Over-Achievin'

El Corazon Tigers Blood Carmenere
Seven Hills Vineyard Walla Walla Valley 2011
$36.99 (6 bottle limit)
You would think after a few years micro-producer El Corazon would increase production just a bit, maybe to like, 100 cases. No such luck for this 2011 which clocks in at a well-rounded 69 cases. There's clearly not much available but so worth a mention, if only to experience what this underdog varietal can achieve in the right hands from a good vineyard. Carmenere is an all-but-forgotten former Bordeaux varietal that is having a popular resurgence in Chile as well as scattered plantings in Washington and California. This grape has personality, that's for sure, sometimes too much, but this bottling perfectly captures the good while leaving out the bad. Aromatically this immediately signals Carmenere with a persistent chili pepper spiciness, dusty and smoky, that dovetails deliciously with sweet milk chocolate notes and brambly wild red berry fruit. Jazzy yet lush, there's a definite presence on the palate held aloft by silky tannins and fresh acidity.

Rock Horse Ranch Stable 39 Columbia Valley 2010
$19.99/$15.99 by the case
Natalie's Estate winemaker Boyd Teegarden runs a tight ship. Making a limited amount of wine from a few select vineyards, he knows what he's looking for and isn't afraid to repurpose wine that doesn't fit his vision. Rock Horse Ranch, his second label, was born of the commitment to make his Natalie's wines the best they can be. If a certain barrel doesn't quite make sense in the final wine, it is "declassified" and reborn here. He then summons his skills as blend-master and turns that nice single-vineyard fruit into an approachable affordable northwest blend. It's a win-win wine (say it three times fast): the top wines remain the top and this sultry little fleshpot over-delivers quality for the price. Cab Sauv and Merlot-dominant, this also has a nice dose of Petit Verdot and a little Tempranillo which add depth and aromatic complexity. The smoky blueberry and black cherry fruit is rich and long on the palate, smooth and supple until the chewy end. A big Washington wine at a not-big price.

Cantine Colosi Nero d'Avola 2011
$14.99/$11.99 by the case
Sicily's main red varietal, Nero D'Avola might seem like an under-achiever. Not very well known, not many available, what's it called again? The good ones however, are quite the opposite. Over the years we've seen plenty of stealth Nero bottlings steal the surprised hearts of customers, so when this bottle jumped out as a winner while trying 15+ southern Italians at a trade show it was no surprise. Remember the basic Colosi Nero that made the Case of the Month every year? Meet big brother - bigger, bolder, and one Flavor Flav' ready to party. The exuberant black cherry fruit is held in check by a spicy streak of dark plum and an underlying minerality (thanks to Mount Etna's past eruptions) that keeps it lively and fresh. Mid-weight and elegant, with a sexy texture and ample complexity, this delivers both class and value.

Ronco Blanchis Pinot Grigio Collio 2011
$15.99/$12.80 case
This impressive Italian white hails from the rarely-seen and tiny wine region of Collio, wedged between the Giulian Alps and the Adriatic where northeastern Italy meets Slovenia. Its high altitude vineyards enjoy plenty of sun and mild weather, and the rocky marl and sandstone soil combine to give the wines a striking character: richer and more rounded than Grigio from Alto Adige, they can also possess a penetrating salt-inflected minerality. This bottle, while safely delicious, takes the palate a step further. Pear blossom and lemon verbena aromas swirl from the glass and the flavors on the palate are precise and electric: juicy pear, light peach, zesty almond and lemon plus a hint of melon and mint. The velvety texture harmonizes beautifully with brisk acidity and white pepper notes that crescendo into a crisp yet lingering finish.

Chateau de Brézé Saumur 2011
$16.99/$13.60 by the case
The setting: a majestic Renaissance castle built on top of a medieval underground fortress. The story: once-famous vineyards organically nursed back to life by a young vigneron after years of neglect. The wine: a Loire Valley Cabernet Franc that is both true to character and approachable, masculine in style with a vein of minerality and fine-grained tannins; dark plummy fruit that is beefy and laced with Turkish tobacco and a whiff of history. The gist: buy some.

Moxy Tannat Monterey 2009
$15.99/$12.80 by the case
Tannat? The varietal synonymous with Tannins? From Monterey County? Yes, that does take moxy to pull off... but it works! Unabashedly fruit-forward and whipped smooth (thank you micro-oxygenation!), this powerful monster delivers a load of dark blackberry, smoked bacon, vanilla fudge and toasty oak in waves of velvet and leather. One quarter peasant oaf, three quarters California millionaire, this is well worth a roll of the dice.

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