Newsletter
August 19, 2026 – September 14, 2026
The “Hidden” Verdicchio
2024 Verdicchio di Matelica (Boccadigabbia)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi is one of the great success stories of Italian wine. But literally behind it and hidden in the hills of Le Marche is Verdicchio di Matelica. This is a more powerful wine with intense minerality, high extraction, and a refined mouthfeel. Matelica is produced in a landlocked valley at high elevations in the hills of the Apennines, where the longer growing season results in richer, rounder wines. Boccadigabbia’s 2024 is a compelling version with great length and a delightfully bitter dry finish. Have this with grilled fish and a corn salad.
Kir-Yianni
2025 Assyrtiko ‘The North’ (Kir-Yianni)
Sale Price $22.99 – $234.50 case of twelve
The island of Santorini was the launching pad for quality Greek white wine. It is no surprise that Assyrtiko’s incredible endurance in arid conditions and its amazing quality led producers on the mainland to increase plantings of the grape variety. Unfortunately, recent vintages in Santorini have been disastrous with incredibly low yields leading to scant availability and soaring prices. This sent us looking for more of this superb dry white from Kir-Yianni. The Assyrtiko grapes are grown at high elevation on the Amyndeon plateau in the northern region of Macedonia. The 2025 is gorgeous.
Verpaille of the Vieilles Vignes
2024 Mâcon-Villages ‘Vieilles Vignes’ (Domaine de la Verpaille)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
You can’t go wrong with Mâcon. In this case there is no questioning the ‘Vieilles Vignes’ designation as the organically tended vines are over 100 years old. The 2024 Verpaille is a ripe, textured Chardonnay with depth and character. Try this with a seared salmon and tomato salad.
Ostatu
2025 Rioja Alavesa Blanco (Ostatu)
Sale Price $21.99 – $224.30 case of twelve
There are villages in the north of Rioja that are part of the Basque country. Ostatu, located in Samaniego, produces a rare Rioja Alavesa Blanco from Viura and Malvasia. The 2025 is fresh, crisp, and aromatic with exquisite balance. This is a great match with lobster and crab.
Amazing Aligoté
2023 Bourgogne Aligoté (Antoine Jobard)
Sale Price $64.99 per bottle
Our bottle of Jobard’s Aligoté was amazing. Jobard's Meursaults sell for triple digits but the price for their Aligoté was still eye-opening. If you buy this be aware that it has an amazingly long cork. When opening you’ll wonder if the cork will ever leave the bottle; stay patient and you’ll be rewarded with a stunning dry white with chiseled crispness and minerality. Amazingly it’s only 12%. Not bad for an Aligoté.
Listed prices are honored through September 14th, 2026. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 50, No. 9
We’ve carried Viña Real’s excellent-value Rioja Crianza so consistently, and for so long, that we almost forgot about their wonderful Reserva. Made with fruit from the northern Alavesa subregion, the 2015 spent almost two years aging in new and second use French and American oak barrels before a long rest in bottle. This mature wine is exquisitely balanced between fresh and dried red fruit, vanilla and spice, cedar and earth. Fine, smooth tannins keep it all together beautifully. Excellent with a plate of jamón and hard cheeses, or lamb gyros and fried potatoes.
2025 Val de Loire Rosé (J.Mourat) 
2025 Languedoc Gris de Gris (Domaine de Fontsainte) 
It’s hard to find much information on Cascina Bruciata, but here is what we know. We know that the small 8 hectare estate is located in the Rio Sordo subzone of Barbaresco, and got its name from a fire that occurred on the property in the 1880s. We also know that it was purchased by the Abbona family, proprietors of the Marchesi di Barolo winery, in 2016. We now know that ‘usignolo’ is the Italian name for the common nightingale, which presumably graces the vineyard with its beautiful songs. Finally, we know that this 2022 Langhe Nebbiolo is delicious. Immediately after opening, this deep and dense Nebbiolo is dominated by firm tannins. But nestled behind them are glimmers of Nebbiolo’s fragrant charm. The red fruit, floral, and spice notes quickly become more apparent as the wine opens and the tannins soften. This really sings with braised beef short ribs. 
If you’re looking for value in the pricey village of Saint-Émilion you’ll do well with L’Union de Producteurs. Here a group of Chateaux have joined forces, sharing equipment, a winery, and marketing to produce excellent wines without lofty prices. This month we have an excellent 2022 from Château Paran Justice. This is a hefty young Merlot and Cabernet Franc blend with ripe but elegant tannins and a rich, long finish. Have this terrific Bordeaux with grilled lamb chops and eggplant.
Guillemot’s Premier Cru Serpentières is our benchmark for Savigny-Lès-Beaune. But in the 2023 vintage we found delight in one of their lesser-known vineyards. Les Grands Picotins was planted on an atypical Burgundian soil in 1958. Instead of white limestone it’s grown on red marl. This iron-rich soil gives a warm earthy aroma along with the ripe Pinot Noir fruit of the 2023 vintage. Unlike Guillemot’s Premier Crus, which need age, oxygen, or both to reveal their charm, this wine has immediate appeal. Try this with roast duck.
The Jura in Eastern France is home to many fascinating wines, but Vin Jaune is the Jura’s deepest and most intriguing. To begin, barrels are filled with a dry white wine made from Savignin, a distinctly acidic grape. The barrels are not topped up after evaporation occurs, allowing a layer of natural yeast to form on top of the wine. This voile feeds the wine for several years while partially protecting it from oxidation. As the wine ages in barrel it evaporates and intensifies. At a certain alcohol level and after several years the yeast dies and the wine is bottled. Producers have calculated that due to evaporation what would be 1 Liter is now 620mL, which is why they are allowed to use the unique bottle called a Clavelin. This rare wine is often compared to Sherry, but Vin Jaune has a depth and elegance all its own. The 2016 Désiré Petit has wonderful aromas of hay and tart plums along with a deep umami mushroom flavor. What does one drink with Vin Jaune? A simple yet profound pairing is a wedge of Comté, the Jura’s great cheese. Another classic combination is a chicken stew with morel mushrooms, crème fraîche, and a splash of the wine. But don’t limit yourself. On the day we opened our bottle, friends from K-Bok in Union Square dropped off some Korean chicken wings and fried oyster mushrooms. It was a great match.
Some of the best barbecuing of the season is still ahead of us, so we thought it would be fun to look at a couple of ways we can bring cheese and charcuterie into the mix.
2025 Rueda (Marqués de Cáceres) 
2025 Côtes du Rhône Blanc (Famille Perrin)
2025 Malbec (Domaine Bousquet) 