Rheingau Trocken
2016 Johannisberger Vogelsang Riesling Trocken (Goldatzel)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
If we were asked to choose a single hill on which to dream away a perfect afternoon, it would probably be among the steep slopes of the Mosel or Rhine alongside a bottle of Riesling. Thanks to young Johannes Gross, who has brought an influx of energy and sustainability to the family estate in the Rheingau, we’d be supremely happy if it was this hill and this bottle. The 2016 Johannisberger Vogelsang is a decidedly dry Riesling. Juicy lime and a dash of salinity lead into a long finish. A dream all by itself, but excellent with spicy shrimp tacos.

Original Chenin
2017 Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc (Raats)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
After France, the oldest Chenin Blanc vines are in South Africa. The Raats family ‘Original’ delivers an intense and pure Chenin Blanc experience for an astonishingly reasonable price. The 2017 is richly concentrated with apricot fruit and lovely linden-blossom aromas. A wonderful wine for grilled salmon.

Gentil on my Mind
2016 Gentil (Hugel)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
We met Etienne Hugel back in 1989 at a lavish dinner celebrating the Hugel’s 350th anniversary. At the time we joked that we might see each other again at the 400th, being the two youngest at the dinner. Unfortunately, this will not be the case because Etienne left this world a few vintages ago at a too young age. Luckily we ran into each other at industry events in the intervening years. With its generations of experience the Hugel winery will always be in good hands. This is evident in their everyday Gentil blend. The 2016 with its delicious mélange of 6 great Alsatian grape varieties has wonderful aromatics, crisp dryness, and a smooth, rich body. Salut to all the Hugels.

Specialty Foods

Bell and Goose Cheese Co. Flora Hayward $26.99 per lb 
(Regular Price $29.99)
Bell and Goose is a woman-owned cheesemaking operation out of South Hampton, New Hampshire. Founder Anna Hayward Cantelmo has an extensive background in cheesemongering, dairying, and cheesemaking. Now dedicated solely to the latter, she sources her cow’s milk from local dairies, in an effort to “preserve our agricultural landscape.” Flora Hayward is their take on the alpine style, with each wheel aged for 8-12 months. This cheese artfully demonstrates the sweet/savory balance that makes alpine cheeses so appealing, with a New England twist.

15 Fields Irish Cheddar $21.99 per lb 
(Regular Price $25.99)
15 Fields is a collaboration between Eamonn Lonergan of Knockanore Irish Farmhouse Cheese and Sheridans Cheesemongers, an Irish retailer and wholesale distributor. The cheese is named after the 15 pastures that comprise the Lonergan Family Farm in County Waterford. Fittingly, it is only produced from May to October when the cows are feeding on the pastures. Made with raw milk and vegetarian rennet, wheels are clothbound before being aged for 8-12 months. This traditional style cheddar is rich and buttery, with mild acidity and a dry, crumbly texture.

Cypress Grove Bermuda Triangle $26.99 per lb 
(Regular Price $29.99)
Cypress Grove, the Northern California producer that was at the forefront of the American artisan cheese renaissance, is most well-known for the inimitable Humboldt Fog. Yet they have a number of takes on the style of ripened goat’s milk cheeses, including the distinctive Bermuda Triangle. Like Humboldt Fog, this cheese is made with pasteurized goat’s milk and microbial rennet, and sports a downy white rind that blooms over a dusting of vegetable ash. What makes Bermuda Triangle truly unique is its shape — a triangular prism. While clearly a sibling to Humboldt Fog (the firm and chalky center tastes clean and tart, with a softer and creamier paste developing below the rind as the cheese ages), the triangular shape of each slice means more rind and therefore more bite!

Gorgonzola Dolce DOP “Verde Crema” $11.99 per lb 
(Regular Price $13.99)
Gorgonzola Dolce is an extremely soft cow’s milk blue cheese from the northern Italian provinces of Piedmont and Lombardy. The application of “sweet” to the name of Gorgonzola differentiates it from its stronger and more piquant counterpart, Gorgonzola Piccante. There are about 60 dairies designated to make Gorgonzola Dolce according to DOP specifications, and this producer’s selection is one of the best we’ve found. This young, gentle blue contains a moderate amount of blue veining, which keep the flavors of the blue mold from dominating the subtleties of the rest of the cheese.