2005 Val Montium Bierzo

A friend pointed me in the direction of the Wine Market over on Spottswood between the Williams-Sonoma outlet and Dan McGuinness, owned and operated by Scott Smith. I stopped in to meet Scott and take a look around.

I found a lot of wines I haven't seen elsewhere in the city. While it would have been tempting to walk out with several mixed cases, fiscal responsibility forced me to settle on two bottles.

Quick side note: to all of the great local wine shops I know and love, my primary motivator in where I shop is based on where I happen to be when the mood strikes me to buy wine. And if I haven't been in your place of business recently, forgive me, I've been traveling out of state a lot in the past few months.

First up was the 2005 Val Montium Bierzo made from the Mencía grape in Northwest Spain. $16, 14% abv. Nice aromas of dried blueberries with some elements of cherries and coffee. Good fruit but well balanced. Served with roast beef and beets, a decent pairing for the hearty wine.

The second wine selected was the Saint-Meyland Brut Rosé, $15, a light 12% abv. Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, but there's not a lot of information on this wine online. In fact, the first result in Google for "Saint-Meyland" is this blog. Both this and its non-rosé sister are outstanding bargains. Great quality, serious production, and crisp, light fruit flavors that while dry manage to please both wine lovers and novices.

The rosé has a wonderful nose of cherry soda, with tart flavors combining cherry and a touch of lemon. It is a dry sparkler, wonderfully bright and refreshing. I served it with a little salad incorporating Golden Delicious apples and a tarragon vinaigrette. I think it would be great with appetizers, and the price means that it would be a great party wine.