Happy Holiday Wines

Tonight we are having our annual Holiday Dinner for our food and wine society, La Chaine des Rotisseurs and the following are the wines we will be serving.  These are all value wines for the most part under $30 a bottle.  You will notice a good representation for 2015 and 2010 which were great vintage years in most of the world.  Always remember one of the things that separate the great vs. mediocre winemakers is in good or great years everyone makes great wines as a rule but only the best winemakers make great or good wines in bad years.  Both 2010 and 2015 were great years to buy wine from the lesser-known winemakers as most were outstanding well made wines.  To my knowledge, these wines are available today on wine-searcher.com and 1000corks.com at value prices.  Clark and I also want to wish for all of you a Happy and safe Holiday and a great Happy New Year.

Baron-Fuente Grand Cru Champagne NV

This super well-balanced bottle of Champagne gets an astoundingly luxurious seven years of aging on the lees. It is very rare to find something so reasonably priced that is aged for so long. Composed of even parts Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Meunier, it is fermented in stainless steel. Baron Fuente is a négociant that owns almost 90 acres of vines and purchases another 90 acres "sur pied," meaning that they pick the grapes. The Esprit has a very high-quality sourdough toastiness arrived at honestly from the long aging on the lees. It is round and easy to drink, with flavors of hazelnuts contrasting its nice citrus zip. The perfect thing to serve as an elegant aperitif at an important dinner party!

92 points Wine Spectator

"Creamy in texture, with mouthwatering acidity enlivening rich notes of bread dough, black currant, lemon curd, pastry cream, and blanched almonds. Shows fine balance and length. (AN)  (12/2012)

91 points Wine Enthusiast

"As with other Champagnes in the producer's range, this blends three vintages, giving it extra richness and depth of fruit flavor. Its toasty edge suggests it has also been aged in bottle. Attractive and ripe, it's ready to drink. (RV)  (6/2017)

Iron Horse Vineyards Estate Chardonnay Green Valley of Russian River Valley 2015

Winemaker Notes WE 92

By the nose, great complexity with touches of pineapple, melon, green apple, kiwi, and yeast. By mouth, minerality, pineapple, lime and a gentle mouthfeel (a result of extensive batonnage). This Estate Chardonnay is a classic food wine. Try it with roasted cauliflower and cannellini bean salad, thyme roasted chicken with buttermilk mashed potatoes and a salad of baby greens, smoky ham and corn chowder. Salmon rillettes on buttered brioche would be a perfect hors d'oeuvre.

Chateau de Ribebon Reserve Bordeaux Superieur 2015

The Aubert family has lived in Saint-Émilion since 1750 and has a long and successful history as producers of some of Bordeaux's finest wines. They own over 600 acres of vineyard property, making them one of the largest family producers on the Right Bank. Their estate centers around the old family home of Château de Ribebon, a magnificent 18th-century building that was once a hunting lodge for King Louis XIV, beautifully preserved, on a terrace overlooking the Dordogne River. Chateau de Ribebon is a blend of 70% Merlot 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Cabernet Franc.

91 pts Wine Enthusiast

The wine, from one of the five Aubert Familly properties, is rich and full of great fruit. With ripe tannins and blackberry generosity over the wood aging, this is still structured yet ready to drink.

Chateau Guiraud 2010 Sauternes

96 points James Suckling

pure fruit and firm tannins from the oak that still needs time to soften. This Sauternes shows wonderful fruit and excellent potential but needs time. Try in 2018.  (2/2013)

93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Tasted as part of a vertical held at the chateau. The 2010 is more Zen-like on the nose compared to the 2009 - more minerality coming through, tense and citric. The palate offers surprising viscosity on the entry with a fine bead of acidity. There are plenty of apricots and dried honey. It has a lovely caressing texture, although there is still some new oak to absorb.