Tasting notes, March 28, 2023; Loire Valley Wines

                   Loire Valley NV Amirault Cremant Brut Quarterons$34.99 / Case Price $28 Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil / Loire Valley / France100% Chenin BlancTraditional method sparkling wine from Chenin grown all over the Anjou region, the Quarterons spends 18 months on its fine lees prior to disgorgement.  2020 Pepiere Gras Mouton$24.99 / Case Price $20 Muscadet /[…]

Tasting notes, March 18, 2023; Spring Whites

                   Spring Whites 2020 F.X. PichlerRied Klostersatz$42.99 / Case Price $33.60 Wachau / Austria100% Gruner VeltlinerF.X. Pichler is considered to be not only the greatest producer in the Wachau region, but perhaps in all of Austria. The Klostersatz bottling comes from an old vineyard with sandy, stony soil. Fragrances and flavors of pink grapefruit and white[…]

Just Because…

2018 Louis Latour Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru Cotes de Beaune, Burgundy Regular price: $225 per bottle Pre-sale price: $175 per bottle I’ve been thinking, and writing, a lot about Chardonnay lately. I’m intrigued and mystified about a grape that is just so polarizing, both vilified and adored by many consumers and yet still the best selling[…]

Tasting notes, March 11, 2023: 3M’s

                    3M 2019 Cap de Faugeres Rouge$29.99 / Case Price $24 Castillon / Bordeaux / France85% Merlot, 15% Cabernet FrancThe looser soils just west of Saint-Emilion provide a very nice compromise between rich plummy fruit and minerality. With air this wine only gains complexity.  2020 Ornellaia Le Volte$31.99 / Case Price $26.40 Bolgheri / Tuscany /[…]

Tasting notes, March 4. 2023: Chardonnay from around the world

                    Chardonnay 2022 De Wetshof Limestone$19.99 / Case Price $16 Robertson / South Africa100% ChardonnayStainless steel aged and matured, the Limestone Hill bottling expresses the dense clay soils of its origin. Rich and opulent, this wine proves Chardonnay doesn’t need oak, just ripeness and concentration. 2021 JM BrocardKimmeridgien$27.99 / Case Price $22.40 Chablis / France100% ChardonnaySourced[…]

Tasting notes, Feb. 25, 2023; wines of Spain

                     Spain 2021 Can Feixes Blanc SeleccioOn sale for $17.99 Penedes / Catalunya / SpainParellada (Montonec), Macabeo, Xar-relo, Chardonnay, MalvasiaStainless steel aged and matured, the Blanc Seleccio is kept on its lees in the months prior to bottling. Intensely mineral, the Seleccio also offers a subtle perfumed character. 2020 Bernabeleva Camino Navaherreros BlancoOn sale for $16.50[…]

Spirit Tasting,

Spirit Tasting Gin & Winter (Gin) Cocktails Feb. 16, 2022 5 PM – 7 PM Gin & Winter (Gin) Cocktails Feb. 16, 2022 5 PM – 7 PM Tanqueray London Dry Gin 94.6 proof…$34.99 Tanqueray London Dry Gin is an enduring classic that most drinkers have already formed an opinion on. Fans of gin and[…]

Tasting notes, February 18, 2023: Wines from Australia

   Australia 2019 Tanunda Grand Barossa Riesling$18 / Case Price $12.99 Barossa Valley / South Australia100% RieslingThe majority of the Riesling vines employed for the Grand Barossa bottling are very old at 95+ years of age and are planted in a combination of sand and limestone. The savory, salty, citrusy character of this unequivocally dry Riesling[…]

Tasting notes, Feb. 11, 2023; wines from (mostly) Bordeaux

                     Bordeaux 2019 Chevalier L’Esprit de Chevalier Blanc$39.99 / Case Price $32 Pessac-Leognan / Bordeaux / France65% Sauvignon Blanc, 35% SemillonAged in a combination of used and new French oak barrels, L’Esprit is the second selection of the famed Domaine de Chevalier. Aromas and flavors of tropical fruits are backed by persistent acid and subtle notions[…]

Tasting notes, Feb. 4, 2023;Pinot Noir Challenge

                     Pinot Noir Challenge 2020 Michel Magien Bourgogne Côte d’OrOn sale for $32.99 Morey Saint Denis / Nuits / France100% Pinot NoirThe fruit for Magien’s Bourgogne Côte d’Or comes from vineyards just outside of Morey Saint Denis. The resulting wine is full and bright, showcasing the dark fruit charm of the Cote de Nuits. 2019 Benton[…]