Mr. Mike the wine guy
In short: Reed College graduate, recovering attorney, itinerant wine consultant and junkie priest. I first drank Oregon Pinot Noir with a group of nuts that used to meet at the Burgundy and Bleu (thank you Jim Clark!) Then I took a wonderful course from John Poston at Pastaworks in 1985, Don Oman, Peter DeGarmo and Fred Carlo were part of the group. I attended seminars on Oregon wine at The Grape and Grain, and Sundance Grocery in Eugene in 1987. 1989-1991 drank Burgundies with a crazy dentist in Anchorage Alaska. In 1991 I moved back to Portland and helped select wine at the Cheshire Cat wine and cheese store with Ron Brounleuwee. I led northwest wine tastings on the Portland Spirit cruise boat wine 1993-1997. 1998-2001 worked on pectoral muscles and read Bukowski poetry. 2002 Ascended to the throne at John's Marketplace succeeding the inimitable James Harp. Recently I was asked to be a wine judge for the Indie Wine Fest for 2005 and 2006 competitions.
2002-Present, I am the Galactic Wine Tsar at John's Marketplace and a junkie priest in his own right.
...these wines are in stock. Call me 503-203-3384. Mr. Mike
Highly Sought After Gift Wines -- from Mr. Mike at John's Marketplace -no bulk discounts apply to these wines.
- Thomas 2009 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 750ml $49.00 (12 available)
- Thomas 2009 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 1500ml MAGS! $110.00 (3 available)
- Clos de Papes 2009 $135.00 (2 x 750ml bottles available) "Sinewy and reserved, with a light dusting of cocoa powder over the tangy damson plum, red licorice and cassis notes. The long, supple finish, with a lovely wafting note of Lapsang souchong tea, is packed with minerality and tight-grained tannins that will need time to fully evolve. One of the more backward 2009s, though this should pick up steam in the cellar. Best from 2013 through 2025. 9,000 cases made." [96 Points Wine Spectator]
- J. Christopher Willamette Valley 2009 Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills Cuvée $30.00 [WA 94] "...emits a bouquet of fragrant red fruits. Intense, elegant, and succulent, it is a prototype of what could optimally be achieved in this vintage."
- J. Christopher Willamette Valley 2009 Pinot Noir, Sandra Adele $40.00 [WA 94] "...sports a similar personality to the Charlie's Vineyard. Asian spices, incense, wood smoke, cherry, and raspberry compose the bouquet of this sweetly-fruited, finesse- styled, sexy offering that combines elegance, concentra- tion, and depth. This pleasure-bent effort will deliver prime drinking from 2012 to 2019."
- J. Christopher Willamette Valley 2009 Pinot Noir, Abbey Ridge Vineyard $48.00 [WA 94] "...from a 40 year old parcel in the Dundee Hills AVA. Fragrant spices, floral elements, and racy red fruit aromas lead to a concentrated, elegant, rather suave offering that displays exceptional depth and concentration for the vintage."
- J. Christopher Willamette Valley 2009 Pinot Noir, Le Pavillon Vineyard $48.00 [WA 94] "...from a vineyard farmed organically since 1999 and biodynamically since 2005. According to Jay Somers, "it is the masculine counterpart to Abbey Ridge". It exhibits darker fruit than that wine as well as a focused, velvety- textured, hedonistic personality. It has enough structure to evolve for 1-2 years and will offer a drinking window extending from 2012 to 2021+."
- J. Christopher Willamette Valley 2009 Pinot Noir, Charlie's Vineyard $40.00 [WA 93] "...sourced from a parcel directly adjacent to the Cameron Winery. Fragrant black raspberries, exotic spices, incense, and sandalwood inform the nose of a suc- culent, plush, layered Pinot that deftly combines depth, concentration, and elegance, the secret to success in 2009."
- J. Christopher Willamette Valley 2009 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley $23.00 [WA 90] "...represents well over half of the J. Christopher produc- tion. Medium ruby red in color, it is a spicy, savory, vel- vety-textured, elegant Pinot that is nicely proportioned and lengthy."
- Maysara 2009 Estate Pinot Noir $33.00 – 94 PTS WINE SPECTATOR!
- Cayuse - Syrah Cailloux Vineyard 2009 $85.00 3 x 750's available.
- Cayuse - Syrah En Chamberlin Vineyard 2009 $85.00 3 x 750's available.
- Reynvaan 2009 Stonessence - - $69.00
The Stonessence is our 100% Syrah and is packed with aromas of tar, liquid asphalt, fresh blackberry, sandalwood and wet stone. The depth and richness of this wine needs to be experienced to be believed.
- Reynvaan 2009 Contender Syrah (-95pts WS 2008, 93pts WS 2007) - $64.00
Syrah/Marsanne Blend from "In the Rocks" Vineyard.
The Contender has a complexity to it that balances all the sexy aromas that syrah has to offer as well as showcasing the minerality that comes from our vineyard. The wine has extreme aromas of violets, crushed blackberries, cocoa powder, smoked meats and a silky texture fills the palette that gives the wine a rounded finish.
- Reynvaan 2009 In the Rocks Syrah (- 93pts WS 2008, 92pts WS 2007) - $55.00
Syrah/Viognier Blend from "In the Rocks" Vineyard
The In The Rocks is packed with dark fruit aromatics, smoked meats, crushed gravel, and white pepper. It is very animalistic with hints of sweet creme brulee and will benefit from 5 years of cellaring if you are able to resist the temptation to drink it.
- Reynvaan 2009 The Unnamed Syrah (- 95pts WS 2008) - $55.00
The Unnamed Syrah is loaded with aromas of peach, tangerine, wild blackberry, smoke and hints of lavender and a trace of caramel. This elegant wine is created to be enjoyed in its youth but will evolve over the next 7-8 years.
K Vintners --Charles Smith Wines
- K Vintners 2008 "The Royal City" Syrah - 99 points Parker $139.00
The 2008 Royal City Syrah was sourced from the Stoneridge Vineyard. It displays a soaring perfume of sandalwood, garrigue, lavender, smoke, bacon, game, blueberry, and black raspberry. Super-concentrated, it deftly marries power and elegance in a seamless wine that should see its 20th birthday in peak form. - Parker
- K Vintners 2008 Creator Parker - 93 points $59.99
The 2008 The Creator, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah in which the latter component dominates the nose. Ripe, spicy, and well balanced, this structured wine will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring and drink well through 2023. - Parker
- K Vintners 2008 Ovide - 94 points Parker $64.99
The 2008 Ovide en Cerise was sourced from a Cayuse vineyard. The wine is a co-fermented blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon and 33% Syrah. Toasty oak, violets, Asian spices, and assorted black and blue fruits lead to a full-flavored, complex, plush wine that will continue to blossom for several more years. - Parker
- K Vintners 2009 "The Beautiful" Syrah $61.99 (The last time Charles did a "The Beautiful" Syrah was in 2005 and it got 95 points then.) Not rated.
The 2005 Syrah The Beautiful is also from the Cougar Hills Vineyard but in this case 5% Viognier was co-fermented. This gives the aromatics a serious lift. On the palate the wine is round and rich, elegant yet powerful. Spice, game, and pepper accompany layered blue fruits into a lengthy finish. This is a wine for hedonists only. - Parker
- Bonneau de Martray 2008 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru $164.00
- Baumard 1989 Savennieres $95.
- Argyle 2001 Extended Tirage Brut (Oregon Sparkling wine) $58.99 (2 bottles available)
- Argyle 2000 Extended Tirage Brut (Oregon Sparkling wine) $58.99 WS 95 points (2 bottles available) Top 100 WS
- Maxime François Laurent (Domaine Gramenon) 2010 Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge "PouRpre" $72.99 1500 ml (100% grenache from 50-80 year old vines) dry red France
"The Laurents use gravity-fed cuves and age their wines in oak demi-muids and foudres. That they take such gutsy risks as bottling old-vine fruit with so little sulfur, without fining or filtration, only demonstrates the lengths they will go to in order to highlight the freshness, purity, and intoxicating aromas of their small, rare production." -Kermit Lynch
- Pol Roger 1998 Champagne "Cuvee Winston Churchill" in a very nice presentation box... $239.99
Cellar Worthy Collectible Spanish Super Star --in Stock!
- Bodegas El Nido Jumilla 2006 "El Nido" $140.00 98 points Tanzer Tanzer: ".... the 2006 Bodegas El Nido Jumilla El Nido is tight and slightly backwards with deep dark fruit, tar, smoke, spice and high class and very well done, sweet oak aromas. Showing fantastic richness and depth, this is full bodied, impeccably balanced, structured and long. An absolutely gorgeous bottle of wine! (Drink between 2010-2020)" --2 Bottles available in very nice presentation gift boxes.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
- Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe 2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (rouge) $83.00 per 750ml bottle
Wine Spectator 94 pts "This is crammed with fruit, spice and structure, as braised fig, plum skin, cassis and anise notes wrestle with roasted apple wood, melted red licorice and tar...." -JM.
Bandol
- Domaine du Gros 'Noré 2000 Bandol rouge - magnum 1500ml $118.00 2 bottles available. Provenance: shipped directly from the estate as a library release.
This wine is perfectly unwound and relaxed; if you are a fan of mourvedre wines you want this dense, earthy example of what the grape can achieve with bottle age. This has real gout de terroir. When we visited in May, Alain Pascal roasted us a whole wild boar that he had shot himself, and the earthy wildness of this wine and the wildness of the game meat swirled together like a spicy mistral blowing in from The Mediterranean Sea. A great bottle for your cellar.
Côte-Rôtie
- Domaine Faury 2009 Côte-Rôtie - magnum 1500ml $145.00 2 bottles available.
"Along the steep, narrow valley that traces the northern Rhône, the appellations of Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu and Saint-Joseph take their place among the great wines of France, and Domaine Faury is one of the region's most artisanal producers. When Philippe Faury took over the domaine in 1979, the family was selling wine, peaches and cherries, and the bulk of their clientele was local. Over the years, Philippe expanded their holdings to over eleven hectares, and expanded sales to an international client base. In addition, he has shared his savoir faire with his son, Lionel. Since 2006, Lionel has taken over the reins at Domaine Faury, though father and son still work side by side." --Kermit Lynch
90% syrah 10% viognier Vines planted on steep slopes (with a grade of up to 45%) facing south by south-east, from two parcels in Côte Brune (Fourvier and Le Plomb).
This wine shows the ripeness of the vintage, but goes right up to the limit without becoming too dense. The wine has soaring blueberry notes and crushed minerals, and is really flashy now but will do nothing but improve for short term (2-5 years) cellaring. I'm not sure about the long term since this vintage is so ripe, but the balance in the wine is so great that I hope it will make old bones. When we visited in May Lionel showed us some vineyard blocks that could only be harvested by bring the grapes out on a steep trail in backpacks. This is a truly great syrah wine for your cellar. I've include the Tanzer review below. --Mr. Mike
Rated: 90-92 by Josh Raynolds, Jan/Feb 11 Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar
"Bright ruby. Lively red berry and floral aromas, with a strong spicy quality and a hint of cola. Juicy and plump but energetic, with very good clarity to its raspberry and blueberry flavors. Finishes gently sweet and with fine-grained tannins, and echoes the red fruit and spice notes. This is aging in 40% new oak but I don't detect it." --Tanzer
Brunello
- San Felice 2006 "Campogiovanni" Brunello di Montalcino 96 Points Wine Spectator 750ml (Magnums only 1500ml $99.00 are available in wooden boxes--a great gift.)
"Campogiovanni is a rich, inky expression of Sangiovese Grosso with beautiful personality and length. The mouthfeel is still young and raw but the aromas already show deep evolution and harmony. You'll recognize tones of red cherry, root beer, mesquite and Indian spice." -WS In stock!
Friday, March 23rd our "Friday Tasting" .... 5:00 - 7:00 pm... only a $5.00 fee ...always ends at 7 pm sharp!
Summary 3 reds 3 whites and a sparkler to start
1) A sparkling wine TBA
2) Domaine Rolet 2009 L'Étoile AOC -- Jura, France (100% Chardonnay) $19.99 dry white
Clean, crisp, straightforward with tons of mineral character and a refreshing personality. Great jollies per dollar for lovers of crisp, characterful, (-no butter!) styles of Chardonnay. It is grown on the hills close to the town of Lons Le Saunier, the soil distinguishes itself by an abundance of fossils in the shape of stars which gave its name to this very small A.O.C.
3) Schellmann "Ossi" 2009 Grüner Veltliner $9.99 (made by Fred Loimer in Langenlois, sourced from Niederösterreich region) --Austria dry white
Full-bodied Grüner, packed with creamy apricots and pineapple flavors to go with the crisp finish. It has a nice loamy, earthy edge, missing in wines of this price point.
4) Reinhard & Beate Knebel 2007 "Von den Terrassen" Riesling Qba Trocken --Mosel, Germany. $13.99 dry white
Incredible close-out price for this dry-styled riesling that bounces around the palate like a superball made of grapefruit and slate, lots going on here, each sip reveals another side to this fascinating wine. A "don't miss" for riesling lovers.
5) La Vieille Ferme 2010 Red AOC Ventoux. Rhone, France $8.99 dry red
The blend is Carignan, Cinsault, Grenache; Syrah. This old standby excelled in the great 2010 vintage, lots of character below the fruit.
6) Domaine de l'Ameillaud 2010 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse (winery in Cairanne, Rhone, France) $8.99 dry red
(60% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 20% Carignan). Since 1983, an englishman, Nick Thompson has been running the property alongside his wife Sabine. They are located in Cairanne, a little village situated in the east of the Rhône river, between Orange and Vaison-la-Romaine. Deep and rich for a basic Vaucluse wine, a deal.
7) Pico Maccario Barbera 2009 $8.99 dry red Piemonte, Italy
This is an attractive mid-weight wine with pretty red berries, flowers and spices, really delivers for under ten bucks.
New arrivals at the store.
El Convento 2007 Priorat $19.99 big dry red
Steal of a deal in big broad red Priorat at an amazing price. This really delivers a clean dense modern style that reminds me of the best (and usually twice the price) from Washington State. -Mike "The 2007 El Convento Priorat is composed of 70 percent Garnacha and 30 percent Cariñena. Aromas of slate/mineral, damp earth, black cherry, and blackberry are quite fragrant. Full-bodied and sweetly-fruited on the palate, it has plenty of depth, layers of flavor, and excellent length.... It is a great value in Priorat....The Wine Advocate 90—Jay Miller (April 2010)"
"Carravid" Bodegas Penalba Herraiz (2006) Ribera del Duero DO $29.99 big dry red
Mostly Tempranillo, this Ribera is dense, but with smooth tannins and and old school aroma of woodsy forest floor, old Bordeaux, cassis, and blackberry. It is paradoxically also clean and modern and shows a touch of -just right- oak on the nose, but the finish is broad and satisfying with no wood tannin in evidence. It really drinks old school despite its heavy weight heft. Not so much Mike Tyson. More like a big New Jersey palooka who quit the fight game to smell the flowers, move back in with his girlfriend in Hoboken, and apply to art school finally. I think he is wait-listed at Cooper Union. -Mike
Joseph Roty 2009 Marsannay Rosé (Pinot Noir) -Côte de Nuits Burgundy France $29.99 big dry pink --allocated 12 bottles at hand.
Join the folks that have discovered serious dry pink wines. Not for quaffing around the swimming pool but for matching with serious foods, fish preparations with olives, and mushrooms especially, and other umami-driven dishes. This is the equivalent of great terroir driven white wine from the Côte de Nuits and is produced in much the same painstaking manner. Phillip Roty is producing authentic expressions of what Burgundy should be, should have always been, and so rarely was, or is today. Think about it.
A new Fer Servadou wine..please inquire.
MR. MIKE'S OFFICE HOURS--different every week! Or by Appointment.
March 22nd - March 25th
THURSDAY ...OFF...but will be around..12:00 - 6:00..call ahead for best selection.
FRIDAY 12:00 - 7:00
SATURDAY 12:00 - 5:00
SUNDAY ...OFF
March 26th - March 31st
MONDAY ...OFF
TUESDAY ...OFF
WEDNESDAY 12:00 - 6:00
THURSDAY ..OFF
FRIDAY 12:00 - 7:00
SATURDAY 12:00 - 5:00
SUNDAY ...OFF
-Cheers from Mr. Mike...
Mr. Mike's Usual Hours
WEDNESDAY 11:30 - 5:00
THURSDAY 12:00 - 5:00 pm
FRIDAY 2:00 - 7:00 pm
SATURDAY By appt. but usually 12:00 - 5:00 pm
"...support John's Marketplace .....and keep Portland weird." -TM
John's Marketplace is located at
3535 SW Multnomah Blvd
Portland, OR 97219
Wine order hot-line voice mail: 503-203-3384
Email orders preferred: Place your wine order
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