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Two Italian Wines That Will Benefit From Some Age
These two wines both require short-term aging. This was the first bottle we have drunk from Montesecondo. From an estate that has undergone a large transformation over the last decade, this is a wine worth following. If you do purchase a bottle then stick it in the cellar instead of pulling the cork! We were first introduced to Ronchi de Manzano just last month when we drank the good 2009 Refosco dal Peduncolo Rosso. The Brauros bears some similarities due to the purple flavors, pepper notes, and cool aspect but reveals more structure. If you are new to this producer or region then I would recommend you first purchase the less expensive Refosco before trying this selection. These two wines are currently available at MacArthur Beverages.
2010 Azienda Agricola Montesecondo, Toscana Rosso IGT – $19
Imported by Louis/Dressner Selections. This wine is a blend of 80% Sangiovese and 20% Canaiolo sourced from biodynamically farmed 15-year-old vines, fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged for 12 months in oak. There was a light nose. In the mouth the gently, structured red fruit was elegantly balanced with prickly acidity on the tongue, sticky tannins on the roof of the mouth, and a hint of spice. This need one to two years of development to realize its potential. **(*) 2014-2017. Find it at
2008 Azienda Agricola Ronchi di Manzano, Brauros, Rosazzo Rosso, Colli Orientali del Friuli DOC – $22
Imported by Williams Corner Wine. This is a blend of 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, and 33% Refosco. The fruit is sourced from vineyards planted in the 1970s on the hills of Rosazzo where there are marln and sandstone soils. It was fermented in stainless steel then aged for nine months in small French oak casks. There was a young nose of purple fruit and a suggestion of pepper. In the mouth the tight purple fruit makes way to tart red flavors with a fine texture, tannins, and a cool inkiness. The drying tannins mix with a touch of sweet spice and spicy quality. There was serious intent for this wine to age. **(*) 2015-2019.
Walking and Drinking in Seattle
In walking from my Downtown hotel to Capitol Hill I prefer to cut through First Hill. Located east of downtown and south of Capitol Hill, First Hill was a wealthy 19th century Seattle neighborhood. Many wealthy families built homes on this 300+ foot hill in the 1880s and 1890s. In the early 20th century many hospitals were built such as Grace Hospital (1908, predecessor to Swedish Hospital) and Virginia Mason in 1920. With the construction of I-5 in the late 1950s and early 1960s First Hill became cutoff. Zoning changes resulted in many tall post-war buildings being built. In 1976 Freeway Park covered a portion of I-5 bringing some connection across it.
From my hotel one simply crosses over I-5 on Seneca Ave walking a moderately flat block past the Freeway Park with the Convention Center in the background. This is where the terrain and buildings become interesting. The first several blocks are increasingly steeper. Some section are so steep as to easily swallow an 8+ story building in one block.
The hills and moderate density over 100+ years have left an interesting array of nooks and crannies in the form of underpasses, garages, and forested areas.
With the steepest blocks ascended the crest is marked by numerous Virginia Mason building of various heights and vintages. There are several interesting buildings within a tight radius of each other. The Blackford Hall from 1946 evokes a pre-war decade to me but it’s proportions work next to the deeply colored brick Cassel Crag building from 1925. An utilitarean building lies around the corner with interesting medical bas reliefs.
Continuing another block north on Terry Ave entices you with the Terri Ann apartments situated by an impossibly steep wooded ravine. Turning ones head to the right is the Talisman Condominiums designed by John Graham and built in 1965. He is one of the architects of the Seattle Space Needle which was completed in 1962.
Two nights ago I went to John’s hotel where Brian met us to kick back and try the 2009 Fidelitas, Cabernet Sauvignon. Drunk out of glass low balls this showed it’s appealing nature after half an hour. While the wood influences are marked, they are purposefully present with control. At $17 it is a good value and would make a pleasing wine at a restaurant. After a few glasses we walked across the street to Tango for dinner. While the wine list stated the 2005 Pinyolet, Seleccion the 2009 vintage was actually stocked. Having never drunk either vintage and anticipating an hours wait for our paella I quickly accepted the wine. There was enough time for the wine to open and I particularly liked the minerality of the wine.
Last evening the rain finally stopped, the sun broke through, and I was hungry. I finally realized that the restaurant which I always wanted to eat at, but had incorrectly recalled was The Apartment, was actually Dinette and very much in existence. The walk over left me thirsty for a cocktail so I picked my favorite, the Manhattan. With a life-long love of Maraschino Cherries (including the original, dark, dense, less sweet jarred cherries from Italy) I also like a rich rye that is sweet in my Manhattan. This was drier with a refreshing citrus note. Many thanks to Heather for making me feel relaxed.
The clouds lifted and so did the temperature. I walked back a slightly different route which took me past Melrose Market where Bar Ferdinand is situated. This pocket-sized wine bar and wine store had a good buzz of people drinking wine. When I spotted the Fatalone, Teres on the menu I professed my enjoyment of the wine and asked for something different. One sniff of a sample pour of 2010 Matteo Corregia, Anthos was all that was required to order a glass. I drank this last glass of wine, pleased after looking at buildings, thrilled to have discovered a new wine, and ready to fly home.
2008 Pendulum Winery, Pendulum, Columbia Valley – $15
This wine is a blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 43% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, and 2% Malbec. It underwent malolactic fermentation and was aged for 32 months in 25% new American oak and 75% in various second and third use oak. Last tasted this past September, this immediately showed more restraint than the endowed 2006 vintage. With a mixture of red and dark red fruits this showed some structure and barrel influences, in a dry, and pleasing manner. Good value. ** Now-2015. Find it at
2009 Fidelitas, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley – $17
This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from 25% Gamache, 20% Boushey, 20% Lady Hawk, 15% Hightower, 10% Discovery, 5% Champoux, and 5% Red Mountain vineyards. It underwent malolactic fermentation and was aged for 22 months in 50% new French and American oak barrels. The nose revealed dark red and blue fruit which was sweet. In the mouth there was dark red fruit with initial subtle sweet spices with a softness to the text but still plenty of enlivening acidity. There was just a hint of tart red fruit before fine+ ripe tannins came out in the finish. There is black fruit in the aftertaste. With air this shed some baby fat to reveal more structure with dark red fruit and vanilla notes in the aftertaste. **(*) 2014-2017. Find it at
2009 Pinyolet, Seleccion, Montsant, At Tango – $20
Imported by Peninsula Wines. This wine is a blend of 80% Garnacha and 20% Carinena that was aged for eight months in two-year old French oak. The Garnacha was sourced from vines planted in 1945 and the Carignena from vines planted in 1928. After one to two hours of air the nose revealed red fruit and raspberry candy. In the mouth there were initial flavors of red fruit, minerals, and citrus acidity. This wine became focused with stone flavors in the middle before turning blue in the finish. There was gentle weight, gobs of acidity, along with raspberry and cherry flavors in the aftertaste. *** Now-2017. Find it at
NV Manhattan, At Dinette –
This cocktail is a blend of Rye whiskey, muddled oranges, raw sugar, brandied cherries, and bitters. An oxidized blood-orange color with machine-made ice. A citrus nose with undertones of bitters and a hint of sweet rye. In the mouth cool flavors immediately make way to less sweet (dry) orange-citrus right before rye notes come out. The citrus fades as the rye stands out with a minerally, cola, and stone vein in the aftertaste. There is a floral perfume to this refreshing cocktail with an underlying darkness. Now.
2009 Sozo, Cabernet Sauvignon, Contribute, Columbia Valley, At Dinette –
There is a sweet, slightly scented grapey nose. In the mouth there is forward red and grapey fruit with a touch of darkness. With respectable acidity, this wine has a bit of everything but there is some roughness and heat. ** Now-2014. Find it at
2010 Matteo Correggia, Anthos, Rosso, At Bar Ferdinand –
This wine is 100% Brachetto. There was a medium-strength nose of perfumed, delicate berries and pastilles with a bit of grit. The strong nose entices one to take a drink. In the mouth powdery red fruit is tart with Myer lemon and floral Lavender flavors. This fun and fresh wine finished with floral herbs. *** Now. Find it at
The 2010 Tenuta delle Terre Nere, Etna Rosso
Earlier this week I grabbed a bottle of the 2010 Terre Nerre, Etna Rosso to go with a simple salad. I tried the wine a few times that evening and was generally unimpressed after having enjoyed the 2009 Etna Rosso last May. In my limited experience, I have been a fan of the 2009 vintage in Sicily. In typical fashion I shoved the cork back in, stuck it in my hotel refrigerator and got back to it two days later. It was much better and interesting but still tight. So if you pick up a bottle then definitely cellar it for a year or two. If you drink it now double-decant it several hours ahead of time. This selection is available at Whole Foods in Seattle.
2010 Tenuta delle Terre Nere, Etna Rosso, Sicily – $17
Imported by Marc de Grazia. The wine is a cranberry garnet color in the glass and a pure cherry-popsicle nose. In the mouth there was brighter red fruit with a sandy texture, a touch of dark fruit with a hint of perfumed ripeness. This subtle wine leaves a coating of fine to medium grapey tannins with a good amount of acidity. The finish is drying with red tart acidity. This needs some short-term aging to open up. **(*) 2014-2016. Find it at
A Pair of Affordable Spanish Wines
I occasionally try $10 bottles of wine to see if they are appropriate for daily drinking or larger-scale entertaining. I can certainly think of several $12 wines that have personality and are tasty, which I have personally served at our house. However, the $10 range is a bit tricky. This bottle of 2010 Pinol, Ludovicus is priced at $10. While I did not mind it, Jenn did not want to drink it. The notes of pruned fruit and impression of softness were too distracting so I would pass on this one. We have drunk the Maurodos, Prima before but somehow I never managed to write down a tasting note. Though priced a few more dollars than I would prefer, it is still a respectable buy for a wine which requires time to develop for a few years. These selections are currently at MacArthur Beverages.
2010 Celler Pinol, Ludovicus, Terra Alta – $10
Imported by OLE Imports. This wine is a blend of 40% Garnacha, 20% Syrah, 15% Carinena, 15% Tempranillo, and 10% Merlot. The fruit was sourced from vineyards at 1,200 feet on soils of clay and brown limestone. It was aged for four months in French and American oak barrels. There was tighter, structured blue fruit with a floral hint at first then some pruned fruit flavors as wood tannins and spice come out. The fruit is a bit soft in how it feels but eventually develops some texture. There is a bit of freshness in the finish. ** Now-2015. Find it at
2009 Bodegas y Vinedos Maurodos, Prima, Toro – $17
Imported by Grapes of Spain. This wine is a blend of 90% Tinta de Toro and 10% Garnacha which aged for 12 months in oak barrels. There was a subtle nose of mixed fruit. In the blue flavors of blue and red fruit are ripe with a gentle spice. There is a tart lift in the middle with cherry flavors (and something like blue candy) along with some dark spice. This need a few years to open up but has potential. **(*) 2014-2019. Find it at
The Jolly Roger Wine List
A group of us were at The Collins Pub in Pioneer Square, Seattle last night for some pre-dinner pints. After drinking the Boundary Bay IPA and the Russian River Brewery, Pliny the Elder I took a walk around. To my surprise I found pages from The Jolly Roger menu.
There is a rumor that the Jolly Roger operated in Lake City Way during prohibition. Apparently people would stand watch in the tower for any police activity and if needed alert the patrons. They could then leave through an underground tower. According to Paul Dorpat of The Seattle Times, it did not even exist during Prohibition. The plans for the building were presented by the architect on Dec. 15, 1933, a week and a half after the repeal of Prohibition. Originally operating as the Chinese Castle it became The Jolly Roger when the original license was revoked after two years. In 1979 it was designed a Historic Seattle Landmark and eventually burned down in 1989. If you poke around the web you can find Jolly Roger menus for sale from several different decades.
The prices on the wine list are interesting. The cheapest wine listed is the Claret for $1.25 per bottle with the most expensive being the “Imported Burgundy Macon Brand” for $3.50 per bottle. Particularly interesting are the bottle and glass prices. A $2 bottle of wine could also by had by the glass for $0.15. So either the bottles were big or the glasses were small!
The Very Young 2009 Fondreche, Persia
Several years ago Jenn and I drank quite a lot of the 2004 Fondreche, Persia. Circle Wine sold it at $15-$20 per bottle so not only was it a satisfying drink but was friendly on the wallet. I happily picked up this bottle last month from the shelves at MacArthur Beverages. On the first night this wine was unyielding and just not fun to drink so I put some gas in and popped it into the wine fridge. We went out to dinner the next night so I did not get to taste it again until the third night. It certainly changed for the better. There is very strong potential in this wine but it really needs age. I would recommend buying a few bottles then trying one in five years.
2009 Domaine de Fondreche, Persia, Ventoux – $23
Imported by Robert Kacher Selections. This wine is a blend of 90% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre with the Syrah sourced from 30-40 year old vines. It was aged for one year in barriques and demi-muids. On the third night the nose revealed red fruit and roast earth. In the mouth there was lovely black fruit and licorice which were flavorful and clean. The compact flavors were structured and left a coating of fine, perfumed minerality on the lips. There were very fine tannins with integrated acidity and perhaps a touch of warmth in the aftertaste. **(*) perhaps **(**) 2017-2025. Find it at
Tasting Wines with Nancy Priest of Frederick Wildman
A week and a half ago Lou and I went down to MacArthur Beverages to purchase some wine and taste a selection of wines poured by Nancy Priest of Frederick Wildman & Sons. Nancy is the Fine Wine Manager for the mid-Atlantic region. I tasted the white wines out of the little plastic cups so my impressions for those wines are brief. We did switch to wine glasses for the red wines and I very glad we did. For the nose on the 2001 Baron de Lay was in full-glory. It overshadowed the other wines with its complexity, depth, and engaging personality that floated out of the glass. This alone was worth the trip.
2009 Domaine Faiveley, Montagny Blanc – $17
Imported by Frederick Wildman & Sons. This wine is 100% Chardonnay which was aged for 10-12 months in tank and neutral barrels. There were flavors tilting towards cool with greenhouse and floral notes, a creamy mouthfeel, and turning citric-tart in the finish. Precise and nice!
2009 Maison J. J. Vincent, Marie Antoinette, Puilly-Fuisse – $18
Imported by Frederick Wildman & Sons. This wine is 100% Chardonnay vinified in stainless steel with 25% of the wine touching wood. This bore subtler yellow fruit, as compared to the Montagny Blanc, with notes of stone.
2001 Baron de Ley, Gran Reserva, Rioja – $40
Imported by Frederick Widman & Sons. This wine is 100% Tempranillo which was fermented in stainless steel before aging for 24 months in used French and American oak. All of the fruit is from Baja. There was a strong nose of red fruit, cedar, wood notes becoming minerally with red fruit and aged aromas. In the mouth the wine was slightly juicy with red cherries and a tart acidity that ran through the finish. Fresh in the mouth, it should drink well for some time.
2009 Hect & Bannier, Cotes du Roussillon Villages – $22
Imported by Frederick Widman & Sons. This wine is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Carignan, Mourvèdre and Lledoner Pelut. It was aged 40% in demi-muids, 30% in tank, and 30% in stock vat. This showed delicate, dark fruit, notes of lipstick, and a textured finish. Just a short note as I recently posted about this wine here.
2009 Paul Jaboulet Aine, Domaine de Thalabert, Crozes-Hermitage – $52
Imported by Frederick Widman & Sons. This wine is 100% Syrah vinified in neutral casks then aged for 12 months. The nose was dark and tight. In the mouth the dark fruit became dark blue fruit in the middle with compact, linear delivery that gave the impression of cool, strength and precision. A bit spicy with a wood note. The fruit, acidity, and tannins were taut and clearly needs to age for the mid-term.
We Try the Sagrantino Grape from Montefalco
Montefalco is located between Florence and Rome in the region of Umbria. The red wines of this area may be made from the grape Sangrantino. This grape is generally found only in the towns surrounding Montefalco. While there are different views about its origins it was first specifically mentioned in a document from 1598. Grown for centuries on the local hillsides, the Sagrantino grape was typically used to make a sweet passito wine or fortified wine. In the 1990s several winemakers started producing a dry red wine which was complex and long-lived.
The Italian Appellation system includes table wine: Vino da Tavola (VDT), Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT), along with quality wines from specific origins: Denominazione di Origine Controllata (DOC), and Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita (DOCG). These apellations require increasingly specific vineyard origins, permitted grape varieties, and production requirements. Today there are several different types of wines made around Montefalco including several Umbrian IGT and a Montefalco Sagrantino Passito DOCG. The two red DOC and DOCG certified wines are Montefalco Rosso DOC and Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG. Montefalco Rosso DOC is an earlier drinking wine made from 60-70% Sangiovese, 10-15% Sagrantino, and 15-30% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG is comprised over 500 hectares of vineyards and accounts for 6% of the Umbrian wine production. These wines must be made from 100% Sagrantino which is aged for 30 months, 12 of which must be spent in wood.
I really enjoyed both of these wines. The Cantine Novelli, Montefalco Rosso DOC is definitely a more approachable, earlier drinking wine. The Colpetrone, Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG ratchets up the flavor and concentration. While it is quite enjoyable with just a few hours of air this wine will certainly age and develop for many years to come. I believe both of these wines represent a good introduction to two styles of wine from Montefalco and are good value for the price. Both of these wines, along with several others from Montefalco, are available at MacArthur Beverages.
2006 Cantine Novelli, Montefalco Rosso DOC – $17
Imported by Red Ink Imports. This wine is a blend of 70% Sangiovese,15% Sagrantino, 7% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 8% Merlot. The fruit is sourced from a vineyard on soils of clay with a pebble/gravel mixture. The varietals are fermented separately, undergoes malolactic fermentation, with 15% aged in oak barriques. Ont he second night there was a light nose of jammy, red fruit. In the mouth the red fruit had a bit of lift before making way to cool blue fruit with a racy middle. The flavors were slightly jammy in the finish, with stone-like flavors, and gutsy acidity which picked up. This was fresh and enjoyable. *** Now-2017.
2007 Colpetrone, Montefalco Sagrantino DOCG – $26
Imported by Vias Imports. This wine is 100% Sagrantino which was aged for 12 months in French oak barriques. The fruit is sourced from 35 hectares of vineyards on soils of limey soil with clay deposits at 350 meters. This slowly opened over several hours. There were focused, black fruit with air, stoney ink flavors, and a hint of licorice. Towards the middle there were concentrated red fruit flavors, leather notes, and a little wood box to this wine where power lurks. The finish revealed lifted, blue fruits which were racy and inky. This young wine has an expansive finish with fine ripe tannins and some warmth. ***(*) Now-2022.