Since the Mrs had Thursday off, she suggested we pay Vino a visit - especially since I'd be on my bowel-prep diet over the weekend. No argument from me. Chuck explained that it's almost been his life's mission to find wines that speak of the soil or terroir that use heirloom varieties of grapes instead of clones with winemakers that produce wines the way they were meant to taste and not simply cater to the wine publications for high scores. Finally, he's also looking for wines created in a sustainable manner so we don't have to continually feed the soil with chemical fertilizers.
The night's line-up looked like this with Chuck's comments italicized. My comments are below his.
2006 Caparzo Brunello di Montalcino
In a time where people seek Brunello which have a more King Kong persona, here is a much more elegant, suave, highly refined version masterfully crafted by “Hall of Famer” Vittorio Fiore..
Old leather, stone and a touch of cigar box on the nose with a seamless flow and semi-dried red fruit on the palate with a medium long finish
2012 Lionel Faury St Joseph
SENSATIONAL French Syrah—hillside grown (up to 35% slope), granitic soils, stomped by foot, 12 months mostly in large fourdres & demi muids (10% new oak)--gloriously Old World Syrah, the way it should be—explosively aromatic, wildly rustic, masculine, stony& authentic.
Loads of granite up front then semi-dried red fruit with a touch of violets then dried herbs on the back end. With a luscious, drinkable palate almost like a Grand Cru beaujolais with a medium finish.
2012 Domaine Trotereau Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
TOP echelon Sauvignon Blanc grown in sandy soils & silex with underlying pink limestone. Not too many people will remember that Quincy was the 2nd recognized AOC in France (1936)….& that monks started planting here in the 12th Century. There is a reason, isn’t there? There are today only about 200 hectares planted & the majority to co-ops. Here is one of the true artisan “boutiques”—dating back to 1804. The vines for this “Vieilles Vignes” cuvee were planted in 1905 through 1943.
OMG! I have to get some of this in my cellar like RIGHT NOW! As complex and layered aromatically as any Sauvignon Blanc I've ever sampled. Herbs, earth, stone, flowers, fruit with a touch of pipi du chat. As luscious on the palate as SB gets with a medium finish.
2009 Franz Hirtzberger Gruner Veltliner Smaragd “Rotes Tor”
Hirtzberger is certainly one of the true pillars (5 generations) of Austria’s Wachau Valley.
Here is one of their standout, single vineyard Gruner Veltliners—from Rotes Tor, a steep, very rocky hillside. You will be surprised at the intensity, immensity & concentrated character of this wine.
Not as herbacious as other Gruners though still with stone and lentil with dried herbs on the back end. A great palate flow with a medium long finish.
We then adjourned from Hiroshi's private dining room to Vino for dinner which started with the Poke Oysters.
And the Hamakua Mushroom Pizza
I uncorked a bottle of 2006 R Wines Amazed old vines Carignane and Mourvedre from the Evangelho vineyard - vines over a 100 years old... but still concentrated enough to produce 16.5% abv. This bad boy begged for steak...
We also sampled the Braised Short Rib pasta
And the Shinsato Farms Pork Shoulder with pasta "rags"
Along with a 2012 Maxime Magnon La Demarrante from Kermit Lynch which is produced from 50 to 60 year old vines of Carignane and Cinsault as a counter point to the Amazed. More elegance than it's New World cousin.
Another great tasting and meal from Vino and low and behold, I found a source for the Domaine Trotereau Qunicy - okay, not the old vines bottle but still Trotereau so I already place my order...
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