2017 Groth Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc
Oakville, CA
Regular Price $27.99
Sale price $21.99
Still a family owned and operated winery, Groth has been making wine in Napa since the early 80’s. The Sauvignon Blanc (with 17% Semillon) is barrel fermented and is thus rounder and less aggressively citric than its New Zealand and Loire Valley cousins. Still crisp and bright, it’s come to define the Napa style.
2016 Clos des Lunes ‘Lune d’Argent’ Bordeaux Blanc
Sauternes, FR
Regular Price $22.99
Sale price $17.99
Old school white Bordeaux from Sauternes, this blend of 70% Semillon and 30% Sauvignon Blanc is intense and full and exotic. Ripe and round, the Sauvignon Blanc supplies cleansing and invigorating acidity. Delicious and ageworthy, if you’re into that sort of thing.
2018 Château La Rame Bordeaux Rosé
Sainte Croix du Mont, FR
Regular Price $19.99
Sale price $15.99
The grape varieties here are Cabernet Sauvignon (80%) and Merlot (20%) from 25 year old vines that slope towards the Garonne River. Bright and fresh, the rosé illustrates the berry components of the closely related grapes. More similar than different, it’s impossible to find where the Cab stops and the Merlot begins.
2017 Y. Amirault ‘La Mine’ Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil
Loire Valley, FR
Regular Price $29.99
Sale price $23.99
Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil is located on the north side of the Loire River and has been growing Cabernet Franc since 1090 AD. The Amiraults have not been farming quite that long, but Yannick Amirault took over the vineyards in 1977. Since then, with the help of his son, Benoit, they have seemingly moving backwards in time, following age-old practices in both the vineyard and the cellar. The result is fresh, unadulterated wine that shows both fruit, acidity and the soil in equal measures.
2010 Clos Lunelles Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux
Bordeaux, FR
Regular Price $47.99
Sale price $37.99
This is a modern styled Bordeaux, comprised of 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Sauvignon from one of the lesser known satellite appellations on the Right Bank of the Gironde River (which bisects Bordeaux). It also has some bottle age (its from one of the many ‘vintages of the century’, 2010). Right Bank Merlots from unheralded locations have been exciting wine critics for some time now. What do you think?
2016 Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon
Paso Robles, CA
Regular Price $49.99
Sale price $29.99
So grapes were first planted in Paso Robles by Spanish missionaries in the 16th century and in earnest by local farmers at tail end of the 1700’s. The warm climate has largely attracted grapes like grenache, zinfandel and mourvedre but changing tastes has allowed the market for warm weather Cabernet to evolve. Austin Hope is one of the new/old pioneers in Paso; his family has been farming there since the 70’s but only making wine since the mid-90’s. This is what is now classic California cab; jammy, dense, oaky, high alcohol and tannic (sweet & dry).