Newsletter
June 19, 2023 – July 17, 2023
Toujours Rosé
La Plage. Les Montagnes. Le Porch.
Bring on the rosé!
Savoie
2022 Savoie Rosé (Domaine Eugène Carrel et Fils)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
Carrel’s Savoie rosé is a snappy, dry, strawberry-scented Gamay blend. Try this with curried chicken along with a feta and watermelon salad.
Atlantique
2022 Vin de France Rosé 'Collection'
(J. Mourat)
Sale Price $12.99 – $132.50 case of twelve
Mourat’s savory
and herbal Loire rosé is perfect for grilled shrimp and spicy couscous.
Houchart
2022 Côtes de Provence Rosé (Domaine Houchart)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
This is a Wine Cask staple. Houchart’s peachy Provençal rosé is great with summer salads laden with tuna, olives, and green beans.
Mas de Gourg
2022 Les Baux de Provence Rosé (Mas de Gourgonnier)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Long time organic favorite Mas de Gourgonnier makes a super dry and peppery rosé that is perfect with sushi.
Bandol
2022 Bandol Rosé (Domaine Dupuy de Lôme)
Sale Price $23.99 – $244.70 case of twelve
Bandol’s reds and rosés are produced with a majority of the powerful and full-bodied Mourvèdre grape variety. Dupuy de Lôme’s rosé is fragrant with lavender and pine along with a rich dark fruit finish. Have this with a grilled fish and stuffed artichokes.
Mourgues du Grès
2022 Costières de Nîmes ‘Galets Rosés’ (Château Mourgues du Grès)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
Galets Rosés is Mourgues du Grès’ darker, fuller-bodied cuvée. This is a fine match with a frisée salad with lardons and warmed discs of chèvre.
Clos Cibonne
2021 Côtes de Provence ‘Cru Classé’ (Clos Cibonne)
Sale Price $44.99 – $458.90 case of twelve
As you can see by the price, Clos Cibonne is not your average Provence rosé. The Roux family’s vineyard, planted almost exclusively to the rare Tibouren grape variety, is located less than a kilometer from the Mediterranean and is one of 18 designated as Cru Classé de Provence. This organic and age-worthy rosé is aged for one year in 120 year-old 5000L foudres. During this aging, a thin layer of yeast called fleurette forms on the surface of the wine. This nourishes the wine and adds a nutty flavor to the fine plummy fruit. Great with crab cakes and a garlicky aioli.
Listed prices are honored through July 17th, 2023. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 47, No. 7
Summer in the Dolomites
2021 Vigneti delle Dolomiti Rosso ‘Lezèr’ (Foradori)
Sale Price $24.99 – $254.90 case of twelve
Lezèr is a delightful light red from Trentino’s Foradori family. This blend, mostly of the native Teroldego along with Schiava, Lagrein, and Merlot, is fresh and floral with flavors of violets and wild strawberries. The Foradoris are pioneers of organic viticulture in northern Italy and this red is a beautiful Dolomite experience. Serve slightly chilled with pasta along with the green vegetables of the season.
De Medici Approved Since 1716
2019 Carmignano ‘Santa Cristina in Pilli’ (Ambra)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
The concept of the denominazione di origine originated in Carmignano when the Medicis declared which grapes could be grown and where. Today’s Carmignano from Ambra approximates this with a blend of 75% Sangiovese along with Canaiolo, the mysterious Uva Francesca (Cabernet), plus Pugnitello and Foglia Tonda. The 2019 is a beautifully balanced Tuscan red. It is aromatic and spicy with cherry fruit and ripe, round tannins. Excellent with beans and sausages.
Grüner in a Liter
2022 Grüner Veltliner (Mantlerhof)
Sale Price $11.99 per Liter – $122.30 case of twelve
Mantlerhof’s Grüner Veltliner in a Liter bottle is once again an amazing value. The 2022 is cool and fresh, with green pea and mint aromas along with crisp orchard fruits and a clean, dry finish. Great with fish tacos and salsa verde.
Fiano
2021 Fiano ‘Sannio’ (Vigne Sannite)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
Campania has a number of autochthonous grape varieties that have survived to the present day. We are especially fond of the whites, which evoke the abundant sunshine and volcanic soils of their growing environment. This Fiano, from a small cooperative located inland from Naples in Benevento, is no exception. It has generous ripe pear fruit accented by jasmine, hazelnuts, and flinty minerality. Try alongside lemon-garlic swordfish and a heap of mixed greens.
Albariño/Alvarinho
2022 Vinho Verde ‘Old Vines’ (Foral de Melgaço) Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
Albariño/Alvarinho is having its moment. In Spain’s northwest Galicia, Albariños are in-demand whites in high end seafood restaurants. Across the Minho river into Portugal, Alvarinho has long been a staple in Vinho Verde. Many producers now make terrific quality single varietal Alvarinhos. One of our favorites is the old vine bottling from Foral. Their 2022 is superb. It has sea spray aromatics along with apple fruit and striking minerality. A terrific wine for scallops.
Wine Cask Discount Policy
These are our EVERYDAY discounts.
15% off of a whole case. This reflects the case price listed for still wines on the first three pages of the newsletter.
10% off of a mixed case. This applies to all wines
except 1.5L and 3L sizes.
Wines of the Month (four on last page), sparkling wines,
and fortified wines (Port, Sherry, Vermouth, etc.)
receive a 10% discount.
Pouilly-Fumé
2021 Pouilly-Fumé (Jean Pabiot)
Sale Price $21.99 – $224.30 case of twelve
With the Sancerre craze showing no signs of abating, we continue to look to its close neighbors Menetou-Salon and Pouilly-Fumé for a similar style of Sauvignon Blanc at a slightly better price. We recently tasted Jean Pabiot’s 2021 Pouilly-Fumé and found it excellent on its own merits, but also a suitable alternative to Sancerre. The name of the winery, Domaine des Fines Caillottes, refers to the small white pebbles that cover the vineyards. This is classic Loire Valley Sauvignon with crisp citrus fruit, chalky minerality, and a fine finish. Serve with sautéed sole and roasted broccolini.
L’Essen’Ciel Savagnin
2017 Arbois-Pupillin ‘L’Essen’Ciel’ (Domaine Désiré Petit)
Sale Price $24.99 – $254.90 case of twelve
France’s Jura is a small region with an outsized influence on gastronomy. This area has some wholly original wines and grape varieties. Savory, light reds are produced from Poulsard/Ploussard and Trousseau. But it is the Savagnin grape that commands the most attention, especially the riveting Vin Jaune and the ultra-rare Vin de Paille. This month we lucked onto a couple of cases of this beauty. The 2017 Arbois-Pupillin is a deep, nutty, and delicious dry Savagnin. For a classic match try it along with aged Comté cheese, or take it to the next level with a chicken stew with morel mushrooms.
Specialty Foods
Caseficio Persia
Caseficio Persia (per-SEE-a) is a small, family-operated dairy and cheesemaker located in Cuneo in central Piedmont. Focusing exclusively on raw cow’s milk production, Persia is dedicated to making delicious, high-quality cheeses in the traditional styles (and using traditional processes) of this famous cheese-producing region. These cheeses have become some of our favorites since they were first introduced to us last winter.
Tumalin – $21.99 per lb
A semi-soft tomme style with notes of fresh grass and sour cream. A true classic of the region.
Il Nobile – $21.99 per lb
Il Nobile is bright and tangy with a springy texture, and combines an approachable flavor with a subtle complexity. Suitable for all levels of cheese eaters!
Fior di Tiglio – $21.99 per lb
This unique cheese is formed with a dimple in the top that is filled with wildflower honey during aging. It is lightly sweet with a subtle grassy and barnyard flavor on the finish.
Trufalot – $21.99 per lb
Trufalot is a semi-firm “sola” style cheese blended with local Cunean black truffles. A delicate and measured approach to black truffle that is as refreshing as it is satisfying.
Wines of the Month — June 19, 2023 through July 17, 2023
2021 Malbec (Nieto
Senetiner)
Sale Price $9.99 – $107.89
case of twelve
This Argentine Malbec is a dark, fruity, everyday pizza and
burger red.
2022 Sauvignon Blanc (Domaine Bousquet)
Sale Price $9.99 – $107.89 case of twelve
Also from Argentina, the organic Bousquet winery has made a fresh, lively, dry Sauvignon Blanc that is ideal for fish and salads.
2022 Vermentino di Sardegna (Aragosta)
Sale Price $8.99 – $97.09 case of twelve
Aragosta Vermentino is, once again, one of the best bargains in Italian wine. It’s very versatile but does especially well with risotto.
2021 Pinot Noir (Hahn)
Sale Price $11.99 – $129.49 case of twelve
The 2021 Pinot Noir from Hahn is a juicy, delicious, mid-weight red that is perfect for grilled salmon and roast chicken.