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Collectible Reds
The cooler months call for deep, red wines to be savored slowly, or, for the disciplined among us, collected and aged. BY ANTHONY DIAS BLUE
Luxury is a global commodity these days, and nowhere does that apply more than in the world of wine. Superb, collectible wines are being made almost everywhere on the planet that the vinifera grape will grow, and globe-trotting winemakers rake in the frequent flyer miles as they jet from hemisphere to hemisphere in search of the greatest terroir, the hottest new grape variety, or the most recent harvest.
This is good news for collectors, who never in history have had such an amazing selection of wines to add to their personal cellars. Luxury reds, especially, are prized by connoisseurs not only for their longevity but also for a tendency they share with blue-chip stocks and vintage Mercedes automobiles: They get better with age.
What follows is a representative sampling of great collectible reds from my recent tasting forays into several continents. A fine wine retailer can assist you in securing most of these gems for your personal collection. Grab an atlas and a glass — it’s going to be a fine, long flight.
UNITED STATES: SONOMA
While Napa gets the lion’s share of attention on the world stage, rustic neighbor-to-the-west Sonoma is clearly poised to upset the balance of power in Northern California wine country. When it comes to reds, versatility is Sonoma’s middle name: They do everything well here, from delicate pinot noir to inky zinfandel.
Seghesio 2005 Cortina Zinfandel, Dry Creek Valley
The Seghesio turnaround story revolves around California’s classic varietal — zinfandel. This one comes from the oldest head-pruned vines in the appellation. With ripe, generous flavors and bold structure, this is cult wine in spite of its un-cultlike price. $33, www.seghesio.com
Gary Farrell 2004 Pinot Noir, Rochioli-Allen Vineyards, Russian River Valley
The Gary Farrell winery helped define the Sonoma style — more approachable than Napa but with a deeply rooted sense of place. Access to some of the region’s best fruit doesn’t hurt. Fresh, vibrant, and bursting with cherry fruit, this pinot is simply stunning. $65, www.garyfarrellwines.com
Vérité 2003 La Joie, Sonoma
French-born winemaker Pierre Seillan’s ode to Pauillac is a statuesque beauty driven by cabernet sauvignon. (Sibling wines La Muse and Le Désir channel Pomerol and St.-Emilion, respectively.) Plummy and bright with complex varietal flavors, it’s both intense and beautifully balanced. $150, www.veritewines.com
Williams Selyem 2004 Pinot Noir, Vista Verde Vineyard, San Benito County
Williams Selyem is a Sonoma garagiste success story. The winery is in the Russian River Valley but its pinot is sourced from various California vineyards, including this one on the Central Coast. Bright and astonishing with amazing depth of cherry fruit. $49, www.williamsselyem.com
Lancaster Estate 2003 Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley
The best effort yet from this newish Sonoma property is a classic in the making, dense and skillfully put together. It still needs time to unfold, but the play of elegant fruit and firm tannins mark it as a “best buy” in the league it chooses to play in. $65, www.lancaster-estate.com
AUSTRALIA: BAROSSA VALLEY
In an age of immense growth and flux, the Barossa Valley remains the heart of Australian wine. Its signature is shiraz made in a bold, highly extracted style. These are superbly collectible examples of the wine that put Australia on the map in the first place.
 Barossa Valley Estate E&E Black Pepper Shiraz 2003
Sourced from only the best of the best of more than 70 growers throughout the region, E & E Black Pepper is a quintessential expression of spicy Barossa Valley fruit. Deep and rich with amazing depth of blackberry, it has excellent acid structure for long age-worthiness. $85, www.bve.com.au
Torbreck 2004 Shiraz The Factor
From dry-farmed bush-vines ranging in age from 80 to 110 years old, this showy Aussie powerhouse from relative newcomer David Powell is fleshy and spicy with deep, powerful fruit and loads of ripe berries, chocolate, and spice. $105, www.torbreck.com
Kaesler 2004 Shiraz Old Bastard
This winery was started by Silesian immigrants in 1893, and this bottling is made from the original plantings, which now yield less than one ton of fruit per acre. Complex and huge but with amazing balance, it shows exquisite flavors and perfect fruit. $135, www.kaesler.com.au or www.epicureanwines.com
Clarendon Hills 2004 Astralis Syrah
Lately, Roman Bratasiuk has toned down his signature massive, heavily extracted style a bit in the interest of achieving the “iron fist in a velvet glove” ideal. Sourced from vineyards planted in the 1930s, the Astralis syrah shows lovely oak notes and concentrated berry flavors with plenty of finesse. $325, www.clarendonhills.com.au
FRANCE: BURGUNDY
The 2005 Burgundy vintage is one of the greatest of the past several decades, and it’s superb across the board. Every part of the region produced extraordinary wines at all levels, and top releases such as these are sublime. Whether you’re a Burgundophile or only a pinot fan, don’t miss these wines.
 Louis Jadot 2005 Clos Vougeot
The remarkable Jacques Lardière crafts more than 120 different wines for Jadot with each vintage and, even more remarkably, manages to extract the essence of each vineyard site. This is exquisite, energetic grand cru pinot noir that practically jumps out of the glass. $122, www.louisjadot.com or www.kobrandwine.com
Bouchard Père & Fils 2005 Le Corton
Even in the rarified world of grand cru Burgundy, the vineyard known as Le Corton has special cachet. Bouchard’s 2005 expression is sublime and silky with black cherry and great elegance. $110, www.bouchard-pereetfils.com
Joseph Drouhin 2005 Clos des Mouches
Bold and explosive, with amazing cherry fruit backed by mineral notes and topped with spice, this Beaune red is delicious now but will be even better in five years. Just one of Drouhin’s many successes in this spectacular vintage. $89, www.drouhin.com
Emilio Moro 2004 Ribera del Duero
This is a generations-old family winery with a modern outlook. This fresh, modern-style Ribera del Duero is aged for 12 months in French and American oak, and shows lively cassis berries and toasty tones. $35, www.emiliomoro.com
SPAIN: RIBERA DEL DUERO
Some of Spain’s most highly sought-after and hard-to-find labels come from the Ribera del Duero region. The local tempranillo clone, called tinto del pais, makes firm, tightly wound wines that need some time in bottle to show their best. Your patience will be rewarded.
 Alión 2003 Ribera del Duero Reserva
Owned by the legendary Vega Sicilia estate and located not far away, Alión’s wines are more contemporary in style than those from the parent property. Made from 100 percent tempranillo, this reserva is racy, with pure, intense fruit. $75, www.skurnikwines.com
Flor de Pingus 2004 Ribera del Duero
The “second wine” from Pingus, the cult label owned by Danish transplant Peter Sisseck, is stunning in its own right, with rich plum and blackberry fruit. While the stratospherically priced Pingus is nearly impossible to find, Flor de Pingus is in somewhat better supply. $65, www.rarewineco.com
Bodegas Valderiz Tomás Esteban 2000 Ribera del Duero
A seamless statement of density and power, this gran reserva exudes luscious berry fruit and exotic spice. A masterful wine from grapes grown in accordance with the principles of biodynamic agriculture. $120, www.bonvivantimports.com
ARGENTINA: MENDOZA
Continually rising prices for Argentina’s top reds should clue collectors in to one fact: Argentine winemakers are serious. Producing world-class bottles such as these, they’ve taken South American wine to new, Andean heights.
 Luca Beso de Dante 2002, Mendoza
Laura Catena’s father, Nicolas Catena, practically invented the modern Argentine wine industry. Laura’s own Luca label, named after her son, is one of the country’s most promising, as shown by the ripe, fleshy cabernet-malbec blend. $50, www.vineconnections.com
Cobos 2004 Malbec, Marchiori Vineyard, Mendoza
When Sonoma-based winemaker Paul Hobbs wound up consulting in Argentina, he fell in love with Argentina’s signature red grape: malbec. With its thick layers of plum, earth, and spice, Cobos is among the greatest expressions of this once-forgotten variety. $150, www.paulhobbsimports.com
Cheval des Andes 2002, Vistalba-Mendoza
Lean and pure, this classy thoroughbred cabernet-malbec blend is a joint venture between Terrazas de los Andes in Mendoza and Château Cheval Blanc in St.-Emilion. Gorgeous plum fruit and excellent structure make it a winner. $70, www.chevaldesandes.com
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