Newsletter
March 15, 2018 – April 14, 2018
Muscadet
2016 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine (La Pépie)
Sale Price $12.99 – $132.50 case of twelve
Due to difficult climactic conditions that reduced yields significantly, Marc Ollivier and his team at Domaine de la Pépière made only three Muscadets in the 2016 vintage. There’s a little bit of Clos des Briords and Gras Moutons from his own vineyards, but he used his best old vines in Clisson and blended with purchased grapes from his neighbors so he could release this good-value ‘La Pépie.’ The strict selection and skillful blending has resulted in a wine that deserves the Pépière label, but because Marc is such a fanatic he labeled it La Pépie so that all will know he used some purchased grapes.
Pico and Valleys
Vin de France ‘Chardonnay’ (Thomas Pico)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
Thomas Pico is a young, up-and-coming Chablis producer who had an even more disastrous harvest in 2016. In order to stay in business he looked to friends in the Languedoc to supply him with delicious and even organic grapes so that he would have some wine to sell. Because the grapes came from outside the Chablis region though the wine was bottled within, it is only allowed a Vin de France designation. Still, the wine is quite lovely.
Saint Nicolas
2016 Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil (Joël Taluau)
Sale Price $12.99 – $132.50 case of twelve
What newsletter featuring French single varietal wines would be complete that didn’t include the perennial Cask favorite, Loire Valley Cabernet Franc? It’s been some time since we were able to offer a Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, as the small appellation has scant presence in our market. So we’re thrilled to welcome back an old friend whose wines have not been seen our shelves in over a decade. Joël Taluau is often credited for being the first to estate bottle in the appellation. His 2016 is vibrant, with lovely tannins, raspberries, and crushed leaves. At its sale price, this is an amazing value for a wine full of personality and versatility with all sorts of fare.
Romo à la Cazin
2015 Cour-Cheverny (Francois Cazin)
Sale Price $15.99 – $163.10 case of twelve
Romorantin is planted on such a small scale that the ten or so producers of Cour-Cheverny should have their own club. Our longtime favorite comes from Francois Cazin, whose wines always seem to take a year or two after bottling to come into focus. The 2015 is there right now in laser-like fashion. This formidable dry white paints a picture in your mouth of hay lying in the fields and fleshy ripe apricots. The finish is piquant and dry.
Pinot Noir
2015 Bourgogne Épineuil ‘Les Beaumonts’ (Dampt Frères)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
In the 1980s Bernard Dampt, whose family had been growing grapes in Chablis for generations, started buying land with his three sons in mind. Les Beaumonts is one of the vineyards he purchased. With its south- and southwest-facing exposure in the nearby appellation of Épineuil and the same Kimmeridigan soils found in Chablis, Les Beaumonts provides the ideal conditions to grow Pinot Noir. In 1998 the Dampt brothers took over operations of the family estate. They’ve now had over 20 years to perfect their vineyard management and vinification, and it shows in their 2015 Les Beaumonts. It’s lively with black cherry and pomegranate fruit and the mineral-laden finish one expects from chalky soils. An elegant partner for a roast bird or a mac and cheese.
Syrah
2015 Northern Rhone/Ardèche Syrah (Louis Cheze)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
The vineyards in the northern Rhone area of Seyssuel were famous in Roman times, having been mentioned by Pliny the Elder as producing superior wine. When the root-eating louse phylloxera struck in the late 19th century, the ravaged vineyards were not replanted, as the steep hillsides were deemed too difficult to work profitably. Louis Cheze is among a handful of producers helping to revitalize the area, and the generous 2015 vintage has provided a Syrah of deep color, with scents of violet and blackberry, and gentle tannins. Perfect with some vinegary BBQ pork ribs.
Listed prices are honored through April 14th, 2018. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 42, No. 4
Around this time of year the slowly warming weather usually calls for a lighter weight of red. But spring this year has refused to play along. This Bordeaux blend warmed us up from the inside during the recent snowstorms. Merlot provides the lushness, with notes of plum and chocolate, while Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot provide the focus and balance. Over a year of aging in French oak gives the wine a silken texture so that this rich red can be enjoyed on its own while binge-watching during a snow day. Or have it with grilled steak fajitas outside when it’s finally warm enough.
We hate to say it, but it’s easy to forget about Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon when the prices are often over rather than under triple digits. Luckily Raymond’s new ownership has lavished more attention, details, and dollars on their wines, and produced a powerful yet balanced Cabernet Sauvignon. A rich oaky presence leads to blackberry fruit, smooth ripe tannins, and a deep, long finish. So when it comes to Napa Cabernet, there is really only one food option: hamburgers.
There’s a plow horse on the label and inside the bottle the three organically grown grapes Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre are blended in equal measure, so you can rightly believe that this is a bold, strident red with real Rhone intensity. Without any vineyard holdings in the major appellations of the Southern Rhone, Domaine les Aphillanthes puts full concentration into its Cotes du Rhone Villages. According to their importer, the ‘Cuvée 3 Cepages’ is dearest to the winemakers’ hearts. Achieving the perfect ripeness of the three grapes at the same harvest time and co-fermenting them is difficult, but in the 2015 vintage they succeeded admirably. This is a very full-bodied yet wonderfully balanced, generous red with dark plummy fruit, peppery spice, and gorgeously burly tannins.
For centuries this domaine has been exclusively directed and owned by the women of the same family. We don’t often get into the masculine/feminine language of wine that exists in France, but because we adore the wine, Château Larrivaux’s own back label in French and English is worth noting. En Anglais: “Since 1580, Château Larrivaux has been transmitted only through the hands of women, this gives much ‘finesse’ and gracefulness.” In French: “Depuis 1580, le Château Larrivaux s’est toujours transmis par les femmes d’oú son élégance et sa finesse.” Our experience is that this wine is powerfully dry and wonderfully balanced with many fine years ahead.
Situated on one of the most beautiful hilltops in the Chianti Classico zone, Castello La Leccia is a luxury hotel disguised as a winery. Or is it a luxury winery disguised as a hotel? Either way the 2015 vintage of their Chianti Normale arrives with a generous, rich, spicy, dry flavor at a very reasonable price given the upscale neighborhood. This has the hallmark Sangiovese cherry fruit with a lashing of cedar and mildly biting tannins. The perfect wine for pappardelle with wild boar ragu or a variation thereof. 
Granted AOP status in 1980, Ossau-Iraty is a traditional sheep’s milk cheese from the Basque region of France. Though AOP regulations govern key facets of production (such as specifying that milk must come only from Manech and Basco-Béarnaise breeds of sheep), there are slight variations depending on the region and producer. Onetik is a smaller producer of traditional Basque cheeses, located in the town of Macaye at the foot of the Pyrenees. Theirs is aged 6 months and is an exemplary Ossau-Iraty, balanced and complex. Flavors of sweet cream, caramel, and hazelnuts mingle in the alluringly smooth and creamy paste of this semi-firm cheese.
Located in Warrensburg, NY, Nettle Meadow Farm makes an impressive array of cow’s, sheep’s, and goat’s milk cheeses. All of their offerings reflect their dedication to humane animal husbandry and artisan cheesemaking, and the joy and passion with which they pursue both of these goals is apparent in their products. Kunik is one of their flagship cheeses, and is essentially a mixed-milk triple crème made with 75% goat’s milk and 25% cow’s milk cream. The dense center becomes slightly more supple underneath the bloomy rind. Bright and tart, it pairs wonderfully with fruit as part of a cheese plate.
Inspired by the French St. Marcellin, St. Albans is Vermont Creamery’s first 100% cow’s milk cheese. Named for the nearby town and dairy cooperative where they source their cows’ milk, this creamy and delicate soft cheese is aged for 11 days before being packaged in an oven-safe ceramic crock. As the cheese ages, the flavor becomes more complex, earthy, and yeasty, and the thin rind will develop a wrinkled appearance. Heat in the oven until warm and gooey, and then spoon it straight onto a baguette!
