Ok, it’s Leap Day, which only comes every four years,. We want to celebrate the occasion by opening and sampling wines that are not generally available despite their centuries old heritage and mythical status at (or near) the pinnacle of the wine world; the wines of Piedmont, of Northwest Italy. As Burgundy is to Bordeaux,[…]
To age, or not to age, is often the question. Which wines age well, and/or will you like the wine(s) after they age (and change)? As wine ages, it changes, becoming less…fruity, acidic, tannic, heavy, and/or brightly colored; effectively limiting many of the attributes that may make the wine attractive in the first place. ‘Experts’[…]
Brandborg Pinot Gris 2018 Elkton, OR Regular Price $19.99 Sale price $15.99 South of Eugene, there is another wine region in Oregon, the Umpqua Valley. 36 miles from the Pacific and with elevated vineyards, this is a cool climate where grapes ripen slowly and retain refreshing acidity. Ergo, this crisp and fresh wine boasts apple[…]
2018 Tenuta le Calcinaie Vernaccia di San Gimignano Tuscany Regular Price $19.99 Sale price $15.99 Just outside of the famed and ancient seven towered town of San Gimignano lies the small winey of Tenuta le Calcinaie. If you’re in the area, skip the town (which is a bit of a tourist trap) and visit the[…]
Breckenridge ‘A Blend’ Bourbon, 86 proof Breckenridge, Colorado Regular Price $47.99 Sale price $42.99 “Deep honey-amber hue with warm, pronounced aromas of under-ripe banana and brown sugar, with spicy notes of white pepper and toasted sesame. Light body with warm texture and long sweet oak, vanilla finish with a touch of bitterness to balance. Reminiscent[…]
2016 Vincent Girardin ‘Les Vieilles Vignes’ Mâcon-Fuissé Burgundy Regular Price $26.99 Sale price $19.99 100% Chardonnay, fermented and aged in large oak barrels (only 10% new) gives this wine some oak seasoning (rather than flavoring) to compliment the ripe pear and tart apple flavors abounding. Its generous and full but not over-the-top, rather offering balancing[…]
2018 Ostatu Blanco Rioja Regular Price $17.99 Sale price $13.99 Bright, fresh and crisp, this unoaked blend of Viura and Malvasia evokes flavors of green apple tossed with lime juice. It’s a great aperitif wine, well balanced and sensibly weighted. Lovely and easy to enjoy. 2017 Do Ferreiro Albarino Cepas Vellas Rias Baixas Regular Price[…]
Koehler-Ruprecht Pinot Noir Rosé Kabinett Trocken 2018 Pfalz Regular Price $27.99 Sale price $21.99 Here’s another of those very traditionally made wines from a house with a 300 year history behind it. They maintain a strict non-interventionist approach. No irrigation, fertilizers, or herbicides are used in the vineyards. There is no chaptalization, use of enzymes,[…]
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Bianco 2018 Sicily Regular Price $27.99 Sale price $21.99 This is a field blend of Sicilian white varietals: Carricante, Catarratto, Grecanico, Inzolia and Minnella, with Carricante dominating the blend with roughly 65%. Its lively and bright and fresh, yet possesses more depth of flavor and texture and character than one[…]
Marco De Bartoli ‘Vignaverde’ Grillo, Terre Siciliane, 2016 Sicily Regular Price $29.99 Sale price $23.99 The grape here is grillo, which is indigenous to Sicily (and the principal grape in Marsala) and produces (in the right hands) a wine that is fresh and fragrant and lively. Marco Di Bartoli has the right hands and outlook[…]