Dr Vino's wine blog

White
Hugel et Fils, Gentil, Alsace, 2002. $9
Etienne Hugel is a confident and funny guy. His confidence in winemaking must come from being the 12th generation to own Hugel et fils. His humor? Well, maybe it comes from his confidence in his wines and wine making. Hugel says he is as proud of this Gentil, his largest production wine, as he is of his excellent limited production Jubilee Riesling ($45). More floral than your grandmother’s couch, this racy white is an unoaked blend of Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Muscat and Sylvaner—a veritable catalogue white varietals. Yellow/green in color, the wine has a perfumed sweetness that is not cloying and is great for quaffing on the deck or with seafood. Wildman, importer. www.hugel.com

Reds
Castano, Hecula, 2002, $9.99
This wine turns heads. Guaranteed to have even your biggest wine-geek friends thinking that it costs well over $10, this is a “Parker-style” hedonistic fruit bomb. The Castaño family now has an excellent line-up of big-style, budget reds from their out-of-the-way winery in Yecla. The 100% monastrell (aka mourvedre) wine, aged in American oak for 6 months, will impress even those whose palates have turned to leather. Back up your cart and buy this one with both hands. Importer, Eric Solomon.

Domaine de la Gasqui, vigne du loup, vdp Vaucluse, $9 (sale)
Life may not be a bowl of cherries, but this wine is a glass of red berries. With the gentle sweetness that is typical of Grenache, these 80 year old vines from the base of Mt. Ventoux have produced an approachable and medium-bodied wine, light in color. Although not officially organic according to the new USDA standards (no wine meets the USDA standards) the wine does meet the “agiculture biologique” standards of Ecocert. Jeffrey Davies, importer.

Domaine de la Petite Cassagne, AOC Costieres de Nimes, red. 1999. $4 (sale, $9.99 regular)
Dr Vino readers are already familiar with the wines of Grande Cassagne but this one from Petite Cassagne bears mentioning, particularly at the petite sale price. Wonderful textures of the Grenache, Syrah, and Carignan make this probably the best $4 wine I have ever tasted (I would even pay full price for it!) with notes of blackcurrant that contribute to its full flavor. Consider this the “4 buck Charles” as you buy it by the case. Robert Kacher, importer.

Chateau St. Germain, Coteaux du Languedoc, red, 2000. $6.60 (sale, $9.99 regular)
Think ink, as in inky purple. Purple label, purple cap and inky-purple wine, this vigorous Chateau St. Germain has gobs of purple fruits such as plum and blackberries. Although the wine has 15% alcohol a good balance makes it rounded and not heady. Languedoc has made a significant qualitative turn in the past decade and this Syrah-Grenache blend of hand harvested fruit, grown chemical-free, is a good representative. Jeffrey M. Davies, importer.

Baron Rothschild, Carmenere, Reserve, 2001. $9
Carmenere, the fraternal twin of Merlot, is in safe hands Chez Rothschild. Except that this is the Rothschild chateau away from the chateau at their property in Chile. With notes of blackcurrant, this lush black cherry colored wine has a smooth finish. Bold design on the label makes it a good wine to bring to a party since your selection will stand out. An easy food match, try it with smoked meats. Importer: Caravelle Wine Selections.

Moulin d’Eole, 2001, Costieres de Nimes. $9
The Costieres de Nimes region is cranking out lots of excellent value reds in a Rhone style. This excellent one, imported by Kysela, resembles a Cotes Rotie with delicate floral notes in the aroma followed by the usual notes of leather, dark berries, smoked meat, and that southern France flavor of garrigue. Best at room temperature, the soft tannins lead to a longish finish. Knock the socks off anyone you’re having over on a weeknight with this wine!

Encuentro, Ribera del Duero, 2000, $8
While good bargains are becoming increasingly hard to find in Spain’s Ribera del Duero region, Trader Joe’s grocery stores have tracked down a good value vino. Encuentro, or “meeting” in Spanish, is a good example of a Ribera, although a bit lighter and not as full bodied as other wines that are now above the $10 price point. One does wonder where this 100% Tempranillo crianza (12 months oak cask aging) has been since the 2000 vintage, but it still has smooth notes of plum and leather making it a good accompaniment to lamb or simply easy drinking at your favorite encounters. Plum Ridge imports for TJ’s.

Habitat, red blend, Napa Valley, 2002. $9.
A California red for under $10 that is worth drinking?! The only thing more amazing is that this yummy red is also made from organically grown grapes (although since no wine technically meets USDA organic standards, the producers opted for the more oblique “handcrafted” on the label). The blend of 50% pinot noir, 25% cab, 25% merlot actually works and comes off as a rounded red, with a welcoming aroma of dark fruits and a finish that leaves you saying “hey California, how about some more good under $10s!?!” Send back the screw-cap top and the winery will donate $1 to an ecological cause. You don’t need to save this one for Earth Day since it would be a good house wine for your domestic habitat.

Las Rocas de San Alejandro, old vine Grenache, 2002, $7.79
Las Rocas “may be the greatest wine value I have ever tasted” according to Robert Parker who bestowed 91 points on this Grenache from 75 year old vines in the remote Calatayud region. With many great wines under $10 available, Parker’s comments may seem hyperbolic, but the Las Rocas does have has certain stand-out characteristics. Most notable is an ability to evolve in the glass that is rare for wines of this price. When first opened, the wine is closed, without striking aromas or flavors. But left to open up for an hour, the wine’s aroma becomes more complex with a sweet black cherries and smoke and a long, pleasant finish. Decanting essential. Eric Solomon, importer.

Beyond the grade (but worth it):
Domaine Weinbach, Gewurztraminer, Cuvee Theo, 2002 ($20)
Belles Soeurs, pinot noir, Willamette Valley, 2001 ($40)
Elizabeth Spencer, Napa, Cabernet 2000 ($26)
Mas de la Barben, Coteaux de Languedoc, 1999 ($12)