WineSquire.com - Squire Cellar Picks

Squire Cellar Picks
February 2010

1.	Baer Winery Ursa 2006 (Washington) $35 I tasted this wine 9 months ago blind as a judge at the Seattle Wine Awards, and was blown away by this wine. It is still available for a bit longer – and I had the pleasure of trying it again recently and will personally look for some on the shelves immediately before you beat me to it. Why? It is balanced, intense in all ways, even in it’s elegance. Isn’t that what we always want – something not over the top that has just enough fruit, tannin, acidity, and a touch of earth. This wine is the kind of wine that is a tribute to passed wine maker Lance Baer. He’d be proud. Bordeaux style blend with all the 5 varietals with Merlot and Cab Franc dominant. -David LeClaire
2.	Mer Soleil Chardonnay 2007 (California) $32 Owned and made by the Wagner family (who owns and makes Caymus), this is not the big buttery chards Mer Soleil was so famous for in the past. Mer Soleil has evolved into a more Burgundian style, with bright tropical fruit such as pineapple and citrus balanced by crisp acidity and a lighter dose of seasoned oak. This used to be a meal in itself, (and still could be), the newfound delicateness of this wine makes it great with white-fleshed fish and meats. Bravo! -Andrew Campbell
3.	Otis Kenyon Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (Washington) $34 A deep plum color with aromas and flavors of plum, pomegranate and creamy strawberry after initial aromas of cinnamon and clove; medium body with soft tannins, minerals and acidity on a balanced finish. -Nick Tomassi
4.	Etude Pinot Noir 2007 (California) $42 This deep garnet colored Pinot has aromas of black cherry and frambois strawberry, with hints of cardamom and clove and flavors of hints of rich fruit, cherry liquor, toasted oak and a distinct minerality. A medium bodied wine with well-balanced fruit and acidity and tannins on a lengthy finish. -Nick Tomassi
5.	Col de Orcia Brunello di Montalcino 2004 (Italy) $55 A deep ruby-red color with aromas and flavors of strawberry, cherry and leather balanced by oak-imparted spices. It has a full body and a long, impressive finish. Food Pairing: red meat, hearty stews and assorted cheeses. -Nick Tomassi
6.	Chāteau Trimoulet St. Emilion Grand Cru 2005 (France) $35 St. Emilion was not classified in 1855 like the wines of the Medoc on the Left Bank of the Gironde. Reclassification is done every 10 years with some chateaus moving up and others moving down! Trimoulet is 70% Merlot with Cabernet Franc 25% and Cabernet Sauvignon 5%. 2005 was a year that saw wines produced with massive fruit and plenty of tannin to match. At once opulent with plenty of cellaring potential, this was one of many recent vintages to be the best of the decade, century, or ever! The aroma is excellent with notes of red fruit, tropical flavors such as banana, and hints of licorice and spices. It is even more evident when tasting the wine. Plenty of decanting time is recommended. The wine can be cellared for many years, but is enjoyable if given enough air. -Joel Dhanapal
7.	Maison Joseph Drouhin Pouilly-Fuisse’ 2007 (France) $32 A 100% Chardonnay wine in a brilliant emerald-golden hue color. It has excellent aromas and flavors of floral and fruit with a dominance of ripe fruit and fresh almonds, a medium body and complex finish. Food Pairing: shellfish, fish, quenelles, white meat in cream sauces, poultry and sweetbreads. Serve well chilled. -Nick Tomassi
8.	Waterbrook Merlot Reserve 2006 (Washington) $23 This was one of the best tasting, most integrated and best valued Merlots that our group tasted during the “Spring Release” weekend the first weekend in May in Walla Walla of this year (see Tom Allan’s article named “Spring Release Diary" for details on the weekend). I have been eagerly awaiting this fantastic wine. It is a lengthy wine, with layers of subtle, soft fruit and a finish that will linger; lasting so long you can’t wait for the next sip. This is perhaps the most outstanding reserve Merlot that Waterbrook has yet produced! -Andrew Campbell
9.	Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc Icon 2008 (New Zealand) $22 Color: Medium Lemon with green hues; Aromas: A rich bouquet of pineapple with nuances of nettles. Palate: Crafted from the best fruit drawn from select vineyard sites, the Icon Sauvignon Blanc is a complex, elegant wine with excellent structure and weight. Displaying the distinct Marlborough combination of ripe tropical and fresh herbal flavors, this wine has a smooth, viscous mouth feel extending into a rich and persistent finish. -Nick Tomassi
10.	Rosa Regale Red 2008 (Italy) $22 This is a light-bodied, frizzante rose made from the Brachetto grape from the Piedmont area. Sweet, but not sticky, the fruit of strawberry and cherry are sewn up by the crisp, bubbly finish. A very unique wine, worth searching out, this is amazing stuff even with the simplest dark chocolate.-Andrew Campbell