Wine Tag: C

[Rebel Rose]

Man, I'm looking at my little stash of pinot and thinking, "But P is so far away . . . "

Nevertheless, let's proceed with the C's! And remember, you can always post in A and B if you have a wine you'd like to share.

[Brad Ballinger]

I'm thinking this letter is going to be so easy for people who have yet to participate.

Caberent (sauvignon and franc), chardonnay, chenin, charbono, corvina, heck even concord. . .

Cote _________, Cotes __________, Chateau __________, Clos __________, Cuvee __________. . .

Cornas, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Chablis, Champagne, Chinon, Chianti (and Chianti Classico). . .

And I haven't even named a producer (Caymus, Cusumano, Cakebread, Colosi. . .)

Anyone for a Marcel Juge Cornas Cuvee C?

[lperry]

Cantine Sant' Agata Ciarea DOC 2004. $20.00 at Castiglia's Italian restaurant in Fredericksburg, VA.

A white made from Cortese grapes grown in the hills of Monferrato in the northern Piemonte region of Italy. According to Winegeeks.com, the most commonly made wine from this grape is the DOCG Gavi.

Dry and full bodied. Citrus nose with light honey and mineral undertones. Just lovely with a caprese salad and pizza margherita outside on a warm, late summer night. We had ordered something else and the owner came out to our table to apologize because he was out of our selection. He suggested this wine. We didn't admit that we had deliberately made our original selection because we had never heard of the wine and we wanted to try something new.

-L

[Brian Murdock]

Wow! Lots of C's I could add from Spain:

Regions:

Cariñena: In Aragon. That's where the variety Carignane gets its name. Traditionally the most famous region from Aragon.

Campo de Borja: Another Aragonese region making some fine reds made mostly from Garnacha. Good prices.

Calatayud: Yet another D.O. from Aragon. Also beginning to make some excellent reds from Garnacha (many old-vine). Also very good prices.

Cigales: This one is in Castilla León and is known for its rosés, but it also is beginning to make some good red wine too. Good example: Calderona.

Cava: Spain's sparkling wine. Most is made in Catalonia, but it doesn't have to be from there.

Castilla: This is a Vinos de la Tierra Appellation which encompasses wines from all over Castilla-La Mancha. Some of the most exciting stuff in La Mancha fall under this label.

WINES: List is nearly endless. Here are a couple of interesting and perhaps different ones:

Calzadilla: Red blends made from a winery in Cuenca (La Mancha)

Castaño: from Yecla. Makes a wide variety of reds, many from Monastrell.

Casa de la Ermita: Jumilla. Especially liked the crianza and the Petit Verdot varietal.

Ah, the list could go on forever

[Andre]

Chambolle-Musigny Premier Cru, Domaine Comte George de Vogue 1996.

[bottle # 124]

Deep red cherry shifting into amber color.

A concentrated fruity nose, slightly alcoholic with an older wine aroma sneaking under fruit concentration ending with mild spice turning into a more dominant black pepper.

A Soft round mouth-filling wine is displayed on the entrance of the wine to the mouth. Ripe to over-ripe fruit and a sharp acidity provides the second impression ending with a sharp balanced finish.

A wonderful classic to enjoy now – 2011.

[Walter Moar]

For the letter 'C' I chose Château Coutet, a first growth from Barsac. Barsac is in Bordeaux, and lies to the north of the Ciron river from Sauternes. Barsac produces wine like Sauternes -- sweet, rich, ideally botrytis-affected, and made primarily from Sémillon and Sauvignon Blanc.

The 2003 Château Coutet has recently appeared on our market, and I couldn't resist trying it young to see how it is -- wonderful! A deep yellow-gold, the nose carries honey, big botrytis character, caramel, dried apricot, obvious oak treatment, and rich butter. It tastes sweet with solid but not bright acid, and has flavours of honey and orange zest, with a huge finish that's all about the oak: caramel; vanilla; browned butter. It's 14% (minimum for Sauternes is 13%) and goes for CAD$35 for a half bottle.

[dinwiddie]

2002 Radio-Coteau Von Weidlich Zinfandel - Elegant and complex for a big Zin. Lots of spice, cherrys, pepper, and briar. Wonderful wine.

[Misha]

The lost grape from Bordeaux - Carmenère from Chile

I've had the '01, '02 & '03 Concha y Toro Carmenère Terrunyo (Spanish for Terroir) which runs about $22-$25 per bottle and have enjoyed each vintage.

[Brad Ballinger]

2002 Chateau Thivin (de Claude Geoffray) Cote de Brouilly, Beaujolais. Drunk on its own watching a DVD of "Walk the Line." Brief note here -- it was light, fruity, lively, and had a small bit of spice. Good level of acidity. No real sign of showing any age. Screaming for a plate of ratatouille and crusty bread.

[slbunge]

2002 Chateau Thivin (de Claude Geoffray) Cote de Brouilly, Beaujolais.  Drunk on its own watching a DVD of "Walk the Line."  Brief note here -- it was light, fruity, lively, and had a small bit of spice.  Good level of acidity.  No real sign of showing any age.  Screaming for a plate of ratatouille and crusty bread.

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From your cellar or available locally?

[Brad Ballinger]

From your cellar or available locally?

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France 44

[pnapoli]

2003 Clio (Bodegas El Nido, Jumilla, Spain)