WBW 71: Rhones Not From The Rhône

When Wine Blogging Wednesday founder Lenn Thompson asked me to host this months’ tasting I was both honored and nervous. What theme would spark new participants to join the monthly virtual tasting? How could I come up with something original after 70 tastings? But after sharing three ideas on Twitter direct messages, we were set [...]

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Value Alert: 2007 Ruffino Modus

Italian wine - Buy 6 or more bottles and get 50% off shipping with code "grape70"

A couple weeks ago we were discussing a $25 wine Spectator rated 97 points - the 2009 Carlisle Sonoma County Syrah. After appearing in a Wine Spectator Insider email, the wine evaporated from the market as quickly as any I've ever seen. Sometimes it's like that - where a rating comes out of nowhere and the wine has been on the market for a while. Other times the rating has been around for a long time before the wine comes to market. That's been the case with the 2007 Ruffino Modus Toscana.
The $35 Modus received a 96 point rating back in the fall of 2010. There was considerable speculation it might become Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year. (Interesting side note on our Scoop the Spectator contest - the winner recently had a piece of writing published by the magazine - very cool!). The metrics were all there - especially the production level. 7,000 cases of the wine were imported to the US.

The wine ended up with a respectable showing finishing in the Top 25. When a wine has favorable QPR metrics but then ends up not making their Top 100 list it makes me think it didn't show very well when tasted across a wider audience. I liked the 2007 BV Tapestry (93WS/$50) and thought for sure it would make the Top 10. No such luck - it didn't make the Top 100.

The point chasing wine deal hound market hasn't received the 2007 Modus with the kind of enthusiasm the Carlisle garnered. I have a few theories why:

  • The 96 point rating the Modus received kind of came out of nowhere. They've been making the wine since 1997 and the best Spectator rating a prior vintage received was 91. It makes one wonder whether the bottle Suckling tasted got lucky.
  • Speaking of Suckling the rating come out right around the time he was leaving the publication to start his own thing. There was also some conjecture Spectator wouldn't feature the wine favorably to bring attention to a wine he rated.
  • No other major publication rated the wine as highly as Spectator - if they rated it at all. This lack of a second rating reinforced the concerns Spectator's 96 was a fluke. By the way, if the idea of having 2 or more major publications favorably rate a wine appeals to you check out the Wine Blue Book.
  • The wine wasn't on the market when the rating dropped. After a while I kind of forgot about it and I think other deal hounds did too.
  • The Modus is a much higher production wine. Scarcity makes people go a little nutso sometimes and what's more readily available is less precious. Perhaps there's just as much demand for the Modus but there's less supply for the Carlisle so the Carlisle is the hotter wine.
Perhaps there was some intentional delay on the part of the distributor in Massachusetts to sell through the 2006 vintage before releasing the 2007? Of course that didn't stop Costco from trying to leverage the 96 point rating for the 2006 in the mean time. I enjoy shopping at Costco but beware of their shelf talkers - they can get rather shady with them. The rating was crossed out in this shelf talker but the tasting notes were still for the 2007 while Costco has been selling the 2006 the past few months:


A couple weeks ago I tried the 2007 for the first time at the Wine Spectator Grand Tour stop in Boston. I thought it was quite nice but the context of 200 other wines it was hard to say for sure what it would really be like to drink a glass with a meal.

I got a chance to do just that La Famiglia Giorgio in the North End last week. We were in a bit of a hurry so table-top signage was effective in making our decision:


They poured each bottle through an aerating funnel into a decanter. Pretty nice treatment for what the waiter called one of the more expensive bottles. $46 at a restaurant is a very nice price point. And I thought the wine was great.

The wine is 50% Sangiovese, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 25% Merlot. Ruffino positions Modus as "modern interpretations of historical territory". I'll go along with that. Tons of fruit. Not austere at all. Some acidity. Nicely balanced. Call it 90-93 points?

I spotted the 2007 Modus for the first time at Costco in Waltham, MA yesterday. $22.89 (and no tax in MA). There were only 6 bottles in the bin and the cashier said they didn't have any backup:

Update: As 10:00 am Saturday morning Waltham is out of Modus. I hear they have 100 bottles in Danvers.


If you're in the area and interested in buying some it might be worth giving them a call or stopping in. If not there are plenty of retailers in the country that have it for a little more.

Strictly from a numbers perspective - 96 points for a Tuscan red you can buy for $25 vs. 97 points for a California Syrah that's nearly impossible to find at this point makes this Modus a no brainer for the point chaser. And all kidding aside I think it's a really nice wine for around $25.

Related Links:
CellarTracker
Wine-Searcher

Question of the Day: Why do you think the market reacted so differently to the 2007 Modus compared to the 2009 Carlisle?


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WBW 71: Rhones Not From The Rhône

When Wine Blogging Wednesday founder Lenn Thompson asked me to host this months’ tasting I was both honored and nervous. What theme would spark new participants to join the monthly virtual tasting? How could I come up with something original after 70 tastings? But after sharing three ideas on Twitter direct messages, we were set [...]

WBW 71: Rhones Not From The Rhône</a> originally appeared on Winecast. Licensed under Creative Commons.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Winecast/~3/4_t2_VZ5Kcs/

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Coming Wine Literary Treats of 2011

What's coming down the wine literary path? That's what I wanted to know. Looking at Amazon's list of future releases in the Wine Book category we see a bevy of interesting reading material coming our way in the future. Here...

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Florida Jim Cowan?s 2011 Tasting Notes Archive-Part One

The 2011 archive is presented by date the notes were compiled and submitted. Prior year’s tasting notes may be found here April 24, 2011 2001 F.X. Pichler, Riesling M: 13% alcohol; this wine has shed the fat and viscosity of its youth to become both more balanced and less powerful. Clean scents of fruit and [...]

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Measuring influence or communication skills

Do you have influence? This question is causing quite a stir at the moment, but what does it mean in the wine world? This question will be of particular relevance next week at the London International Wine Fair. Why? Because with the massive growth of online sources of information, wine businesses will want to understand [...]

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Mondavi Winemaker Dinner at Morton's The Steakhouse Back Bay

Morton's The Steakhouse is hosting Peter Mondavi Jr. of Charles Krug Winery for a winemaker dinner this coming Tuesday March 22nd, 2011. Check it out:

What

Morton?s The Steakhouse Back Bay invites wine enthusiasts to dine and drink with one of the country?s foremost winemakers, Peter Mondavi Jr. of Charles Krug Winery.  Known for its extensive, award-winning wine list, Morton?s has cultivated relationships with some of the leading domestic wineries.  The Winemaker Dinners offer guests a glimpse into the inner-workings of these vineyards, as well as an interactive experience with the winemakers themselves. 

Hailing from Napa Valley?s first family of winemaking, Peter Mondavi Jr. was introduced to the process at a young age and quickly became versed in the world of wines.  In celebration of the 150th anniversary of Charles Krug Winery, third generation proprietor Peter explores some of the estate?s finest vintages, including the 1980 Cabernet Sauvignon Vintage Selection.  Located in the heart of Napa Valley, the famed Charles Krug is home to super-premium and reserve wines made with estate-grown, sustainably farmed fruit representing the region?s most prized sub-appellations. 

In addition to several courses of Morton?s signature cuisine, guests sample Peter?s hand-selected Charles Krug wine pairings.  The menu and wines include:

Reception
Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes
Belgian Endive with Blue Cheese
Tuna Tartare, Diced Tomato and Avocado
Charles Krug, St. Helena - Napa Valley, Sauvignon Blanc, 2010

First Course
Mixed Field Greens topped with Grilled Colossal Shrimp
Charles Krug, Carneros Chardonnay, 2009

Second Course
Filet Mignon served with Chive Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Tomato stuffed with Sautéed Spinach, Shiitake Mushrooms
Charles Krug, Vintage Selection - 125th Anniversary, Cabernet Sauvignon, 1980
Charles Krug, Vintage Selection, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2006
Charles Krug, Vintage Selection - 150th Anniversary, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2008  
Cheese Course
Green Hill (Jersey Cow Milk Cheese)
Roasted Wild Rice (Gouda)
GoreDawnZola (Gorgonzola)
Snow Drop (Goat Cheese)
Charles Krug, Zinfandel Port, Lot XIV

Dessert
Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Details
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
6:30 PM - Reception; 7:00 PM - Dinner
$150 per guest, inclusive of tax and gratuity
Call 617-266-5108 for reservations

699 Boylston Street
Boston, MA

 Parking
Valet parking available.

More Info
http://www.mortons.com/bostonbackbay/specialevents/ 


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