THE PEPI NOBODY KNOWS
by Ben Giliberti, CW Director of Wine Education


As his many steadfast customers can attest, CW's veteran wine consultant, Pepi Almodovar, is an immensely charming gentleman, from the moment you walk through CW's front door, to the moment you pull out of our parking lot, taillights down the road. Let it not go unmentioned, however, that this is the Pepi you see when you are buying from him. If you happen to be peddling something, say the next alleged "wine deal of the century," a rather different Pepi emerges — Mr. No More Nice Guy. "Sure I'm tough," says Pepi, "but I'm not buying for myself, or even just for Calvert Woodley. I'm buying for my customers; if I don't fight to get them the best deal I can, who else is going to do it for them? Whatever it takes, I do, and I don't apologize to anybody."

To which we say, amen brother! This week's special offer is Pepi at his best, a rock bottom deal on a wine that was already a great value at regular price — the complex 2009 Ballast Stone McLaren Vale Cabernet Sauvignon (reg., $15.99), on sale this week for just $9.99 a bottle, and $8.99 by the case — 44% off! Although not yet well known in the USA, Ballast Stone has been the darling of leading Aussie critics for some time. The dean of Down Under critics, James Halliday, rates the winery 4½ stars on his 5 star scale, up there with some of the most prestigious wineries in the entire country. The 2009 McLaren Vale Cabernet earned itself a place on the "Top 100 Wines" list of the widely followed Taste.com.au, along with the online site's "Best Value" recommendation. Quite apart from the excellent value, we were impressed with the wine's subtlety, dimension, and depth of flavor, put together in a way that clearly belongs to a more expensive wine. Moreover, it is perfect for drinking now, with a well-developed bottle bouquet and melted tannins.

Alas, the one thing Pepi could not do was make additional quantities of this wine magically materialize. He snagged the last remaining cases from the importer, and after that, there are no more. Please act quickly to avoid disappointment.

Tasting Note
 

2009 Ballast Stone - Cabernet Sauvignon McLaren Vale

Notes of French and American oak integrate well with aromas of blackberries, mint, eucalyptus, and a hint of chocolate. On the palate, the Cabernet fruit is smooth and full-bodied, finishing with melted tannins. Made to enjoy now, with has cellaring potential of an additional 2 to 3 years.
-- Ben Giliberti

Reg. price $15.99
SALE!   $9.99

Generations at Work

In 1975, Richard and Marie Shaw planted five acres of vines in McLaren Vale. Their dream was to create a family winery to provide opportunities for future generations of Shaws to work the land and to make great wine. Since that modest beginning, their plantings have expanded to 155 acres in McLaren Vale, and over 1,000 elsewhere in South Australia. Today, the winery is managed by their three sons, Philip, Nathan and Mark, with winemaking duties performed by veteran winemaker John Loxton.

Located 45 minutes south of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, the McLaren Vale region was first planted with vines in the 19th century. Ballast Stone Estate owns some of the oldest vineyards (some over 100 years old) in McLaren Vale, considered among the best red wine regions of Australia, due in large part to its maritime climate. The region's afternoon sea breezes create slow ripening conditions that produce soft, round, full-bodied wines. 2009 is considered an excellent vintage in McLaren Vale, particularly for Cabernet.

Shipping Information

Calvert Woodley is pleased to ship your purchase at modest cost. Please use the shipping calculator in your online shopping cart for a quote. We will hold your purchase, if need be, until the weather is more suitable for shipping.

** Important Notice **

While we always strive for perfection, Calvert Woodley can't guarantee that the information accessible via this website is 100% accurate, complete or current. That is, sometimes we make mistakes! We appreciate your understanding.

Wines listed in this e-mail and on our website are subject to prior sale. Your order is not confirmed until you receive an invoice from our Office.

Have you moved? Changed your phone number? Let us know! Please call the WineLine at (202) 966-0445 so we can stay in touch.