Hendrick’s - The Lovely Anodyne
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Alchemists were the original apothecary. And what wonders they concocted. Dame Edith Sitwell’s English Eccentrics cites a long list of restoratives that were doled out in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries to invalids suffering an array of ills. Along with sundry plants and herbs, ingredients included live hog lice, black tips of crab’s claws, the inward skin of a capon’s gizzard, goose dung, human skulls.
Remedies became more refined over the years, with a plethora of paregorics and soporifics coming to the fore in order to soothe what ailed ye, and yes, to help ye sleep.
Gin has a long history as a medicinal. It was first produced in
Now there is gin. And there is Hendrick’s Gin. Hendrick’s is a wondrous elixir that comes packaged in a quaint apothecary’s bottle reminiscent of the Victorian era. The apothecary bottle was originally intended to protect the healing powers possessed by the liquid within. It only makes sense that a gin as intricately flavored as Hendrick’s, as expressively powerful, as infused as it is with “delightfully odd” aromatics, would be bottled in such a vessel. Read more
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Italian Pick of the Week, 2/18/08
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Cantine dei Colli Ripani Passerina “Ninfa Ripana”, 2004, Marche
Verdicchio has been the shining star of white wine from the Marche since Fazzi-Battaglia hit the market with its fish shaped bottle over thirty years ago.Lesser known whites were pushed even farther into the background.
The Offida zone in Ascoli Piceno province is a relatively new DOC, having attained that status in 2001. Here, those once forgotten grapes are given their due. Passerina, the local name for the more widely planted Biancame, has risen from blending obscurity to join the ranks of authentic and interesting native varietals. It is bottled in both dry and passito styles and some producers use it for Brut and Vin Santo.
This version combines the smoothness and mildly bitter nuttiness of Verdicchio with the hazelnut-dewy pine- resin of a Fiano from Campania. Neither of those stalwarts has the buzzy acidity, pinpoint flavors and minerality of this eye opener from the Ripana hills. Its texture and lively mouthfel make it a suitable companion for salty antipasti, shellfish, or fish-based soups.
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Domaine Gauby 2004 “Les Calcinaires” Cotes du Roussillon Villages
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Rustic and classically styled, this wine is certainly not for everyone, though its deep-rooted sense of place and authenticity will make it irresistible to lovers of old-fashioned Languedoc-Roussillon bottlings. The nose smells of iron and warm ox blood at the start, but it’s cut with a velvety hint of sweet plum fruit. The tannic backbone here holds it all together beautifully, though I have a sneaking suspicion that a rare grilled rib-eye would soften it all up perfectly. The palate exhibits more purple fruit than you’d imagine, and it finishes with pronounced notes of thyme and mineral. Stock up on this one for barbecue season–I know I will.
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Best Wine Buys
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Prices are for Pennsylvania. Prices in other states will vary. To find any of these wines, make sure to use our Wine Finder!
Domaine du Coulet 2004 Cornas Terrasses du Serre
$28.99
A classic style, with minimal oak and blended from several slopes within Cornas. The traditional approach is quite evident on the palate. More delicate than most, this syrah leads with a soft medley of red fruits and gradually intensifies into a thick beam of mineral and ending with a curtain of milk chocolate.
Allan Scott 2006 Pinot Noir, Marlborough
$20
A wee bit rounder than a Pinot should be, but a very pretty wine. Soft and ripe cranberries and a touch of earth and cinnamon on the palate. A nice mineral-laced finish.
Tait 2006 Ballbuster Shiraz, Barossa
$15
The PLCB is flooding us with high-octane shiraz these days, and this is the best of the bunch. Ink-black with a nose of intense blackberry and tobacco, it rolls out a dense palate of jammy fruit. This baby is not so much a fruit bomb as a fuel-injected fruit jet strapped to the back of a cute bunny.
La Louviere 2005 Pessac-Leognan
$40
One of the greatest strengths of Bordeaux is its history. Saying this wine is historic would leave one with the wrong impression. Rather, it is the perfect snapshot of the 2005 vintage. There is a harmony between freshness and tannins that cry out for a few years in the cellar. The smoke, spice, and cigar box flavors all play their parts perfectly.
Vincentini 2006 Terre Lunghe Soave
$14.99
A rare beauty. Mint, lavender, and lemon zest rest upon the nose. Razor-like citrus and fresh melon on the body and finish.
Le Manoir Galhaud 2003 Cuvee Leon Bordeaux
$15.49
One of the better bordeaux values available today. This still has the raw force and intensity of the ‘03 vintage, although this is defiantly something and not cellar.
Magpie 2003 The Schnell Grenache/Shiraz
$8.99
Great juice & its really really cheap.
Mastroberardino 2004 Falanghina
$11.99
Falanghina is typically rich for a white and just a bit decadent. This one does not disappoint. Ripe melon and stone fruits on the palate. Lovely.
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Italian Pick of The Week, 2/04/08
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Gaudio Grignolino “Brico Mandolino”, 2005, DOC, Piemonte
One of the fascinating aspects of Italian wine is the number of varietals that are under the radar, especially in areas of renown such as Tuscany and the Piedmont. It’s hard to acquire cachet when you’re up against Brunello and Classico, Barolo and Barbaresco….which is the fate of Grignolino.
Grown in the communes of Asti and Monferrato Casale since Medieval times, the name may come from the local dialect term for grape seed. Typically it has high levels of acidity and surprisingly strong tannins for a wine that is Pinot-like in color. In fact, one of it’s many local aliases is Nebbiolo Rosato.
This single vineyard version from Gaudio was harvested late to enhance its depth and extraction of flavor and pigment. Whereas some Grignolinos can be light and almost effervescent, this shows an integration of fruit and tannins in a balanced structure. Faint scents of roses can be found on a subtle nose. Just ripe enough red fruit is accompanied by white pepper and a dash of mildly tingling minerals. The overall effect is refreshing and eminently drinkable.
Because of the cutting acidity it can hold its own with cheese based dishes or creamy sauces, as well as aged local cheeses and crudo.
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Italian Pick of The Week 1/21/08
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Cantina Cardeto “Rupestro”, 2005, IGT, Umbria
Sangiovese is the most Italian of grapes, planted in almost every region and showing up in scores of classified wines, either on its own or in highly coveted (and high priced!) blends. It would be hard to find lovers of Italian wines who haven’t sampled its rustic, food friendly pleasures.
Many people associate the varietal solely with Tuscany, or more exactly, with Chianti in all its manifestations. Grown elsewhere on the peninsula and depending on which of its hundreds of site specific variations are vinified, this adaptable grape produces a wide array of styles.
Cardeto’s Sangioivese is blended with Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo and Montepulciano. The result is a full bodied and dry wine with an aromatic, intense nose that is all Italy. Loads of dark fruit fill the mouth, smooth layers of savory berries, herbs and earth…all the things we’ve come to expect from a Tuscan Sangiovese but are surprised to encounter in one from the hills near Orvieto, more known for white wines made from Trebbiano.
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Italian Pick of The Week 1/14/08
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Enzo Mecella Verdicchio di Matelica “Pagliano”, 2006, Le Marche
Verdicchio is the sole white varietal of note in a region whose lush, well crafted red wines are slowly garnering adherants.
Of the two DOC zones producing Verdicchio, Castelli di Jesi hard by the Adriatic is the more recognized, having come full cycle from a decades long funk of mass produced plonk. The lesser known interior area around Matelica benefits from a continental climate that allows for a later harvest, with grapes that are more aromatic and concentrated.
Sampled in concert with a Verdicchio from Jesi, Mecella’s exhibits a striking intensity and definite structure. The varietal fingerprints of herbs, green fruit, and a mildly bitter nuttiness are evident, but with an edginess and texture that seem more “red”. Floral notes and the faint hint if citrus round out the profile.
This is another example of a distinctive white that gives off attitude and finesse, an antidote to the rivers of insipid wines rolling out of northern Italy.
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Herman Story 2005 Grenache, Larner Vineyard, Santa Ynez Valley
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I love this wine–let’s just put it out there and avoid all that wine-writing propriety and distance. And the funny thing is that it’s not in the style I typically gravitate towards, Old World guy that I am. But this inky, big-boned monster is so well constructed (and make no mistake about it: it’s an edifice of wine) that I couldn’t resist it.
At this point in its evolution, it’s still tight, and not giving much on the nose beyond its tea-like tannins and rich raspberry aromas. On the palate, it starts off like one of those German kirsch-filled chocolates, but once it breathes a bit it gains complex notes of superripe dark berries and a rich plums.
At 15.9% alcohol, it feels a bit heavy in the mouth, and the sweetness from all that alcohol is unavoidable, but this is no over-the-top fruit bomb: The tannins are still young and have some serious grip, and there’s enough acid here to lead me to believe that this wine will be even better in a few years.
If you have the patience, it will be rewarded. Personally, I’m glad I bought a bunch of bottles: Following their evolution should be a lot of fun.
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Italian Pick of The Week
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Bruno Giacosa Dolcetto d’Alba, 2001,DOC, Piemonte
Sometimes it’s good to start the new year with a bit of auld lang syne, going back to an old friend whom you’ve neglected for one reason or another. Such is the case with Piemonte’s “little sweet one”, a one time suitor for my vinous affections who too many times dashed my hopes with a disappointing bottle, be it from Alba, Dogliani… wherever.
As with Barbera, the other every day wine of the Langhe hills, Dolcetto can be frustratingly pedestrian, drinkably decent, or, in the skillful hands of a producer such as Giacosa, a renewal of faith in the grape’s potential.
Dusky, dry, and somewhat reserved fruits that begin on the nose follow through with what are at first surprisingly chalky tannins. Sip by sip, as the tannins pull back, a spectrum of concentrated, flavorful red fruits emerge led by raspberries that verge on the edge of sweetness, complemented by a pleasant level of acidity. The finish turns slightly “dark”, revealing a faint taste of bitterness that belies the varietal’s name.
An acquaintance worth renewing over a plate of hardy Piemontese fare. Tajarin with truffles, anyone?
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Old Wine at School, or Why I Love Bordeaux
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Though I’m a fool for wines from the Southern Rhone, the highlight of last night’s Vintage Factor class was, for me, the 1998 Canon-Moueix. Sure, those two bottles of 2004 Vacqueyras were lovely, but there is just nothing like a bottle of Bordeaux with some age to it.
This particular one, from the great-on-the-Right-Bank 98 vintage, took a while to open up–it seemed a bit over-the-hill when first poured. But by the end of class, it had blossomed and become subtly rich with aromas of dried flowers, underbrush, and a hint of cigar tobacco. So while it took 10 years and nearly two hours to get where it always needed to go, it was well worth the wait. Not bad for a rainy Saturday night.
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