Delicious Finds At Oddlots Wine Shop In Albany
Narsai David is the KCBS Food and Wine Editor. He has been a successful restaurateur, chef, TV host, and columnist in the Bay Area spanning four decades. You can hear him Saturdays at 10:53 a.m., 12:53 p.m. and 4:53 p.m., and at 2:53 a.m. Sunday on KCBS All News 740AM and 106.9FM.
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) — A friend recently introduced me an unusual wine store in Albany where I picked up three great wines.
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Oddlots Wine Shop, located at 1025 San Pablo Avenue, has over 220 wines that are under $20. My friend was interested in the red Bordeaux wines because said he was tired of high-alcohol content.
So I went in bought a few samples:
2010 Chateau Haut Pommarede (Graves)
It's classic Bordeaux with distinct Cabernet aromas tempered by an austere elegance—and it's exactly the same on the palate. It has plenty of tannin for balance—with balance being the key word. That means in the immortal words of Louis Martini, one of California's great wine makers, that will it "will age nicely for a few years. At 14.99, it's bargain.
2013 Macon Chardonnay, Domaine Talmard
It has the palest straw color with an extremely appealing aroma—a hit of grapefruit and fresh grapes with no oak. It's a delicious balance on the palate—a fine acid, and very easy to drink And at the price of $9.99 for an unoaked Chardonnay? You could call it a quaffing wine.
2013 Bourgogne Blanc Chardonnay Lamblin
It has clean, crisps aromas of Chardonnay and again—no oak. It also has touch of lemon zest and long, lingering, mouth-watering flavors. This would really be splendid with oysters on the half shell. And of course at $13.99 a bottle, it's another great price.
