Mills Fine Wine & Spirits

“Where is this from again?” The lady asks, eyeing the bottle as I pour.

“Fitou!” I say.

“Where is that?” Comes the question.

The simple answer is that Fitou is in the Languedoc – the sprawling lands in the Southwest corner of France that produce a staggering number of wines of varying styles and quality. A lot  of them, like Fitou, are uncomplicated, rustic reds. Grown to accompany winter stews and Sunday suppers.

Just 20 miles from Spain, Fitou is a mountainous appellation that is surrounded by the better-known Corbieres.  Some wine books dismiss the wines of Fitou as “unremarkable”, but our Fitou from Domaine de Rolland is a rustic and spicy blend of Syrah and Grenache. I was really taken by it’s peppery Syrah spice and it’s perfumey and heady aromas. A lot of our customers were quite taken by it also.

So when you’re looking for a food -friendly and inexpensive red, as well as the satisfaction of bringing something new to the table, look for Fitou.

Domaine de Rolland Fitou 2006 – $13.99

Uncategorized

On Thursday,  I joined Chef Brendan O’Dea’s  (from Lewnes Steakhouse) cooking class at Williams-Sonoma to pair wines with his festive Winter menu.

This was a lively crew who clearly enjoyed the wine and food pairings.  We all had a great time and bystanders and onlookers were truly envious!

The first dish was a mini crab cake with avocado paired with the Casas Del Mar Cava.  This cava is very fresh with hints of toasted brioche,  very reminiscent of it’s Champagne counterpart without the huge price tag.  The students were amazed about it’s $11.99 price!  Sipping the Cava after a bite of the crab cake really made  the toastiness of the almonds and hazelnuts shine through.  I explained not to be afraid to pair Sparkling with appetizers or seafood dishes.  They are versatile and can pair nicely with all sorts of food!

Next on the menu was a Gorgonzola and Pear Tart paired with the 2008 Dozoe Albarino.  The saltiness of the Gorgonzola needed a wine high in acidity and the Dozoe did not disappoint.  The students loved this wine even before they tasted the tart.  After biting into the tart,  I heard oohs and ahhs because this was definitely a match made in heaven!  The cheese really made the wine take on an almost creamy finish and the pear mingled with the wines light,  crisp and tropical flavors.

The following dish was by far the favorite dish and wine pairing.  It was Braised Leg of Lamb paired with the 2006 Alaine Jaume (Grand Veneur) Clos Sixte Lirac Rhone.  The heartiness of this lamb dish really intensified this Rhones blackberry,  blackcurrant and spice.  It was perfection!  A couple of the students noted that this wine was already beautiful on its own but a beautiful marriage with the braised lamb. 

Following on the menu was Pan Seared Sockeye Salmon with the Walter  Hansel Pinot Noir.  I can’t say enough great things about this Russian River Valley Pinot Noir!  Often, some are hesitant to pair red wines with fish but Salmon is a heavier, fattier fish that Pinot Noir pairs beautifully with.  This particular combination really made this wine shine even more.  Lot’s of ripe cherries and plumbs led to a lingering finish.

The final dish was Veal Scallopini paired with the Batasiolo Barbera d’Alba.  This Italian pairing was right on target!  The richness of the veal played on the concentrated red berry and spiciness of the wine.

A big thank you to Chef Brendan and Williams-Sonoma of Annapolis for letting Mills pair the wine for this cooking class!  Thanks as well to all of the students and their input.  The class was a success and we hope to do this again. 

For more information about signing up for a cooking class at Williams-Sonoma,  contact Wendy Higgins at 410-571-0589.

Uncategorized

The Judgement of Paris is a tale from Greek Mythology. Peleus and Thetis were married, and all the Gods and Goddesses were invited except for Eris – the Goddess of Discord. Eris was so miffed at this snub that she showed up anyway, got drunk on Retsina and left behind a gift – a Golden Apple that she dedicated to “the fairest”. The goddesses Aphrodite, Hera and Athena all demanded the apple for themselves and good ol’ Zeus let the poor mortal Paris decide who got the apple. Not an easy decision for anyone to make and it ultimately lead to the Trojan War.

Oh…wait a minute…we’re talking about a different Judgement of Paris.

The Judgment of Paris Revisited

When asked to choose his holiday picks this year, Rick decided on an unusual concept. His idea? To revisit the famous “Judgment of Paris” from 1976, where California wines decidedly beat their French counterparts changing the wine world forever. We are offering two wines, one Californian and one French and let you decide the winner for yourself.

The first is Chateau Montelena’s 2000 “Estate” Cabernet Sauvignon. The French wine is the 2000 Sociando Mallet from the Haut Medoc. The two bottle set is only $129.99. (Regularly both wines together would be $169.99)

Uncategorized

Saturday afternoon we hosted another Burgundy tasting here at the shop. Nancy Priest (Frederick Wildman) and Christopher Snead (Frederick P. Winner) were once again on hand to guide us through Mill’s pre-arrival offering of the wines of Nicholas Potel.

Nicolas Potel ascends the castle steps...

Nicolas Potel is a young and dynamic vinificateur, who has made a name for himself since 1998. Many growers sell only to Nicolas and he works closely with them during the growing season. He’s not just another negociant coming to call at the harvest.

“This producer is not just one of the best négociants, it is one of the best producers in Burgundy and certainly better than some hard to find and even harder to pay for ‘big names’. Benchmark wines can be found in this cellar.”
-Burgundy-Report.com

Once again, I came to the tasting armed with a notebook, another round of my pate’ – this time laced with white truffles – and my lucky tasting glass. I was ready for action and action I found. Here are a few of my notes from the tasting;

Nicolas Potel Bourgogne Rouge “Cuvee Gerard Potel” 2007
I actually was introduced to this wine at our Wine Find, and it showed equally as well on Saturday afternoon – A bright and heady ruby-colored wine.  Presently on sale for $19.99 (regularly $24.99) Like Stephen Tanzer put it so succinctly in his write-up of the 2007 Cuvee Gerard, “If I were a lab rat in a cage, I would suck this stuff out of a water bottle until I drowned…”

Nicolas Potel Cote de Nuits Villages 2005
Classic nose of slightly sour cherry and cranberry. When this was first opened, it was tight and tough with big, gripping tannins, but as I predicted, the last glass in the bottle purred like a kitten.

Nicolas Potel Morey St. Denis 2005
Some earthy funk opens up to reveal a bloomy nose of sweet tobacco and spice. Enormous structure – built like a tank but elegant as hell. Bright sweet cherry fruit and a long and fantastical finish.

Pommard “Les Fremiers” 2005
Beautiful aromas and flavors of red cherry, rosemary, and a trace of anise. Very “classical” in style, but with a loads of loads of lush fruit and verve.

Clos St. Denis 2006
With a nose of sweet woodsmoke, this was a perfect wine for the slushy and cold weekend we had. Very rustic and robust, but with an undercurrent of sweet and sexy fruit.

Clos de la Roche 2006
My notes were a little scattered and wine-stained by this point, but my impressions of this Clos de la Roche were like a disjointed haiku -
Black tea, black truffles
roses and blackberries
blue flowers in rich black soil
I won’t try and make much more sense out of that. But wow, a rich and huge wine. Tightly wound up, this will definitely evolve into something truly special. Hopefully I’ll be able to try it then and write more coherent poetry.

To inquire about purchasing these wines, please give us a call!
(800) 261.WINE

Postscript;

Once again I made a chicken liver pate’ – thanks for your kind words about it. The difference this time around was the addition of White Truffles…

Uncategorized

The cold winter nights to come call for the most comforting and warming of meals with rich, hearty red wines. After left-over turkey, we were ready for something different.

This past week I found a great deal on a lamb loin roast. After trimming the excess fat, I slathered the roast with pureed garlic, olive oil, rosemary and thyme. I roasted it at 400 degrees with some carrots and onions and it was wonderful. Like springtime in Provence, but Autumn in Maryland.

What was really great about this dish, was that it worked so well with so many wines! We had it with a 1999 Bettinelli Merlot from Napa (on sale 16.99, regular price 24.99) and those juicy berry and mint flavors were perfect with the tender herb infused lamb. Merlot is still getting a bad rap, but this one – still luscious and ripe after ten years – is fantastic.

Usually with lamb, I’m thinking about the Rhone valley or Provence. The 2004 Domaine de Charvin Chateauneuf du Papes (on sale 34.49 regular price 68.99) was a natural. Lamb with those spicy and herbaceous flavors from the southern Rhone are always a win.

(We have a magnum of Domaine Tempier Bandol 2005 ($101.99) that just cries out for a midwinter saddle of lamb supper, as well as the Domaine la Soumade Rasteau 2001 ($84.99) which we have a few bottles left of. )

Lamb is versitale and deserves much more than funky mint jelly. From tandoors to tagines, what are your favorite lamb dishes?

Ben

The name alone begs for you to take it to a special holiday dinner.  Bennett Lane’s,  Maximus Red Feasting Wine,  is a beautiful meritage wine from Napa.  The blend is 64% Cabernet,  25% Merlot and 11% Syrah.  What a fabulous blend it is!

The nose is heaven with aromas of plum, dark chocolate and vanilla.  On the palate,  it exhibits blueberry,  plum,  vanilla clove and nutmeg.  I personally really enjoy the hints of blueberry quite a bit!  It’s so perfectly balanced and the finish is just as good as the beginning!

This wine will pair with almost anything but also great without food.  Bring it to your next feast!

I love,  love,  love this wine and it’s definitely a new favorite for me.  I can’t wait to revisit it!

P.S.  Bennett Lane also makes a White Feasting Wine that is 87%  Sauvignon Blanc,  11% Chardonnay and 2% Muscat.  We tried this in the store the other day and it was a staff hit.  Peter had some leftover turkey that he brought in and it paired nicely!

Cheryl