Really nice, opulent CDR from the 2007 vintage. I am finding myself liking the '07's CDR's more and more. Can't say the same about the CDP's yet...just too thick and rich for my palate. Perhaps they will soften a bit over time. But...the real bang for the buck is in these value CDR's!!!

This one retails for less than 15 bucks and is delicious.

GF’s Hot Hundred mid summer edition

Best case scenario for whites fifteen dollars or less.

2007 Guigal Cotes-du-Rhone Blanc $13.99 Amazing quality of winemaking on the grand scale – nothing new when you consider it’s from Guigal. 2007 was a great year and this CDR blanc has splendid aromatics and mouthfeel and that makes plenty of sense considering the presence of Viognier (aromatics) and Marsanne and Roussanne (texture and mouthfeel).

2007 Jean Rosen Pinot Blanc $12.99 Jean Rosen is a second label (or is it overproduction?) from the illustrious Domaine Paul Blanck. Crisp, correct, fruit-forward, and value-minded, the Jean Rosen pinot blanc is excellent value wine from the Paul Blanck vineyards. Frequently it’s on sale for 9.97 which is practically larceny.

2007 Daniel Pollier St-Veran $14.99 2007 was a delightful vintage in the Macon and Pollier’s St Veran overdelivers. Clean, crisp and taut Chardonnay with limpid gold color, pear and apple aromas brightened by lemon zest. Light-bodied and dry, with firm citrus and orchard fruit flavors, some lees character and a broad, warm finish. Exceptional value.

2008 Chateau La Gatte Bordeaux Blanc $13.99 This Suburban favorite is distinguished by its composition – 70% of Sauvignon Gris, relatively uncommon in the Bdx blanc blend. Rich mouthfeel and texture and a nice core of pear/apple fruit.

2008 Chateau Sainte-Marie Entre-Deux-Mers Bordeaux Blanc $14.99 A more conventional blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle, this has that blindingly fresh and snappy taste profile that makes good Bordeaux blanc so delightful. Plenty of bright, but honeyed around the edges, fruit behind the upfront acids.

2007 Latitude 50 Kabinett Feinherb $14.99 Very fine rendering of Riesling sourced by specialty German importer, Savio “Southbound” Soares. Has the feinherb designation, an off-dry Kabinett style which has the residual and acidity in perfect balance.

2008 Winzer-Krems Gruner Veltliner 1.0 litre $11.99 I love the litre format and this light and brisk Gruner Veltliner has been a summer staple for Suburban for the past few years. Why would anyone drink PG when this can be had for $8.97 most of the time?

2008 Vina Leyda Sauvignon Blanc Classic $11.99 I don’t think many will disagree with me that Chile is the world’s best source for bargain Sauvignon Blanc. There are countless good examples under the ten dollar mark but this Leyda struts its stuff at a higher level. As good as the Leyda valley Pinot Noirs have been, one might think that Leyda Valley has the relatively cool climate factoring into the precision of this SB fruit.

2007 Michel Fonne Grains de Genie $13.99 Lovely Alsace blend of 50% Pinot Blanc and the balance a mix of Pinot Gris, Riesling and Gewurztraminer. We are seeing more and more interesting and affordable blends (perhaps inspired by Deiss? At least the interesting part…) coming from Alsace and this is a particularly fine one. The dollop of Gewurztraminer really pops in this wine – aromatically.

2008 Terres Dorees Beaujolais Blanc $14.99 In the early 1990s, Jean-Paul Brun planted 3 hectares of Chardonnay on limestone soil. He has since expanded the production of his well known and sought-after Beaujolais Blanc by contracting grapes from a small number of nearby vignerons. The clay-limestone soil that the Chardonnay grows on is perfect for the grape. The climate, which is a little warmer than the Côte d'Or enables Jean-Paul to produce a rich wine with lots of character. It is bottled completely unoaked. When young, the wine has a very fruity bouquet that becomes more honeyed as the wine matures

2007 Boccadigabbia Ribona Le Grane $14.97 no further discount Until a few weeks ago I had never heard of the Ribona varietal, much less tried one. Lance discovered this one at VinItaly and poured it at our employee picks show and I was duly impressed. It reminded me a lot of Vouvray sec or a dry Chenin Blanc from Touraine. Another feather in the Boccadigabbia cap!

2006 Peter Lehmann Barossa Valley Semillon What a pleasure to drink! Apparently Lehmann pioneered this unique Semillon style – unoaked, lively, zesty, refreshing and crisp with plenty of fruit flavour and great length – and it has proved enormously successful. So much so that it is Australia’s most popular Semillon.

- George Feaver, Wine Director

Michael In Italy: When in Piemonte…

Naturally, food is the focus during a visit to Piedmont. Nowhere else does old-world cuisine seem so exotic, and at the same time so fresh and localized. But in exploring the delicacies of a special region, pairing the local wines with what you eat can double the pleasure, and complete the gastronomical picture. What better place for this scenario to unfold than in the land of the coveted Nebbiolo grape?! You bet your sweet bippy we drank our share of it, often in mature vintages. We were delighted by the affordability of these world-class wines when ordered from restaurant lists in their home region, so in some cases, we went a little crazy. Check out some of my notes on the Nebbiolo we drank there in May, and a picture of Deborah standing next to some of the great crus of Barolo.


’00 and ’01 Numero Uno Barolo Riservas 5/26/09
These new-world examples were apparently the house label of a small trattoria in Monforte d’Alba where we ordered our first meal in Italy. They were colossal wines that even after 8 years seemed drowned in their own oak. Not memorable.

’97 Costamagna Barolo Rocche del Annnunziata 5/26/09
My first experience with the producer. This had all the components that make Barolo so special….tar, licorice and rose petal notes presented with finesse over power. Fading tannins allowed the fruit to shine. Deb declared it the best example of Barolo she’s ever had, especially in the setting at Trattoria Della Posta in Monforte.

’04 Prunotto Barbaresco Bric Turot 5/27/09
Tasted at the winery in Alba. This is the wine I had mentioned in an earlier blog entry. Beautiful young-drinking Barbaresco with herb and olive aromatic notes. The tannins were in tune with the elegant texture. This is the type of Nebbiolo that draws in the Burgundy chaser.

’95 Sandrone Barolo Cannubi 5/27/09
Maturing nicely. This is distinguished and Rhone-like. Showing pepper and mineral with a resiny theme throughout. If this is the potential of aging Cannubis, then sign me up for a few bottles from each of the great producers. Paired exceptionally with rabbit braised in Nebbiolo at Giardino in Monforte.

’01 Antoniolo Gattinara Osso San Grato 5/28/09
I’ve always thought that this was the best producer in Gattinara, and I was excited to find the ’01 on the list at Albergo dell’Agenzia in Pollenza. This single-vineyard bottling drank at peak maturity. It started in classic Nebbiolo posture, with lots of tar and earth. Decanting further revealed an animal side that suggested Rhone. And finally it began to oxidize and resemble old-style Tempranillo. What a wild ride! I’ll call this one the chameleon.

- Michael Koehler

At any given moment, a wine professional can have a new favorite appear before them. We get to taste the juice of the world - good, bad and indifferent and every once in a while it’s good to pause and take stock of what speaks to you and compile it into a list - sort of an ultimate wine list that functions as a snapshot of your palate on a given day. As always, there are wines that you love for a time and they fall out of favor for whatever reason - vintage changes, price changes or a finer example comes to the fore. Therefore the Hot 100, is an ever changing thing and a fine exercise to keep your wine mind vigorous.

To keep things rational, there are no wines above the $50 mark and plenty of weight is given to value for your dollar. I have personally tasted, recommended and sold every one of these selections.

It begins with a salvo of twelve…

GF’s perfect case of reds – fifteen dollars or less

2005 Bodegas Benegas Don Tiburcio $14.99 – This Argie blend utilizing all five Bordeaux varietals utterly blew away the field in our under $15 blind tasteoff, besting 180 wines. No wine has ever finished in first by such a large margin. I gave it a monster score in the blind and sales have skyrocketed with no signs of abatement. Another indication of the awakening Argentine giant!!!

2006 Villa Malacari Rosso Conero $14.99 – Who knew Montepulciano could taste like this? This one hails from sandy limestone vineyards in Marche and has oodles of intensity and character. The flavor profile has dark cherries, spice, herbs, licorice and underbrush.

2007 Nicodemi Montepulciano d’Abruzzo $14.99 – Who knew Montepulciano d’Abruzzo could taste like this. Apparently Teremo is THE emerging sub-region for Monty of the highest quality and this bottling is the showcase. Darkly elegant, spicy and textural wine with a juniper infused blueberry quality that really pops upon your sensibilities. Clearly a producer to watch in the near future.

2006 Torre Quarto Don Marcello Rosso Puglia $12.99 – While most Puglian wines are more “rustic” than this bottling, the Don Marcello delivers what tastes to me like a far more expensive wine. The indigenous Uva di Troia is the base plus Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot - a very clever and unique blend. The vineyards are from around Cerignola (the land of my favorite olives).

2005 O’Leary Walker Blue Cutting Road Cabernet Merlot $14.99 – Another wine that won convincingly in one of our blind tasteoffs, “BCR” just might be my favorite Aussie wine pound for pound and dollar for dollar. Flavors of blueberry, spice and cedar from maturation in French oak - mouthfilling stuff with perfect acidity and tannic balance… continues to sell at a frightening clip so I am NOT alone!!!

2004 Rondan Rioja Crianza $13.99 – The 2001 was a living legend at Suburban and the supply was strong for years. Finally the vintage depleted and was followed by the equally fine 2004. Good Rioja is subtly persistent and midweight by definition and Rondan’s 2004 Crianza is the best we’ve ever found in this pricepoint.

2007 El Castro de Valtuille Bierzo Mencia Joven $14.99 – If you had said Mencia or Bierzo to a wine pro ten years ago you would have been met with a blank stare. This region has emerged quickly and is supplying us with beautiful old vine Mencia and its balanced and spicy dark fruited wines that evoke a hypothetical flavor blend between Burgundy and Chinon or Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc. This example from Raul Perez Castro Ventosa is shockingly delicious and complete.

2007 Clos La Coutale Cahors $13.99 – This Kermit Lynch workhorse is arguably the best known, and most widely distributed, Cahors. It has always been good stuff but the 2007 is THE GOODS! A blend of 80% Malbec and 20% Merlot, the 2007 Coutale is deep in color and has ripe and silky tannins and a 30 second plus finish.

2005 Chateau La Baume Costieres de Nimes $12.99 – The Andreoletti’s make only one wine and they make quite a lot of it. From their estate and vineyards that are littered with ancient statuary and unearthed fountains, they assemble a spicy midweight and perfectly balanced red that incorporates Carignan, Syrah and Grenache. This is a super versatile red that worked with all the divergent foods at a luncheon at their tasting room.

2007 Les Hauts du Colombier Vacqueyras Cuvee Centenaire $14.99 - The 2006 was a prime mover and with the faerie dust of the 2007 Rhone magic upon it, this Vacqueyras has gone to the next level. At any speed, 15 bucks is a silly price for Vacqueyras. Rich earthy and spicy and Grenache driven, this will easily trump most CDRs in the pricepoint.

2008 Domaine de La Patience Merlot Vin de Pay du Gard $13.99 - Who says Merlot is passé and lackluster? A rich and complex but not oaky at all Merlot from the deep South of France. Organic and Bio-dynamic wine that has wonderful flavors of blueberry, plum, licorice and spice and some splendid earth below it all… a revelatory bottle to say the least.

NV Petit Crau Vin de Table Francois $11.99 – From Rhone negoce Patrick Lesec, the non-vintage Petit Crau is a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre sourced mostly from the 2007 vintage (about 20% of the juice is from 2006). Delicious and satisfying midweek Pizza wine that is hard to put down.

- George Feaver, Wine Director

The Power of 2007

I’m sure by now you have heard it from someone, or have read somewhere that the 2007 vintage in California was exceptional. I always have my doubts when hearing such statements made, but now that many ‘07s are starting to show up in the market, I’ve been able to assess them for myself…..and I am now starting to believe the hype. Here are some quotes from wine critics about the 2007 vintage in California:

“I expected 2007 to be a great year for California wine, and indeed it's shaping up that way across the board for all varietals. What separates the truly great years from this best is that the top producers make grand wines, and wineries that normally produce good-to-very good wines rise up a notch or two. As the saying goes, "a rising tide lifts all boats" -- or, in this case, all wines.” – James Laube – The Wine Spectator Blog

“The 2007 vintage has yielded not just outstanding Pinots and Chardonnays, but Syrah and Zinfandel as well. With the superb 2007 growing season, California enjoyed yet another strong year, probably the most complete vintage since 2002 for the North Coast.” – Stephen Tanzer – The International Wine Cellar – Issue #144

“This has turned out to be the greatest vintage since 2001 or 2002 for the Bordeaux varietals in Napa. The wines display extraordinary fragrance and gorgeously seamless personalities, with sweet noble tannins as well as terrific concentration and length. It is a very exciting vintage, with more alcohol than 2005, but slightly less alcohol than 2002 or 2001. The wines should be approachable young because of the sweetness of the tannins.” – Robert Parker – The Wine Advocate – Issue #180

So as you can see, everybody agrees on the 2007 vintage. Now with that out of the way, here is the true first example of just how good the $20 Cabernets will taste. The 2007 Johnson Family Napa Valley Cabernet is made by Kirk Venge, who’s father, Nils Venge is the man who crafted the first ever California Cabernet to receive a perfect 100-point score from Robert Parker…..the 1985 Groth Family Reserve Cabernet.

It really just shows you how good the wines in this price are truly going to be, and just how much better the more expensive ones are going to taste. Get excited for this vintage, because as a wine consumer, this is going to be the vintage that will not disappoint while going easy on your wallet.” - Jason Fiore – Suburban Wine’s California Cabernet Wine Buyer

Tasting Note: The 2007 Johnson Family Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon exhibits an opaque purple color as well as a big, blackberry and floral-scented perfume offering notions of creme de cassis, spice box, and luscious licorice with sweet tannins and a full body structure. Beautifully opulent, full-bodied, and forward. It is drinking so well now, so why wait? It will also age very well.

Michael in Aspen: Prestige Champagne Tasting

We had to get up pretty early if we wanted a chance to sample the impressive lineup of brut Champagne offered at the Food & Wine Magazine Classic in Aspen on June 19th. So, we drank a glass or two fewer the night before, and managed to get 2nd-row seats at New York sommelier Robert Bohr’s (CRU, Daniel, Babbo) Prestige Champagne tasting/seminar before 10am. Assisted by a panel of unfamiliar professionals, the jokey and casually-dressed Bohr rapped informally about the greatest category of bubblies on the planet, and took our questions on the subject in general. Presented were samples of 6 prestige cuvees from five different producers….3 fermented in steel and 3 in oak. Here is what I tasted, how they tasted, and how I scored them:


2000 Dom Perignon ($150):
Tight and showing high acidity. Biscuity, yeasty flavors. Not yet complex, but has quite a linger. Give this dormant DP ten more years. MK 91+ points.

1993 Dom Perignon Cuvee Oenotheque ($500+):
Recently released. Toast and nutty yeast notes are more dramatic than in the ‘00. Acidity is tame but frames the wine perfectly. Elegant and fun to drink. Has started to come into its own. MK 96 points.

1996 Pommery Cuvee Louise ($150):
Rose petal aromas are reigned in by mild acetone. Tingly acidity. Fruit-driven and uncomplicated. Tragically flawed. MK 87 points.

1999 Bollinger Grande Annee ($100):
Aromas of apple skin/clay. Flavors are primary and the wine is a bit high-toned at the moment. It will ultimately prove to be mineral and more complex with age. MK 89+ points.

NV Krug Grande Cuvee ($150):
Heavily wooded with a core palate of yeast, smoke, toast and mousse, rather than fruit. The winemaking is noticeable but the refinement so remarkable. For a big wine, the texture is elegant and precise. I would hold this NV longer. MK 92 points.

NV Alfred Gratien Cuvee Paradis Rosé ($125):
Added as the over-achieving underdog. Tasting this cuvee, it does not seem to be of pedigree. It is fruity with bright acidity, but lacks complexity. Very pleasant but overpriced. Does not belong in the lineup. MK 86 points.

Three “sleepers” were big time winners at our June New York Expo Event

This year, Suburban Wines & Spirits held two major New York Wine events, one on 6/6 featuring about 40 wines from a dozen Finger Lakes vintners and the other on 6/13, featuring about 30 wines from eight Long Island and Hudson Valley vintners. As you might expect, many of the better-known New York wines did quite well. These are premium wines made in large production quantities that are distributed nationwide to liquor stores and specialty wine merchants like us by the major wine and spirits distributors. Examples of these popular, best sellers from the Finger Lakes were: Dr. Konstantin Franc ’07 Dry Riesling (Keuka Lake Southwest), Hermann Wiemer ’07 Cabernet Franc (Seneca Lake West), and, on a smaller scale, Lamoreaux Landing ’07 T23 Cabernet Franc (Seneca Lake Northeast).

Similarly, at our Long Island/Hudson Valley event, other well-known and commercially distributed New York vintners did very well. Examples of these popular best sellers were: Millbrook ’08 Tocai Friulano (Hudson Valley West), Pellegrini ’05 Cabernet Franc (North Shore LI) and Wolffer Estate ’06 Chardonnay (The Hamptons LI).

But we also poured wines from several small, limited production, artisanal producers with whom we have developed a long-term relationship and from whom we buy direct, because their wines are not commercially distributed. These were the “sleepers” of the tasting and many of them outsold their commercially distributed peers! For example, Chateau Lafayette Reneau NV Seyval/Chardonnay (Seneca Lake Southeast) was the overall best seller for both events. At the Finger Lakes event, tiny Villa Bellangelo (Seneca Lake West – next to Hermann Wiemer) not only tied for #2 best seller with their ’06 Francesca Rosso Merlot-Cabernet blend, named after the owner’s oldest daughter, but also tied for #3 best seller with their ‘07 Bella Bianca Seyval-Vidal Blanc blend, named after the youngest daughter. And the overall best seller at the Hudson Valley/Long Island event was from yet another small family run vintner – Whitecliff Vineyards (Hudson Valley) – with their captivating ’08 Awosting White Seyval-Vignoles blend.

With over 70 New York wine labels from 20 top quality New York vintners in stock, we are proud to be able to provide our customers with excellent wines from both widely available, high-volume, premium winemakers as well as small, hard-to-find, family-owned artisanal producers. - Jay Roelof – Suburban’s New York Wine Director

Michael in Aspen - In Praise of Pork

When Iron Chef Michael Symon first opened his restaurant Lolita in Cleveland in the ‘90s, he had trouble selling a menu item titled “Pork Belly”. Partner Tom Colicchio (Gramercy Tavern, Craft) suggested he rename it “Thick Bacon”. The same dish, re-titled, sold 40 servings on the first night! This story certainly demonstrates how far Americans have come in the last 10 years toward feeling comfortable with European-style cuisine. In the picture, Michael holds up a raw pork belly during a demo at the Food & Wine Magazine Classic in Aspen in mid-June, with which he proceeded to create the ultimate carnivore’s delight…..a pork belly and bacon sandwich. Before he bit into it, he proclaimed devilishly to the crowd “This is when it sucks to be you”.
–Michael Koehler

Michael in Aspen - Farm to Fork

On the east coast, we may know Michael Chiarello best for a Zinfandel, a “consorzio” of olive oils, a “stylish” Napa catalog of artisanal goods, and an “entertaining” cooking show. But if you lived in California, you would know him better for his one restaurant, Bottega in Yountville. As head chef at this Italian-influenced farm-to-table, he is an outspoken advocate for organic farming and local produce; one could imply he is the Dan Barber of the west. He likes to say, “we vote with our forks”, meaning, the consumer can change the paradigm of cuisine by choosing where and what to eat. Michael was super-polished in his seemingly off-the-cuff presentation, and is clearly connected to the chemistry of cooking. He made fresh mozzarella right before us, as he claimed to have done many times for the ladies he had dated! One fun result is the Boccontini, which Deborah is seen sipping below. Michael pours a martini glassful of tomato water and adds grey salt, and a skewer with alternating cherry tomatoes and balls of bocconchini. Refreshing, savory and non-alcoholic. –Michael Koehler