WAR IS PEACE ! FREEDOM IS SLAVERY! IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH!

 

I experienced a brief moment of real terror recently (full disclosure: it might have been gas) when Chuck Norris released an advertisement stating that “civilization is on the brink” and if America chooses wrong with this election, we are destined for “1000 years of darkness”. (Statements like this can be a real help, as they tend to distract me from constructively dealing with any real dangers that I might face.)

As my panic attack subsided and after a full Two Minutes Hate of everyone different from me, I came to the realization that while Chuck and the rest of right wing America might feel they are doomed to a one way trip to hell in a hand basket – the rest of us could simply and easily avoid a national visit to Room 101 with a judiciously healthy purchase of wine from Guy du Vin!

Here is the latest Guy du Vin prolefeed in which we provide you the opportunity to avoid mindlessly giving up ownlife by making a hefty purchase of these doubleplusgood wines. SEE THE LIGHT – skip the Victory Gin and let Guy du Vin become your personal Ministry of Plenty for wine.

Note – for all the Proles out there – Les Hérétiques is at a “plusgood proley” price – so that you too can achieve a reasonable measure of happiness.

(Apologies to G. Orwell – unfortunately, I am sure he would view this newsletter as doubleplusungood)

 

 

 

 

 

Cantina del Pino Barbaresco 2008

Cantina del Pino is a small estate located in the Ovello area of Barbaresco. The winery is owned and operated by Renato Vacca and his father Adriano. Adriano was one of the founding members of the Produttori del Barbaresco and for many years the family sold its grapes to the famous cooperative. Renato studied enology at the Institute in Alba and then went to work with his father gaining experience until they decided to strike out on their own.

The 2008 Cantina del Pino Barbaresco shows very well. It is approachable – and can be enjoyed right now, although there is no doubt the wine will improve for many years.

This wine is made from 100% Nebbiolo grapes grown in the hills above Barbaresco. It has a delicate perfume with aromas of dark cherry, black pepper and a hint of cigar tobacco. It is elegant and fully ripe with intense fruit and ideal structure and balance. Aged two years in oak and one year in the bottle.

Recommended by The Ministry of Truth and an excellent choice to complete any Two Minutes Hate.   $35.25 per bottle

 

Frescobaldi Montesodi Chianti Rufina Riserva 2007

Ok – this is one of those wines that you just don’t want to miss. The 2007 Montesodi is delicious. Montesodi Riserva is made only in exceptional growing years. It is produced from Sangiovese grown in the Montesodi vineyard, which has always been regarded as the one of the finest on the estate for growing Sangiovese. It yields a rich, intense wine of truly remarkable aromas. The 2007 shows smoke, grilled herbs and dark cherries. The palate is intense with richly concentrated fruit as this dense, powerful wine opens up in the glass. This wine is built to last – although it probably won’t as we’re already well into drinking our first case.  $30.25 per bottle

 

 

 

 

Antinori Tignanello Toscana IGT 2009

This is a classic – a wine that you would be crazy to miss – don’t be guilty of crimethink!

Tignanello is produced exclusively from the vineyard of the same name, a parcel of some 140 acres. It was probably the first Sangiovese wine to be aged in small oak barrels, the first modern Italian red wine to use international varieties such as Cabernet in the blend and among the first red wines from the Chianti Classico area to be produced without white grapes. The current blend is 80% Sangiovese, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 5% Cabernet Franc.

Tignanello is bottled only in favorable vintages. The 2009 is a truly great wine. The nose smells of licorice, violets, and cherries with notes of vanilla, chocolate, and sweet toasty oak. The wine is both intense and elegant. Fresh and savory with a persistent finish and great finesse. Tignanello is capable of very long aging.

$85.00 per bottle

 

Nuthatch Carmenère Phinny Hill Vineyard Columbia Valley Washington 2009

Phinny Hill is in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA of Washington. This Carmenère has 5% Syrah added, but the varietal character of Carmenère dominates, with strong green leaf and herb flavors. It is spicy on the nose, with white pepper, dark fruit, red licorice, and a long finish. The tannins are woody and the fruit fragrant with blackberry and cassis.

A common problem in the US with varieties that we consider “unusual“ is that while many examples are intellectually interesting to taste – they are not really wines one wants to drink. The Nuthatch Carmenère manages to avoid that problem. This wine is downright delicious with enough varietal character to keep it from becoming insipid.

Phinny Hill is located about 15 miles north of the Columbia River on an elevated bench, about 60 miles east of The Dalles, Oregon. There are fewer than 15 acres of Carmenère planted in the Pacific Northwest. Originally planted in France’s Bordeaux region, it was pulled out during the phylloxera epidemic in the late1860’s and 1870′s, then transplanted to Chile. It was recently genetically isolated from Merlot vineyards in Chile and transplanted to several vineyards in North America, including Phinny Hill.

$26.75 per bottle

 

 

 

 

 

Vignalta Colli Euganei Rosso Riserva Veneto Italy 2007

This is a blend of 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon from the Veneto region in the Northwest corner of Italy.

Vignalta was founded in 1980 by Lucio Gomiero who, after years of tasting great Bordeaux wines, decided that anything Pomerol could do, he could do just as well. Colli Euganei shares the same lines of latitude with Bordeaux, therefore it is not
surprising that these varietals flourish. The estate consists of 123 acres.

This delicious wine has aromas of red and black cherry, currants, dried cranberry, dates, mocha spice and leather. It is a complex combination of tangy fruit and spice. It is medium to full bodied, balanced and tasty with a touch of bitter chocolate that adds a little bit of extra interest on the finish.

 $15.00 per bottle  - 3 bottle minimum order

 

 

 

 

 

Les Hérétiques Pays d’Hérault France 2011

A savory, ripe, elegant but earthy red from the Languedoc. The wine is made by Chateau d’Oupia and is not one of the ubiquitous varietal bottlings from irrigated flat vineyards of the region but rather, this is one of the wonderful wines coming from the best hillside vineyard sites in AOCs like Minervois, Corbières, and Coteaux-du-Languedoc.

This wine is mostly Carignan with some Syrah blended in. The Carignan vines are 40+ years old. This is savory, juicy, and supremely fresh wine that is a near perfect example of a go-to “house wine” that you can sip every night of the week. Fresh blackberry fruit, juicy acidity, and exotic spice notes, this is a great little wine – at a very wallet friendly price!

$9.50 per bottle – three bottle minimum order

 

All wines are available through Guy du Vin. You can place your order by emailing guyduvin@yahoo.com. We can ship your wine as soon as it is ready, or we can hold your order until you’ve selected a full case. If we don’t have your credit card on file, we’ll give you a call.