Another Biodynamic Wine from Spike's Cellar!

Our lovely partners at Spike's Cellar are offering another biodynamic wine for (discounted) sale on their site today, and are donating a portion of the proceeds to TFT HK! This one is a 2008 Hecht & Bannier Côtes du Roussillon Villages. Thanks everyone at Spike's! Please click through here to buy and see below for details!

The Wine:

Hecht & Bannier Côtes du Roussillon Villages 2008

Offer Price:

$169 (28% discount from original price of $235)

Spike’s Cellar Says:

“Expressing pretty kirsch, plums, Asian spices notes, with slight hints of leather and tobacco, this concentrated and forward character is begging to be consumed now.  However it has enough structure to evolve for 5+ years.”

- Paul Wong, Wine Advisor

About the Wine:

A portion of proceeds from the sale of this famous biodynamic Bordeaux will go to Table For Two to help provide nutritious school lunches to children in developing countries.

South of France produces a lot of wines, and is known for the production of inexpensive, easy drinking international varietal wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot under the IGP designation.  Therefore, regions such as Cotes Du Roussillon and Minervois are always under rated and usually overlooked – well, at least one should not overlook this producer – Hecht & Bannier.

This Cotes Du Roussillon blend of Grenache, Mourvedre, Carignan and Syrah is packed with fruit and will be a pleasure to drink today, but has the underlying structure to evolve and improve in a couple more years.  For those who are into Southern Rhone wines, especially Chateauneuf–du–Pape, this wine is similar, with less power but more finesse and definitely delivering a better bang for the buck because of its more modest appellation.

You may also be interested to know that the wine was served in our last tasting event on June 23.  The wine also achieved the unimaginable, receiving a perfect score from our members as a “MUST OFFER” wine.  Rarely do we see a wine with such an overwhelming response rate, and at this price point too – which is essentially unheard of!!

Free delivery for order of 3 bottles of more.  Add just HK$50 extra for delivery to Discovery Bay.

For scheduled delivery date to this wine, see the “Fine Print.”

Reviews:

93 points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate

“The Hecht & Bannier 2008 Cotes du Roussillon Villages displays the vibratory kinetics; abundance of vivacious fruit - yet here possessed of almost liqueur-like sweetness; and complexity of mineral elements that one has come to associate with the best wines of this vintage.  Lily and heliotrope mingle with the aromas of ripe black raspberry, blackberry can cassis, then offer persistent inner-mouth allure as the sweet berry concentrate saturates the palate while mouthwatering salinity and schistic crushed-stone and peat-like smokiness build in intensity toward a finish the displays - for all of its richness - the remarkable sense of levity and vibrancy that is often attributed to the alleged miracle of chalky soils such as characterize Vingrau.  This much though is sure: You don't have to believe in the efficacy of geological underpinnings to recognize the dazzling complexity and uncanny balance on display here.  This phenomenal value should make for riveting entertainment over at least the next 5-7 years, and probably - though the track record is only now accumulating - for significantly longer.

Gregory Hecht and Francois Bannier - for more about whose almost uniquely quality-conscious and hands-on negociant operation, consult the Languedoc section of my report in issue 183 as well as in this issue - are extremely dedicated to as well as fascinated by Roussillon potential, even though they have been releasing until this year only a single wine of Roussillon appellation, which nowadays features roughly half Grenache from the chalk of Vingrau and Tautavel as well as the schist of Maury; Carignan from high elevation, gneiss and granite sites in Belesta and Caramany; Syrah, beginning in 2008 from the high, granite hills of Lesquerde; and a "small drop" of Mourvedre from Estagel.  The results - just as with this team's work in Languedoc appellations - have been wines on a par with those of the finest domaines, yet at amazingly modest prices.”

- David Schildknecht (Jun 2011)

The Fine Print:

·      Scheduled Delivery Date:  July 12, 2012 (Thursday).

·      Free delivery for order of 3 bottles or more.  Otherwise there is a HK$60 delivery charge, which will be assessed after checkout.  However, you can combine wines from this order with other orders and receive free shipping as long as the total order is more than HK$500.

·      Scheduled delivery date may be subject to change due to factors beyond our control.  We will confirm all deliveries one day before the scheduled delivery date.  If you would like the wine to be delivered on another day, please contact us at spike@spikescellar.com.

·      Deliveries available to Discovery Bay!!  An additional delivery charge of HK$50 will be assessed after checkout.  No delivery is currently available to other outer islands.

·      Please indicate your delivery address when checking out through Paypal.  Please ensure the delivery address is correct or shipping maybe delayed.

·      We cannot schedule specific delivery times at this time.

·      Please note that no “Pick Up” option is available for this wine.

·      If you would like to arrange alternative payment options such as cash, cheque or bank transfer, please contact us at spike@spikescellar.com.  Please note that wines are confirmed only once payment is received.