Siduri, Pinot Noir, Keefer Ranch, Sonoma, 2007, $19.99
At this price, you just have to try this. One upside to these economic times is that the more enlightened California premium wine producers have realized that they must reduce prices if they are going to sell any wine. The release price of this wine was $35, but the price has been reduced to allow us to offer it at just under $20; for that price, it is a deal. Soft with cherry cola aromas and some of that forest floor, like walking through the Redwoods in the early morning.
Mas Igneus Barranc dels Closos, Negre, Priorat, 2006, $20.99
This is a serious mouthfull of wine, consistent with the rich, extracted character of many wines from Priorat, a region in NE Spain, just below Barcelona. The wines of Priorat are amazingly rich and powerful and, like the Mas Igneus, Negre, often comprised of Grenache and Carignan. The Mas Igneus was reviewed in Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate and given a score of 91. Here is the review:
“Purple-colored, it offers up an expressive perfume of earth, slate, espresso, black cherry, blueberry, and licorice. This leads to a full-bodied wine with intense liquid mineral and black fruit flavors, outstanding depth, and enough ripe tannins to support an add’l 2-3 years of cellaring. It should be at its finest from 2011 to 2021.”