Say Vino is is published every Tuesday evening. It contains wine news, opinion, and special sales info for our subscribers. Say Vino is available by email or at our website, schaefers.com, and it is also posted in our store.

Here's a classic example of a great Cabernet that didn't get the 95-point rating it deserved. There's plenty of balance and plenty of elegance in this one! Here's what the Wine Spectator had to say about the 2003 Opus One: "Intense and concentrated, with dried currant, wild berry and cedary oak flavors providing a dry, chewy aftertaste. May benefit from time in the bottle. Best from 2008 through 2013. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 23,000 cases made. 87 points"

Little needs to be said about Paul Hobbs' reds. These are benchmarks anywhere you can find them. This is a serious Cabernet collector's wine and we only have a tiny amount available so we will have to allocate it. Robert Parker gave this wine 90 points and said "the bottled 2004 Cabernet Sauvignons performed even better than they did from barrel. A good introduction to what Paul Hobbs does so well (good vineyards and winemaking techniques) is the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa. There are 3,640 cases of this dense ruby/purple-tinged Cabernet. Its big, sweet bouquet of chocolate, cassis, and loamy soil scents is followed by a wine revealing an opulent texture as well as 10-12 years of longevity. Drink 2006-2018."

The winemaker says: "This Chardonnay is built to age. I fully expect that after a couple of years of proper cellaring its many layers of underlying structure will begin to emerge". 92 Points. One of the few California Chardonnays that behaves like a grand cru Chablis is Chateau Montelena's non-malolactic Chardonnay Napa, which rarely sees more than 10-20% new oak. As usual, the 2005 exhibits a nervous edge as well as loads of lemon butter, green apple, and white currant-like characteristics, laser-like precision, superb acidity, and surprising intensity as well as richness." - Wine Advocate

Says Robert Parker "The 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon Napa exhibits peat moss, black currant, cedar, and earth characteristics in its elegant personality. With sweet fruit, an opulent mid-palate, and admirable purity as well as length, it is a supple Cabernet to enjoy during its first decade of life. 89 points." He did a blind tasting of a wine he had previously rated 93 and they guessed it to be from a very ripe year such as 1984 or 1990. "It turned out to be the 1976 Cabernet Sauvignon North Coast, an amazingly rich wine offering loads of cedar, spice box, and mature Cabernet flavors, a wonderful, sweet, fleshy mid-palate, and beautiful ripeness in the finish. This is another example of why Chateau Montelena over the last thirty years has been the most consistently fine producer of top-flight, world-class Napa Cabernet Sauvignon!"

 

 

Winemaker's tasting note: - "In the Chateau Montelena tradition, this is an elegant, restrained, claret-style Zinfandel". 90 Points. The peppery 2004 offers loads of berry fruit, medium to full body, an earthy, spicy, savory character, and a heady mouthfeel." - Wine Advocate

Another "trophy" Cabernet! While not as high-profile (or expensive) as the anointed handful, Salvestrin Cabernet Sauvignon 2003 takes a backseat to very few. The latest edition of Wine Enthusiast Magazine just rated it a remarkable 94-points and made it their "Editors' Choice." They commented: "A solid effort: soft, round and polished, with a classic Cab profile. Cherry, cola, blackberry and cedar aromas and flavors have a delicately earthy edge of fresh Provençal herbs. Rich in ripe tannins, with a splash of Merlot, is beautiful now, and should age well for many years."

 

 

This is an exciting and rare release. It is a blend of 85% Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir, 13% Syrah and 1% each Pinot Meunier and Chardonnay. Expect mouth-filling flavors of earth and plum. The winemaker promises this to be the most seamless Perennial to date. That means a smooth texture followed by a well-balanced tannin and acidity profile, with fruit aromas such as red currant, cherry, raspberry, and plum and hints of clove, mineral and perfume.

The perfect wine is a white that marries the cooling properties of a lighter variety with the crisp refreshment of the bite of a ripe Bosq pear. The little-known New Zealand property of the inspired Steve Bird and his wife Caroline produce one of the best Pinot Gris we've had in months! Warning, one bottle is never enough. This is not tiring wine, you'll want a second or third on hand.

 

If you have not had a chance to shop by the store lately, you have not had a chance to check out our latest floor display, featuring one of our most popular lines. Victoria Street, a favorite for both customers and staff and known for their excellent California varietals, gave us some bad news last month: after years of providing wonderful wine at terrific value, Victoria Street is closing its doors. The good news is we had the chance to buy the remaining supply at a ridiculously low price and we are passing the savings on to you. Probably the most popular are the Chardonnay, regularly $18.95, now only $8.97, and the Cabernet Sauvignon, regularly retailing for $29.95, and also only $8.97 - you just can't beat this one, or the other varietals. Whether it's crisp Sauvignon Blanc, velvety Merlot or their classy Zinfandel, with sale prices as low as $5.97, it's well worth a stop to try then buy these wines. Call today to order your favorites by the case before they sell out - once they're gone, they're gone!

Robert Pecota Winery will be featured at this Saturday's FREE tasting, 11-5. A small, family-owned and operated winery located near the town of Calistoga, Bob Pecota recently sold his 37-acre estate vineyard and downsized to a new property close by on Bennett Lane just across the Napa River from Chateau Montelena. Plans are to plant 22 of the 27 acres to grapes, primarily Cabernet Sauvignon. His Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from a vineyard in Gordon Valley, in southeastern Napa Valley, and the winery's two dessert wines - Moscato d'Andrea (named after Bob's younger daughter, Andrea) and Moscato Canelli Passito - are from the Solari vineyard in Calistoga. He also makes a wonderful Merlot, the Steven Andre Merlot (named after Bob's son, Steven). Join us for this family affair!

That's all for this week. If we may be of any further service, please stop by our store at 9965 Gross Point Road in Skokie (for directions, click here), visit our website at http://www.schaefers.com, give us a call at 847-677-WINE (9463), 800-833-WINE (9463), or click here to contact us.