Newsletter
July 15, 2017 – August 14, 2017
Silvaner is Back
2015 Silvaner (Dr. Heyden)
Sale Price $9.99 – $101.90 case of twelve
Frank Heyden’s 2105s are seriously good. We offered this wine last year and are glad to see it again. The Old Vine Silvaner is loaded with pear and apple fruit, with a rich dry finish.
Rowing up the Ruwer
2015 Kaseler Dominikanerberg Riesling Kabinett
(C. von Nell-Breuning)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
The Ruwer is a mere stream that flows into the Mosel, but there are some great producers along its short meander. We adore the delicate style of the wines from C. von Nell-Breuning, and the 2015 vintage has produced a gorgeous, totally classic Kabinett. This practically weightless Riesling has just 9.5% alcohol, yet has engaging floral and mineral aromas, ethereal fruit, and a wonderfully long, dry finish.
C.A.I. Dry
2015 Riesling Kabinett ‘C.A.I.’ (Immich-Batterieberg)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
Lago di Caldaro Scelto
2016 Kalterer See Auslese/Classico (Colterenzio) Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
This is the kind of red that must be consumed slightly chilled, preferably out of doors, with a beautiful salad of farmers market vegetables dressed any way you like. Toss in some prosciutto or smoked trout if you desire. In the bilingual Alto Adige/Sud Tirol the Schiava/Trollinger grape variety is the workhorse red. Grown around the Lago di Caldaro/Kalterer See, it achieves ample ripeness (12.5%), transparent color, and a higher grade of classification – Scelto/Auslese/Classico. That may be a lot of words to swallow for this perfectly gulpable summer red, but it is well worth every cent/cent of its Euro/Dollar price.
Oppenheimer Unfiltered
2015 Pinot Noir (Dr. Heyden)
Sale Price $12.99 – $132.50 case of twelve
As with the Silvaner above, Frank Heyden has nailed the 2015 vintage. His Oppenheimer Pinot Noir is a great buy with its beautiful fruit, earthy tannins, and gutsy finish.
Just in From Württemberg
2015 Lemberger (Weingut Drautz-Able)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
Listed prices are honored through August 14th, 2017. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 41, No. 8
Diverging stylistically from the traditional inky tannic beasts of Cahors, Julien Ilbert’s organic family estate wines are fresh-fruited and elegant. This is not your grand-père’s black wine of Cahors. Light in weight and alcohol (12.5%), Le Pur Fruit du Causse has bright raspberry fruit and mellow tannins, making it a lovely companion to a picnic of cheese and charcuterie
You might be familiar with Mérieau’s Sauvignon Blanc, which hopefully will come back in next month, but please give this delicious, earthy, dry Chenin Blanc a try. At 11.5% it is both refreshing and round with mouth-filling flavor. A great match with roasted salmon, new potatoes, and parsley. 
Inspiration from Mount Mansfield Creamery of Morristown, VT is a raw cow’s milk cheese that pays homage to the traditional cheeses of the French Island of Corsica. The cheese is made with milk from their herd of Holstein and Brown Swiss cows, and the rind washed in beer throughout the minimum 60-day aging process. The wheels bear a distinctive ridged pattern from the baskets in which the cheeses are molded. This tangy cheese has a slightly crumbly texture and a rich, nutty flavor.
P’tit Basque is a sheep’s milk cheese made in the Pyrenees Mountains of France’s Basque region. The cheese is relatively new compared to classic Basque sheep’s milk cheeses such as Ossau Iraty, but it utilizes the same traditional cheesemaking methods of the region. This is a semi-hard cheese aged for a minimum of 70 days, and it comes in small, cylindrical wheels weighing around 1 1/2 pounds. It is very accessible for a sheep’s milk cheese. The flavor is sweet and balanced with a slightly nutty finish, and nicely complemented by the smooth and creamy texture.
2016 Vermentino di Sardegna ‘Aragosta’ (Cantina Santa Maria la Palma) 
2015 Niersteiner Paterberg Riesling Kabinett (Schneider) 