Newsletter
December 12, 2019 – January 14, 2020
Feasts, Gifts, Treats
Affordable Bordeaux from
Saint-Emilion…
2015 Saint-Emilion Grand Cru (Château Piney)
Regular Price $24.99 – Sale Price $19.99 NET
Here is yet another fantastic value from L’Union de Producteurs de Saint-Emilion. The 2015 Château Piney is smooth and rich, elegant and dry.
… and Margaux
2015 Margaux (Château La Tour de Bessan)
Regular Price $29.99 – Sale Price $23.99 NET
Margaux at this price is a rare treat. La Tour de Bessan is fragrant and lively, with fine-grained tannins.
Once a Decade Valpolicella
2008 Valpolicella ‘Decennale’ (Ca’ La Bionda)
Regular Price $99.99 per 1.5L – Sale Price $79.99 NET
Ca’ La Bionda produces superb
Valpolicellas. From the fresh Classico up to their intense Amarone, the wines are seriously pleasurable. Their sensational ‘Decennale’ is made only in exceptional vintages, spends ten years in cask, and is only bottled in Magnums.
Champ Nalot
2017 Givry Ier Cru ‘Champ Nalot’ (Parize Père et Fils)
Regular Price $24.99 – Sale Price $19.99 NET
Little needs to be said here, except thanks to the Parize family. This is a charming and delicious red Burgundy from a great vineyard in Givry.
Produttori
2016 Barbaresco ‘Torre’ (Produttori del Barbaresco)
Regular Price $49.99 – Sale Price $39.99 NET
We are grateful to the growers in Barbaresco who have seized the means of Produzione. This cooperative toils only with Nebbiolo and the ‘Torre’ is their flagship Barbaresco. The 2016 is another superb example that drinks well now and will age and evolve over the next 25 years.
CdPape
2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Mas de Boislauzon)
Regular Price $54.99 – Sale Price $43.99 NET
This great winery checks all the boxes with their organic, biodynamic Rhone wines, which also happen to be powerful and delicious. Their 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is big and
balanced, ripe and spicy.
The Grand Cru Co-op
Grand Cru Brut Champagne Blanc de Blancs (Le Mesnil)
Regular Price $44.99 – Sale Price $34.99 NET
This is a great Champagne bargain. Crisp and lively Chardonnay produced on the chalky soils of Le Mesnil results in a minerally, elegant, crisp, and dry Champagne.
White Port
10 Years Old White Port (Quinta de Sta. Eufêmia)
Regular Price $24.99 per 500ml – Sale Price $19.99 NET
While seeking a red Port for the holidays, we instead found this amazing aged white Port from Santa Eufêmia. Ten years of cask age results in an utterly delicious concoction of walnuts and golden raisins along with an incredibly long finish.
Listed prices are honored through January 14th, 2020. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 44, No. 1
AVV Cab
2017 Cabernet Sauvignon (Alexander Valley Vineyards)
Sale Price $19.99 – $203.90 case of twelve
Since 1975 the family-owned Alexander Valley Vineyards has excelled with Cabernet Sauvignon. By blending in small amounts of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Petit Verdot, they craft a spicy and polished Cabernet that is perfect for a hearty bean and beef dish.
Chianti Classsico
2016 Chianti Classico (La Leccia)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
La Leccia is organically grown Sangiovese from Castellina in the heart of the Chianti Classico region. The 2016 comes from a ripe vintage with loads of cherry fruit and heady, cedary spice. Great with a rosemary-stuffed pork roast and a side of farro.
Sonoma Coast Chardonnay
2017 Sonoma Coast Chardonnay (Reata)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
Reata’s combination of rich apple fruit, mellow oak, and a hint of buttery concentration, all in proper balance, is our current favorite California Chardonnay. Great with scallops and crab cakes.
Holloran
2017 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (Stafford Hill)
Sale Price $17.99 – $183.50 case of twelve
Without being too fruity, Stafford Hill’s Holloran Pinot Noir allows some of the earthy, spicy, foresty flavors of Oregon Pinot Noir to emerge. As always this is a fine match with seared salmon and a sauté of leeks and mushrooms.
Amancaya – Mostly Malbec
2017 Amancaya (Catena/Rothschild)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
Malbec has proven to be immensely popular on its own, but in our opinion adding a bit of Cabernet helps give it structure. The Amancaya, a collaboration between the Lafites of Bordeaux and the Catenas of Mendoza, is 72% Malbec, which gives it a ripe blackberry and plum fruit. The 28% of Cabernet gives it texture, structure, and framework. It’s big, elegant, and balanced. And great value given the pedigree of its producers.
La Pépie
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine (La Pépie)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
Once again La Pépie delivers a beautifully crisp, dry Muscadet. This 2018 has a fine balance of citrus and minerals that makes it perfect for cod, clams, potatoes, and parsley.
Herding Bubbles
Prosecco Brut (Valdo)
Sale Price $9.99 – $107.90 case of twelve
Good old Valdo is back. This is the absolute leader in the “Spritz” category, but is a fine sparkler on its own.
American Sparkling Rosé ‘Sauvage’ (Gruet)
Sale Price $14.99 – $161.90 case of twelve
Last year we fell for the regular Gruet Sauvage. This year it’s on to the Rosé, a full-on dry Pinot Noir with delicate berry fruit and a crisp, long, dry finish.
Crémant de Bourgogne Brut (Domaine Gracieux Chevalier)
Sale Price $17.99 – $194.30 case of twelve
This deliciously dry and
toasty blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Aligoté from southern Chablis gets its creamy texture from its fine bubbles and up to three years of aging on lees.
Soave
2018 Soave Classico (Inama)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
The Inama Soave is a mainstay of our Italian section. Its lively fruit and gently herbal flavor are always impeccably balanced. The 2018 is gorgeous, with pear fruit and a persistent, long finish. Great for a seafood risotto.
Il Frappato
2017 Vittoria Frappato (Valle dell’Acate)
Sale Price $14.99 – $152.90 case of twelve
Gaetana Jacono broke our hearts when she decided to stop making her Tenuta Ibidini Nero d’Avola. It was our best value from Sicily. We console ourselves with her Frappato, which is fresh and aromatic, with violets, berries, and a hint of spice. It’s an easy, chillable red to have with all kinds of foods, even tuna rolls.
Specialty Foods
Appleby’s Cheshire $25.99 per lb
(Regular Price $26.99)
When selecting cheeses for our feature on London-based exporter/affineur Neal’s Yard Dairy a few months ago, the one we most wanted to include was Appleby’s Cheshire, as it was the standout from a recent tasting and seminar on the iconic company. Sadly, the distributor didn’t have any in stock, and to order more would take at least 5 weeks by boat, so we were resigned to wait. After much anticipation it has finally arrived, and just in time for the holidays! This firm, raw-milk, clothbound cheese bears a resemblance to cheddar, with fruity and bright flavors that are driven by juicy acidity. The texture is very slightly crumbly, combined with a “fluffy” creaminess on the palate that is surprising for a cheese of this firmness.
Pecorino al Tartufo $18.99 per lb
(Regular Price $19.99)
Caseificio Maremma di Spadi Fortunato is a family-owned producer in the Maremma, a coastal area of Southern Tuscany. They make a number of sheep’s milk cheeses including Pecorino Toscano DOP, but we love this version with truffles for the holidays. Made with pasteurized milk and salt mined from nearby Volterra, it is semi-firm in texture, with rich and earthy truffle shavings countering the sweet and grassy sheep’s milk.
Nettle Meadow Farm Kunik $32.99 per lb
(Regular Price $33.99)
Here is the obligatory ‘holiday triple cream’—with a twist. Kunik from New York’s Nettle Meadow Farm is essentially a mixed-milk triple cream made with 75% goat’s milk and 25% cow’s cream. The dense, chalky center becomes slightly more supple and gooey underneath the bloomy rind. Bright, rich, and creamy, it pairs wonderfully with fruit, honey, or nuts for an easy appetizer or dessert.
Tête de Moine AOP $20.99 per lb
(Regular Price $21.99)
Tête de Moine may be one of the most unique cheeses we have ever featured, not for the appearance or flavor but for how it is served. Historically made by monks in the Jura region of Switzerland (going back at least 800 years), the intense flavor is best represented when the semi-firm cheese is shaved very thin. Kudos to whoever invented the girolle, a “cheese curler” that shaves delicate rosettes off the top of the cylindrical wheel, via a blade that turns on a spindle planted through the center of the cheese. The thin, aromatic slices literally melt in the mouth for an incomparable experience. We understand that the girolle is probably not a household item in the US as in Switzerland, but you can easily create thin shavings with a knife. If you’re curious, ask us for a girolle demonstration and a rosette sample!
Happy Holidays & A Wonderful New Year
Wines of the Month — December 12, 2019 through January 14, 2020
2017 Savoie Rouge (Viallet)
Sale Price $9.99 – $107.90 case of twelve
Here’s a French mountain red that says, “let it snow.” This Gamay is a delight with melted cheese, potato gratin, and charcuterie.
2016 Montepulciano d’Abruzzo (Masciarelli)
Sale Price $8.99 – $97.09 case of twelve
This workmanlike Montepulciano returns just in time for wintery bowls of chili and big portions of Bolognese.
2018 Vinho Verde (Muralhas de Moncao)
Sale Price $7.99 – $86.29 case of twelve
Vinho Verde is no longer just a summer white. This Alvarinho is full and dry and can be served with spicy chicken and all kinds of Asian rice and grain dishes.
2018 Garnacha (Borsao)
Sale Price $7.99 – $86.29 case of twelve
This big but graceful Garnacha is perfect for elaborate rice dishes and roasted pork loins with plenty of garlic.