Wine Talk by Robert Whitley

I know I flashed a brief smile as I hoisted the bottle of Georges de Latour Private Reserve, the flagship wine from Beaulieu Vineyards. The price had caught my eye. Only a few vintages back this Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon fetched better than $100 a bottle. Now? A smidge above $50. Markets do work, I thought. And I bought a bottle.

That got me to thinking about the high price of collectible wines, particularly from Bordeaux, but also Burgundy and the Napa Valley. I remembered foraging through the wine shops of Saint-Emilion, France, this past fall only to leave disappointed and empty-handed because the wines I fancied were all beyond my means.

The onerous exchange rate aside, I fairly choked at the thought of paying $900 for one bottle of freshly minted Cheval Blanc. I can remember a time when I purchased Cheval Blanc by the case, back in the day. That was before the world lost its mind, at least the part of the world that covets rare wine.

So I was encouraged at the sight of BV's top Napa Valley cabernet at a price even I could manage, though it wasn't exactly the bargain bin. I realized the price had more to do with the scandal a few years back, when an entire batch of tainted Georges de Latour was sold before the winery discovered it had a storage problem, than current economic conditions, but I was comforted nonetheless.

Call me an optimist, or a hopeless romantic, but I continue to believe price rollbacks loom in our future. There is too much evidence the market for high-priced wine has collapsed to believe otherwise.

Consider Las Vegas, which has been in the news in recent days. The recession has all but crippled Las Vegas, and with it the many upscale restaurants that cater to the gambling crowd. Las Vegas has been a huge market for classified Bordeaux and scrupulously allocated Napa Valley cabernet sauvignon.

Now that the river of cash has dried up, those allocations are going unclaimed. Cases of previously unattainable wines are being offered around the country to markets that are still in the game for the glamour stuff. I know there is a sense of desperation in some corners of the Napa Valley as warehouses back up with unsold inventory.

Makes me want to party like it's 1982 all over again. I say that somewhat tongue in cheek. No one wants to see a business fail, and I certainly have nothing against the good folks at BV, Cheval Blanc, or anyone else who has the desire and the skill to make great wine.

I simply believe in the marketplace. Any business that makes a product that is meeting resistance from consumers over the issue of price has but two options: Sit on it or lower the price.

I suspect there will always be a market for that handful of wines that are so rare — La Tache, Penfolds Grange, Vega Sicilia, etc.

— collectors will pony up regardless of economic conditions. But between Grange and Two Buck Chuck there is an ocean of wonderful, albeit overpriced, cellar-worthy wine.

I'm waiting.

BEST BUY

Wines are rated on a 100-point scale. Wines are chosen for review because they represent outstanding quality or value.

Eberle 2008 Syrah Rose, Steinbeck Vineyard, Paso Robles ($16) — 'Tis the season to explore the wine aisle for super summer wines. Dry rose comes to mind because it's both refreshing and versatile with food. Eberle's Syrah Rose is among California's finest, and the '08 vintage is an excellent example of the genre. Clean juice is bled from the Syrah tanks shortly after harvest and fermented in older, neutral French oak barrels. Though bone dry, the Eberle rose delivers vibrant red-fruited aromas and exceptional persistence of flavor. It's well balanced, and bold enough to stand up to grilled meats, poultry and flavorful fish such as salmon. Rating: 90.

Red Guitar 2007 Tempranillo-Garnacha, Old Vine, Spain ($14) — I can usually find Red Guitar for around $10, and it's one of the great steals in the red market today. But even at the full-bore, nationally suggested retail price you've done well. Produced in the Navarre region of northeastern Spain, this is a blend of the ubiquitous tempranillo grape (Spain's most important red grape variety) and garnacha, also known as grenache, which has been widely planted in Navarre. This vintage is plump and juicy, showing lovely red and black fruit aromas, a smooth, supple texture and a lip-smacking finish. The perfect summer barbecue red! Rating: 87.

TASTING NOTES

MacPhail 2007 Pinot Noir, Toulouse Vineyard, Anderson Valley ($50) — James MacPhail produces small lots of handcrafted pinot noir from superb vineyards in the Sonoma Coast and Anderson Valley appellations. They won't be easy to find, but are well worth your effort — and hard-earned money — if you happen to prize distinctive pinot. MacPhail's 2007 Toulouse is a case in point. Fewer than 500 cases were made and the price — modest given the quality and scarcity — ensures it won't sit very long on any wine merchant's shelf. Rich and full-bodied, the Toulouse delivers intense aromas of raspberry and currant, with a hint of spice and cedar wrapped in a decadently long finish. Rating: 93.

Ferrari-Carano 2007 Siena, Sonoma County ($23) — Primarily sangiovese with a splash of malbec, Ferrari-Carano's interpretation of the "Super Tuscan" style of red wine has been one of the most successful in the so-called Cal-Ital movement. The 2007 vintage of Siena is an elegant wine, displaying sumptuous notes of raspberry and blackberry, mocha and spice. The tannins are supple and smooth, so despite its youth this is a wine you can consume immediately with pleasure. Very great pleasure. Rating: 90.

To find out more about Robert Whitley and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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