Newsletter
March 15, 2017 – April 14, 2017
Grüner Liter
2015 Grüner Veltliner (Mantlerhof)
Sale Price $11.99 per Liter – $122.30 case of twelve
Roter
2015 Roter Veltliner ‘Fels am Wagram’ (Wimmer-Czerny)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
The two wines from Wimmer-Czerny in this newsletter capture the intensity of the 2015 vintage in Austria and the winery’s commitment to biodynamic viticulture in the Wagram district. Roter Veltliner’s home district is the Wagram, where this centuries-old variety thrives in hot, dry vintages. The 2015 excels with pronounced spiciness aligned to an overall elegance. This wine has big character and wonderful balance.
Grüner Fumberg
2015 Grüner Veltliner ‘Fumberg’ (Wimmer-Czerny) Sale Price $15.99 – $163.10 case of twelve
Saint Péray
2014 Saint Péray (Les Vins de Vienne)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
Les Vins de Vienne is a collaboration of three Northern Rhone vignerons who have successfully restored vineyards around the town of Vienne. The 2014 Saint Péray, a pure Marsanne, is a focused dry white with full bore pear and apricot flavor plus an earthy, smoky finish. Have this with a leek, mushroom, and goat cheese tart.
Viognier
2015 Viognier (Les Vins de Vienne)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
Cornas
2015 Cornas ‘Granit 30’ (Domaine Vincent Paris)
Sale Price $34.99 – $356.90 case of twelve
Listed prices are honored through April 14th, 2017. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 41, No. 4
In our opinion every bar, restaurant, and hot dog stand should offer Muscadet by the glass. A cool glass of this flinty dry white from the Western Loire has great food-matching affinities. While it is routinely given credit as a shellfish wine, we find that it’s also terrific with a chicken and mushroom stew. This month our house Muscadet comes from Domaine Gadais, whose 2015 has a crisp, lively balance of zesty minerals and melon fruit. 
When Frank Heyden was back in the area for his annual visit we were able to taste some new 2015s, re-taste some we already own, and get an overall view of the 2015 vintage. Our early impressions were quite favorable, but now all we can say is wow! 2015 is truly a great vintage for German Riesling. This Spätlese is amazingly concentrated and loaded with beautiful quince and mango fruit framed by a crisp balanced finish. This will be a great match with spicy curries.
When winter refuses to leave, sometimes the right wine can soothe the bite of cold nights. Whether enjoyed alone or partnered up with a hearty dish, the 2014 Smith & Hook Cabernet Sauvignon is an easy choice. It’s rich and concentrated and lush. A dash of Malbec and Merlot softens the tannins and rounds out the texture of this weighty red. The scent of vanilla merges with boysenberry, chocolate, and a touch of spice. What is our most popular $20 California Cabernet is now available at the best price we’ve ever been able to offer. Stock up for more cold nights. And when it finally warms up enough to grill, open a bottle for your burgers and steaks.
Burgundy has been bludgeoned lately with horrible spring weather followed by pitifully small harvests. With the grapes that remained, growers were able to produce excellent wine, but at an elevated price. The best overall recent vintage, 2015, produced a merciful though not abundant harvest. Lovers of Pinot Noir are sure to flock to this vintage and we will continue to search the hamlets and side valleys of Burgundy where value can be found. The Parize family of Givry in the Cote Chalonnaise turned out a luscious Vieilles Vignes bottling and now this more serious Ier Cru Champ Nalot. The V.V. was packed with ripe fruit and supple tannins. The Ier Cru trades more on its spicy tannins and regal earthiness. We suggest keeping the Champ Nalot for medium-term drinking to savor the unfolding fruit and fine structure.
Clément and Florian Berthier are 28 and 25 years old, but we’re certain that there are other generations’ wisdom behind them. Still, this gorgeous 2015 Pouilly-Fumé portends a great future. Lean, crisp, and long, packed with gooseberry fruit, and flecked with spicy minerality, this Sauvignon Blanc is perfect for a seared salmon and a tomatillo salsa.
2016 Vin de Savoie Rosé (Carrel) 
2016 Côtes de Provence Rosé (Houchart) 
While we do not drink Sherry every day or every week, we think that it is one of the most amazing wines ever produced. We will never really know whether this era’s Sherries taste the same as they did in Shakespeare’s time, but the quality of today’s Sherries clearly indicate that this is a golden age in the long history of Sherry. After decades of mergers, acquisitions, and explosions the best thing to happen to Sherry may have been the Grupo Estevez. They rescued the venerable Valdespino, reinvigorated La Guita, and incorporated long neglected brands. Our interest in Fino and Manzanilla sherry peaks with the seasonal releases of ‘En Rama’ bottlings. These bottlings are taken from the best casks at the peak of their expression. This spring release of Deliciosa is salty, minerally, and dry, with a tantalizing peach and apple finish. This is well worth having at meal time with a seared tuna steak along with spinach and chickpeas. It’s also beautiful as a starter with almonds and olives. 
A special one-off batch of Jasper Hill’s already beloved washed rind cheese, made all the better washed in Imaginary Day, a barrel-fermented wild ale with fresh herbs and Chardonnay grapes from Cambridge Brewing Company. We always look forward to these special edition Willoughbys. Get some while supplies last. 
Camembert made from a rich, creamy, and buttery pasteurized blend of sheep’s milk, cow’s milk, and cow’s cream from Old Chatham Sheepherding Co. in Old Chatham, NY, the largest sheep dairy in the United States. A gold medal winner in the 2016 World Cheese Awards. 
Rosso Piceno is a ripe and round blend of Montepulciano and Sangiovese from Italy’s Le Marche region. Numa’s ‘Tolenus’ is made with organic grapes and is perfect for pizza and pasta.
