Tasting notes, Nov. 24, 2018: Wines for Leftovers

2015 Greywacke Wild Sauvignon

Marlborough, NZ

Regular Price $29.99

Sale price $23.99

I have this image in my head of a vast oil tanker filled with New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc that basically filles every bottle that comes into the US. While that’s obviously false (and mean!) it is true that most NZ SBs are far more similar than different. Behold the Wild Sauvignon! Wild yeast, lees stirring and time in oak has turned this wine into something quite unique and delish. Yeah, it still has grapefruit but the similarities stop there.

2017 Famille Brocard ‘Margote’ Chardonnay

Vin de France

Regular Price $14.99

Sale price $11.99

Crisp and clean, this unoaked Chardonnay from the esteemed Chablis producer Jean-Marc Brocard is sourced from Loire, Languedoc and Burgundy. Fresh and refreshing, it’s a great food Chardonnay and the perfect response to the ABC (anything but Chardonnay) crowd.

2014 Hexamer ‘Quarzit’ Riesling

Nahe, GR

Regular Price $24.99

Sale price $19.99

Hey, wine bigots! Look the other way…that’s right, you don’t want this wine! It’s a riesling! Which means that if it even touches your lips, you’ll be barred from the the He-man Girl Haters club! (is he gone? Cool…this wine is great, unbelievably delicious. Beautiful fruit, full and rich, luscious. Don’t let the wine bigots know how good this wine is because we only have 10 bottles)

2018 Christophe Pacalet Beaujolais Nouveau

Les Bruyeres, FR

Regular Price $22.99

Sale price $17.99

Fresh and fruity and bright and easy. Its nouveau, it’s exactly what it’s supposed to be. Shut up and drink.

2015 L’Arco Rosso del Veronese

Verona, IT

Regular Price $24.99

Sale price $19.99

This wine is made from corvina, rondinella, molinara, sangiovese and a small percentage of teroldego. The first three are the traditional grapes of Valpolicella, where the winery is located, but the addition of the last two means that the wine can’t be called Valpolicella. I’ve gotta say, this wine is crazy good, with all the brightness and freshness of Valpolicella and some additional weight and grip supplied, I suppose, by the sangiovese and teroldego. This wine will enliven any and all leftovers.

2016 Martinet Menut

Priorat, SP

Regular Price $24.99

Sale price $19.99

This is a big and juicy and delicious blend of Grenache, Carignan, Syrah & Merlot by superstar winemaker Sara Perez. Full and bold, the wine is also friendly and versatile. Yep, it spends time in oak (but not new) and sure, it’s high in alcohol (because the grapes get naturally ripe) but its not tricked up or over the top or loaded with sweeteners and additives. It just tastes good.