Newsletter
December 13, 2018 – January 14, 2019
Bordeaux in all Price Ranges
2015 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru (Château Viramière)
Regular Price $24.99 – Sale Price $19.99 NET
2015 Pessac-Léognan (Château Larrivet Haut-Brion)
Regular Price $49.99 – Sale Price $39.99 NET
2015 Pessac-Léognan (Domaine de Chevalier)
Regular Price $99.99 – Sale Price $79.99 NET
2008 Pauillac Cru Classé (Château D’Armailhac)
Regular Price $109.99 – Sale Price $87.99 NET
1989 Saint-Julien Cru Classé (Château Gruaud-Larose)
Regular Price $249.99 – Sale Price $199.99 NET
Barolo
2013 Barolo (Ballarin)
Regular Price $29.99 – Sale Price $23.99 NET
We applaud the folks at Ballarin for their incredible wines and their modest prices. In 2013, a great vintage for Barolo, they made this gift. Rose petal aroma, raspberry fruit, and gorgeous structure.
Happy Holidays!
Amarone
2013 Amarone della Valpolicella ‘Ravazzol’ (Ca’ La Bionda)
Regular Price $59.99 – Sale Price $47.99 NET
Whoever first tried to take the most perfectly ripe Valpolicella grapes, dry them, crush them, and then ferment them was a mad genius. Certainly not an inexpensive way to make wine, but the extra steps and extended fermentation lead to long-aging and dense, powerful wines. The 2013 Ravazzol from Ca’ La Bionda is a dark and elegant Amarone with deep fruit, amazing structure, and a long, rich finish.
The Very-Classy Spéciale
2016 Viré-Clessé ‘Cuvée Spéciale’ (André Bonhomme)
Regular Price $23.99 – Sale Price $18.99 NET
Two Crus Meet as One
2017 Dolcetto d’Alba ‘Coste & Fossati’ (G.D.Vajra)
Regular Price $24.99 – Sale Price $19.99 NET
There seems little that the Vajra clan can’t do to charm us. Their Dolcetto-based Langhe Rosso blend is perennially popular, but it is the blend of two fine crus that elevates Dolcetto into the, dare we say, elite. This 2017 is a complex combination of beautiful fruit, striking minerals, and ripe, round tannins.
Textbook
2016 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (Textbook)
Regular Price $27.99 – Sale Price $21.99 NET
Listed prices are honored through January 14th, 2019. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 43, No. 1
Let us hope that the Viña Real Crianza continues to be a great value for old-school Rioja. Given that the 2014 spends more than a year in French and American oak barrels and ages further in bottle, it is an absolute steal. All the grapes come from the Rioja Alavesa district, so the wine gives off a lovely sandalwood perfume. The palate is rich and round, with fine tannins mingled with warm plummy fruit. A great match with a pork and chickpea stew.
Because its neighbor Valpolicella has Amarone in its portfolio and Bardolino does not, it will never gain equal economic stature. Yet we appreciate Matilde Poggi’s Brol Grande as much as we do the Ca’ La Bionda Amarone on the Front Page. She only makes this Bardolino Classico in the finest vintages. While most Bardolino is a simple fruity quaffer, this wine has savory depth, earthy intensity, and a compelling finish. The influential Italian wine guide Gambero Rosso’s highest award is the Tre Bicchieri. The 2015 Brol Grande and the 2013 Ca’ La Bionda Amarone both received Tre Bicchieri.
The producers at “La Garrigue” give free rein to importer Eric Solomon to blend the ‘Cuvée Romaine’ and the results are always superb. If you like a big Rhône dominated by olive and herb scents and an almost chewy texture, this is the Rhône for you. A healthy dose of Mourvèdre augments the Grenache and Syrah in the mix, giving it powerful tannins and a gripping, dry finish. For a heavy-duty roast leg of lamb.
Pinot Noir and Oregon are a match made in heaven. Gracefully aromatic, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir continues to improve and represents terrific value. The 2017 Averaen wins the three-legged race with gorgeous fruit, lively tannins, and a piney, foresty finish. As good with salmon as it is with steak and mushrooms.
The details are hazy, but this wine was originally destined for a wine-by-the glass program at a fine dining establishment on Nantucket. The ship missed the island and the Vincent Pièce d’Or docked in Somerville. This is bracing and dry, lean and crisp. Have with a broiled sole and parsleyed potatoes. 
Languedoc is better known for its red wine, but here is a bargain organic white from Château de Lascaux. This dry, spicy white is a blend of Vermentino, Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, and Grenache Blanc. Have this with a hearty fish soup laced with saffron and garlic. 
The Gini family has been making wine since the 18th century, and it is their old, superbly situated organic vineyards of Garganega that are responsible for the quality of their Soave. Claudio and Sandro, the current Ginis in charge, claim that they have never had to plant a Garganega grapevine. Their father Olinto and preceding generations took care of that. This wine, their not-so-entry-level Soave, is made from vines over sixty years of age located in the Antica Zona di Produzione. This un-oaked, very dry white is a complex mix of crispness, nuttiness, and salty mineral flavor attributed to the marine fossils found in the vineyards. Fantastic for a pasta dish with artichokes.
We’d like to give these folks a medal, but they don’t need another one. Their wines regularly win awards at the major agricultural shows. This month we have plumbed the depths of Lamé-Delisle-Boucard’s magnificent cellar for a few cases of their gold medal-winning 2009 vintage. This is maturing well, with the primary fruit evolving into wonderful earthy, dry flavors. A beauty with a roast chicken and fine platter of cheese.
Along the coast of northern Portugal lies the wine district of Bairrada, part of the larger Beira Atlantico region. Arguably the most famous producer there is Luis Pato, whose red wines have almost single-handedly elevated the status of the local Baga grape. But his white and sparkling wines are just as deserving of recognition. The Vinhas Velhas is a blend of three distinctly Portuguese white grapes from 45-year-old vineyards: Bical, Cercial, and Sercialinho (a grape Pato and his father saved from obscurity). As it warms up, the wine takes on nutty undertones but remains fresh and stony, with white peach, blossoms, and citrus pith. It has the length and depth of a much more expensive wine and undoubtedly would command a higher price if it were from a more famous wine region. However this wine can only come from one place. With a broiled whole branzino or a plate of steamed shellfish, this is the closest one can get to tasting a unique region of Portugal – without actually going there.
In the village of Le Mesnil-sur-Oger a hectare or two of Chardonnay vines will ensure a family several generations of very good income. Two high-profile Champagne brands with lofty prices are friendly aristocratic rivals in the village, but to our astonishment the Union des Propriétaires Récoltants Le Mesnil-sur-Oger also makes a superb Blanc de Blancs from the Grand Cru Chardonnay grapes. This is such lovely bubbly. Chalky and austere, it is the perfect aperitif before a meal and lovely with smoked seafood.
Prosecco Brut (Valdo) 
American Sparkling Wine ‘Sauvage’ (Gruet)
One of the newest offerings from La Maremmana, a farmstead dairy located in Tuscany, this cheese elevates the subtle nuances of buffalo milk. This delicate, semi-firm cheese dances on the palate with hints of grass, lemon, and mushroom rounded out with a perfectly seasoned finish. Cuor di Bufala pairs wonderfully with a fig jam or an assortment of cured meats.
This limited-release blue cheese from Vermont’s Jasper Hill is a perfect marriage of creamy cow’s milk and the silky, grassy notes of sheep’s milk. The deep and bold flavor of this cheese transitions smoothly to a complex range of textures and finishes with a slight gameyness that evokes memories of summer walks through the countryside. Hinman Settler is made with raw sheep’s milk locally sourced from Bonnieview Farm and its unique flavor will certainly be a focal point of your next cheese board.
A beautifully ripened goat’s milk cheese from the Loire Valley already sends our taste buds into a flutter. Add to that a generous layer of black summer truffles? Now we're truly in heaven. The light, tangy flavor of the goat’s milk provides a perfect contrast to the robust and earthy flavor of the truffles. These bold but balanced flavors are complemented by the delicate, rural flavor of the natural rind. As attractive to the eye as it is to the tongue, this cheese is decadent yet refined, conflicting yet balanced – and completely delicious
2016 Rioja (Campo Viejo)
2016 Cabernet Sauvignon (Montes) 