Back by popular demand, we welcome Bailey Kasten. Double Premium Confections is a new artisan chocolate shop in Washington, DC, offering fresh, natural and homemade chocolates, caramels and other treats. All the chocolates are made in small batches with the best chocolate and the best ingredients – real fruit, fresh spices, real ingredients – not flavors. They are made with absolutely nothing that is artificial, and chocolates are sold within days, not weeks, of being made.

To go along with her treats, we have three unique wines – two from France and one from California.The first two, from France, are fortified wines:

Domaine des Soulanes Maury Hors d’Age,$41.99/btl - A tawny port-like wine made in the traditional style of Southern France. Nutty, with notes of winter spice and fruitcake.

Domaine Grain Nicolet Vin Doux Naturel Rasteau, $29.99/btl – A nose of kirsch, chocolate and spice with cherry compote flavors to round it out.

And the one from California is a surprisingly old world Zinfandel. We almost gave up on California producing such a thing…:

Henderlong Nalle Henderlong Ranch Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2006, $39.99/btl – An elegant, very balanced wine with an amazingly low 13.9% abv considering the varietal and the place where this is made.

Region: Burgundy
Grade: B

By May 2007 in Burgundy, it looked like the region was headed for a repeat of 2003. Vine development was 3 weeks ahead of schedule and growers were looking at a mid- to late-August harvest. Then gloomy, cool and wet weather arrived in the middle of May and gripped the region until the last week of August. Finally, it warmed up, the north wind dried the vines and the sugars began concentrating as temperatures rose.

With the wet weather came mildew and rot problems. It was so wet during my visit to the region June 10—16 that some growers considered having their parcels sprayed by helicopter because tractors would otherwise get stuck in the rows of vines. Continued vigilance and spraying was necessary until the weather broke in August.

Despite the early start to the vegetation, the cool, cloudy summer slowed the photosynthesis and maturation, so when the favorable weather returned, growers had to be patient to achieve not only adequate sugar levels, but mature tannins. Some picked too early.

“We harvested our Bourgogne Pinot Noir on Aug. 31,” reported Jean-Michel Chartron, proprietor of Domaine Jean Chartron in Puligny-Montrachet. “For Chardonnay, it was a bit more difficult as maturity was not reached at that point, and maturity was different from one vineyard to another.”

Beaune-based négociant Alex Gambal noted that the sunny, dry weather allowed for an increase of about 1 degree of potential alcohol per week. “This was the first year anyone can remember where the white grapes were ripe much later then the reds,” he said. “Therefore, those who could pick 7 to 10 days between colors were the real winners.”

In the end, the quality of the 2007 red and white Burgundies will depend on the individual terroirs and growers who made the right decisions in the vineyards (controlling mildew and rot, picking at the right time, strict selection) and cellars, where it was necessary to sort—especially the Pinot Noir. The sorting resulted in a smaller crop, from 10 percent to as much as 30 percent less than the average yield.

- Bruce Sanderson, Wine Spectator

The lineup is as follows:

Domaine des Lambrays -
Morey-St.-Denis
Morey-St.-Denis 1er cru Les Loups
Grand Cru Clos des Lambrays

Domaine Serafin Pere & Fils -
Bourgogne Blanc
Bourgogne Rouge
Gevrey-Chambertin
Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes (not only old vines, but all parcels adjoin 1er crus)
Gevrey-Chambertin 1er cru Corbeaux
Morey-St.-Denis 1er cru Millandes

Domaine Jobard-Chabloz
Meursault Le Limozin
Puligny-Montrachet Les Nosroyes
Chassagne-Morgeot 1er Cru Morgeot

Domaine Remi Jobard -
Bourgogne Blanc
Meursault Sous la Velle
Meursault 1er Cru Chevalieres
Meursault 1er Cru Poruzots-Dessus

Domaine Dugat-Py
Bourgogne
Bourgogne Cuvee Halinard
Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes
Gevrey-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes Coeur de Roy
Pommard La Levrier Vieilles Vignes

Saturday, we welcome Bailey Kasten of Double Premium Confections, between the noon and 4 pm. Bailey will be offering tastes of her exquisite chocolates including strawberry and milk chocolate ganache surrounding a homemade strawberry preserve, cherry and dark chocolate ganache covered in dark chocolate and her earl grey tea chocolates.

Double Premium Confections is a new artisan chocolate shop in Washington, DC, offering fresh, natural and homemade chocolates, caramels and other treats. All the chocolates are made in small batches with the best chocolate and the best ingredients – real fruit, fresh spices, real ingredients – not flavors. They are made with absolutely nothing that is artificial, and chocolates are sold within days, not weeks, of being made.

Here at the shop, we will continue to offer tastes of what we believe is match made in heaven with Bailey’s terrific confections:

Domaine des Soulanes Maury 2006 – Regular Price $24.99, Sale Price $21.99 – Roussillon, France – 100% Grenache Noir, 16% abv – Pipe tobacco and plummy dark fruits make up the aromatic profile of the 2006 Maury. Broad, softly-textured, and sweet, it reveals a personality that is redolent with chocolate-covered raspberries, plums, and cherries. This medium to full-bodied wine is produced entirely from Grenache Noir and was aged for five years in 600-liter barrels before being bottled unfiltered. This beauty should be drunk after a meal on its own or with dark fruit-based desserts or dark chocolate.

We know everyone is very busy during this time of the year, but take a few minutes out of your days to come by and taste some outstanding Burgundies, delicious chocolates and a perfect pairing of a fortified wine. Our store hours have changed – we are now open from 10 am to 8 pm, Monday thru Saturday. Our tasting hours are 4-7 pm, Monday thru Friday, and from 1-5 pm on Saturday.

While the lineup may change a couple of times this week, this is what we’re starting off with (all sale items are good for this week only or while supplies last):

Domaine Albert Mann Pinot Blanc 2008 – Regular Price $17.99, Sale Price $14.99 – Alsace, France – 100% Pinot Blanc, 12.5% abv – The Barthelme brothers, winemaker Jacky and vitiiculturist Maurice, have now attained the recognition they deserve. Rated by Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate as in the top tier of Alsace producers, and One Star Rating in The Classement by Revue du Vin de France. From the Pinot Auxerrois, through all their expressive Grand Crus, to their rich, Selection Grains Noble, they portray their unique style consistently; beautiful delineation of flavors and precise textures, never heavy, clumsy or out of balance.

A bit of history. Maurice Barthelme married Albert Mann’s daughter, Marie-Claire, and gradually took over the domaine. He brought his brother Jacky into the operation In 1990. From Mann, there were Grand Cru Vineyards, Hengst, Steingrubler, Pfersigberg (for Tokay VV) and the wonderful Rosenberg Vineyard. From their mother (a member of the Blanck Family of Kaysersberg) they inherited the Schlossberg and Furstentum Vineyards (as well as the Altenbourg, adjoining the Furstentum).

Beginning in 1993, the Barthelme’s started a string of dazzling successes. The 1998′s continue this tradition, adding the character of the 1998 vintage to the Barthelme style: even more brilliant delineation from a more challenging, but in turn, rewarding “vintage of the vigneron.”

“The Barthelme brothers, two giants in physical stature, benefit from the ideal micro-climate of Colmar, producing wines that are rich, onctuous, endowed with significant residual sugar but well integrated in concentration as is typical of Hengst and Furstentum.” – Le Classement, 1999 Revue du Vin de France

Domaine de Poulvarel Costieres de Nimes Rose 2008 – Regular Price $12.99, Sale Price $10.99 – Rhone, France – 90% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 13% abv – Round and floral, this rose has hints of currant and strawberry fruit finish.

A single domaine Kir Royale consisting of:

Domaine du Vissoux Cremant de Bourgogne Brut Blanc de Blancs – Regular Price $25.99, Sale Price $21.99 – Burgundy, France – 100% Chardonnay, 12% abv – This sparkler is straw-yellow with golden tints. The bubbles are fine and form a delicate pearls around the rim of the glass. Citrus, floral and mineral aromas and flavors are partnered by a fresh elegant mouth feel, making a perfect balance between the strength of the aromas and the lightness required of this celebration drink. The limestone-clay soil the vines grow in is perfectly adapted to the Chardonnay grape variety.

and

Domaine du Vissoux Creme de Cassis – Regular Price $18.99, Sale Price $15.99 – Burgundy, France – 100% Black Currants, 19.85% abv – This cassis liqueur is home-made in a totally natural way from Pierre Chermette’s own plot of blackcurrants. On it’s own, the best Creme de Cassis we’ve ever tasted. With a nice sparkler, as good a Kir Royale as you can find.

Daniel Bouland Chiroubles 2008 – Regular Price $20.99, Sale Price $17.99 – Beaujolais, France – 100% Gamay, 13% abv – “The 2008 Chiroubles shows what a difference terroir can make: even though Bouland’s parcel of Chiroubles is immediately adjacent to his Morgon, soil and exposure are different, and the result is a bright, exuberant, white wine-like, terrifically vivacious tonic of salt- and citrus zest-tinged red raspberry and purple plum. This light, lithe wine is palate-staining in its concentration, but I would be inclined to enjoy it over the next couple of years.

“This year, not just one wine but an entire family of Daniel Bouland’s as yet still little-known wines is coming to the U.S., and they should not be missed!” – WA 91 points

Domaine Collotte Bourgogne Cuvee de Noble Souche 2007 – Regular Price $19.99, Sale Price $16.99 – Burgundy, France – 100% Pinot Noir, 12.5% abv – “It was at the 2005 Grand Jours de Bourgogne. I was looking for excellent Burgundies at equally excellent value. Marsannay came to mind as a good candidate, but aside from a couple of well-known producers, I was disappointed in the quality of many. That is until I came upon Philippe Collotte. A tall, quiet man, looking a bit like Gary Cooper, but with a lot of passion to make superb wines just waiting to be unleashed. His 2004′s were good, especially the Marsannay Champsalomon, but his 2005′s are special. And it is not just the vintage that explians it. One can see lower yields, more selection before and at harvest, and for us he bottled everything unfiltered. The Marsannay Clos de Jeu 2005 is the top Marsannay I have ever tasted – I put 6 magnums into my personal cellar.

“As I alluded to above, 2005 is no fluke – Philippe’s were some of the best 2006′s I tasted in February 2007 and when you taste his 2006 Rosé de Marsannay, it will be hard to argue that one who got that much fruit in his Marsannay Rosé, must have done something special that vintage.

“On the technical sheets we will be more specific but with special note is his Bourgogne parcel, planted in 1947 (bottled unfiltered for us) and there are 4 parcels of 50 + year vines in his super-value Marsannay VV. It is fun to find people like Philippe Collotte.” – Peter Weygandt

Domaine des Soulanes Maury 2006 – Regular Price $24.99, Sale Price $21.99 – Roussillon, France – 100% Grenache Noir, 16% abv – Pipe tobacco and plummy dark fruits make up the aromatic profile of the 2006 Maury. Broad, softly-textured, and sweet, it reveals a personality that is redolent with chocolate-covered raspberries, plums, and cherries. This medium to full-bodied wine is produced entirely from Grenache Noir and was aged for five years in 600-liter barrels before being bottled unfiltered. This beauty should be drunk after a meal on its own or with dark fruit-based desserts or dark chocolate.