If you are really into the wines, one of your favorite pastimes is to search the aisles of wine shops and wine departments of huge retailers like BevMo! and Costco. Buying wine is no sure thing. The only thing for sure is that there are whites and reds. Everything else is really window-dressing and your experience with tasting the wines. That’s why I urge a “core and explore” strategy. Your core wines are brands and vintages you can rely on for consistent quality. Then allow, say, one-third of your wines and budget for the “explore” part. Those would be the vast number of new wines brands and varietals that you have not tried. Chances are some of those “explorations” will be so good that you will want to add them to your core list.
So what’s really selling these days? I decided to check on the inventory renewals at Costco’s biggest selling wine department in my hometown of Carlsbad.
California’s best-selling varietals, despite all the words of praise from we wine writers for newer sensations, is still Chardonnay for a white and Cabernet Sauvignon for a red. This was underlined by current sales and inventory at Costco. Their stock of Chardonnay is led by Clos Du Bois, La Crema and Beringer.
Checking out the Cabernets, the biggest seller and the highest inventory of any wine at Costco is the venerable and all-time Napa Valley great, Mondavi—- specifically CK Mondavi (the CK is for Charles Krug, where members of the family make premium wines, as well as this value wine.) This is not to be confused with Robert Mondavi wines, bought out some years ago by an international conglomerate. Other cabs that are moving at Costco include Louis Martini, Montes Alpha and Casa LaPostolle from Chile. Other big red movers are Cambria Pinot Noir, Dona Paula Shiraz/Malbec from Argentina, Tin Roof Merlot, Villa Pillo Toscana Rosso Borgoforte from Italy, Manage A Trois red blend and Kirkland house brand Merlot from Washington.
New tastings worth telling
Where do I begin? I just returned from the Napa Valley, more convinced than ever that it is the greatest growing grounds for wine in the world, with lots of fabulous tastings, but that will be reserved for a future column. As I write this, a large real estate investment trust has just announced a purchase of Beaulieu and Sterling Vineyards, both from Napa Valley. Foley Family Wines, which has Sebastiani and Wattle Creek, has just added Chalk Hill from Sonoma. OK, so those are business trends. Here are some special tastings:
— Lewis Cellars Chardonnay Reserve Napa Valley 2008 for $65. The winery of the season at Amaya, the Grand Del Mar Resort. Balanced to perfection with crisp character.
— Saxon Brown Pinot Noir Sonoma 2008 for $41. Dynamic treatment of this “First Lady” of reds. Strawberry notes carry through to the long, glamorous finish.
— Thornton Winery Petite Sirah Temecula Valley 2007 for $40. Thornton has seven new releases out, topped by this inaugural triumph by winemaker Don Reha. Carefully aged 27 months in toasted oak.
— Thornton Winery Nebbiolo Temecula Valley 2007 for $34. The northern Italian backbone grape to the famous Barolo and Barbaresco, this wine has wings and flies with its famous brethren. Rich and visceral. Expect leather, mineral characteristics.
— Parallel Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2007 for $64. According to “birthday girl” Laura at Carlsbad Wine Merchants, this wine was created by Winemaker of the Year Phillipe Melka. A prime-time serving.
— Baily Vineyard and Winery Riesling Temecula Valley 2008 for $14. Made to commemorate the 150th anniversary of Temecula. Crisp, clean and smooth taste. Serve cold with chicken and pork. Can easily be an aperitif.
— Fontana Fredda Briccotonio Barbera Piedmont Italy 2008 for $9. Here is one Italy’s most delicious table wines. The Barbera grape is underrated. No concern about age. Just open it and enjoy!
Wine Bytes
— A Temecula Valley Tasting Tour departs the Mission Bay Visitors Center from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. July 10. Stops at three favorite wineries: Briar Rose, Falkner and Leonesse. Cost is $100 each. Includes vineyard tours, tastes and snacks. Call (619) 233-8687 for more information.
— Il Fornaio in Del Mar has a Festa Regionale, headlining a Taste of Toscana, now through July 18. Wine choices include Chianti Ruffina and Mazzoni Super Tuscan with entrees like Bistecca alla Fiorentina. RSVP at 1-888-ITALIAN.
— The new Wines@WholesalePlus is open in the San Diego Culinary Center across from the Convention Center. A Super Saturday Sampling happens from 4 to 7 p.m. July 11. You get 10 wines for $10 with appetizers. Call (619) 231-6400 for more information.
— Capri Blu Italian Bistro west of Rancho Bernardo has a Ferrari-Carano wine dinner starting at 6:30 p.m. July 13. A fabulous four-course dinner and five wines from Sonoma’s Ferrari-Carano. Cost is $65 per person. Reservations at (858) 673-5100.
— The California Wine Festival Santa Barbara is July 15 to July 17. Highlight is the Saturday Beachside Wine Festival at the Santa Barbara Pier. Prices vary, so visit www.californiawinefestival.com.
— The second annual Mouton Noir Wine Dinner is at Amaya in the Grand Del Mar Resort from 5:30 to 10 p.m. July 16. Four-course dinner with wine pairings for $70 each. Celebrate a collection of small growers from around the globe. RSVP at (858) 314-2036.
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Frank Mangio
Over 30 years of communication skills, including broadcast, copy, press relations & strategic marketing support in retail, financial and civic. Owner of Taste Of Wine, a multi-media information and commentary column and internet platform, since 2005. “I count goal-setting, problem-solving and an understanding of the wine communication universe as my strongest professional assets.”