The Wellesley Wine Press

Some interesting news on the Massachusetts wine legislation front: It looks like a bill and threatened ballot initiative to bump the number of retail alcohol licenses a corporation can hold from 3 to 20 has been withdrawn in favor of a compromise that would gradually increase the limit over the next decade. People are often confused why some grocery stores in Massachusetts sell wine while others do not. It's complicated. Some towns don't allow alcohol sales at all so that explains some of it.

Key Link: 2013 Belle Glos Meiomi for $15.95 Boston-area wine retailer VinoDivino is offering the 2013 Belle Glos Meiomi for $15.95 if you buy 6+ bottles. Wine Spectator recently rated this vintage 92 points. It's very hard to find a 90 point rated California Pinot Noir for $20, and since each point north of 90 is incrementally harder for a wine to achieve, this wine presents a compelling quality-to-price ratio. Here are my thoughts on the wine when it was released.

There are no wine shops in Wellesley. As much as I think an upscale wine merchant would be a welcome addition to the shops on Linden Street -or- somewhere in Wellesley Square where a lot of retail businesses have been closing up lately I don't think a liquor store is in the cards for Wellesley any time soon. The closest wine shop to the west as you head towards Natick is Nine East Wine Emporium.

Yesterday, I announced the 2005 Cigliuti Barbaresco Serraboella as the 2010 Wellesley Wine Press wine of the year. In prior years I'd named domestic Pinot Noirs as my wine of the year so it wasn't too difficult to track down winery representatives to answer a few questions. However, this year's winner comes from the Piedmont region in Italy.

A brief programming note: The Wellesley Wine Press hit 500 subscribers today! After typing away here for the past couple of years it was a great Christmas present to receive. Subscribers are, more than anything, what I've been focusing on in the past year. The idea that so many of you are interested in hearing what I have to say means a lot to me. Happy Holidays.

I stopped in to pick up some wine at The Wine Cellar of Stoneham today. Before going I spoke with Mike Reardon on the phone and asked him if he had anything new or interesting I should check out. He mentioned this wine - the 2007 Atlas Peak Cabernet Sauvignon. There is an ocean of wine looking to get our attention at any given moment. After a while the names start to blur together. Avalon. Geyser Peak. Atlas Peak.

Blanchards Wine & Spirits is offering 10% off $100 orders with code CYBER10 -or- 20% off $250 with code CYBER20. Discount applies only to non-sale items (prices end in "9"). Full offer details here. Here are six wines I thought were nice deals for one reason or another: 2010 St. Cosme Gigondas Valbelle $62.99 ($50.39 after 20% off) The regular St. Cosme Gigondas (95WS/$41) got all the attention, but this one was rated 97 points. Nationwide low price here.

Wine Access is offering 20% off select wines for Black Friday. One wine in stock (for now) that I highly recommend is: 2019 Yesterday Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve Napa Valley $30/btl (before discounts) This wine is in line with prior "Yesterday" Napa Cabs, which is to say: Boldly fruit forward with ample supporting toasty oak notes and absolutely delicious. It's surprising they're pricing the bottling at just $30 (they've also got a "regular" bottling going for $35 and it's not part of the promo).

Back in 2009, James Laube from Wine Spectator wrote an article with a strangely-specific recommendation. He singled out "the Tritan Burgundy Glass by Schott Zwiesel 'Forte' (model 8465/140), which sells for about $9 a stem". I took him up on that recommendation, have enjoyed the perfect balance of these stems since, and agree: It's the one wine glass to rule them all. I noticed they are on sale at Amazon right now, for $49.49 for six ($8.25 per stem).

Ever on the hunt for an outstanding readily available $20 Pinot Noir, this one has somehow managed to fly under the radar after a 92 point rating from James Molesworth at Wine Spectator in September. What I like about it is how it's readily available for around $20 before discounts, and more balanced and versatile than some of the bruisers coming out of California in this category.