Tasting notes, April 4, 2026; Wines for Spring

                    Wines for Spring

2024 Cray Montlouis 
On Sale for $22
Montlouis / Loire Valley / France
100% Chenin Blanc
A bracingly dry style of Chenin, Cray’s Montlouis hails from the singularly focused 2024 vintage. Montlouis is located adjacent to Vouvray and the two villages share Chenin as their one and only varietal.
2023 Fouassier Sur le Fort
On Sale for $40
Sancerre / Loire Valley / France
100% Sauvignon Blanc
With holdings located in and around the historic village of Sancerre proper, Fouassier produces several different site specific bottlings. The Sur le Fort cuvee is the product of old vines.
2022 Samuel Billaud Villages
On sale for $37
Chablis / France
100% Chardonnay
Samuel Billaud, the former winemaker for the acclaimed Billaud-Simon estate, started his own operation in 2010. The wines here are fresh and soil driven but do not lack weight and complexity.
2024 Rudi Pichler Federspiel
On Sale for $28
Wachau / Austria
100% Gruner Veltliner
The Pichler family have been stewards of vines in the Wachau since the 1700’s. Rudi Pichler began running the domaine in 1997 and the resulting wines have become some of the finest examples of Wachau Gruner.
2021 Akutain Crianza
On Sale for $28
Rioja Alta / Rioja / Spain
95% Tempranillo with 5% Garnacha & Viura
Sourced from two vineyards planted in 1975 and 1986 respectively, Akutain’s Crianza is rested from 23 months in mostly used American and French oak barrels.  The wine is bottled unfined and aged for an additional year prior to release. 
2022 Stehelin Cheval Long
On Sale for $22
Sablet / Southern Rhône Valley / France
Primarily Grenache
Gently sloping, sandy hillside vineyards inform this medium weight, aromatic Cotes du Rhone. The vines here are 40 – 60 years of age and this is reflected in the concentration and depth found in the wine.