Spicy and Speziale
2016 Verduno Pelaverga (Fratelli Alessandria)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
We are all in for vine diversity and always like to hear a story of an old grape brought back from the brink of extinction. Even better to taste one. The Alessandria family spearheaded the movement to save Pelaverga, a grape variety from their home village of Verduno. An underdog out of central casting, Pelaverga is too light in color for a red grape, lacks tannin, and is late to ripen. But in the hands of a careful grower this delicate variety shines with a spicy aroma and gorgeous lingering red fruit. Have this slightly chilled with seafood risotto and a salad of bitter greens.

Golden Aligoté
2015 Bouzeron (Domaine De Villaine)
Sale Price $29.99 – $305.90 case of twelve
If Bouzeron had a theme park it would have to be called Aligoté-ville because this is the village that holds the only appellation dedicated to this grape. It certainly helps to have Aubert de Villaine, one of the directors of the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti as a resident and grower. By isolating the Aligoté Doré clone and restricting yields, a fascinating dry white emerges from this part of the Cote Challonaise. The 2015 is rich, ripe and golden, with peach and pear fruit and a crisp, minerally finish. This is a great wine for crab cakes.

Bird Friendly in Castellina
2015 Chianti Classico (Castellare)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Castellare has once again made a ripe, generous Chianti Classico for all-purpose feasting. This is almost pure Sangiovese, purple in color, with peak-season cherry fruit and a sun-baked, earthy, tannic finish. A great wine with pasta and a tomato and eggplant ragu.

Specialty Foods

Arethusa Farm Diva $21.99 per lb. 
(Regular price $22.99)
Though they only began making cheese in 2011, Arethusa Farm has an impressive number of high-quality offerings across a range of styles for such a young dairy. Diva is a washed-rind cow’s milk cheese, reminiscent of an Italian robiola in size, shape, and texture. The silky paste offers a clean, milky sweetness, while the tacky orange rind hints at nuttiness and slightly more pungent aromas and flavors. This balance makes it incredibly approachable for a washed-rind cheese, sure to please both devotees to the style and those just beginning to explore “stinky” cheeses.

Jura Erguel $22.99 per lb. 
(Regular price $24.99)
One of the newer products imported from Europe by New York-based Columbia Cheese, Jura Erguel hails from a cooperative-owned dairy in the Jura mountain region of Switzerland. Jura Erguel is a testament to both the quality of the unpasteurized cow’s milk sourced from small family farms and to the skill of the cheesemakers. Its clean, lactic flavor and toothsome texture make it an extremely pleasant and versatile Alpine cheese.

Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor $28.99 per lb.  (Regular price $30.99)
Cypress Grove out of Arcata, CA has a loyal following for their American original, Humboldt Fog. Less well known but equally deserving of praise is Truffle Tremor. Also a soft-ripened goat’s milk cheese, Truffle Tremor is enhanced by the addition of black truffles. Creamy yet assertive, this is the perfect cheese for the transition from late summer to early fall.

Grafton Village Shepsog $23.99 per lb. 
(Regular price $25.99)
Shepsog is an award-winning sheep and cow’s milk cheese from Grafton Village Cheese Company in southern Vermont. It is made seasonally in small batches from raw milk, and sold only when the wheels have reached their peak flavor. The current batch was made in September 2016, and for the first time was produced in a clothbound format, making it similar in flavor and appearance to a clothbound cheddar. The flavors are tangy, earthy, fruity… it will definitely leave you wanting more, so get some while you can!