Newsletter
May 15, 2020 – June 14, 2020
Gorgo
2019 Bardolino Chiaretto (Gorgo)
Sale Price $9.99 – $101.90 case of twelve
Ròdon
2019 Bardolino Chiaretto ‘Ròdon’ (Le Fraghe)
Sale Price $13.99 – $142.70 case of twelve
Le Cocagne
2019 Coteaux du Vendômois ‘Le Cocagne’ (Cave du Vendômois)
Sale Price $9.99 – $101.90 case of twelve
Le Cocagne is a single vineyard site in the Northern Loire planted with the Pineau d’Aunis grape variety. This type of ‘Gris’ wine was all the rage in Paris in the 19th century. The Cave de Vendômois continues to make this very dry and peppery version.
Franc de Bourgueil
2019 Bourgueil Rosé (Lamé Delisle Boucard)
Sale Price $11.99 – $122.30 case of twelve
Beach, Bag in Box, Bingo!
2019 Sable de Camargue (Gris Marin)
Sale Price $27.99 per 3 Liter Box – $106.37 case of four
Bandol
2019 Bandol Rosé (Dupuy de Lôme)
Sale Price $21.99 – $224.30 case of twelve
Listed prices are honored through June 14th, 2020. We will not honor mistyped prices. Vol. 44, No. 6
The house of Dow has markedly improved the quality of their Vintage and Late Bottled Vintage Ports in the last decade. Also worth noting is how much their dry red Douro has improved, and, unlike the Ports, that the price has remained stable. The 2017 is a super concentrated, well balanced, full-flavored red. Try with spicy beans and rice.
Wines from the Greve district of Chianti are referred to as the original Chianti Classico; the Grassi family has been there since 1620. I Fabbri’s current proprietress, Susanna Grassi, has refurbished the high elevation vineyards, converted to organics, and produces an energetic, 100% Sangiovese Chianti Classico. The 2017 is superb. 
We previously sold out of this wine, but are glad that it’s back for another feature. After Sancerre, Menetou-Salon makes the most sought after Sauvignon Blanc of the Loire Valley. The Morogues vineyard is Menetou’s finest site. Tour St. Martin’s 2017 is a lively, minerally dry white with a pitch perfect Sauvignon finish.
As red Bordeaux goes, 2011 is largely overlooked because of more recent and more highly praised vintages. To our surprise, a local wholesaler had a dusty stack of cases of the 2011 Peyrabon for sale at a price that hadn’t budged for years. The wine is in perfect condition. With its dark color and rich Cabernet Sauvignon fruit intact, it shows nicely aged aromas of wood smoke and mushrooms. This is a fine, mature Haut-Médoc at a very fair price. 
2018 Coteaux du Giennois ‘Rive Droite’ (Domaine de Villegeai) 
A bottle of Vieux Télégraphe’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape now costs around one hundred dollars per bottle. Luckily, the Brunier family also makes this fine country red. Because they blend Le Pigeoulet from two parcels, one in the Côtes du Rhône appellation and one in Ventoux, they legally have to call it a Vin de Pays. No matter to us. This is a delicious red with tons of fruity, herbal flavor.
Eric Solomon’s European Cellars has provided us with many cases of the superb Rhône wines from Domaine de la Janasse. One of our favorites vintage after vintage is the single vineyard Terre d’Argile. This full-bodied red is comprised of 40% Grenache and 30% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre. 
When we hear the name Chave, we immediately think of Syrah. Their Hermitage and Saint-Joseph wines are considered some of the finest wines of the Rhône, France, and the world. Since taking over from his father Gerard, Jean-Louis Chave has expanded the estate and started a negociant line of mostly northern Rhône Syrah-based reds, and his American-born wife handles the export market. If you can’t afford their Hermitage, try this superb Crozes-Hermitage. This is graceful, refined and beautifully structured with plush blackberry fruit and a hint of spice. 
To us Olga Raffault will always be the Queen of Chinon. While we normally stock their Les Picasses, this time we were able to get a nice price for their Les Barnabés. This cuvée drinks well at a young age while retaining the fine grained tannins and wonderful berry fruit of Loire Valley Cabernet Franc. This has long been imported by our friends at Louis/Dressner. 
