As much as I love kicking back in the French Alps for a few months every year, it comes with a price, and no small measure of regret, because it means missing lots of cool wine folks passing through Houston. We’re a front-burner destination for pretty much everybody these days with so many brilliant sommeliers, first-rate restaurant wine lists and deep-pocketed collectors.

It was a group of the latter that brought Cyril and Blakesley Chappellet to our neck of the woods a few weeks ago and, fortunately, I was still in town to have lunch with them at Tony’s, which sells both the Chappellet Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. That evening, they would host a dinner at Bludorn for their local wine club members, more of whom, they swear, live in our neighborhood than almost anywhere else. Further proof that we H-towners have exquisite taste.

After the confining horrors of COVID-19, the Chappellets, shown above of course, are making it a point to get out to see their people firsthand as frequently as possible. And they’ve got plenty to celebrate, having recently become the first American winery to be represented globally in Châine des Rôtisseurs restaurants. This is a very big deal, folks, and it’s much deserved. Just one man’s opinion here, but I believe their Pritchard Hill Cab is consistently America’s finest red wine, a grand cru in every sense.

And Pritchard Hill (replete with lavender fields, as seen above) represents the best-of-the-best mountain terroir. Consider the Chappellet’s neighbors up on those fabled slopes east of Oakville: Brand. Bryant Family. Colgin Cellars. Continuum. Dalla Valle. Ovid. That’s a seriously chichi/chin-chin neighborhood, although, ironically, it’s not an official AVA — nor will it likely ever be — because of Donn Chappellet. Cyril’s visionary late father, who bought his first vineyard property there in 1968, trademarked the Pritchard Hill name in 1971. Only Chappellet can use it on a bottle.

Were an AVA created, Donn once explained, “dozens of wineries could put Pritchard Hill on the label, and destroy the valuable name.”

Blakesley refers to their neck of the woods as “a lieu-dit,” which is how the French describe a unique geographic area. With 100-plus acres, consisting of 48 distinct blocks at 800 to 1,000 feet above sea level, the Chappellet’s have more land under vine than anyone else. Hence, they can make more wine than their “cult” brethren, which keeps their prices manageable for us non-gadzillionaire collectors.

The 2019 Signature Cabernet goes for an eminently reasonable 90 bucks at http://wine.com. OK, the same vintage of the Pritchard Hill Cab (shown above) is $300, but that still represents value given that all the major critics scored it from 94 to 99 points and a comparable bottle of Colgin, if it could be had, would sell for $700+.

The Chappellets are cutting-edge vintners in numerous ways. Aside from having one of the most visually stunning winery buildings — the Ed Moses-designed structure (pictured below) mirrors the shape of an ancient pyramid — they are now able to offset their entire PG&E bill by using solar power, and their their grapes have been all organically grown since 2012. The water used for irrigation is runoff from rainstorms, of which they have had plenty lately.

This is a good thing. Far and away the most striking bit of news Cyril revealed during our conversation was that he spends about 70 percent of his waking hours these days focusing on finding solutions to the monstrous fire issues Pritchard Hill and the rest of Napa and Sonoma now confront almost annually. He now has a full-time fire chief on his winery staff, and he owns his own fire truck. In August of 2020, when hundreds of lightning strikes during violent thunderstorms ignited out-of-control infernos across the Vacas, the Chappellets narrowly averted catastrophic damage.

“It’s the single important issue we’re facing,” he said. “Everything we’ve built could be gone in 24 hours.”

Considering how much they’ve built, and how much good they do at every level in California’s wine community, that’s a horrifying thought.

Breaking news

The new Sonoma Wine & Cheese in the Stomping Grounds complex on W. 34th St. in Garden Oaks opens to the public at 2 p.m. Tuesday. (Yep, I wish I could be there.) It again gives Farah Cauley three locations, joining the original on Richmond Ave. in the Upper Kirby District and the suburban destination in Katy. In effect, it replaces Cauley’s lovely spot on Studemont in the Heights that closed last summer.

The Stomping Grounds will be home to a variety of food- and beverage-centric businesses and also offers an 8,000-square-foot greensward where all manner of fun things will be taking place.

H-town Happenings

Central Coast and Paso Robles wine dinner: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 4, at Atkins House. $85 http://eventbrite.com

Derby Wine Fest: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at Brenner’s on the Bayou. $150. http://eventbrite.com

Central Coast and Paso Robles wine dinner: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 4, at Atkins House. $85 http://eventbrite.com

Derby Wine Fest: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at Brenner’s on the Bayou. $150. http://eventbrite.com

Mother’s Day Charcuterie Workshop and Wine Tasting: 11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 13, at JMP Wines Tasting Room, Humble. $75. http://eventbrite.com

Cesari Italian Wine Tasting: 4 p.m. Saturday, May 13, at Memorial Wine Cellar. $50. http://eventbrite.com

Mother’s Day Rose Tasting: 1 p.m. Sunday, May 14, at We Olive & Wine Bar. $35. http://eventbrite.com

Wagyu and Wine Night: 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, at R-C Ranch. $125. http://eventbrite.com

Texas Wine Night: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 18, at JMP Wines Tasting Room, Humble. http://eventbrite.com

Nine and Wine — National Wine Day: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at Riverhouse Houston. $30 http://eventbrite.com

Tolaini Tuscan Wine Dinner with Lia Tolaini-Banville: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at the Rainbow Lodge. $165 plus tax and gratuity. https://www.rainbow-lodge.com/tolaini-wine-dinner

The Sports Page

Raising a glass to . . . Nick Caserio

The Texans’ much-maligned general manager, previously best known for his mumbo-jumbo press conference non-answers, had himself one helluva draft, didn’t he? Only three picks into the first round, Casserio had already snared both a for-real quarterback in Ohio State’s C.J. Stroud and a defensive game-changer in Will Anderson. Better still, Anderson played linebacker at Alabama, just like his new coach, DeMeco Ryans, did back in the day. Further, both were the second picks by the Texans in drafts with first-year head coaches (Anderson, though, went third to Ryans’ 33rd overall). Karma out the wazoo here.

Follow me

Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy, wherever you get your podcasts   

Instagram: http://@sportywineguy

Twitter: @sportywineguy

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Others to follow

Jeremy Parzen (http://dobianchi.com)

My podcast partner in crime gives us the lowdown on the Valpolicella tasting he’s hosting for the “Famiglie Storiche” association (Historic Families of Amarone) at the Hotel Za Za on Main St. Wednesday, May 3. Be there or be square. Being in France, I guess I’m stuck with square this time, dammit.

Sandra Crittenden (http://winelifehouston.com)

Sandra shares the comprehensive piece she wrote about Italian pinot grigios for Galveston Monthly.

Russ Kane (http://vintagetexas.com)

The Texas Wineslinger touts Fall Creek Vineyards’ 2021 Lescalo Rosé, a low-alcohol (9.8 percent) springtime sipper.

Jeff Kralick (http://thedrunkencyclist.com)

Jeff shares some bad news: ACORN, one of his favorite California wineries, is closing its doors, although owners Betsy and Bill Nachbaur will continue to farm their Alegria Vineyard with its 111 different varietals.

Katrina Rene (http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com)

Kat extolls the virtues of the excellent primitivos from Manduria, in Italy’s Puglia region.

The one “problem” with having a home in the Southern Alps is that, once I’m here, I don’t much want to venture far afield. This spring, however, presented us with a dilemma, and, in the end, an opportunity. We always lease a new Peugeot through a wonderful outfit called Auto France, but there were no cars available for pickup before April 15 and we already had our tickets for an April 11 departure. At first, Paris was going to be our stopover, but the ongoing chaos there over President Macron’s determined efforts to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64 — I know, zoot alors! — made that detour unappealing.

It didn’t take long to choose an alternative. Champagne, less than two hours to the northeast. Bien sur!

My only previous visits to bubbles country had been during my Tour de France slogs, which left little time for tasting, never mind actually exploring. I considered this a huge hole in my resume. But, although I was way past due for making a real pilgrimage, I didn’t want to visit any of the big champagne houses. I know their wines. I respect their wines. But there was no reason to taste them in France when I can easily taste them in Houston. I also wanted to avoid Reims and it’s big-city traffic snarls, so we instead randomly chose three relatively-off-the-beaten-path family-owned producers:

• Sabine Godmé in Verzenay just across the road from the landmark Phare lighthouse (pictured above)
• Guy Charbaut in Mareuil-sur-Ay, a stone’s throw from the Billecart-Salmon headquarters
• Marion-Bosser in Hautvillers, only a short walk from the abbey where the 17th-century monk Dom Perignon made his name as the spiritual father of Champagne, and also where he’s buried.  

All were excellent in their own ways. Unfortunately, availability for each in Houston seems to be an issue. You’ll see a Hugh Godmé champagne on Shawn Virene’s extensive list at a’Bouzy, but Hugh is Sabine’s brother. Some years ago they divided the 11-hectare grand cru Godmé property on the Montagne de Reims and agreed to disagree, going their separate ways.

A striking common thread among the three multi-generational houses is that each has a new-generation winemaker taking over, determined to reinvent their respective wheels. At Sabine Godmé, son Matthieu is doing is doing his own thing — and replacing his mom’s name with his on the label. His dad, Jean Marie Guillaume (pictured below), said with a chuckle, admitting that, to truly pass the torch, “You have to kill the father.” Or mother, in this case. In three years, the business will be Matthieu’s alone to run. Sabine and Jean Marie are contemplating resettling in Brittany.

At Marion-Bosser, Elodie Marion becomes the fourth woman in her family to call the shots, while Hélène Charbaut has launched her own distinct lineup of wines at Charbaut. Interestingly, the three young vignerons have all put aging in neutral wood barrels front and center in their respective wine-making strategies, something that was once largely unheard-of in their neck of the woods.

What I’d forgotten about the region’s terroir is how stunningly beautiful it is, from the vineyard-covered slopes of the Montagne de Reims south to the visually similar and no less striking chardonnay country in the Côtes de Blancs with bustling yet still charming Épernay in the middle, hard by the Marne River. There, of course, you’ll find the châteaux-lined Avenue de Champagne, a street dating from the 18th century that’s so remarkable it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015. Underneath the pavement? Some 60 miles of champagne-filled caves dug through the limestone that defines the flavors of these wines.

Having barely scratched the surface, we will surely return soon . . . But probably not in mid-April. The weather was, in a word, miserable, equal parts cold and wet. No matter. Those wonderfully therapeutic tiny bubbles proved the perfect antidote.

Cheers!

H-town happenings

Black Wine: 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, at Agora Haus. Free. http://eventbrite.com

Central Coast and Paso Robles wine dinner: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 4, at Atkins House. $85 http://eventbrite.com

Derby Wine Fest: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at Brenner’s on the Bayou. $150. http://eventbrite.com

Mother’s Day Charcuterie Workshop & Wine Tasting: JMP Wines Tasting Room, Humble. $75. http://eventbrite.com

Wagyu and Wine Night: 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, at R-C Ranch. $125. http://eventbrite.com

Tolaini Tuscan Wine Dinner with Lia Tolaini-Banville: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at the Rainbow Lodge. $165 plus tax and gratuity. https://www.rainbow-lodge.com/tolaini-wine-dinner

Follow me

Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy  

Instagram: http://@sportywineguy

Twitter: @sportywineguy

Facebook: Dale Robertson

Others to follow

Jeremy Parzen (http://dobianchi.com)

My podcast partner in crime speaks of rekindling an old love affair on his recent trip to Italy. It’s a restaurant, though, the Dispensa Pani e Vini in the heart of Franciacorta country.

Sandra Crittenden (http://winelifehouston.com)

Sandra shares the comprehensive piece she wrote about Italian pinot grigios for Galveston Monthly.

Russ Kane (http://vintagetexas.com)

The Texas Wineslinger touts the 2021 Airis’Ele Vineyards Redlin Dry Rosé made from a blend of Farmhouse Vineyards Texas High Plains red grapes.

Jeff Kralick (http://thedrunkencyclist.com)

Jeff reviews wines he has tasted of late and gives a particularly loud shout-out to a bottle of the 2010 Skewis Pinot Noir Lingenfelder from the Russian River Valley.

Katrina Rene (http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com)

Kat tells us everything we need to know about what’s happening in the world of Texas wine in April.

Assuming the tennis at River Oaks ever gets done, and the weather sure isn’t cooperating, I’m heading back to France for a couple months come Tuesday. It’s going to be a great stay punctuated with a nine-day wine tour through the (hopefully) sunny south that I’m helping lead with my friend Pablo Valqui. But I do very much regret not being here to cover The Chevron Championship at Carlton Woods April 19-23 — formerly the Dinah Shore, it’s one of the five majors on the LPGA Tour — and I’m going to miss by a single day the opening of a hip new wine outpost, Padre’s, in the Heights.

At least William Farley’s stylish “bottle shop by day and a “speakeasy” by night,” which goes live next Wednesday at 3522 White Oak, will still be here when I return, whereas the lady golfers will be long gone. Padre’s represents a major life course correction for the Louisiana-born, Houston-reared Farley, who, in 2019, quit his day job in oil and gas to travel to Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, where he threw himself into the fascinating world of wine. Bottles from those countries will be front-and-center in the Padre’s portfolio, although France and Italy will be well-represented, too.

There’s a membership component, too. Monthly is $75, good for three wines and five-percent off bar purchases. Quarterly costs $300, but you get 12 wines — delivered free on the last Monday of each quarter — plus the five-percent discount in house.

As for the name, Farley explains, “It honors my father, who friends, family and strangers alike endearingly referred to as ‘Padre.’ Padre’s Wine is an effort to not only share and teach about good wine but to create a space in the Heights for people to come together as a community, enjoy good wine, taste new things, kick back and relax.”

Farley hired Nick Nguyen, a 20-year veteran of the Houston hospitality scene, to serve as his manager, sommelier and restaurant operations specialist. You’ll recognize Nguyen if you frequented Musaafer, Riel, Kata Robata and most recently Da Gama, his previous postings. It seems the two of them (shown above) first met, then bonded, over indoor bouldering. Well, why not?

“William’s vision and passion for wine aligns with mine,” Nguyen said. “We can talk for hours about anything while enjoying it over a glass of wine. That’s what we want for our guests at Padre’s. We want to make sure that attention to detail is never missed, from stylish furniture to the smell of the trees and the sound of the music to soothe your inner soul.”

Best of luck and cheers, guys! As for me and my inner soul, we can’t wait to drop by this summer.  

Sippin’ with Sporty

BUBBLES

Chandon Garden Spritz

From the winemaker: “It’s a blend of an exceptional sparkling wine and a unique bitters recipe crafted with locally sourced fresh oranges macerated with dry orange peels, herbs and spices carefully selected from the finest terroirs in the world. We bring nature to the world of spritz. No artificial flavors and no artificial colorants are used at any stage in its production.”

From me: One fellow reviewer nailed this spot-on spring/summer aperitif perfectly, describing it as being “an orange version of a kir royale where the fruit flavor is provided by a thick rich liqueur instead of fruit juice.” In fact, no actual fruit juice from the Valencia oranges goes into the wine. I wasn’t expecting all that much when I saw the bottle, to be honest, but I’m all in now. While it’s super easy to drink, it’s got plenty of nuance, too, with a very pleasing price.

$18.99 at Total Wine

WHITES

2021 C.L. Butaud Blanc de Noir

From the winemaker: “Blanc de noir is a white wine made from a red grape, a technique you see all the time with pinot noir and pinot meunier in Champagne, where base wines are blended in the creation of a single wine. It is more unusual to make it as a still wine. Here red grapes are gently pressed just until very clear, pale juices run out of the fruit. Since the skin doesn’t imprint any color or tannin, the wine expresses the aromatics of the grape, allowing the brightest, purest expression to come through. This is what makes it interesting to me: it’s a different way to explore the taste of a grape.”

From The Terroirist, Isaac James Baker, who scored it a 90: “The aromas pop with tons of flowers and dandelion, along with crunchy white cherries and red apple peel, and there are also these cool tobacco, mint, and sliced cucumber elements. The palate sports crunchy acidity on a medium-bodied, steely frame. Flavors of white cherries and tart green apple mix well with notes of white pepper, basil, and dandelion flowers.”

From me: A half-and-half blend of grenache and mourvedre, it’s a wine that I think, in many ways defines Randy Hester, who, by the way, grew up in Houston. In short, he’s always looking for ways to think outside the box. Note that Hester suggests we don’t try to over-analyze the flavors (Baker, it seems, had other ideas) but rather just kick back and enjoy it. I’m with you, Randy.

$48 at http://clbutaud.com

2021 The Paring Sauvignon Blanc

From the winemaker: “Defined by powerful fruit and balanced by mouthwatering freshness; an exotic, decadently textured and electrically framed bottle of sauvignon blanc. The nose is deliciously exotic, with lemon, melon and white peach soaring out of the glass. The wine’s laser beam of acidity refreshes and cleanses the palate, while its decadent texture demands another sip.”

From me: My wife is the family’s most savvy sav blanc taster and she absolutely loved it. I did, too. Winemaker Matt Dees aged the wine for 10 months in a combination of new and neutral French oak as well stainless steel, then bottled it unfined and unfiltered. A marvelous effort for under 25 bucks.

$23.99 at http://wine.com

RED

2020 Juggernaut Hillside California Cabernet Sauvignon

From the winemaker: “Dense and velvety with vanilla and ripe black currants. French oak beautifully transforms intense hillside fruit into a wine with uncommon richness and smooth, luxurious texture. Juggernaut Hillside Cabernet is a wine that is fierce, brave, and delicious.”

From Wilfred Wong of wine.com, who scored it an 8.9: “The wine is a medium red with satisfying textures on the palate. It shows aromas and flavors of savory spices, dried earthy notes, and light berries.” 

From me: I’ve long been partial to cabs made from hillside vineyards so this one checks that box bigtime. Exactly which hillsides are in play doesn’t get explained anywhere that I can find, but, even if the fruit isn’t sourced come from the highest-rent districts, it’s plenty satisfying, certainly at this price point.

$18.99 at http://wine.com

2019 Relevant Cabernet Sauvignon Crown Point

From the winemaker: “An inspiring introduction to Crown Point, it aptly mirrors the attributes of the 2019 vintage with dark fruit, balanced, smooth structure, trademark Mediterranean spice and finishing with length and tension. The after-palate is tremendously pleasurable, bringing notes of violets and rhubarb.”

From the Wine Advocate, which scored it a 95: “Deep ruby, it features pure aromas of cassis, grilled meats, warm chocolate, dried herbs, roasted peppers and hints of violet. The medium-bodied palate is powdery and fresh, striking a balance between ripe blackcurrant fruit, classy new oak spices and alluring herbal streaks. It’s a balanced, drinkable style of Cabernet that’s a pleasure to drink! Best after 2022.

From me: Truth to tell, I got a crazy good deal through a buddy on this wine made from grapes grown in an aptly named corner of Santa Barbara County called Happy Canyon, but it offers bigtime value even at the price below, having spent 20 months in French oak, including some new barrels. I know what you’re thinking, though: Cab from Santa Barbara? Wut? Well, apparently the microclimate is perfect for the varietal with the narrowness of the valley concentrating heat and keeping that cold damp wind off the Pacific away from the vines.

$89.99 at http://wine.com

H-town happenings

SERCA Wines Tasting: 4 p.m. Saturday, April 8, at the SERCA Tasting Room in the Heights. $15. http://eventbrite.com

Three-Course wine tasting: 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, at Roma. Free. 713 664-7581. http://romahouston.com

National Malbec Day Tasting Celebration: 6-8 p.m. Saturday, April 15, at SERCA Wines tasting room. $72 (Club members $60) http://eventbrite.com

Katy Sip N Stroll: Saturday, April 15, at The Ballard House. http://sipandstroll.com

Vin de Table: Noon, Sunday, April 16, at 1412 W. Main. $70. http://eventbrite.com

JMP Wine Night — Truly Greek, Truly Unique: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 20. $75. JMP Tasting Room in Humble. http://eventbrite.com

Black Wine: 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 26, at Agora Haus. Free. http://eventbrite.com

Central Coast and Paso Robles wine dinner: 6 p.m. Thursday, May 4, at Atkins House. $85 http://eventbrite.com

Derby Wine Fest: 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 6, at Brenner’s on the Bayou. $150. http://eventbrite.com

Mother’s Day Charcuterie Workshop & Wine Tasting: JMP Wines Tasting Room, Humble. $75. http://eventbrite.com

Wagyu and Wine Night: 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, at R-C Ranch. $125. http://eventbrite.com

Follow me

Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy  

Instagram: http://@sportywineguy

Twitter: @sportywineguy

Facebook: Dale Robertson

Others to follow

Jeremy Parzen (http://dobianchi.com)

My podcast partner in crime, shown above, speaks of pairing matzah with wine, both of which will, of course, be served for this year’s Passover Seder.

Sandra Crittenden (http://winelifehouston.com)

Sandra shares the comprehensive piece she wrote about Italian pinot grigios for Galveston Monthly.

Russ Kane (http://vintagetexas.com)

The Texas Wineslinger announces his next Level 1 Zoom class in May for those interested in becoming certified Texas wine experts.

Jeff Kralick (http://thedrunkencyclist.com)

Jeff offers a visual tour of his current Napa-Sonoma tour, where he’s catching up with old friends and sampling as much wine as possible. A full tasting report, no doubt, will follow.

Katrina Rene (http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com)

Kat tells us everything we need to know about what’s happening in the world of Texas wine in April.

This old house turned into the pour house again Thursday night and a good time was had by almost everyone with the Dionysus Imports French portfolio, co-presented by importer/distributor Douglas Skopp and AOC Selections director of operations Brandon Kerne, taking center stage.

Fifty folks showed up when we were expecting maybe 30. That’s both good news and bad news . . . but mostly good news. It told me people are delighted to return to the Alliance, which through the years Spec’s Bear Dalton had turned into one of Houston’s best wine destinations before his untimely passing in 2020, despite our parking challenges in the heart of Montrose.

Logistically, we were a little overwhelmed given the thirsty crush and things got a little raucous at the end, forcing Skopp (pictured below) and Kerne to shout above the din. But we promise to do better next time. Hey, baby steps . . . Most importantly, the 10 Dionysus wines, all from the Rhone Valley, were outstanding across the board and it was especially fun to converse with people who weren’t familiar with a number of them, or even the region itself.

My favorite by the narrowest of margins proved to be Evan Bakke’s 2015 Clos de Trias from the Ventoux AOC, a red I hadn’t sampled in a number of years and a wine you’ll read more about later in this space. I’ve already bought three bottles through http://aocselections.com, where all the wines presented can be purchased.

Looking ahead, please put June 21 on your calendar and 427 Lovett Blvd. on your GPS. In France, they celebrate the Summer Solstice with the Fête de la Musique and we intend to do the same with a piano concert paired with Madame Zero Champagne, a France-Houston hybrid if ever there was one from Galveston-born Matthew Massey. More details forthcoming as the date draws closer!

Sippin’ with Sporty

WHITE

2015 Fiddlehead Cellars “Bebble” Grüner Veltliner

From the winemaker: “Elegant and sophisticated notes of ground vanilla bean with hints of coriander and citrus, along with the traditional white pepper notes, barely ripe pineapple, cucumber and honeydew melon. There is wonderful leanness buried beneath its weighty expression. You can almost feel the chalky, wet stone minerality translating from our clay soils, littered with chert and shale, to give mineral depth to this beauty.”

From me: You think grüner, you think Austria. Well, think again. This is a lovely effort from winemaker Kathy Joseph, whose just under three-acre Fiddlestix Vineyard in the Sta. Rita Hills of Santa Barbara County delivers the bracing minerality the hand-picked, night-harvested, field-sorted grapes needs to fully express itself. The name honors her mom, Babette, who answered to “Bebble” around the house.

$42 from http://shopfiddleheadcellars.com

REDS

2020 Notre Dame de Pallières Rasteau

From the winemaker: “Sourced from the Roux family’s plot “Les Ribes” at the top of Ratanaud, the hill that shares the valley of the Aygues and Ouvèze, comes this rustic mouthful of a Rasteau. The old vines here enjoy unusually cold nights and the pebbles on the ground are bountiful.

From the Wine Enthusiast, which scored it a 90: “Cassis and blackberry flavors are ripe but mouthwatering in this full-bodied red. A grenache-dominant blend augmented by smaller proportions of mourvèdre, syrah and cinsault, it’s buoyantly fruity but maintains a twist of herbal freshness. The wine finishes on complexities of crushed stone, bramble and charred cinnamon. Ready now it should hold well through 2025.”

From me: Right in my wheelhouse, this Southern Rhone gem. It’s a wine I’d gotten away from drinking — just forget about it, I suppose — but it’s back on my shelf again, to stay.

$22.99 at Spec’s

2020 Bonarrigo Family Wines Heritage Reserve

From the winemaker: “A bold blend of traditional Italian varieties this wine has savory nuances of herbs and spice. Beautiful dark fruit flavors and tannins coat the palate with elegant complexity.” 

From me: I’ve always thought Messina Hof made a world-class sagrantino and that grape, most famous in Umbria, is front and center in this bold, well-structured red, joining forces with primitivo and sangiovese. One of the best bottles I’ve tasted in 2023, it’s a perfect pairing for brisket and a whole lot of other hearty entrees.

$40 at http://messinahoforderport.net

H-town happenings

Charcuterie workshop and Wine tasting: 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 29 at JMP Tasting Room in Humble. $75. http://eventbrite.com

“Rascally Rabbits” Spring Taste and Buy — 1-4 p.m. Saturday, April 1 at http://aocselections.com

SERCA Wines Tasting: 4 p.m. Saturday, April 8, at the SERCA Tasting Room in the Heights. . $15. http://eventbrite.com

Katy Sip N Stroll: Saturday, April 15 at The Ballard House. http://sipandstroll.com

JMP Wine Night — Truly Greek, Truly Unique: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 20. $75. JMP Tasting Room in Humble. http://eventbrite.com

The Sports Page

Raising a glass to . . . Jose Altuve

And hoping he returns better than ever after suffering a broken thumb when hit by a pitch in a WBC tournament game two weeks before the Astros begin their championship defense. My guess is he’ll be out until late June. Right, ouch! It’s bad for team, of course, but it’s terrible for a guy who’s viably chasing 3,000 hits. Every day counts.

Follow me

Podcast: Sporty Wine Guy  

Instagram: sportywineguy

Twitter: @sportywineguy

Facebook: Dale Robertson

Others to follow

Jeremy Parzen (http://dobianchi.com)

My podcast partner in crime, shown above, weighs in on the merits, of lack thereof, of organic wines, a favorite topic of his.

Sandra Crittenden (http://winelifehouston.com)

Just back from a whirlwind excursion to Paso Robles, Sandra gives us a review of the city’s cool wine quarter called Tin City.

Russ Kane (http://vintagetexas.com)

The Texas Wineslinger weighs in on the mysterious origins of the Black Spanish grape, also called Jacquez and Lenoir.

Jeff Kralick (http://thedrunkencyclist.com)

Jeff touts more of the top wines he has been sent as samples of late. Two earned “excellent” ratings with 90-point scores.

Katrina Rene (http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com)

Kat tells us everything we need to know about what’s happening in the world of Texas wine this month.

As a rule, Mondays aren’t fun days, but for every rule there’s usually an exception. For example, take my last two Mondays. Most recently, a high-end Duckhorn pairing lunch at Bluedorn overlapped with the again annual Taste of Italy event at the Omni Riverway. There, I sat on a panel with my podcast partner in crime, Jeremy Parzen, and Spec’s wine buyer Tom Dobson discussing the merits of pairing Italian wines with Texas Barbeque, in this case prepared by one of our finest, Ara Malekian, a Swiss-trained chef turned uber-pitmaster at his Harlem Road Barbeque in Richmond.

We’ll get to those wines in a moment. First, let’s speak of Duckhorn, which has long been dear to my heart. One of my earliest wine epiphanies happened while tasting Tom Rinaldi’s mid-1980s Napa Valley Merlots, especially the Three Palms, and we were fortunate to have the opportunity to sample the 2019 vintage of same this week (and note my recommendation for regular 2020 Duckhorn Merlot). It didn’t disappoint. Rinaldi has long since moved on to other projects, including crafting Houston Master Sommelier Guy Stout’s wines, but the current team hasn’t missed a beat.

The star attraction of the lunch, however, were the two new Kosta-Browne offerings . . . from Burgundy.

Really.

Duckhorn, of course, owns Kosta-Browne and had the financial clout to take on such a seemingly complicated venture, one that had Kosta Browne GM Neil Bernardi “holding my breath” as the project came to fruition. You can almost count on one hand how many Americans have ventured into the fabled French AOC. Duckhorn, it seems, entered into a hush-hush partnership with a Côte de Beaune winery that’s calling most of the shots, certainly when it comes to harvesting decisions.

Working with the negociant model — Duckhorn hasn’t yet tried to acquire any vineyards, which are the world’s most expensive — it has released pinot noirs from Beaune and Gevrey-Chambertin (the two we had the privilege of tasting) as well as Pommard and Volnay, plus a chardonnay from Mersault. The reds will sell for $125 and the white for $120. Mailing list wine club members will get first crack at purchasing the wines, although “select markets” will get some, too. Presumably, Houston will be one, since it did make the cut for Duckhorn’s 2023 Pinnacle Tour itinerary.

The wines were vinified and aged in Burgundy — about 30 percent in new oak, at Kosta-Browne’s behest — then transported via temperature-controlled containers to the home base in Sebastopol, Calif., where they were bottled. Both already-fermented juice and whole grapes/must went into the mix.

I found it interesting that Kosta-Browne choose to have the word’s “pinot noir” and “chardonnay” printed on the respective labels. Bernardi — that’s him below — said it was important “to educate the consumer” as to what varietals they would be tasting, although one would assume anyone who would fork over $100-plus for a burgundy wouldn’t need to be told they were drinking, by French law, pinot noir and chardonnay.

But my top tout in the tasting? The spot-on 2020 Calera Mt. Harlan Jensen Vineyard Pinot Noir. Calera is, of course, now under the Duckhorn umbrella, too. It also sells for $125 and is arguably the closest California cousin to the Burgundian reds because of the limestone in the dirt.

Calera’s visionary founder Josh Jensen, who died last summer at the age of 78, found his perfect location for growing pinot noir on the remote slopes of Mount Harlan in San Benito County about two hours southeast of San Francisco. The Calera Wine Company, taking its name from the Spanish word for limekiln, opened for business in 1975. Jensen, Bernardi pointed out, had paid $53 an acre for the hardscrabble land, which is 2,200 feet above sea level in the Galiban Mountain Range. You couldn’t touch a single vine for that today in Gevrey- Chambertin.

Now, back to Italy. All of Dobson’s selections, shown below, worked splendidly with Malakien’s sublimely smoked brisket and ribs, including, somewhat counterintuitively, a pinot grigio. Better still, all can be purchased at Spec’s for under $30, cash price. And one was the 2018 La Casa in Collina Barbaresco from ViteColte, a steal at $29.44. My other favorite in the mix was a 2020 barbera from the Cerrino cooperative, priced exactly the same as the can of Illy coffee beans I purchased on my Spec’s excursion: $14.99.

As per usual, there were way more lovely wines in the walk-around room than could be possibly be tasted and most were here seeking importers/distributors in Texas. I’d had the same overwhelming experience the previous Monday when a band of Bordeaux brothers and sisters passed through town. But it’s flattering to see how valuable the Houston market has become for the new wave of winemakers around the world. They wouldn’t be arriving en masse if we didn’t matter.

The surprises in the French lineup were the half-dozen cremants from Bordeaux, pictured below. I’d never tasted one before. They dazzled while offering way better value than those from Burgundy. But, for the moment, availability remains limited.

Separate from the Taste of Italy shindig, I also spent quality time with Alessandro Rotolo, who now presides over the Schiopetto wines launched in 1970 by the legendary Mario Schiopetto, and the Rotolo family’s slightly less famous but no less satisfying Volpe Pasini portfolio. (That’s him below with Schiopetto’s world-class “M.”) Nobody does it better in Friulli than Rotolo’s two teams. My pick in that lineup was the Volpe Pasini “Grin” from the 2021 vintage, which might be the most satisfying pinot grigio I’ve ever tasted and it can be purchased through http://aocselections.com for well under $20.

Sippin’ with Sporty

PINK

2022 Revelation by Goose Ridge

From the winemaker: “The blush pink hue with a floral bouquet is only just the beginning, followed by bursting notes of strawberry and watermelon. A reminder that style and strength are more than just this season’s fashion, they come from within.” 

From me: The blend of fruit from the expansive Pacific Ridge Vineyard — Washington’s largest — in the arid southeastern corner of the state is syrah-centric but includes grenache, mourvedre, chardonnay and pinot grigio, surely the first of its kind. The wine has a bit of heft to it and lovely lingering finish. It’s a project of the three generations of women in the Monson family and was released to celebrate International Women’s Day. Brava!

$18 at http://gooseridge.com

WHITE

2017 Capella Sant’Andrea Vernaccia Di San Gimignano Clara Stella

From the winemaker: “Pale lemon in color. Scents of apple, yellow fruits and some white flowers. Fresh acidity and light complexity. Good length with somewhat creamy texture.”

From me: Grape growers and winemakers Flavia Del Seta and Francesco Galgani are organic, minimally interventionist farmers through and through, right down to their use of only spontaneous fermentation. This is a beautiful expression of a wine that often disappoints when made by less meticulous producers.

$22 at Tuttilili Wines and Specialty Foods (http://tuttilili.com)

RED

2020 Duckhorn Merlot Napa Valley

From the winemaker: “Embodying the alluring beauty of great Napa Valley Merlot, this wine reveals vibrant aromas of red currant, ripe plum, black raspberry, cherry and sweet baking spices, with hints of tea leaves and cocoa. The palate is rich and luxurious, with silky tannins and flavors of ripe red berries, pie crust and fig compote gliding to a bright, elegant finish.”

From James Suckling who scored it a 93: “A juicy and fruity Merlot blend with plum, chocolate and hazelnut aromas and flavors. Full and layered with fleshy tannins and a flavorful finish. Velvety texture. Lovely approachability.”

From me: This reference-standard California merlot has a 17-percent cabernet sauvignon component plus tiny amounts of cab franc and petit verdot in the blend. It’s something of a miracle wine given the terrible impact wildfires had on the region in 2020. Renee Ary’s winemaking team did a splendid job of getting the tainted grapes out of the mix. The yield was smaller, of course, but there was no downtick in quality.

$47.99 at http://wine.com

H-town happenings

Boutique wines from Spain tasting: 4 p.m. Friday, March 10, at Memorial Wine Cellar. Free http://eventbrite.com

Downtown Wine and Bear Walk: Noon, March 18, in Rosenberg. http://bit.ly/3WZ81Ja

Bay Area Wine Fest: 4 p.m. Saturday, March 18, at Morgan Falls Event Center, Alvin. http://eventbrite.com 

Rodeo Whiskey and Winefest: 4-7 p.m. Saturday, March 18, at Big Brothers and Sisters. $50 http://eventbrite.com

Dionysus Imports French wines tasting: 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 23, at the Alliance Française Houston. 713 526-1121 $25.

Champion Wine Garden Presented by Frost Bank at NRG Carruth Plaza, in conjunction with the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo: http://eventbrite.com

Katy Sip N Stroll: Saturday, April 15 at The Ballard House. http://sipandstroll.com

The Sports Page

Raising a glass to . . . Kelvin Sampson

The real season, a.k.a. March Madness, starts now, but finishing the practice season as the No. 1 team in the country is nothing to sneeze at. This old Coug ar stands in awe of Sampson’s magnificent rebuild of the University of Houston basketball program. Eat ’em up, eat ’em up, rah rah rah!!!

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Others to follow

Jeremy Parzen (http://dobianchi.com)

Jeremy, shown above, gives us the full lowdown on the hot new Nizza appellation for barberas in Italy’s Piemonte.

Sandra Crittenden (http://winelifehouston.com)

Sandra reports on a recent tasting she participated in at the Texas Wine School with Jean Trimbach, whose Maison Trimbach sells more wine in the U.S. than any other Alsatian producer.

Russ Kane (http://vintagetexas.com)

The Texas Wineslinger takes a far-afield detour from his usual stomping grounds and samples the wines from Sojourn, which works with some of the best vineyards in Napa and Sonoma Counties.

Jeff Kralick (http://thedrunkencyclist.com)

Jeff touts the best wines he has been sent as samples of late. All of them, as it happens, are French.

Katrina Rene (http://thecorkscrewconcierge.com)

Kat tells us everything we need to know about what’s happening in the world of Texas wine this month.