deVine Thoughts

Author: Dirk Chan

Our online feature this week is the 2019 Charles Smith Wine of Substance Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington – Columbia Valley, United States) – $21.99, regularly $26.99.

Charles Smith is the legendary winemaker behind iconic brands like K Vintners, Sixto and Substance and several other brands. The House of Smith is the largest independent and winemaker-owned winery in Washington State area with wines sold in all 50 states and 23 countries worldwide. And it all started a little over 20 years ago, with 330 cases of 1999 K Syrah sold out of the back of Charles’ 1987 Astro van.

Charles Smith, the dynamic, self-taught guru of Washington wines turned from a life as a rock band manager to rock the world of wine. The Wines of Substance Cabernet Sauvignon is made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Goose Ridge, Painted Hills, Badger Mountain, Shaw, Sportsfisher and Coyote vineyards in the Columbia Valley, Washington State area. Loaded with black cassis, cedar, tobacco, dark plum, lead pencil, vanilla and toast in a rich, full-bodied, balanced package. This Cab has been a perennial bestseller at deVines for years. Pair with braised beef short ribs or roast beef for Thanksgiving dinner.

2019 Charles Smith Wine of Substance Cabernet Sauvignon (Washington – Columbia Valley, United States) – $21.99 (regularly $26.99)

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Author: Dirk Chan

Wow…Thanksgiving week is fast upon us, where did September go? So here is our annual picks to accompany the classic turkey and/or ham dinner with all its fixings. Start your evening off with a sparkling wine, followed by whites, reds, a dessert wine and perhaps a port to end.

Sparkling Wines

Sparkling wines are a great way to start any function whether its a greeting aperitif or to pair with appetizers. Lively and clean, these will get everyone ready for what’s to come next.

2020 Mulderbosch Sparkling Rose (Stellenbosch, South Africa) – $22.99

NV Adami Garbèl Prosecco doc Treviso (Veneto, Italy) – $27.49

2020 Huber Gruner Veltliner Blanc de Blancs Brut (Traisental, Austria) – $39.99

Champagne

Now if you serve Champagne, your audience will immediately know you’re here to do some serious partaking and celebrating.

NV Nicolas Maillart Brut Platine Premier Cru (Champagne, France) – $66.99

NV Champagne Andre Clouet Brut Rose No. 3 (Champagne, France) – $74.99

NV Champagne Delamotte Blanc de Blancs (Champagne, France) – $109.99

2012 Bollinger La Grande Année Rosé Brut (Champagne, France) – $284.99

Whites & Pinks

Whites with a touch of sweetness is preferred because of the sweetness of some of the fixings – candied yams, cranberry sauce, and honey for the glazed ham. A completely dry white will seem more austere and void of fruit due to the sweetness of the food so I recommend Rieslings (dry or off-dry, both work), sweet Chenin Blancs or other Germanic or Alsace varietals. Having said that, some will always go with a dry creamy Chardonnay irregardless and that’s perfectly fine. Also, don’t forget that rosés work really well too!

2018 Château Sainte-Marie Vieilles Vignes (Bordeaux – Entre-Deux-Mers, France) – $20.99

2017 Chateau de la Mulonniere M de Mulonniere Anjou Chenin Blanc (Loire Valley, France) – $23.99

2018 Dr. Heinz Wagner Ockfener Bockstein Riesling Kabinett (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany) – $28.99

2018 Puerto Ancona El Enemigo Chardonnay (Mendoza, Argentina) – $34.99

2019 Domaine Marcel Deiss Alsace Complantation (Alsace, France) – $41.99

2018 Louis Jadot Meursault Premier Cru Les Genevrieres (Burgundy – Cote de Beaune, France) – $147.99

2020 Leitz Pinot Noir Rosé feinherb (Rheingau, Germany) – $24.99

2010 Lopez de Heredia Vina Tondonia Gran Reserva Rosado (Rioja, Spain) – $64.99

Reds

For reds, try to avoid the big oaky tannic monsters. Oak and tannins are the enemies when pairing with slightly sweet food, try for a red with lots of up-front fruit, little oak and a soft tannins like a Beaujolais (served slightly chilled) or a Pinot Noir.

2019 Manos Negras Pinot Noir (Mendoza, Argentina) – $20.99

2018 Oisly et Thésée Les Bremailles Touraine Gamay (France) – $21.99

2018 Domaine des Ouled Thaleb CB Signature (Morocco) – $25.99

2018 Neil Ellis Cabernet Sauvignon (Stellenbosch, South Africa) – $29.99

2019 Domaine Steeve Charvet Morgon Cote du Py (Beaujolais, France) – $34.99

2019 Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvee (Oregon – Willamette Valley, United States) – $59.99

2016 Massolino Filli Barolo (Piedmont, Italy) – $76.99

2011 Cune Imperial Gran Reserva (Rioja, Spain) – $92.99

2009 Niepoort Charme (Douro, Portugal) – $129.99

2012 Louis Jadot Chambolle Musigny Les Baudes Premier Cru (Burgundy – Cote de Nuits, France) – $137.99

2008 Château La Providence (Bordeaux – Pomerol, France) – $199.99

2011 Château Trotanoy (Bordeaux – Pomerol, France) – $269.99

2004 Petrolo Galatrona (Tuscany, Italy) – $379.99

Dessert

Sweet dessert wines and Port are always good for the final touches of a meal:

2013 Royal Tokaji 5 Puttonyos Aszu (Hungary) – 250mL – $29.99

2018 Domaine Huet Le Mont Moelleux (Vouvray, France) – $62.99

2010 Knebel Winninger Uhlen Riesling Beerenauslese (Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany) – 375mL – $159.99

2002 Dow’s Colheita (Douro, Portugal) – $49.99

2000 Quevedo Colheita (Douro, Portugal) – $69.99

2003 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port (Douro, Portugal) – $154.99

Messias 40 Year Old (Douro, Portugal) – $159.99

1965 Krohn Vintage Port (Douro, Portugal) – $309.99

Note our regular store hours are in affect this long weekend, except holiday monday when we’re open from noon-5pm.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

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Author: Dirk Chan

The 2018 Bordeaux Vintage has arrived and any of you who purchased futures have been or will be contacted for pickup. 2018 is the first of a trio of great vintages – with 2019 and 2020 following in its wake. This is the best trio of years in the famous wine producing region since the triplet of 1988, 89 and 90.

Despite one of the warmest and driest late summers and harvests on record, the wines produced have great depth of ripe fruit matched by polished, strong tannins. These wines have an impressive underlying freshness that will keep and improve in your cellar for quite some time. The higher end wines will be very long lived (as in decades) while the lower end will be able to be drank early with decanting yet they too will improve short-term in the bottle.

Give us a week or so and the remaining 2018’s will be put out for sale, including satellites, Grand Cru Classe’s from 1855, Pessac Grand Cru’s, St. Emilion Grand Cru’s and the great Pomerols. In the meantime, wet your appetite with these Petite Chateaux..

Pictured left to right:

2018 Château Alcee (Bordeaux – Castillon – Cotes de Bordeaux, France) – $47.99

2018 Château Carlmagnus (Bordeaux – Fronsac, France) – $42.99

2018 Château Puy-Blanquet Grand Cru (Bordeaux – St. Emilion, France) – $53.99

2018 Château Dalem (Bordeaux – Fronsac, France) – $64.99

2018 Château Larrivaux (Bordeaux – Haut-Medoc, France) – $44.99

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Author: Dirk Chan

Our online feature this week is the 2015 Hacienda Los Haroldos Reserva Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina) – $21.99, regularly $25.99.

Dating back to 1939, Haroldo Santos Falasco, known as “Don Lolo”, began to walk the streets of his small hometown called Chacabuco to market his wines. 70+ years later, Los Haroldos has been recognized due to its constant effort to advance innovation, technology with team work and hard work to produce high quality wines with character and style.

Jorge Falasco, current director of the company and part of the 3rd generation family in charge, along with his children, of continuing his father’s legacy of creating wines of excellence and quality for our country and the world.
The name “Los Haroldos” was chosen by Jorge himself, who wanted to honor his father and brother, who shared the same name. The angel rising a glass represents all the family angels that we no longer have the joy of having among us.

The use of grapes from wines grown on different soil climates and regions in Mendoza, where winters are chilly, and summers are dry and warm, nights are cool, soil are rich and melt water from the Andes is used for irrigating them, allows for a high quality products across the entire line.

Look for a deep red color in this Reserva Malbec with very intense violet shades that is clean and shiny. The nose is a complex aroma of berry, cherry, plum and raspberry with traces of creamy smoke, some mint and chocolate. The palate is unctuous with ripe tannins in a very well-balanced package ending with good astringency and acidity. It is an ideal companion for red meat, game and hard cheeses.

2015 Hacienda Los Haroldos Reserva Malbec (Mendoza, Argentina) – $21.99 (regularly $25.99)

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Author: Dirk Chan

Our online feature this week is the 2018 El Coto de Rioja 875m Finca Carbonera Tempranillo (Rioja, Spain) – $23.99, regularly $28.99.

El Coto de Rioja was founded in 1970. 50+ years on, the winemaking philosophy considers the vineyard as the main source of quality. El Coto de Rioja have 1804 acres of their own vineyards located all over the Rioja DOC, which allows them to control and guarantee the quality of their wines.

The key to their success has been to offer top quality products at a very competitive price, which makes their wines perfect both for daily pleasure as well as to celebrate the most special occasions.

The name of 875m of this young red wine refers to its estate of origin and the altitude meters at which it is located, being from the vineyard located in the highest location in the DO Ca. Rioja . How could it be otherwise, freshness is the quality that best defends this Tempranillo monovarietal , rounded after a 9-month barrel aging.

So, take advantage of this brand new introductory offer for this red with a sense of terroir hailing from nine hectares of vineyards over 20 years old, planted at 875 meters above sea level that the winery owns in Finca Carbonera. Freshness is a the trademark of this 2018, with great acidity, intense and with a great variety of nuances ending with a lengthy and smooth finish. A fine value for the quality here. Try with a pork chickpea stew.

2018 El Coto de Rioja 875M Finca Carbonera Tempranillo Tinto de Altura (Rioja, Spain) – $23.99 (regularly $28.99)

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Author: Dirk Chan

Magnums (1.5L bottles) are the perfect size for big parties, but it has the misconception that its expensive. Well, we’ll dispel that by showcasing a half dozen affordable magnums for your consideration.

First, pictured left to right:

2014 Quinta de Cabriz Colheita Selecionada (Dao, Portugal) – 1.5L – $45.99