"I am allergic to red wines and WU is comfortable just shipping me white wine and will alert me to some other white wines that are not regular wine club selections."
— Kevin Bulivant, Wine Enthusiast
 |
2006 PIERO MANCINI, VERMENTINO DI GALLURA, ITALY
I must be craving pesto, pasta and shellfish since I went searching for a Vermentino. Here's bright, clean and lively wine that has a touch of citrus and nuttiness to it. Medium-weight in body and good acidity makes it a great wine to start with or to have with your main course of prawns and pasta. No ML or oak; just clean and bright. Mancini has been making wine since 1965 and has evolved with the times for a quality product. He is highly respected in Italy and around the world for his craft. Gallura, where the winery is, is a peninsula on the northeast corner of the island of Sardinia, a region that specializes in Vermentino. |
 |
2006 Domaine des Corbillieres, Sauvignon Blanc, Touraine, France
This SB is so aggressively varietal. It's screaming "I gotta be me" from the top of its lungs. It's bursting with fresh grass, crisp citrus and minerality and is the perfect springtime wine to pair with asparagus and goat cheese. Only 2,500 cases are made. In 1910, the grandfather of the current winery owners was the first to plant Sauvignon Blanc. At the time, the area was all Chenin Blanc—today it is mostly Sauvignon Blanc. Low yields, and nice ripe grapes make these some of the best values from the Loire Valley you can find. |
 |
2006 Domaine Thomas And Fils La Crele, Sancerre, France
Located within the appellation of Sancerre, in the tiny village of Verdigny, is Domaine Thomas. Jean and Ginette Thomas now run this impeccable estate. Both sides of Jean's family have been growers and winemakers in Sancerre for more than 10 generations. The first vintage purchased at the estate was the 1980, before Robert Kacher Selections had even been formed. The Thomas now has approximately12 hectares of vineyards, planted mainly to Sauvignon Blanc, with about half a hectare planted to Pinot Noir. La Crele is boutique and high quality to the max! First, La Crele is a vineyard designation that has vines that are 35 years old. Second, the soil (well drained with small pebbles) and placement on the hill only adds to the quality. Third, it is on the lees for 10-12 months. This is much longer than normal and is released later than other wines from this area, giving it a "reserve" quality. In the end, you have a opulent and zingy Sancerre to tantalize your palate. |
2006 CHATEAU CALABRE, MONTRAVEL BLANC, FRANCE
Everyone needs a good "drinking with friends" and a "food wine." It's great when both requirements come in one package. A blend of 90% Sauvignon Blanc, 5% Semillon, and 5% Muscadelle, this wine will satisfy your palate. No oak, clean, bright, sassy and a ton of grapefruit. Montravel is just east of Bordeaux. Daniel Hecquet is the winemaker and one of the best in the area. | |
 |
2005 VIEUX CHATEAU GAUBERT, BORDEAUX (50% SAUV. BLANC, 50% SEMILLON), FRANCE
The winemaker and owner of this terrific estate is the young Dominique Haverlan. He is the president of the Growers Association in the Graves region of Bordeaux. The estate is an historic site dating back to the 18th century. This is the top wine of the property and is sourced from the best vineyard parcels of the château. The estate and its vineyards are located in the small village of Portets, not far from the banks of the Garonne River. The soil here is composed of riverbed gravel typical to the region. All the wines made here are farmed using sustainable agriculture at low yields and very selective harvesting. • 50% Sauvignon Blanc and 50% Semillon • Fermentation in barrel (35% new) and aged on the lees for nine months with regular batonnage that adds texture and richness on the palate. • This wine can be enjoyed young or up to 5 years bottle age for more complex flavors.—Written by Robert Kacher |
 |
2006 Domaine De Gournier, Chardonnay, Vin De Pays Des Cévennes, France
This beautiful estate, owned by Maurice Barnouin, is located in the hills northwest of Nîmes, in the western Rhône Valley near the town of Uzes and the famous Pont du Gard. The viticultural area lies just outside the Costières de Nîmes appellation and can only label its wines as Vin de Pays des Cévennes. The wines of Domaine de Gournier however, aspire to greater stature than this simple designation. Being up in the hills, the microclimate is cool. The Barnouin family were pepinierists by trade (vine rootstock and clone experts), and Maurice's father was a pioneer in the regions re-planting with low-yielding, intensely flavored varietals like Chardonnay, Sauvignon and Merlot. The Chardonnay vines at Gournier are pruned for hand-harvesting to ensure the most stringent selection of grapes for the best wine possible. Fermentation takes place both in barrels (60% in new oak) and in stainless steel tanks, with the wine aged on the lees for 6 months before bottling. The flavors are rich and complex. Notes of fresh pear and a hint of butter fat mingle with scents of vanilla and smoke. This lovely, medium-bodied wine has a richness that is balanced by the clean, pure finish. (Written by Robert Kacher, Importer) |
2006 VARNER, CHARDONNAY, SANTA CRUZ MOUNTAINS, CALIFORNIA(3 different vineyard designations) 3-750ml- Let's just say this: finding good Chardonnay is the hardest part of domestic buying. We taste a lot of wines, and it can be depressing, but when you find something like what these guys are doing, you feel like you're helping make the world a better place. It's not surprising, they do everything right. They don't irrigate, they have tiny yields (1.5 to 3 tons/acre), and their soil is full of stone. They're true organic farmers, not the type who use pesticides and herbicides that are "technically" organic, but are labeled with the skull and crossbones. Not to mention the wines are delicious year after year. In fact, they continue hover around $30, when it costs $15 to $20 more to get something of comparable quality north of San Francisco. Dollar for dollar, these are my favorite Chardonnays in the country. Order the three wines below. | |
 |
2006 Amphitheater Block
From my experience, the Amphitheater Block is generally the most mineral and leanest of the three Chardonnays. It certainly has plenty of chalky mineral, but this wine is far from lean this year. Slightly lower acidity makes it very voluptuous and dare I say sumptuous. Makes you wonder if it will pull the most Parker Points this year. |
 |
2006 Bee Block
I'm personally a little annoyed at myself when I write "honey" as a tasting note for the Bee Block because it contradicts the unpredictable, pirate taster that I aspire to be. But no doubt, the honey is there. There's also a subtle oak character that couples with citrus fruit flavors and reminds me of cinnamon lemonade. Lotsa good mineral/richness dichotomy in this one. |
 |
2006 Home Vineyard
The Home Vineyard has always been a personal favorite of mine. It always has this purity to the fruit that I really fall for. "Purity." What does that mean, exactly? It's hard to describe exactly, but when I taste this wine, that's what comes immediately to mind. Harmony is another good word that doesn't have anything to do with the flavors. Purity and harmony. |
 |
2006 Vino Noceto, "Nutz!" (Red Blend-1/2 Sangiovese, 1/2 Barbera), Amador County, California
An affordable everyday drinking wine from California...it does happen! This is enjoyable and smooth and you can drink it with or without food. Good for parties too! This from a family run winery and these guys are the Cal-Ital experts for Amador County. WU members have loved their Sangiovese before, so I'm sure members will be "Nutz" for this one as well. |
 |
2005 ARTEO, GARNACHA, LA MANCHA, SPAIN
Old-world style wine with some cherry juice, nutmeg and good tannin structure. A great value for a house-style wine. You can bet you'll find this at Casa Camacho, being served with casual pizza or a BBQ with friends. Delicious and easy on the pocketbook. |
 |
2006 Azul Profundo, Pinot Noir, Bio Bio Valley, Chile
Nothing's better than being early on the scoop for new discoveries. Here's an American husband/wife team creating spectacular wines down in Chile. It's definitely a New World style of Pinot, but still has the beautiful silky texture that a good Pinot features. With 38% new oak, this wine comes across balanced, strong but yet smooth. The winemaker prefers to decant this wine. Only 600 cases were made, with only a portion being sold in California. |
 |
2004 BORGO DI COLLOREDO, MOLISE ROSSO (100% MONTEPULCIANO), MOLISE ITALY
Continuing the theme of 100% unusual, but not quite at the level of the Grillo, here is 100% Montepulciano. The inviting leather-filled nose is supple and full-bodied but it can deftly handle many foods. The personality of the winemaker really shines through. Wine award for the 03 version: "...here's a secret. Enrico di Giulio makes absolutely killer Montepulciano in Italy's Molise province. His 2003 Molise Rosso, from vineyards within spitting distance from the Adriatic, is lively and fresh. I've made it my go-to wine for summer barbecues." Wolfgang Weber - Critic's Picks ~ Wine and Spirits Magazine, June 2007 |
 |
2006 CASCINA ADELAIDE, BARBERA D'ALBA, VIGNA PREDA, ITALY
Last year this winery's Barbera was a big hit. Members just couldn't get enough of it. As with so many of Cascina Adelaide's wines, this strikes just the right balance between richness and extraction on one hand, and drinkability and elegance on the other. Although this is a Barbera "Superiore," and can be more of a centerpiece to a meal than just something to knock back with a slice of pizza, the wine never goes over the edge. You will probably find the bottle empty long before you are ready to stop drinking it.... |