2006 Cancilla Cellars Chardonnay
When trying a Chardonnay - or frankly any other wine made by Ken Cancilla - you should forget anything else you have tasted, and be ready for a newer, better experience. Ken does not take anything lightly, and prides himself on making wine of exceptional quality and where possible, directly related to the flavors and qualities of European versions of the same style. Therefore it is no surprise that his Chardonnay is made from "select Dijon clones," which are indeed clones from France's Burgundy region, but not at all from the region of Dijon (it was an error in the US that gave the name "Dijon" to these clones). Since these clones are better adapted to cooler climates, the results are spectacular, and also nearer to Old World Chardonnay. Ken's Chardonnay offers the lemon zest, baked bread, and light oak tones that we would get from the nose of a White Burgundy. The body of the wine is powerful and elegant, delivering a seemingly impossible combination of creamy texture and round flavor along with remarkably zesty and focused lemon, pear, and lychee flavors, all framed by superb minerality. This selection is truly a gift to the club members since there is none of this amazing wine left. But if you love it, keep an eye out for Ken Cancilla next time we do a tasting with him, and definitely keep an eye out for his wines in our shop. He has no equal, we feel.

2000 Bibbiani Rosso dei Colli della Toscana Centrale "Pulignano"
This month's club theme seems to be wines in rare supply: Pulignano is a very uncommon clone of Sangiovese, and it is only grown on about 10 acres of land on one hill in Tuscany. While it has its own qualities as a grape varietal, the resemblance to Sangiovese comes out in this wine's nod to the style of deeper and darker Chiantis. Now, keep in mind that even in the Chianti region, wines are not usually made with 100% Sangiovese. So to get 100% Pulignano is truly a unique experience in composition and flavor. Furthermore, this wine is distinctly Italian in style, this is one amazing wine: Aromas of plum and blackberry mix with floral tones and faints hints of eucalyptus. The main body is showing its maturity with deft grace and balance providing rich, dark, and slightly sweet currant and blackberry with has hints of wood but not oak - more exotic like mahogany. The finish sports some light notes of mint and tobacco. There may be a bit of this left, and if so, we will be sure to have some around. As for pairing, rather than name a dish, we suggest a climate: choose a beautiful evening just before dusk, that starts fairly warm but cools quickly. Stay outside with this bottle as long as you can, letting the dense but warm flavors remind you of the roots of fall that live in the cooler nights of spring. The angle of the sun is, after all, about the same.