4400 Evans Chapel Road, Baltimore, MD 21211 [410] 467-1615

 

Wines

What we are drinking now... (scroll down for cellar selections)

Conde Villar Tinto 2010 $9.99/750ml  
Alentejano, Portugal. 
This is the perfect embodiment of what I have been trying to relate about Portuguese red table wines on the whole for years—the perfect synthesis of easy drinkability and incredible value. I'll be honest, I'm not sure what's in it (Aragónez, Trincadeira and some other stuff is a fair guess). But this superficially unassuming southern Portuguese blend really delivers with soft, juicy cherry-berry fruit and an underlying hint of smoked herbs.  
                                                                                             —Armin

Peirano Estate Petite Sirah 2010 $14.99/750ml  
Lodi, California. 
Peirano Estate is one of Wine Underground's all-time favorite wineries. Why? Because it's an old-school, family estate run by a winemaker who just makes good, affordable wine with no pretenses and no compromise. This is an elegant Petite Sirah with rich, chewy mixed berry fruit; food-friendly acid and a smoky/herbaceous back-end. At 13.8% alcohol it won't weigh you down or bury your food but it still gives you the intensity you expect from Petite Sirah.   
                                                                                             —Armin

Castello di Uveglie "San Bastiano" Grignolino 2009 $13.99/750ml
Monferrato Casalese, Italy. 
Light-bodied which is belied by the fragrant dried flowers and ripe fruit dominate the nose. And it's kinda just like that on the palate, too. Bigger than it looks. Ripe, but not at all heavy raspberry is backed up with all those flowers and a light stoniness on the finish. Elegant and broadly food-pairable.
                                                                                             —Armin

Jean Leon "Rosaleda" Chardonnay & Cabernet Sauvignon 2009 $12.99/750ml  
Penedès, Spain. Sometimes you just want a Chard or Cab that doesn't try to be anything it's not supposed to be. Both of these wines are just honest expressions of the varieties on the label. The Chardonnay is all about bright tropical fruits and pear with nice mid-palate acidity and a touch of soft French oak spice. The Cabernet Sauvignon brims with ripe cherry and just a touch of anise. Jean Leon presents the basics in such simply satisfying fashion that you'll wonder why everyone can't make wine like this.
                                                                                             —Armin

Marco Donati Situla Rosso 2009 $12.99/750ml 
Mezzocorona, Tentino, Italy. The blend of Teroldego, Lagrein and Marzemino may be unfamiliar but, in the glass, the soft, cherry-driven character is a familiar simple pleasure. This is a great alternative to the innumerable Sangioveses and Toscana rossos that you know al too well. Trust me, sometimes it's just as cozy outside of the box.
                                                                                             —Armin

Aletta Garnacha 2009 $10.99/750ml 
Campo de Borja, Spain. While most Campo de Borja Garnachas under $15 are simple, easy-drinking, medium-bodied fruit-bombs, this is a dark, brooding wine that demands to be taken seriously despite its bargain price. This is like if someone just took the skins of blackberries and blueberries and through some sort of arcane beverage alchemy turned it into a bottle of lush-fruited elixir with great acid and firm tannins and only the slightest hint of the tell-tale cigar leaf common to its origin.   
                                                                                             —Armin


Domaine Baron Côt (Malbec) de Touraine 2009 $11.99/750ml 
Touraine, Loire Valley, France. Bright and fruity with more acid "pop" than the Argentine (or even Cahors) Malbecs you are likely more familiar with. But in the summertime, this style makes so much more sense. A little herb-rubbed chicken or pork on the grill, veggie kabobs and this with a bit of a chill makes for a perfect back-porch meal in my book.
                                                                                             —Armin

Any Wine From Austria 
In July, our "wine of the month" was anything from Austria. That strategy didn't really work (as we maybe sold six Austrian wines all month), but the wines are still a whole lotta awesome and I would hate for everyone to miss out.
Few countries' wines on the whole offer across-the-board warm-weather satisfaction as do those of Austria. It makes sense, really, as the cool climate and largely mountainous terrain ensure lively, crisp whites and lighter-bodied but juicy reds. We have several new Grüner Veltliner (King of Austrian white grapes)bottlings, a few white and red blends as well as great examples of St. Laurent, Zweigelt and Pinot Noir. Now is a great time to explore Austrian wines.
                                                                                             —Armin

Chateau Saintongey Bordeaux Blanc 2009 $9.99/750 ml 
Bordeaux, France. Classic Bordeaux Blanc with 80% Sauvignon Blanc/20% Semillon that is just plain unbeatable for the price. Give you all the elements you expect, but all to just a slightly greater extent (that seems to make all the difference). Lean, tangy grapefruit carries the palate with slightly tropical undertones and a bit of creamy texture fighting from underneath a palate-drying minerality.
                                                                                             —Armin

Kanonkop Kadette 2009 $13.99/750 ml 
Stellenbosch, South Africa. This makes two South African "Wine of the Week" selections in a row! And, with good reason. Loads of ripe cherry/berry + bright acidity + touches of spice, coffee and smoke + velvety tannins make this a go-to barbecue wine this Summer. A real crowd-pleaser with depth, elegance and balance! What's not to like? 
                                                                                             —Armin

Badenhorst "Secateurs" Chenin Blanc $14.99/750 ml 
Swartland, South Africa. Exactly how SA Chenin should taste. A perfect balance of lean acidity/flinty minerality and orange blossom redolence/rich, peachy fruitiness. It will be easy to drink this all Spring and Summer (as long as it doesn't sell out by June.)
                                                                                             —Armin


Alpha Box & Dice "Tarot" Grenache 2009 $13.99/750 ml
Australia. Grenache is so widely used throughout Australia's winemaking regions that it is a shame that there is such a dearth of good, affordable monovarietal bottlings. Alpha Box & Dice "Tarot" is out to fix that problem with a lush, soft, darkly-fruited, blackberry and licorice soaked but well-balanced introduction to what has long been relegated to second-fiddle blending partner of Shiraz.
                                                                                             —Armin

Roureda Negre 2009 $9.99/750 ml
Tarragona, Spain. This wine asks nothing of you—simple and easy and you won't bat an eye at the price. Perfect as warmer weather sets in, this fun, fruity blend of Garnacha and Tempranillo is tasty on its own, but will pair well with everything from salads to fish to lighter grilled dishes. It's wine—drink it.
                                                                                             —Armin

Calvi Pinot Grigio 2009 & Calvi "Rui" 2006 $12.99/750 ml
Pavese, Lombardia, Italy. Calvi in unheralded Lombardia produces these beautiful value wines. The Pinot Grigio is serious with pear and white peach flavors carrying through a full, slightly oily mid-palate and into a prickly, mineral finish. The "Rui", a blend of Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot shows rich, ripe black cherry fading into the popping acidity of fresh cranberry and pomegranate finishing with a gentle spice. These are everyday winners for the money.
                                                                                             —Armin

Bodegas Weinert Carrascal 2006 $13.99/750 ml
Mendoza, Argentina. Quite possibly the most sophisticated wine you can get for the money. This Malbec/Merlot/Cabernet Sauvignon blend is Argentine in provenance but Côtes de Bourg-meets-Catalunya in spirit. Dense black cherry and prune is met with a twinge of barnyard funk and graphite to create a full, expressive wine that finds the happy medium between easy-drinking and downright ponderous. A wine-geek-on-a-budget's dream.
                                                                                             —Armin

Vinaceous "Divine Light" Verdelho 2009 $14.99/750 ml
Western Australia. Rarely does a such an apparently markting-driven name/label resonate as accurately as they do with this remarkable wine from Vinaceous. This is divine light in a bottle. Super-bright, crisp, citrusy and alluring—it makes New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc seem leaden and dull.
                                                                                             —Armin

Este 2009 $9.99/750 ml
This South-East Mediterranean Spanish wine brings together six of Spain's great grapes (Monastrell/Tempranillo/Syrah/Garnacha/Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot) into one rich, lush cherry/berry-inflected wine with a pervasive bacon smoke element. Dramatically under-priced based on quality and sheer satisfaction.
                                                                                             —Armin

Cusumano Syrah 2008 $13.99/750 ml
Sicilian Syrah made in a Western style—ripe and soft. A nice change of pace from Australian fruit-bombs and American oak conduits. Just purity of dense raspberry fruit with a touch of dark herbaceousness.  
                                                                                             —Armin  

Lamoreaux Landing Estate White 2009 $13.99/750 ml 50% Riesling, 35% Chardonnay 7% Gewurztraminer 7% Pinot Noir (!!) and 1% Muscat Ottonel from the Finger Lakes in New York. All of that comes together in a lovely off-dry tropical fruited front-palate with a focused acid and dry mineral finish. Refreshing and unusual.
                                                                                             —Armin

Chateau D' Agel Minervois $13.99/750 ml You wanna know the kind of wine that makes Armin happy? This is it. Admittedly, I'm a sucker for Minervois wines in general, but this one has everything I like and nothing I don't. Lush, earthy, mixed wild-berries with a pervasive menthol streak. Full-flavored but not too heavy for warm weather sipping and widely pairable with any rich, expressive foods. Works great with our Beemster 3yr aged Gouda.                                                                                    
                                                                                             —Armin

From "The Underground" (our cellar)...

Maynard Keenan's Merkin Vineyards Chupacabra and Arizona Stonghold wines still available in limited supply!

A full list of our cellar wines will be posted soon...keep an eye on thi space!

Beaulieu Vineyards Tapestry 1999 $44.99
Last Tasted: 03/17/2010
This was an amazing surprise! Expectations of either fruit-flat, over-the-hill wine or over-oaked liquid leather and cherry dust were immediately quashed. This wine is drinking beautifully right now and could still see a few more years in the cellar. Currently shows bright cherry, muted spice front-to-back and lingering vanilla on its velvety tannin finish. Just plain great balance not far removed from ripe-and-ready Bordreaux.     
                                                                                                      —Armin

Camaraderie Cabernet Franc 2005 $24.99
Last tasted: 05/05/2010
Columbia Valley, WA. Decidedly US style with extracted cherry fruit and loads of vanilla and mocha. Ripe but with ample acidity to make a fine pair with grilled bison or lamb. Drink now through 2015.
                                                                                                     —Armin

Cinnabar Pinot Noir 2006 $49.99
Last tasted: 01/27/2010
Santa Cruz Mountains, CA. Underrated by the US critical establishment because it's more "Old World" than most prefer. This 400 cs. Pinot is serious. Under-ripe strawberry dusted in baking spice and plenty of vibrant acid and dusty tannins. Drink now through 2014.
                                                                                                     —Armin



Hartford Court "Stone Côte" (Sonoma Coast Vineyard) Chardonnay 2008 $67.99
Last tasted: 03/09/2010
Sonoma, CA. As close as California gets to Puligny-Montrachet with lilac on the nose, nectarine flavors, lemony acidity and a graphite-driven minerality on the finish. Brilliant and unmatched among US Chardonnays I've tasted.
Drink now through 2013.
                                                                                                    —Armin
Hartford Court "MacLean's Block" Pinot Noir 2007 $66.99
Last tasted: 03/09/2010
Russian River Valley, CA. This is the first release of this biodynamic Pinot and the results are spectacular. Black cherry and red raspberry is backed by cedar, pine needle, cigar tobacco and toasted cinnamon. Drink 2011 through 2017-ish (?).
                                                                                                    —Armin
Hartford Court "Far Coast" (Sonoma Coast Vineyard) Pinot Noir 2007 $74.99
Last tasted: 03/09/2010
Sonoma, CA. Juicy, ripe black cherry and dark raspberry rolled in mixed spices—think a Zinfandel-like melange of cinnamon, cardamom, white pepper, clove and nutmeg—but not at the expense of Pinot character. character. Drink 2011-2020.
                                                                                                    —Armin
Hartford Court Arrendell Vineyard Pinot Noir 2007 $94.99
Last tasted: 03/09/2010
Russian River Valley, CA. Dried flowers and chocolate on the nose. Dense and jammy cherry-berry flavors, a bit of cedar and sage and a pervasive coffee and licorice undertone that carries on the looong finish. Singular in its complexity. Drink 2011-2020+
                                                                                                    —Armin



Melville "Donna's" Syrah 2006 $43.99
Last tasted: 04/22/2010
Santa Rita Hills, CA. Far more "serious" than many CA Syrahs. Dark blackberry and currant are lifted by a very floral nose. The fruit carries on the palate with graphite, dried flowers and earthy spice. Drink now through 2016.
                                                                                                     —Armin

John Duval "Entity" Shiraz 2004 $33.99
Last tasted: 02/2010
The nose is intense and just makes you want to fall into your glass (I kinda envision those old cartoons with a character floating, led by his nose to a pie cooling on a window sill). Medium-bodied with brilliant mid-palate acidity cutting through rich, dark blackberry flavors. The back palate, deeply influenced by 17 months in French oak barriques, runs the gamut from pleasantly astringent anise and spice to leather, dark cola and soft vanilla with velvety tannins. if all that sounds big and bombastic, it is...but it is still very well structured with all that fruit and rich secondary stuff supported by sufficient acid and chewy tannins—it's big-boned, not fat. 
                                                                                                      —Armin

Langmeil "Freedom" Barossa Shiraz 2004 $101.99
Last tasted: 10/2009
Dark, plummy fruit with nearly opaque density acts as a substrate (think the velvet in black velvet paintings) for chocolate, coffee and smoke. Little hints of lavender and spice punch through the supporting French oak cedar-like notes bringing unexpected depth and complexity to such a BIG wine. Drink now through 2024.                                                                                                       —Armin

Pelissero "Nubiola" Barbaresco 2003 $39.99
Last tasted: 12/2009
Let this be a lesson: this is Pelissero's entry-level Barbaresco (from younger vines) and it still ain't ready to drink. Those 1997 and 1998 single-vineyard old-vine iterations we have in stock probably still need a couple years. Another five years in the cellar will bring all that ripe cherry, vanilla and cinnamon into balance.                                                                                                       —Armin

Nicolas Potel Morey-Saint-Denis Vielles Vignes 2005 $56.99
Medium-bodied but rich and dense flavors of cherry and pomegranate abound. It is the pervasive but exceptionally well integrated smokiness that make this more than just another pinot noir. This is a gorgeous wine from the very capable young wine-maker, Nicolas Potel and his passion shows. 
                                                                                                      —Armin

Betts & Scholl Hermitage Rouge 2004 $68.99
A high-wire artist, this impeccably balanced deep blackberry colored Rhône blend (95% Syrah with the balance comprised of Marsanne and Roussane) opens with a nose reminiscent of peaty Islay scotch. From there it's a tender dance of mixed berries, earth, light clove and soft tannins. A perfect pairing with lamb or venison. 
                                                                                                     —Armin

Brunelli Brunello di Montalcino 2001 $69.99
This shows several more years of cellar potential to go but is drinking very nicely now. This 100% Sangiovese gets 36 months in Slovonian and French oak barriques and several months in the bottle before we see it and the care in timing the release is evident. Deep and rich red pour with glass-staining intensity and a beautiful nose of dried flowers, smoke and spice. Exceptionally full-bodied and full-flavored ripe black cherries and earthy leather flow into a seemingly interminable finish showing light licorice and fennel notes. 
                                                                                     
                                                                                                    —Armin