (1) White
1999 Charlotte Street Margaret River Chardonnay Semillon
1998 La Chance de Saint Luc Côtes du Roussillon

Red Wines Only Featured Selections
1998 La Chance de Saint Luc Côtes du Roussillon
1997 Valley of the Moon Zinfandel

White Wines Only Featured Selections
1999 Charlotte Street Margaret River Chardonnay Semillon
1999 E. Guigal Côtes du Rhone Blanc

Recipe for White Wine - Scrumptious Shrimp Salad
Recipe for Red Wine - Casserole Chicken with Braised Onions and Potatoes

1999 Charlotte Street Margaret River Chardonnay Semillon

Charlotte Street is a brand new venture in the Margaret River of Western Australia. Created by the Appellation's leading winemaker, Eddie Price, Charlotte Street's "raison d'etre" is the production of two top quality wines from this outstanding wine region. Using Margaret River's four best varietals, Charlotte Street has fashioned two new and exciting wines: a delicious white which marries some of Australia's best Chardonnay with Semillon, creating a hedonistic feast for the senses, and a unique red that blends three seemingly incompatible varietals: Shiraz, Cabernet and Chardonnay into a seamless garment of a wine. This intriguing red resembles many of the fine Rhone offerings like Cote Rotie and Chateauneuf-du-Pape that routinely practice varietal miscegenation.

The philosophy behind Charlotte Street is integral to the production of fine wine. Plainly, Price believes that the making of good wine is a process that involves many different factors, "But the greatest factor," he confesses, "is certainly the fruit". Growing good fruit is an arduous time consuming task and the flavor profile of fruit varies from region to region. Consequently, Prices uses only the rich loam and gravel soils of the Margaret River Appellation to shape the character of his fruit and bring it to full maturity. Aided by a breezy, mild Mediterranean climate that minimizes or even negates spraying and heavy pesticide control, Eddie and his cohorts are able to employ both traditional and modern winemaking techniques, including natural or wild yeast fermentations. In addition, many believe the ultimate quality of the fruit as well as the flavor found in Charlotte Street wines are due at least in part to the quality of the local waters and the abundance of wildflowers that abound in surrounding pastures. Undoubtedly, each adds to the quality and flavor of the fruit that Eddie Price so aptly fashions into what are sure to be award-winning wines.

Tasting Notes: The 1999 Charlotte Street Margaret River Chardonnay Semillon wears a rich, straw-colored robe with a hint of green, not unlike many of the fine, old-style California Chardonnays of yesteryear-wines that exhibit more natural color and flavor than most of their contemporary counterparts. Ripe, succulent fruit emanates from the glass: peach, honeydew, grapefruit and guava all purvey their olfactory wares to an eager nose. On the palate, soft, silky, textured flavors full of stone fruits and melons meld with the mouth-filling nuttiness of Margaret River Chardonnay. Each sip reveals an increasingly more interesting array of flavors, aptly borrowed from Chardonnay and Semillon alike. Given its lively cut of Semillon, this Charlotte Street offering finishes dry and tangy, exhibiting excellent acidity and a long, crisp finish that reminds us of lemon zest. Although designed for early consumption, we suspect this wine will continue to evolve in bottle for another year or two, garnering length and intensity as is matures. It's hard to imagine this Chardonnay Semillon becoming even more intriguing, but it displays all the requisite body, balance, fruit and acidity for longevity. Serve moderately chilled, but allow this wine to open a few minutes in your glass like a red wine. Enjoy!

Accompaniments: The 1999 Charlotte Street Chardonnay Semillon is a perfect accompaniment to contemporary cuisine. Dishes such as Mahi Mahi over Jasmine Rice with sesame seeds or Grilled Tilefish served in a lime butter infused with a cachet of exotic spices, are wonderful examples of modern day cooking that complement this pure, flavorful Chardonnay Semillon. Given the wine's noble progeny (Chardonnay and Semillon), this flavorful offering is more interesting and versatile, than most white wines. So whether you fancy the spicy and exotic or simple more traditional fare, you'll find the overt fruit and copious flavor of this Charlotte Street offering easy to like with most white meats, seafood and legumes. And, don't be afraid to try such hard to pair American classics like Shrimp Etouffe or Chicken Gumbo with this wine.

Recipe for White Wine:
Scrumptious Shrimp Salad

2 lbs. fresh shrimp (any size)
2 Tbl. onion -chopped
1 rib celery - slicedthin
½ tsp. salt
½ cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. Ground pepper
1 tsp. dry mustard
lettuce (Bib or Romaine)
1/4 cup red bell pepper (chopped fine)

Boil 4 quarts of water and drop in shrimp. Cook until all are pink. About 5 minutes after water returns to a boil. Cool shrimp. Peel and de-vein shrimp and cut into pieces.
Mix mayonnaise and dry mustard together and let sit about 10 minutes. Mix mayo with shrimp. Add remaining ingredients except the lettuce. Chill for 1 hour. Arrange lettuce leaves on plate and scoop shrimp salad on top.

1998 La Chance de Saint Luc Côtes du Roussillon

La Chance de Saint Luc Côtes du Rousillon is the result of a unique collaboration between two of southern France's greatest wine legends: Etienne Montes, the longstanding vigneron of the Côte's finest grapes and Jean-Luc Colombo, the world renowned oenologist from the village of Cornas. Together they have fashioned the finest wine we have ever tasted from the Côtes du Roussillon.

Côtes du Roussillon sets astride the Mediterranean in the foothills of the lofty Pyrenees, just north of the Spanish border. Originally planted by the Phoenician Greeks and later the Romans, the Côtes du Roussillon are one of the oldest continually cultivated appellations in the world. When devoted to the region's greatest varietals, Grenache and Syrah, the results are outstanding. Thanks to Jean-Luc Colombo and his friend Etienne Montes, we bring you over two thousand years of history and a modern day renaissance, all in the same bottle.

Introducing Jean-Luc Colombo

Jean-Luc Colombo is a dynamic young Rhone winemaker who is as passionate about wine as he is about life. Born in Marseilles on the Mediterranean Sea, Colombo developed a passion for the nearby Rhone Valley and its wines as a young man. After graduating with degrees in pharmacy and oenology, Colombo and his wife Anne, also a pharmacist and oenologist, were seduced by the village of Cornas in the northern Rhone Valley, where they moved in 1983. Once famous for its wines, Cornas was languishing between its great neighbors: Hermitage and Côte Rotie. What Cornas lacked was an innovative champion to restore the prestige of its appellation.
Critical of much of what he found, Colombo set up an oenological lab while preparing for the opening of his pharmacy, the first in the village. Before long, the wine consultancy became his primary focus, with the mission of helping local winemakers breathe new life into the region's wines. Today, the pharmacy has been sold, and both Colombos devote themselves entirely to wine with their team of 25 assistants.

In the face of adversity to change from old fashioned ways, Colombo has brought renewed vibrancy to the wines of the Rhone with his focus on natural growing methods and balanced ripe fruit. Since 1987, Jean-Luc has been producing remarkable wines from his own vineyard in Cornas. And, while his reputation as a master winemaker continues to grow, his passion and commitment have won him a significant following. He is presently consultant to over 100 winemakers from the Alps to the Mediterranean and the leader of Rhone Vignobles, an organization of 15 elite winemakers in the Rhone Valley who share his belief in the importance of terroir, his profound respect for nature and his desire to establish the Rhone Valley and surrounding Languedoc Appellations like Côtes du Roussillon as the world's premier wine region.
Colombo's wines have also been a hit with respected critic Robert Parker who has given ratings of 90+ to several of Colombo's wines; many of his wines appear on critics lists of "Highly Recommended" wines. Fortunately, the quality and momentum continue to emanate from Colombo's portfolio, increasing the likelihood that we will see more fine wines on this side of the Atlantic from this superstar.

Tasting Notes: A deep, dark, brooding blend of Grenache and Syrah, the 1998 La Chance de Saint Luc Côtes de Rousillon is testimony to both the power and the promise of the Côtes du Roussillon Appellation as well as the consummate quality produced by the formidable team of Etienne Montes and Jean-Luc Colombo. Exhilarating scents of black fruits, aromatic woodlands, anise and bergamot, the La Chance de Saint Luc captivates the senses. Rich, deep fruits laced with violets, coffee and cedar dominate the flavor profile of this layered complex wine that seems to unfold hour after hour in the glass until plush velvet emerges from an iron glove. Solid, rich ripe tannins dominate the finish and frame the Chateauneuf-du-Pape like flavors of his fine effort. Considering the formidable raw materials, impeccable balance and the overall quality of the 1998 vintage in the south of France, the La Chance de Saint Luc is certain to repay further ageing - that is if you can exercise enough restraint not to consume it now. Whether you drink it now or later, be sure to allow this benchmark Côtes du Roussillon at least an hour, or even two, before consuming it - you'll be glad you did.

Accompaniments: Undoubtedly, a host of traditional French fare as well as most meats and cheeses do justice to the 1998 La Chance de Saint Luc; yet, the "grand statement" and solid intense warmth of this lovely Côtes du Roussillon beg for simplicity. Simple, but fine cuts of beef, a crown roast of pork or lamb medallions in their natural juices would be preferable to fatty, less inspiring cuts of meat or highly spiced dishes, simply because the subtlety and nuance of the La Chance would be compromised. Certainly, the "La Chance" can hold up to almost anything you choose to throw at it, but like a fine Chateauneuf-du-Pape, less is more. This wine hardly needs food to make it shine. Give it some airing and enjoy!

Recipe for Red Wine:
Casserole Chicken with Braised Onions and Potatoes

½ lb. sliced bacon
1 lb. boiling potatoes
4 Tbl. Butter
1 herb bouquet (parsley
3 lb. whole chicken
½ bay leaf, 1/4 tsp, thyme)
15-25 pearl onions - peeled & cooked
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic - crushed
Cook bacon in 1 Tbl. butter for 2-3 minutes, until lightly brown. Remove to a side dish. Brown the chicken in hot bacon fat. Remove chicken and pour out fat. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Peel potatoes and trim to about 2" long. Cover with cold water and bring to boil. Drain immediately. Heat remaining butter in casserole until it starts to bubble. Add garlic, potatoes and cook over low-medium heat for 5 minutes. Add chicken to casserole. Surround chicken with potatoes and add onions and bacon around potatoes. Add herb bouquet and cover with
casserole cover or aluminum foil will do just fine.

Cook in preheated oven for 1 ½ hours or until chicken is cooked through. Baste chicken and potatoes 3 times throughout
cooking.

1997 Valley of the Moon Zinfandel

Haunted by history and romance, the Sonoma Valley was called "Valley of the Moon" by the Native Americans who inhabited the area. As the moon ascended in the evening sky, it appeared to rise, again and again over the peaks and glens of the Mayacamas mountain range.
Thus, the moon in all its phases is the symbol for Valley of the Moon Winery and vineyards, located in the very heart of the Sonoma Valley. The etched design on the bottle of each Valley of the Moon wine depicts the lunar phases surrounded by a "cosmos" of white dots, and the expression of moonlight, the reflected light of the sun.

Zinfandel is the premier red varietal of this historic estate, eclipsing all other offerings with its ultimate expression of strength and vigor. However, Valley of the Moon does produce several other fine reds, including: Syrah, Sangiovese, Barbera, and a Meritage blend called Cuvee de la Luna. On the fairer side, Pinot Blanc is the estate's flagship offering, while a small quantity of noteworthy Chardonnay is also released each year.

All of the Valley of the Moon wines are bottled with the minimal amounts of sulfites - typically in a range of twenty-five to thirty-five parts per million free-sulfites. Furthermore, Valley of the Moon uses no other preservatives in its wines, underscoring this estate's dedication to healthy, natural tasting wine.

Tasting Notes: Fire and power permeate the character of the 1997 Valley of the Moon Zinfandel. Produced from old vines, this muscular, nearly opaque wine offers up scents of bramble, wild raspberry and pepper in its heady, alcoholic nose. "No white Zinfandel aficionados need apply for this big-boned beauty", carped one of the panel's tasters. And how! In the mouth, brawn, bramble and blueberry flavors present themselves in statuesque fashion, followed by a hefty dose of healthy tannin; reminiscent of a first rate Barbera or Nebbiolo from Italy's Piedmont, this Valley of the Moon Zinfandel is sure to raise some eyebrows and draw a few smiles, too, especially among old-timers and cognoscenti, who remember the wines of yesteryear. Serve at cool room temperature, and enjoy this good old-fashioned Zinfandel.

Accompaniments: No longer any need to worry about what wine to serve with the heartiest, stick-to-your-ribs fare that comes off your summer barbecue; the 1997 Valley of the Moon Zinfandel will stand up to just about any summertime fare you can muster. Pork or Texas-style beef barbecue, briskets and marinated steaks are all fine choices with this Valley of the Moon offering. Garlic laden pasta salads, marinated eggplant and roasted pepper, prosciutto and mortadella, sausage and peppers, along with just about any other antipasto offerings from a good Italian deli provide first class accompaniments to this fine Zin. Have a party and enjoy!

1999 E. Guigal Côtes du Rhone Blanc

Marcel Guigal, the present guardian of this great estate, has been called the "planet's greatest living winemaker", "a genius", and "the best eleveur in France". So who are we to argue?
Founded in 1946 in the one horse town of Ampuis, by Etienne Guigal, Marcel's father, E. Guigal is both a domaine as well as a negociant. The firm is best known for its other worldly estate Côte Rotie bottlings and its splendid negociant Côtes du Rhone series, wines which are widely recognized as among the best wine values in the world. How can anyone argue against ultimate quality, and value, too? Nearly every wine that Guigal produces becomes the benchmark by which all others are judged, especially in the south of France, along the swift moving Rhone, where Grenache, Syrah and Viognier reign supreme.

Tasting Notes: Traditionally dominated by Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc, Guigal has begun to supplement his cepage for white Côtes du Rhone with significant proportions of Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne. Fermented at cool temperatures in stainless steel cuves, the 1999 Guigal Côtes du Rhone Blanc constitutes Marcel's greatest effort yet in this category. Using 40% Viognier in the final offering, this great estate has fashioned a medium dry white, which is both lush and aromatic. The entrancing scents of honeysuckle and peach define the heady bouquet and infuse the flavor of this fresh, in your face offering. Although seemingly medium-bodied, the Guigal Côtes du Rhone is heady stuff, masking its muscle and high alcohol behind the richness of flowers, pear, kiwi and minerals. Enjoy this lovely, dry Côtes de Rhone Blanc moderately chilled.

Accompaniments: Spicy appetizers, grilled fish and highly charged Asian preparations, all complement the 1999 Guigal Côtes de Rhone Blanc. We have especially enjoyed salads, prepared with grilled salmon, tuna or grouper in the company of this Côtes du Rhone. Grilled chicken, served over a complex mélange of greens and fruit, most notably strawberries, also makes for a splendid pairing. We suggest that you try a true Bouillabaise or Cioppino, too. The dry but lush flavor of this wine lends itself to rich tomato-based recipes, and other cantankerous wine bashing foods. The 1999 Guigal Côtes du Rhone Blanc also makes for a great summer party wine. Enjoy!