RFN # 14, pub. 6/11/09

The Riggs Fulmer Newsletter

No. 14
June 11, 2009

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Retailers and restaurants set pricing; think of the prices below as very educated guesswork- restaurant prices will likely be around double those listed.

Friends, the nexus of May/June can be one of the most climactically irritating on the calendar, bi-polar as the weather is this time of year. Fifty degrees and drizzle upon awakening, then a humid sun-break in the afternoon when the temperature soars into the eighties, leaving you all a-sweat in your long sleeves and trousers. Of course, that’s the price we pay to live in paradise, and if you think it’s bad out here, move to the Mississippi Valley for a year, or maybe Washington D.C, where you have no idea on any given day what the heck the sky will look like.

Personally, I don’t mind the clouds- but only on days like today, as they tend to distract me from my newslettering duties. That was NOT the case with last week, by the way; I just didn’t have anything for you. This week, however, is a different animal, friends. Having been to tastings all across town, including the inestimable Storyteller Wines (5511-B SW Hood, PDX; www.storytellerwine.com) and Bar Avignon (2138 SE Division, PDX; www.baravignon.com), and one big boy at 28th Avenue’s own Navarre, I have much wine to discuss with you.

But, without farther adieu (gotta love that self-defecating humor, right?), on we go to the wine. This week, as I mentioned, I was lucky and most pleased to be invited to an amazing Spanish winetasting by my friends at Triage:

José Pastor Selections, hosted by Triage Wines, at Navarre

Navarre (10 NE 28th, PDX; navarreportland.blogspot.com) is a great little restaurant, and by little I don’t mean to condescend- it’s actually a cozy space right off of East Burnside. The food is wonderful, and plentiful, and the staff suitably lovely. But this last Tuesday the place was brim-full of some of the most exciting Spanish wines I’ve tasted in years.

José Pastor is a man after my own heart, it seems. I’m kind of a terroir slut, as you may have noticed these past months, and when I read a guy write this about his selections, I have to smile, “Our producers emphasize Spain’s indigenous grape varietals and above all else, work with their land to handcraft honest wines with a sense of place. To this end, they use indigenous yeast during fermentation, and oak treatment and filtering is kept to a minimum.” Ah, Señor Pastor, your wisdom rings like poetry in my ears… Okay, I’m gushing again, but this was an afternoon of great juice. Before we begin, know that many of these wines are quite rare, and need to be special-ordered. Call your local wine-shop for availability, and do not hesitate, as these wines will not be around forever…

2001 Castell Sant Antoni Cava Gran Reserva $43
In Sideways, as the two gadabouts perch on the tasting room bar at Sanford, Miles archly declares, “Usually they start you out on wines with training wheels, but this…” I felt much the same way to be knocked out of my socks by the first wine on the table, this exquisite Cava. Gorgeous and expressive, with delicate mousse, the limeflowers-and-bread nose hangs over a core of positively Champagne-like structure and effortless, grin-worthy length.

2008 Urki Txacoli Blanco $22 (Getariako Txacolina)
Basque wine! Kerouac once wrote “Les poissons de la mer parlent breton,” but I bet they actually speak Txacoli, as there are arguably no finer wines with seafood than these gems from the shores of the Bay of Biscay, just west of the land’s great northward turn into France. This wine is textbook Txacoli, which is to say a riot of wonderfully steely maritime stones, killer acidity with Meyer lemon lift, and a long, crisp finish full of dancing minerality.

2008 Masia de Bielsa Tinto $13 (Campo de Borja)
I loves me some inexpensive Garnacha, it’s true, even if they can be a little one-trick-pony in their iteration. What do you expect, right? Well, I did not expect this wine to be anything like as affordable as it is when I tasted it. The bouquet was pretty, red berries and blood, while on the tongue it’s floral and earthy, with an actual minerality to its black raspberry finish. Lay this one in by the case.

German Gilabert Cava and Cava Rosé (NV) $16
These two gems are the best values in bubbly I’ve seen in a looong time. Hey, Cristalino’s great, but if you can get five times the wine for just under twice the price…? The white is beautiful, all lime skins and stones, and the pink, made from 100% Trepat, is an epiphany of wild cherries and mountain strawberries, wound around a core of citrus and minerals. Just awesome, both of them.

2006 Mas de Negre $24 (Priorat)
When I go to Spain, I plan to spend a lot of time in my favorite Iberian wine region, the Priorat. Topographically, linguistically, and also organoleptically, this region offers something of a mash-up of Mediterranean France and Spain. How can you go wrong? This wine, a blend of Cinsault and Garnacha, shows pretty French cherries, bloody roses, and silky tannins, with a clean, meat-loving finish. 100% organic juice. Very nice indeed.

2008 Verasol MCS $11 (Jumilla)
This little Monastrell-driven gem is a fantastic value. The wine’s robe is a lovely, almost fluorescent purple, and in the mouth it’s fresh and bright, berries and garrigue herbs, with great length. Yum!

2007 Enología Temera Alodio $18 (Ribeira Sacra)
The Ribeira Sacra is in many ways the most exciting up-and-coming wine region in Europe. Ancient vines of a noble indigenous varietal (Mencia), steep, craggy vineyards, exceptional climate… an importer’s dream! This wine shows sweet, spicy stones with thrilling boysenberry concentration and bright, lifting acids. Yum!

2005 Enología Temera “Temera” VV Mencia $30 (Ribeira Sacra)
Old-vine Mencia from the precipitous slopes above the River Sil, this wine was aged in cherry wood (!), and is indeed as distinctive and charming as you’d imagine. An explosion of raspberries and fresh garden roses, this is a lot like a Spanish version of Lacrima di Morro d’Alba in its floral cascade. Like God’s own rose pastilles, this amazing wine must be tasted to be believed.

Guímaro (Ribeira Sacra)
2007 Blanco $30
2008 Mencia $18
2007 Mencia, old vines $43
2007 Mencia, old vines, single-cluster fermented $43
These wines are all so amazing that I had to write them up en masse. If that seems a little counter-intuitive, consider that the incredible, positively French styling of these wines (which remain solidly Spanish all the while) is their earmark, top to bottom. The white, composed of 80% Godello and 20% Treixadura, has a nutty, Arbois-like nose, with fresh coconuts that are reminiscent of an excellent daiginjo sake. The reds, all 100% Mencia, are celebrations of glorious limpid cherry flavors, white peppercorns, bacon fat, earth, blood, minerals, roses… The whole-cluster in particular would be a great ringer for your next Northern Rhône tasting. I only describe them in Gallic terms for want of the proper vocabulary- these wines will surely coin a phrase or two two of their own over the next few years. This is a winery to be watched.

2008 Tajinaste Listán Negro Tradicional $22 (Tenerife)
The oldest stocks of the grape used here, Listán negro, were planted on the estate back in 1914. Though the majority of the juice here comes from much younger vines, the expression of site is unmistakable, and welcome. Great clarity and vibrant color greet the eye, while on the tongue it’s all gushing wild cherries, salmonberries, and black peppercorns. Delicate and finesse-driven, this completely un-oaked red is one that could easily pair with hearty seafood.

2008 Primitivo Quiles “Cono 4” $13 (Alicante)
Please, hispanophones, no dirty jokes about the name. “Conos” are the type of foudres used in the production of this precocious little wine, made in the joven style, which, as the name implies, is all about freshness. What a value here! Who ever thought Monastrell could masquerade as Bourgogne Rouge, all round cola and sweet cherries, with a touch of sotto bosco and minerals? Now I believe.

Herederos de Argüeso (Sanlucar de Barrameda)
San Leon Clasica Manzanilla (375mL) $10
Argüeso Amontillado $29
Argüeso Oloroso $29
Argüeso Amontillado Viejo VORS $160
What better way to finish than with the mind-expanding sherries of Herederos de Argüeso? If you haven’t discovered Sherry yet, do yourself a favor and do it now. For one thing, you will likely be surprised at how dry they are, particularly Manzanillas. Argüeso's version shows wonderful oceanic acids and roasted nuts, with a long, refreshing, herbal finish- and is a tremendous value, to boot. The Amontillado is a smoky, earthy explosion of raw almonds and roasted hazelnuts, with sun-bright citric acidity and incredible length. The Oloroso combines these flavors with positively R-rated sexy, animal flesh, erotic and compelling. But the dazzling Amontillado Viejo… Wow. A stunning cascade of cedar fronds, stones, roasted chestnuts, cherryskins, and clean, intimate, salty flesh. Soooo lifted, a poem in a bottle, completely inspiring; the wine makes you feel as though you’ve just fallen in love. My notes peter out, bemused and almost shell-shocked, “Agate ocean breeze, gleaming sunny olive acids, orgasmic length…” Yes.

Basta, basta! On to comestibles!

The Village Hut Neighborhood Grill
7674 SW Capitol Hwy, PDX
503.768.3975

This charming little space, just a building away from the Lucky Lab in Multnomah Village, is pretty easy to overlook, as I did for some time after moving to the Village. One visit changed all that. Not only does the place immediately welcome you with its rough-hewn aesthetic, all swinging screen doors and a staff that is genuinely happy to see you, but it opens up to a beautiful open-air seating section in the back that could easy seat almost thirty. And, oh yeah, the food is damn good too: this is the best bento shack I've ever found!
Specials boards trumpet an amazing array of proteins: wild ahi, halibut, lamb, tempeh, tofu, all available on a bed of crisp salad greens, or delicious, made-to-order stirfries, heady with lifting garlic and a constellation of broccoli, zucchini, and sweet onions. You might just be driven mad with hunger as you wait for your food, much of it grilled out in the air on the back deck, filling the place with its aromas- which is not to say the wait is long. Remember, though, that there is often only one cook, and portions are made to order, so plan accordingly. To-go portions are huge, and come with a green salad and a gleaming wedge of summer-sweet watermelon. Prices range from $7-$12, and their selection of beers and wines is small, but excellent. On a recent visit I saw Reverdito Barbera and Sierra Nevada Summerfest lager- perfect!
The nest time you’re in the Village, make sure to give them a try. You’ll be glad you did, and so will the friendly, engaging owner, J. Harris, or “chief cook and bottle washer,” as he dubs himself. Tell ‘em the RFN sent you.

and while I'm thinking of it...

If you’re looking for a new movie and album to check out, look no further.

Rent “Let The Right One In” (“Låt den rätte komma in”) immediately. It is the most creative vampire movie I have ever seen, set in the stark drifts and brick of Sweden. A love story between an 12-year-old boy, bullied by his classmates, and a mysterious dark-haired girl with eyes liquid and glowing as an artic pond at dusk, who has somewhat esoteric culinary tastes…

For your new album, I’m offering up an old jewel I recently found for the first time, David Crosby’s lovely, intimate recording “If I Could Only Remember My Name.” This is his first solo work, although “solo” is a misnomer, as it features the Great Planet Earth Rock and Roll Orchestra, which includes Jerry Garcia, Joni Mitchell, Jorma Kaukonen, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Paul Kantner, Grace Slick, and others. Songs like “Crying” and “Traction in the Rain” positively drip with early-Seventies sensuality, set in the redwood groves of Marin County, with plush harmonies and blushing, plaintive instrumentation. There's even an autoharp on here! Short and sweet at 37 minutes, this is good kissin’ music, if you time it right…

Well, that’s enough for now, friends. There are fewer wines to discuss next week, so we’ll move beer, camping tips, and CoTM to Issue # 15.

And remember that our local Relay For Life crew are holding their big event to benefit breast cancer treatment and awareness on July 18-19, right up the road at Wilson High School. Information can be had at John’s Marketplace, the Lucky Lab, and throughout the Village; or you can contact me here, and I will point you in the right direction. More to come!

Have a beautiful, safe weekend, friends! We’ll see you next week…

Yrs,
Riggs

--
Riggs Fulmer
Wine. Words. Music.

Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever.
-Aristophanes