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It is interesting that so many wines that I haven’t been able to acquire for the stores here in Northern Kentucky are slowly becoming more available – Leonetti, Flowers, Frank Family, Lewis – big hitters from California that get the great reviews, and have the impressive track records, wines that you can find across the river – about a two-minute ride across the Brent Spence Bridge into the Cincinnati side of the Tri-State – in virtually any store or on just about any restaurant. I’ve never liked the fact that Kentucky seemed the “red-headed stepchild” of the wine business here in the Midwest.

Sour grapes I suppose.

Yet now, in a trend that I would like to believe is simply a matter of our evolution as a larger player in the wine and spirits game around here, we are getting offered more of these “trophy” wines. True enough, the market is slow-going with the economy still floating in the toilet bowl and many folks seeing it pointless to buy $50-and-up bottles of wine when they are 3 months behind in their mortgage payments. Times like these, practicalities outweigh the luxuries.

Still, it’s cool to know that we can now offer things like Frank Family Wines (although we did have them in the store two years ago for 1 week – don’t ask) and Flowers, which aren’t too terribly expensive (in the $30-$40 realm).

My only hope is that if and when the economy does pick up, these wineries and others too who have extended their olive branches past the usual suspects, and will continue to do business with us. Only time will tell.

Yesterday, we made our way down to Four Roses, after a successful run of our first Four Roses Special Blend. Our Covington wine guy Corey S., Covington store manager Tom, Fort Thomas CSR Trina and myself rode down in a two-car caravan with our SWS/Crown spirits rep Mike Haas, first visiting the bottling facility outside Louisville to choose our barrel.

We met up with Master Distiller Jim Rutledge (just back from Amsterdam) and our Four Roses rep Dan Gardner, and we sampled 5 different barrels in order to find that right one, the one that our customers were sure to enjoy. While the sampling at Buffalo Trace went quicker, we seemed to be more meticulous in choosing this time. We were joined by a few Four Roses employees and some visitors from Canada.

It wasn’t long, at least for me, to see that the third barrel stood out as the top choice. Corey, who stood to my left, agreed, as did Trina. Tom, not a big bourbon drinker, did agree, and when the Master Distiller himself sided with us, we knew we had a winner.

After the tasting, and a brief tour of one of the warehouses by Four Roses warehouse manager Corey (it was a day of Coreys), we quickly learned how unique Four Roses was to the Bourbon world. The big difference is in warehousing the barrels. Their competitors typically store the barrels to age in multilevel buildings, where temperature fluctuation plays a big role in the aging process. At Four Roses, the warehouses are but one store high, and the temperature fluctuation is almost non-existent. The goal at Four Roses is consistency.

We made the long drive across the Bluegrass Parkway to the Distillery, which was just outside of Frankfurt, KY, where we were treated to a picnic lunch just outside on their gazebo, before getting a tour of the facility. Jim, the master distiller, gave us a quick primer on making Bourbon, and how their process differs from their competitors. At Four Roses, they start with two different blends, one featuring more rye than normal, and from their 5 different strains of yeast on each blend creates 10 different bourbon distillates, each with a different aroma and flavor component. Jim and his crew then determine the right components to achieve their signature blend and there you have the amazing Four Roses family of Bourbon.

I have always been a fan of sour mash, but now I have a deeper appreciation for Kentucky’s signature spirit. If you are visiting Kentucky, make sure you head down to the Bourbon Trail, where Four Roses, along with Wild Turkey, Evan Williams, Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam, Makers Mark, Woodford, and others, unite to expose visitors to the joys of Bourbon Whiskey.

Look for our new Four Roses DEP’s Blend in our stores soon.

So last Thursday, I decided last minute to participate in Twitter Taste Live, which featured the subject Washington Merlots. Cool, I thought, I have really become a fanatic about Washington Merlots; they are far superior (in my humble opinion) to most California Merlot. I was already sold on the idea, but obviously (oh shit here he goes again) the fact I had traveled to Washington State for last year’s Washington Wine Road Trip (big shout out to Shayn Bjornholm and the gang at the WWC) only solidified my stance on the matter.

So I grabbed three bottles (an ambitious man I am) and headed home from a long, frenetic day at the store. The Novelty Hill Merlot Columbia Valley 2006, the Terra Blanca Arch Terrace Merlot Red Mountain 2005, and the Gordon Brothers Merlot Columbia Valley 2007 were my choices, and I was thinking of cooking a bit of pasta and meat sauce (just something simple) for the wife and I to dive into while I “tweeted”.

File under the nothing ever goes as planned dept.: My wife was feeling pretty crappy, and decided she did not want pasta and meat sauce. She was pretty nauseous so she ate a piece of Coconut Pie I picked up from Bone Fish Grill down the street, and I went ahead and made the stuff and cracked open the Novelty Hill.

My first tweet started well-intentioned enough:

#WAMerlot Just got home. Opening up Novelty Hill Merlot 2006. @noveltyhillwine. Whipping up pasta and meat sauce. 4:57 PM Mar 25th via TweetDeck.

All systems go. Wife was busy watching her DVR’d shows (American Idol, Dancing With The Stars, etc.). I was cooking and tasting.

#WAMerlot Novelty Hill Merlot 2006 - big monster Merlot. Lots of red & black fruit notes n nose. Firm tannic grip. Great way 2 unwind. 5:03 PM Mar 25th via TweetDeck

Funny though, when you start the day at 4:30 or 5 in the morning, and you’re moving boxes around – not to mention that your tolerance for alcohol has become next to nil after turning 40 – a glass of wine can start making you a bit fuzzy.

#WAMerlot Novelty Hill Merlot 2006 going great with my pasta. 5:07 PM Mar 25th via OpenBeak

I finished the glass, had another and then moved on to the Terra Blanca.

#WAMerlot, opening the Terra Blanca Arch Terrace Merlot 2005. @TerraBlanca. Just got into the store today. 5:15 PM Mar 25th via TweetDeck

Wasn’t as big as the Novelty Hill; I probably should’ve started with this one. But I was really excited to try this again, having just got in the Terra Blanca wines for the state of Kentucky. Always fun when I can do that.

#WAMerlot The Terra Blanca Merlot is more bright cherry and plum. Less tannins than the Novelty Hill. Juicier fruit. 5:19 PM Mar 25th via OpenBeak

And after three glasses, I was starting to feel the effects…

#WAMerlot figures. Doesn’t take much for a buzz anymore. I am so unprofessional. 5:27 PM Mar 25th via OpenBeak

Twitter friend @WoodwardCanyon gave a shout and my reply was thus:

@WoodwardCanyon Absolutely. But being the lightweight I am these days, I am headed for bed three minutes after this #TTL #WAMerlot is over. 5:40 PM Mar 25th via TweetDeck in reply to WoodwardCanyon

I had another glass of the Terra Blanca, finished my pasta, and found myself devolving into a passionate, symbiotic relationship with my couch.

My first foray into #TTL #wamerlot turns out to be a bust. Great wines, but long day+booze=one tired old man. 8:35 PM Mar 25th via TweetDeck

Twitter friend @TerraBlanca gave a holler and I replied thusly:

@TerraBlanca It was great stuff. Had half a bottle tonight. 8:40 PM Mar 25th via TweetDeck in reply to TerraBlanca

And I was done. Ready for bed, yet I found myself just staring blankly into the TV screen, thoughts drifting on some grape wave in some ocean of juice as my wife herself was nodding off, hypnotized by my narcoleptic state. Inevitably, she went upstairs, and I settled in for mindless channel surfing and a quiet state of wine-satiated bliss.

All-in-all, I probably didn’t execute my minor part in the Twitter Taste Live Washington Merlot event very well. My humble apologies to the Twitter masses for my less-than-professional state, but hey, I was home, on my time, with some wine and amongst my loved ones. It ever there was a glimmer of heaven to be seen, #TTL last Thursday was as close as I could hope. Just hope next time, I can join in the conversation, and maybe last a little longer.

Easter snuck up on us again this year, what with the March Madness and Spring-ish weather taking up most of our brain space, its been hard to plan in advance for much of anything. But, come rain, shine or the loss of our favorite team, Easter is Sunday. We here at DEPS Fine Wine have rounded up some great options for your holiday, whether it be brunch, dinner, or something in between.

Enotria Moscato, $12.59. Moscato is all the rage right now, and we promise you your Grandmother will love it. Peach notes and pear predominate, with a slightly sweet but refreshing finish. Drink cold!

Montes Cherub, $14.99. This rose of Syrah from Chile pairs perfectly with Brunch fare, and is the beautiful color of a light pink easter egg. As Alfonse would say, “Great with a Ham ‘Samich”

Rabbit Ridge Merlot, $9.69. O.K., this one is included mostly because of the cutesy rabbit critter on the label. However, it’s a great little merlot too, with some blackberry and herb characteristics.

Our Daily Red, $7.99. This Organic red is guaranteed to turn a sinner into a saint. The perfect accompaniment to a deviled egg!

Macallan 10 Year Scotch, $31.98. This is the preferred sipper for your Grandfather or Brother-in-law. Smoky peat and oak flavors ensure that the men in your family have a great Peter Cottontail day, too!

Our Tramonte rep Devon came by last week to try us on some of the latest releases from our good friend Greg Graziano, as well as a couple of treats from Napa. My first exposure to the Graziano Family of Wines – some of Mendocino County’s best stuff – was at Café Boulevard over 10 years ago when we ran the Monte Volpe Sesso and Sangiovese as a feature. While the Sangiovese was met with some skepticism (most “Cal-Itals” are), the Sesso, a white blend of Pinot Grigio, Pinot Bianco and Tocai Friulano, was a big hit. These days, here at the store, the Graziano Zin is the big hit of the clan, but some of these wines are really amazing. Look for them to pop up soon.

Graziano Sauvignon Blanc Mendocino 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Unlike the New Zealand style of bold grapefruit and gooseberry character, this clean white tastes of guava, lemon, kiwi and fresh cut hay. Bright acidity livens up the palate and the finish is a juicy citrus and mineral.

Monte Volpe Primo Bianco Mendocino 2009. Grade=Outstanding. A uniquely Graziano blend of Arneis, Tocai Friulano, Cortese, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, this medium-bodied white shows of some interesting notes of peach, mango, apricot, pineapple, nectarine and banana, with balanced acidity, and a lively finish. Very cool and very good!

Saint Gregory Pinot Noir Rosé Mendocino 2009. Grade=Amazing. Wow! Greg doesn’t make this every vintage, and this one was really worth the wait. Gorgeous strawberry and raspberry aromas and flavors with notes of spicy red berries and red flowers. A beautiful rosé, albeit quite limited.

Enotria Barbera Mendocino 2006. Grade=Average. I am never truly sold on “Cal-Ital” reds, though this one is nice. It has some interesting notes of red berry, cinnamon and pepper, with a slightly juicy yet slightly dry mouthfeel. Finishes nice, but it is priced slightly higher than I’d like.

Graziano Zinfandel Mendocino 2005. Grade=Outstanding. Juicy, jammy red and black berry fruit, with some splashes of mocha, black pepper, cinnamon, prune and blueberry for good measure. A solid example of Mendocino Zinfandel.

Buccella Merlot Napa Valley 2007. Grade=Amazing. Open over a day, this stunning Napa Merlot is showing impressive staying power, with gorgeous displays of dark cherry, plum, cedar, blackberry, mocha, coffee, and spice box characters. Full-bodied attack with sultry, velvety tannins and a rich, concentrated finish.

Buccella Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2007. Grade=Amazing. Holy Smoke! While stiff from just being opened, the wine still demonstrates massive richness and complexity. Aromas of black fruits, cedar and tobacco lead into notes of black currants, blackberries, cedar and hickory, chocolate, espresso, tar, cigar box and vanillin oak. This is an amazing Napa Cab. But at this price, it better be.

Enotria Moscato Mendocino 2009. Grade=Amazing. All you look for in a Moscato from Piedmont, except this comes to you via Mendocino. Fragrant aromas of honeysuckle, white peach, apricot and orange blossom give way to juicy peach, apricot, mandarin orange, and slight hints of honey. Finishes with a nice kiss of acidity, making for a very enjoyable glass of wine.

Our dynamic duo from RNDC/Kentucky - Tom and David - came by with Tom Steele of Triple Crown Brokerage and the wines of Candoni, a line of solid Italian values probably more known for the Etruscan-themed painted bottles. These were fiarly nice wines, and the prices were good too. Just not sure about the packaging; I kinda like ‘em but my assistant Shannon wasn’t sold.

Candoni Prosecco NV. Grade=Average. Very simple Prosecco with not much in the way of fruit. Pleasing effervescence and one-note minerality with muted stone fruit character. It’s just okay.

Charming Life Prosecco Veneto IGT NV. Grade=Average. New to the Candoni family, again, not a lot going on. The Candoni bottling was a little better.

Candoni Organic Pinot Grigio Veneto IGT 2007. Grade=Outstanding. Surprising amounts of citrus and viscous stone fruit flavors. Has a nice amount of body to what would otherwise be construed as just another PG. Pretty good stuff.

Candoni Pinot Grigio Friuli DOC 2008. Grade=Average. More of the typical lemon water PG that you find more often than not. I’d definitely go with the organic version.

Candoni Moscato d’Italia Apulia DOC NV. Grade=Amazing. Here is a superb Moscato, with great balance between the sweet apricot and peach you typically find and well-balanced acidity that you don’t always find in Moscato. Floral, lively and delicious.

Candoni Organic Merlot Friuli DOC 2007. Grade=Outstanding. Really nice medium-bodied red with bright cherry and red plum notes, hints of mineral, spice and earth, and well-balanced acidity. Has a good grip and finishes long and dry.

Candoni Pinot Noir Veneto IGT 2008. Grade=Average. Very simple, light-bodied red with transparent notes of cherry, strawberry and cola. Falls short on the finish.

Candoni Chianti DOCG 2007. Grade=Outstanding. Solid Chianti. Primarily Sangiovese with Merlot for added plum and black cherry characteristics. Has nice notes of spice, tobacco, mineral and earth. Decent example of the region.

We just got in the wines of Terra Blanca, a winery I “discovered” out in Washington when I went on that road trip I have bored virtually everyone on from then until now. It was day three of the trip, when we went to a tasting of wines from around Columbia Valley out at Precept Brands’ Canyon Ranch Vineyards (they are the ones behind Pine & Post, Magnificent Wine Co. and Waterbrook among others).

Heather Unwin is the sales manager for the winery, and she was working the Terra Blanca booth. I was slightly familiar with the wines because the wines were originally available in Ohio before the distributor dropped them. Heather was a bit skittish about our market, but my annoying conviction I am sure beat her down.

Anyway, I was really impressed with them out there, and again, when my Heidelberg reps and I tried them back in January. We brought in seven of the wines, all of which I thought best represented the winery.

For a bit of background, Terra Blanca Winery can be found on a 300-acre vineyard atop Red Mountain in Columbia Valley. Red Mountain is the source of some of Washington State’s best reds, and these wines do not disappoint. Winemaker Keith Pilgrim and his wife ReNae maintain this small property with a small group of employees, and create some really artisanal wines of which I believe you too will become a fan.

Terra Blanca Sauvignon Blanc Arch Terrace 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Reminiscent of a Pouilly-Fume, this tasty white displays notes of grapefruit, melon, lemon and guava fruit, with nice minerality and well-balanced acidity.

Terra Blanca Chardonnay Arch Terrace 2007. Grade=Outstanding. Slight oak aging lends a delicate creamy vanilla tinge to its mélange of nectarine, pineapple, mango, apricot and golden apples. Nice presence of acidity.

Terra Blanca Roussanne Reserve 2007. Grade=Amazing. This is a really sexy white wine, all viscous and oily with peach, apricot, honeysuckle and candied fig notes. A glycerol texture fills the mouth with all kinds of decadent stone fruit and the finish lingers.

Terra Blanca Chenin Blanc Late Harvest Arch Terrace 2008. Grade=Amazing. I am a real sucker for dessert wines, and this is a gorgeous sweet CB, reminiscent of a Bonnezeaux from Loire. Hints of crème fraiche, melon, almond, honeyed apple and dates come together in a satisfying wine that finishes long and strong.

Terra Blanca Merlot Arch Terrace 2005. Grade=Amazing. A big, full-bodied Merlot with lots of red and black fruit aromas and flavors, notes of baking spice, black cherry and clove. Medium tannins provide solid grip and it finishes quite nicely.

Terra Blanca Cabernet Sauvignon Arch Terrace 2005. Grade=Amazing. A rich, dense Cab with notes of blackberry, black currant, violet, cedar, tobacco and mocha, this red has loads of body and grip. A great value!

Terra Blanca Onyx Red Mountain 2005. Grade=Amazing. A Bordeaux-influenced red with lots of power and equal finesse, this Cab-dominated wine shows rich layers of black fruit, spice and cedar, intermingling with dark chocolate, espresso, tar and black truffle. Impressive!

Our RNDC/Cumberland rep and DEP’s alum Jen came in today with the guys from Prestige Wine Imports to lead us through a bunch of wines, which I must confess, had me shaking in my shoes a bit. Fortunately, we opted out of some of the selections – ones we carry and sell incredibly well. We did try some wines from the Dolomiti region in Northern Italy, Chianti and California:

Tolloy Sauvignon Blanc Vigneti dei Dolomiti 2008. Grade=Average. A fairly flat SB with not much other then slight mineral and lemon zest.

Axis Sauvignon Blanc Central Coast 2007. Grade=Outstanding. Pretty nice SB with lemon, guava and fresh herbs. Slight minerality frames the vibrant citrus fruit.

Tolloy Pinot Grigio Vigneti dei Dolomiti 2008. Grade=Average. Not much to this Pinot Grigio, with it essentially coming across like lemon water with cucumber rind.

Axis Chardonnay Central Coast 2007. Grade=Outstanding. Solid example of Central Coast Chardonnay with notes of nectarine, nutmeg, spiced apples, pineapples and vanillin oak.

Feudo Arancio Pinot Noir Stemmari 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Always surprising, this PN from Sicily shows off well-balanced acidity, notes of cherries and raspberries, and hints of spice. One of our best selling Italian wines.

Axis Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2006. Grade=Outstanding. Slightly Burgundian, this light-bodied red has hints of cinnamon, cherry, pomegranate, mineral and roasted nuts. Well-made, but a bit pricey.

Feudo Arancio Syrah Sicilia 2007. Grade=Outstanding. Superb value red, this medium-bodied Syrah shows off black pepper, raspberry, rhubarb and coffee notes. Clocking in under $7, this is always a solid pick.

Querceto Chianti Classico DOCG 2006. Grade=Outstanding. I would argue that this is one of the best Chianti Classicos on the market; medium-bodied with bright cherry notes mixed in with mocha, cedar, tobacco and spice box.

Querceto Chianti Classico Riserva DOCG 2005. Grade=Outstanding. Delicious Sangiovese that sees slightly more oak than the regular CC, this medium-to-full-bodied red is silky, supple and voluptuous for a Tuscan wine (though no surprise to me). Elegance and complexity.

Axis Zinfandel Lodi 2006. Grade=Outstanding. Unique blend of Zin and Cab Franc, this is a jammy, fruity red with notes of blackberry jam, white pepper, violet, chocolate and vanilla. Really nice.

Axis Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2006. Grade=Outstanding. Medium-to-full-bodied Cab from Napa, this isn’t as tannic as many of its counterparts, with hints of black currant, black cherry, licorice, cedar and chocolate. A decent Cab.

RNDC/Barkley rep Lou came by today – a bit late after his car broke down earlier – with some new stuff from Delicato Family Vineyards:

Fog Head Sauvignon Blanc Monterey 2008. Grade=Average. This is a decent California Sauvignon Blanc, with lemon and lime notes but a bit of green bell pepper and other vegetal qualities that I found okay, but I think some customers might take umbrage.

Fog Head Chardonnay Monterey 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Very good, well-balanced Chard with stone and tropical fruit notes and hints of creamy oak and baking spice characters.

Fog Head Pinot Noir Monterey 2006. Grade=Outstanding. Cherries, strawberries, and red raspberries converge in a subtext of spicy oak, well-balanced acidity and juicy fruit flavors. A real bargain for Monterey PN.

Brazin Zinfandel Dry Creek Valley 2007. Grade=Amazing. I really like this Zin. It has a lot of swagger with its jammy black cherries and blackberries, intermingling with mineral, black pepper, cinnamon and toasted oak. A heckuva value from California.

SWS/Crown rep and former DEP’s alum Ray came by with some great stuff from Graffigna and Brancott. We were supposed to meet with the Louis Latour rep but I guess a case of illness got in the way so here we go:

Brancott Pinot Grigio North Island 2007. Grade=Outstanding. Nice body, not the lemon water style you typically get with Pinot Grigio. Notes of lemon zest, mineral and white flower. Pretty nice quaff.

Graffigna Pinot Grigio Reserva 2009. Grade=Outstanding. Again, not the lemon water thing going on here, just a clean, vibrant, well-balanced white with lively citrus and mineral notes.

Brancott Chardonnay Gisborne 2008. Grade=Outstanding. Crisp, clean version of Chardonnay, completely unoaked. Bright notes of nectarine, pineapple, lemon and green apple. Good value.

Brancott Sauvignon Blanc Marlborough 2009. Grade=Outstanding. Textbook grapefruit, cat pee and gooseberry notes. Reminds me of the rows of tomato plants coming in my grandparents’ garden when I was a kid. Really good.

Graffigna Cabernet Sauvignon Centenario 2006. Grade=Outstanding. Tastes like there isn’t a great deal of oak here, which is a nice change of pace. Bright black currant and blackberry notes with splashes of cinnamon, black cherry, espresso bean and mineral. Would make for a great BBQ wine.