Newsletter
April 18, 2022 – May 14, 2022
Cheverny and Muscadet
2019 Cheverny Blanc (Domaine Sauger)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
Located between Tours and Orléans, the Cheverny appellation is best known for its Sauvignon Blanc dominant blends. In the case of the Sauger, the grape constitutes 80% of the blend with Chardonnay rounding out the rest. The result is a creamy, textured white fragrant with lemons and gooseberries. It has a touch of flint and a lovely finish of citrus pith, with enough body to hold up to weisswurst and sauerkraut.
2020 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine
‘Les Princes’ (Domaine Ménard-Gaborit)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
Crete and Achaia
2018 Crete PGI ‘Melissokipos’ (Domaine Paterianakis)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
This blend of equal parts Kotsifali and Mandilari comes from the Paterianakis family in Melesses, a village south of Crete’s capital city Heraklion. Scents of cinnamon, tomato leaf, and cedar frame this medium-bodied, savory red. We don’t have any other red that tastes quite like this one and we’re proud to offer it at an inviting price. As one of our house reds, we’ve found it complements all kinds of fare, from vegetarian meze and dishes with red sauces to roast chicken and lamb chops.
2020 Achaia PGI ‘Amphora Daphne Noir’ (Koukos)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Rhône South, Rhône North
2018 Côtes du Rhône ‘Cuvée Romaine’ (Domaine La Garrigue)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
Domaine La Garrigue has long been one of our best sellers, though the price has slowly crept up and recently went over $20. Fortunately, the price corrected and we can now offer this full-bodied, gutsy 2018 for $17.99. This is a classic Southern Rhône red with aromas and flavors of plums, herbs, and olives. Not a bad choice with a grilled leg of lamb.
2018 Syrah ‘Les Hauts du Monteillet’ (Stéphane Montez)
Sale Price $24.99 – $254.90 case of twelve
The Montez family estate sits on a lofty bend above the Rhône River. Winemakers since the 17th century, today their legacy is in their renowned bottles of Condrieu and Côte-Rôtie. More appealing for immediate drinking is their pure Syrah ‘Les Hauts du Monteillet.’ After a few highly recommended hours of aeration, the 2018 has an intense mouthful of ripe blackberry fruit, lavender, mint and granite. This brawny red will be a fine match with a braised pork shoulder.
Listed prices are honored through May 14th, 2022. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 46, No. 5
Malbec clearly dominates the Argentine wine market, so we were pleasantly surprised by this new white blend from Catena. We were even more surprised to find out that it wasn’t new at all. Catena describes their Semillón-Chenin as Argentina’s century-old traditional white wine. The 2021 has a delightful peach aroma and a crisp, minerally finish. Have this with a platter of asparagus.
This long-time favorite Oregon Pinot Noir has returned with a ripe, full 2018. The Montinore Estate ‘Red Cap’ starts with ripe berry fruit, and leads to earth and loam flavors and a dry, structured finish. Just right for a seared duck breast and wild rice.
Of Pinon, Jacqueline Friedrich writes in her book The Wines of France: “Flavorful organic Vouvrays with a pure sense of place, handcrafted by an intelligent vintner.” The place is the Vallée de Cousse in the northern part of the Vouvray appellation. The vintner she’s referring to is François Pinon, a well-respected gentleman farmer who died last year. He is succeeded by his son Julien, and this wine was made by his grandfather Claude. This exquisite rarity was stored at the estate until late last year, when each bottle was inspected, cleaned, and recorked by Julien. They are in as good a condition as one can expect for a 58-year-old wine. The bottle we opened was amazing from the start. The nose had that intriguing scent of wet wool of old Chenin Blanc, but the palate was pure silk. Flavors deliriously toggled between fruit, herbs, chalk, and minerals. What did we serve it with? Chinese food, of course. We only have a few bottles, so one bottle per customer, please.
The folks at Olga Raffault never release their top-of-the-line single vineyard ‘Les Picasses’ until it’s at least 5 or 6 years old. The wine comes to the market drinkable but not yet at its best. Occasionally they release some older wines and then you can really see the difference that a few more years can make for this remarkable wine. The 2008 is gorgeously aromatic, and the palate remains fresh, incredibly smooth, and buttressed by invisible tannins. The finish has incredible length. There’s a lot to discover in this mature, beautiful red. We suggest serving simply with some paté and cheese. 
This Barolo from Oddero is a wonderful early drinker, but will certainly age and improve for a decade. The 2017 vintage in Piedmont was a warm one, and the Nebbiolos have more fruit than usual with buried (but substantial) tannins. It opens with the classic Barolo aromas of tar and roses, but then the berry fruit and herbs roll in. It closes with cherry fruit and fine-grained tannins. Great with pappardelle and wild mushrooms. 
The Royal Seyssel is back and it’s the same great 2015 vintage as before. Seyssel is a French village along the Rhône river south of Geneva, Switzerland. The Lambert family was an originator in the heyday that was Seyssel a hundred years ago. They sold to a company that went bankrupt, and then an heir resurrected the label and once again makes this delicious sparkling wine to the original specifications. The 2015 vintage ‘Royal’ is a blend of Molette and Altesse, two local grape varieties. This has a crisp, delicate floral aroma and lively melon and apple fruit. This will be great with smoked fish and sushi.
It’s our goal to have a Liter-sized bottle in every newsletter. This month it’s a flavorful, organic Navarra rosé from Azul y Garanza. This beautiful jamón-colored wine has a palate-soaking dry finish, making it a fine match for an artichoke and rice paella. Or, try it with a plate of Jamón Serrano and some Manchego from our deli. 
Blue Ledge Farm in Leicester, VT is deservedly proud of the health of their herd and the quality of the milk, which is highlighted here in their flagship cheese. This bright and tangy ash-ripened goat’s milk cheese is visually stunning and a textural delight: the chalky, crumbly core breaks down to a gooey edge, and a thin vein of vegetable ash bisects the center and coats the rind. The flavors are clean, creamy, and delicate, with just a touch of goat’s milk tang, though the mushroomy rind provides a little earthiness and bite. The fresh strawberry rhubarb flavors of the Eugène Carrel rosé complement the cheese nicely, and the brisk acidity washes away each rich and creamy bite.
This Sonoma County creamery got the memo that fruit preserves are a fantastic pairing for a creamy, fresh cheese. Their herds have access to pasture all year, and produce a rich milk with a bright, clean flavor that shines in a simple, fresh cheese. While texturally like a fresh chèvre, a fresh sheep’s milk cheese is slightly richer and lacks the earthy goat’s milk flavor. We were drawn to this version, with a touch of sweet strawberry preserves mixed in. For the wine pairing, we found that the charming and delicate strawberry flavors of the Koukos Daphne Noir are enhanced by the complementary flavors in the cheese. Consider drizzling with balsamic reduction to deepen the flavors with an earthy and tangy component.
2020 Bordeaux Blanc (Château Haut-Rian)
2019 Savoie Rouge (Viallet)