Budget Wine of the Week

Little James' Basket Press from Chateau Saint Cosme www.saintcosme.com/en/ is an interesting wine at a great price. It is a non-vintage grenache from Gigondas and made via the solera system. My experience with the solera system has been predominantly with Sherry, so I was excited to give this rare find a try. The solera system for Little James was started in 1999, and this particular bottle is made up of 50% of the 2007 vintage with the remainder being a blend of the older vintages. Consistency is the goal.

The color was a reddish-orange likely due to the age of the blended vintages and there was significant sediment in the bottom of the glass. The bits were large enough to lodge in one's teeth for a potentially embarrassing moment. The wine looked light in the glass.

The nose consisted of damp mushroom compost which is a familiar smell in my part of the world. In addition, notes of strawberries and leather and hints of flower shop. The nose was complex and a treat to the senses. In the mouth, the body was light but well balanced matching the look in the glass. The tannins were smooth, and the acidity was fresh and crisp. On the palate was a distinct presence of green banana, candied apple, and a hint of roses. The finish of golden raisins was prominent but short lived leading to a bit of disappointment. A very well rounded wine nontheless.

I rated it a 16/20 with the only real notable faults being the appearance and the light (for Grenache) body. This is a true bargain at $10, and I'll be adding more to the rack!

Budget Wine of the Week

This week's wine is from the birthplace of all winemaking; the Republic of Georgia. Evidence exists that Vitis Vinifera Vinifera was domesticated in this region somewhere around 6000 B.C. For more information on the history of ancient wines, Patrick McGovern's Ancient Wine; The Search for the Origins of Viniculture is a good read. I have always been curious as to how these wines compare to wines from other parts of the world. Dr. Konstantin Frank's Rkatsiteli from the Finger Lakes, NY is as close as I have come to tasting an ancient varietal until now. I was able to pick up this bottle at The Wine Library in Springfield, NJ.

The Tsinandali 2007 I tasted is from the Kakheti region in the Tsinandali microzone. It is a blend of the tongue twisting Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane grapes, and immediately the very pale yellow-gold color is notable. In fact, I had to look quite closely to note any color at all. The bouquet is equally light with crisp notes of pineapple, coconut, and stone fruit like golden plum. This wine is aged in oak with the coconut notes giving that away. There is a also a slight buttery essence attibuted to a bit of malolactic fermentation.

In the mouth, the wine feels light but balanced matching the nose. There is moderate acidity with little noticeable alcohol. Flavors of cooked peaches, lime, and some grassy notes make for an interesting taste profile, but taste them while you can. The finish is short but cleansing. However, it left me with a desire for more. The Tsinandali would be great with baked or grilled fish. The crisp, cleansing qualities would also make this wine a good match for cream sauces or cheese. I give this wine a rating of 16/20, and at $8 per bottle this could easily be an everyday white particularly in the summer and fall months.