Worth the Effort

We've received a nice mix of new products recently, and we wanted to share that information. We think that these items are worth the effort of going out in this miserable weather. Some of these are available in very limited quantities, so grab your boots and stop in to Joe Canal's.

Based on requests, we have a small amount of Coho Headwaters Red, rated at 91 points by Wine Advocate. Normally, it's available by allocation only, so we suggest getting your bottle asap.

Coho Headwaters Napa Valley Red Wine is a "Bordeaux blend" of four varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon (56%); Merlot (38%); 5% Petite Verdot and 1 % Cabernet Franc. The majority (77%) of the vineyards for this wine are in the new "Coombsville" appellation of the Napa Valley. This rock strewn "terroir" provides deep and opaque red color, with supple red cherry/wild berry and cassis fruit aromas.

The same fruit tones and integrated oak nuances offer complex flavors and power on the palate. The supple tannins offer a silky fine-grained texture to the wine and a lingering, fruit-forward finish.

Headwaters is regularly priced at $44.99, but it's only $39.99 in the Bottle Club®. This definitely won't last long.

Another of Wine Spectator's 2013 Top 100 list is now available at Joe Canal's. The 2010 Chateau Doisy Daëne Barsac (94 points, #45 of the Top 100) is on our shelves, in limited quantities. From the WS review: A juicy, compact style, with tangerine, apricot, toasted almond and heather notes all rolled together at the core, waiting to unfurl fully through the unctuous, passion fruit-filled finish. Plenty remains in reserve, but this is hard to resist now. Drink now through 2030.   

The winemaker adds, "Doisy Daëne wine has a style of its own that privileges a bursting fruit concentrated by the "noble rot", strength, balance and subtlety of the flavors. The Doisy-Daëne style is all at once the expression of a great calcareous soil and a truly aesthetic family tradition, the one of distinguished white wines, of crystal-like purity, combining power and freshness, in an infinite youth."

Barsac, like most fine dessert wines, are challenging. The harvest is performed by experienced grape pickers in 3 to 6 successive selective pickings in order to collect at the ideal ripening stage, the grapes concentrated by the "noble rot". During three quarters of a century, oenological progress and sensible traditions have combined to create the characteristics of Doisy-Daëne's grapes. With this know-how an astonishingly simplified process has been elaborated. Extracted through slow pressings, the rich and pure juice ferments in oak barrels renewed by third. Aging then starts with 10 month in oak barrels, in the coolness of the cellars and is regulated by the weekly toping of the barrels and regular rackings. This is followed by 9 month in stainless steal tank before bottling.

The regular price of the Doisy Daëne Barsac is $69.99, but it's currently in the Bottle Club® for only $54.99/750ML bottle.

Also from France, also rated over 90 points, and also new to our stores is the 2010 Domaine Servin Chablis Vieilles Vignes Massale. This vineyard, situated in the area of Les Pargues, was replanted over 40 years ago using a technique of propagation whereby cuttings for the vines were selected from the best vines already in the vineyard and not from a clone. This rarely used technique is known as “Selection Massale”. These old uncloned vines produce extremely tiny yields and express a diversity of aromas from the Chablisien terroir.

100% Chardonnay, the nose is complex with mineral and white flower notes. The palate is rich, round and long with yellow fruits dominating. An incredible long finish with excellent balance. Scoring 92-93 points from Wine Advocate, this carries a regular price of $24.99, and is only $21.99 in the Bottle Club®.

A trio of wines well worth venturing out into the winter for.