Spotlight

2012 Holiday Newsletter

Happy Holidays to all of our Customers and Friends.
Please note that we will be open on Sundays from 12 noon to 6 pm to accommodate your Holiday shopping needs.
This is the time of year to offer better wines to your friends and families and this newsletter has wonderful suggestion for Holidays wine gifts and gift baskets, as well as wines perfect for the Christmas dinner table. Emerson’s is always 63° and wines are stored on their side with indirect incandescent lighting so you can purchase with confidence. Please remember that we offer gift wrapping with a wide variety of bags and boxes for one to six bottles as well as local delivery to selected Richmond zip codes.  Thank you for shopping with us and Merry Christmas!  J. Emerson, Inc.

Holiday Gift Baskets
Here is a wonderful and thoughtful gift for friends customers and family. Choose your favorite wines and the basket, a box of Emerson chocolates, wrapping, and bow are an additional: $9.95 for two bottles, $11.95 for three bottles and $13.95 for four bottles. We would be happy to consult with you on additional accessories to add to your basket. Plus - we can deliver to Richmond and west end addresses for an additional $10.

1969 Mas Amiel - Maury Vin Doux Natural
Crafted like vintage port this may be the ultimate choice as a post meal digestive, perhaps with cigars. From a small French appellation nestled between the Corbieres and the foothills of the Pyrenees this Grenache based wine is refined power. Like port, fermentation was halted by fortifying to 16%. The wine is then placed outside for one year in large glass containers subject to rain, heat sun, cold which makes it virtually bullet proof. It is then transferred to large old 350hl oak casks until bottling. The wine went into cask in 1971 and stayed there until bottling in august of 2011, over 40 years.  Aromas of chocolate and notes of dried figs, tobacco and velvety tannins. Absolutely rare, absolutely wonderful, and an absolutely perfect way to end a special meal. $114.95

Dessert from Alois Kracher
Alois Kracher of Austria passed away in 2007 at a young age but not before he become a legend in Austrian winemaking. His wines are now very rare and very difficult to find.
2000 Alois Kracher #2 Muscat Ottonel Trockenbeerenauslese Zds - awe inspiring elegance. $74.95
2000 Alois Kracher #7 Chardonnay Trockenbeerenauslese Nouvelle Vague - Butterscotch cream and peaches - $84.95   His wines are not really dessert wines; they are the dessert.

THE GIFT OF CALIFORNIA WINE
“I need a nice bottle of wine for my husband /wife/son /brother /sister/daughter /aunt/uncle/boss, etc.). They/he/she/ likes California cabs.”

First a few recent arrivals:

2009 Kathryn Hall Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, CA- “Ultrarich and multiflavored, with a range of deep, baked berry notes. Intense and focused, balanced and persistent, this ends with touches of red and black licorice and subtle, grainy earth accents and tannins.” (WS 10/12)  $129.95
2007 Anakota Helena Montana Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon Knights Valley, Ca - “Full-bodied, powerful and muscular with a boatload of tannin as well as fabulous concentration, this may turn out to be one of the longest lived wines ever made from Knight’s Valley. Give it 3-4 more years of bottle age and drink it over the following 25 years.” (WA 193)  $59.95

Now some selected favorites, a few in older vintages:

2009 Plumpjack Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville, Napa Valley- “The 2009 is a beautiful wine. Freshly cut flowers, dark red berries, mint and crushed rocks are some of the nuances that flow from this highly articulated, engaging red. Despite its richness and obvious size, the 2009 retains remarkable freshness, clarity and precision. This is a terrific showing” (WA#198)  $109.95
2008 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Napa, CA. - “A gorgeous, mid-weight wine laced with mint, cassis, sweet herbs and tobacco. It is an understated, gracious wine from start to finish. This is a relatively approachable vintage for the Estate. It shows tons of finesse and mid-palate generosity while maintaining a medium-bodied personality.” (WA #198) $134.95
2000 Viader Napa Valley Red Wine -  “Lots of attractive, up-front fruit pleasure, with a core of black cherry and blackberry shaded by cedar, mocha, coffee and leather. Finishes with a sense of elegance and ripe, integrated tannins. Best from 2004 through 2012.” (WS11/15/02) $89.95
2002 Dunn Vineyards Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley Red wine- “Notably elegant and refined, this shows good density. The core of mixed flavors includes dried currant, savory herb, cedar and mineral. Firm in body and tannins, ending with a cigar box-cedar-tobacco allure.” (2012 WS Web only) $119.95
2006 Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvvignon Napa Valley, CA - “The unmistakable signature of vanilla bean and coconut scents fold in nicely with taut yet supple tiers of cedar, black cherry, currant and berry jam notes. Full-bodied, ending with firm, structured tannins.” (WS 7/11) $89.95
2004 Melbury Napa Valley Red wine, Ca-  From Harlan Estate - “A sensational wine with an inky bluish/purple color, fabulous blueberry and blackberry fruit w/ hints of lead pencil, acacia flowerpain grille, and spice, the tannins are supple and the wine exuberant, flamboyant, ripe, rich, and long. This is sensational stuff that can be drunk now or cellared for 20-25 years.” (WA#174)  $314.95
2007 Merryvale Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley, Ca- “Another winner. It possesses abundant notes of creme de cassis intermixed with a floral underpinning and subtle oak in the background. Rich and full-bodied with a burning ember/smoky component that adds character to the red and black fruits that dominate the wine, this beauty should drink well for 15+ years.” (WA #186)  $59.95

Finally, for the ultimate California wine Gift a six bottle wood case:

  Each of these wines is presented in an attractive 6 bottle case quite suitable and attractive as a Christmas gift to anyone who loves California Cabernet. Each case purchase receives a 10% discount. The perfect presentation and a discount, what could be better?
2008 Joseph Phelps Insignia Proprietary Red Wine – “A towering, statuesque wine bursting with blackberry jam, tar, spices, leather and licorice. It shows fabulous depth and richness backed up by serious, imposing tannins that suggest it has a long life. Anticipated maturity: 2018-2038.” (WA #198) $179.95/btl or 6 bottle wood case: $970.95

2009 Opus One Napa Valley Red Wine, Ca - “This bold, rich and assertive red is firm and concentrated, displaying a mix of dried currant, blackberry, wild berry and spice flavors, ending with loamy earth and melted black licorice notes.” (WS 10/31/12)
$214.95/btl or 6 bottle wood case: $1159.95

2010 Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley Ca - The flagship Caymus wine selected from only the best barrels. Small production from densely planted vineyard sites. Always a selection for wine of the year. Rich and delicious with blueberry and chocolate notes and refined tannins. $145.95/btl or 6 bottle wood case: $787.95

OTHER OPTIONS FOR 6 BOTTLES PACKED IN WOOD
Rare and wonderful Shiraz:
2002 The Colonial Estate Shiraz Exile, Barossa Valley, Au. - “a superb example of this fabulous vintage in Barossa. Black/purple-colored with sensational purity, a blackberry liqueur, cassis intensity, and beautifully integrated wood, alcohol, and tannin, this large yet brilliantly balanced effort can be drunk now, but promises to age effortlessly for 10-15 years.” (WA #161) $189.95/btl or 6 bottle wood case: $895.95 (save20%)
One of the great wines from a great Rhone vintage:
2009 Domaine de la Mordoree Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de la Reine des Bois Rhone, France - “The 2009 Cuvee de la Reine des Bois is brilliant. Its inky purple color is followed by a gorgeous nose of blackberry and blueberry liqueur, lead pencil shavings, and a hint of raspberries. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated with abundant floral notes, stunning flavor depth, brilliant purity and sweet tannin, it will benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age (atypical for a 2009), and should drink well for 25+ years.” (WA #197)  $89.95/btl or 6 bottle wood case: $484.95

AFFORDABLE LARGE FORMATS
Oh yes, we have Barbaresco, Barolo, expensive Pinot Noir, etc. in magnums and 3 liters but here are few interesting, yet affordable suggestions:
1.5 liter - 2006 Guigal Cotes du Rhone, France - A Great vintage - $29.95
1.5 liter - 2008 Lan Rioja Crianza, Spain - $24.95
1.5 liter - 2009 Prima, Toro Spain - offered in a wood presentation case - $44.95

ANDRE CLOUET CHAMPAPNE NV GRAND CRU 1911
Full bodied , yet extraordinarily smooth & elegant.
100% Pinot Noir and only 1911 bottles are produced each cuvee from Grand Cru vineyards.  The cuvee is a blend of older vintages from the 90’s and a solera of reserve wines from the 2002 Vintage. Packed in straw with a booklet indicating the disgorgement date and the bottle number; this is one of the finest Champagnes we have tasted at this price, but unfortunately only a few bottles were released into Virginia.  $104.95

2 UNIQUE GIFTS - GRAND CRU BURGUNDY under $100
Burgundy is the home of Pinot Noir and my favorite wine region. If you were buying gifts for me these are the two I would want and, given their pedigree, they are reasonably priced.
2003 Domaine Daniel Bocquenet Echezeaux, Burgundy, France -  “Produced from a tiny 1 acre parcel located in the highest part of its grand cru,  it explodes from the glass with black fruits and myriad spices. A backward, massively concentrated wine, it is hugely powerful, chewy, and dense. This muscular, deep, medium to full bodied offering’s firm, almost rustic, structure demands patience. Projected maturity: 2014-2030+.” (WA #160)  $99.95
1998 Domaine Henri Rebourseau Clos Vougeot, Burgundy,  Fr.– I have enjoyed this wine on several occasions and it is still surprisingly rich. While it was once considered a structured and backward wine the tannins have resolved themselves nicely letting the subtle dark fruits shine. $99.95

OUTSTANDING BORDEAUX GIFTS
From the greatest of Bordeaux appellations, Pauillac and Margaux
2000 Ch. Durfort-Vivens Margaux, Fr. – 1855 2nd growth - “Shows loads of pretty blackberry and raspberry, with a smoky undertone. Full-bodied, with fine tannins, a lovely structure and a long finish. Still tight. Best after 2010.” (WS Web Only – 2007)  $89.95
2006 Grand-Puy-Ducasse, Pauillac, Fr. -Had this last week with braised short ribs and no decanting, very nice. “Classic creme de cassis notes intermixed with licorice, spring flowers, a bit of toast and smoke are all present in this medium to full-bodied, elegant, yet savory, expansively flavored, deep, silky-textured wine that has outstanding depth, purity, and a good 20-second finish.”(WA#181)  $67.95

BEAUTIFUL, HARD TO FIND TUSCAN GEMS
2008 Podere Poggio Scalette Il Carbonaione Tuscany, Italy - “...shows gorgeous depth, precision and nuance, all of which are quite rare in 2008. Layers of smoke, tar, licorice and beautifully integrated French oak wrap around the deep fruit in its superb, articulated Il Carbonaione. Firm yet elegant tannins support the finish.” (WA#196)  $74.95
2003 Il Poggione Brunello di Montalcino Riserva Vigna Paganelli, Tuscany, Italy - “This is awesome, deep Brunello is endowed with gorgeous dark fruit that emerges from the glass with superb richness and power while retaining a traditional sense of structure. There is more than enough fruit to balance the firm tannins that are typical of this hot year. I was blown away by the combination of opulence and classicism present in the 2003 Riserva. If that sounds appealing, believe me it is.”  (WA #188)  $69.95

 

2012_Holiday_Gift_guide.pdf

December 11, 2012 12:36