Michael Kirkendoll 4/7/23 Michael Kirkendoll 4/7/23

March Wine Club

Wine Club, March 2023

Lopez de Heredia, Viña Tondnia Reserva, 2011
Clos du Val, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2019
Château Pégau, Cuvée Maclura, 2020

WINES

2011 Lopez de Heredia, Viña Tondonia, Reserva, La Rioja, Spain
2021 Clos du Val, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California
2020 Château Pégau, ‘Cuvée Maclura’, Côtes-du-Rhône, France

LOPEZ DE HEREDIA
2011 Viña Tondonia, Reserva, La Rioja, Spain

Tempranillo (70%) – Garnacho (20%) – Graciano/Mazuelo (10%)

Over the past 3 months, we have offered the full range of wines from Lopez de Heredia, featuring their 2014 'Cubillo' Crianza, 2011 'Bosconia' Reserva, and finally their prestige wine, the 2011 'Viña Tondonia'. For over 145 years, this estate has been a benchmark in La Rioja and the wine is now made by Maria Lopez de Heredia, the great-great-grandaughter of the estate's founder. All of the wines here are magical and absolutely traditional. Fermentation is done in 140+ year old wood vats, and aging takes place for extended periods of time in American oak barrels which are made in the estate's own cooperage. The 'Viña Tondonia' is their prestigious single vineyard located at a bend in the Ebro river just on the edge of Haro, the center for wine production in La Rioja and a few hundred meters from the estate itself. The soil here is a mix of alluvial sand and limestone with lots of poplar trees, dotted with square plots of vines growing as 'gobelets' (individual plants/bushes rather than vines tied to a trellis system).

The Tondonia vineyard is the source for all of the fruit for the estate's top wines, including the rare Gran Reservas which have only been produced 20 times in 140 years, despite the estate's aging regimen that technically makes all of their wines Gran Reservas. The general rule for a Gran Reserva wine in La Rioja is that it much undergo at least 5 years of total aging, with a minimum of 2 years in oak. The standard is 3 years in oak and 2 years of bottle aging. Following the fermentation in the oak vats on wild/native yeasts, ‘Viña Tondonia’ ages for an incredible 6 years in American oak barrels allowing for a slow oxidative process to develop an incredible depth of flavor and aroma in the wine, plus additional time in bottle in the estate’s cellars. Each year, the wine is racked twice meaning it is moved from one barrel to another, and there is traditional fining done using egg whites that help to bind large particles that can be easily filtered out. This aging protocol is remarkable and is one of the things that contributes to the very long life and ageability of the ‘Viña Tondonia’. As a point of reference, the Gran Reserva when it is made, ages for 10 years in oak barrels and might stay at the estate for another 5 or 10 before release! The 2011 vintage is the CURRENT release for the Tondonia Reserva.

I adore this wine for its depth and incredible warmth. It always feels special to enjoy it with friends, whether sipping alone or with some grilled/smoked meat, charcuterie, or aged cheese. I recently had the opportunity to share a bottle of 1991 Tondonia Reserva around a fire pit with a cigar (a very rare thing for me) and new friends and it was nothing short of extraordinary.

Like all red wines from La Rioja, the primary grape here is Tempranillo blended and supported by the other primary red grapes of the region Garnacha, Mazuelo, and Graciano. Tempranillo is famous for its red fruit profile and outstanding acidity and tannic structure. The aging in American oak lends these wines hallmark aromas of coconut and dill that bring a fantastic roundness to the other sweet spices that come from the extended aging. You will not find the powerful vanilla notes here as the barrels are all well-used. Instead, the wines fruit profile turns more to dried and dessicated instead of ripe and we note a pronounced sense of earthiness, dried flowers, smoke, tobacco, leather, and game qualities. This is definitely a wine for meditation that can be perfectly enjoyed today or held for 30 years in good conditions. I encourage you to take an opportunity and purchase extra bottles to keep in the cellar. Enjoy one now, and taste others as the wine continues to develop. You will not be disappointed!

Serve just above cellar temperature 58º-62ºF
Drink: will drink beautifully right now but will continue to age for at least 30 years.
Food pairings: see above

CLOS DU VAL
2021 Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley, California

Cabernet Sauvignon with small amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Malbec

One of the most historic estates in Napa Vally, Clos du Val produces classically-styled Cabernet Sauvignon in the Stags Leap District. Founded in 1972, the estate was founded, and the inaugural 1972 vintage was among the 6 California red wines selected for the famous 'Judgment of Paris' Blind Tasting held in 1976. This benchmark wine sets a standard against which other Cabernet Sauvignons continue to be measured. The wine is an expression of the French influences here, featuring Cabernet Sauvignon blended with small percentages of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, and Malbec. Aged for 16 months in a mix of new and neutral French oak, the wine exemplifies what I consider 'classic' Napa Valley style: ripe black fruit along with notes of plum and blueberries; freshness and acidity alongside the firm tannins rather than just jamminess; touches of cedar, baking spice, and savory herbs. I love this producer and think these wines are delicious now, but will continue to improve for a few years and drink beautifully for at least a decade.

Serve at 60º-65º F
Can drink now but best after 2024. Hold 10-20 years.
Food Pairing: Big wines call for big food. Steak, juicy burgers, grilled vegetables. This wine can also go with slightly leaner meats like pork chops or rack of lamb.

CHÂTEAU PÉGAU
2020 ‘Cuvée Maclura’, Côtes-du-Rhône, France

Grenache (60%) / Syrah (20%) / Mourvedre (10%) / Cinsault (10%)

Château Pégau and Domaine du Pégau produce some of the most storied wines in France's Southern Rhône Valley. This region is the home of some the world's finest Grenache, primarily used in the famous GSM (Grenache-Syrah-Mourvèdre) Blends of the Côtes-du-Rhône and the mighty Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The estate is operated by Laurence Ferrand, the daughter of the founder. Wines are all organic and made with a special care and attention. The purchase of Château Pégau was recent (2012) and it is there that they produce their Côtes-du-Rhône and Rosé wines. The Domaine du Pégau, where the Châteauneuf is made, is like walking into your neighbors home-brew operation in the garage. The caveau is located on a side street in the town of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and when I visited in 2011, an old Frenchman in a white tank top met us, smoking a cigarette. We then enjoyed a tasting of some truly astonishing wines, and the domaine has been one of my favorites ever since. While the estates premiere wines are the three profound Châteauneuf-du-Pape cuvées (2 of which are on the menu here), their Côtes-du-Rhône are among the best everyday wines of the region. The 'Cuvée Maclura' is a blend of Grenache (60%), Syrah (20%), Mourvèdre (10%), and Cinsault (10%). It has a very generous nose and the ripeness of the fruit is evident immediately. Aromas of cassis and licorice are met on the palate by smooth tannins. The wine is fresh with a bright 'aliveness' and is fermented on natural yeasts, entirely whole-cluster, and aged for one year in a neutral tank rather than oak.

Serve at 60ºF.
Drink: Drink now - will hold for 3-5 years
Food pairings: bacon, grilled meats, creamy cheeses, barbecue

Michael Kirkendoll 3/30/23 Michael Kirkendoll 3/30/23

February Wine Club

Wine Club, February 2023

Lopez de Heredia, Viña Bosconia 2011
Trombetta, ‘Gap’s Crown’ Pinot Noir 2014
Pax, Sonoma-Hillsides Syrah 2021

WINES

2011 Lopez de Heredia, Viña Bosconia, Reserva, La Rioja, Spain
2014 Trombetta Family Wines, ‘Gap’s Crown’ Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap, Sonoma
2021 Pax, Sonoma-Hillsides Syrah, Sonoma

LOPEZ DE HEREDIA
2011 Viña Bosconia, Reserva, La Rioja, Spain

Tempranillo (80%) – Garnacho (10%) – Graciano (5%) – Mazuelo (5%)

It is not an exaggeration to say that Lopez de Heredia is among the most important and historic wine producers not only in Spain, but in the entire world. They have been the model for traditional Rioja wines for over 140 years, producing some of the most historic, age worthy, and magical wines on the planet. Founded in 1877 by Don Rafael de Heredia, the estate is now run by his great granddaughters Maria-José (who is also the winemaker) and Mercedes, and has always been family owned and operated. So many things about this producer are truly unique:

They only estate fruit for their wines (most producers in La Rioja purchase fruit from growers or lease land for their grapes).
All of their wines are single vineyard ‘crus’, not blends from different parts of the region.
Aging protocols go far beyond the standards for Spanish DO laws.
All of their wines, including the whites, are fermented in LARGE oak vats as old as 130 years which are continually maintained and repaired by the estates own coopers.
They age all of their wines exclusively in American oak, and for extended periods of time. All of the oak barrels are built in the estates own cooperage which produces some 30,000 new barrels each year!

While the two white wines, Tondonia and Gravonia, are among the rarest and most transcendent whites on the planet, their three red wines represent the model for traditional Rioja winemaking. These three wines, Viña Tondonia, Viña Bosconia, and Viña Cubillo, offer a deep look into the role of time in winemaking and wine enjoyment. In La Rioja, red wines are generally aged to result in one of three designations: Crianza, Reserva, and Gran Reserva. These indications are a guide to how the wines were aged, and typically explain not only pricing, but quality and longevity. The aging standards for the La Rioja DO are:

Crianza: Minimum 1 year in oak / 2 years total aging
Reserva: Minimum 1 year in oak / Minimum 6 months in bottle / 3 years total aging (typically 2 years in oak and 1 in bottle)
Gran Reserva: Minimum 2 years in oak / minimum 2 years in bottle / 5 years total aging (typically 3 years in oak and 2 in bottle)

Lopez de Heredia ages ALL of their red wines to nearly a Gran Reserva level, but the only wine they put the ‘Gran Reserva’ label on is the Viña Tondonia, and they have only done so 20 times in 140 years! This kind of quality control and desire for a recognition of the truly great vintages makes them incredibly unique in the entire wine world. The Viña Tondonia will regularly spend 5 years aging in wood before spending more time in bottle at the estate prior to release.

Last month, you received the 2014 Viña Cubillo Crianza. The 2011 Viña Bosconia is another single vineyard offering that enjoys an even longer aging in American oak (5 years). Like all of the Heredia wines, the wine is fermented in giant 140+ year-old wood barrels! As wines from Lopez de Heredia age, they take on more earthy notes and hallmark cigar box and dried flowers are present. Outstanding with smoked meat, aged cheeses, or just outside by the firepit!

Serve just above cellar temperature 58º-62ºF
Drink: will drink beautifully right now but will continue to age for at least 10 years.
Food pairings: see above

Trombetta Family Wines
2014 ‘Gap’s Crown’ Pinot Noir, Petaluma Gap AVA, Sonoma County, California

Pinot Noir (100%)

Trombetta Family Wines is a fantastic small producer run by the mother-daughter team of Rickey Trombetta and Erica Stancliff. These are wines that express the beauty of cool-climate California Pinot Noir with absolute precision and elegance. Erica Stancliff has acted as head winemaker since 2014 and is a rising star in the California wine industry. Trombetta produces wine from some of the best vineyards in the Petaluma Gap AVA which is a pristine West-East trough in the Coastal Range that draws cool air from the Pacific Ocean. The AVA was officially established in 2017 and is in the southern part of Sonoma County, just 25 miles from the Golden Gate Bridge. These cool winds help the area to have a dramatic diurnal temperature range that can swing 50º in a single day. The area is known mostly for tremendous Pinot Noir, especially at the ‘Gap’s Crown’ vineyard. This vineyard of just over 100 acres is home to some of the greatest Pinot Noirs in all of California.

Serve at 60º F
Drink now or hold for up to 10 years.
Food Pairing: delicious with salmon, duck, lamb, lean red meat, roasted carrots, mushrooms, earthy cheese

PAX
2021 Sonoma-Hillsides Syrah, Sonoma, California

Syrah (100%)

What can I say about this wine, but ‘Yay’! This has been one of my favorites since I first experienced their 100-point 2017 version. The new 2021 vintage has already garnered great praise, with 98-point reviews, and incredible press from critics and sommeliers alike. Pax Mahle makes wines that are just special. His Syrahs are new-world representation of the great Syrahs from the Northern Rhône Valley. Grapes are typically picked slightly underripe which helps to boost the acid and keep the alcohol levels lower than what might be expected from California Syrah. Entirely made with whole-cluster fermentation, and crushed using the traditional pied-de-cuvée (the foot stomp!), there is an incredible complexity to this wine. The Sonoma-Hillsides Syrah is a blend of several of Pax’s top single vineyards and produces a classic and exciting example of the grape. Rich and earthy, with notes of black olives, wild game, black pepper, leather, smoke, sweet cigar, and a gorgeous mix of blackberry, blueberry, and plum. Aromas of purple flowers round it out and the rich body is cut by the bright acid that lifts the wine as it crosses the palate. This is a delicious wine now, but will continue improving for 10-20 years.

Serve at 60ºF.
Drink: now-2040
Food pairings: pepper-crusted steak, tapenade, smoked meat, barbecue, hearty stews

Michael Kirkendoll 2/2/23 Michael Kirkendoll 2/2/23

January Wine Club

Wine Club, January 2023

Lopez de Heredia, Viña Cubillo, 2014
Caparzo, Brunello di Montalcino 2017
Chateau Musar, Rouge 2016

WINES

2014 Lopez de Heredia, Viña Cubillo, Crianza, La Rioja, Spain
2017 Caparzo, Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany
2016 Chateau Musar, Rouge, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

LOPEZ DE HEREDIA
2014 Viña Cubillo, Crianza, La Rioja, Spain

Tempranillo (65%) – Garnacho (25%) – Graciano/Mazuelo (10%)

They only estate fruit for their wines (most producers in La Rioja purchase fruit from growers or lease land for their grapes).
All of their wines are single vineyard ‘crus’, not blends from different parts of the region.
Aging protocols go far beyond the standards for Spanish DO laws.
All of their wines, including the whites, are fermented in LARGE oak vats as old as 130 years which are continually maintained and repaired by the estates own coopers.
They age all of their wines exclusively in American oak, and for extended periods of time. All of the oak barrels are built in the estates own cooperage which produces some 30,000 new barrels each year!

Crianza: Minimum 1 year in oak / 2 years total aging
Reserva: Minimum 1 year in oak / Minimum 6 months in bottle / 3 years total aging (typically 2 years in oak and 1 in bottle)
Gran Reserva: Minimum 2 years in oak / minimum 2 years in bottle / 5 years total aging (typically 3 years in oak and 2 in bottle)

In the case of this month’s wine, the Viña Cubillo, we are enjoying a remarkable wine that, while labeled a ‘crianza’, ages for 2 years in oak barrels and 2 more in bottle at the estate, making it almost eligible for Gran Reserva status. That said, this 2014 vintage is the CURRENT RELEASE from the estate. The use of old, neutral barrels for this extended period of time helps to produce an amazing earthiness in the wine, combined with beautiful acid and riper fruit components than in the Bosconia or Tondonia. Their are amazing elements of tobacco, dried citrus, and lovely hints of coconut and dill from the oak. This is a wine that can be sipped on alone or enjoyed with any kind of meat from pork to smoked meats or grilled steaks. Some Manchego, olives, jamon, and a cigar wouldn’t be bad either!

Serve just above cellar temperature 58º-62ºF
Drink: will drink beautifully right now but will continue to age. Open this one up soon and come back for more!
Food pairings: see above

CAPARZO
2017 Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

Sangiovese Grosso (100%)

Brunello di Montalcino is to Tuscany what Barolo is to Piemonte. In great vintages, Brunello can be one of the world’s most dynamic and age-worthy wines living easily 50 years and beyond. It is also remarkably diverse in style and in variation from vintage to vintage as it is so receptive to different soils, elevations, aspects, and weather. That said, it is, in my opinion, among the most consistent wines/regions for high quality year-in, year-out provided you select wines from the esteemed and historic producers of the region. I am never disappointed in a Brunello, and more often than not, I am enthralled.

Montalcino is a small hill town in Tuscany, about 40 minutes south of Siena. The hills that surround this tiny hamlet hold some 250 wineries in an area of about 90 square miles, of which only 15% is planted to vines. The city of Topeka is just over 60 square miles for a frame of reference. The places where vines grow best are thick with them, rolling up and down slopes facing every direction, all protected in the south by Monte Amiata, a large extinct volcano on which locals can ski in the winter! The soils in Montalcino are extremely varied because they were formed over a number geological ages. The bottoms parts of the hills and valleys tend be loose and sandy, while as you climb, you encounter dense stony bits from decomposed marl (clay) and limestone. These higher parts reach elevations as high 650m, while the lower vineyards are at 120m. This range produces wide swings in ripeness and acidity as the combination of heat and wind can change the constitution of a grape significantly. All of that simply means that, as with most real estate, location matters a great deal. While their is not one ‘best’ site for Brunello, each corner of the region tends to produce a certain style, from the more powerful high elevation wines near Sant’Antimo in the south of the region to the more floral and earthy profile of wines on the north side of the town of Montalcino itself. Many producers will actually have vineyards located in different parts of the region so that they can blend them together and create a wine with all elements. This is what happens in the green label Brunello of Caparzo.

While Caparzo makes a few single-vineyard bottlings from around their property, their base Brunello (the green label) is a tremendous example of classic Brunello style. All Brunello di Montalcino is produced from 100% Sangiovese grapes, locally called Sangiovese Grosso from the clone created by Biondi-Santi in the 1850s. This is a slightly larger version of Sangiovese than we find in Chianti Classico and helps producer richer, more powerful wines. Sangiovese here can be quite tannic and produces higher alcohol wines than in other parts of Tuscany. The hallmark acidity of the grape is its ‘super power’ as this balances the wines and gives them the energy to have such amazing aging potential. In order to be called a Brunello, the wines must age for a minimum of 5 years, of which at least 2 years must be in barrels. Barrels can range from the traditional large Slavonian oak barrels (as big as 5000L) to small French oak barriques of just 250L. This is one of the differences in traditional vs. modern winemaking in this region (and throughout Italy in general).

Caparzo’s Brunello di Montalcino ages in a mix of these larger and smaller barrels for 2-3 years, then is bottled and rests in the cellars until its release. This is classic Brunello with a ruby color and hints of garnet, aromas of cherry and wild berries, firm tannins, bright acidity, and a persistent finish that changes as the wines sits in the glass. A delicious introductory wine to the region and a longtime personal favorite for its incredible quality and value.

Serve at 60-65ºF
Can drink now - will continue improving over the next 7-10 years and will hold for 15
Food pairings: roast meats, game, hard cheese, pasta

CHATEAU MUSAR
2016 Rouge, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon

Cabernet Sauvignon (33%) – Carignan (33%) – Cinsault (33%)

Amazing wine from Lebanon you ask???? ABSOLUTELY! Chateau Musar is absolutely legendary. Founded in 1930, Chateau Musar is among the leading estates in this incredible country, not well-known in the West for its amazing tradition of winemaking. Wine in the region dates back to Biblical times, and one of the best preserve Roman temples in the world, dedicated to Bacchus, is located in the area. Situated at an average altitude of 1000m above sea level, the Bekaa Valley is the heart of Lebanese wine country. Wines here are noted for their elegance, acidity, and freshness. A mix of Bordeaux varietals, notably Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, Rhône varietals such as Carignan, Cinsault, and Grenache, and ancient native grapes make up the bulk of Lebanese wine production.

Chateau Musar has been the leading wine on the export market for several decades. These wines are famous for their longevity and their value. Among my favorite wine memories include drinking 25 year old bottles of Chateau Musar that still taste youthful and alive. The 2016 vintage is a gorgeous wine that slowly opens up over time in the glass or in a decanter. The black fruit aromas mingle with fantastic notes of cedar, figs, mint, and a full cabinet of spices. Open it early and enjoy it with a peppery steak, spicy hummus, olives, herb-crusted lamb, or even on its own!

Serve at 60ºF. Decant or pour 30 minutes to 2 hours prior to dinner. Or enjoy from the glass slowly over the evening.
Drink: now-2040.
Food pairings: See above