#8: 2005 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape
#7: 2005 Chateau Pontet Canet Pauillac

Looks like the Spectator is going heavy on a couple of things this year:

First, the 2005 vintage in France (and likely California for Napa Cabs) reigns. They’re just avoiding 2006, which makes sense for Bordeaux given that the 2006 stock hasn’t really hit the marketplace yet, but not so much for the Rhone where the 2006’s are plentiful. I guess they just don’t find the 2006 Clos des Papes as good as the 2005 Beaucastel?

Second, the Bordeaux shaped bottle dominates the Top Ten. I noticed this yesterday when I first looked at the silhouettes of the bottles, and Tim pointed to it in his comment as well. The Spectator does really seem to telegraph their choices through the graphics. Of the wines revealed thus far, only one of four is in a Burgundy-shaped bottle (the Beaucastel, of course). Of the six still to be announced, there’s but one lonely Burgundy-shaped bottle left. I’d expect this to be either a 2005 (Red) or 2006 (White) Burgundy, or a California Chardonnay.

Pinot Noir from stateside is probably a non-starter, as nobody has raved about the 2006 offerings from Kosta Browne and the likes, which were under-performers from a point-perspective.

FYI we have a contestant on the boards, with one entrant listing the 2005 Pontet (but no “Canet”) in his entry. Good for at least partial credit!

More madness follows tomorrow.

It’s that time…the week when the Spectator reveals its Top Ten from their Top 100 WOTY issue. Looks like decent sized production is a factor, with the 2007 Seghesio Sonoma County Zinfandel ranked at #10 (68,000 cases made, $24/bottle, 93 points) and the 2007 Mollydooker Carnival of Love Shiraz taking the #9 position (2,596 cases made, $90/bottle, 95 points).

We actually got an allocation of the Carnival of Love this year and decided not to take it, since $90 just seemed over the edge of fair. Oh well, I suppose now it wouldn’t have been an issue unloading it, but you live and learn.

On a more important note, so far there are no winners in the guessing game, with no participants having chosen either Seghesio or Mollydooker in their entries to the d547 contest.

Usually when I go to Bristol Farms and peruse the wine section I experience sticker shock, since the prices there are anywhere from 10% to 30% above typical retail mark-up. Today, I experienced shock for the opposite reason. Some of my favorite wines of late are on sale there at incredibly fair prices — prices that verge upon or meet wholesale levels (and, which, in fact, might very well be a mistake).

Rush to the Bristol Farms at Beverly Boulevard and Doheny in Beverly Hills to pick up the 2006 LIOCO Indica Red for $13.99 a bottle, or the 2007 LIOCO Rosé of Pinot Noir/Carignane for $9.99 a bottle. Both have signage indicating that they’re on sale for $3 off the normal pricing of $16.99 and $13.99 respectively; however, the LIOCO MSRP on each is actually $19.99 and $16.99, and it’s likely that somebody with the price gun screwed up and marked them down an extra $3 each. The 2007 Sonoma County Chard is correctly marked at $19.99. I don’t know if they’re similarly marked at other Bristol Farms locations.

I sell the Indica for $20 and the Rosé for $16 and already think they’re a steal. So, for once (and perhaps once only) I’m going to suggest you buy wine from Bristol Farms.

Simon of Larchmont Wine, Spirits & Cheese has this pick for November. It’s $14.99 and you can pick it up there. Call (323) 856-8699 to order. Simon says…

As the calendar races towards Thanksgiving (with a vengeance), it is again time to contemplate what to drink as the nights draw in, and what will match well with your groaning feast on the 27th. We featured a Beaujolais last year, which is a natural choice for turkey and other fowl, but this juicy and complex Cabernet Franc from Anjou (in the Loire valley in western France) deserves its place here.

The fruit is sourced from vineyards with an abundance of schist and quartz in the soils, giving the wine a pleasing streak of minerals that balances the wonderful ripe fruit. Raspberry, red plum, crushed violets and rose petals abound on the nose and the wine has a pleasing supple texture on the palate. It is pure and bright, revealing crushed red cherry and raspberry fruit and just the right amount of vibrant acidity.

A wonderful wine to match with all manner of fall-friendly foods; braised meats including game, goats milk cheeses, hearty stews and of course your bird of choice, be it Turkey, Goose or Duck.

Happy Thanksgiving! –SC