Art
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The End of Year Re-Cap for 2007
When I think back on 2007 and the year in wine at Art of the Table I think of all the new and divergent regions of wine that we're promoting I think of the amazing, beautiful and sometimes crazy trip we took to Spain in May I'm also very thankful this year for the help of wine consultant Ryan Podolak, who made this job so much easier with his hard work and support One of the fun year-end chores is to wrap the year up with a best-of list. Here it is, with contributions from the staff noted.
Some of the regions where we found fun, new wines are Austria, Hungary, Portugal and lesser-known regions in Spain, such as Yecla; in France, such as Madiran; and in Italy, such as Cerasuolo di Vittoria As always we are looking for quality, over-achieving wines that deliver great value.
In May, Amy, her husband Steve and I along with 22 customers embarked on a tour of Spain where we visited 14 different wineries, met with winemakers and toured vineyards The wine regions we visited were Toro, Ribera del Duero, Rioja, Monsant, Prioriat and Penedes The trip was amazing and the wines, winemakers and vineyards were both generous and spectacular We have done our very best to make these wines available to our customers and it's been our way of sharing our adventure.
Also this year, my cohort Ryan and I braved numerous over-zealous wine reps, trade shows and industry tastings to find the very best wines for all of you! I think the breadth and selection of the wines at Art of the Table is remarkable and we've truly entered into our own in terms of wine in Grand Rapids!
—Mike Dombrowski
Our Top 25 Wines:
| Rank | Wine | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| #25 | Loewen Leiwener Klostergarten 2006 Riesling Kabinett, Mosel, Germany (Ryan’s pick) | $18.75 | Last year this was a favorite at Wine Wednesday, so much so, that we didn't have enough to fill all the orders. We learned from our mistake and ordered more for this vintage. This has everything you’re looking for in a Riesling; loads of honeysuckle, hints of citrus, some cinnamon action, and definitely botrytis. There is some sugar there but look for a healthy dose of acidity, making this a well balanced wine. |
| #24 | Domaine la Bastide 2005 Merlot—Vin de Pays D'Hauterive, France (Ryan’s pick) | $8.50 | While Justin is bringing sexy back, Mike D. is bringing Merlot back. I get tons of raspberry, violets, crushed roses, and what I can only call sweet schist. This is a baby right-banker. You know, the right bank, of the Gironde, the river running through Bordeaux. |
| #23 | Chateau Bousscassé 2000 Madiran | $42.00 | 100% old vine Tannat from Southwest of Bordeaux, this is opaque black and seemingly from the swamp The intriguing aromas boast notes of black cherry, wet earth from behind the tool shed, anisette and toasty vanilla Meaty and complex, one of my favorite comments of the year came when a lady at our anniversary party came up to me and said, "I just had the single worst wine in my life." I was like, "oh yeah, the Bousscassé, it's a little different huh?" Different awesome. ***Notations by Mike: One of the fun things we try to do is find wine that we can sell at a great price and is drinking great Often we find close-outs of certain wines and can sell them for much less than they drink like Here are two of the favorites from 2007 that we can’t even get anymore… |
| #22 | Penalba Lopez 1996 Crianza Ribera del Duero, Spain | $11.50 | We brought this in as an example of what a mature, aged wine tastes like Many enjoyed it and came back for more Many realized they enjoy fresh vibrant wine and don't need to age wine It was funny how many people were willing try something that started off with "the cork will be gross." We like to experiment here and this was a good one, but there’s no more. (In the last few weeks we have received a bunch of new Spanish wines in this inexpensive price range that are very similar. Try those instead!) |
| #21 | Vall dell'Acate 2001 Cerasuelo di Vittoria, Italy | $8.50 | Another amazing close-out, we actually sold through 22 cases of this in less than a month, which has to be a record A Sicilian blend of Nerello and Calabrese, this was a powerhouse for the money Best remembered as the Chianti on steroids, but there’s no more A good substitute? We just got in a couple of cases of a 1998 Chianti, it’s a little hit or miss but more hit than miss… |
| #20 | Stephan Pannell 2006 Grenache Rosé—McLaren Vale, Australia | $23.00 | One of the several rosé wines available during the summer at Art of the Table, this brought smiles to many a sipper last year Unctuous and creamy, it has big flavors of strawberry and watermelon with spicy undertones Perfect for quaffing while kayaking on the Grand, this made for a memorable summer It's not easy being pink. |
| #19 | Cabriz 2005 Dâo Portugal | $9.75 | This Portuguese blend surprised us all with its elegance and assuredness, something one doesn’t find often in wines for nine dollars It blends Alfrocheiro with Touriga Nacional and Tinta Roriz, and tastes like nothing else we've had! |
| #18 | Gobelsburger 2006 Gruner Veltliner—Burgenland, Austria (Amy’s pick) | $14.75 | This Austrian super sipper was perfect for the varying seasons last year Showcasing perfumed floral and apricot aromas, it's lush and exotic with additional flavors of peach, honey and smoky white pepper This wine turned Amy into a believer…of nice acidic, crisp, tasty whites. |
| #17 | Westerly 2005 Merlot—Santa Ynez, California (Amy’s pick) | $26.00 | I tried this again last night and it's more plush than I remembered . . . that California style Yet it really has a lingering light spice on the palate and oh yes, it's big in the cherry department As Mike would say, “it’s not your Aunt Sally’s Merlot!” |
| #16 | Kurt Darting 2005 Pinot Noir— Pfalz, Germany | $27.00 | Mike's biggest mistake of 2007 was not ordering more of this wine Truly sublime, this unfortunately is one that only a handful of people got to try It was very ripe with silky notes of strawberry compote, spicy cherry and hints of toasted vanilla Beautiful acidity, complex fruit and elegant tannins make this perfectly balanced and a candidate for the cellar But who are we kidding? Drink this gorgeous wine right now if you ever find one! |
| #15 | Lolonis 2004 Merlot—Redwood Valley, California | $20.00 | This family winery is known for its Zinfandels and especially its ladybugs, but the secret is out: Merlot is its best varietal Rich and silky, this bursts with juicy notes of black cherry, blackberry, milk chocolate and spice On the palate it redefines smooth as if a steamroller came lolling out of the glass Yes, lolling out of the glass. |
| #14 | Gerard Bertrand 2005 Viognier Vin de Pays D'Oc, France (Ryan’s pick) | $11.50 | This ex-Rugby player has been making some tasty wines at even tastier prices from the terroir of Southern France. Pound for pound, this wine is one of the best in the store Really complex for a wine at this price, notes of bees wax, tangerine, kiwi, watermelon rind and melon abound. Do not miss out in 2008, make sure you try this wine. (Second year on the top 25 list—MD) |
| #13 | Easton 2005 Zinfandel—Amador County, California | $17.00 | Forever known as the wine that screamed "Danger, Danger! High Voltage!" This wine brought full-bodied wine experience to new levels and its shelf talker brought low-brow histrionics to new depths "Briery aromas of dried blackberry, red currant concentrate, leather and smoked vanilla beans . . . big ol' raspberry, stewed red plum and clove . . . " Ok then Mike. (Easton has since disappeared from Michigan distribution, but we have a few bottles of the estate bottled version on the shelf at $34.75 for you Zin heads!) |
| #12 | Mana 2005 Pinot Noir—Marlborough, New Zealand (Ryan’s pick) | $20.50 | It’s no secret that everyone has been rushing out to the stores in search of Pinot Noir these last few years. It’s also no secret that this fickle grape can cost a bit more than other varietals to make into quality wine. Yet this example is a serious palate pleaser at this price. This Pinot is very rich, but not over the top. Look for dark velvety cherries, strawberry reduction, a touch of spice, and a bit of that classic Pinot funk. (I won’t say ‘wet fur’, but I will hint at it…hint…hint) |
| #11 | Rocky Gully 2006 Riesling—Frankland River, Australia | $15.50 | Fun, zingy and fresh, this really caught on with the staff and thusly gained a cult following during the year for it's ability to pair with virtually everything imaginable Aromatically generous with notes of fresh quince, lime marmalade, green apple and wet gravel, this redefined "name that smell" that employees often play in the corporate lounge. ****Notations from Mike: The next four wines are from wineries we visited in Spain this past May Our enthusiasm for the winemakers and the stories we brought home about them made a number of Spanish wines some of the most popular of the year. |
| #10 | Mibal 2006 Tinto—Ribera del Duero, Spain | $15.50 | True garagistas (those who make wine in a garage), Miguel and Javier who craft this gem emphasize fruit, fruit and fruit; meaning fermented and aged in stainless steel, this boasts ripe and silky layers of grapey black currant, gun metal and smoke flavors with sweet, easy tannins Definitely a crowd pleaser. |
| #09 | Vizcarra Ramos 2004 "JC" Ribera del Duero, Spain | $23.75 | Juan Carlos Vizcarra was one of the kindest winemakers we met He also makes absolute powerhouse Tempranillo and his ‘Celia’ and ‘Inez’ (named after his two daughters) wines are two of the very best I've had this year (We have 4 bottles of Celia on the shelf at $135/bottle) His JC is the older vine wine that doesn't make it into the prestige bottlings, it sees 9 months in barrel and then a year in bottle aging It smacks of thick black cherry, black currant, spicy oak and smoke, and is one of the better values in the store for what it delivers. |
| #08 | Martinsancho 2005 Verdejo—Rueda, Spain | $17.50 | One of the most memorable visits on our trip occurred in the tiny town of La Seca where we met Angel Rodriguez who makes this wine It's the only wine he makes - from his family's 40-plus year old vineyard. 100% Verdejo, this sports notes of lemon-lime, pear, honeysuckle and traces of fresh minerals We went through a boat load of this wine last summer, for good reason, it's crisp and clean and lots of fun! |
| #07 | Alinde 2004 Toro, Spain | $41.00 | Made by three friends in a space at another friend's winery, this is very small production Tempranillo, and of the highest quality It reminds me of classified growth Bordeaux in both its pedigree and its structure Fully ripe with loads of black cherry, currant, graphite and cedar, this is one to enjoy decanted or in a few years; one of the few wines we specialize in that I would label as "collectable." |
| #06 | Shooting Star 2006 Aligoté—Lake County, California (Amy’s pick) | $14.00 | The official white wine of Amy Ruis, this is the elusive white Burgundian grape that proved to be a total blam blam with cool cats around Grand Rapids during summer of 2007 Racy and stylish, this electrified the masses with notes of golden delicious apple, honey, star fruit and spice Truly unique and tasty! Sold out for the season, we can only pray it will be back soon! |
| #05 | Novellum 2006 Chardonnay-Cotes Calalanes, France | $10.75 | Another total find, this French Chard from the middle of nowhere had a twist It's aged on the lees of Viognier and is one of the freshest, crazily aromatic wines we've had! Intense aromas abound of honeysuckle, mandarin orange, kumquat and verbena Crowd pleaser has again been redefined Only $10.75 and truly worth every penny. |
| #04 | Canals Nadal Reserve Cava—Penedes, Spain | $21.50 | This Spanish sparkler was a standout at every tasting we showed it and had it at Crisp and creamy with lovely notes of baked apple pie and pear cobbler, this drinks like it's twice as expensive Redefining "tiny bubbles," the bead on this is the smallest of any Cava I've ever seen Simply wonderful. |
| #03 | Altos de Luzon 2005 Jumilla, Spain (Ryan’s pick) | $18.75 | 50% old vine (52 years) Monastrell and equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon and Tempranillo, this has been aged 12 months in a combination of French and American oak. This wine is a dense ruby/purple color, seriously, see if you can see your fingers through the glass. Beautiful flavors of black currants, cherries, licorice, sweet earth and vanilla. Once the dollar rebounds against the Euro, this is the type of wine Spain produces that will put Napa out of business. |
| #02 | Pannon 2004 Tokaji Furmint, Hungary (Mike & Ryan both like it so much, they both had to write about it!) | $13.50 | Mike—Zippy and crazy fun, this Hungarian varietal gained cult status early in the summer for its green apple/quince flavors and spicy hints of vanilla and nutmeg Crisp and refreshing, this proved to be a favorite up and down Wealthy Street. Ryan—Furmint is the grape, Hungary is the country. This is the tip of the iceberg in terms of quality wine we’re going to start seeing coming out of Eastern Bloc states. Mike and I, along with a group of industry cool kids, had a blind tasting of Eastern European varietals. This wine stood its ground against wines priced twice as much. Flavors abound of green pear skins, tart pineapple, quince, with just a touch of nutmeg and cinnamon on the finish. |
| #01 | Chateau Pesquie 2003 Cotes du Ventoux, France | $12.75 | For twelve and change this is about as good as it gets The shelf talker mentions "somewhereness," which is a made-up word, but I had to make up a word to describe this wine I really thought I was drinking Chateauneuf du Pape when I tried this; it sports notes of roast provençal herbs, black olives, baked plum torte and faint tarry, earthy accents that let you know this isn't your basic juice Truly special and going for a song, this captured the imagination of many of our "everyday" wine drinker's palates in 2007 Of mention should be its big sis wine, the 2003 Quintessence, which is a bigger, meatier version of this guy, which should have also been included on this list. |
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