Newsletter
March 15, 2016 – April 14, 2016
Simply Gamay-zing
2014 Beaujolais Villages ‘Les Vignes de Thulon’ (Jean-Marc Burgaud
Sale Price $11.99 -- $122.30 case of twelve
Jean-Marc Burgaud’s Beaujolais Villages is always a super value, but the 2014 takes things to a new and juicier level. Pure aromas of strawberries and raspberries along with fresh herbs lead to a crisp, ripe palate of fruit flavor. Serve lightly chilled with a roast chicken and a potato and gruyere gratin for absolute delight.
Blanc de Beaujolais
2014 Beaujolais Blanc (Terres Dorées/Jean-Paul Brun)
Sale Price $14.99 -- $152.90 case of twelve
Jean-Paul Brun has long made a lovely Beaujolais Blanc and he credits this to the rare limestone soil in his Bas-Beaujolais region. Chardonnay and limestone are a magic combination up and down Burgundy, and the tariff can be steep, so at this price Jean-Paul produces a terrific bargain. The ripe apple fruit, scents of hay, and the ever-present earthiness are seamless and dry.
Provence
2015 Côtes de Provence Rose (Domaine Houchart)
Sale Price $11.99 -- $122.30 case of twelve
Without Provence the rosé revolution would never have occurred. There was a time when uppity food writers would rave about the wines when consumed sur place and then conclude that they would not ‘travel well.’ Well, they do travel, and superbly, because producers like Houchart do everything possible to bring fresh, lively wine to many different markets. This 2015 is another excellent Houchart, with peachy fruit and a delightfully dry finish.
Ros de Pacs
2015 Penedès ‘Ros de Pacs’ (Parés Baltà)
Sale Price $9.99 – $101.90 case of twelve
Côte-de Brouilly
2014 Côte-de Brouilly (Domaine de la Voute des Crozes/Nicole Chanrion)
Sale Price $19.99 – $201.30 case of twelve
Let us first state that the Cru Beaujolais wines from Brouilly and those from the much smaller Côte de Brouilly are two very different wines. Brouilly produces pleasantly aromatic wines with easygoing charm. The Côte de Brouilly vines are on the hill of Mont Brouilly and produce deeper, darker wines with better concentration and real structure. The 2014 from Nicole Chanrion is as fine an example of wine made from Gamay as you will find. It is not obvious in any way, but delivers a complete picture of the grape, the vineyard, and the vintage with its balance of ripe fruit, earthy flavor, and brightly tannic finish. This is a great wine for salmon.
Moulin à Vent
2014 Moulin à Vent (Domaine Diochon)
Sale Price $19.99 – $201.30 case of twelve
The Côte de Brouilly is a tough act to follow, but Domaine Diochon’s Moulin à Vent has a case to state. With its raw beef aroma and strong but ripe tannins, this 2014 Cru shows a more powerful side of the Gamay grape, while still revealing its charm after some aeration. Have this with a seared skirt steak.
Listed prices are honored through March 14th, 2016. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 40, No. 4
2012 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine ‘Clos des Allées’ (Luneau-Papin)
2010 Blaye-Côtes de Bordeaux (Chateau Roland la Garde)
Today most Valpolicella are soft, supple young wines that go from stainless steel vats directly into bottle and into the marketplace. This modern formula yields fresh, fruity reds that charm wine drinkers the world over. The Tommasi family adheres to an older order. This, their basic Valpolicella, is anything but basic. First the Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara grapes come from the Classico Superiore zone, the heart of the Valpolicella denominazione. Second, they age the wine for 15 months in large barrels of old Slavonian oak. This yields a deeper, spicier red that opens up as it breathes, with each glass better than the previous one.
Sale Price $39.99 per 750ml
at the top of the Sherry world for their Fino ‘Inocente,’ which has always come from the Macharnudo Alto vineyard. As do these four wines. The Macharnudo Alto is almost pure albariza, a snow white chalky soil that is considered the best in Jerez. Inocente and Tio Diego are the last two wines in Jerez to be fermented in cask. Inocente spends ten years in cask under a veil of yeast called flor which keeps the wine fresh and adds depth. Casks of Tio Diego spend twelve years under the veil of flor before they undergo six more years of oxidative aging after the flor subsides. These are both amazing examples of Fino and Amontillado sherry that have been kept alive by the aging, blending, and refreshing of the many barrels in their parallel Solera systems. When barrels of Tio Diego head off into a deeper dimension and become Palo Cortado they become a separate Solera called Calle Ponce or C.P. for the street where the old bodega was located. This rarely commercialized, intensely dry wine is bottled at around twenty-five years of age. The end of the Macharnudo Alto Solera of Sherries is the Very Old Rare Sherry (VORS) Palo Cortado Cardenal, which is culled from the C.P. Solera, and contains just six barrels. 
This mind-blowing, profoundly deep and totally dry sherry is bottled at over sixty years of age and is one of the greatest wines one could ever taste. So what does one do with such intriguingly delicious wines? Have some chilled Inocente with Marcona almonds to start. Try the Tio Diego with a seafood soup or some cheeses. The Palo Cortados are best just by themselves, to experience one of the wine world’s longest, most delicious histories.
Vajra’s Langhe Rosso, one of our best-selling Piemontese wines, is made primarily from the Dolcetto grape. So when we tasted the 2014 Dolcetto d’Alba from Vajra we were understandably smitten. This is a beautifully crafted, purple-hued, softly tannic charmer. If you are a mushroom lover, this is the perfect wine. Its own earthy flavors match extremely well with funghi and many other vegetarian fare.
We have always enjoyed Montinore’s Pinot Noirs, but the 2014 may be our new favorite. It is worth noting that they are Biodynamic and organic farmers, that they ferment with naturally-occurring yeasts, and let the wine settle and age in barrel. The 2014 vintage in Oregon had ideal growing conditions with enough heat for ripeness and a cool dry fall for complexity. And Montinore nailed it with this wine’s lovely cherry fruit, mellow tannins, and foresty, elegant finish. It is also worth noting that this wine has a civilized 13% alcohol which contributes to its overall grace. Perfect for salmon or a seared duck breast.
The village of Chavignol rests at the base of Les Monts Damnés, an impressively steep vineyard in the appellation of Sancerre. To many this is a hallowed slope of Sauvignon Blanc vines, and the village has an impressive list of vignerons to prove it. Thomas-Labaille is a producer we buy in every vintage because the quality of their wine always exceeds the price. In the 2014 vintage this ratio went way up. The nose is exotic with scents of quince and pineapple, the palate is classic Sancerre with a sublime earthy, minerally flavor, and the finish is electric with a reprise of the fascinating fruit. This Mont Damnés is damn fine.
Deb and Doug Erb of Landaff, NH came to cheese making as a way to revitalize their second-generation dairy-farm amidst declining milk prices. Landaff is a raw cow’s milk farmstead cheese inspired by a traditional Welsh recipe. It has a natural rind and semi-firm paste with aromas of cave and grass and a mild flavor with a subtle tanginess. A versatile cheese, it pairs with a variety of accompaniments and melts very well. Aged at The Cellars at Jasper Hill Farm.
A semi-soft and very creamy Irish farmhouse cheese developed in 1984 by Jane and Louis Grubb. Made with pasteurized cow’s milks that yield a butter-yellow paste and marbled blue veining, it’s rich and full in flavor but not strong; great with grilled steak or in a salad. We can’t wait to try the simple grilled peaches with Cashel Blue recipe we found on the Kerrygold site! 
Douceur Du Jura is a pasteurized French cow’s milk cheese in the style of the Alpine Reblochon but creamier and a little less pungent. A smaller format cheese with a lightly washed rind and soft gooey paste that oozes when ripe, it’s just perfect to spread on a baguette
2014 Picpoul de Pinet (Félines-Jourdan)
2014 Campo de Borja ‘Garnacha’ (Borsao)
2014 Ventoux (Cristia)
2013 Sangiovese (Di Majo Norante)