A good wine year often leads to great deals
Remember the look on a little kid's face the first time he walks into a toy store and sees all the choices before him? That's me, every time I walk into a wine store.
I am capable of wandering the aisles for hours, gazing at every label, all the while trying to imagine what glories lie inside, waiting to be unlocked. Most of the time I can't even make up my mind.
But sometimes a pattern emerges to help me make sense of the chaos. And thus it was recently on a trip to the nearby State Liquor Store on Coliseum Avenue in Nashua.
The top-quality German whites of the 2007 vintage and the much-heralded 2005 Bordeaux reds are out. While the fanciest wines from these years are priced well out of our pay class, there are still some nice values to be found in the everyday bottlings.
Keeping track of the quality of different wine vintages sounds decidedly snobby. But there's a method to the madness, since it is also the key to finding a great wine at a discount price.
It's good to remember that when any region or country has a superior vintage, the quality of even the lower-level wines jumps dramatically. A simple country wine that in average years tastes merely pleasant will suddenly acquire a depth and character you had never before tasted.
It's obvious that someone at the Nashua store loves German white wines, because the employees do their best to put them in a place where they can't be ignored. Like right in front of the entrance.
Which is fine by me, because I think that German wines tend to get overlooked. These cool, refreshing whites are better than a double dose of Prozac for lifting the spirits and, along with Champagne, are probably the only wines that you can drink anyplace, anytime.
And lest you think that all German wines are alike, there are subtle regional differences worth noting. For instance, the Rieslings grown along the Mosel River tend to be delicate, while those of the Rheingau, or Rhine River, are slightly more serious.
If you don't believe me, pick up a bottle of the 2007 Dr. Thanisch Mosel Riesling ($19.99) and the 2007 Baron Knyphausen's, aka Baron K's, Rheingau Riesling ($17.99), and compare them.
Both wines have the characteristic apple and pear fruitiness and floral nose of the Riesling grape, with just a hint of sweetness. But the Baron's wine is fuller and richer-bodied, while the Doctor's is a bit more playful and light.
You certainly can't fault the credentials of these winemakers. The Baron family has been growing grapes since 1818, and the viticultural tradition of the Thanisch family dates all the way to 1650.
A few suggestions
Ever since the media explosion of 1982, there has been way, way too much hype over Bordeaux wines. It seems like every other year is being heralded as the "vintage of the century."
2005 is another of those nearly perfect years. Tasters report complex and exciting reds, and in response, the legendary first growth wines are already fetching prices of more than $1,000 per bottle. I kid thee not.
Instead of a Lafite Rothschild for $1,100 apiece, how about a nice 2005 Chateau de Chantegrive for $22.99 or Chateau Bellevue Peycharneau for $19.99? No, they aren't as good, but they are both serious reds that will pair well with a holiday dinner featuring almost any type of meat, fowl, cheese, pasta or full-flavored fish.
Like many Bordeaux, these wines are blends of two or more grapes. Cabernet lends the wines a firm structure and complexity, while merlot gives them a rounder flavor and just a hint of spice.
At 240 acres, Chateau de Chantegrive is one of Bordeaux' larger estates. Located in the Graves region, it is also well known for its crisp, dry white wine made from Sauvignon and Semillon.
Their red is a 5-0/50 blend of merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, medium-bodied and complex without being overpowering. The color is dark, echoing the ripe fruit used to make it.
Chateau Bellevue Peycharneau, registered as a simple "Bordeaux Superieur," is made from 65 percent merlot, 20 percent Cabernet and 15 percent Cabernet Franc. Grown in vineyards close to the town of Bergerac, it is also medium-bodied with a trace of vanilla and spice in the mouth.
One little hint about serving red Bordeaux: Open the bottle, or better yet decant the wine, as much as two hours before the meal to let it breathe. When the wines are so young, it really helps the aromas expand and the flavors to open up.
My search for bargains always takes me into the backroom at the Coliseum Avenue store, where some of the overstocks and remainders are hidden. This time the best deal is on a California Chardonnay. The 2005 Rutherford Hill is usually $20.99, but is on sale for only $11.99, while it lasts.
Rutherford Hill Chardonnay is made exclusively from Napa Valley fruit, using Burgundian practices and all-French oak barrels. The flavor is rich, but not too heavy, with just a touch of citrus.
Whenever recommending wines for occasions, I always put in a plug for the white wines of the Alsace region of France. Unlike the wines of their neighbors in Germany, they are decidedly dry while still remaining fresh and floral.
My current favorite is the 2006 Gentil made by Hugel. Introduced in 1992, Gentil is unusual because it's a blend of five different grapes.
Each grape makes its own contribution. Sylvaner is light and refreshing, Riesling lends finesse, Pinot Gris adds body, the Gewurztraminer spice and the Muscat intense fruit.
I don't know which genius at the Hugel winery does the blending, but the result is a perfect balance, with no one element overpowering the other. This wine is just plain delicious, and so light and carefree that you feel as if you could drink it all day. And maybe I will.