Domaine du Seminaire Cotes du Rhone Village Valreas, 2019

Domaine du Seminaire is located in the foothills of the Alps in the northern part of the Southern Rhone.  ThisValreas comes from old vines on clay limestone soil, and the wine is traditionally made, matured in concrete vats. No oak

Deep ruby. 80% Grenache, but the red berry and black pepper traits typical of Grenache are not as prominent as you might think. 10% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre produce darker tones of black and blue berries, blue plums and cassis. Firm tannins but sleek texture on the mid-palate and finish. Beautiful now but will probably improve.

Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee, 1989

When I first started drinking wine in the late 1970s, Vieux Telegraph and Beaucastel were only Chateauneufs imported into my marketing area in Michigan.  They were and are great wines; I bought and loved both. A decade later, J.C. Mathes, a professor of technical writing at the University of Michigan, traveled to the Rhone, formed J et R Wines and started importing a large portfolio of excellent Southern Rhones into the state and surrounding area. Domaine du Pegau was one of his selections, and I immediately fell in love with it, a liaison that continues to this day, even though the wine, now selling for about $100 a bottle, is no longer within my wine buying budget. 1989 was my introduction to Pegau, and it is still my favorite.

Dark crimson, still bright; lightening at the borders. It takes awhile for the bouquet to open but it is well worth the wait. Very aromatic: cherries, earth, rosemary and thyme. And the flavors are even more enticing. Full bodied and rich. Sweet fruit backed by savory tones of tobacco, sea salt and black olives. Powerful, powerful finish. The perfect match for rack of lamb.

Salexis Napa Valley Beckstoffer Carneros Lake Vineyard Chardonnay, 2019

This Salexis wine has all of the qualities associated with top-rated California Chardonnay in a very attractive package.

Deep gold, looks more mature than it is. Lively smells and flavors--tropical fruit, oak, toasted brioche, butter, vanilla, a touch of honey. Rich and full bodied but equally fresh and vibrant. Would be very enjoyable on its own or at the dinner table. 

Nothing cheap about this wine. It sells for about $30 but I bought it for a bit less through Wine Spies.
 

Chateau Poujeaux Moulis-en-Medoc, 1982

I may have consumed my half case of 2005 Greysac too early, but I probably waited a bit long to finish my half case of 1982 Poujaeaux, purchased more than 40 years ago. Compared to the bottles I had in 2015 and 2016, this bottle is showing some decline. Nevertheless, it is still very enjoyable so I am not at all disappointed.

Medium ruby, still almost as dark as the 2005 Greysac but shading to garnet a bit earlier. Red currants and cherries here plus cassis, leather and cedar. Still has that Poujeaux charm on the mid-palate; ripe and generous. Memories of past greatness show up on the lovely finish.
 

Chateau Greysac Medoc, 2005

 

I am often, with good reason, accused of holding on to wines too long in the cellar. To be honest, though, over the years I  remember more regrets from drinking  a wine too early than too late. Such is the case with this 2005 Greysac. I bought half a case for $12 a bottle in 2012, and this, the last bottle, is clearly the best of the lot with more in the tank.

Deep color with some bricking at the edges. Classic Bordeaux bouquet has developed. Black currants, cassis. Medium bodied with silky texture. Seems rather straightforward and unassuming but gains considerable depth and complexity through the course of the meal. 

I have bought many vintages of Greysac and, because of the price and reputation, have never taken the estate all that seriously in terms of aging. For the excellent 2005 vintage, at least, I was wrong.

DeLille Cellars Roofline Oregon Chardonnay, 2020

DeLille Cellars is located in Washington and specializes in Bordeaux-style wines. Chardonnay, obviously, is not grown in Bordeaux, and the grapes for Roofline come from Oregon.

Medium deep gold. Lively smells of flowers, lime and melon. Has an acidic edge and mineral flavors I associate with Oregon Chardonnay. At this stage of development, I don't detect the lemon curd texture I love in Chardonnays from Willakenzie, Willamette Valley Vineyards and Sokol Blosser wines. For a general Oregon appellation  (not even Willamette Valley), however, Roofline offers an impressive array of complex, savory smells and flavors.
 

G.D. Vajra Clare JC Langhe Nebbiolo, 2022

G.D. Vajra has excellent vineyards and makes some of the best, and highly priced, Barolos. The estate also produces excellent wines for mid-week consumption such as the G.D. Vajra Rosso, which I buy as often as possible. This Clare JC, which the estate created to emulate the Barolos of two and three hundred years ago, falls into the same category--light and fresh, highlighting the beauty of the Nebbiolo grape. It sells for about $20 a bottle.

Medium light garnet. Fresh berries more than cherries, violets more than roses. but unmistakeably Piedmont Nebbiolo. Aromas and flavors that expand over the course of the meal. Crisp on the mid-palate, ripe on the finish. Not a Barolo but not a quaffer. Clearly a wine that demands to be taken seriously. For $20, I am a buyer.