April 15, 2016 – May 14, 2016

Rosé Scenario

Are you ready for Rosé season? A boatload of fresh French stuff just hit our shores and they are some of our most delicious values.

Provence
Chateau de Roquefort Còtes de Provence Rosé Corail 2015 Còtes de Provence Rosé ‘Corail’ (Chateau Roquefort)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
Grenache, Cinsault, Syrah, and Carignan sing in harmony in this lovely dry pink from Provence.

Petit Balthazar Pays d’Oc Rosérose D’Oc
2015 Pays d’Oc Rosé (Petit Balthazar)
Sale Price $7.99 – $81.50 case of twelve
The Cinsault grape makes crisp, lovely, pale dry rosés. Petit Balthazar’s is a fabulous bargain.

Loire Noir
2015 Val de Loire Rosé (Petit Bourgeois)
Sale Price $12.99 – $132.50 case of twelve
Petit Bourgeois Val de Loire Rosé The folks at Henri Bourgeois always deliver quality, and their ‘Petit’ line of wines delivers both quality and great value. This is their little Sancerre rosé made of Pinot Noir grapes grown outside of Sancerre. Perfect for salmon.

‘Guilhem’ Moulin de Gassac Pays d’Hérault Rosé Pays d’Hérault
2015 Pays d’Hérault Rosé ‘Guilhem’ (Moulin de Gassac)
Sale Price $9.99 – $101.90 case of twelve
Mas de Daumas Gassac makes some of Languedoc’s greatest wines. Fortunately they also have a value line labeled Moulin de Gassac. The 2015 rosé is fresh and lively with a peppery dryness from the Syrah and Carignan blend.

Chidaine @ Touraine
2015 Touraine Rosé (Chidaine)
Sale Price $12.99 – $132.50 case of twelve
Chidaine Touraine Rosé François Chidaine’s wines always pack a punch and so does this deep, rich blend of Grolleau and Pinot Noir. Lively raspberry fruit meets brambly, peppery spice.

Carrel Savoie Rosé Savoyard
2015 Savoie Rosé (Carrel)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
This Savoyard rosé is a blend of Gamay and Mondeuse. Beautiful
floral aromatics, subtle berry fruit, and a crisp, minerally finish round out this fine value.

Domaine de Millet Còtes de Gascogne Rosé Côtes de Gascogne
2015 Còtes de Gascogne Rosé (Domaine de Millet)
Sale Price $7.99 – $81.50 case of twelve
This blend of Egiodola and Syrah is a spicy, dry rosé with gorgeous strawberry fruit. A great pink for a spicy gumbo.

Chinon
2015 Chinon Rosé (Couly-Dutheil)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
We love Cabernet Franc in all its incarnations, and the Couly-Dutheil Chinon Rosé is a full flavored, structured version with rich, ripe, plummy fruit and a long, dry finish.

Listed prices are honored through May 14th, 2016. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 40, No. 5

Marengo Dolcetto
Marengo Dolcetto d’Alba 2014 Dolcetto d’Alba (Marengo)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
A good Dolcetto is an exquisitely balanced wine. From its gorgeous violet aromas to its plummy fruit and ripe yet dry tannic finish, Marengo’s 2014 is archetypal. This is a perfect red for a fancy pizza/pasta/red-sauced meal.

Loreto and Guido
‘Guidobono Loreto’ Nebbiolo d’Alba 2013 Nebbiolo d’Alba ‘Loreto’ (Guidobono)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
Like the Dolcetto above, this
Nebbiolo delivers a wonderfully balanced wine, but with a little more Piedmontese volume. The aromas of rose petal are classic Nebbiolo, as are the wild berry fruit and the pronounced tannin. Yet all the strong features are in harmony and will pair well with a braised beef dish alongside some fine gorgonzola.

6 Vineyard Villages
2014 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ‘Villages Cuvée’
(St. Innocent)
Sale Price $24.99 – $254.90 case of twelve
St. Innocent ‘Villages Cuvée’ Willamette Valley Pinot Noir St. Innocent has long been one of our favorite Oregon
wineries. Their heroic efforts to identify prime single vineyards and bottle them individually helped put Pinot Noir in Oregon on a fast track. You can see how skilled Mark Vlossack and his team are at producing a ‘red wine with a white meat and fish profile’ with this ‘Villages Cuvée’ made from a blend of fruit from six vineyards. The 2014 is a real treat. It’s an earthy, savory red with zesty forest fruits and a lightly oaky finish. They certainly have achieved their stated purpose for what to serve with this wine, but feel free to experiment.

Hail, Hail Occitania
2013 Limoux ‘Occitania’ (Château Rives Blanques)
Sale Price $15.99 – $163.10 case of twelve
Limoux ‘Mauzac Blanc’ Château Rives Blanques Occitania, now known as the Languedoc, still survives in its people and its ancient grape varieties. The not so easy to find Mauzac Blanc captures our fancy with its ability to make wine that smells and tastes like the most perfect apples along with floral blossoms and a spicy finish. This 2013 from Rives Blanques is a rare find and a delight with another old delight – brandade, or any other salt cod or fresh cod dish.

Mas de Provence
2013 Les Baux de Provence Rouge (Mas de la
Gourgonnier)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
Mas de la Gourgonnier Les Baux de Provence Rouge Long before the natural wine movement gained prominence Mas de Gourgonnier was practicing organic viticulture. Somehow we have never thought of their wines as radical, just very good wines from a terrific sector of Provence. The 2013 is a notch above at a price below previous vintages. Give this a go with your forays into vegetarian Indian cuisine.

Malbec
2014 Malbec ‘Terroir’ (Altos las Hormigas)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
Altos las Hormigas ‘Terroir’ Malbec As one of the best values in Argentine Malbec, we thought that Altos las Hormigas was a one-trick gaucho of a winery. Well, we were wrong. Altos has a portfolio that improves as the grapes and vineyards climb up the foothills of the Andes. Their ‘Terroir’ bottling has terrific fruit quality, along with an airy delicateness on the palate. The carousel of fruit, minerals, and tannins make this much more interesting than the average Malbec.

Dolcetto
2015 Rioja Blanco (Ostatu)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
Ostatu Rioja Blanco Rioja is divided into three regions. The Rioja Baja is oriented towards the Mediterranean and is the warmest region. The Rioja Alta has a cooler climate and grows classic age-worthy Tempranillo. The Alavesa is Atlantic oriented and is the region with the coolest, highest elevation. Located in the village of Samaniego in the Alavesa, Ostatu makes a fabulous small-production white Rioja. The blend of Viura (90%) and Malvasia is made great by the astonishing 60- to 70-year age of the vine. This super dry white is intense in aroma and minerals, with a long, full-throated finish. Have this with hake, clams, parsley, and tons of garlic.

Sonoma Coast
2014 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay (Chalk Hill)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
Chalk Hill Sonoma Coast Chardonnay The search for cooler climate vineyards in California has led growers and vintners to the Sonoma Coast, where the Pacific Ocean sends its marine layer of fog to cool the vines every morning. This results in Chardonnay of great balance and crispness along with ripe California fruit. Chalk Hill’s interior Sonoma Chardonnay has always been an excellent example of the buttery side of California Chardonnay, so it was a pleasant surprise when we tasted their 2014 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay. Here was a breezy freshness along with the pear-scented fruit, and a fine zesty finish. Have this with a simple sautéed sole and some steamed chard.

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 refers to all wines in the store except 1.5L sizes and larger. Wines of the Month (four on last page). Champagne and fortified wines (Port, Sherry and Vermouth) receive a 10% discount.

Specialty Foods
A selection of cheeses from Massachusetts

Berkshire Bloom Cricket Creek cheese Berkshire Bloom $25.99 per lb.
(Regular price $27.99)
From Cricket Creek Farm in Williamstown MA comes this semi-soft, bloomy rind cheese inspired by Camembert and made with the pasteurized milk of grass-fed cows. Creamy, earthy, and pungent outer layers enclose a firm and mild core.

Capri Blue Goat Log $5.99 per piece
(Regular price $6.99)
Westfield Farm’s flagship award-winning cheese, Capri Blue Goat comes in a 4.5 oz. log with a Roquefort-like rind which develops on the surface and slowly ripens towards the center. One of the few external blue chèvres made in the world! Westfield Farm has been handcrafting farmstead cheeses in Hubbardston, MA since 1971.

Prufrock $17.99 per piece
(Regular price $19.99)
Prufrock cheese An organic washed-rind cow’s milk cheese from The Grey Barn in Martha’s Vineyard. Semi-soft with a delicious, slightly granular edible rind, it’s pungent but not overpowering. We are huge fans of washed rind cheeses, and this one did not disappoint! We will also sell these by the half piece.

Hannahbells $6.49 per piece
(Regular price $6.99)
Tiny hand-made thimble shaped cheeses made by the Santos Brothers at their third-generation dairy farm (Shy Brothers Farm) in Westport, MA. This month we are featuring the Classic French style with no added herbs and spices, which showcases their milk’s full flavor profile, which changes slightly with the seasons.

Smoked Gouda $9.99 per lb.
(Regular price $10.99)
From Smith’s Farmstead in Winchendon, Massachusetts, a straightforward smoked Gouda as good as any you’d find in the Netherlands. This is a farmstead cheese, made with raw cow’s milk, firm in texture with a mild smoky flavor.

Wines of the Month — April 15, 2016 through May 14, 2016

Le Bio Balthazar Minervois 2014 Minervois (Le Bio Balthazar)
Sale Price $8.99 –$97.09 case of twelve
The man with the green can comes through with a lean and fresh Syrah-based (80%) Minervois. The 2014 features a spicy nose and lively raspberries on the palate.

Haut Marin ‘Les Fossiles’ Còtes de Gascogne 2014 Còtes de Gascogne ‘Les Fossiles’ (Haut Marin)
Sale Price $7.99 – $86.29 case of twelve
This white from the southwest of France is an aromatic,
zesty, grapefruit- and flower-laden blend of Colombard and Sauvignon Blanc. Perfect for a shellfish dinner on a warm spring night, it weighs in at a modest 11.5% alcohol.

Flaco Tempranillo 2014 Tempranillo (Flaco)
Sale Price $6.99 – $75.49 case of twelve
Flaco has us ravin’ about this full-bodied, spicy and rich Tempranillo from the fringes of the Spanish capital.

Tenuta Ibidini Nero d’Avola 2014 Nero d’Avola (Tenuta Ibidini)
Sale Price $9.99 – $107.89 case of twelve
Tenuta Ibidini produces an assertive and meaty wine from the black grape of Sicily. With its spicy aroma and abundant dark berry fruit, this calls out for red meats and grilled vegetables.

Newsletter

Specialty Foods A selection of cheeses from Massachusetts

Wines of the Month — April 15, 2016 through May 14, 2016

Specialty Foods
A selection of cheeses from Massachusetts